The following passage is from Jim Carrey’s 2014 Commencement Speech in front of the Maharishi University of Management:

My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that was possible for him, and so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant, and when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job and our family had to do whatever we could to survive.

 

I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”

1) Go After Your Dreams

I had been afraid of failure for most of my life. My fears, insecurities, and limiting beliefs paralyzed me.

But that has all changed.

This year I really went after my dreams. I took Jim’s advice, and set out to start doing what I really love.

At first it was exhilarating…then I was met with opposition. Which brings me to the second life-changing lesson I’ve learned this year.

2) Don’t Listen To The Naysayers

In his 2009 USC Commencement Speech, Arnold Schwarzenegger took time to share some of his “rules to success” in an epic speech that will inspire generations to come.

Here is one of Arnold’s 6 Rules of Success:

Don’t Listen To The Naysayers:

“How many times have you heard that you can’t do this and you can’t do that and it’s never been done before? I love it when someone says that no one has ever done this before, because then when I do it that means that I’m the first one that has done it.

 

So pay no attention to the people that say it can’t be done. I never listen to, “You can’t.” I always listen to myself and say, “Yes, you can.”

When I first told my parents, other family members, and friends that I started a blog on opiate addiction, and I was going to make a living doing it, it wasn’t taken as serious.

I remember people asking me how I was going to make money. The looks on their faces said more than any word could ever say.

They didn’t believe in me. But that’s fine, because it was MY DREAM. Why should I care if anyone believes in my dream? It’s MINE, not theirs.

I knew that this was my destiny. It felt so good to finally know what I really wanted to do with my life. And that brings me to the third life-changing lesson I’ve learned this year.

3) Don’t Let Your Candle Flame Flicker

Dr. Wayne Dyer is my favorite author. His words of wisdom have significantly impacted my life, and I am grateful that a dear friend of mine turned me on to his works.

I’ve now studied from several of his books, DVD’s, and have even taken a 3-day Writer’s Workshop from him, called “Writing from the Soul”.

The most important lesson Dr. Dyer has taught me is this:

“A burning desire is within you, go after it, give it your all, create a burning desire in your life and don’t let your candle flame flicker.”

I have an inner candle that is within me. The flame burns nonstop, and it never flickers. When I wake up first thing in the morning, it speaks to me.

It says “GO MATT! Go achieve your vision!”

Regardless of the naysayers, the set-backs, or the hard times, this burning desire holds strong. It never dims, it only burns, lighting the way…it is my inner compass.

Yet, while achieving dreams is great and all, it is not everything. Thus, I now present you with the fourth life-changing lesson I’ve learned this year.

4) Choose To Be Happy Right Now

I’ve probably learned more life skills from Tony Robbins than any other mentor thus far.

Before I began studying from his books, audio programs, and seminars, I was a lazy procrastinator, and my life was ruled by fear.

I am eternally grateful for all that I have learned from Tony. This past year, at his “Date With Destiny” seminar, he instilled yet more life-altering wisdom upon me:

“There’s a huge difference between achieving to be happy and happily achieving it.”

For years I achieved with the ultimate goal of finally becoming happy when I reached my destination.

I was willing to put in hard work and a lot of time to accomplish my goals, with the understanding that I would feel complete upon their completion.

Boy was this a dangerous way to think. Though it took me awhile, I now can honestly say that I am “happily achieving”, rather than “achieving to be happy.”

This simple twist in words has a totally life-changing impact. Today, I choose to be thankful for my life as it is in this moment.

Anything else is just icing on the cake.

Yet, happily achieving is still DOING something, and that brings me to the fifth life-changing lesson I’ve learned this year.

5) Spend More Time in “Being” Mode

I recently finished listening to the amazing book on CD, Dying to Be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing.

In her book, author Anita Moorjani states the following after having a Near Death Experience (NDE), then spontaneous remission from her terminal cancer:

“When we live completely from the mind over a period of time, we lose touch with the infinite self, and then we begin to feel lost. This happens when we are in doing mode all the time, rather than being.

 

The latter means letting ourselves be who and what we are without judgment. Being doesn’t mean that we don’t do anything. It’s just that our actions stem from following our emotions and feelings while staying present in the moment.

 

Doing, on the other hand, is future focused, with the mind creating a series of tasks that take us from here to there in order to achieve a particular outcome, regardless of our current emotional state.”

Before listening to this beautiful book on CD, I was in “doing” mode at least 90% of the time.

I was so focused on the future, I often forgot to stop and smell the roses, so to speak.

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot more time in Human-Being mode, and it has reinstated that feeling of joy and relaxation that I used to enjoy so much earlier in life.

Conclusion

While I’ve learned a great many lessons this year, these are simply the five that have impacted me the most.

A lot has happened in the past 12 months.

I’ve loved, lost, learned, achieved, gained insight and awareness, taken risks, challenged myself, and healed from many past issues.

It’s been a wild ride, and I have a feeling these next 12 months are going to teach me even more.

As long as I continue to have faith, listen to my burning desire, go after my vision, take risks, shut out the “noise” and distractions, happily achieve, feel love and gratitude, be kind, and remember I am a Human-BEING, anything is possible.

Cheers.