We often talk about self-improvement at the beginning of the year or as we near a birthday. In reality, however, “right now” always holds the opportunity for us to change, grow and improve. Getting to our next great level is not automatic, though. It takes focus and deliberate effort on our parts. We must decide that we want to and will grow.
The good news? The rewards of upgrading yourself – personally and professionally – can be obtained in just a few steps. Follow them and you will be on your way to more success, more fulfillment, and more joy.
Step 1 – Look Back and Acknowledge. Look back and note times in your past when you’ve stepped up to a new level of achievement. These experiences may include leaving home for college, landing your first real job or learning a new language – anything that took you out of your comfort zone and propelled you forward. Reflecting upon and acknowledging the fact that you have successfully moved forward in the past will empower you to do so now.
Step 2 – Choose or Lose. What do you CHOOSE & what do you LOSE in order to have the life you really want? Just as interior designers first totally clear out a space and then decide what fits and what doesn’t fit in creating the look they want, you too should “clear yourself out” and then consciously decide what to add. Let go of the labels, personality traits, and ways of being you use to define who you are and ask, “If I could have ANY life I desire, what would that look like?”. Adopt the qualities that will yield that exact result. Lose any qualities that will not (no matter how long held).
Step 3 – Align Your Environment. The wrong environment will kill the best-laid plan. Peaches won’t grow in Alaska. Oranges don’t produce in Maine. Mangos won’t make it in Missouri. Your potential upgrade will not manifest if your environment is wrong. In order to get to next great phase of your life, you must be in a complementary environment that is ripe for your next version – not for who you are now. This means taking steps to align yourself with people, places, and activities that will pull you into greater performance.
Those among us who are most successful are those who take real ownership of self-development. Those of us who are at the top of their game, are those who put in deliberate effort toward getting there…and these people do not wait for the “beginning of the year” to serve as their start date. Their decision to get better dictates the start date.
Right now can be your start date. Right now you can decide you want your life to be better. A deliberate “taking the bull by the horns” is all that is necessary to begin the transition to more.
Take a step…sign up for a free coaching consultation and see how we can help you UPGRADE.