“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon.
Singer, songwriter, peace activist and founder member of the Beatles, arguably the best band in the whole world, John Lennon knew a thing or two about making the most of his life. A stellar career, a colourful love-life and still enough time to fight for what he believed, beseeching us to “give peace a chance.” Whilst we can’t all be icons; we can make an attempt to wring every nuance of success from our lives.
Commit to Achieving Your Goals.
Take some time to figure out what you want from your career and personal life (this won’t be an easy task). Try to be honest with yourself, this isn’t about gaining approval from others, it’s about focusing on what you want to get out of life. Once you’ve sussed that out promise yourself there will be no more excuses – it’s time to knuckle down and go for it.
Ride the Rollercoaster.
We’ve all heard that old adage – the journey is just as important as the destination. If you’re going to go all out to achieve your goals you might as well have fun along the way. Get ready to enjoy new experiences, meet new people, learn new skills, discover surprising things – basically, enjoy the ride.
Make Sure the Glass Stays Half Full
Not sure if you have the willpower or determination to get to where you want to be? Negativity will hold you back, so stay positive. We’re sometimes guilty of erecting our own barriers, worrying that we’re just not good enough to be successful. Stop holding yourself up, there are plenty of naysayers in the world, don’t join them.
Don’t Give Up.
Giving up is easy as pie (unless you’re trying to give up something you really enjoy such as wine, or pie)! Achieving success in your life isn’t going to be easy, so you need to be prepared to tough it out. In 1954 a young Elvis Presley cut a demo track and also auditioned as a vocalist for a quartet.
The demo track was unsuccessful and Presley didn’t get the job, after apparently being told “he couldn’t sing.” Luckily, he didn’t hang up his microphone (or his blue suede shoes), instead he pushed on. When things go wrong do an Elvis – pick yourself up and carry on, you’re going to get a few knocks along the way, do your best to learn from them.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone.
Feeling safe and secure in your comfort zone? Maybe it’s time to venture out! There’s nothing wrong with contentment, but doing something new or different can get your pulse racing and wake you up. Don’t be afraid to change your routine, go for that new job, speak to a stranger, heck even go crazy and swap your usual cheese sandwich for a Bloody Mary sarnie (that’s tomatoes, black pepper, salt and sun-dried tomato paste on olive ciabatta).
Dare to Dream
Remember when you were five and your primary school teacher asked you what you wanted to be? Perhaps you said a police officer, singer, pilot or dancer? You might have been the child who was adamant they would be boarding a rocket ship and heading to outer space (for the record as of July 2019 a total of 563 people have gone into orbit, so it’s not as impossible as it seems). As we grow older our dreams tend to be replaced by practicalities. We find suitable careers and suitable homes. We juggle our work life with family ties, social gatherings, hobbies and responsibilities. Somewhere along the line we forget to dream. It’s time to put that right!
Be Kind to Yourself.
Do you constantly berate yourself for not being good enough, not thin enough, not clever enough etc (feel free to add your own insecurity here)! It’s easy to bemoan the things you aren’t good at. Next time things don’t go your way don’t be too hard on yourself. If there’s something you’re not keen on why not do something about it rather than criticise yourself?
Give Yourself a Kick up The Rear.
We all need a little downtime, but if you find yourself constantly wasting time i.e. lazing on the sofa watching yet another re-run of a tired sitcom, it could be time to give yourself a good talking to. You don’t have to fill every second of every day with meaningful activities, but you do need to keep one eye on your goals and remind yourself that success won’t come looking for you, you have to go find it.
Learn to Rely on Yourself.
Your friends, colleagues and family can be a great source of support (especially in times of crisis), but there’s one person you can always count on – YOU. Self-sufficiency should come as standard, don’t wait for others to come to your rescue or make you feel better about a situation. You can do that for yourself.
Get Going.
Start with a plan, then outline your goals and break them down into small, achievable steps. Hold yourself accountable by ticking off tasks as you complete them. Reward yourself for jobs well done (and for every small milestone) – this will help motivate you to keep going.
What are you waiting for- go and make a success of yourself?