This week I re-read Brian Tracy's wonderful book, "Create Your Own Future." It's one of the best sources of inspiration, strategy and motivation I know, and I highly recommend it.
What struck me is the powerful truth that we pretty much create our own lives, every single day. Think of the enormous opportunity (and responsibility) that gives us!
Too often we drift through life. We get up, go to work, come home, have some dinner and go to bed so we can do it all over again tomorrow. It's a familiar routine, and we take comfort that our hard work is advancing our career, earning an income, and supporting the life we currently have. What we forget is that routines can lead to destinations we would not intentionally choose.
TIPS subscribers are ambitious people. We have dreams and goals, we want "more" and we hope the future will be better than the present. We want great things for ourselves, and even better things for our children. And yet, we forget that every day--right now as you read this--you are creating your future.
Every day, our actions take us slightly closer to our goals, or we end up one day further away. Every day, we move in the direction we choose to go, or we drift that much further with the wind and current, the ordinary pressures of life.
Long-time readers know I am not enthused about dramatic, sudden change because I don't think life works that way.
Life is more evolutionary than revolutionary. I am, however, a HUGE fan of the truth that, "inch by inch, anything's a cinch!"
1. First, be clear about your desires. Write your goals down, whatever they are. If you want to start a business, move to a different city, earn more money or change careers, define it! Write it down! Talk about it! Define and refine your vision. Whatever you want, be specific and take charge!
2. Second, claim your power. You have enormous personal power. You decide how to use your time. You CHOOSE how to spend your money. You CHOOSE your friends, your skills and your aspirations. Use your power!
3. Third, have a plan. "Rome wasn't built in a day" and you are unlikely to transform your life or achieve any major goal without a clear, on-going strategy. Life takes time!
Have a plan that, day by day, will take you toward your desire.
4. Fourth, get the support you need. Whatever you want, there are books and people, classes and environments that will help you "get there." Get a coach. Start a MasterMind group. Re-arrange your office, buy the books, DVD's and audio programs. Attend the conferences. Surround yourself with support!
5. Fifth, be who you are! Stand up for your values and move in the direction you want to go. Take daily action, and persist. You don't have to be rude or radical, but you do have to be "captain of your ship." Day by day, take action.
Make adjustments. Change the details. Try. Try again. Try until.
Whatever you want in life, it is almost certain you can get it. Whatever your age or circumstance, other people have had similar dreams and made them happen. As long as your desires are moral and you play fair, you can have the future you want! The only questions are whether you have a good plan and whether you will pay the price. You truly CAN have the future you desire, if (day by day) you sail your ship in the direction you want to go.