Motivational speaker, firefighter, author and survivor, ADAM BLUM, shares his back-from-the-brink life story and 10 ways to live a happier life…
In his new book, Easy Target: Taming the Black Dog, Adam Blum shares how he experienced complicated health issues at a young age resulting in surgery, weight issues in his teens (he ended up losing 60kg) and relentless bullying into adulthood, which resulted in him trying to take his own life twice. But one phone call changed his destiny and Adam is still here to share his story to help others build their own inner strength and self-worth. Here, in this exclusive book extract, he shares the top 10 lessons he’s learnt through his journey.
You always have the power to change your outcomes in life and it must start with you. You alone have to want to make the change. It’s got to come from within. When you embrace the uncomfortable and get comfortable with being uncomfortable, amazing things happen. Here are 10 lessons broken down to use and implement in your life so that they may have a positive impact and help you, as they have helped me. I do my best to not forget these important lessons and to implement them in my daily life to maintain a positive mindset.
1. CONTROL YOUR FEAR
Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm. It is completely natural to feel fear; however, if we do not control our fear, it will control us. It’s easy to get caught up with fearful thoughts like, “I’m scared about what people will think of me” or “What if it doesn’t work out?” Fear of others, fear of the unknown. These thoughts can be debilitating and can literally stop you from doing things or achieving goals that your heart desires. You must be willing to take stock of your fears.
2. EMBRACE THE LEARNING OF FAILURE
If you don’t fail, then you are probably not even trying. With every failure we can grow as a person. Don’t accept failure but understand that you may fail and that’s a part of the process in real learning. Fall down seven times and get up eight times. A winner is someone who tried one more time than a loser.
3. BE COMMITTED AND BE CONSISTENT
Without commitment you will never start, but, more importantly, without consistency you will never finish. Keep working, keep striving and dream big. Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship. Keep moving and keep growing. Stay consistent even on the days that you don’t want to get up and grind. It is important on those days to turn up and commit to the day. Commitment doesn’t know that it’s Sunday.
4. NEVER STOP LEARNING
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt is to keep on learning. Be open to new things and new ways of thinking. Read books, listen to podcasts and don’t shut yourself off to those who are different to what you are used to. If you want to live a life full of abundance, then you have to educate yourself.Learn, do and repeat. Apply lesson number three, stay committed and consistent to being a lifelong learner.
5. BUILD A SUPPORT TEAM
To perform at our optimum level, we need the support of a great team. It is very hard to tackle problems on your own. When we collaborate with others we can unlock new ways of thinking and have a new set of eyes on things. A good team of people around you will help you up when you are down.The right team will want to see you succeed and they will encourage you to keep striving and chase your dreams.
6. BEING MINDFUL OF MINDFULNESS
Learning to be mindful has been a real game changer for me. I am now very much aware of how my mind is feeling. If you are not feeling OK, speak up and ask for help. Throughout my journey I have reached out and asked for help at times, because I understood where my mind was at and that asking for help was what was needed. Being in tune with my mind helps me perform at my optimum level. Every day I commit 10 minutes to mindfulness before I get up and face the world. I allow myself some time to be with my own thoughts and put my subconscious mind into a positive mode of thinking. I send out positive intentions to the universe. I repeat this practice at night. Mindfulness leads to a positive mindset and the feeling of being grateful.
7. BE PREPARED TO CHANGE YOUR HABITS
On average, it takes more than two months before a new behaviour becomes automatic – 66 days to be exact. And how long it takes a new habit to form can vary widely depending on the behaviour, the person and the circumstances. In a study by Dr Phillippa Lally, a UK academic who researches habits, it takes anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for people to form a new habit. To form a new habit, you have to enforce the new habit and build it into your life. It has to become part of your day, every day. When you want to improve your physical fitness you have to form a habit to train. You may want to run a certain distance, but you may first have to start walking every day, then progress to a light jog every day, then build up the distance and speed day by day. The key is training every day until you form a new habit.
8. YOU ARE YOUR ENVIRONMENT
There is an old saying that “if you hang around a barber shop long enough you are going to get a haircut”. This saying highlights how your environment can impact your behaviour and influence your mindset. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your environment. “If you are hanging around five millionaires you will become the sixth”. I love that saying as it really reinforces how having positivity around you can assist with positive changes in your life. Be aware of your environment and who you are surrounded by. Our surroundings can influence whether we succeed or fail in life.So, choose your environment wisely.
9. ALLOW YOURSELF TO DREAM
One of the biggest changes in my mindset was letting myself dream again. I now dream that anything is possible. Nothing is out of my reach. If you have a dream, then chase that dream and don’t let anyone say you can’t achieve it. To others, your dream might sound out there and unachievable, but that doesn’t mean it is. Just because they can’t imagine it being achieved doesn’t mean it can’t be. “Before you can achieve, you must believe.”
Protect your dream and don’t let others rip it out of your grasp with their words and non-beliefs. If you have the desire to chase a dream, you will achieve it. It may not be achieved quickly, and it may take a lot of work and setbacks, but if you keep working towards it and not give up, you will achieve your dream. We all have the power to dream because we all have the power to change. It comes down to how much you really want to chase the dream and how willing are you to hold onto that dream when the times are tough. Will you be willing to stay up late and work towards the dream? Are you willing to get up early and do the things you don’t want to do but are needed to make the dream come to fruition? Chasing a dream is not easy, but it can be amazing how far having a dream can take you.
10. KEEPING THE FAITH
Faith is one of the most important parts of my personal journey. Understanding that God always has a plan and that he is there for me has not just been a game changer but also an eye opener in my life. Accepting that God does not make mistakes has made me ask God, “What is it that you know about me that I don’t yet know?” Faith, whether it be in God or just some type of higher power, will see you through the tough times when you think you can’t make it. I have learnt to hold the faith. God’s timing is not my timing. God’s timing is perfect.
My faith has helped me along on this journey, because I know that I am never walking alone and that the universe understands me. My faith has helped me write my story. My faith in something bigger than myself has deepened my own faith in myself and what I am capable of. I know that God has great plans for me. I may not always understand the path, but I keep the faith, remembering that God does not make mistakes.
My journey is only just beginning. I am 31 years old and I still have a lot of living to do. I have a lot of learning to do and I have a lot of loving, laughing and giving back to do. The world is my oyster and it is your oyster too. Go out and step into your spotlight and when the time is right, be ready to shine and share your own brilliance… our only limitation is the one we have in our own minds.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam Blum is a motivational speaker, firefighter and author of the new book, Easy Target: Taming the Black Dog (Big Sky Publishing, $29.99rrp). He is also the creator and host of a highly successful podcast, True Blue Conversations. Adam hopes that the stories within Easy Target will help others build their own inner strength and self-worth. Find out more at www.adamblum.com.au
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