12 Principles for Living an Extraordinary Life
/Every day, we make choices that determine what kind of life we will lead. We can choose to take a new job and move away from friends and family, or we can stay where we are and build deeper relationships.
We can spend our money on flashy cars or superfluous luxuries - or invest in experiences that enrich us as human beings. The principles outlined below may seem simple, but they represent the foundation for living an extraordinary life.
What is an Extraordinary Life?
An extraordinary life is a rich, full life filled with deep personal relationships and experiences that enrich us as human beings. It also means to do what you love and to give back.
Every day ask yourself "How can I be the best person I can be today?" And write a list of three things you can do to be the best person you can be. Don’t limit yourself - think big!
Write down things that seem unattainable or just crazy enough to work. If nothing comes to mind right now, put this idea on your “someday/maybe” list and come back to it later.
When you think of your “someday/maybe” list, take a moment to consider what kind of person you want to be when those dreams become reality. How do they fit into the principles below? Which ones are most important to you? What actions can you start taking today to move closer to those dreams?
12 Principles for Living an Extraordinary Life
There are twelve principles that I believe will lead you to an extraordinary life. Some of them may resonate more than others, and some might feel like they don’t apply at all. The most important thing is for you to identify which ones make sense in your life (and which ones don’t).
#1. Don't give up on your dreams
Don’t ever surrender, no matter how daunting the road may seem. Even when it feels as though everything is against you, remember that it is when life pushes us to our limits that we are forced to push back. This is the moment in which greatness emerges.
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#2. Don't be afraid of taking risks
If there's something inside of you begging for attention, don’t ignore it. It may seem safer and easier to follow a path that is more predictable, but you'll never experience true fulfillment if you don’t allow yourself to take a risk every once in a while.
#3. Be vulnerable
It's okay not to have all the answers and it's okay to say "I don't know." Being vulnerable doesn't make us weak - it makes us human. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we open the door for others to do the same. This is how deep and meaningful relationships are built.
#4. Keep a positive attitude
Focus on what you have rather than on what you lack. The more time that goes by, it becomes easier and easier to focus only on all of our problems - but this is not a productive way to live. By keeping a positive attitude and focusing on all that we have, we can gradually create the life of our dreams.
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#5. Know your purpose
Know what you want to accomplish with this one precious life - because it’s finite and limited by time. Life is too short for anything other than following your heart and doing what you know in your soul is right for yourself and others.
Related Post: 10 Inspiring Reasons To Love What You Do
#6. Be grateful
When we feel as though there's nothing to be grateful for, it becomes much easier to go through life feeling unhappy or dissatisfied. If this happens, take a moment and reflect on everything that IS going well for you - no matter how small the blessing may seem.
#7. Be authentic
Be true to yourself and others will be true to you too. It's impossible for us to feel fulfilled if we spend our lives pretending, so don't waste your precious time on anything other than being who you really are inside. If someone isn’t accepting of this fact about you, let them go.
#8. Be present
Life is happening right now, so learn to appreciate every moment. When we spend our time worrying about the future or regretting the past, how can we possibly be perceptive of what's going on around us? By being fully present in each and every moment - whether it’s a challenging one or an easy one, we can learn to appreciate the beauty of life.
#9. Be open-minded
This world will never cease to amaze you if you decide that it's okay not to have all the answers and simply allow yourself to be curious about new things on a regular basis. As human beings, there is so much more for us still yet unknown and to be curious and open-minded is a beautiful thing.
#10. Foster deep personal relationships
It's only natural that we surround ourselves with people who make us feel happy, loved, and fulfilled - so it's important not to take the connections in our lives for granted. Cherish those you care about by making time for them on a regular basis.
#11. Live your life with passion
If you ever feel as though it's time for a change, do something about it. Life is too short to wait around and let other people determine what happens next in your story - so follow that desire deep within yourself until the path ahead becomes clear. The more passionate we are about our dreams, the faster we'll achieve them.
Related Post: 7 Steps to Pursue Your Passion
#12. Treat life as a gift
Your one precious life is a gift - don't take it for granted. We are all given this exact same amount of time to spend on Planet Earth and how we choose to use that time will greatly affect the quality of our lives as well as those around us. Make sure that you're living every single day in such a way that matters.
Final Thoughts
Time is the most important thing you will ever spend, so make it count! This blog post has given you twelve principles for living an extraordinary life; use them wisely to live your best possible life and enjoy every minute of it! What are some other tips or strategies that have helped you live a happier, more fulfilling life?