Nothing has more influence on your success than the person you are staring at in the mirror. You alone have the power to change the world around you. More importantly, you alone can change how you react to events outside of your circle of influence or other people’s actions. I am sure you’ve heard this advice before, but what does this mean? How do you do it?
The first step is awareness, look around you, do you like what you see? Are you living where you want to live? Are the people around you those you want to spend time with? Do you enjoy the work you do? It doesn’t matter what you do to make a living, but does it make you happy? If any of the questions here are a no, you have identified an area of your life worth taking a closer look at, this is the awareness I am referring to here.
The second step is to recognize your desire to change. Will the change make you happy? Are you willing to work on improving the area of your life you have identified as needing change? This second step alone will determine your success or your failure to realize positive change. You have to want to make changes that will require effort on your part, think of it as running a marathon when you have not prepared for it or ever done it. Are you willing to make the sacrifices necessary?
The third step is to realize you live in a world with many variables you have no control over. You cannot control the weather, other people’s opinions, or actions but you can control how you choose to react to them. What use is it to curse at the rain that morning you decided to start your runs? Get out and run anyway! What about that lady that was so rude at the supermarket and took your place in line? Let her anger be hers only, resist the temptation to yell back, think that she’s only exteriorizing some internal conflicts, issues, or problems.
The fourth step is to create your plan, here you could do it alone or better yet, seek help from someone who has already accomplished what you are trying to achieve. Look for someone willing to tell you their story, listen carefully, draw analogies, put yourself in their shoes, realize that most likely change was not easy and yet they were able to accomplish it. Use that experience to your benefit and create a plan that works for you in as much detail as you can and write it out and post it somewhere you can see it often.
The fifth step is to divide your overall goal into smaller victories. In the marathon analogy, you will break down the marathon into a series of smaller run segments. For some, this may be to breakdown the race into 1 mile at a time runs others will feel prepared enough to try more. Be realistic and choose victories that are attainable and celebrate each one. Every step will take you closer to your goal and before you know it you will arrive at the finish line.
The last and sixth step is to realize that change is inevitable and that your goals today may change over time, your plan is not fixed and unchangeable but rather it is alive. It is yours and only yours to decide to pursue until the end or change it midway. What is important here is the process, realizing there are always areas of improvement, that nothing is perfect but that we alone have the power to change them.
Professional technologist with over twenty years of experience leading technology teams building products for active traders and investors in the financial trading and securities markets both in the US and Japan. Avid technologist and passionate about helping professionals or companies succeed by mentoring directly or as part of professional organizations.
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