Interesting take from Sahil Bloom on 10 "Razors" he finds useful. I'm a firm believer in the importance of living intentionally - though I will confess that doing so is often much easier said than done. I do see value in each of the 10 Razor's Sahil defines in this illustration - here are my Top 5.

Sharing my thoughts on my Top 5 Razors.

Arena Razor: Reminds me of the Man in the Arena. It's uncomfortable, even stressful - but that's where the true learning occurs. That's where the growth happens - when we're we face our fears of inadequacy and failure.

Optimist Razor: Are you a glass half full type? I certainly am. I grew up with truly remarkable parents who taught me to focus on the positives. I don't believe we need to surround ourselves with optimists though. Sometimes pessimist have a role to play as well. For me, the key is to maintain a positive outlook, even in the face of challenges. We do everything we can to create the outcomes we desire - by focusing on the Universe We Can Control.

Listen Mode: Fully aligned with Sahil here - it's very easy to fall into defense mode, sometimes it's to justify our position. Often, it's because it's very challenging to admit that we may be wrong. If I do that too often it messes with my confidence, I become less self-assured, right? Actually - it's a matter of perspective. Listening is just that - doesn't mean I agree with the other persons perspective or that if the individual's opinion makes sense, mine has to be wrong. What's important is that we learn, pick up some insights and evolve our thinking.

Lion Razor: Interesting opinion - I can just imagine friends and colleagues countering with arguments about having too much urgent & important stuff to get done. "We don't have the luxury to simply rest every time we're tired. Sometimes we have deadlines, deliverables and Big Problems. We just need to push through". I think there's something to be said for doing our best thinking when we're fresh and alert - and as I've gotten older, I have a stronger appreciation for the value of rest.

Gratitude Razor: I haven't always been good at showing gratitude or actually voicing gratitude to others. Even though it was one of our family's strongest values, growing up. I'm come to realize that any success I've had in my life is largely due to the hard work and support of so many other people - so I've gotten better at demonstrating gratitude. I've also learnt that it's virtually impossible to remain angry, resentful, fearful or envious of others when focusing on being grateful.  

Which of Sahil's 10 Razors resonate with you? Are there other Razor's which you find useful in everyday life?

Here's the visual - Sharpen Your Thinking with These 10 Powerful Cognitive Razors (visualcapitalist.com)