Most people dream of a successful life but only a few are able to make this a reality. It is heartening to know that success does not depend on wealth, or educational attainment, or physical attributes. This means that everybody — including YOU — has a fair shot to a successful life. The following tips will help you increase your chance to realize your dream:
1. Find Purpose – The first step to take is finding your purpose in life. Meditate and look inside you. Ask yourself why you exist; what is it you want out of life. If you cannot find the answers to these questions, you may just be drifting through life wrapped in perpetual haze, without a goal or purpose. No matter how much you struggle, all your efforts are futile because you are shadow-boxing with a phantom enemy and accomplishing nothing. The late JFK once said, “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction”.
2. Stay focused on your goal – Once you have discovered what you really want out of life, plan your life towards its attainment. Set a definite goal, one that is challenging enough to motivate you but also achievable so as not to frustrate you. As you work towards your goal, avoid distractions that may cause you to lose focus on what you intend to attain. One of these distractions is multitasking. Because of your desire to reach your goal at the shortest possible time, you tend to over-estimate your capabilities. You try work on as many tasks as you could simultaneously — a really bad move to take. Doing or concentrating on more than one task in a single time is not possible, even with computers! The latter only give the false impression of multitasking due to the lightning speed they can process tasks one-by-one.
Multitasking is bound to fail because of the lack of focus on a task on hand, resulting to mistakes and mediocre performance which are hardly the factors for success.
3. Appreciate yourself – Be aware of your self-worth. Develop a positive attitude and be confident of your capability to tackle a better job, maintain a healthy relationship with others, and lead a fulfilling life. A healthy and dedicated mind is a powerful tool to motivate and drive you in attaining your goal. You may not be perfect (who is, anyway?) but accept and be responsible for your flaws and imperfections. Instead of being hindrances, take them as hurdles to exercise and strengthen your mental and emotional muscles. “You become as you think” is not just a beautifully worded adage—it is real and it works!
4. Money is good – Money is good as long as it works for you—never the other way round! Forget the idea that money is evil. On the contrary, money is so powerful that it can make the world go around. As long as you harness its potential properly, it can become a powerful tool for the attainment of your goal. Money, like your mind, can be good or bad, depending on how you use it. Do not let it to be your prime goal in life.
5. Be open to change “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” – Maria Robinson.
In this life, the only thing permanent is change. Change is as inevitable as death so you may as well get used to it. Do not live life as a fossilized antiquity in a museum if you want to make something worthwhile of yourself. Do not resist change but prepare for it. Instead of running from it, accept it and find ways to make it work for you. You either actively modify and shape change to your advantage or remain static and allow it to rule your life.
6. Be independent – You may listen to other people’s opinion but you do not have to abide by them. In any situation that involves you, you must have the last say. Do not allow yourself to be the puppet of others however good their intention may be. Always weigh things and opt to decide with your own interest in mind. To commit a mistake of your own doing is bad enough, how frustrating it would you feel if you fail because of somebody else’s wrong decision for you. Live your own life because, just as the famous poem Invictus says, “You are the master of your fate; you are the captain of your soul”.
7. Be yourself – You are a unique creation and nobody is the same as you, not even your twin sibling. You have your own identity and your own qualities. Others may excel in some areas of life and so do you. Therefore, comparing yourself to others is a futile exercise. It is like comparing apples to oranges. They maybe both fruits but they are not of the same species and have their own tastes and health benefits. The same is true for you and the others with whom you may be comparing yourself with.
8. Be not afraid of failures – Almost every endeavour in life has suffered some setbacks. Since failures are inevitable, the best way to defeat them is to be ready for them. Do not let setbacks cow you to surrender. They can only defeat you if you allow them to do so. Your strongest weapon to fight failures is your positive attitude towards them. Instead of considering failures as obstacles to your progress, take them as blessings instead. Look at them as learning experiences and guideposts to the correct directions towards your success. Just like vaccines, their adverse effect will serve to strengthen you mentally and emotionally to fight and overcome them anytime they come back again.
Success in life may be just a dream to many. But the tips you are given here are effective tools to make your dream become a reality.