“Renewal is the key to survival and passion in all realms of life,” writes Beliefnet blogger Shmuley Boteach, in his new book, Renewal: A Guide to the Values-Filled Life.

People need to grow and change, he says, or risk becoming bored and selfish. He gives plenty of food for thought, including the following inspiring tips for renewal.

Struggles Make Us Who We Are
“We have to look at our everyday struggles in a different light. We have to stop letting life get us down. We have to stop feeling defeated. We can instead see the struggles we face each day as challenges that establish our uniqueness.”

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect
“Being with perfect people is like watching a movie when you already know the ending. You can’t thrill to perfect people’s victories because they don’t involve real courage. Real courage means to be victorious over fear. If you were never afraid, were your actions courageous? No.”

Don’t Worry About Motivation
“Righteous action is more important than righteous motivation. What matters is doing the right thing, not why we’re doing it. Correct action is always superior to proper intention. Given enough time, the intention will follow. [But] actions change the world.”

-Guest Post by Wendy Schuman