How is your Gumption quota?

How is your Gumption quota?

This is a great post from J.C. Hutchins who is a novelist. His new book is a thriller 7th Son: Descent at JCHutchins.net.

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Most of us settle in, and settle for what we have. Rather than pursue, we accept. Our lives become unwitting celebrations of passivity: we undervalue our work and perceive ourselves as wage slaves (and so we phone it in at the day gig), we consume compulsively (but not create), we pine for better lives (but live vicariously through our televisions).

These corners we paint ourselves into, it’s no way to live. There’s no adventure here, no passion, no hunger for change. Remember that relentless optimism you once had? We goals you wished to achieve, before settling in? They’re still there. You need a nudge to find them; a little gumption.

You can start that business. You can lose that weight. You can quit smoking, and learn to garden, and write that book, and be a better parent, and be all the things you want to be … the thing this world needs you to be. It requires courage and faith, both of which you can muster. It requires effort — but this effortless life isn’t as satisfying as it seems, is it?

Declare war on passivity. Hush the inner voice that insists you’re over the hill, past your prime, unworthy of attaining those dreams. Disbelief is now the enemy, as is the notion of settling. Get hungry — hyena hungry. Get fired up. Find your backbone, and your wings. Flap ‘em. It’s the only way you’ll be able to fly.

Change is good (for personal growth)

Change is good (for personal growth)

When I say change I do not refer to the current administration change.

For you and I though, in most cases change is a very good thing. We tend to get stuck in routines and habits harmful to our growth.

The best thing you can do is go out and make a deliberate provocative change. (You can always change back!)

Pick something in your life needing a new look, or new direction and take action today!