"Life is not about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself."
— George Bernard Shaw, Irish playwright and critic
When people give advice about living well, they usually mention things like “finding your passion“ or “finding a hobby“. The problem with that advice is that it doesn’t go deep enough. It doesn’t tell you how to do those things, nor does it tell you how exactly they will benefit you.
Shaw’s advice about creating yourself offers a clearer picture. When you have the mindset of creating yourself, it encourages you to be proactive in building a great life. You have to get out into the world and try things. To explore, attempt, fail, succeed, achieve, love, and lose. The collection of those active experiences is what shapes your life. The more you engage and create experiences, the richer your life will be.
"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life."
— Steve Jobs, former founder and CEO of Apple
The clock is ticking for all of us, faster than you think.
It’s a waste to spend your very limited, very precious time following what other people tell you to do. They aren’t living your life, you are!
Remember this simple fact: your life is YOURs. You should make sure your time is spent the way you truly want to spend it. That’s how you’ll be able to look at your life, smile, and say: “Yes, I’m living well.“
"It is not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
— Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States
The goal isn’t to live for many years, but rather to ensure that the years you do live are rich, fulfilling, and happy. A single, beautiful life experience is worth more than a thousand mediocre ones.