The Key to Change and Becoming a Happier Person

August 4th, 2023

This is The Friday Journal, your weekly dose of inspiration that helps you build a fulfilling high-performing healthy, and successful life. Each week I share my thoughts on what I’m pondering and exploring, providing you with valuable insights and actionable ideas.

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You might have noticed this newsletter arrived a bit later than usual. That's because I've been busy creating a website from scratch—yes, with no prior experience! It's been a journey of trial, error, and determination, and you can check out the result at www.samhamdy.net.

Last time, we started talking about the pursuit of happiness, highlighting the need to change from within. If you missed it, no worries—it's waiting for you on my NEW WEBSITE.

Today, I'm excited to dive into the second chapter of the Pursuit of Happiness series, where we'll explore a game-changer tool for radical change— "Perseverance." It's like the engine that powers real change, making the impossible seem possible.

This is a 4-minute read.

So, before we dive in, grab a cup of something comforting, and let's get started!

Why change seems hard?

Ever tried changing something about yourself or your life, only to give up too soon? It's a common tale. Quick fixes are appealing, but they often don't stick. Think of it like planting a garden—you can't expect flowers to bloom without nurturing.

Stephen Covey in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"—Which I highly recommend to read if you still didn’t, astutely notes that most attempts at change fail because we expect fast results. While some shifts (less than 5%) might happen quickly, the real, profound change typically requires time and effort.

Change is like that garden. It takes time, effort, and yes, perseverance. Our habits—good and bad—take time to transform. It's about making a plan, accepting failure and bumps along the road, and learning from them.

The Pitfall of Superficial Change

We frequently find ourselves immersed in self-help resources—books, videos, and more—craving immediate resolutions to life's challenges. However, genuine change demands more than a fleeting fix; It requires a careful plan and understanding that big changes happen over time, little by little, and by being strong when facing difficulties.

In Summary

In order to alter our paradigms or perspectives on how we perceive the world, we must initiate a radical internal change. However, it's crucial to acknowledge that this process will require time and will inevitably involve numerous failures. Failure is an integral part of the change, akin to the experiences of many famous and successful individuals who encountered multiple setbacks before reaching their current status. They exemplified perseverance, adaptability, and unwavering commitment.

The bitter truth is, in times of trouble, be it in relationships, work, friendships, or parenthood, we just run for a quick fix, and that could be by reading a book, or watching a video that mostly gives a fast, quick resolution like a painkiller, without going into the core of the problem, or why it happened at the beginning. That could work sometimes, but in the long-run, it would never work, the inevitable will happen no matter how you try.

To sum it up, if you want to be happier, you need to change the way you see life and how you deal with others. And that kind of change only comes with perseverance.

Perseverance is the tool for making big changes.

It took you a long time to build the way you see the world, so it'll take some time to change it too.

And the best part is, you can start right now!

Steps to Embrace Perseverance

Here's your roadmap to change:

• Look Within: Real change starts from you. Recognize the need to change and believe in your ability to do so.

• Shift Your Mindset: To change, you need the right attitude. Embrace it, and you'll see doors opening.

• Take Control: Don't let others steer your life. Forge your path and own your journey.

• Small Steps Matter: Change isn't a sprint. Progress is about consistent, small actions adding up.

• Learn from Setbacks: Failure isn't the end—it's a stepping stone. Embrace it and keep moving.

• Practice Empathy: See the world from others' perspectives. It's a secret to profound change.

• Give It Time: Change isn't instant coffee. It takes time, so be patient.

That’s it for today!

Until then, Enjoy your week.

Wishing you the best on your journey of change!

Cheers,

Sam

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