Each day you wake up, you’re presented with two options: either be proactive and take control of your life, or be reactive and let the various circumstances in your life control you.
Taking control of your life – or exercising personal leadership – is taking responsibility for yourself and for all aspects of your life. It means connecting with your vision and values, and setting life goals that are meaningful.
When you take control of your life, increased optimism and productivity are inevitable. You’ll find it easier to tackle and solve problems, and your life will become much less stressful.
With the world immersed in so much and chaos these days, there’s no doubt that it can be difficult to feel like you’re in control of your life. But while there are some things that you can’t control, there are many that you can.
It’s critical to understand that you’re the principal creator and architect of your life, and it’s your choices and decisions that have led to where you are now. Here are three tips on taking control of your life.
Determine What Your Values Are and What’s Important to You
In order to give your life a structure and purpose, it’s essential to determine what you value. Without this, you’ll have no direction on how to focus your efforts and time. This would be similar to the “mission statement” of an organization. As you’re probably aware of, an organization’s mission statement generally defines its primary objectives and provides a roadmap that the management can base their decisions on.
Make Plans, Be Organized, and Establish Goals
Once you know the type of life you want and have envisioned the big picture, the next step is breaking it down into small, manageable parts. If you want to accomplish anything in life, you need to have an action plan, a strategy in place.
You can begin by setting goals that are appropriate to your life’s mission statement, and then devising a realistic strategy on how you can go about achieving them. Nothing will happen by itself. So, you’re best bet is to take the bull by the horns and take charge of our life.
Keep a Positive Attitude
Sometimes, things don’t go according to plan – despite your best efforts. Know that you will experience setbacks and hit dead ends and your journey. However, it’s vital to maintain a positive outlook on life – regardless of how difficult it may be.
An unshakable belief in one’s own ability and a positive attitude are two of the defining character traits that separates those who succeed in life from those who don’t.
The accomplished author of best-sellers “Break Loose” and “Halftime Hustler”, Ralph Sanders is also a leadership advisor, coach, and motivational speaker. Click here to learn Ralph’s story or to check out the books that he has authored.