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As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned key lessons in life that I wanted to share with you. I hope this helps you live the best life possible.Here are the top 10:Find your spark - A few times in life you will find your spark. It could be that art class you took in Italy. It could be the startup that you work late into the night for. It could be that best friend of yours that inspires you to start a motivational website. When you find that spark, hold on to it. Nurture it. It will propel you to new heights and help you grow in ways you can’t even imagine.It’s either an absolute “Yes” or “No” - Is it an absolute “Yes” or “No?” Don’t settle.To find the truth, observe actions, not words - It’s easy to say what you’re going to do. It’s easy to say what you feel. But more times than not, words can be very empty. For example, it’s easy to talk about a business idea that you have - but can you execute on it?Time heals - In a moment of stress, it can feel like the world is coming to an end. Our brains and bodies have been conditioned to be in "fight or flight" mode. So when we encounter tough situations, a lot of times we'll have a physiological reaction to a perceived threat. That's why humans are so quick to react in bad situations. We stress. We worry. We panic. The evolutionary purpose of this is really evident during prehistoric times. Often times a person would be in a position where they would have to make a choice quickly. If they didn’t react quickly, they might end up being dinner for a predator like a lion. Thus, the fight of flight response effectively removes “thinking” from this equation so that we could respond quickly to survive. However, times have changed and this type of reaction can often be a detriment. Nowadays, if you run into a moment of stress, anger or extreme sadness, don’t react immediately. Let yourself feel the emotions and give yourself some time to calm down and to think before reacting. Often times what I find is that by the time the next day has come, a lot of those heightened emotions have passed. Time heals. Embrace it.Buy experiences to maximize happiness - Those new shoes you just got? Sure, they look nice on you. When you’re laying on your death bed many years from now, do you think you’ll think about those shoes? No way. You’ll think about all the amazing life experiences you had. Whether it’s a trip to Spain, a biking trip across the Golden Gate Bridge, a last minute trip to Las Vegas, a moment of cuddling on the rooftop with a view of the city or a night of laughter with old friends over a bottle of wine. These experiences have the power to change and shape your life.You’re responsible for your own life - It’s easy to blame others. And yes, sometimes people will do things to you that suck. So what? Control what you can. Stop spending time with those people. Choose people that actually inspire you and make you a better person. You’re responsible for your own life. Make the hard decisions - you’ll have a better life for it. Even if you’re wrong, you’ll quickly learn from it and become a better person. You’re the CEO of your own life. Take control.Being authentic is important - Life’s too short to pretend you’re someone you’re not. It takes a tremendous amount of energy and effort to put up a facade. Be true to who you are. Own it. People appreciate authenticity. The best part about being authentic? You’ll know exactly who really enjoys being around you. Those that do not won’t stick around.Add value to people’s lives first, the money will follow - When you start a business, don’t just think about how it makes money. Yes, that’s important, but a better foundation for a business is based on one simple question: “How does this make people’s lives better?” Having a user centric approach is critical to your success. If you’re driving a huge amount of value for people, they’ll pay for it. Want examples? Robinhood (the finance app) makes it incredibly easy for people to trade stocks and removes the worry around trading fees. According to CNN, they had a waitlist of over 340,000 people. It became viral because the value they provided to the user was so incredible. Want another example? Companies are constantly struggling to find great development and design talent. So what did Toptal (the company I work at) do? They screened over 100,000 people to bring the top 3% of freelance developers and designers to these companies. Now they have over 2,500 customers like AirBnB and JPMorgan Chase. Ask yourself - how are you driving value for people?Sometimes the hardest part is simply starting - Run.If you can't run, do 100 pushups.If you can't do 100 pushups, do 100 sit-ups.If you can't do 100 sit-ups, do 100 squats.If you can't do 100 squats, do 100 lunges.If you can't do 100 lunges, do 100 bicep curls.If you can't do 100 bicep curls...Write 100 words.If you can't write 100 words, brainstorm 100 writing ideas.If you can't brainstorm 100 writing ideas, read 100 posts from writers on Quora.If you can't read 100 posts from writers on Quora, listen to 100 minutes of an audiobook.If You can't listen to 100 minutes on an audiobook...Cook a healthy breakfast like a 2 egg omelette.If you can't cook a healthy breakfast like a 2 egg omelette, make a green smoothie.If you can't make a green smoothie, eat a piece of fruit.This list could go on and on...Want to know the secret?Step 1: Substitute "run," "write" or "cook" with any action.Step 2: Substitute "100" with any number that works for you. 50, 15, 5...it doesn't matter.What does matter is that you take action.The inertia will get you going.Make the choice to get up every day, to look at life with a full and open heart and to take massive action.Our lives begin the moment we decide to start.Start. Now.Want more life tips? Get a free copy of my book “100 Life Habits” here.

