5 Tips for Creating Your Own Destiny
Too many people whine about not having the life they want. The main reason people fall short of their own expectations is the same reason most companies fail to achieve their objectives: poor planning and execution. In fact, I am amazed at how many successful executives create strategy for their business, leaving their life to chance. Often it’s more comfortable (note I didn’t say easier) to complain and blame outside factors for lack of accomplishment or unhappiness than to take time to work on life rather than in it.
Here are the tips that will assure us of success.
1. Plan a Preferred Future
As Lewis Carroll said: If you don’t know where you are going, then any road will get you there. Your planning has to be specific and measurable. You must take time to examine and discuss the details of every aspect of your life, personal and professional, to achieve integrated success and happiness.
2. Be Pragmatic
The future has to reflect what is physically possible with available resources and limitations. Pragmatism isn’t in itself restrictive, however you can harness your creativity to design aspirational futures that exploit every opportunity and asset you have. You can also create filters that keep you from wasting time and energy on what’s unachievable or irrelevant.
3. Decide the Who, Not the What
Define who you want to be in the future, not what you want to be doing. The who centers on passion, core competencies, and core satisfaction, such as material requirements. If you know who you truly want to be, you can detail what to do, own, resources you need, etc. You can also determine what not to do, own, etc., focusing time and resources where required.
4. Be Honest
Challenge yourself constantly to get to the truth of who you are and who you wish to be. There will be no quiet politeness on this trip. Allowing this dialogue requires intimate knowledge of yourself and great trust.
5. Consider the Tools Around You, Old and New
Every resource is important. In this planning exercise, no resources, new or old, are off the table to achieve my desired future.
Change your thoughts and approach to the near and far future and prepare yourself to live happily. Don’t hope for it; determine, plan, and execute.
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