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“When wireless is perfectly applied the whole earth will be converted into a huge brain, which in fact it is, all things being particles of a real and rhythmic whole. We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this, but through television and telephony we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face, despite intervening distances of thousands of miles; and the instruments through which we shall be able to do his will be amazingly simple compared with our present telephone. A man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.”

– Nikola Tesla, 1926

Sometimes in life, we face tasks that may seem as immovable as a mountain. In such cases it can be easy for us to give in or procrastinate. The key here is to break it down.

That means, instead of focusing on the daunting work that needs to be completed in the future, break down the task into manageable chunks that can be worked on in the present. An ambitious goal that may take a full year can still be broken down into 365 daily chunks or even further into 15 minute time blocks. When placing our focus on one 15 minute time block at a time, a goal that takes a year no longer seems as daunting.

Take one step at a time.

The study of alchemy often has misconceptions as many people automatically think about turning lead into gold. What people hear less about however, is the study of curing disease and increasing one’s life span.

Throughout history, humans have found different ways to stay alive as well as extend their lives. It is in our DNA to value self-preservation above all else, which goes hand in hand with finding ways to live longer.

Modern alchemy is the study of pushing our bodies to their limits.

Many times I’ve heard the phrase: “Watch what they do, not what they say.” in reference to to learning from others. So how should we interpret this?

Many people seek out mentors who are in positions they strive to be in to give them advice. The advice they give may be priceless, however, it may not always be accurate; as humans are emotional creatures who have a tendency to say something and do another. Therefore, in order to maximise the value gained from others, we should learn from their actions rather than listen to every bit of advice they happen to spurt out.

It may be cliché, but actions definitely speak louder than words.

Many things that happen throughout our lives can be chaotic. Hence, during times of relative peace, we need to work hard to maintain order. Whether that means taking time out to clean your environment, tidying up your schedule or even repairing a broken relationship; all such efforts will pay off during times of duress.

By maintaining a certain level of order in our lives, chaos becomes controlled chaos.

Many find it easier to minimise consumption in order to build up their wealth. However, to create an abundant life we must focus on production rather than consumption. If we manage to increase our production consistently, we will be able to cover the costs of consumption whilst continuing to build upon our wealth.

Leveraging the abundance of resources available to us is the fastest way to achieve wealth. To do this we must create value in this world for others.

Increase your production so you won’t have to decrease your consumption.

Many successful people throughout history, from Steve Jobs to Marcus Aurelius, are known to have meditated on death. This means they strive to accept the fact that they could die at any time and push themselves to make the most of every moment they have alive.

The fact that we may die tomorrow is enough to answer this question.

If not now, when?

How many opportunities do we give other people to prove themselves before we accept their character?

This is a tough question which varies from person to person. Busy people who have many priorities in their life would give less opportunities whereas someone with less priorities would allow for more leniency. This correlation also makes this an indication of status as people will obviously value your time more if you value it yourself.

Knowing this, we must leverage this bias and value our own time much more. This way we can not only get more done in less time, but also spend less time on areas we don’t prioritise as much.

Your time is only worth as much as you value it yourself.

Ambition needs to be regulated. It should not be born of anger and frustration. Instead it should channel these emotions with a greater purpose in mind. To have a long term aim that keeps one on track will help with this regulation. Check your ambition.

A model leader is the one who is most willing to sacrifice. They are always finding ways to push others to become better leaders than themselves. This type of person is the most effective leader as they are able to command respect from others for the sacrifices that they make. Leaders make sacrifices.