Chapter (3) Cultivating the Mind and Spirit

1. No one improves by accident. Personal growth does not just happens on its own.

2. No man is good by chance. Virtue is something which must be learned.

3. Education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think.

4. The mind is like a muscle. It develops only with use.

5. When the mind is weak, a situation is a problem. When the mind is balanced, a situation is a challenge. When the mind is strong, a situation becomes an opportunity.

6. Find your passion and purpose, forgive your past and others, focus on your steps and present, and fuel your future.

7. You need five hobbies to be successful: one to make you creative, one to keep you in shape, and one to make you money, build your knowledge, and grow your mindset.

8. Mindfully live in the moment with no regrets, keep your body moving and active, keep your mind creative and explorative, create another source of income, grow your mindset and thoughts and be kind to others and yourself.

9. Human behaviour flows from three primary sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.

10. Spiritual win: Praying, meditation, studying, growing, etc.

11. Mental win: Reading, writing, learning, creating, etc.

12. Physical win: Walking, running, lifting, swimming, etc.

13. Train to improve, not to impress.

14. Spend time with nature, connect with loved ones, declutter your space, practice gratitude, move your body, get quality sleep, learn new skills, read more, take chances, and set boundaries.

15. Knowledge, acquire it. Confidence, trust it. Success, achieve it.

16. Teach your heart to accept disappointments.

17. No one can take it from you once you learn how to create your happiness.

18. Never respond to rudeness. When people are rude, they reveal who they are, not who you are. Do not take it personally. Be silent.

19. Be as clever as snakes and as innocent as doves.

20. Before you assume, learn the facts. Before you speak, think. Before you judge, understand why.

21. Learn to want to listen. You must have the desire, interest, concentration, and self-discipline.

22. To be a good listener, give verbal and visual cues that you are listening. Anticipate excellence.

23. Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

24. You are not lazy but paralysed by too many desires. Your mind wants many things at once, completely stopping you from moving. Break the cycle. Choose one thing and direct all your focus to it.

25. To stay focused, save your energy by avoiding distractions and unsupportive people. Don’t worry about others’ opinions, one-sided relationships, or occasional acquaintances. Stop trying to impress the uninterested and avoid solving others’ problems.

26. You have to get to a point where your mood does not shift based on someone else’s insignificant actions. Do not allow others to control the direction of your life. Do not allow your emotions to overpower your intelligence.

27. When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favour.