How to Get What You Want in Business and in Life

By Stephanie Chandler

Several years ago, while I was single and working in corporate America, a friend asked me what I was looking for in a relationship. I thought for a moment and replied, “I have no idea. I guess I’ll know when I find it.” Little did I know that this brief conversation held over lunch at a sushi restaurant would change the course of my entire life.

 “How are you going to get what you want if you have no idea what that is? Don’t you realize that you’re sending mixed messages out into the world?” I was stunned by these questions. It had never occurred to me that I held the power to decide what course my life would take. Up until that point, I was letting life happen to me. But from that moment forward, I began to take charge of my life.

First I looked at the relationship question. After weeks of thinking about what I wanted, I made a list of the traits that mattered to me. It was less than a year later when I met my future husband and I am convinced that it was largely due to the fact that I finally knew what I wanted.  

This strategy ultimately transferred into my business life. I was lost in corporate America. There was no fulfillment or satisfaction in what I was doing. Soon I began to define what I wanted my business life to look like, and ultimately I formed a plan to quit my job and break out on my own. That was undoubtedly the best decision of my life.

If you’re struggling because you aren’t happy with what you’re doing or you aren’t sure what you want, the solution could be as simple as spending some quiet time with a notebook and pen. When we stop to think about what we want and commit those desires to paper, our lives begin to transform in some amazing ways.

Write it Down

Every year I make a new goal plan and every year I accomplish the majority of the goals on my list. It’s a wonderful phenomenon. To gain clarity in your life and begin moving toward your goals, you first have to define them.

Sit down in a quiet place and begin making a list. Goals can be as small or as large as you want; the important thing is that they are yours. When making your list, ask yourself these questions:

·         What does my ideal life look like?

·         What do I like and dislike about what I’m doing now?

·         How can I make changes that will positively impact my life?

·         What are steps I can take to move my goals forward?

Capture it in Pictures

Another exercise I love to do every few years is to make a dream board. This is a poster or board that you use to visually capture what you want your life to look like. To fill your board, spend time thumbing through magazines. Clip out pictures, words and phrases that illustrate the goals for your life. Post your dream board in a place where you can look at it every day. I guarantee that you will begin to see some of those dreams transform into reality.

When you begin to take responsibility for your life and make decisions about what you want, then all that is left to do is work toward achieving your goals. But you can’t achieve a goal until you define it and believe that it is possible. Once you do, your life will be more fulfilling than you even imagined.

About the Author:

Stephanie Chandler is a small business expert and the author of FROM ENTREPRENEUR TO INFOPRENEUR: MAKE MONEY WITH BOOKS, E-BOOKS AND INFORMATION PRODUCTS. She is the founder of www.BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of resources for entrepreneurs and www.ProPublishingServices.com, a custom writing business specializing in electronic newsletters, information marketing, and sales copy for websites and brochures.

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