Universal Truths: Lessons That Shape High Performers
When I was 13, I learned a lesson that would stick with me for life. Things weren’t going my way, and I acted like a brat—complaining, making excuses, and feeling sorry for myself. I was on a team that wasn’t great, and instead of focusing on what I could do to improve, I spent every evening whining about how bad things were.
After a month of this, my dad finally had enough. He looked at me and said, “You’re really annoying.”
Then, he told me something that changed my perspective forever:
“There are universal truths in life—things that have always been true and always will be. You can either understand them now and take control of your life, or you can ignore them and keep complaining. But either way, they won’t change. It’s up to you to decide what you do with them.”
Here’s what he taught me that day:
1. You Become What You Consistently Do
Your habits define you way more than your intentions. Wanting success isn’t enough. Wishing for change won’t make it happen. Your daily actions—what you do over and over again—determine who you become.
2. Your Mindset Shapes Your Reality
The way you interpret events determines how you experience life. Two people can go through the same situation—one sees an opportunity, the other sees a disaster. The difference isn’t the event itself; it’s the mindset.
3. Pain Is Inevitable, but Suffering Is Optional
Struggles will happen. Challenges will come. You can’t avoid them. But suffering? That’s a choice. It’s how you respond to pain that determines whether you grow from it or let it break you.
4. Discipline Creates Freedom
The more self-control you have, the more options you unlock in your life. The person who disciplines their finances has the freedom to invest. The person who disciplines their body has the freedom to perform. Discipline isn’t restriction—it’s the key to ultimate freedom.
5. You’re 100% Responsible for Your Life
No excuses. No blaming. No waiting for someone else to fix things. When you take full ownership of your life, you gain control. The moment you stop looking for someone to save you is the moment you become unstoppable.
6. Growth Only Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone
If it’s easy, you’re not growing. If it’s comfortable, you’re not improving. The best version of yourself exists just beyond the point where you feel like quitting.
7. What You Tolerate Becomes Your Standard
If you tolerate excuses, you become someone who makes them. If you tolerate average effort, you become an average performer. Raise your standards, or your standards will lower you.
8. Energy Is More Important Than Time
You can have all the time in the world, but if you don’t have the energy to execute, it’s useless. Protect your energy—mentally, physically, and emotionally—because it’s the fuel that drives success.
9. You Can’t Control Everything, But You Can Control Your Reaction
Life will throw things at you that are unfair, unexpected, and challenging. You don’t always get to choose what happens, but you always get to choose how you respond. And that choice makes all the difference.
10. Who You Hang Out With Is Who You Become
Your environment shapes you more than you realize. Hang around winners, and you’ll think bigger. Surround yourself with excuses, and you’ll start making them too. The people you spend time with are the biggest influence on your future—choose wisely.
Accepting the Truth & Taking Control
That conversation with my dad didn’t instantly change me. But it planted a seed. Over time, I started to realize that everything he said was right. These weren’t just ideas—they were universal truths that applied to everyone, everywhere, at every level.
You can either learn them now and use them to take control of your life—or you can ignore them and keep making excuses. But no matter what, they won’t change.
The only question is: What are you going to do with them?