Graduation from high school, birth of a child, first job, meeting someone special, weight loss, retirement.  What do all of these life events have in common?  Two things, they all are life changing events and they all require a solid plan in order to make a success of the part of your life you are in.  The foundation of planning comes from your ability to project who or what you would like to become in the future.  Often all of us at one time or another get nervous of the thought of what we want to do with our lives, especially when we are faced with life changing circumstances.

What is the key to being happy with the life you have? First and foremost, not regretting the choices you’ve made up to this point (unless you have truly done something wrong, then forgive yourself or/and ask for forgiveness and move on!).  Secondly being an active participant in shaping the kind of life you want to lead in the future and relentlessly pursing it.  It can be said that successful people shape their lives into what they want it to be, they don’t allow their lives to shape them into what it will force them to be.

How does life shape you?

Every day the totality of our choices represent in a microcosm what direction our lives are going and how we’ve chosen for them to go.  In this world today we all have been born into VERY different circumstances, some of us have been born with chronic physical issues, some with mental issues, some with socioeconomic issues and others with not many issues at all.  These environments truly can  have a major effect on how our lives begin.  How is it though that some people are able to escape the worst of life’s beginning circumstances, while others are held captive by the will of their environment?  That is because those “uprisers” have a plan for themselves that often don’t include their current environment, they have the unique ability to think transcendently beyond their circumstance and into their future and they move with precision towards their goals.  Yes, it’s obvious that not all in certain circumstances have the actual ability to do this do to varying limiting factors, but if you are of relatively sound mind and body you have the ability to move towards your goals.

Shaping your life around your goals

In reading a blog from Celestine Chua on her Personal Excellence Blog (Link Here), she talks about when she was trying to become a vegetarian and so her first action item was to set up her apartment and her life environment to fit her goal of becoming a vegetarian.  While it may not be in all of your control to set up your environment to achieve your future goal right now, the first step you can take in creating your environment is to create the mindset of someone who is already achieving what your goals are.  For example: If you have a life goal of making $100,000 a year, then you should begin to adjust your mindset and begin to think of yourself as someone who is making that much money already.  Read the books successful people read, go to the website successful people go to (like this blog, sorry but true..not really sorry).  Change your associates to people who are success driven and want to make the most out of their lives

How to Plan?

Your plan should start with written goals.  Absolutely everyone, who wants to be successful has to write down their goals so you can see them in front of you.  After you have written your goals down, remind yourself every day what you are looking to accomplish and segment your goals into actionable items that you can accomplish every day, week and month.  Assess your progress regularly and make adjustments to your plan as it is unfolding.  Try to estimate where you will be in the next 3, 6, 12 months and prepare for the people you have to meet, and the places you need to go to accomplish your goals.  Write all of these things down into your goals/planning sheet.

Take Imperfect Action

The next thing you have to do is to take imperfect action.  It doesn’t matter what you do, but do something, anything, that moves you towards your goals tomorrow.  Don’t wait for the perfect time, because it doesn’t exist.  The firs rule of thumb is, when you are creating the life you want, the perfect time is every time you take action.

To be success minded means to move deliberately, yet relentlessly towards your goals.

Here’s to your success

Micah




Read more of my blogs here at www.nextlevellifestyleblog.com