Self Improvement

Does Your Direction in Life Matter?

Steve Bloom 19 Comments

ambiguity

In general there are two types of successful people I meet. The first type know at an early age what they want to do and do everything they can to get there. The second type have a goal in mind and work hard to get there, but change goals half-way to finish in an entirely different place. Where they end up isn’t anywhere near where they wanted to go, but in the end it is still a successful accomplishment.

Both types of people would be considered successful. The only real difference between the two is that the second type abandoned their original goals even if they had been held for a long period of time. So what does this mean for success in your life? If you might end up in an entirely different place and still be successful, does the path you take really matter?
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5 Ways to Unleash Your Creative Ideas

Steve Bloom 15 Comments

Any idea?

I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say one of the most important qualities for someone to have in order to be successful is creativity. Having the ability to create a new idea out of nothing is a highly desirable trait. And if you asked the creators of various businesses, they would add that new ideas can also be very profitable.

But beyond any monetary gains, being creative has other benefits. Research has shown being creative can improve mood, self-esteem, and socialization. Creativity is useful in solving real-world problems by being able to see things from new perspectives. This can increase your critical thinking power and make you a better decision-maker.
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Are You Afraid to Do Things Alone?

Steve Bloom 28 Comments

Waiting

Would you be willing to see a movie in a theater by yourself? How you answer this question can gauge how self-reliant you are and how willing you are to take social risks. At its basic core, seeing a movie in a theater is one of the easiest things you can do. But at the same time, seeing a movie by yourself is rather difficult to do for the first time.

The difficulty that lies in seeing a movie by yourself is just the beginning though. Many other fun, amazing activities seem to be harder when faced alone. This applies to travel, concerts and eating at a restaurant. So if you answered no to the question, how willing would you be to do any of these other things alone? Could you be missing out on doing some amazing things?
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The Carpe Diem Diagram

Steve Bloom 12 Comments

I write and think a lot about carpe diem. In this time, I’ve noticed most people get stuck at the same points and go through similar setbacks when they’re trying to seize the day. It occurred to me that carpe diem is just a series of steps people pass through.

So in the spirit of Maslow’s hierarchy and Bloom’s taxonomy (no relation), I came up with a diagram explaining the key aspects of how carpe diem works. And I think when you look through the diagram yourself, you’ll realize, like most things, living life to the fullest is a process.
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How to Make Your Opinion Matter

Steve Bloom 11 Comments

wrap up

Everyone has their own opinion. It doesn’t matter if it’s about a subject we know little about; if it’s something we can argue, we’ll do it. With the spread of web 2.0, people have been spouting opinions through Youtube, blogs, Facebook and Twitter more now than ever before in history.

And most people would consider that a good thing. After all, we’ve been conditioned through school to voice our opinions through essays and discussion. It’s just a natural transition to want to speak out. However, despite what we’d all like to think, most people’s opinions don’t really matter.
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How to Become a Polymath

Steve Bloom 20 Comments

Vitruvian Man

Whether you call them Renaissance men, polymaths or universal people, one thing remains true: they are people who know a lot about a wide variety of subjects. And even though specialization is unthinkable to them, they’re not really jack of all trades. I think of them as people who develop their mental prowess as much as possible.

And you can be one too. All it takes is a little drive and curiosity. By becoming a polymath, you’ll be following in the footsteps of other notable people such as Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin and Aristotle.
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