Are you tired of feeling stuck and frustrated? And do you seek a way to instantly take charge of your life to achieve more without sacrificing your well-being?
Most people seek shortcuts to achieve success.
But forget about it…
Looking for shortcuts is a recipe for more frustration. I’ve been there too. And the honest truth is that taking control of your life is a gradual process.
However, there are strategies to create momentum – fast.
And in this article, we’ll cover empowering ideas to gain clarity and inspire action so that you can take charge of your life TODAY.
So let’s dive in!
#1: Tap into your inner guide
You are powerful.
But you may not believe it.
Most of us struggle with self-limiting beliefs that cause self-doubt. And that’s a shame because it covers a wealth of untapped potential.
You can become exceptional at something.
Just not everything…
That means you’ve got to make a decision.
So, what should you do?
I experienced my biggest breakthroughs when I clarified who I was and wanted to be, what I value most, and where my strengths lay.
So the first tip is to develop self-awareness.
I know…
It’s the least sexy piece of advice.
But it’s such an essential piece if you want to create a fulfilling life for yourself.
While developing self-awareness is a lifelong process, clarifying your values, strengths, and goals at any time is powerful. It generates energy that propels you to take charge of your life.
Action: Take a moment to clarify what matters most to you.
Learn more: How to develop self-awareness?
#2: Define your own success
Most people know that the definition of success is individual. Yet, everyone gets sucker-punched into the same vanilla version.
Luxury cars.
Private jets.
Yachts.
Mansions, penthouses and villas.
Unachievable for most people. And really, undesirable for most too. Yet, that’s the collective image of “being successful”.
And if you reflect that definition too, it’s time to redefine what success means to you. And to think beyond physical stuff…
What does your ideal life look like?
Of course, you can long for a yacht, luxury cars, and all that sort of stuff. If that’s what you truly desire, that’s okay.
There’s no right or wrong.
But challenge yourself with this question.
Imagine your ideal life. How would you feel after drinking cocktails on the beach for weeks? What would you do after your luxurious life becomes your new norm?
How would you spend your time?
For example, my definition of success is making a full-time living from my blog. Why? Because I want to do meaningful work, be my own boss, and have flexibility.
Sure, I would like a nice car or fly business class.
But those are nice-to-haves, not what makes me feel successful. Being able to research, think about ideas, and spread those ideas is what truly motivates me.
What about you?
Defining your true definition of success is an excellent way to take charge of your life. Much better than chasing a meaningless definition set by the mainstream.
Action: Take a moment to define what success means to you.
Learn more: What is success?
#3: Set empowering goals
Most people (have) set goals.
But few set empowering ones.
And there’s a major difference between the two.
The first group experiences an initial burst of motivation. But once that wears off, they procrastinate and eventually give up on their goals.
That happens within days – or weeks, tops.
People who set empowering goals play a more intelligent game. They set goals with the intention to succeed, not for a brief motivational high.
They understand two core ideas:
- You need massive goals that provide a clear direction.
- And you need realistic goals to drive consistent action.
And no, they don’t contradict each other.
Because here’s the trick:
- Set long-term goals that scare you but inspire you and provide a clear direction. For example, write a personal mission statement.
- Set short-term goals that support your long-term goals, are realistic, and achievable with a focus on actions, not results.
That’s how you gain direction AND propel yourself into action.
For example, I want to inspire a million people every month to achieve meaningful success without sacrificing fulfillment and joy.
That’s audacious.
And I’ve yet to figure out how to achieve it.
That’s why I break it up into the smaller goal of reaching 250K people this year. That’s a step in the right direction.
Then, I break it up into monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
But where my yearly goal focuses on visitors, my daily goals focus on writing X amount of hours per day.
That’s more realistic and manageable.
I can achieve that.
And it empowers me to turn my actions into habits. In this case, a practice to learn the art of writing. Mastering that high-income skill will lead to more people reading my stuff, which leads to long-term goal success.
Do you see how that works?
Take action: Define your mission and life goals. Then break up one or a few of them into yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
Learn more: How to set goals?
#4: Rapid experimentation
What if you struggle to identify what you want in life?
Become your own scientist.
You never know what life has to offer until you try all its flavors. That’s why experimentation should become an integral part of your life.
That’s especially true if you feel stuck or lost.
Taking charge of your life means trying stuff out – and doing so often.
It’s okay to have no clue about what you want. Heck, I still often struggle with what I’m doing and make changes too.
But I did learn to experiment more often.
Think about it as setting many tiny projects.
The idea is to give a project a serious try. Do it often for at least one to three months to force yourself past the initial struggles and discomfort.
