10 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need

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This guest post written by Sam Davidson, author of 50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need, is part of a month long series of top 10 lists on varying topics.

If you’re looking to round out this year right and say good-bye to 2010 in style, then get rid of 10 things.

Cleaning out clutter can liberate us. More is never better (usually), so thin out your life, editing it for what’s not making it better, and begin 2011 with your best foot forward. Focus on what matters, pursue your passion with nothing less than unbridled excitement, and really begin to accomplish your most ambitious goals next year.

Here are 10 things I think you should get rid of before this year is out:

10 – Small dreams

Abandon small dreams. Many small dreams, in fact, are not dreams at all. They are a to-do list, mere tasks you can accomplish by getting a second job or making an extra hour for them each day. Dream big dreams.

9 – Drama

You don’t have to be a walking controversy or eccentric to acquire drama in your life. The irony of drama is that most of us create it ourselves. We think too highly of ourselves, and before we know it, our sense of worry is inflated, and anything  – any needless or thoughtless comment or act – has been blown out of proportion. Eliminate drama from your life and you’ll find yourself with more time and energy to devote to what matters.

8 – Bad wine

Finding your favorite cocktail or wine may require experiments, but once you find it, stick with it. Don’t settle for anything less. Don’t drink something just because it is free. Don’t waste your time or palate on something you don’t like when you know what you love.

7 – Unused suitcases

Fill up a suitcase and hit the road. Give one a few scuffs and dents and open up a whole new world. Keep a journal of what you see and learn and don’t be afraid to ask yourself difficult questions about the kind of person you want to be. Moving around could help you move on, or move forward.

6 – Boring hobbies

People I have met who seem to really be making an impact in their local communities or who have found an after-hours endeavor they are really passionate about decline anything that’s not aligned with what they enjoy doing. The goal should never be to fill your calendar with commitments; it should be to commit to the things that matter and plan everything else around them.

5 – Anything belonging to an ex

Whether or not your married or engaged, your life doesn’t need anything that an ex gave you. Old T-shirts, souvenirs, or stuffed animals can all be donated or thrown away. While keeping a small teddy bear in your closet may seem harmless, owning something that no longer carries with it the same powerful emotional meaning is futile and takes up space and attention that could be occupied by something that matters.

4 – Regret

Learn from failure. Celebrate it. Learning what you did wrong or what led to lackluster results will help you the next time you venture out and try something new. What you shouldn’t do is to sit and sulk over what could have been. Your life doesn’t have time for regret.

3 – Unvoiced love

The feeling is there. It’s in your heart and on the tip of your tongue. Sure, it’s risky and you may look foolish, but you need to say how you feel. Otherwise, how else will the person know? Go ahead. Say it. Tell them you love them. Your life doesn’t need repressed feelings. Get it out there and see what happens.

2 – A job you hate

Work is a major part of your adult life, and hating it is no way to spend all of your years until retirement. Leave a job you don’t like and find one you love. It’s out there.

1 – Bucket lists

Take your lofty goals and unique experiences and set a real deadline. Accomplish five of them in 2011. Select two more and have them done by the end of the decade. If you want to do something before you die, do it now.

I’m certain you can come up with 10 more things you don’t need. Whether you follow my lead on the above items or blaze your own trail, eliminate what you don’t need so you can focus on what you really want.

If you want to know more about Sam’s book, checkout this video:

50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need from Point House Films on Vimeo.

Life as a series of distractions is seldom passionate and may even feel purposeless. But eliminating all the background noise, in search of that one intelligent passion that imparts to life a meaningful goal, can be difficult. For those in search of their calling, 50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Needoffers simple ways to fine-tune the frequency so that finding your passion becomes feasible. What are some things that you could eliminate to make your passionate contribution to the world a realizable goal?

Author: Sam Davidson

Sam Davidson is a writer, entrepreneur, and dreamer who believes that the world needs more passionate people. To help people find and live their passion, he has written 50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need. He is the co-founder of Cool People Care and Proof Branding, and lives in Nashville with his wife and daughter.

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