You don’t!Everyone seems so damn infatuated with the concept of “30 Days to Success” or “12 Weeks to Freedom”.But the truth of the matter is that SUCCESS TAKES TIME.Yes, you can do some cool things in 30 days. But 30 days isn’t really enough time to “change” your life (whatever that even means.So, I’m going to be *that* guy who doesn’t really answer your question but leaves you with something more valuable instead.I can’t help you change your life in 30 days because the truth of the matter is that no one can truly change their life in 30 days.You can IMPROVE your life in 30 days, but you can’t change it that dramatically. That type of change takes 6–36 months MINIMUM.So here’s what we’re going to do…I’m going to share with you a few simple things you can do to dramatically improve the quality of your life.If you try and do all of these right out of the gate you WILL burn out and quit (just like I did).But if you’re willing to slow down and be consistent with them, they have the power to transform your life.Sound good?Enjoy :)1. Exercise (duh!)I know this might seem obvious, but the FIRST way to transform your life is by transforming your body.With the notable exception of the “Roided Up Meat Heads” everyone I know who exercises regularly is more successful, happy, and healthy than the people I know who don’t.But here’s the thing…If you haven’t exercised in a long time, you don’t want to go full force with this habit. You’ll just injure yourself and likely quit.Here’s what to do instead.Start small. 1–2 heavy weight lifting sessions a week and a daily 30 minute walk is all you need to get startedCreate an active lifestyle. Even more important than going to the gym is being active throughout the day. Punctuate your work day with short walks, stand up and stretch every 20 minutes. Move more throughout your dayFocus on progressive overload and strength FIRST. Sure, being a hunky muscular badass is cool, but focus on the basics first. Stick to heavy compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press, shoulder press, and farmers carries and get STRONG on these movements before you start a full blown bodybuilding splitMake it fun. If you don’t like lifting weights, then stick to only 1–2 weight lifting sessions a week… Forever. (You need to lift to be your strongest and happiest self, but you don’t need to go crazy). Find activities that you enjoy and run with them. If you like frisbee, golf, or basketball, do that. As long as you’re moving, you’re winning.Start small and work your way up. I recommend that you periodize your training program like this.Month 1: Lift 1–2 times a weekMonth 2: Lift 3 times a weekMonth 3: Lift 3 times a week and do one HIIT cardio session (Google it if you don’t know what that is)Month 4: Lift 4 times a week and do 1 HIIT cardio session and 1 hour of yogaMonth 5: Lift 5 times a week, do 1 HIIT cardio session and 2 hours of yogaIf you’ll follow this simple blueprint, you will be able to build your ideal body in 6–8 months and better yet, you’ll do it without injuries and without having to force yourself to go to the gym.You’ll slowly build a workout habit that will stick with you for a lifetime.2. Eat a Whole Foods Diet (And Transition Slowly)Just like with exercise, slow and steady is the name of the game here.Most people will tell you to pick a diet and stick to it religiously, but you and I both know that you won’t do that.Here’s what to do instead.For the first month: Focus ONLY on breakfast. Eat a healthy breakfast that includes proteins and fats and NO carbs. For example, bacon, avocado, eggs, and a green smoothie. Eat whatever the hell you want after that.For the second month: Eat a healthy breakfast AND a healthy lunch. Stick to your high protein/fat breakfast and eat a light lunch with greens and a protein, e.g. chicken salad. Again, eat whatever you want for dinner and snack like a mofo.For the third month: Eat clean for all of your big meals. For dinner, I recommend a high carb and high protein meal (especially if you’re exercising regularly). A big ass steak and a pile of white rice is perfect. You can still snack on whatever you want.For the fourth month: Eat clean for all of your big meals and limit sugar/treats to every other day. Again, slow and steady, don’t try and cut sugar out immediately. Take your time here.For the fifth month: Eat clean 80% of the time. Have sugar