Unless we find ourselves in a state of nirvana, is it reasonable to assume that we are seeking to improve ourselves and the circumstances in which we are living? Even if you are in a place in your life where you have given up on a better life, there is a place to start, and I hope you find the strength to do so.

We all stand in a different place in life, and our journey is unique to us. There is no point in falling into the trap of looking at other people with jealous eyes, asking ourselves ‘why they are so much better then me’…. because really, they are not. They have just lived a different life, and have their own battles to fight. We must look beyond the surface.

We all stand in a different place in life, and our journey is unique to us. There is no point in falling into the trap of looking at other people with jealous eyes, asking ourselves ‘why they are so much better then me’…. because really, they are not. They have just lived a different life, and have their own battles to fight. We must look beyond the surface.

If we really want to improve where we are in life, then we must make the decision to do something about it. A happier life will not manifest on its own, we must put the effort in to get the rewards… cause & effect. So lets get going!

First things first, we have to stop ling and telling ourselves that ‘someday’ we will work on attaining our dreams, we must bust that bubble and realize that“ ‘Some day’ doesn’t exist, never has, and never will. There is no ‘some day’. There is only today” Jeff Olson.

I like to ask myself ‘who do I want to be?’ opposed to ‘what do I want to do?’.

These days, job security = false security, and the chances that we change career paths at least 3 or 4 times is very probable. Of course, who we want to be will change as we evolve, but it is the most important aspect of our lives, as it shapes who we are, in turn shaping how we perceive life.

Write it down!

So lets take a different approach, and seek who we imagine ourselves being 5 or 10 years down the road. Do you see yourself as a healthy, fit woman? A worldly man? How about a person of influence? Do you wish to be an incredible caretaker of family or community? A person of integrity? A great leader? Someone who loves life?

You do not have to think of everything in one sitting, we are just getting started!

Remember to drop me a line and share how you envision yourself in the future!

Now that we have a few ideas, take some time to brainstorm what you think the skills and experience a person with those characteristics might have. For me, a person of influence would have integrity, a large network, results, ability to connect well, public speaking skills, leadership skills.  The way I shape what my ideal ‘person of influence’ may be different from how you will shape them, it all depends on our personalities and vision.  The president of a country may not have any of those characteristics, but because of their title are influential in their own way.

Yay! With a collage of characteristics and skills, we can break them down further by thinking about what we can do to improve ourselves in that area. To increase my network, I can meet more people and build on the relationships I already have. Breaking it down further, I can become more involved with events and activities I enjoy to increase my exposer to other people and keep an up to date contact list of all the people I know. To build my current relationship bonds, I can make a greater effort in being interested in their lives and deposit ‘emotional coins’ (Next ‘Light’ post).

Lets pop the question! “What can I do every day to get closer to my goals?”

This is where we break it down even further! Aside from exposing myself to a variety of situations in which I can meet people, the bottom line is I have to talk to them. So every day I can give myself a goal that even on my worse day, can still make happen. In the case of networking, I can write down that ‘I will talk to one new person every day’.

If I am disciplined and consistent in achieving this goal, in 6 months, there is no doubt that I will have a larger network then I do right now… makes sense right?

It seems we can get so caught up in the bigger picture, and we can just set ourselves up to fail. I hope we can instead set ourselves up for success by starting with the smaller steps, and building from there. Give it a try, and let me know how you do!

I recommend reading “The Slight edge” by Jeff Olson, which goes into detail how to achieve big goals through little ones. A simple yet brilliant concept.

Of course there is much more to goal setting, but hey, we got to start somewhere!

Love & Light to you

kel