“The secret of happiness is knowing that there are some things you can control and some things you cannot.” – Epictetus

It is empowering to know that there are some things we can change and very reassuring to know that there are others that we can not. Things that are within our control, open a world of ever-increasing possibilities to us. Things we can not change or control allow us to develop acceptance, patience, wisdom and flexibility.

The challenge as I see it, is to tell the difference between the two. How do you know when to persist and when to let go? What are the things that are worth changing and which ones are better left alone?

There are 3 Things on my list that were the biggest source of frustration, stress and misery for me until I accepted the fact that they are out of my control.

Here are my conclusions:

1. You can’t change your past

This sounds pretty obvious and yet we still dwell on things that we have not accomplished, imagine all the vindictive and ironic lines that we could have said to someone two days after an argument and beat ourselves up for the silly mistakes that we have made. I know that I am not immune to this. However, the bottom line is that neither you, nor I can change the past. We can learn from it, cherish it or, at least, accept it. But there is no sense on dwelling on it!

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Have you been waiting for a huge opportunity to come your way and sweep you off your feet? A stunning job offer? A life-changing encounter? A million-dollar idea that you know is going to work?

I have. I thought that when a GREAT opportunity presented itself, I would not let it go by. I would take MASSIVE action to make it work. I would be bold and brilliant and I would take risks.

Then I started analyzing my life and I realized that my biggest achievements did not look like ‘wonderful opportunities’ when they presented themselves. They looked like a lot of work with a feasible, yet highly improbable, possibility of success. I took action more out of curiosity, enjoyment and a sense of obligation. But never once did I feel that this was it! Actually every time I had a ‘good feeling’ about something or someone, things never quiet worked out the way I expected.

Maybe you can relate to this as well… Have you always recognized and seized the opportunity when you saw it?

Before you find a definite answer, let me tell you one story:

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Great minds think differently. And it is one of the reasons for their greatness.

When I try to think of a successful person whose thinking and vision was so innovative it shaped the way we interact with the world – Steve Jobs immediately comes to mind. His powerful creative drive, endless search for perfection, and unconventional thinking made him a legend of this generation.

And while Steve Jobs is no longer with us, his ideas, his vision and his personal success story continues to affect and inspire millions of people in every part of the world.

Here are 9 Guidelines of Life that Steve Jobs himself preached and followed, be it when creating his latest iPhone, building multi-million dollar companies or when facing personal and professional setbacks.

1. Do what you love

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

“Follow your passion and money will follow” – is advice that has been repeated by so many successful people it almost sounds like a cliché. Yet when it comes to making a career and professional decisions, many of us believe that achieving success is about being practical, not about doing what makes us happy day in and day out.

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