El Capitan- Captain of your life

Posted in Self Improvement on 18th July 2021

If you've ever fallen into the downward spiral of just drifting along in life, you'll know all too well the sense of powerlessness it brings along with it. A sense of despair and hopelessness. You become resigned to your fate and life loses all colour and joy.

That's why it becomes so important to recognise one single fact.

YOU ARE EL CAPITAN.

You are the captain of your own life. You control to a very large extent everything that has happened and will happen to you. We tend to think that most things in life are forces beyond our control. And it is true but not to the extent we believe. We influence a greater deal, the things that happen to us through our attitude and proactiveness.

The most important thing I can tell you is that if you lie down, waiting for opportunities to come to you, you'll be waiting forever. You have to make things happen. Don't be static. Be dynamic. Make things happen. If you're moving and thinking of the next steps to get better I can guarantee you that you'll become a force to reckon with.

You are the captain of this ship called life. It's up to you to decide which course to take. It's up to you to make sure that you take care of yourself and keep in mind the things that are truly important to you as you navigate the choppy waters. Health, wealth, relationships, beliefs. You are in charge of how you approach all of these and how much effort you put into these every day. 

As we move forward I'm going to tell you two things to keep in mind. These are by far the two most crucial things I could tell you and they need to be repeated to yourself each morning till they're part of your own thoughts.

1. It doesn't matter if you read a hundred things to get better. Until you put it into practice it is as good as not knowing. A lot of us fall into this trap, reading all sort of self-help books and feeling good about ourselves, yet not really implementing what was mentioned. It is as good as not having read the book at all. Action trumps inaction. A single action executed is better than having 10 well planned actions you never get around to doing.
2. Your mind is the biggest weapon and the biggest weakness you have. The mindset you carry with you is the biggest factor in determining whether you'll succeed or not. And remember by succeed, I mean in the long term. When someone with a strong mindset fails, they take it as an opportunity to learn, improve and get better the next time they try. Someone with a weak mindset immediately quits and says he tried and it's not for him. Having and keeping the belief in yourself during times of hardship is what separates the great from the average.

Never forget- you are the captain. It's up to you to take control of your life and be proactive to make things happen. 

Remember: I don't expect you to remember everything you read. Here's what you need to take away from this article.

1. You are the captain of your life. Your proactiveness and attitude will largely determine what will happen to you. 
2. Take action instead of waiting for the perfect time.
3. Your mindset is your greatest asset and your biggest liability. Make sure you have the right mindset.

Action steps: To avoid this becoming just another article you read, feel motivated about for a minute before doing nothing, here's a list of steps to convert your motivated thoughts into solid action. This is by far the most important part. If you don't do this, it's as good as not having read the article.

1. Pick one part of your life you'd like to do better in. It could be your health, relationships etc.
2. Pick the smallest action that has a positive effect. Eg. Doing exercises for 5 minutes a day. Or spending 15 minutes with your family and actually listening.
3. Your mindset should be that you wish to see this small action completed every day. Skip the excuses. Remember you're the captain. If you veer off course, it's no one's fault but yours. Take responsibility.
4. See it through for a week. Feel the belief grow. Then continue for the month. You'll feel more sure of yourself at the end of it.
5. Continue. Profit. It's all in the mindset.