Six Steps to Change Your Life for the Better
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![Change Your Life](file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Admin\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg)
Most people are not happy with their
life. Yet they continually venture down
the same road of unhappiness. Never willing to change. As you take a birds eye
view of your current lifestyle, do you like what you see? Are your
relationships, career choices, financial situation and other aspects of your
life truly satisfying? Or do you feel there should be more?
While most of us have moments of
joy, they are usually overshadowed by hours, days and even years of affliction.
Stress, depression, heartache and overall anxiety are human nature. But it
doesn’t have to be the case for you. You deserve to have the best life
possible.
The good news? Change is also a part
of human nature. In fact, I believe there is an unwritten rule of life stating
that the only constant is change. Put in other words, nothing will ever stay
the same. This is a huge concept. The reason this is significant for you? Your
life is going to change. But it is completely up to you which
direction you will take your life when these inevitable changes approach. Will
you choose to stay on your current melancholy life direction? Or will you rise
up and pursue a life of fulfillment and happiness? The ball is in your court.
Below are the specific steps every
person needs to explore, embrace and ultimately take action on before
life-altering change can truly occur:
1.
Get Disturbed
![get-disturbed](file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Admin\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image002.jpg)
We must become the change we want to
see.
~ Mahatma Gandhi
~ Mahatma Gandhi
Enough is enough! When deciding you want change in your life, you must truly
get upset with your current situation. Your emotions are very powerful.
And you’ll find that by using this energy as a catalyst for change, your
desired life will be within your grasp.
Depending on your circumstances, you
may need to fire your thankless boss, pack-up and leave an abusive relationship
or sell those cherished but unnecessary electronics to pay your bills. Whatever
your scenario may be, you must make a drastic shift in your mentality. Keep in
mind, the more significant your desired life outcome, the stronger your
convictions for change must be.
2.
Find a Passion
![find-a-passion](file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Admin\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image003.jpg)
The more intensely we feel about an
idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious,
will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.
~ Earl Nightingale
~ Earl Nightingale
Everyone has an inner passion. It may be as drastic as moving to the tropics; allowing you
to study the effects of pollution on the coral reefs. Or as simple as having
the ability to devote a few extra hours a day to give back to your church,
school or other local organization. Having an overwhelming motivational force
to jump out of bed every day is extremely important for staying happy.
However, until you find a life path you truly enjoy, you will struggle with the
monotonous hassles of a normal lifestyle. Ultimately leading you to the same
desolation you’ve experienced in the past.
Additionally, the power of a
passion can lead you to accomplish extraordinary things. Warren Buffett
helps businesses become extremely successful. Jane Good all taught us more
about chimpanzees than we would have ever imagined. B.F. Skinner gave us
amazing insight in the psychology of subconscious learning. And by finding your
passion, you too can join the ranks of the many remarkable people who have
contributed huge advances in their field of interest.
Furthermore, imagine you had access
to a time machine and traveled 100 years in the future. Paradoxes aside, you
find your great-grandkids and other members of your lineage. What would you
want these descendants to say about you and your life? That you toiled a half a
century of your life away in a dead end job and a mediocre personal life. Or
that you followed your passion and led an extraordinary life doing what you
loved while directly improving countless people’s lives. The choice is
yours.
One other consideration. Don’t lie
to yourself. If your passion is to have a big house and fancy car, that’s ok.
Not everyone wants to move to a third world country or donate a majority of his
or her money to medicine research. Feeling guilty is no way of living life; go
after what you truly love. However, I know there will come a time when you will
want to give back. Donating $400 to a charity feels much more rewarding than
buying the latest and greatest Scotty Cameron putter.
To summarize, without a passion,
your life will never truly be fulfilled.
3.
Get Out of Bed
![wake-early](file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Admin\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image004.jpg)
Some people dream of success while
others wake up and work hard at it.
~ Unknown
~ Unknown
Beating a sunrise is an amazing
feeling. More importantly, rising
early will have an extreme effect on your overall life and
well-being.
The formula is simple: Go to bed
early, wake up early. You will feel amazingly well rested while
accomplishing far more during your day.
