What if I told you there was a hidden treasure trove of personality traits that could change your life?

Are you curious?

Are you dying to know what they are?

Wondering why I ask so many questions instead of getting to the point.

Well, okay—good.

Here I’m going to reveal the five good traits that I believe will help you get through this chaotic, unpredictable, and downright ridiculous life we ​​call life.

And if you’re lucky, you might come out of this with a chiseled chin and a newfound appreciation for your gloriously catastrophic self.

AreYouReady?

1. Self-Awareness: The Ultimate Operating System

Before you can change anything in your life, you need to know what’s going on inside your head. Self-awareness is like the operating system that keeps your psychological machinery running smoothly. Without it, you won’t learn from your failures, adjust your habits, or notice when you’re acting like a narcissistic jerk.

So how do you develop self-awareness? It’s all about asking questions about your thoughts and feelings and practicing meditation. Meditate, journal, see a therapist, or even ask a trusted family member to point out your less-than-perfect traits. Most importantly, make it a habit to keep asking yourself the tough questions. Need more guidance? Check out my articles on self-awareness, You Beautiful Bastards.

2. Take Risks: Embrace the Art of Failure and Embarrassment

Life is all about compromise and risk. If you want to get anywhere, you need to develop a tolerance for failure and embarrassment. Why? Because great rewards often come with a side of risk.

Remember that handsome, smoking guy in the library? Talking to him has an incredibly good risk-reward ratio. The worst-case scenario is a few seconds of embarrassment, while the best-case scenario could be a life-changing relationship. So muster up the courage to face the risks head-on and embrace the possibility of failure. It’s all part of the journey.

3. Skepticism: Question Everything (Even This Post)

There’s a lot of bullshit out there, so in the 21st century, skepticism should be your default setting. Ask for evidence, think rationally, and be prepared to live with uncertainty. Remember, skepticism isn’t just about questioning the mainstream; it’s about questioning everything, even conspiracy theories and flat-earthers.

So be skeptical when you read articles, watch videos, or follow people on social media. And yes, even question me, your humble and very wise mentor, as you read this post. Just remember: healthy skepticism is about being open to possibilities, not stubbornly opposing everything.

4. Empathy: We’re all screwed, so let’s love each other anyway

Here’s the hard truth: we’re all messed up. Everyone screws up in some way, and that’s okay. That’s why we need to have empathy for each other. When you see someone failing, try to understand what they were trying to achieve and empathize with their struggle.

Embrace Hanlon’s razor: “Never attribute to malice what can be explained by ignorance or stupidity.” We’re all just trying to do our best, and sometimes our best is just plain bad. So let’s look out for each other and offer a little compassion when things go wrong.

5. Patience: Slow and steady wins the race

Our attention spans are shrinking, and instant gratification is the name of the game. But guess what? Patience is still a virtue, and it’s more important than ever. If you can cultivate the patience to ride out the storm and focus on the long-term rewards, you’ll come out on top.

So embrace the slow pace, and learn to be okay with waiting for the reward. In the end, the tortoise still wins the race, and the impatient hare is left wondering where it all went wrong.