A Beginners Guide To Achieving Success Customized to Your Lifestyle

Success.

Merriam-Webster also describes it as a "favourable or desired outcome". Notice how there is no mention on a specific outcome, such as money, clothes or assets. So, what does this mean to you?

There is a misconception that being successful means that you must be wealthy and own fancy cars in a big house. And if you don't think that, then great, you're a step ahead. Being successful is different for everyone, because everyone has different goals in different environments. 

Whether that is traveling, deciding to spend more time with family, reading or book, or even gaining more income, everyone's desires are valid and attainable. 

The difficulty is not creating those goals, but how to recognize the steps we need to take in order to achieve them. Setting attainable and reachable steps towards the big picture is the main focus towards success. 

Make goals for your goals. Aka setting check marks to make sure you are on track. I highly suggest investing in a journal that can help keep track of these milestones. When I was in school, it was difficult for me to multi-task with school work and my outside activities. I took rigourous advanced classes and also maintained family time, a job and figure skating. Even keeping a planner was overwhelming when I saw the overload of tasks I had to accomplish in a given time. But, investing in a journal allows you to sit down and reflect on what you accomplished and what you could have done better next time. 

Be patient. Especially if your goals are long-term. Even short-term ones do not happen overnight. At first battling all these tasks can be overwhelming, but once you recognize, react and reflect (I call them my triple R's), I promise you will get the hang of it. Patience is a virtue...and keep reminding yourself that. 

You will make mistakes, and that's okay. Studies show that with every mistake you make, new synapses in the brain forms. And I don't know about you, but thinking about your brain becoming more advanced sounds like a fun time. Reaching something huge will be a challenge, no doubt, and within that reach you will make mistakes and fail like no other. But like everyone says, failures make you stronger. 

Once you start, you should finish. Let's say you decided to run a race...over a mountain. So, the finish line is on the other side, which of course you will not be able to see until you actually start running. But, within that journey, you're going to sweat, pant, become tired (and maybe cry a little). The beginning will be DIFFICULT. But remember, finish that race, no matter how long it takes you. Once you reach the finish line, reflect back on how you could've made the journey easier, and use that reflection next time you have a goal.