[00:01.75]Top Six Ways to Build a Wonderful Life
[00:06.38]1. Live Below Your Means
[00:10.85]There will always be temptation to forsake the future
[00:13.95]for immediate gratification.
[00:15.50]We all want to buy that new piece of technology,
[00:18.22]treat ourselves to an expensive night on the town,
[00:20.98]or take out a loan for the flashy car we can't afford.
[00:23.75]It might feel great at the time
[00:25.88]but rash spending hurts a lot later on.
[00:28.55]Enjoy life's simple pleasures and save as much as you can.
[00:31.81]Expensive things don't create lasting happiness and security.
[00:35.60]Careful spending will bring you greater leisure
[00:38.40]and enjoyment in the long run.
[00:40.41]2. Put Your Money to Work
[00:42.52]Saving is great, but to make the most of your money
[00:45.50]you need to put it to work.
[00:46.81]Good investments can be the difference
[00:48.97]between retiring in your 40's or in your 60's.
[00:51.54]A post today at The Simple Dollar really got me thinking.
[00:54.80]According to Trent's projections,
[00:57.53]if a person in their early 20's invests
[00:59.73]20% of their income in an S&P index fund,
[01:02.92]the interest they earn will equal their current salary
[01:06.10]when they reach their early 40's.
[01:07.79]They could retire without a drop in income!
[01:10.63]Wise investing is the surest path to financial independence
[01:14.29]and it's something everyone can work on.
[01:16.79]It's definitely an area I'll be devoting more attention
[01:20.38]to in my personal life and on this blog.
[01:22.48]3. Educate Yourself
[01:24.90]To be happy we need continuous growth.
[01:27.76]The best way to grow is life-long education.
[01:31.23]This doesn't mean you need to pursue a doctorate
[01:34.62]or spend 2 hours reading every day.
[01:36.45]Self-education can be anything
[01:38.68]that takes you out of your comfort zone.
[01:40.51]The important part is keeping an open mind
[01:43.00]and searching for fresh ideas and perspectives.
[01:45.55]Education builds over time.
[01:47.81]It might feel like the bits of wisdom
[01:50.37]you acquire don't mean much,
[01:52.02]but over the years they add up to form a wiser,
[01:54.48]kinder, more interesting person.
[01:57.40]4. Develop Lasting Personal Relationships
[02:02.06]Suppose you had everything you wanted.
[02:04.20]Would you be happy without anyone to share it with?
[02:07.29]The personal relationships we develop with friends
[02:10.28]and family members are the greatest
[02:12.32]source of happiness in our lives.
[02:14.00]Don't forget about them.
[02:15.62]Taking the time to cultivate and enjoy
[02:18.05]personal relationships is essential to long-term happiness.
[02:21.78]Without the people you care about
[02:23.60]you'll probably be miserable,
[02:25.76]no matter how successful you become.
[02:28.21]5. Work Towards a Dream You're Passionate About
[02:32.45]Even if your life isn't perfect,
[02:35.09]you can always build towards a goal you're passionate about.
[02:38.47]If you aren't building towards something,
[02:40.62]you're probably stagnating. When this happens to me
[02:43.97]I start to feel like a victim trapped by my own life.
[02:47.19]The best way to reverse this is working towards a goal.
[02:50.63]We can't control everything about our lives,
[02:53.67]but working towards a goal gives us something positive
[02:56.10]to focus on and lays the foundation for future success.
[02:59.82]No matter what your passion is,
[03:02.48]get out there and start doing something.
[03:04.78]As Lao Tzu said, even a journey of 1 000 miles
[03:08.93]begins with a single step.
[03:10.87]6. Stay in Shape
[03:13.56]You only get one body. Once it's been ruined
[03:16.25]there isn't much you can do about it.
[03:17.54]Exercise to keep the rust off.
[03:19.55]Avoid excessive consumption of damaging substances
[03:23.67]and unhealthy foods. It may feel like terrible self denial
[03:27.60]at the time but enjoying good health
[03:30.12]in your later years is worth the sacrifice. |