Not so long ago, I was living in a comfy apartment, driving my car to work every day, and ordering sneakers online.

I had an average corporate lifestyle with a handsome salary, lots of networking events, and stability.

It was easy, secure, and convenient. And that was the problem.

Deep down, the adventurer inside me wanted more risk, less materialism, and a more unconventional outlook on life.

That’s when I made a cut.

After years of working long hours in the finance sector, chasing corporate status, and playing by everyone else’s rules, I re-orientated my professional life. …

There are two kinds of people.

Some are always in a hurry, catching up on work, putting in late shifts, and running from activity to activity. Others seem to get everything done without cramming their schedules, staying up late, or letting stress factors take over.

Lifestyles might differ, but everyone has the same 24 hours.

That’s where daily routines come into play.

If you want to become more productive, alleviate stress factors, and push your endeavors forward, you need an effective routine.

As American philosopher Will Durant once said:

“We are what we repeatedly do. …

Self-discipline is the sine qua non for personal growth.

Many desirable traits like courage, team spirit, and sociability help you move forward in life, but they’re ineffective in the absence of self-discipline. No matter if you’re building a business, improving your physique, or taking on personal challenges, you’ll need a healthy dose of self-mastery to accomplish your goals.

So, what does self-discipline entail in the real world? According to Success Consciousness, self-discipline means:

“self-control, the ability to avoid unhealthy excess of anything that could lead to negative consequences.”

As such, self-discipline is about reducing excesses to control the consequences of…

Minimalism is not wizardry. It is a fairly straightforward journey. The journey starts with an idea. Gradually, this idea forges a new mindset. And this mindset leads to new habits.

Together, these habits create a lifestyle pivoting around freedom, simplicity, and mindfulness.

People often picture minimalism as an empty white room without clutter and superfluous items.

Design naturally plays a role, but minimalism as a lifestyle goes far beyond decluttering.

Once you grasp the mechanics of a minimalist mindset — as in, focusing your energy on the essentials — you trigger a chain reaction. …

Everyone has dreams, goals, and plans.

Some want to live on their own terms by transitioning from the corporate world into entrepreneurship. Others embark on a fitness journey to better their physique. And many try their hand at learning new skills.

In short, we all want to become better versions of ourselves.

“Better,” however, is not a destination. We don’t wake up one day, discover a magic potion, and metamorphose into the superman-version of ourselves.

As such, the only way to become a better version of yourself — on a personal, mental, physical, or professional level — is via continuous…

The word “genius” is practically synonymous with the name Leonardo Da Vinci.

Born near present-day Florence in 1452, Leonardo was the ultimate Renaissance man. Today, Da Vinci is famous for his paintings, but he was also a brilliant scientist, anatomist, inventor, physician, and architect.

In short, Leonardo was what UNESCO calls a “universal genius.”

Luckily, Da Vinci chronicled his entire life — and his work — in a series of notebooks that survived through the centuries. And these notebooks nowadays help us understand the thinking patterns, techniques, and strategies behind Leonardo’s genius.

Enter the “Seven Da Vincian Principles.”

In 1998…

Worrying is a natural part of life.

We ask ourselves whether our boss will be satisfied with our assignment. That new business idea sounds intriguing, but we doubt its long-term viability. And we consistently try to predict the consequences of our actions.

In short, we are anxious about the future.

We take many steps every day, but we don’t know what the world will look like in three weeks, four months, and five years. Hence, we don’t know whether actions that seem right today will retain their value in the future.

As such, uncertainty fuels our anxiety.

There is, however…

There are countless ways to deal with anxiety, and everybody has their own stress-reducing habits.

One activity that many people overlook, however, is reading fiction.

Everybody knows that reading nonfiction books can help them become more determined and build a better routine. And this revamped lifestyle will reduce their stress levels — and in a broader sense — their anxiety.

As such, reading nonfiction is a well-established weapon against anxiety and procrastination.

When it comes to fiction, on the other hand, people often dismiss the idea.

Reading a sci-fi novel is nothing more than a leisure activity. Fictional stories are…