We have often heard people talk about living life on your terms, but what does it really mean? Todd Luongo is a serial entrepreneur whose life is the very definition of living life on your own terms and not settling.

An only child in a dysfunctional family, Todd rebelled against and escaped from his upbringing with work ethic and ambition as well as writing, sports, and fitness. At 9 years old he was working 7 days a week as the youngest paperboy in the city. He worked in gyms throughout high school and by 19 years of age was a champion amateur bodybuilder winning the title of Mr. Teen Cape Cod.

After working his way through a relatively unimpressive tenure at a local Massachusetts State College, Todd moved to Silicon Valley, despite having no contacts there and absolutely no background in technology. He simply leveraged his natural gifts: communication skills, ambition, and work ethic, to talk his way into a sales career Oracle Corporation, quickly rising through the sales ranks.

However, despite the success of his software career, Todd was always itching for new, additional outlets to flex his creative and entrepreneurial muscles.

Along the way he built and helmed his own enterprise software company, advised and invested in a variety of tech start-ups, opened experiential restaurants and bars, learned to fly airplanes and helicopters, traveled the world, and performed stand-up comedy. He even wrote several, highly acclaimed screenplays along the way. Several of these won and placed highly in amateur screenplay contests. This led to professional talent management signing Luongo and working to develop the projects.

In 2018 Todd met his future business partner, Lee Snir, a fellow entrepreneur, veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces and an in-demand speaker in her native Israel. Todd and Lee hit it off over their similar philosophies and work ethic as well as their complimentary backgrounds and skill sets. They joined forces and set out to build a lifestyle brand that combined physical products, technology, and education to help people uncover, pursue, and realize their Personal Legends. They named this company “Legendary Life” and their credo is “Live Your Legend”.

Here are Todd Luongo’s best tips for living life on your own terms and being the best version of yourself.

1. Embrace your unique identity

Well, for starters, all of us share something in common, and that’s our uniqueness. Regardless of where we live or what we do, no two individuals are alike, just like how no two fingerprints are the same. 

 This uniqueness is both a blessing and a curse, depending on how you see it. This uniqueness is a blessing because it allows us to be different from others and carve a separate identity for ourselves. At the same time, this uniqueness is a curse because it makes it that much harder for us to fit into a box, into a routine, into a society, that is forced on us simply because we all fall in this category called “humans.”

 Now comes the big question. How can you search for your identity? How to make the most of your uniqueness without compromising on the benefits that society offers in terms of money, emotional security, and responsibility?

 Undoubtedly, there are no straight or easy answers to these questions. 

 But living life on your terms is a possible solution to this conundrum, though again, there are no set patterns on what constitutes this, simply because it goes back again to the fact that we are unique.

 That said, there are some common steps or actions you can take to break away from the societal imposition to find the niche life you’re looking for. Again, it merits to note that these measures have helped thousands of people to find their calling, understand their uniqueness, and choose lives that make them happy. 

2. Leverage the power of technology

For the first time in our lives, it is possible to live in a remote cottage in the middle of an unexplored forest, connect with people in real-time, collaborate with co-workers living in different parts of the world, and pursue your passion. 

So, why not make the most of it?

If you have always liked to travel or if you find it claustrophobic to live with other people, break free, and live wherever you want. Take on the life of a digital nomad. The obvious advantage of this lifestyle is that you get the best of both worlds. You not only get a steady stream of income doing a job but also you get to live in the place of your choice. 

3. Unlearn, unlearn, and unlearn

While growing up, most of us have attended schools, studied a subject that hardly mattered to us, and passed exams with the trepidation of a failure. Now if you think back, you needn’t have gone through that experience because you hardly remember what you ever studied, and for sure, you haven’t used most of what you learned in school.

This brings up the question of why attend school at all? But that’s for a different day.

You can’t obviously go back and change all that, but what you can do now is unlearn all that you have learned so far. So, why is this important?

Simply because unlearning your past allows you to learn only those things that matter to you. Also, when you unlearn, you keep your eyes, ears, and mind open to learning things the right way, and through people or situations, instead of books alone.

4. Understand your choices

Many things that we have always wanted stare at us, but we fail to see them because of our emotional baggage, past experiences, and the narrow path that society has taught us to walk. It’s time to break away from it all, understand your choices, and follow the ones that make you happy.  

 In all, living life on your terms is not a utopian dream, but something that you can accomplish today. In fact, it is essential for each of us to have an identity for ourselves and to do the things that matter the most. While the exact ways of life may be different, the above principles can go a long way in helping you get there.

 If you still need help or want to connect with someone who can give you more insights, reach out to Todd Luongo at Legendary Life.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 12, 2020 02:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).