"In times of change the learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves perfectly equipped to deal with a world which no longer exists." ~ Eric Hoffer
An odd title for a personal development guy to write about? Not really. In order to defeat bad habits it's necessary to expose them. Many waste significant portions of their lives on mindless activities.
Scan these 4 habit and check yourself.
Spend Most Of Your Spare Time Watching TV
Outside of educational programs TV is pretty much trash. It's OK to set aside a few hours a week to watch your favorite shows. Outside of that you're wasting time watching the boob tube.
Reality TV might be the biggest waste of time going. The only reason to watch reality TV is because there's a void in your life which needs to be filled. When empty we'll rush for anything to fill the void. If your life is dull the first tendency is to live someone else's life. The second to is to criticize those whose life you envy. That's why reality TV is so popular: the emptiness and lack of purpose the average person possesses.
Stop Reading
Leaders are readers. Those who don't read tend to be losers. The Hoffer quote sums it. When reading you're learning. When learned you're dying a little each day because the earth which you know has passed you by. Financier John Templeton spoke of a friend who stopped reading after getting a job when he graduated from high school. He watched TV in his spare time, went to the movies, and did some hunting. At the age of 40 he was no better educated than he was at the age of 16.
Spend Hours In Gossip
Each minute spent in gossip is purpose-less living. Gossiping is trying to fill the void in your life. You aren't engaged in any definite major purpose so your thoughts stray to other people's issues.
A vacant mind gossips. Gossip might be the #1 way to waste your life because you're no longer living your life when gossiping; you're focused on someone else's life so you might as well be living their life.
Stop Watching The News
Wait a second, I thought that the news was informative? Yes if you want to complain about politicians, be up to date on ghastly murders, and find out about the terrible shape of the economy. These things are good to know, right? I mean, they affect me.....no?
No they don't. Whatever you feed your mind is what affects you. Billionaires are made during recessions. Happy people continue to be happy during all type of tragedies. If you want to scan the headlines for a few minutes be my guest. I keep the quote of a sage in mind:
"All that concerns life or death comes from within." ~ Unknown
The news will rarely make you a better person. It might make you a learner, but what is it teaching you?
Don't Waste Your Life
If you frequently engage in any of the above activities before getting defensive about your actions think it through. Do these behaviors serve you? Ask yourself the question and wait for an honest answer before falling back into your routine.
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