You need to kill the slave inside of you. The old you have to die, so you can reinvent the new self.  Piece by piece you will build the person who is capable of handling the challenges ahead.

You have dreams and goals. There is a destination, far away in the future, where you want to get to. You will not get there on the same horse that brought you here. This is a place where you change horses. That stubborn, hard-working donkey is not going anywhere from here. It’s not the asset anymore, this is the liability. He has to stay. You need another ride. 

The new horse will be different. Neither better or worse, but different. What skills and qualities does it have to have? What kind of person do you want to become? In which ways does that future self is different from the present you?

Habits to Develop

Your world has changed and it requires you to adapt. You need to change in order to go with the flow, not against. Previous lifestyle and habits are worse usable for them, however, it’s all-new now, it’s all different.
Which habits do not serve you anymore?
Which habits do you need to develop that will get you where you want to be?
What is it that you’ve been doing before, don’t make sense to be doing under current circumstances?

Let’s dig a little bit deeper. Do you try to hang on on the previous yourself? Realize you have to reinvent yourself the old you have to die. The new version of yourself, with new habits and routines, has to evolve. 

Skills to Learn

Digital Marketing

Nowadays, digitalization is a matter of life or death for businesses. If you are an entrepreneur or leader in your organization you absolutely need to have at least some basic understanding of digital marketing. Opportunities arise daily. They are all over us and you gotta keep your ears and eyes opened to spot them. Basic knowledge of digital marketing will help you recognize growth opportunities and infuse fresh energy into the business through promotions and marketing campaigns.

You need to learn at least the basics and familiarize yourself with essential tools, necessary for planning, running and measuring the successes of the digital marketing campaigns. You will use these resources to build your online presence and optimize your company’s or personal website for Search Engines. Also, applicable for personal branding. You got to be able to promote yourself, as a professional – the person who brings value to this world. What’s the point of having read all the books and being so smart and skilled, if people don’t know about you? You are a bright and intelligent person, and I bet you have something to tell, an opinion to share. To do so, you got to know how to get your word out there. 

The best way to learn is to teach. I spent two months taking the Digital Marketing Google course and got certified. I also read numerous articles, listened to podcasts and read a few books. I immersed myself in the subject of SEO and digital marketing. Based on my research and the things I learned, I wrote my first book: DIY SEO. Not complicated, this book is the “do it yourself” tutorial for digital marketing. It’s a how-to guide written in understandable language for an everyday man. You can find the paperback copy on Amazon. You can also contact me for a digital copy of the E-book at no cost for you.

Negotiation

You need to develop negotiation skills. It is not what you know, but whom you know. It is impossible to build an empire on your own. You will need to work with different people. No matter what you decide to do in life, your success will highly depend on your level of emotional intelligence and the ability to successfully negotiate with others. You will use negotiation skills when starting new businesses. You will have to negotiate when buying properties. They are essential in the real estate business. Negotiation skills are also the key to strong and healthy interpersonal relationships. You absolutely must develop and master strong negotiation skills. You will use them in all areas of your life: business, training camps, buy/sell the car, literally anywhere…

To improve this skill I read the book called “Getting Past No” by William Ury. I also listened to the audiobook copy of it, which I suggest over the paperback. There are a lot of dialogues, which are nicely curated in the audio version. I took the notes and wrote a little summary, which is easy to access from my phone. Every time, before I approach any sort of negotiations, I open my notes and refresh my memory on the art of effective negotiation.

Also, there is no pass or fail to master this skill. It’s a lifelong process, which never ends, so don’t stop learning and striving to get better at it.

Staying Cool under Stress

It is a skill that can be practiced. I do it almost daily in my training. Swimming 2,3,4 km is not easy. Neither running a half or a full marathon does feel like a breeze. When things get tough and I want to quit – this is when my mental training begins. Staying cool under stress can be trained by practicing sports and getting uncomfortable physically. When you think you can’t go any further and your body seems to give up on you – this is when the mental training begins. Staying cool under stress means keeping focused on the end goal regardless of the environment, circumstances or any kind of external factors. “Keep your eyes on a prize”, as they say. It doesn’t mean that you are not allowed to express emotions and bitch, and cry. You don’t have to keep the poker face when things spin up and shit hits the fan. No need to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Terminator. It’s ok to cry, as long as you stay focused and continue making steps toward the end goal. 

Also, sports is not the only way to practise this skill. Life brings you the opportunities daily. Recognize them and each time master broadcasting different reactions. Life kicks you in the balls – stay cool.

Project Management

In life or in business – project management skill is critical to have. Everything can be seen as a project. Some small, some big – all require planning, preparation, execution and reflection. Grocery shopping is a small project: What to buy? Where? How much to pay? A family road trip is a project: What to pack? Where to stay? What to do? How much to spend? How to get back? Buying a real-estate or car. Even marrying is a project. All require a great deal of planning and if you want to succeed, you have to be good at it.