Guest article from Ripped.me
While what we consider success might be different for all of us, most people know that certain traits and habits can help pretty much anyone in their journey through life. Anything that helps you save time and energy is a great way to further your goals, and if you can keep your passion and drive going strong, then you’re bound to accomplish all you’ve set out to do.
Are you in need of good advice that will help you reach your full potential? Then take a look at our list of tips that offer some real examples of how you can live better, accomplish more, and become the person you want to be.
Figure out what you actually want
If you’ve fallen into a rut and can’t seem to get out of that boring, repetitive routine, it’s time to pause. You need to shake things up a bit and awaken your inner longings, find those dreams that have been long dormant in you.
The best way to go about this is to book an extended weekend getaway—you don’t actually have to go to a faraway, expensive location. A simple rest in the countryside can do you a world of good. If you can, go alone, and use this time to think—what do you want from life? What are your goals? Think big and aim high, but be ready to put in work and change the comfortable monotony of your routine. You can’t be successful if you haven’t even defined what success means to you, so figure out what you want, and then start making plans.
Learn to manage your time
Successful people rarely procrastinate, and they know that there are plenty of hours within a day to finish most of the things they want to do. Time management is an essential skill that any powerful leader needs to possess in order to get anywhere, and if you don’t want to get bogged down with errands and the daily minutiae, you have to figure out how to prioritize tasks, plan in advance, and make checklists. You can start by getting a planner and writing down lists of things that need to be done, and then using it every day to help you stay on top of obligations. You should also find a way to cancel distractions. For example, using apps that block social media while you work can really help you avoid checking your Instagram every five minutes when you know you need to be focusing on something else.
Get all your finances in order
A messy financial situation only leads to stress for the whole family, so make sure to slowly start making plans on how to pay off your mortgage, cover any debts, and return any credits. Also, get insurance. A savvy businessman will invest in good endowment insurance to help stabilize their finances, and as long as you find a good deal, this kind of thing can help you in the future. If you have a regular stream of income and need a lump sum after a certain period of time, this is a pretty good life insurance option.
Anticipate hardship
It’s easy to make a resolution to be better, but it’s much harder to actually stick to it. Life tends to get in the way of good plans, and even if you feel very determined one day, your energy and resolve might wither away the next. However, there’s a way that you can hack the system: do things rather than talking about them and anticipate failure that will slow down your progress at some point. Successful people are proactive and stubborn, they don’t want to waste energy on empty words, and they don’t want to wait until tomorrow to start doing what they want to do. They simply do them, right now. Also, they embrace failure. They know that they’ll stumble, but rather than letting that discourage them, they get up, dust themselves off, and try to learn a lesson. And then they try again, and again, until they finally come out on top.
Avoid drama and toxicity
Getting involved in other people’s drama is a gateway to nothing but exhausting stress. To find success in your life, surround yourself with positive people who seek to do the same thing, and stay away from Debbie Downers who make it their sole purpose in life to complain. An even worse group of people are the ones who lift themselves up by putting you down, and if this is mostly who you spend your time with, you probably need to put some distance. Emotional support and good, strong friendships are important in life, and spending time with folks who want to succeed, who are hungry for life, and who aren’t afraid to follow their dreams will inspire you to do the same.
Before we go, here’s one last quick tip: believe that you can do it. Success will only come if you stop finding excuses and allow yourself to have faith in your own abilities, so take it one step at a time and you’ll reach your goals.