When you think about how hard it is to make changes in your life, you’re tempted to give up before you even start. It’s easier to coast through a good enough life, and too many leaders do that. Everywhere you look, there’s another leader or situation trying to convince you a mediocre life is perfectly fine.
Marianne Williamson is famous for saying, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?”
Society has conditioned us against claiming the kind of life we want to live. Life is short and time can never be recovered. Each moment is precious and should be lived to the fullest. Here are five strategies to create lasting change that leads to an amazing life and high-performance-focused growth.
1. Do the inner work daily.
Real change starts within each of us. There are struggles and self-limiting beliefs that we have to battle before we can move forward. Take some time for self-examination of where you are and where you want to be. Address that little voice in your head that gets uncomfortable at the thought of stepping outside of your comfort zone. Do the daily inner work.
2. Always be true to yourself.
For the inner work to manifest, it starts with honesty and authenticity. It’s too easy to lie — especially to ourselves. Real change starts with getting honest about the things that have held you back in the past, and what scares you about the future. Real change lasts when you get honest and stay honest. You will have setbacks, and honesty helps you keep from covering up what will help you.
3. Take action strategically.
When you look at the big picture, it’s easy to get discouraged at everything that needs to happen to create change. If you want to get healthier, it seems daunting. If you want to leave a job you hate, you have a hundred thoughts of all that needs to happen. The best way to approach lasting change is to focus on your next steps. Don’t look at the big picture. Instead, break this leadership path into bite-size goals that you work on every day.
4. Focus on creating healthy habits.
Lasting change and growth is most successful when you focus on creating healthy habits and do it consistently. Habits are making lifestyle shifts versus quick wins. You incorporate the changes you want to make into your daily routine. You focus on changing how you think about the things you want to change, which affects your actions.
5. Build accountability into your growth plan.
Having support in your life can be the difference between success and failure. As much as we want to try this alone, having someone to get honest with you or hold your hand when you stumble is crucial. It can be family, friends, or a support mastermind group, but stay accountable helps you avoid listening to excuses.
I realize this is all easier said than done, but I hope you realize how important this is. I don’t know what your dream life looks like. I only know you can and should do something about it. You can make your dream a reality, and it starts with creating lasting change in your life.
Use these five ways to claim the life you truly deserve. Become a growth-focused leader.
Photo Credit: @craftedbygc on Unsplash