You can use this approach to:
- Learn new skills like cooking, guitar playing, coding, marketing, videography, editing, sales, etc.
- Try a new sport, like tennis, skating, calisthenics, yoga, etc.
- Try out ideas, hobbies, and anything else that comes to mind.
I still use this method today.
For example, I want to experiment with Twitter for at least three months to attract more readers. It’ll be challenging, but it’s only for a few months.
I can manage that.
But I’m still determining how it will work out.
Perhaps I’ll quit after the experiment because it drains my energy. But maybe it’s a goldmine to explore ideas and improve my writing.
What’s the worst that can happen?
More experience, self-awareness, and interesting stories?
Not bad, if you ask me.
Action: Identify new things to learn or something to try out. Then, do it a lot for at least the next 30 days.
Learn more: Interesting skills to learn at home within a month.
#5: Master the art of taking action
It sounds simple.
But taking action is incredibly difficult.
The problem?
When you feel motivated, you want to do too many things simultaneously. And soon, you run yourself into the ground.
It’s a typical story.
And the solution is simple: pace yourself.
See it like going to the gym.
The first weeks aren’t about lifting crazy weights and spending hours in the gym. Instead, the initial phase is about showing up consistently and building the foundation.
Instead of going wild, start with two sessions per week for 45 minutes per session – or even less. Use easy weights to learn the foundational exercises.
Build the correct habits first.
When you focus on habits first, it becomes so much easier to go hard later. It also provides a new baseline to fall back on in case you burn out.
And that’s the key.
For example, I experienced many running injuries, the longest being six months. But since I developed the running habit over many years, it was effortless to start again.
Action: What’s a small tiny step you can perform daily to bring you closer to your goal? Start there and build the supporting habit.
Learn more: How to develop habits?
#6: Focus on what you can control
Want an instant method to take charge of your life?
Pay zero attention to things outside your control.
And focus only on what you can control.
Easier said than done, of course.
We often become bothered by what we cannot control. Try to let it go anyway.
Make it a mental game to focus on what you can control.
Train runs late again?
Perhaps you can learn something in the meantime.
People doubt your effort at work?
Prove them wrong instead of telling them.
Someone bumped their car into yours? Figure out the best solution together rather than vent your anger.
Yes, that’s challenging.
And you may have many good reasons to become angry or upset. But how does that benefit you?
Learning to manage yourself empowers you to take charge of your life rather than merely reacting to its situations and circumstances.
Action: Next time something or someone upsets you, take a deep breath and respond. If you do react instantly, make a mental note of it to improve your awareness so you can react better next time.
Learn more: How to focus on what you can control?
#7: Take nothing personal
You think you’re the center of the world.
But guess what?
Everyone else thinks they’re the center too.
That’s the ego.
Since everyone has an ego, no one cares about your awkward moments, silly jokes, mistakes, and failures.
Only you do.
Everyone else is struggling with their own insecurities.
But what if someone ignores or makes fun of you?
That feels personal.
But it rarely is.
You see, how people react, what they do, and what they say about you never defines you.
Instead, it says a lot about them.
Think about it this way: your opinions and judgments about others merely reflects how you operate.
It doesn’t define them – even if your judgment is accurate.
Let that sink in.
What you say and how you behave reflects who you are more than anything else. And the more you understand this truth, the more you’ll notice how everyone struggles with their own insecurities.
Here’s another perspective:
If you become confident, are happy, and feel fulfilled, you never feel the need to tear others down. Only those who are insecure and lack confidence do.
So, never take anything personally.
Instead, lead with empathy.
Action: When something feels personal, take a step back. What’s their intention? And why do they feel the need to act that way?
Learn more: How to kill your ego?
What’s next?
Never give up on yourself.
While you may struggle right now, nothing lasts forever.
I know it never feels like that at the moment. I struggled most of my teenage years and thought I would never become anything.
But I proved myself wrong.
And if I can get unstuck and create a more fulfilling life, so can you.
Seek clarity first to take charge of your life. Then, follow it up with action. And keep exploring different ideas and trying new stuff.
Finally, let go of the past.
Instead, always focus on making forward progress – one tiny step at a time.
Enjoy the experiences even when you suck at them.
That’s what I wish I had done during my teenage years. Instead, I played video games and got drunk on weekends to numb my feelings.
But it’s never too late.
Although the best time to start living your life to its fullest was yesterday, the next best time is now.
Living life to its fullest
It takes work to consistently explore new things, act consistently, and seek personal growth.
That’s why I created a weekly newsletter to help you stay consistent on your goals. In it, I share empowering ideas and strategies so that you can create a more meaningful life.
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