and cheat meals if you want, but only allow them 2 times a week. Stick to this for the rest of your life and you’ll feel and look amazing.For the sixth month and onwards: Stick to your 80/20 plan and start experimenting with supplements and cutting out specific foods like dairy, gluten, sugar etc. to see how you feel. Diets are incredibly personal so experiment to see what makes you feel best.3. Master a Marketable SkillIf you are trying to transform your life, chances are good that your finances are not where you want them to be. This is ok. You can change this.For the next 6 months, I want you to pick ONE highly marketably “High Income Skill”.For example:SalesCopywritingContent marketing/SEOWeb developmentCoachingDesignFacebook/YouTube/Instagram AdvertisingAnd work on it EVERY day.Just like with exercise and diet, you want to do this slowly but surely.Start out devoting a mere 30 minutes a day to your new craft. Then increase it to 1 hour, 2 hours, and so on and so forth until you’re SO good at your new skill that it’s become your full time job.If you master ONE of these skills you can easily make 6-figures from anywhere in the world.If you master 3 or more, you now have the potential to earn 7-figures+ each year on autopilot.Take this as seriously as you would take Ph.D. classes and NEVER miss a day of practice.I promise… This will pay off.4. Network DailyYour network will determine your net worth.Each day, send an email, Instagram, or Facebook message to ONE influencer that you admire.Don’t ask for anything.Simply provide value.Tell them how much you admire their work. Offer your services for free. Tell them about something you’ve learned that could help them increase their income and impact.Do this everyday for a year and you’ll be amazed at where your life will go.Most of them won’t respond. But the few who do will transform your life in ways you can’t expect.5. Love Yourself and Practice Incorporate These Habits Into Your Life (Slowly)Ultimately, all self transformation comes from a place of self love.This sounds great in theory, but it’s hard in practice.How do you actually express self love on a daily basis?By implementing these habits into your daily life:Morning gratitudes: Write down 5 things you’re grateful for and really allow yourself to experience the emotion of gratitudeMeditation: It works. Plain and simple. Download Headspace and go through their 30 day program. You’ll feel AMAZING by the end of it.Daily affirmations: They sound cheesy and there isn’t much science on their efficacy, but in my experience, they work. Write out 5–10 things you want to achieve or believe about yourself and say them out loud with physical motion each day.Acts of Kindness to Others: Buy a coffee for the old lady behind you at Starbucks. Give a generous tip to a shitty waiter. Compliment someone on something. The more kindness you give to others, the more it will come back to you.Acts of kindness to yourself: Take a hot bath at the end of the day, play video games with friends, treat yourself to a new piece of clothing. Do things for yourself simply because you can. Treat yourself more frequently and you’ll start to experience more self love.Your life won’t change overnight.But if you do everything I’ve shared in this answer, it WILL change.Hope this helps.Stay Grounded,AndrewClick here to read my most popular quora answers about life, wealth and relationships with 10+ million views.

"If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first." -- Mark TwainI love my morning routine. It inspires me. It empowers me. It motivates me. And it helps to set the mood and the pace for the rest of the day. It allows me to pursue my goals and my dreams with clarity of mind, vitality of body, and enthusiasm of spirit.Although we're all different in that each of us is unique in our special ways, all of us require an empowering morning routine that will help to push us past life's obstacles, not give up, and follow through with what we set out to accomplish.Your question "What is the most inspiring way to start the day?" resonated with me because it's a question that I grappled with for a long time. Before I had an empowering morning routine, I felt lost, in a haze, and oftentimes, unable to focus on the task in front of me.Our ThoughtsBut to better answer your question, I wanted to backtrack a little bit and take a look at the psychology of the mind. The driving force of all that we are and do lives inside those 100 billion neurons in the brain, connected together by neural networks, etched into neural pathways, are the electrical impulses shooting across synapses, directing and dictating the course of our lives, otherwise known as thoughts.In a given day we have upwards of 60,000 thoughts, which drive all of the resultant emotions and behaviors that we experience at any given moment. Those thoughts control the sway and direction of our lives. If we can get a better handle on the "language" of our minds, we can create the biggest impact for the greatest good to allow for progress towards our goals.So, whether we're talking about "emotional health, mental health, physical