Moreover, by rising a few hours
earlier, you’ll quickly begin to notice how productive every aspect of your
life will become. And change will be inevitable as you must find something to
do with your newly acquired free time. From pursuing your dreams to doing more
of the activities you love, you’re life is sure to improve by getting out of
bed.
4.
Think More
![think-more](file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Admin\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.jpg)
Intellectual growth should commence
at birth and cease only at death.
~ Albert Einstein
~ Albert Einstein
Every change first occurs in your
mind. But just as sheep blindly go
through their life, most people’s lives are consumed in thoughtless activities.
And we are unknowingly losing the ability to critically think for ourselves.
Without advanced abstract thought, change will never occur. You
will settle for the current and fail to strive for more.
Let me pose a question; if you could
absorb an expert’s abridged life experiences on a subject in a few afternoons,
would you do it? Of course. Well, let me now tell you a secret; you can! It’s
called a book. (Shocking, I know) So if your interested in the
biogeochemistry of a forested ecosystem, I’m guessing you can find some
research material on the subject. Revolutionary stuff here huh? Not
really, but our idea of a typical day and lifestyle has evolved to a point
where advanced intellectual thought processes are rarely accessed.
Unfortunately, most Americans are dumping
themselves down with all of the brainless pastimes available these days. For
example, the average American spends 4 hours a day glued to the television.
This is mindless activity that will not benefit your overall life. Do you
remember what you watched six weeks ago? Or what you learned from the program?
Conversely, what did you gain from the non-fiction book you (hopefully)
read six weeks ago? And how much did the concepts presented in that book linger
in your mind? I am assuming the book had a much more profound effect on your
introspection than the TV show.
So stop watching American Idol and
pick up a book at night. Attend seminars & conferences when available. And
listen to audio books or talk radio on your commutes. Change will
happen if you open your mind, trust me!
5.
Exercise Daily
![exercise](file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Admin\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image006.jpg)
A vigorous five-mile walk will do
more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and
psychology in the world.
~ Paul Dudley White
~ Paul Dudley White
Devotion to motion, equals emotion. Your level of physical activity and your overall health
will have a huge effect on your well-being. More importantly, exercise will
keep your mind healthy, in turn greatly helping your desired change come to
fruition. And since you have already gained a few hours by waking earlier, you
have no excuse for not exercising daily.
A bonus of cardiovascular training
is the extended periods of time you’ll have with only your thoughts. Something
perfectly suited for meditative but strategic change planning.
6.
Stay Optimistic
![Optimism](file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Admin\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image007.jpg)
A pessimist sees the difficulty in
every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
~ Winston Churchill
~ Winston Churchill
Optimism is the key to success. Unfortunately I encounter pessimistic viewpoints almost
every time I talk with up and coming entrepreneurs. And the scary thing is,
they are usually unaware of their glass-half-empty psychology. Your limiting
beliefs are just as powerful, (if not more powerful) than any other emotion
during times of change. Therefore, these pessimistic feelings need to be
squashed before they ruin all chances of refining your life.
You must realize that striving for
change is a bumpy road. With the emotional roller-coaster that change brings,
it will be difficult to stay on track. And it is extremely easy to fall back on
your old habits. Luckily, an optimistic point-of-view
can metaphorically hold your hand through your change process. It will keep you
happy and give you something to look forward to as your days of change go by.
Additionally, optimism will keep the good juices flowing while smashing any
psychological roadblocks you may encounter. Which is exactly what you need to
ensure a long and happy life, doing what you love.
Conclusion
Changing your life is possible. But
it takes strong convictions and mental perseverance. I am positive you can do
anything you put your mind to. Good luck!
UPDATE:
7. Academy on the Go
Due to the outstanding popularity of
this and my other articles on improving your lifestyle, I’ve recently launched
an online academy for changing your life for the better. It carries over many
of the concepts from this post. Along with many other areas of one’s life.
If you truly want to begin changing
your life, I strongly recommend you check out Academy on the Go.
Enjoyed
this Post & want More?
I've recently launched an online
academy where your Smartphone, tablet, or laptop becomes the instructor. And
your daily life becomes the classroom.
Our courses cover the subjects that
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in less than 10 minutes a day: