Leading through Solidarity
Personal Growth
Excellence is the summit of personal growth. Anyone who aspires to reach its peak must be daring enough to master their strongest instincts and conquer their darkest shadows. As such, the journey to the top of this mountain is indeed a difficult one, filled with many challenges and countless paths that can easily lead one astray.
It doesn't really matter how fast you're going if you're heading in the wrong direction.
Stephen R. Covey
The climb to excellence may demand effort; but effort alone is never enough. Even if you gave it your all, you will not go far without the right direction. Unless you focus your efforts on the relevant areas in life, any attempt to improve would either be insignificant or temporary.
Few things are as disheartening as investing a considerable amount of time and effort, only to discover later on that you were heading in the wrong direction all along. To prevent this, a mental map would help you develop a deeper understanding of your personality so that you can chart your journey in the right direction. Not only does this save you time, but it also accelerates your growth by a hundredfold.
True success can only be attained by finding equilibrium within: a perfect balance between both our strengths and weaknesses. However, because of our innate tendencies, many of us will gravitate towards our strengths to avoid confronting our weaknesses. Unfortunately, those who live life on autopilot will never amount to much, for the path of success only reveals itself to those who are willing to understand and harness the power of their shadows.
While we trust that you will ultimately forge a distinct path that aligns perfectly with your life's journey, we believe that a starting point will help you tremendously. Therefore, we have provided ten essential paths to guide you in the right direction as you embark on your journey of continuous growth.
There is nothing more exciting for Connectors than the freedom to explore the world around them. However, this can often be a curse rather than a blessing. Many times, they will neglect their responsibilities in pursuit of fleeting interests. This usually garners them a notorious reputation for being unreliable. If Connectors continue to act like this, their lives will inevitably spiral out of control.
To keep things in check, Connectors should strive for a structured lifestyle by setting deadlines or adopting routines. Even making simple to-do lists can make a huge difference in their lives. By practicing these simple acts of self-discipline, they can forge their paths forward without being bogged down by a mountain of unfulfilled responsibilities. From there, they become the masters of their own lives, bringing themselves one step closer to actual freedom.
Curiosity killed the cat. This phrase is especially true in the case of Connectors as their insatiable desire for the new can sometimes be problematic. More often than not, they dive head-first into the unknown without much hesitation, leading to disastrous consequences. Without any intervention, their reckless and unpredictable behavior will eventually land them in a world full of trouble.
If Connectors want to avoid running into a minefield, they should always take a step back to think things through before following their impulses. They need to understand that some decisions cannot be fixed once they are made. If they aren't careful enough, they might end up doing things that may haunt them for life. By being cautious, Connectors can still live a life full of excitement, but free from regret.
Easily bored by the same old thing, Connectors are constantly looking for change. It's not a surprise to see them abandoning current projects as soon as something new rolls along. They often jump from one thing to the next in the blink of an eye, never truly commiting to anything. Hence, Connectors seldom finish what they've started. Left unremedied, their lives will amount to nothing significant.
The problem lies not in their lack of effort, but rather in their absence of lasting effort—the inability to hunker down and complete their projects. As such, Connectors should figure out what's actually important to set their priorities straight. This gives them an idea of where to move towards instead of just jumping on whatever ride that happens to come next. By doing so, they explore the world in a productive direction and not solely based on whim.
Imagination has played a crucial role in human progress thus far. Without it, there may not be as many groundbreaking discoveries as there are today. However, it also presents a double-edged sword as Connectors may sometimes envision ideas that are only feasible in the sandbox of their minds. Therefore, in their attempt to bring these ideas to life, they may sometimes find that their imaginations fall short in the face of practical limitations.
If Connectors want to make the impossible possible, it’s crucial to remain grounded in reality. To do so, they should include a realistic filter when examining the world around them. And it might sound like a bummer, but not all ideas are immediately achievable. Some may require cutting-edge technology that has yet to exist, while others may be too wild to garner support. Whatever it is, Connectors should always tailor their ideas to match what is realistically possible.
In the absence of answers, intelligent guesses are often needed to help fill the gaps in our understanding. The problem, however, arises when Connectors spontaneously make such guesses all the time. They might glance through an issue and immediately jump to conclusions that seem baseless at best, and ridiculous at worst. Without factual evidence to support their claims, people will eventually stop taking Connectors as seriously as they should.
As a good rule of thumb, Connectors should always verify their claims before tossing them out. They must keep in mind that without facts, their claims are merely speculations that hold no water. In some cases, Connectors may even be surprised to discover that their theories are completely false when measured up with facts. To avoid potential embarrassment, Connectors should always support their theories with solid facts instead of assumptions pulled out of thin air.
To Connectors, helping others is the top priority. Thus, they often place the needs of others above their own, neglecting their personal growth in the process. By doing so, they put off the need to explore their inner world, and the more they do, the more their problems pile up. In time, this heap of problems will become too heavy to bear, crushing Connectors in their tracks. As such, they must realize that they cannot truly help others, before first helping themselves.
Despite their busy schedules, Connectors should set aside some time every day for self-reflection. This allows them to explore any inner thoughts and feelings that they have ignored for a long time. Without acknowledging these problems, Connectors cannot resolve them and grow. Confronting one's imperfections is not a pleasant task. It may even be daunting for some. However, instead of spinning up excuses, Connectors should gather the courage to look deeply within.
Life is filled with an infinite number of choices. Although Connectors are capable of making choices independently, they often succumb to peer pressure. Insecure of their own choices, they may follow the crowd even if they don’t fully agree with the consensus. However, a decision is not automatically the best simply because everyone thinks so. It can only be the best if it sits right with Connectors themselves.
On top of that, meaningful decisions can only be made when Connectors agree wholeheartedly. Whenever conflicting feelings arise, Connectors should pay attention to them instead of pushing those feelings away. The concerns that they uncover might make sense or not, but either way, it is crucial to address those underlying emotions. Only by exploring their honest feelings, can Connectors truly make the best choices for themselves, free from any regrets.
Sometimes, Connectors will find themselves caught in a dilemma. While it makes logical sense to do one thing, their feelings may say otherwise. In situations like this, some Connectors might give in to their emotions simply because it feels right. However, experience shows that this approach often leads to disastrous outcomes. To avoid falling into either extreme, Connectors must strike a balance between logic and emotions, just like the harmony of yin and yang.
Thus, it is never a good idea to use feelings as a shortcut to decisions, as the resulting conclusions are bound to lack logical substance. While emotions can serve as a valuable starting point, Connectors should incorporate critical thinking in their decision-making process. After all, what feels right may not always make sense, and what makes sense may not always feel right. By paying equal attention to both aspects, Connectors will see a fuller picture and arrive at better conclusions.
Connectors often immerse themselves in trends that they happen to come across, desperately hoping to find a passion that defines them. They may dip their toes into many different pools, only to find that the water is never quite the right temperature for a swim. In other words, their interests rarely last. By searching for themselves all over the place, Connectors are only wasting their precious time on pursuits that hold little significance for their personal growth.
To uncover their true passion, Connectors must look inwards. They should stop being distracted by everything around them, and listen to their inner voices. These voices may be uncomfortable to hear, or they may be jumbled up in a chaotic mess, but they are there for a reason. Thus, Connectors should sort through this mess to figure out what really fulfills them. Only through introspection can they empower themselves, revealing a path in life that aligns with who they are.
Be it physical constraints or computer glitches, Connectors tend to stress out over various situations in life. Their feelings may range from righteous indignation against for-profit corporations to frantic anxiety over their jammed printer. However, letting such emotions control their perspectives will only cause them to make mountains out of molehills. As their stress builds up, even the smallest of hiccups may set off a negative chain reaction consuming Connectors entirely.
Truth be told, anything in life can be annoying and stressful only if one allows it. Hence, it is important for Connectors to learn how to respond to stress effectively, so that they can remain calm even under pressure. To do so, they must first recognize when they are overreacting. Then, they should take a step back to put the problem into perspective. Without the ability to do this, everlasting peace and happiness will continue to be an elusive dream for Connectors.
And with that, it is now time to embark on a new chapter of your life! Nevertheless, we would like to remind you that even though the ten points outlined above may seem easy and straightforward, mastering them is still a challenging task. One must remember that the pursuit of excellence draws upon the power of tiny gains, where small changes over time lead to massive transformation.
So instead of making dramatic improvements, one should take it a step at a time, climbing just 1% higher every single day. Think of your journey as a marathon rather than a sprint; it takes plenty of courage, patience, and tenacity to keep going until the end. And before long, you will eventually find yourself at the peak, awestruck by the magnificent view and ready to go beyond excellence!
The road to success is often paved with countless large obstacles. Overcoming them may not be easy, but it'll definitely be worth it. Truth be told, the only real barriers are the ones we create in our minds. By cultivating a growth mindset, every obstacle can eventually be transformed into opportunities for growth. As you embark on this arduous journey, here are a few final pointers to keep in mind.
No two are alike. Unfortunately, what comes naturally to others may not be as easy for you. Seeing others thrive in areas we find so hard to develop often leaves us feeling utterly defeated. However, comparing yourself to others is like measuring your progress using someone else’s ruler; it only sets you up for failure. Focus instead on your own path, for your only competition is who you were yesterday.
It is what it is. Some have smooth sailing childhoods while others might have theirs filled with trauma. Everyone is met with wildly different circumstances in life, and like it or not, it has a lot to do with luck. Although life may seem extremely unfair sometimes, we only suffer because we expect life to play by our rules. However, we should always keep in mind that it is not our circumstances that matter, but what we do with them that ultimately determines who we are.
A speck of dust. Everyone has problems, and although some of them may be huge, most others are often amplified by our imagination. The next time your problems seem too overbearing, just remember that we are merely a tiny speck of dust in this vast and infinite universe, what more our problems? Sometimes, it helps to take a step back to view things from a larger perspective. It may not solve the problem, but it might help ease the pain.
Until you make the unconscious conscious,
it will direct your life and you will call it fate.
Carl Gustav Jung
Life is like a game of cards. No matter how unfair we think our hand is, we cannot change the core of our personality. Life is not determined by the cards you were dealt with; it is how you play that matters. Even a great hand can be wasted if the player does not make the most out of it. So now with these cards in your hands, how would you play them to win the game of life?
As we wrap up our exploration of the NFXL Connector archetype, we'd like to emphasize that this isn't the end, but rather a new beginning in your journey towards a happier, more fulfilling life. We encourage you to seize this opportunity and embark on a path towards success as you embrace your shadows and thrive within darkness!
Along with the wealth of knowledge we've provided in the past six sections, we'd like to offer a curated list of relevant resources in the form of books, articles, and links that can further support you on your journey. Do check out these useful resources in the next section.
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Useful Resources [Connector]