Fear And Doubt

I feel them every day.

Am I doing the what’s right?
Will that deal close?
Do I have what it takes to achieve my goals?
Will I have enough to make payroll?

I made my first million dollars by the time I was 25. I thought after that it’s going to get easier. “Things will solve themselves somehow” I used to say to myself.

But things never solve themselves. And if they do, the next fear or doubt will creep in without delay.

We are designed to fear. We are designed to have a certain level of paranoia. It’s how we’ve survived for so long.

But we must not let those emotions dominate our thoughts and take control of us. There is no advantage to giving in to fear. Instead, we are to use fear and doubts for what they were designed to do in the first place: warn us of a potential future.

The key words there are ‘warn’ and ‘potential.’

You cannot fear the present moment. This moment is the way it is.

You can only fear a potential future outcome.

So in reality, fear is nothing more than a warning.

It’s your mind telling you to be careful–to prepare.

Not to squander, but to prepare.

Think of it as foresight, or clairvoyance. You’re seeing a potential future–sometimes quite vividly. I don’t know if you realize in that moment, but that is something that hasn’t happened yet…

Is it not a miracle we’re able to see into a potential future? Is it not a gift that helps us do today everything that we can to create the future we want, instead of the one we don’t?

I personally think it is.

We are the dominant species on Earth for a reason. And our ability to think–to envision, to plan, to do things differently–is that reason.

Do not allow yourself to torture yourself with this gift. It is meant to help you, not harm you.

Let fear and doubt have their place in your life. They will save your butt thousands of times during your lifetime.

Thank them for being there. They’re on your side. It is you who has not decided to communicate effectively with them.

The next time you’re scared, or you doubt yourself, stop for a brief moment, inhale slowly, and say: Thank you.

Thank you for taking care of me. For showing me what might happen, so that I can avoid it by being prepared.

Once that’s done, take our your pen or keyboard, and write down everything you can do to create the future outcome you actually want.

Then, get going. Your ideal future isn’t going to create itself.

You are the director of your own life. You are the author of this story.

Make the next chapter count.

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

The Big Impact Of Small Actions

The more time I am blessed to live in this world, the stronger I believe it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.

Saying could you please, thank you so much, and an honest good morning!
Stopping yourself from saying something mean when you really feel you’d be in the right to do so.
Stopping yourself from eating that little bag of crisps when you’re hungry (or buying it in the first place).
Waking up just 10 minutes earlier so you have time to plan out your day and start on the right foot.
Helping out a colleague when they’re not having a good day, saying “let me have that call for you.”
A flower gifted to your lover right before date night just to let them know you’ve been thinking of them and appreciate them.

I’ve read somewhere that how we do something is how we do everything.

For me, this rings true in many ways; and, as a result, I tend to give more and more importance and appreciation to the little things I do everyday.

This makes me very happy every day. And I hope this was a good reminder for you to become aware of the little things you can do that are aligned with your best self.

Thank you so much for reading.

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

Smile More

We sometimes tend to forget just how much everything we think, say, and do matters.

Smiling is one of those things that matters. A lot.

The next time you speak with someone, remember to smile. Not forcefully, but genuinely.

Of course, if you’re at a low point or otherwise feel off, you might need to push yourself ever do slightly to smile.

If something happened that made you sad, face that directly, alone or with the help of others. And then get back to smiling.

Too many people put on emotionless faces by default. But i don’t think that’s how it should be.

Let smiling be our default. Smile when you see someone, anyone. Smile when you talk on the phone. Smile when you write write messages.

Let’s enjoy life. And let’s make life more enjoyable for others as well.

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

Eating Is Not A Solution

Yesterday I ate oven-backed French fries with garlic soy sauce. Twice.

I knew I shouldn’t, but something inside made me wanted to.

I didn’t enjoy eating. My stomach was hurting even whilst eating. Yet for done reason I didn’t stop.

Now, the next morning, I have a bad stomach ache and I spent the last 15 minutes in the bathroom…

I did this to myself. Those extra fries added no value to my life or health.

I think I ate them because I was seeking comfort. Which is strange because I don’t even feel all that stressed anymore.

Something is telling me I’m actually stressed all the time and I don’t even know it. I’ve been living with it for so many years now, I guess I got numb to it, though I still suffer the other effects of it, such as:
1. craving comfort
2. snapping at others
3. having a scattered mind
4. getting occasional headaches

And who knows what else it’s causing to my body. I will probbaly journal about that in the near future and see what solutions I come up with.

Until then, it’s clear that eating is not a solution. Hence from now on, whenever I get a craving for food, I will ask myself: “Will this food make me healthier? And does eating this meal have a positive impact on my long-term goals?”

If the answer isn’t “Yes.” to both of those, I can probably do without eating for a few more hours, or until the next day if it’s already passed lunch.

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

What I Say Is What I Do

What I say is what I do.
Nothing could be more true.
For everything I say I think
Until it comes to the brink
Of being uttered in the form of sounds
Which then in turn become the bounds
Of a life led by intention
Which will receive rightful mention.

I do sometimes utter words I regret,
But if I ever do so I never forget
To take full responsibility for who I am
And make amends as best I can.
For none of us is ever perfect
And no matter our level of intellect,
We should all remain humble
Unless we want to get into trouble.

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

Reading Books Takes Me A Long Time

It apparently takes me ages to read or listen to a book.

I’ve tried listening to a 5h book on Saturday and barely managed to listen to 1.5 hrs of it. Today I went for a walk and, as far as I can tell, have listened to only 30 more minutes. Hence there are still 3 hrs to listen to.

At the same time, I just realized I have no benefit of reaching the end of the book. The benefit to my life is in folly absorbing its contents and using it moving on.

What good is it to finish a book in one listening or in one day and not get the maximum value it has to offer?

I would rather take things on board properly, and then reap the benefits for the rest of my life. Whether it takes me 1 day, l month, or 10 months to read a book, that doesn’t matter because I will live for tens of years from now on.

So the only real thing that matters is whether I assimilate the wisdom and make it part of my day to day or not. If I do, I consider I’ve spent my time much better than someone who read 10 books in that same timeframe but has grown much less in wisdom, maturity, and character than I have.

I believe those of us who do not let ourselves get carried away by the rush of the world, but instead take a moment to reflect on what’s important to us and why we do what we do, have a head start to living a life that’s worth living.

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

Living With Intention And Awareness

For quite a long time, I used to believe some of my headaches were due to me not eating.

I practice intermittent fasting for a while now, because of the dozens of health benefits it has. Meaning I have only one solid meal per day, typically between 4-5 pm, and then the rest of the day I only consume liquids. However, sometimes during the day, I’d get headaches, which as a result of feeling hungry at the same time, I associated with not eating.

This morning I decided to test that. I woke up with a headache, which I’m almost sure is a result of the very eventful day I had yesterday. It was one of those days when your character is tested. And, though it took me quite some mental power, I like to think I handled things well.

But, again, because I was hungry, I said maybe that’s why. So I decided to break the fast and eat something now to see what happens.

I’m happy to report that it’s been over 15 minutes since I had my meal and the headache is still there!

This is one of those moments where Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman would say: “Myth busted!”

The conclusion is food or eating does NOT cure your headaches.

On the other hand, something that does cure them is taking your mind off things and cooling down–taking a break. That is why eating sometimes helps. It’s not the food, it’s the process of detaching from life’s demands for a brief moment.

So many people eat whenever they get a headache because of the same flawed association I had. But if we stop for a moment every day, live with a bit more intention, and become a bit more aware of what’s actually going on within and around us, I’m sure we would all reach better conclusions and become a bit wiser every day.

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

Why Is Life Unfair?

I’d like to take a moment today to answer a question that is on the minds of many. I’m sure you’ve heard this many times across the internet, in movies, or in your environment.

“Life is unfair.”

Or various alternatives, such as “life is unfair sometimes.”

And it’s true. Life IS unfair. There are millions of children working all day for one dollar per day that will probably die before they hit 40.

At the same time, there are people so full of themselves that if they don’t get their money back on a perfectly good product they impulse bought, they start a tantrum, call their bank, lie saying they didn’t mean to buy it, etc.

That is the reality in which we live. And it is that same reality in which we see people like Nelson Mandela, who with the help of many many others, manage to almost completely rid their country of white supremacist laws during a single lifetime. And by doing so leaving a tremendous positive impact on many other parts of the world.

And it’s the same reality in which people like you and I go about our own lives, finding meaning, perfecting our skills, spending time with loved ones, and doing whatever we can to add value.

In short, life, or nature how I like to call it, does not take sides. It just is. If you have the misfortune to be born in a dangerous place, you will have to face danger if you are to survive, but everyone else around you is going to have to do the same.

Likewise, if you’re born in a family or country that takes care of you and all your basic needs, you’ll have to push harder to gain enough perspective and gratefulness to be able to grow and evolve, instead of wasting away your life in never-ending consumerism and opinionated debates on social media.

We won’t talk about how to get out of dangerous contexts today for two reasons:

One, that would probably take many long articles in itself.

Two, it’s nowhere near my speciality as I am one of those blessed individuals who, though I was born into a poor family that after 15 years of marriage had to decide between buying a computer OR buying a car, because my parents couldn’t afford both, we at least had food on the table and clean, second-hand clothes to wear every day.

Today’s article isn’t to discuss about the various economical and political contexts people are either born or placed into. Instead, we’ll focus on those of us who do have have access to internet. Whom do have your basic needs met to a large or complete extent. And who are trying to make it in this ever competitive world.

“Why is life so unfair?” Why do some people seem to just have it in them? Why if I work day in day out I don’t get to enjoy the results others have?

Allow me to share something with you that when I learned it a decade ago (I think from Tony Robbins) it changed my life for the better. Hopefully it will do the same for you:

If your work is Average, you will enjoy Bad results.

If your work is Good, you will enjoy Average Results.

If your work is Great, you will enjoy Good Results.

If your work is Outstanding, you will enjoy Great Results.

If your work is World Best, you will enjoy Outstanding Results.

Wow.

There is just SO much competition out there, so much noise, that if you want to stand out (i.e. be outstanding) you literally have to become world best at whatever it is you want to do.

Think of it this way: Did you ever hear about Arnold? I probably don’t even need to say is Schwarzenegger last name. You already know him from his little name. Yet, did you know that there were tens of thousands of body builders that tried to get on or even were on the same stage he’s been on? Do you know any of their names?

If you do, you probably just know a few more. I.e.: You 100% know the World Best, and you also know a few that were Outstanding.

That’s it. All the other tens of thousands of body builders who work for 4 hours every day and eat tasteless food for years never made it onto your radar.

Of course, I didn’t write this article to discourage anyone. Quite the opposite. I believe the only practical study of reality is how things really are, instead of how we’d like them to be.

Instead, what I wanted to do is to give you some perspective.

This should help you set realistic expectations of what it’s going to take to get the level of results you want.

You can’t be Good and get Good results. It simply doesn’t work like that. If you’re a good writer, you’ll get an average size following.

You ONLY start getting Good results when you have already become Great at what you do. Not a second sooner. More so, even then there’s a bit of lag, as others need to notice you’re great. But safe to say, once you become great, people will naturally start to notice, and opportunities, money, connections, will start to come your way.

Thing is, in most cases you need to invest 5, 10, sometimes 15 years to become great at something. Some football players start as young as the age of 5 and aren’t picked up by a big team until they’re 22.

Writers might write several millions of words across 15 years until one of their books breaks the NY Times Bestseller mark. Entrepreneurs might put in 60 hour weeks for 10-20 years until they become millionaires.

Etc.

And that’s just until the level of being Great and getting good results. Outstanding? World Best? Put another 5-10 years on top of that, and many, many more things you’ll 100% have to say no to and laser focus on your craft.

Of course, some people manage to attain wealth for example through a combination of hard work AND luck. But:

Attaining wealth and maintaining it are 2 VERY different subjects. Most people that win the lottery don’t say rich as they’ve never put in the time to become Great with money.
They are VERY few and far between, so it’s not worth trying to imitate. For every Facebook, there are 100,000 apps per year that get built but don’t acquire large audiences.

The only final thought I’d like to leave you with is:

If you want to enjoy great results in venture or project, make sure you LOVE doing it. Nothing else will keep you going for the many years it will take to

And, if for some strange reason you never attain your final goal, you probably won’t have regrets, because you still enjoyed the work itself. Which is worth its weight in gold.

Time passes anyway. No matter what you do. Choose to do what you love.

Hope this helps. Please leave a comment with your thoughts and share if you liked it!

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

Why I Work On Weekends?

There are quite a few people that cringe when I say I work on most weekends. They see it as a bad thing. Something they and everyone else should avoid.

As far as I see it, there are only 2 reasons why someone shouldn’t work on weekends:

You don’t like your job/work/career.
You want to relax, cool down, engage in hobbies, or spend time with family.

Number 1 is way way of course for me. Quite the opposite is true in my case. I could LOVE my work, my colleagues, my projects, and my mission more than I do. At least not in a healthy manner. 🙂

RE Number 2, though on weekends I do spend a significant amount of time with family or engaged in recuperative activities such as long walks in the park or reading, I don’t do that all day for two consecutive days.

So considering:

I have leftover time for myself on weekends and
I’m outstandingly passionate about my work and mission

I see no reason whatsoever not to fill in spare time with working on things I enjoy much more than just binge watching a series or playing video games.

Again, I get there are many many people out there that aren’t passionate about their careers, but those same people don’t know what it feels like to do work that you fully enjoy, are proud of, and are great at.

It fills you up with energy. It makes you happier. And everyone else in your life will benefit from it.

That’s why I work on weekends.

Thank you,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.

Welcome To My Small Corner Of The Internet

Over the past decade, I’ve been outstandingly busy. Sometimes putting in even 80 hours work weeks like there’s no tomorrow. Even basic things such as eating or sleep have fallen aside to day-to-day demands.

I’m of course not complaining. That’s just not how I operate. Instead, I LOVED IT! I love building businesses. I love creating outstanding products, services, and client experiences. I love helping our clients grow. And I love making the world a better place. One project at a time.

On average, I’ve added one new company to my portfolio every year for the past 10 years. Some years enjoying a portfolio growth of 481%! As you can imagine, that came with A TON of work.

Hence why I never had the mental bandwidth to sit down and share my journey with you. I’ve been documenting my life in journals thus far, which I’ll still continue to do as they’ve been critical to my success. But moving forward, I’ll do my best to dedicate some time every week to publish updates on my journey to $1,000,000,000.

If you decide to read, watch, or listen to anything I post, please do leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! I’d appreciate it a lot.

Thanks so much and see you at the finish line,
Robert

P.S.: If you ever need to talk with someone, have any questions whatsoever, or just want to say hi, please email me@robertindries.com. I’d love to meet you.