10 Things for Which you don't Need Talent or Money

Originally published on Medium:

2019-02-15

We often think that everything good that comes in our lives is either through money or our inborn talents. Many of us, therefore, do envy of people who either have a lot of inherited wealth or are very good looking or talented by birth. However, if we look deeper, there are many beneficial traits that we can acquire in our lives that neither needs money nor talent. All they need is commitment and practice. And I am sure that these traits over time will bring not only success in career but also satisfaction and fulfillment in life. Below is the list that I compiled for the habits and traits that I believe anyone can build.

1. To be punctual

Time is one thing that is given equally to everyone no matter who you are. And respecting time, being punctual, showing up on time is one of the most rewarding habits one can build to be successful and earn respect among peers. I have never come across a person who detests someone who is punctual and respects his and other's time commitments. However, it's almost always that people don't like individuals who do not take time seriously. Especially in the present time when help is available through technology, it's becoming easier to use calendars, alarms, and reminders on your phone to fulfill your time commitments.

2. To be patient

Patience is a noble virtue. Some of the gigantic tasks are accomplished by people who can wait for the opportune time. Patience does not mean sitting ideal, but it's the time of preparation for what to come in the future. In the Bible, God made Moses to wait 40 years before he could free the Israelites from slavery. Those 40 years was the time for him to repent and prepare himself in character and faith to carry out the given task. I know waiting is hard and especially in the present fast-paced world where almost everything is available a click away. One of the practical ways that I have learned to build patience is to grow plants, no matter how much you wish a plant to blossom in a day it will only do so when the time arrives.

3. To be kind

It's never too much to show more kindness. I guess the world will be a better place if all of us are a bit more kind towards one another. I have also seen that the kindest people are also in general happier, calm, and more satisfied in their lives. An easy way to practice kindness is to stop judging people if they are or do differently than you. Once you stop judging people, kindness will flow automatically towards them through multiple routes.

4. To be generous

Generosity points towards the ability to have money, and in my opening statement I said that for the traits in this list you neither need talent nor money then how come a broke be generous. It's true that it's tough for people under a financial crunch to be generous, but trust me it's equally difficult for the wealthy. Generosity is not a function of wealth but a function of the heart. Bill Gates is not altruist because he is rich, but because he has a heart to care. Many wealthy people in the world are just hoarding money for themselves without considering a payback to society. Studies have shown that generosity has positive feedback that makes people happier and more satisfied with their lives. I am not asking you to become overly generous if you don't have money to support your family first. Remember charity begins at home, but even if you can help someone or a cause in the tiniest manner will bring change in there and your lives.

5. To make friends

I know some people find it difficult to make friends due to multiple reasons, but surely everyone wants to have and be friends. Again you neither need money nor talent to make good friends. If you are getting friends because of your money or talent then probably they are not going to last very long certainly not in the time of your need. To find or be a good friend all you need is to be yourself, truthful, genuinely concerned about your friend, build trust, and spend as much time as you can with them. I am very blessed to have experienced long-standing friendships with some of the most beautiful people in the world. My secrete of establishing life-long friendships is to listen to people talk about their lives and share yourself to the extent to be vulnerable emotionally.

6. To exercise

Exercise is one thing that always has positive feedback. Even the pain feels excellent and desirable. I am bad at maintaining a regular exercise habit, but whenever I continued for a couple of months, I always felt excellent in my mind and body. Almost everyone I know put exercise in their new year resolution list but fails to continue past few weeks. Most of them fail due to their unrealistic expectations of what and how soon they can achieve through exercise. We put countless hours of physical inactivity and consume tons of junk food over the years to get into bad shape, but want instant results from our gym activity or change in diet. Some of us won't even start exercising because either we can't afford a gym membership or can't be bothered to be a regular goer. In my opinion, if somebody wants to get fit, then all they need is motivation and commitment to stick to an exercise schedule. You don't need money to do free stretching exercises, push-ups, crunches, or run outdoors. These exercises also don't need you to be a trained athlete. Some of them are as simple as walking, and some can be learned by watching a few online videos.

7. To eat healthily

Health is the greatest wealth and along with exercise one thing that can improve yours is a good diet. It's funny that a few decades ago people in many parts of the world were dying due to malnutrition whereas now people are dying or getting diseased due to overeating. However, how much you are eating is not that important than what you are eating. You can bloat on an excellent healthy diet without any adverse effects whereas a small amount of unhealthy food can cause harm. Some people will argue that a healthy diet comes at a cost, but I would say only a ready-to-eat healthy food is expensive. Raw vegetables, fresh meat, and fruits are not costly. If you regularly cook at home, then you can easily control what you eat and how well you prepare your meals.

8. To meditate/being mindful

Meditation is undoubtedly one of the things for which you do not need any money and not even the slightest talent. You just have to sit quietly with your eyes closed and concentrate on your breathing. It might be difficult for people suffering from ADD or ADHD, but for everyone else, it should be the least demanding activity. Even for people suffering from ADD/ADHD meditation would help them to calm down. There are numerous resources available online that can teach you how to meditate. When you meditate or be mindful, you pull your thoughts in the present, and you become more aware of your body, your thoughts, and your surrounding. It will help you to reduce your anxiety levels which in turn can help you with problems like depression.

9. To save money

Alright to save money you surely need to earn some money. So this topic does not entirely align with the title of this article. But I can say that you can save and grow your money without specialized financial training. I have already written an article about this topic which you can read [here](https://medium.com/@rohitfarmer/one-year-of-investing-24cc4fed7d68). The financial habits that I have adopted over the past year can easily be adopted by anyone else with a habit of little investment of ten percent of their monthly income.

10. To love

Last but not least. Love is probably as basic a need of a human being as the food itself. Even if you have nothing but food on your plate and love of your spouse, friends, and family, it is almost always good enough. Love is so fundamental that it is hard for me to imagine who would need to learn how to love. Mothers by virtue of motherhood know how to love their children, couples want to be loved and love each other, parents wish to be loved by their children, friends wish to love among themselves. And I am sure that if you are a loving person, it would positively impact your both personal and professional life. The biggest love that anyone taught and showed is God Himself. He sacrificed His Son so that we may live.