If you were to walk up to someone on the street and ask them if they wanted a better, more fulfilling life than the one they had, very few would turn your offer down. And yet, in a very real sense, each one of us walks away from that very same opportunity a thousand times a day. Having a better life does not depend on someone walking up to you with a winning lottery ticket, or even winning a successful turn-key business. No, the steps to a better life, a real life, begin with the steps you take. It all begins with you.
The first thing that you must do is to realize that everything begins with you. The decisions you make today will steer you to where you are going to be tomorrow, and how you feel about the world around you. If you are unsatisfied with the status quo, truly the only thing and person you can blame is yourself. Every day, thousands of people rise up against seemingly overwhelming odds to survive and thrive through another day. Obstacles such as illiteracy, poverty, even not having enough food to eat have been conquered many times over.
So what obstacles do you face?
What decisions can you make now to transform your life in the future from what it is to what it could be, what you want it to be? Remember, you are where you are today because of the choices you have made in the past. Thankfully, there is always the opportunity to make a new decision, to embark on a new adventure, to find a new path.
It is up to you to transform your life. One of the best ways to do that is to bring the right attitude to the game of life. A good attitude will help you develop a plan, either for business or personal life that incorporates what you want with what you value. Making a solid plan isn’t as hard as you might think. Take the time to do the research you need – read the books, take the classes, and talk to those who have traveled there before. Soon you’ll find yourself with a plan of attack that can both adapt to the changes and remain true to your core self.
Of course, having an attitude and a great plan will only get you so far. In order to truly transform your life into something better, you must act. A farmer can plan how he will lay out his fields in the spring, and how he will harvest them in the late summer, but unless he actually goes outside and plants and harvests, everything will be for naught. A savvy entrepreneur can write the most detailed and competitive business model, but until he actually goes out and starts knocking on doors for clients, the business plan is simply a stack of paper. Until you start acting on your plan, nothing will change.
It is important to realize that true change does not happen overnight. The world and people around you have their own goals and desires, ones that might not mesh with your own. It is essential that you persist in what you are doing. Persistence isn’t about pounding through the countless brick walls that you will face. It’s about realizing that those brick walls can be used to strengthen your dream and your resolve. Yes obstacles will be placed in your way. Making a better life for you is all about transforming them into assets.
What obstacles do you need to eliminate?