health, relationship, career, business, entrepreneurship," or anything else, it's our thoughts that create the basis for the quality of all that we have and are.As the Buddha once said, "The mind is everything. What you think, you become."Our HabitsAnother important concept that builds on our thoughts is our habits. Our thoughts form the basis for our habits over time. Little by little, each of those 60,000 thoughts we have per day either help to reinforce existing habits, or build new ones up. When our thoughts are negative and fear based, our habits dictate that. However, when our thoughts are positive, our habits reflect that, and we tend to be happier and more fulfilled in life.We can choose to steer our lives in the direction that we see fit by simply changing what we think and what we focus on. We can also leverage this understanding to develop a set of good habits that will help to support our lives while also working to rid ourselves of the bad habits that help to deter and detract us from our goals.With all that being said, the most inspiring way to start your day is to focus on your thoughts and develop a set of good habits. Build out an empowering morning routine that will help to fuel you towards your goals.And, I know that someone else made mention of keystone habits, but I would like to reassert the claim that keystone habits are the way to go. They provide the greatest benefits and require no additional work to implement. They also help to support other good habits in place, much like a keystone does in an architectural arch, while also working to eliminate bad habits.So, in my opinion there are few very important things that you need to do in the morning in order to set yourself up for success in a number of areas of your life including your physical health, your emotional wellbeing, your mental fortitude, your overall vitality, capacity for patience, and persistence in the pursuit of your goals. The right empowering morning routine can make all the difference in your life.My Morning RoutineMy morning routine particularly focuses around a few key areas of my life that adds an immense amount of value in a short period. Since most people are pressed for time, I think that this list might be beneficial. Also, what you'll find here is that most of these are keystone habits.#1 - Exercise for 30 minutesI start my day with 30 minutes of strenuous exercise every morning. I no longer have to think about it. When my feet hit the ground, I get ready, lace up my shoes, and head out for a run.I don't think I need to extoll all the benefits that exercise provides us. Exercise releases endorphins and neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin into the mind and the body.Dopamine has a significant impact on the processes of the brain that regulate our ability to control movement along with our emotional responses. Dopamine also plays a significant role in how we experience both pain and pleasure. And the regulation of dopamine in the brain plays an integral role on our mental and physical health.Serotonin, another neurotransmitter, which is released into the body and the brain, plays a major role in our mood, our appetite, our digestive system, and our reproductive system.And there's something about exercising first thing in the morning that gets things off to a great start. It's a keystone habit, which enforces other good habits to be formed around it. For example, when you exercise, you end up drinking more water, eating healthier, and feeling more energetic. The exercise also helps to oxygenate the blood, providing a wide range of other health benefits.#2 - Eat a Healthy BreakfastOnce I have my exercise out of the way, I make it a priority to eat a healthy breakfast. For me, it's steel-cut wholegrain oats with cinnamon, dried cranberries, and honey. The importance of a healthy breakfast is paramount because it helps to further kickstart the brain and provide the necessary nutrients required for the day.Eating a healthy breakfast has an enormous number of benefits, and studies have shown that people who skip breakfast have an increased chance of obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and heart attacks.By eating a healthy breakfast we can better regulate our blood sugar, body weight, and hunger cravings. I make it a priority to ensure that I have my healthy meal in the mornings.Also, being the coffee lover that I am, before I enjoy my daily cup of java, I drink one glass of water with lemon, the health benefits of which are astronomical.