I’m a bit doubtful whether I have really grown in the last 15 years. And how could I actually tell?

Out of my own observation I find it more adequate to say that around 14-16 I had my first reset or blackout because I can’t remember what really happened. In a more drastic fashion “the lost years” is an even more adequate name. It felt I was thrown back and all the personal growth that happened before was suddenly gone.

After, the years of growth followed. I finished college, alternative military service, my apprenticeship as a salesman, two relationships and my studies of Int’l Media and Computing about 3 years ago.

This is when I had my last reset, although it was more like a soft reset – less dramatic because I can remember things pretty well. Also, the reset in terms of lacking growth happened during my studies: I felt I was becoming literally stupid during those years. So, the reset showed up as an on-going progress making me dumber and less capable with every year of studying. Yet, I didn’t quit my studies because what I start I finish.

Today, I’m 32, again in a phase of growth both personally and professionally, and unwilling to let a next reset happen. Maybe it’s inevitable. You never know. I just know that becoming aware of your change, your own phases and cycles is crucial for your personal development.

The take-away from today: Don’t expect to grow every day, in every moment. Life is so full of surprises that you can face patterns of growth-reset-restart-growth-reset-restart-etc., meaning you will sometimes have to start again and can feel like stupid. To prevent that, keep record of your achievements – daily. Write them down. Your growth will thank you.

Enjoy your day of growth today.

This was episode 3 of the #weekdaykickoff. Every Monday-Friday morning. Colombian time.

You are leading and influencing someone else’s life or decisions in a certain direction even if you sometimes are not even aware of it.

This means you have big responsibility – if you want it or not. That other person may also be a strong character, or even dominant. Make no mistake about it.

Despite their strength and dominance they’re radiating to the outside, they’re looking for guidance and leadership of other people in circumstances where they have to appear strong but are in fact not.

What it means for you: Be aware of your surroundings. Sense the other people who are with you. Feel them. This way you you will know how strong your influence on them is, and vice versa.

This is actually an interesting point because as a child and teenager I was always thinking about the impression people make on me, never was I thinking about what impression I made on other people. Some years later I found out about the impression I can make on people. This can be powerful.

And despite what a doorman once told me, when he said “you never get second chance for first impression”, I do believe in many chances for a first impression. I’m even going so far to say that you want to make a bad first impression to surprise the other person with your second and third encounter even more.

The take-away from today: Test your influence on people, and feel what they are radiating towards you, with regard to aura, karma and energy.

Try it, and have a wonderful day.

_
This was episode 2 of the #weekdaykickoff. Every Monday-Friday morning. Colombian time.

Just this morning I didn’t feel like waking up. The night was short, maybe too short. Five and a half hours is not a lot especially when one hour is only insomnia.

Especially in those moments it’s important that you keep the mindset of a continuer, someone who continues things. Have a role model in mind who is like that, an idol, someone you admire.

I was thinking that my family has this mentality, but except for my brother who has a very different job from me but is very much aligned with me in terms of mindset, neither my father nor my mother have a mindset of continuation out of conviction. Read More