How to Be Successful and Live the Life You Want Don't mistake what you do for a living with your life.
By Timothy Sykes Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
What if I told you that it's possible and within your reach to be successful and live the life you want and that it only requires a few simple steps? Well...simple, but not necessarily easy.
Truthfully, attaining success and reaching your goals doesn't have to be complicated. However, it requires plenty of dedication and hard work. Are you up to the challenge? If so, follow these steps to make your dreams come true:
Related: 8 Proven Habits for Ultimate Success
1. Decide what kind of life you want.
Before you can attain the life of your dreams, you must define what kind of life you want. What are you working toward? What does success mean to you?
For some, it might mean a job with flexibility that allows them the ability to work from anywhere in the world. For others, it might mean buying a beautiful house with a big yard for their family. In your wildest dreams, what kind of life would you like to be living?
Related: Lifestyle Entrepreneurship Is the Ultimate in Work-Life Balance
2. Set goals.
Now that you've done your daydreaming, it's time to get real. What are some specific goals that you could set right now to motivate yourself? Be very specific in your goal setting, as this will make your goals more real, and they will be more of a motivating force.
Once you've settled on a goal or goals, break them down into mini-goals. For example, say that your ultimate goal is to buy a luxury car. You can break down the amount that you need to buy that car, and create goals of how much you'd like to earn per month or per quarter to make your goal a reality. Remember, you can always adjust your goals or mini-goals as needed.
Related: The 5 Golden Rules of Goal-Setting
3. Make a plan to attain your goals.
Once you've got your sights set on your goals, it's time to start figuring out how to achieve them. Maybe you're going to focus on advancing in your current career so that you can increase your income to make your dreams a reality. Or perhaps you're going to take on a new endeavor, like buying real estate or investing in the stock market. Really take the time to plot out a targeted plan for how you intend to reach your goals.
Related: Need a Business Plan Template? Here Is Apple's 1981 Plan for the Mac.4. Get educated.
If you're taking on a new trade as part of your efforts to achieve the life you want, do yourself a favor: Educate yourself thoroughly. A lot of people think they will throw themselves into a new endeavor without fully learning the mechanics of their chosen field, and they end up giving up and losing money in the process.
Whether you're opening a bagel franchise, day trading or flipping houses as your income stream, be sure to learn how your trade works before you take the plunge. It might require an investment of time and money to get educated, but often it's worth it in the long run.
Related: 8 Hacks to Learn New Skills in Half the Time
5. Keep learning.
Did you think you could just learn a new trade and be done with it? No way. If you want to be successful in the long term, you must make a lifelong commitment to learning. Stay updated on your industry. Read the news. Read books and expand your knowledge in any and every way you possibly can. By making a lifelong commitment to learning, you'll keep your mind open to new opportunities, and you'll be more likely to remain nimble and intelligent in your own personal business dealings.
Related: 3 Ways to Encourage Employees to Keep Learning
6. Network.
Nobody becomes successful without a little help. Never underestimate the power of connections. After all, as motivational speaker Jim Rohn said, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with."
Be involved in the business community, get to know your business peers and seek a mentor in your field. It's important to network with other business professionals. After all, you never know when an opportunity might arise through someone you know.
Related: 10 Powerful Business Networking Skills to Build Rapport Quickly
7. Be consistent.
Success requires discipline and consistency. Once you've decided what you want to attain in life and how you'd like to do it, you need to get to work. Be willing to work tirelessly for what you want to attain. Be ready to work nights and weekends, and to make sacrifices in your personal life if necessary. Attaining success requires targeted effort and a big time investment. By consistently applying yourself with focus, you'll be on the road to making your dreams come true.
