Though much easier in theory than practice, the planning and execution process needed to start changing the path you’re on in life is surprisingly simple:
1. Decide exactly what you want and where you want to go.
Nobody knows what’s best for you other than YOU. Cast aside all the expectations that your family, friends and society in general have cast on you over the years. You’re not happy and it’s because you haven’t been doing the things you want to do or realizing the achievements that haunt your dreams. As with so many mentors in history, Brian Tracy recommends writing down a list of everything you want in life. Don’t limit your goals to the present; if you want to end up retiring to a private island in 30 years, write that down too.
2. Set a deadline and make a plan to get there. (Remember, a goal is just a dream with a deadline.)
It’s important to distinguish between your goals and “dreams”. Dreams only become goals when you’re working within time constraints. For instance: You can dream about building your dream home by hand indefinitely. But, as a dream, that house will never begin to take shape until you write down everything you’ll need to build it, buy the land and materials, pour the foundation, then finally start to put all the pieces together. Once you’ve narrowed down what it is that you want in life with the list described in #1, it’s time to further refine those goals with a clear plan to get there and make yourself accountable with a reasonable deadline for each. You only live once and life goes by fast!
3. Take action on your plan; do something everyday to move toward your goal.
It doesn’t have to be a lot of action placed toward any one goal. Just do something to get (and keep) the wheels in motion. Call a college to find out how to enroll in one of their specialty business programs. Spend 30 minutes doing reconnaissance on a local business that will be the biggest competitor to your new business. Seek out a mentor by looking over LinkedIn profiles for people near to you who have knowledge you want to acquire. Switch to another step toward another goal the next day. Then the next time a particular goal comes back in the rotation take the next logical step forward.
4. Resolve in advance that you will persist until you succeed, that you will never, ever give up.
Knowing what you want and pushing yourself toward that goal is the only way to get there. How many people actually win the lottery? Those kind of fairytale odds are what you’re facing if you just wait for your “dreams” to come to you. It’s a rarity that few ever realize in a lifetime…
Main image by BK
