Success

You might be surprised to hear that there are quite a few rules of success to learn from Shadowhunters between all the fighting and heartbreak.

Yes, there is a lot of badass fighting with swords, arrows, whips, and magic. Also, yes, there is a ton of get-togethers, breakups, and makeups. 

However, Shadowhunters is also a great show/book(s) to witness many different types of success. 

There is Alec Lightwood, who is an incredibly young yet extraordinarily ambitious and capable head of the New York Institute. 

There is Magnus Bane, a centuries-old high warlock who not only survived many wars but also remained a compassionate and capable protector of all kinds of people. 

There are Isabelle Lightwood, Jace Herondale, Clary Fray, Raphael, Simon, Luke, Meliorn, and Catarina – all of them successful in their own right. 

And of course, on the other side, there are Valentine Morningstar, Camille Belcourt, Lilith, Asmodeus, and the Seelie Queen, whose success stems from them all having their own interest at heart exclusively and mastering manipulation and deceit. 

So as you can see, there are many perfect examples of successful people that we can draw some rules of success from. 

Of course, I don’t focus on the latter group as their ‘rules for success’ are toxic and ill-founded. 

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Inception

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Tommy Shelby Of Peaky Blinders

Now, let’s get into it! 

1. Never stop improving yourself

One of the most notable rules of success from Shadowhunters is their never-ending strive for mastery. 

There are many scenes in which Alec, Jace, Izzy, and Clary train their fighting skills alone and with each other. 

Even Magnus, a century-old warlock, is visibly still learning and increasing his powers. 

One widespread trait between successful people is that they don’t sit and relax on their success. 

They celebrate it for sure, but they don’t fool themselves into thinking that just because they succeeded once, they will succeed again without the effort put into it. 

No, they keep honing their already existing skills and learn new ones on top of that. 

You should do the same! The great thing about our informational age is that you have endless possibilities to improve yourself. 

You can use books, podcasts, youtube videos, online courses, masterclasses, seminars, coaches, mentors, college courses, and internships. 

If you strive for improvement, there is almost no way to be stopped from achieving just that. 

Read also: 55 Things That Happen During Your Personal Development Journey

2. Make compromises if the parties are too different

In Shadowhunters, vitally different parties collied more than once. Most noticeably in the Downworld Council, which Alec organized to improve the relationship between the Downworlders and the Shadowhunters. 

Bad history, lost trust, misunderstandings, and different values collided and made the collaboration a work in progress. 

Unless one party is decidedly more powerful and has no qualms about forcing their will on others, compromises have to be made in situations like these to come to any moderately satisfying result. 

In life, we will always be confronted with situations like these. Admittedly, these confrontations will most likely not be as intense as the Downworlder Council on the brink of war. 

Whatever shape and form they take, you should learn to compromise and find common ground instead of proudly and blindly insisting on your point of view. 

Aggressive tactics like these may bring short term results but make any long term goals increasingly tricky. 

3. Don’t spread yourself too thin – You can’t save everyone

Alec Lightwood is a born protector. He is a big brother and the head of the institute. There have always been big expectations placed upon his shoulders. 

No wonder that he quickly spreads himself too thin, trying to put out hundreds of fires at once. 

As someone striving for an extraordinary life, you most likely desire to change people’s lives for the better. 

You see all the suffering that is still happing in our much-improved world, and you itch to do something about it. 

However, you can’t go and tackle all problems at once. 

If you want to be successful in helping people, you have to focus your efforts. 

Don’t try to do everything at once. Do one thing after the other. Spread the workload with other people who desire the same thing as you. 

Don’t spread yourself too thin, or else everything you do is doomed to fail. 

4. Give people a second chance

The lightwood siblings’ relationship with their mother has been more than strained over the years. 

However, they all recognize that people can change when Maryse Lightwood does her best to prove it to them. 

They could have quickly abandoned her along with most of the Shadowhunter community. 

Instead, they gave her this second chance and won back not only a loved mother but also a powerful ally who has their backs. 

You shouldn’t let yourself be walked over and keep toxic people in your life just to please them. 

However, sometimes it is also worth giving people a second chance. You can approach the topic carefully and at your own pace. 

You need to decide for yourself when which action needs to be applied. 

In the end, your intuition will know the answer. 

5. Be unapologetically you

All of our Shadowhunter heroes have been forced to conform to specific standards and urged to fit into the box. 

But being the strong and successful people they are, they gave society the middle finger and proceeded to be unapologetically themselves. 

Izzy Lightwood doesn’t give a f#ck what people think about her clothing choice or flirtiness. 

Alec Lightwood learned to proudly stand for his sexual orientation and the handsome warlock at his side. 

And Magnus Bane has withstood centuries of racism, homophobia, cruelness, and fashion judgments and still remained his flamboyant and kind self. 

Don’t be one among many faceless people. Be unapologetically you! 

That’s what people will love so much about you. They will admire how fearlessly you allow people to see you vulnerable with your flaws on display. 

They will be able to relate to your quirks and weirdness. And at the end of the day, you being you will make them feel better about being themselves as well. 

That’s why reality shows are so successful. People love seeing the ugly behind the scenes, even if it is partly staged. 

Success comes easily to those who are being their unique and quirky self without any shame. 

6. The old way is not always the right way – Dare to change

We, humans, tend to cling to traditions because it is comfortable and seems safe. 

However, history has proven more than once that beyond traditions can wait a much better and more equal life for everyone involved. 

The Shadowhunter community is slowly learning this throughout the series and after it. 

Their prejudice against the downworlders is more than ill-founded and stands in the way of beneficial and loving interracial relationships. 

One of the most powerful rules of success is to dare to change. Dare to change your mindset, your worldview, your strategy, your routine, and your scenery. 

Dare to change everything that you’ve been stuck with for quite some time. 

You don’t even need to be unhappy about the thing to try and change it. Even things and routines you already are happy about could possibly keep you from discovering something even better! 

So why not do things differently for once? The worst that’ll happen is that you don’t like it and change back to what you’re used to until you have a better idea. 

The best that can happen is an unexpectedly massive success! 

7. Surround yourself with likeminded people who have your back

Alec can always rely on his siblings. They support him no matter what and only want the best for him while striving for the same big goal in life. 

Magnus has for centuries had his closest friends Catarina Loss and Ragnor Fell. They may live very different lives, but they have each other’s back and the same goals when it counts. 

Your life changes when you finally find your soulmates, the people that just get you, people that are on the same wavelength as you. 

Everything suddenly becomes easy. There is no awkward and always procrastinated meetup planning. 

There is no annoyance and cluelessness when finding a present for their birthday because you know exactly what they like. 

There is no holding back on talking about what lights your heart up because your inner circle loves seeing you shine like that and, a lot of the time, are equally excited about this topic. 

And most importantly, you are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. They will empower you in your hustle for an extraordinary life. And they will combine forces with you to help all of you reach that next level faster. 

You might not have found your Lightwood-siblings or your Catarina and Ragnor yet. 

But if you keep looking for them and improving yourself, you will meet them when you are ready. 

And they could be your most powerful asset for success. 

8. Take small steps each day 

Alec and Magnus want to revolutionize the relationship between downworlders and Shadowhunters. 

But just like Rome wasn’t built in one day, they slowly and gradually work towards that. 

Jim Kwik always says: Little by little, a little becomes a lot. 

I love this saying so much because it truly keeps your hopes and motivation alive while you do your daily tasks that will create your dream life a few years down the line. 

Don’t fall prey to the belief that it takes one ample and fortunate opportunity to create success. 

More often than not, success comes from the small daily habits repeated hundreds of times a year. 

I love that kind of success because it happens almost unnoticeable until one day you stop for a moment, look back, and realize just how far you’ve come. 

Comment down below the little daily tasks you are doing to reach the successful life of your dreams. 

9. Go the extra mile – Always strive to overdeliver

You can get through life by only doing what people expect you to do and not lifting a finger more. 

But that’s for ordinary people with small dreams and not for ambitious and kind-hearted Felicity Seekers like you. 

Over time people will always notice who does the bare minimum and who goes the extra mile. Naturally, they will gravitate towards the latter because they trust them more to have their best interests at heart. 

That’s why both Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood are so highly regarded by all kinds of people. 

They not only care profoundly but do the actions that match this mindset. 

If you want to be successful in life, you should always ask yourself how to give just a little more. 

10. Don’t give up – Make the impossible happen

Everyone who has ever watched the Shadowhunter series or read the books that it’s based on knows that our heroes have done the seemingly impossible more than once. 

Be it being a gay Shadowhunter in a relationship with a High Warlock, creating new runes, going into Edom, or becoming the High Warlock of Alicante. 

There are endless examples in history where people thought something impossible before the dreamers and action takers made it happen. 

Making the impossible happen can take some time and requires resilience, but it is very much possible. 

So don’t give up, darling, if something seems impossible. If you keep feeling like this goal is meant for you, then you should never give up. 

11. Be loyal

There are too many egotistical and ruthless people that throw everyone in front of the train just to reach their goals. People are only collateral damage to them. 

Never lower yourself to the level of those people. They might reach success with this toxic tactic. 

However, it is an undeserved success that wouldn’t make you feel proud if you have even a shred of morals in you. 

You can succeed very well with fair play. Loyalty gets highly rewarded. 

We trust loyal people much quicker and to a more significant extent. We are more willing to buy their products, hire their services, or support them if they need help. 

Know where your loyalties lie and stand your ground for them!

I hope this gave you some ideas on what you can work on to reach your dream success. 

Are there any other rules of success you recognized in Shadowhunters? Comment them down below! 

Keep a lookout for the next set of success rules. What series/movie/fandom would you like to see? Tell me in the comments. 

Until next week

Sophie

What rules of success can we learn for our life and our career from the excellent movie Inception?

I love pulling life and success lessons out of every part of life. And I think it especially fun to pull them out of fictional storylines. 

Often times we take movies or series just for entertainment purpose. But once you actually look at it from an educational perspective, you’ll notice many hidden lessons inside. 

Don’t worry, I won’t go as deep into the interpretation of Inception as many of us were forced to do with school interpretations (I still remember how our teacher tried to tell us that the blue curtain in a scene is supposed to symbolize the sadness of the character -_-). 

This list aims to be a light and fun way to open you up to some new tips for success. 

Maybe this take will finally inspire you to get down and work on yourself versus the many times you just talked the walk. 

At the very least, however, I know this will be a fun read. So enjoy! 

Read also: 11 Rules Of Success From Tommy Shelby Of Peaky Blinders

1. Focus is everything 

Shaping a dream into your liking and forging your way through it takes a lot of focus. 

Dom, Arthur, Eames, Ariadne, and Yusuf from Inception know how to focus. Their job and, at times, their lives depend on it. 

They can’t afford to be distracted by random memories or images zipping through their heads. 

They need to focus on dreaming up what they want and need. 

Just like them, you will do well learning how to focus correctly. If you can ramp up your concentration for any given type of work, you will be more effective and achieve more in less time. 

Some critical elements of great focus are: 

• staying hydrated
• having a good quality of air to breathe in deeply 
• sleeping well
• 25min work sessions 
• moving your body in the breaks 
• learning to clear your mind by meditating 

2. Train your mind 

The dreamshare community knows that a trained mind is harder to invade. Its projections are more radical and will quickly get rid of unwelcome intruders. 

This is very symbolic of real life. 

You want to train your mind to keep out any intruders, which in our case would be limiting beliefs, judgment from others, traumatic events, and all the other harmful things that can make a catastrophic impact on your mindset. 

If your mind falls prey to doubts, negative self-talk, limiting beliefs, a lack of self-worth, insecurity, or anything on that spectrum, you will have difficulty building the success you want in life. 

The biggest obstacle towards our success is, more often than not, ourselves and not the outward circumstances surrounding us. 

Now, how do we train our mind against these success sucking intruders? 

First of all, you need to become aware of and change how you talk to yourself in your head. If you continuously tell yourself that you’re dumb, clumsy, and hopeless, you will easily believe everyone who confirms that for you. 

Start talking to yourself as if you were your best friend or even a child. You wouldn’t bully either of those two, so stop bullying yourself, as well! 

Another tactic is to start using positive affirmations daily. Basically, every time you find yourself worrying or anxious about something, tell yourself that everything will be ok. 

If you are afraid to be late, say – I am perfectly on time. I always arrive on time! 

If you are afraid about what other people will think about you, say – I am a natural people magnet. I fascinate everyone I come into contact with, and people love talking to me. 

You should also train your mind by consuming as much uplifting and empowering personal development content as possible. Make it part of your routine. Listen to a podcast during your commute to work or work out, switch your Netflix time for motivational youtube video time, and block out 10 minutes every morning to read a non-fiction book. 

Read also: Reading List For Personal Growth

There are endless opportunities. 

And lastly, you should hire a coach. You will never be able to detect limiting beliefs as quickly as a qualified mentor can. 

So take advantage of that and let them catapult you to heights of success you can’t even imagine! 

Read also: 9 Ways To Overcome Limiting Beliefs

3. Do the inner work and get rid of past traumas 

“That’s some subconscious you’ve got on you, Cobb! She’s a real charmer!” 

– Ariadne

Not only do you have to train your mind, but you should also – and this is significant as it will make no. 1 much easier – get rid of the blocks and past traumas that are still residing in your mind and body. 

Trauma can be a very simple thing, like having been disappointed once by someone you love. It doesn’t have to be something disturbing that could have been part of Game of Thrones. 

Because traumas can be caused by very mundane events, we all suffer from them. 

And I mean, literally everyone. 

Getting rid of trauma yourself is incredibly difficult. To do it the right way, you should find a mentor or coach that you trust and gently guide you through this inner work. 

The sooner you do this inner work, the longer you can benefit from it and reap the rewards. 

Don’t be like Dom, who’s still shadowed by his wife Mal in Inception. 

Get rid of your own shade as soon as possible. 

4. Learn how to earn people’s trust 

I don’t imagine you plan on stealing someone’s darkest inner secrets like our friends of Inception do. 

However, you do desire to receive something from others. This could be money for a product you’re selling, acceptance in the group, a connection, approval for what you did, or any kind of help. 

Whatever it is that you want from someone, you are already halfway there if you get them to trust you. 

A very effective way to earn someone’s trust is to be honest, raw, and vulnerable with them. 

In a twisted way, Cobb was also honest with Fisher when telling him that he was in a dream because people are trying to infiltrate his mind.

Obviously, he left out the part where he is the extractor, but the point is that being somewhat honest with the Mark earned Cobb his trust. 

5. Focus on what you’re good at 

Each team member of the Inception group has very specific expertise that they’re absolutely stellar at. 

Eames is the forger, Arthur the point man, Yusuf the chemist, Ariadne the architect, and Cobb the extractor. 

Every job in the dreamsharing community requires a group of these people. 

They are the best of the best at what they do, and because they work together, they can solely focus on what they are best at while others do the rest. 

You know the saying ‘Jack of all, master of none.‘ 

Of course, you should have some basic knowledge in a broad number of subjects. Also, there is no harm in learning from experts while they are at work. 

However, you are plainly wasting your time trying to be as good as an expert at his subject. 

Not only will you always fall short, but you will also waste time and money that could be spent on what you’re actually good at, and what get’s you ahead the most. 

So if you’re a business owner like me, this means you shouldn’t try to be a one-woman show forever. There comes the point when you’re earning enough of an income to outsource some tasks and free up your time. 

The same goes for our daily life. Maybe you hate shopping or cleaning, and therefore you’re very slow and ineffective at it. Consider swapping tasks with someone in the family, or if your bank account allows it, hire someone to do it for you. 

In the future, focus on what you’re best at! 

6. Make the world your oyster

The world is way too big to only take advantage of a small part of its opportunities. 

You need to start considering other countries and cultures in your endeavors. 

Why only invest in US stocks when there are rapidly growing markets elsewhere? 

Why only consume western media when there are an infinite amount of thrilling books, series, movies, and music in the east? 

Why start a German blog if you could reach more people in English? 

Why are you always looking for the same familiar food on vacation when you could experience entirely new and utterly mesmerizing flavors? 

The dreamsharing community is treating the world as their oyster. Whether it is Mombasa, Sydney, or LA, you can experience it all if you want to. 

7. Carefully curate connections

You’ve got to know the right people in life. Knowing just the right person can give you a once in a lifetime opportunity for success. 

I know that networking isn’t the most enjoyable way to spend your time. However, it is essential for success in life, so you should take advantage of it. 

The dreamsharing community of Inception is benefitting immensely from knowing the right kind of people for the job. 

Cobb knows Arthur, who knows where Eames is, who then introduces Yusuf, a truly unique chemist, to them. 

Try to curate connections like that. The easiest way to do so is to raise your value. 

If you become more valuable in this world, you are going to attract more high-quality people. And once you get the chance to meet them, all you have to do is leave a lasting positive impression. 

I am working on raising my value daily. I read books and listen to podcasts daily to improve myself. I also focus on my nutrition and work out to be at my best at all times. 

And I create content like this blog post for free to add some value to your day. 

It’s the little steps each day that will compound, so that in a few years you will be able to be in a position in which you can meet all kinds of successful people. 

What can you do today to raise your value? 

8. Have imagination

“If you’re going to perform inception, you need imagination.”

– Eames

Don’t be a stick in the mud. 

Most people just live life like it is modeled for them. Their parents, teachers, and society tell them, ‘look, that’s how you do it,’ and they go ahead and mindlessly follow those instructions.

You need the imagination to do what others will never do. You need the imagination to dream up an extraordinary life. 

Imagination also makes you more resourceful. 

You will find ways to provide value for others, even if the odds are seemingly against you. 

Our brain can’t tell the difference between vividly imagining an activity and actually experiencing it. 

So learn to use your imagination. 

9. Dream impossibly big

“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”

– Eames

There are people like Arthur who don’t believe Inception is possible or who use an ordinary gun when they could literally manifest a mass destructive weapon. 

And then there are people like Eames and Dom, who dare to believe in the seemingly impossible. 

Having imagination is necessary, as mentioned before. But you will never honestly use it to its full extent if you keep telling yourself to be realistic. 

A realist’s life is painfully dull and predictable. They are the kind of people who’ve always said that it wouldn’t be possible right before the dreamers invented the next big thing. 

If history teaches us anything, it should be that we can never even imagine the fantastic things we can truly create. 

What reason is there to be a realist other than cowardly trying to avoid disappointment by playing small? 

If you want to be one of the few people who make a difference in this world, you have to be a dreamer with impossibly big dreams. 

10. Try the impossible 

Dreaming is excellent and all, but you can dream for your whole life without getting anywhere. 

No, the impossible is not only meant to be dreamed but also to be turned into the possible. 

Go out there and work on making the seemingly impossible happen.

Don’t just let them tell you Inception isn’t possible. Try it out for yourself! 

11. If It Doesn’t Work, Improve Your Strategy And Try Again

And if it doesn’t work after that first try? Well, then go back to the drawing board, improve your strategy, and try again. 

This wasn’t Cobbs or Eames’ first try at Inception, but it was the one that succeeded. 

The most significant success doesn’t happen on the first try. It takes patience and perseverance to get there. That’s what makes it so incredibly rewarding, and that’s why only a few get there. 

Be one of the few and keep dreaming and trying until the idea takes – until the success comes! 

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through this list of rules for success from Inception. 

I know I had fun writing it. I have recently discovered that there is a pretty big and high-quality fanfiction fandom out there for Inception, so I’ve spent lots of time with the topic. 

I’m curious, what rule did you like the most? Comment down below! 

Until next time! 

Sophie

Who doesn’t want to have raging success in life? Let’s learn from one of the best. Discover Tommy Shelby’s rules of success. 

Granted, I hope you don’t plan to kill or torture anyone to reach success like Tommy Shelby. 

However, even if you use different methods than the Peaky Blinders mastermind, you can still benefit from his rules of success. 

Let them inspire and motivate you on your own journey! 

1. Don’t let your upbringing hold you back from achieving great things

“I’m not a traitor to my class. I am just an extreme example of what a working man can achieve.”

– Tommy Shelby

There is nothing honorable keeping yourself small to please the society you grew up in. Tommy knows that and gives a f#ck about other peoples’ opinions concerning his outrageous dreams. 

He knows he is meant for more than working in a factory day in day out and barely making ends meet.  

Your upbringing doesn’t have to define your future if you don’t want it to. 

As soon as you realize that and take the first step towards a grander life, you’ve already gone further than most people ever will. 

You should also be aware that rising up in society doesn’t mean you have to hide your roots.

Tommy keeps his Gypsy roots alive. He’s even taught his son the language. 

So be proud of them and keep the parts of your upbringing that you want to keep because they make you happy and not because others tell you to. 

2. Take advantage of unexpected opportunities

“Fortune drops something valuable into your lap; you don’t just dump it on the bank of the cut.”

– Tommy Shelby

So many people nowadays struggle to adapt to unexpected changes. 

In their minds, they have this path of their life planned out almost to a T – go to school, finish school with a good GPA, (travel for a year), get into college/uni, finish the degree, get a job, get engaged, marry, buy a house. 

Then, when they suddenly stumble upon an opportunity (for example, a business course or mentor) that doesn’t align with their current path, they hurriedly ignore it and stay with what’s safe. 

Tommy certainly didn’t plan or even expect to find a ton of guns. But he’s done very well in squeezing all the benefits out of that opportunity. 

And to think a bit outside the box, an idea can also be an opportunity. 

In the introduction to her MasterClass.com course, Sara Blakely says that every person in their life has had a million-dollar idea. 

Why is it then that only a fraction of people realizes those ideas? 

Many factors play into that, with the most prominent one being a lack of belief in themselves and too many other limiting beliefs. 

However, whatever the underlying reason, it still comes down to people not taking advantage of the opportunity that their idea presents. 

If you have a crazy or even just a small business idea, don’t just write it off! Think about it for a while. Take it with you for weeks, months, or even years if necessary. 

Tommy Shelby always carefully measures his moves – turning down business ideas included. 

3. Be patient and well prepared

“When you plan something well, there’s no need to rush.”

– Tommy Shelby

One of the things that never fails to put me into disbelief is our 21st-century society’s impatience. 

Instant gratification is in; delayed gratification is out. 

Videos on demand, fast food, ubers, 24h service hotlines, and much more are catering towards a population that wants its needs met ideally the moment they arise. 

In their blind search for instant and easy gratification, they buy into get-rich-schemes and lose-weight-over-night-diets. 

And when they don’t see the results quick enough, they quit and dabble with something else. 

No wonder they say that most blogs die within the first 6 months!

Tommy Shelby knows how to play the long game. He understands that each tiny action is planting a seed that will grow if given enough time and care. 

And sure enough, as a reward for all his planning and patience, he is reaping the rewards in masses over the years. 

4. Your dreams won’t disappear, so you might as well pursue them

“You can change what you do, but you can’t change what you want.”

– Tommy Shelby

Few people seem to understand that your crazy dreams won’t go away merely by ignoring them for long enough. 

They believe their dreams are too far fetched and unrealistic. So instead, they settle with an ordinary life that is reasonably predictable. 

They are so scared of getting disappointed or failing that they don’t even try pursuing their dreams. 

Don’t fall prey to the what-if-syndrome! 

If you never pursue your dreams, you will always ask yourself what could have been. 

Read also: 15 Ways To Live A Life You Won´t Regret

Tommy Shelby understands that you should go after it instead of pretending to be ok without it if you want something. 

That’s why he is one of the few people who elevated their lifestyle dramatically. 

5. Dress to infuse respect

Tommy Shelby is one finely dressed man. 

He’s been that way from season 1 when he didn’t have enough money to waste it on expensive suits, all up to him being in politics wearing the most delicate pieces on the market. 

This shows, dressing to impress doesn’t have to be reserved for rich people. Nowadays, much less so, with many affordable stores like SheIn.com and Zaful.com selling gorgeous items. 

The way you dress can open many doors. 

Often times, certain groups of people can be spotted dressed similarly. So if you want to be part of a specific group – in this case, the group of highly successful self-made people – you should dress accordingly. 

A chic style will earn you respect from those you want to be respected by and intimidates those you don’t want too close and personal. 

Fashion is a mighty weapon that you should add to your arsenal. 

Read also: 11 Fashion Hacks For Stylish Women

6. Don’t let people believe they can screw you over – Don’t be a people pleaser

“The only way to guarantee peace is by making the prospect of war seem hopeless.” 

– Tommy Shelby

Many people nowadays, especially women, are people pleasers. I get it. I am guilty of this myself. 

We always try to be extra polite and don’t want to bother others by voicing any extra wishes. So we coat our words with fluff and flattery or even hold our tongue entirely. 

The hard truth about this behavior is that while it might keep us out of uncomfortable confrontations, it also gets us walked and stamped over repeatedly. 

I’m sure you can think of at least one instance where some drama could have been avoided by you speaking up sooner or at all. 

Not only do we end up being walked over by others, but they also get encouraged to do so again and again. 

They’ll think, “Oh, she/he won’t mind” because you never complained before. 

Tommy Shelby knows that you need to make it very clear to others how you expect to be treated. 

From the getgo, he makes it clear that he won’t take people going against him. And he also repeatedly reminds everyone of that by setting clear (brutal) boundaries. 

It’s time to set your boundaries as well (though less bloody)! 

Learn how to speak up and share your opinion and feelings. Stop being afraid to be a bother to waiters, stewardesses, or friends. 

Those people want to make you happy, so tell them what you need! If they don’t like it, it’s either their problem, or you can compromise afterward. 

But stand your ground confidently and respectfully first!

7. Create your own path to success

“You have to get what you want your own way.”

– Tommy Shelby

No two paths to success – even the same kind of success – are the same. 

Most people don’t even believe other people’s success is possible for them. Of those who think they can achieve great things, many get frustrated about not managing to do it in the same way as others. 

Success leaves clues and should be modeled, yes. 

However, you can’t expect to have the exact same path as others had since the circumstances never are precisely the same. 

With that being said, you should also stop listening to people telling you things have to be done one specific way. 

Listen to their advice and take it with a grain of salt. 

But ultimately, go and get what you want the way that seems most reasonable and aligned with you. Even if nobody else believes that this is the way to go. 

8. Master your body language

“Walk like a king or like you don’t give a fuck who’s the king.”

– Tommy Shelby

Body language can make a huge difference. And the fascinating part is that most people don’t even consciously notice how someone’s body language affects them. 

Tommy Shelby has mastered his body language. 

He is very unreactive in most confrontations. He doesn’t flinch, fidgets, or scratches himself. All of these are signs of unease and insecurity and therefore destroy any appearance of dominance you are trying to build. 

He also looks people directly in the eye and moves in slow and precise manners. 

He doesn’t cross his arms in front of his body as an unconscious move of protection. 

Overall, Tommy owns every room he steps in and every interaction he has within a few short moments. 

To do the same, you have to start out by learning the basics of body language. 

You need to understand what actions are in your favor and which aren’t. Then you can practice them in real life as Tommy Shelby does. 

9. Sometimes, you’ve got to stop overthinking and trust you intuition

“If they want you, you will feel it, not question it.”

– Tommy Shelby

Your intuition is sometimes far wiser than your mind. It notices things that you don’t consciously pick up on and therefore makes better decisions. 

Especially within human interactions, your intuition can be strong guidance. 

If you practice being more perceptive towards your gut feeling instead of the annoying voice in your head, you’ll easily be able to tell someone’s intentions. 

You’ll notice whether they want to scam you, whether they are genuinely interested in you, or whether they are trying to flatter you. 

Trust your instinct. 

10. Ignore judgment from the masses; they’re just jealous 

“Good taste is for people who can’t afford sapphires.”

– Tommy Shelby

Living your dream life and achieving great things will trigger people who haven’t accomplished their own dreams yet. 

They will project their disappointment, frustration, and embarrassment on you, and if they haven’t learned to deal with their emotions, they will go and judge you. 

Tommy Shelby knows you’d be a fool to let such small-minded people’s judgment stop you from doing what you want to do. 

11. There is no point dwelling on the past

You can’t change the past, but you can make sure to learn from it and create a better future out of it. 

Tommy Shelby has experienced more than once challenging and traumatizing events in his life. 

If he’d continuously be dwelling on them, he’d never get anywhere and run himself insane. In fact, he does at a few points. 

But then he stands back up again and keeps moving on.

So should you. 

Stop blaming your past for your current life. Instead, make sure you won’t lead the same life tomorrow.  

I hope these 11 rules of success gave you some ideas on what to work on in the future. 

Acting in the ways mentioned above will bring you rapidly closer to the success that you are craving. 

So start bending time and space as soon as possible!

Sophie

Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, yet few people manage to reach a significant amount of productivity in that time. 

It’s time you become one of those productive boss babes! 

From this point on forward, you will end the days of procrastination and ineffectiveness and instead embark upon an era of productivity. 

I’m sure you are eager for the tips, so let’s get into it! 

Read also: 15 Ways To Spend Your Time Wisely

1. Put your phone out of sight

I am quite unusual concerning my phone usage. My average daily use is most of the time below 30 minutes a day. 

However, I know that their phone is the number one distractor for many people and therefore deserves to be mentioned on this list. 

I recommend putting your phone out of sight and turning it silent. 

And with out of sight, I mean completely out of sight into a drawer or the like. 

You want to forget about it so that it doesn’t tempt you to break your work session. 

For that, it is also crucial that you don’t spend your breaks in between each session on your phone. 

Once you open up your phone, it will take ages to get off of it and regain your original focus. 

So really try to forget about it. You are going to be surprised how much more time you will have at hand. 

2. Use the 5-second rule

When a task doesn’t excite us, we have have to put effort into convincing ourselves to do it anyway. 

We start listing arguments in our minds about why it should be done now rather than later. However, while we do so, we also have time to feel into the temptation of more thrilling activities that promise short-term satisfaction. 

So, in the end, the longer you take to get started, the harder it will get. 

We aim to beat our mind to it before it starts providing us with all the reasons not to do this right now. 

Mel Robbins calls this the ‘5-second rule‘. 

You basically count to five, and then you start the task without any further ado. 

I’ve noticed this rule at work in various scenarios in my life. 

Recently, for example, I purchased a microphone for recording my podcast. 

Now, I had thought this through a day or two earlier, so it wasn’t a spontaneous decision (which rarely end well for me). 

However, the longer I spend on Amazon actually deciding on which one I should buy, the more I felt the doubts creep up on me if this was such a good idea after all. 

Yet only an hour earlier, I had been utterly sure of the idea. 

So noticing the direction my thoughts and feelings were going in, I decided to quickly take action. I purchased the microphone that felt most aligned with me. 

The same thing happens with recording my podcast episode. Since this is a new task for me, I am still very much outside my comfort zone. 

The more I think about if I should record one now or later, the more uncomfortable I feel about it. 

As a solution, I now jump into it as fast as possible as soon as I get the chance to do so. 

What about you? What tasks do you delay? Try using the 5-second rule on them. 

3. Know your kryptonite

Mine is easy. Are you ready? I’ll tell you in …

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FANFICTIONS!!!!

My obsession with fanfictions comes in waves. There is a period when I am not or barely reading any, and then there is the time when I am craving to read them in every free moment of my day. 

Recently I had one of those latter phases, and let me tell you, I quickly spend an hour reading fanfictions when I had planned to only have a 10-minute break in between study sessions. 

After that happened a few days in a row, and I got annoyed at my lack of productivity, I decided it was time to discipline myself properly. 

So I gave myself the rule: No fanfictions before lunchtime. (Because I always get most of my work done during the morning). 

It was immensely tricky at first. To make it work, I didn’t even open my typical fanfiction websites, and I turned my laptop off as soon as possible so it would take more effort for me to open up those sites. 

Sure enough, after three days or so, the obsession phase was broken, and now I’ve had multiple highly productive days in a row. 

So, what is your kryptonite? I imagine for many people, it’s Instagram or TikTok or YouTube. Perhaps it’s the book that’s lying on your nightstand.

Set a strict rule and give your best following through on it. Promise yourself a reward if you are successful. And to increase the chance of that happening, put roadblocks in between yourself and your kryptonite. 

Maybe that means deleting the app so that you have to install it again before using it. 

Come up with something. 

Read also: 9 Proven Ways to Master Self-Discipline

4. Automate 

Effective automation reliefs you not only from having to do things yourself but, more importantly, from having to think about them. 

We have to make so many decisions throughout the day. Each decision takes up a bit of our energy and ability to focus. 

That’s why we want to automate a repetitive task that shouldn’t require our attention. 

Once you have done that, you can focus your attention on more vital matters, which will increase your productivity. 

5. Digitalise

There are pros and cons to digitalization. 

If done correctly, it can help you store more significant amounts of information in a small, portable space neatly organized. 

For example, I quickly realized at uni that it would be more time-efficient for me to type out my flashcards so that if I lost them or had to add something to them, I could simply print them out instead of rewriting them all over. 

Then I realized that it would be easier for me not to worry about printing the flashcards, so I got myself the Anki app, and now I study the cards on my laptop in the perfectly spaced repetitions. 

And lastly, I started purchasing my textbooks as Kindle books so that I didn’t have to type the books’ definitions and problems, but I could simply copy and paste them into my flashcards. 

Can you see how much faster my process has become? 

This is especially beneficial for me, since contrary to many people, I don’t learn much by creating notes or flashcards. So I might as well do it as quickly as possible, so I can get to the actual learning part quicker. 

6. Outsourcing

If you absolutely despise a task, you will find infinite ways to procrastinate on it. 

If possible, try to outsource tasks that you don’t like or that you are horrible at. 

For me, that means outsourcing my Pinterest Pin creation to a virtual assistant as soon as I have the financial means to do so. 

It’s not even that I hate it so much or that I’m bad at it. It just takes so freaking long, and that time could be spent on more critical tasks that only I can fulfill. 

7. Task batching

Ah, I love this one! 

Often it takes me a while to get into the flow of doing a task. 

For example, the beginning of writing a blog post is always the most challenging part. After a few sentences, I usually become relatively quick at writing my thoughts down. 

Every time you switch tasks, you break your focus, and it will take you a while to get back into it. 

You can use that to your advantage. 

Instead of planning to do a little bit of everything every day, you should dedicate a whole work session to doing one task completely and then be done with it for the week or month. 

Of course, this doesn’t apply to checking your emails or the like. I’m more thinking about creating content, emails, templates, notes, reading a textbook, and so on. 

Task batching can save you much needed time. 

8. Clean your space 

If my room is even remotely messy, I feel all unsettled and stressed inside. 

And I guess I don’t need to tell you that your productivity will suffer if you are not in the right emotional space to work. 

So make sure your space is tidy before you start your work. 

Put away things that are not currently used. Try to create some surfaces in your room that are empty. 

If there is at least a partly empty surface, it almost magically creates the feeling of tidiness of the space around you. It seems to signal that there is plenty of room available if this surface can be empty. 

Even if you don’t feel yourself getting annoyed over a messy room or desk, try this one out either way. 

You might discover that it makes a difference, after all. 

9. Get fresh air 

Use your study break to take a walk outside. 

If you live in a quiet neighborhood, open your window while you study or work. 

Nobody can be at their best in a stuffy room. On the contrary, it will likely give you a headache. 

10. Stay hydrated 

Same principle here. We need to be hydrated to function at our best. 

So have the healthy drink of your choice at hand while you study. 

11. Allow unscheduled unproductive days 

I get it, it is immensely frustrating and unsatisfying if you planned to have a productive day, but then something crashes into your perfectly laid out plans. 

For me, it is mostly headaches, and sometimes it’s a family member spontaneously visiting. 

The point is, we have a decision to make in these kinds of situations. Either we hold the leash tightly and forcefully push ourselves through the day in as productive a manner as we can manage. 

Or we go with the ebbs and flows of life and let go of our image of the perfectly productive day. 

Every time I forcefully pushed myself, I’ve not only ended up with such a sour mood, but it also has negative long term effects on my motivation to be productive. 

Nowadays, I allow myself time to relax. I look back at work I’ve done the previous day and the work I’ll most likely be able to do in the coming days. 

That calms me enough most of the time to take some unproductive time away from my desk. 

I hope these tips will help you to stay more productive in the future. 

I hate the feeling of wasting my time, and I am sure you do too. If you learn to master your productivity, you will be startled with what you can do in a day, a week, a month, and a year! 

It can truly change your life! 

Sophie

For many of us, money is a big topic in our life. Particularly if you don’t have enough to just forget about it. It is vital to be clear about the things you shouldn’t spend money on in that situation. 

When I started this business, I was still studying at uni and had no income. In a situation like that you have to be very intentional with your spending. 

That’s why I want to share with you the 11 things I did not spend money on when I couldn’t afford it. 

These are things that I know other people who are in a similar financial position are spending money on, so chances are high you might be doing it as well. 

Read the list with an open mind and be honest with yourself if these are expenses you could cut out of your life until the income flows more steadily. 

Read also: 11 Ways To Spend Your Money Wisely

Now, let’s get into it!

1. Cars + fuel

Now, there is something you need to know about me. 

I LOVE driving! And I mean, LOVE! 

So unsurprisingly, I also adore fast and luxurious cars. Honestly, my car, even though it is “just” a VW Polo, is one of the biggest joys in my life. 

Still, as much as I love driving and cars, I don’t spend more money on them then I can afford. 

Interestingly enough, I’ve noticed that the parking spots of both of the factories I’ve worked in over the years are full of fancy and tuned cars. 

Now, I am aware that you can buy them used and then pay off the price monthly so that the price is smaller than one would think. 

Still, from my experience, factory workers are not the best-paid employees out there. 

Some do get a decent income but, in my opinion, still not enough to be able to afford to put money into a car that loses its worth with every passing day. 

Those seem to be people who don’t plan or work towards a financially better future. Otherwise, that money would be going into investments or savings. 

Another thing is fuel. For obvious environmental reasons, you shouldn’t burn much of it. 

But also the financial reasons are noteworthy. Fuel is expensive! I really don’t drive much because I don’t have many places to be at, and if I do, they are close by. But even I spend around 50€ a month on fuel. 

And if I think back to my last year in school, when all the 18-year-olds one after the other got cars. I remember hearing from some people how much they’ve already driven in one week. It was more than I had driven in two months!!! 

And I can assure you it was just for the fun of driving around – which again, I LOVE as well, but not at the expense of my bank account and the environment. 

So I urge you to carefully consider what car you get yourself and how much you drive with it. I’m sure there is money to be saved there. 

2. Subscriptions 

One thing that always makes alarm clocks go off in my head are subscriptions. 

It’s one thing to spend your money on something once. It’s an entirely different thing to spend that money each month again and again. 

Even though it might not seem like a lot, it will easily compile over the time of a year. In the end, you could have used that money for a business course or tool that could have brought you closer to financial freedom. 

If I purchase subscriptions for non-work-related reasons, they are always such that can be canceled at any time. 

I often cancel them immediately after subscribing so that I don’t forget about it at the end of the month. 

Take a look at your finances. Are there subscriptions that cost you each month? Do you need them? 

3. Skincare + Haircare products

I am a curly girl, and I have acne-prone skin. Combined, these things mean I could spend a FORTUNE on skincare and haircare products if I had the financial means to do so. 

I regularly find myself researching for better products only to end up finding +20€ products. 

Now, this topic has the same problem as the subscription topic has. Cosmetic products are rarely a one time expense. 

You have to buy them, again and again, every few months. 

If you don’t buy them all simultaneously, you might not realize how expensive they actually are. 

But let’s say I buy a cleanser, a toner, and a moisturizer for each 20€ that’s 60€. And over a year, I might have to rebuy them once or twice, so that makes 120-180€ a year for cosmetics. 

And that doesn’t even include haircare or makeup products! 

I really get the urge of wanting to buy the best products out there. But you have to make a sacrifice if you want to save money in favor of your long-term goal of financial freedom. 

Also, you might be surprised at how good cheap products can be. 

In recent months, I’ve made an effort to look for non-toxic, ethical, and sustainable products – so products that are vegan, not pore-clogging, have recycled bottles, don’t have microplastic, alcohols, sulfates, parabens, are cruelty-free, and more of these good things. 