#3 - Set daily goalsSetting daily goals gives you perspective over your day. It allows you to see just what you need to do in order to achieve your long-term dreams. I set daily goals in the morning, every morning. It also helps me to identify the long-term goal-related activities that I know I need to do in the day (see #6).In order to set my daily goals, I refer back to my long-term goals. I look at my one-year goals and figure out what I can do in that day that will help to bring me closer to those goals.But the daily goal setting allows me to do more. First of all, this is a keystone habit, as it allows other good habits to form. For example, when I set daily goals, I'm much better at managing my time more effectively, eliminating distractions, and creating a to-do list (#5). By setting daily goals, it also forces me to analyze and track my progress, something that's vital to the achievement of anything.However, if you don't have long-term goals, I would recommend spending the right amount of time with the long-term goals before you embark on daily goal setting. It's your long-term goals that will give you direction for the daily goals.For example, if you have a goal to get out from beneath $24,000 in debt in a 24 month period, you know that it's $1,000 per month of debt elimination. On average, that means you need to either save or make an extra $33.33 per day.When you think about $24,000 of debt, it might sound more overwhelming to some people. But, when you think about $33.33 per day, it's far more manageable. It's far easier to either save or earn an extra $33.33 per day than to think about paying off $24,000 in one lump sum.#4 - Review monthly goalsDaily goal setting isn't enough. I spend time tracking and reviewing my monthly goals. I know where I need to be every month towards the attainment of my long-term goals, and I take the time in the morning to make an assessment of just where I stand.In goal setting, it's okay to set some lofty goals. But, then you have to follow through with them. In my morning review, I see just how much I've progressed. If I'm not making the progress that I need to be, I review my plan and see what, if anything, can be amended.It's similar to an airplane with the goal of flying from LAX to JFK. The plane has a goal to land in New York at JFK airport at a specific time of day. To do that, it must calculate an average speed, an average elevation for the flight, and an average direction of travel.But, throughout the flight, things can change. There might be turbulence at 31,000 feet, forcing the plane to climb to 36,000 feet. There might be air-traffic congestion over a busy metropolis, causing the plane to veer off course and take a short detour. The goal of landing at JFK never changes, but the plan does, and it does so often.When we review our monthly goals, we're reviewing our progress and seeing if our plan is working. A plane reviews its progress every second through the use of onboard computers. We don't need to go overboard like that, but we do need some system to see where we're at on a daily basis.I think that this is an integral part to any inspiring and empowering morning routine.#5 - Create a to-do listMost of us have an increasing number of things to do every day. It's hard to focus, especially if you're juggling many things such as work, children, social obligations, and chores. The best thing to do is create a to-do list.My to-do lists are actually integrated with my system for time management in that I label and categorize each thing on my to-do list with the quadrant that it represents.I use the quadrant system for managing my time because it's the most efficient. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, the quadrant system for time management was originally invented by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and later popularized by Stephen R. Covey in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.Next to each of the items on my to-do list, I circle and place the quadrant that the item belongs in, trying to ensure that my focus remains on quadrant 2 activities as much as possible, which are the important but not urgent activities. Those activities are related to long-term goals.The quadrant-based time-management system works like this:Quadrant 1 - Important & Urgent: Short-Term Crises and ProblemsQuadrant 2 - Important but not Urgent: Long-Term Strategic GoalsQuadrant 3 - Not Important but Urgent: Distractions & InterruptionsQuadrant 4 - Not Important and Not Urgent: Time-Wasting ActivitiesIf I find that I'm engaging in too many quadrant 4 activities, I know that I need to immediately refocus my energy and effort. Sometimes, certain things can't be avoided, but with the proper planning, we can stay as focused as possible on quadrant 2 with minimal distractions.Try this out yourself. Take one week and audit your activities. Write down everything that you do along with the time that you start and finish it. Then, in the left-hand margin, write and circle the number of the quadrant that the activity is associated with. Then, determine which quadrants you're spending the most time in and see how you can plan better to focus on those all-important quadrant 2 activities.