Is Your Life Still Running On Last Year’s Operating System?

I often click away at that annoying system upgrade alert that pops up on my MacBook. It’s usually a distraction. And based on my past experiences upgrading my iPhone OS too early, I always feel there’s going to be another “upgrade to the upgrade.”

Eventually, I recognize that the computer gets a little buggy and common sense prevails. I let the software upgrade happens and the computer’s running as it should again. In fact, in some cases, even better than before.

Life could sometimes be the same way.

You constantly ignore the signs that you need an upgrade. You get accustomed to doing the same things and displaying the same behaviors. The consistency feels safe. It’s what you know and it’s how your friends and family knows you. At the same time your life is getting buggy:

You’re demotivated at work
Health does not feel like it should
You’re working paycheck to paycheck
Your relationship has lost its spark

When the upgrade you know you need becomes obvious, like me, you scramble to make changes. But sometimes it’s too late.

Have You Upgraded From Last Year?

My life and thoughts have significantly changed in the last year. I became self-employed, creating jobs for myself. I learned a little more resourcefulness, grit, and gratitude.

More importantly, I see the person I want to be in 12 months, and I’m busy fixing the bugs and creating the upgrade step by step.

Can you recognize the person you were 12 months ago?

Are you thinking the same way?
What books did you read?
Are you having the same arguments and complaining about the same people?
Are you having the same convos about what you’re going to do, but have not started?

British author Alain De Button wrapped it up nicely when he said:

“If you’re not different from who you were 12 months ago, you didn’t learn enough.” — Alain De Button

Are you still running on last year’s information? You could be missing out on the opportunity to create the person and life you know deep down you were meant to be.

If you’re not sure where to start, then you need to make conscious decisions to upgrade your life.

What’s Your Upgrade Supposed To Achieve?

Every app or OS on your phone or computer has a change log. It outlines the objectives of the upgrade; what’s wrong and what the upgrade hopes to fix.

Similarly, you need to identify what’s wrong and set goals to make a change.

Setting a definite goal in the areas of life starts the process of change. For instance, if you know you’re working paycheck to paycheck and your finances are in a mess, set a goal to learn more about financial management and improve your finances.

With a definite goal and a concrete timeline, you set the process in motion to change

If you consistently take action, you would realize you’re not only better off financially, but you’ve learned skills and behaviors you did not possess 3–12 months ago.

Always Be Improving

Don’t ignore the need to improve, like we ignore the need to upgrade our phones. It’s important to keep yourself up to date with fresh ideas, new information, and growth.

One of the worse feelings you could have is being stuck in the same place while the world passes you by. You’re supposed to be a work in progress. You’re supposed to learn more and change. Even if you don’t want to, it happens.

For instance, researchers surveyed over 19,000 persons from ages 18–68. The survey asked them how different they were from 10 years ago and if they believe they will change much in the next 10 years. Most acknowledged they are different from 10 years ago, yet believed they have little growth to go. That they will be the same person in 10 years.

If at each decade these persons surveyed believe they won’t grow any further, it’s easy to conclude that they will change, whether they want to or not. And if they don’t change, the world will.

Why not control how you upgrade instead of just letting it happen to you?

So set a goal to change one part of your life and commit to seeing it through. You hold the keys. You’ll realize in one year or less, you’re running a faster and better life operating system. And you will be aching to start working on your next upgrade.