To my utter surprise, I found products that fit these categories and are incredibly cheap. Like, I’m talking below 10€ if not even below 5€ cheap! 

Now, usually, I do believe that quality has a price. Still, I’ve done a lot of research, and these cheap products seem to be much better than the pricier alternatives. 

So take some time and do research on cheaper products that fit your needs. You might be surprised what you can find. 

4. Premium plans

I know that premium plans often fall under the category of subscriptions mentioned under No. 2. 

However, I thought that they deserved a special mentioning because it is a topic worth considering separately. 

Premium plans promise you more features compared to the free or limited plans. 

“More” always sounds good to us but realistically speaking, more really isn’t necessary most of the time. 

I, for example, am still using the free Spotify plan. Why? Well, I mostly use Spotify on my computer at home, so I don’t need the download function most of the time.

And sure, the ads can be annoying, but they don’t bother me too much, so I might as well save myself those additional expenses. 

Other examples of premium plans I don’t spend money on are Tailwind and MailerLite. 

Each of their premium plans would be nice to have, but if I’m honest, they won’t make a big difference, so I don’t spend money on them. 

What premium plans are you spending money on that you might not need? 

5. Alkohol + Cigarettes 

It’s one thing to waste your money on an unnecessary luxury. But it is an entirely different thing to waste money on something that actually hurts you! 

It’s like paying someone to punch you in the face. Why would you even do that? 

Sure there might be some short-term benefits from purchasing alcohol and cigarettes. Still, they seem so minuscule compared to the big picture. 

If you can’t (read: are not disciplined enough or lack the motivation) to live without them, then at least reduce the amount you consume. 

You will be doing yourself not just a financial but also health-wise a favor.

6. The newest phones, tablets, video games, etc.

Each year brings new technological advancements and the latest version of phones, tablets, videogames, etc. 

Not rarely do people jump into the bandwagon and buy the newest version of their phone or tablet. 

Yet, most of the time, the new technological advantages compared to the old version are simply not worth their price. 

Do you really need that slightly better camera or that slightly faster speed? Would you even notice or use it? 

And do you have to buy that game the moment of its release, or could you wait 6 months until the price is slightly reduced? 

There is a lot of money to be saved if you don’t pursue the newest shiny object. 

7. Shipping + Returns 

Online shopping is fantastic! You can do it from the comfort of your own home, and you have access to more shops than you could ever find in one place. 

However, I know how easy it is to come across shops that are based outside of your country. 

If you’re lucky, they offer free shipping. If not, depending on what you want to buy, you might even consider paying the shipping fee. 

But careful! How often do you return parts of your order? If it’s clothing, I almost always return half of it. 

That means you have to pay for the return shipment as well. 

That can get very expensive very quickly. 

You should carefully consider if the things you are ordering are worth those expenses. 

For me, the answer has pretty much always been no. I only order in shops that offer free shipping and returns. 

Even though I fall in love regularly with shops that don’t offer this. And as painful as it is to forget about them, it benefits my wallet. 

8. Quick fixes

Suppose someone offers you a product or service that will solve a problem you have (e. g. losing weight, building a business) seemingly overnight or in any ridiculously short time span. In that case, all of your alarm clocks should go off. 

In life, there are rarely quick fixes for any problem you have. And if they actually do fix your issue, then chances are high it isn’t a long-term solution. 

Quality solutions take time. Therefore don’t waste your money on courses, tools, mentors, or other products and services that make wild promises. 

In my experience, you should trust your gut. Take your time to get to know the person behind the product or service. Consume their free content if they have any. 

If you feel like you can trust them after a few days or weeks, and you still want that product/service, then go for it. 

But don’t spontaneously buy into quick fixes! 

Read also: 6 Personal Growth Courses I Want To Take

9. Stocks, Bonds and Cryptocurrency 

By now, everyone knows that there is money to be earned on the stock market. That’s why so many people jump into it. 

However, the stock market is incredibly complex. You need to have a well-thought-through strategy in place to not lose your money. 

Books like Money: Master The Game (see also on my Reading List for Personal Growth) can be a great guide. 

Still, I believe it’s wise to hire someone with experience and expertise to look after your investments and counsel you through it all. 

Finding the right person to do that is a challenge in itself, considering the multitude of offers on the market. Money: Master The Game gives you some tips on that as well. 

Until you find someone, or at least until you have in-depth studied the topic, I believe it wise to save your money instead of potentially losing it through a bad investment. 

10. Rental car upgrades

Ok, so this is a fantastic life hack I’ve learned early on. 

If you travel to a foreign country and you reserved a rental car for yourself, always turn down the upgrades the guy from the rental car service offers you. 

It happened multiple times to my family that the car we had actually rented wasn’t available anymore. So the rental car guy wanted to lure us into paying for a car with better features. 

He kept proposing multiple upgrades, but after we had denied them all, he had to relent and tell us that because our car wasn’t available anymore, they had to give us a better car without any additional costs! 

Obviously, they can’t give you less than what you reserved just because they failed to keep the car available. So in the end, they’ll give you a better car. 

You wouldn’t believe what a fantastic car we once received because of that! It was honestly amazing. And we didn’t pay a cent more than for the cheaper version we had reserved. 

Also, if they don’t offer you something amazing, you could still go back and agree to any of the suggested upgrades if you want to. They’ll certainly won’t stop you from paying more. 

11. Cheap jewelry

There are so many gorgeous necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, and more to buy online. 

There is only one issue. Most of them are made of cheap material that oxygenates with time. 

This is frustrating. Finally, you’ve found a necklace you love, and you start wearing it regularly only to see it going all black a few months down the line. 

Instead of keeping buying cheap jewelry with a short life span, invest in real gold or gold plated jewelry, which can last you years if not decades to come. 

That is spending your money wisely. 

Alright, there you have it. 11 Things to not spend your money on. 

Do you have any additional recommendations? Comment down below! 

Until next time.

Sophie