What does it mean to become the CEO of your life? To me, it means living the life you truly want. Doing what you want, when you want, the way you want.
That might sound like a dream to most. But it is possible. How do you become the CEO of your life? How do you make that dream reality?
The whole process can actually be broken down into a few simple strategies. All you need to do is follow these eight steps and you will be well on your way to becoming the CEO of your life.
Step 1: Take full responsibility for your life and circumstances
Are you unsatisfied with anything in your life? Is there a key issue or problem you find yourself complaining about on a daily basis?
Do you perhaps even blame others for the situation you are in?
I must admit I've been there, unhappy with where my life was going and ultimately blaming my unhappiness on everyone but myself.
Do you know what I learned after crawling out of that rut of self-deprecation and dissatisfaction?
No matter who you are or what you're doing, you always have a choice.
You can continue to complain and point the finger at others...OR... you can turn your finger around and point it to yourself.
Ask yourself, "What could I do differently? How am I continuing this cycle of discontent? What is the root of my unhappiness?"
Take 100% responsibility for your life and circumstances. It's easy to blame others. But the only way to get different results is to do things differently and change your mindset.
Whatever unhappy situation you find yourself in, whether it's your career, business or personal life, have the courage to face your truth. Ask yourself the tough questions you've been avoiding and see what you can do differently.
After all, you are the only one that can change your life.
Step 2: Ask yourself some powerful, revelatory questions
Don't get frightened by the words "powerful" or "revelatory". In all honesty, the questions are simple, but life-changing.
What do you truly want?
What about this goal is important to me?
How do I need to change?
Straight-forward, to the point questions like these will help you realize exactly what you want out of life. Once you've pinpointed what it is your heart truly desires, you can finally make it an achievable goal.
Step 3: Create a vision board
Making an idea or dream come to fruition starts with visualization. Developing a mindset where your goal is already attained is a sure-fire way to achieving that dream. Vision boards are the best tool to do just that.
Some people may discredit the notion of a vision board, or the method of visualization itself. Don't let that fog your mind. Visualization just plain works.
UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor explains the usefulness of visualization best, noting that, "If you can see it here...and have the courage enough to speak it, it will happen. If you put out what you truly believe in, it will create the law of attraction and it becomes reality."
Once you have the answers to the questions you asked in Step 2, create a vision board outlining your path to success.
You are the author of your life. Write your own story the way you want it to be. Change your story and your life will change accordingly. Make all your decisions from that place; the place you want to be. Sooner, rather than later, you will find yourself there.
Step 4: Determine what you need to start saying "yes" and "no" to
At every interaction or moment in life, you have to decide between saying "yes" or "no." That may seem like an oversimplification, but it does ring true.
Whether it be a person, habit, or job, you have the choice between letting something affect you, or denying it entirely. You can either give power to the things that are stalling your progress, or removing their influence on you.
On the flip side of that, are you seizing every opportunity, or are you rejecting them? Are you saying "no" more often than you should be saying "yes"?
To put it a bit more simply, just ask yourself, what you need to say "yes" to and what you need to say "no" to in order to make your vision reality.
Step 5: Outline a plan of action
Nothing will change in your life unless you change it. Take every step necessary to make positive change possible.
But before that, you need to know where you're going. That's where an action-plan comes in.
Break down the tasks you need to complete in order to reach your big-picture-vision. Remember to be specific. Plan everything on a daily/weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly basis so that you have a very clear action-plan that leaves little room for error.
If you want to lose weight, for example, going to the gym would be a daily or weekly task. If you want to go on vacation, saving money on small expenses would be a daily task and the trip itself would be a yearly goal.
Put everything into your personal calendar so you can check your action plan every single day and ensure you are on track.
Step 6: Share your plans with people who will support you
Changing your life is up to you, and you alone. But that doesn't mean you need to push everyone away. You may have put yourself on this journey, but you can always look to others for support along the way.
Just remember, people can only give advice from their own point of view. You can't expect them to truly understand you unless they are on a similar journey, or a few steps ahead. To achieve your goals you need all the positive energy around you that you can get.
With that in mind, invest your energy in people who can either connect with you where you are right now, or help bring you higher. In essence, only share your plans with those you know will support you, not those who will bring you down because of their own issues.
I feel this is the best way to work towards becoming your best self. Only invest your time in people who are aligned with what you truly want to create in your life.
Step 7: Trust your instincts
When it comes to making decisions, listen to, and more importantly, trust your inner voice. Or your heart, your gut, whatever you may call it. Trust yourself and your instincts.
Your intuitive heart will be your best guide on your journey. It's the one thing that truly knows the best path for you.
Don't look for external validation. You will know you are on the right path when you feel peace within yourself.
Step 8: Speak your truth and be you -- always
The only way to be truly joyful, and to attract the right people and opportunities to you, is to truly be you.
That may sound strange and simple, but you'd be surprised how often people get caught up and overly concerned with how others view them and how they can change themselves to please someone else or conform to someone else's idea of success or happiness.
We've all been there. But at the end of the day, you need to be yourself if you want to create a life that is perfect for you and only you.
So shine your brightest self. Don't dim who you are to reach people at their level. Say what you need to say. Don't conform or keep quiet to make others happy.
As Meryl Streep says, "What makes you different or weird -- that's your strength."
And there you have it. 8 steps to help you become the CEO of your life. It may be a long process, but nothing is more important than your own happiness.
--------------------------------
What does becoming the CEO of your life look like to you? If it means building a life and business you love waking up to, here's my free ebook to get your started.
Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook