Have you ever found yourself comparing your success or progress to someone else’s? Have you ever felt discouraged because you haven’t yet achieved your goals?
In this life, winning is not always measured by how well you do in comparison to others or what you achieve within a given timeframe. Winning in life is a mental mindset that pushes us to work hard for what we want. It’s an attitude that allows us to look at our accomplishments from a different perspective. It’s a belief that inspires us to try new things and not be afraid of the outcome… because we know we’ll win in the end!
It might sound cheesy, but it’s true: Winning begins from within. Only when we change our thoughts, actions, emotions, and outlook on life can we start to take a step closer to our goals. If you don’t particularly know how to do this, don’t worry.
In this article, we’ll share five core principles to help you change your life for the better and guide you to start winning in life.
1. Clarify Exactly What You Want
To achieve your goals and win at life, the first thing you need to do is to clarify your goals. Be crystal clear with your objectives and include as many details as you possibly can. Here are some tips to get you started.
Determine a Timeline
Setting clear timelines will lower your chances of procrastination and push you to act more effectively. But for this to work, you need to make sure that your timelines are realistic. Take into consideration your lifestyle, work ethic, and other factors that may somewhat impact how you achieve your goals.
Don’t rush it. If you think a goal will take you a year or two to accomplish, then stick with it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking the time you need to go for what you want. You’re working with your own timeline, on your own rules.
Be Specific
One common mistake people make when setting goals is leaving them vague. For example, their goal may be to lose weight, but they don’t quantify how much weight they want to lose. Another example is they want to get promoted — but they don’t know what position they want to get promoted to or when.
By pinning down these details, you can have a more concrete idea of what your goals are. You’ll be more motivated to act on them.
Refine Them as You Go
As time goes on, you’ll notice that your goals change. Perhaps, you realize that you need more time to accomplish a certain task. Or you notice that your original goal isn’t what you truly want. In such cases, be open enough to refine your goals. Remember, they aren’t set in stone. They change as you do, so it’s totally up to you what you end up with.
2. Take Initiative
While goal-setting is a great place to start, it’s not enough to get the ball rolling. You need to take initiative and take action to turn these visions into reality.
A common problem that many people face when they enter this phase in their lives is fear and uncertainty. They think to themselves, “What if I fail?”
Failure is one of the biggest fears many people have, especially when venturing to achieve something worthwhile. Of course, since they’re devoting so much time, effort, and resources to their goals, it can be discouraging if they end up falling short. Just the mere possibility of failure can be stifling. Because of this, they decide to just give up.
This kind of mentality is not for you. If you want to win in life, embrace the possibility of failure and find ways to overcome it. So what if you fail the first round? Does that mean you’re no longer willing to give it another go?
If your end goal is to win, you need to be brave enough to take initiative, no matter what the cost is.
3. Take Responsibility
When things don’t go according to plan, take responsibility. You can’t blame other people for the events that happen in your life. Granted, there are outside circumstances and factors that can contribute to the outcome. But in the end, your choices are what matter.
If something doesn’t go according to plan, don’t sit there and blame others. Take responsibility and do something about it. It’s the only way you can conquer your shortcomings and come out a victor in the end.
4. Let Good Habits Rule Your Life
According to Brian Tracy, a Canadian-American motivational speaker and self-development author, “Successful people are simply those with successful habits.” Having successful habits can make a world of difference in the way you see yourself in relation to the world around you. Because of this, habits have the ability to change how you think, feel, and act so you can achieve what you want to achieve.
Although good habits differ from one person to another, here are a few examples of the habits of successful people:
- Good organization
- Relaxation and meditation
- Personal care
- Positive attitude
- Networking
- Frugality
- Sharing
- Rising early
- Reading
Keep in mind that developing habits is a personal journey. Be sure to incorporate anything that can propel you toward success.
5. Be Persistent
Finally, be persistent. Persistence is key; it’s the foundation of your success and it’s the main component that will determine the outcome of your actions.
In this life, obstacles will constantly present themselves — sometimes to the point of making you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom. When this happens, it can be so easy to just give up.
To avoid reaching this last resort, be persistent in your goals. Know what you really want and go for it. When you face challenges, find ways to overcome them. This is what persistence is all about. It’s not retreating in the face of hardships.
While it can be hard to muster at first, the rewards at the end will always be priceless.
Win at Life!
When you follow these steps, you can change your life for the better. You can set concrete goals that you can turn into reality. You can take initiative and overcome your fears. You can take responsibility and allow yourself to grow. You can develop good habits and stick to them. This is your recipe for success and it will help you ultimately win at life.