#6 - Identify Your FrogsThe quote at the beginning of this answer is from Mark Twain. In it, he speaks about eating frogs, which might sound strange to most. But the frog symbolizes the bigger tasks that you need to do in the day.We can also look at these as our quadrant 2 activities as they relate to our long-term goals. Other people call this their MITs, or most important tasks. However you look at it, the morning should be devoted to identifying these tasks so that they can be tackled throughout the day.Twain says that if it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two, you should eat the biggest first. He means that you should do the most difficult MIT first, then do the second most difficult one.You can use the combination of to-do list, daily goal setting, and monthly goal reviewing to help identify your frogs. Then, write them down and tackle them first thing in the morning.In a book that I wrote, entitled Chasing the Frog: How to Achieve Success in Life by Building an Empowering Morning Routine, I talk about how to identify the frogs in your life and how to build out a morning routine that will help to support you and not hinder you.#7 - Daily GratitudeOne thing that most of us forget to do is to appreciate what we have. We're so busy working towards what we want or think we need in life that we don't stop to appreciate what's already there.This is a common theme that runs through many societies around the globe, but more commonly in highly capitalistic societies such as ours. Most of us don't realize just how much of our thoughts are focused on the things that we want and not appreciative of what we have.However, when we shift the focus to gratitude, some amazing things start to happen. You've probably heard the saying that life is like a camera, and you get what you focus on. Well, when we focus our thoughts on what we have rather than what we don't have, some remarkable things begin to occur. Our minds begin moving towards abundance and away from lack.This might sound ridiculous to some people, but this Law of Attraction is a strong force in the mind. Since so much of our thoughts are hidden in the subconscious, if we can do our part to bring our gratitude to the conscious mind, extraordinary changes begin to occur slowly over time.I spend at least 15 minutes every morning writing out everything that I'm grateful for. Even all my problems. I write out just how grateful I am for the problems because, although I might not know it today, those problems are setting me up for far greater abundance in the future. Everyone's problems do that for them.There are so many things to be grateful for when we stop to think about it. All we need to do is highlight them to our conscious minds.#8 - Meditate or Do YogaBy meditating or doing yoga, I work to spiritually center myself. When I first started meditating, I found it hard to clear my mind. I found my mind racing in every direction. I think that's normal in the beginning. But, like anything else, both meditation and yoga are habits that need to be built up.Today, I wouldn't go a day without at least doing one or the other. There's something about sitting still and feeling your spiritual energy centered, and how the universal oneness that binds us all weaves through the very fabric of life, time, and space.I spend at least 20 minutes on one or the other activity in the mornings. Many people pass up these spiritual habits and opt for the others ones instead. But, this is just as important, if not more important than the others. While we might be chasing monetary goals, we also have to focus on our spiritual, emotional, and mental success as well, and not just the dollars in our bank accounts.I would suggest finding a good yoga or meditation class and learning from a pro. Once you've figured it out, you won't want to go without this habit in your morning routine.#9 - Watch Inspiring VideosLike others, sometimes I get down. It's easy to get discouraged while pursuing our goals. Sometimes it feels like we're fighting a losing battle. So I opt to watch as many inspiring videos in as short a period as I can.I defer to both TED Talks and YouTube videos for this. I've done the work to create playlists of inspiring and motivating videos, and it's simple to just flick them on and watch them. Each time, it feels like I gain some new insight from one of the videos, even if I've watched it hundreds of times before.This doesn't take long. I spent 10 or 15 minutes on the videos. I try to find ones that are in line with what I'm going after. I look for people in similar fields that have achieved the successes that I want to achieve in life.#10 - Money MinuteThe last part of my morning routine is my money minute. It's last because money isn't the most important thing in my life. But I would be lying to say that it doesn't matter at all. So it's part of my routine.Here's how it works. In the morning, I check my investments and bank balances. I look at expenses that have gone through and those that are still pending. I also take the time to check my receipts against the corresponding charges to my credit and bank cards to ensure that they match up. I can't tell you how many times I've found discrepancies.I also assess my financial goals in my money minute. I look at how far I've progressed towards some of my money-related goals, and what, if anything, I need to do in order to adjust my plan to meet my targets.Other Morning Routine HabitsAll in all, I provided 10 morning routine habits that help to inspire and motivate me for the day ahead. Of course, there are countless others. These are just the ones that I employ in the morning.