In a VUCA and polarized world that constantly pulls us in different directions, living a meaningful and fulfilling life can often feel elusive. The pressures of modern life, whether from work, relationships, or society, can easily lead us away from what truly matters. However, by adhering to a few timeless principles, we can find balance, purpose, and joy.
These ten guiding principles offer a blueprint for living well, helping us to navigate challenges with grace, build stronger connections, and cultivate a life rich in satisfaction and authenticity. Let’s explore the foundation of a well-lived life.
1. Define your personal values
They are your life’s compass and will help you navigate in life and make the right and tough decisions and choices.
The quality of your life depends on the quality of your choices
2. Your life is YOUR life
Don’t let anyone else to tell you what to thing and do.
Think for yourself what is true for you, what to believe and what you want.
3. Define your way moving forward
Define your vision in life (desired future statue), your mission (desired present state) and your goals (what to do now), based on your personal values.
4. Have bias toward action
Be always curious like a kid exploring and challenging the world: to understand and learn you need to act.
Life rewards action: make a careful decision ang go all in.
Clarity comes with action, so decide what to do and have the courage to do it with a growth mindset: either to win or you learn. Then iterate.
Be open minded and agile: be water my friend
Don’t be an optimistic, but a realistic: life and reality is what it is and you are NOT in control.
There is no reality, only perception: identify the filters (beliefs) through which you and the others see and experience the world.
5. Everything has a price
If you don’t pay it now, you are going to pay it later with some high and steep interests.
When you say “yes” to something, you say “no” to something else: what are you saying “no” to?
6. Life is karma: you reap what you sow
You get what you deserve, not what you want or plan. Take responsibility and own it.
You create your own “reality” (how you experience life) by your own thoughts, not by the external circumstances: acknowledge and accept accountability for your thoughts aka “life”.
We teach people how to treat us: own rather that complain about how people treat you.
7. Changes and challenges are inevitable and to be expected
Change is inevitable: see the positive and the possibilities within change.
Be 100% certain that your are going to fail: setbacks, challenges, disappointments…
Fail soon, fail cheaper, fail forward and fail up: reflexion + learning = progress and mastery.
Every master was at some point a disaster.
8. We hate change
You can not change life and neither people, the only thing you can change is yourself, your perspectives, your beliefs, your habits and your context and surrounding: you can’t change people, but you can change people.
People do what works: identify what drive your behavior, yours and other payoffs.
You can not change what you do not acknowledge: get real with yourself about your life and everybody in it.
What we are not aware of, does something with us, but what we are aware of, we can do something about.
9. Find your tribe
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Choose wisely and surround yourself with diverse, intelligent, smart, positive and open minded people that love, care, help, support and challenge you. People that lift you up.
Spend quality time with, serve and take care of them. Forget the rest.
10. Pain, failures, challenges, mistakes… are good things
Embrace the pain and hardships in life because they are the threshold to a new level of mastery and opportunities, beyond your wild dreams: you will do better, when you know better.
Pain is the cognitive sign of an improvement, growth area and new reality we need to embrace, explore and overcome to go to the next level. Progress and learning = pain + reflexion.
Struggle well.
Life is a work in process prototype. An iterative continuous and sequential 5 steps process: goals + problems + diagnosis + design + action
Goals: know your goals and go for them
Problems: face your problems preventing you to achieve your goals
Diagnosis: reflect and diagnose the problems to get to the root cause
Design: design a pan to eliminate the problems
Action: execute the plan, pay your dues and push yourself forward
Rinse and repeat…
In the end, living a well-lived life is not about perfection or constant success, but about alignment with our deepest values and intentions. By embracing these ten principles, we create a life that reflects who we truly are and what we genuinely care about.
It’s in the daily choices, the small moments of connection, and the perseverance through challenges that we craft a life of meaning and fulfillment. A well-lived life isn’t just a destination, it’s a journey shaped by mindful decisions, love, and a sense of purpose. Let these principles guide you toward that journey, making every day a step toward greater happiness and inner peace.
Are you curious about how you can design a well-lived life?