How to Be Successful in
Life
Regardless of how old you are, where
you live, or what your career goals are,
it's likely your ultimate goals in life are to
be happy and successful. To be successful
means more than just having money and
making your mark. It means following
your passions, living purposefully, and
enjoying the present moment.
Part One of Four:
Developing a Path to Success
Identify your passions. Before you
can achieve success, you will have
to define what success means to you.
While it may take years to realize
what you want to do with your life,
identifying your passions, interests,
and values will help you set goals and
give your life a sense of meaning. If
you have trouble identifying these
things, then ask a friend or family
member to help you. Ask yourself the
following questions:
What do you want your legacy to
be?
How would you like to be
remembered by others?
How do you want to make your
community a better place?
What are some favorite subjects
of interest in your life? For
example, think of subjects you
enjoyed studying in school. Ask
why you liked them.[1]
For instance, you may have loved
musical theater. Think: was it
because you loved the music, or
was it because you loved working
with a big group towards a
common goal?
Make a list of your goals, and what
you might do to achieve them.Be
sure to address both short-term and
long-term goals; try to think beyond
financial and career goals, such as
relationship goals, personal goals for
bettering yourself, things you would
like to experience, or things you want
to learn. Draw up a timeline that says
when you want to achieve each part.
[2]
Set SMART goals; goals that are
specific, measurable, achievable,
relevant, and time-bound.
Break big goals down. For
instance, if your goal is to see the
world, you can set the goal of
saving money and visiting certain
countries.
Live purposefully. In order to
achieve your dreams and be the
person you want to be, you will have
to start paying attention to your
actions. Ask yourself, "Is what I'm
doing going to lead me to where I
want to be in life?"[3]
If you find yourself constantly
bored, daydreaming about the
future or past or counting down
the minutes until the day ends, it
is probably because you feel
disconnected from what you're
doing.
Cherish your time. Try to spend
your free time doing things that
you enjoy doing, rather than
wasting time. For example, rather
than spending your weekends
watching television, spend them
partaking in your hobbies or
spending time with loved ones
and new friends.
Measure your productivity by
engagement, not achievement.
Not everything you do has to be
productive in the conventional
sense, but activities should be
engaging and enjoyable.
Keep in mind that it is perfectly
fine to spend some time doing
nothing and just being lazy each
day. This can actually help with
your imagination and self-
awareness. Strive for a balance
between doing things you want
to do and allowing yourself to
just “be.”
Stick to your commitments.
Planning is not sufficient; keeping
your word is also important. If you
tell someone you will do something,
do it. Similarly, don't tell someone
you will do something if you're not
sure you can. Be honest about your
limits.[4]
Avoid canceling plans, and try not
to cancel twice on the same
person.
Make commitments to yourself,
and stick to them. Write down
your commitments and hang
them in places you can see.
Make sure that your
commitments are gradually
moving you towards your goals.
Review your goals now and then
to make sure you are moving in
the right direction.
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Part Two of Four:
Achieving External Success
Be educated. Education gives you
the knowledge, skills, and
credibility to achieve your maximum
potential. In terms of financial
success, statistics have shown that
the more education you have (i.e. the
higher degree you achieve), the more
money you are likely to make.[5]
In 2011, the median weekly
earnings for high school
graduates was $638 while those
with bachelor's degrees made
$1053. That same year, those
with masters or doctoral degrees
made $1263 and $1551
respectively.
Not all education has to be
formal. Apprenticeships and long-
term training programs are also
positively correlated with higher
incomes. Obtaining a Certificate in
your field can help to increase
your salary.
Educate yourself for pleasure as
well. The more you know about
the world you live in, the more
questions you will have and the
more interested you will be.
Manage your finances. Learning
how to manage your money will
help ensure your financial stability
over time, regardless of your income.
[6]
Keep track of your expenses.
Subtract your monthly expenses
from your monthly income to
determine how much spending
money you have available each
month. Also, review your bank
statements often and notice
where you spend your money.
This will help you prevent over-
spending and ensure that your
bank statements are correct.
Understand your income. When
calculating your income, be sure
to take into account the federal,
state, and social security taxes
that will be deducted from your
gross pay. Don't overlook
miscellaneous deductions, such as
health insurance premiums,
savings bonds and loan
payments. The resulting number
is your net pay, which is what you
end up taking home with you.
Cut back. If you are not earning
enough money to cover your net
expenses, then look into your
expenses to see where you might
be able to cut back.
Save money. Every month, you
should deposit some of your
money into a savings account.
Consider asking your employer to
directly deposit a portion of your
income into your savings account.
Invest cautiously. If your
workplace offers a retirement
savings plan, put your excess
incomes in that.
Manage your time. Putting off
important tasks until the last
minute can cause you unnecessary
stress, and increase the likelihood of
errors and negligence. Manage your
time so that you have enough time to
complete tasks effectively.
Use a planner to help keep you
organized throughout the day,
week, and month.
Set reminders on your smart
phone and make use of its
electronic timer for better time
management.
Make a list of all the things you
need to do in a given day, and
check off each task as you
complete it. This will help you
stay organized and motivated.
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Part 2 Quiz
What's one way you can ensure your
success in work and life?
Don’t waste money on education.
Not quite. Money spent on education isn't
wasted. The higher degree you have, it's
more likely you'll make more money.
Whether you earn a degree or certification,
you can gain the skills and knowledge you
need to succeed in your field, and it will
increase your salary. Try again...
Ignore your short-term goals and instead
focus on your long-term goals.
Close, but not exactly. You need to consider
your short-term and long-term goals when
you're trying to decide what you want to
do. Writing those goals down and what
you plan to do to achieve them helps you
on your path to success. Pick another
answer!
Choose a career that pays your bills.
Not exactly. While it is important to find a
job that pays enough for you to support
yourself, it's also important to choose a job
that you're passionate about. Not everyone
defines success exactly the same way, so
you need to ask yourself how you can
better yourself or your community, and
what ways you can achieve that success.
Guess again!
Manage your finances and time.
Yes! Whatever you choose to do in life, you
want to make sure that your finances are
in order and that you have good time
management. Procrastination and
overspending can cause you unnecessary
stress, and get you off the track of
achieving success. Set up reminders of
important tasks, or make a list and check
off each task as you go to keep you
organized and on track. You should also
keep track of your expenses and save
money where you can. Read on for another
quiz question.
Part Three of Four:
Achieving Internal Success
Enjoy the present moment. If you
are constantly dwelling on the
past or daydreaming about the
future, you are missing out on the
present moment. Remember that the
past and the future are simply
illusions, and that real life takes place
here and now.
Start paying attention to negative
thoughts so that you can move
on from them and enjoy the
present moment. If a negative
thought arises in your head, then
acknowledge it, label it a negative
thought, and then let it fade
away.[7] Regular meditation or
mindfulness exercises can help to
make this feel more natural for
you.
Get in the habit of paying
attention to small details around
you. Appreciate the feeling of the
sun on your skin, the sensation of
your feet walking on the ground,
or the artwork in the restaurant
you are eating in. Noticing things
like these will help you silence a
rambling mind and appreciate
every moment.
Don't compare your own life to
other peoples' lives.
Unfortunately, many people measure
their own success by comparing it to
the success of those around them. If
you want to feel accomplished and
happy, you will have to value your life
for its own sake.
Many people have the tendency to
compare the low points of their
own lives with the high points of
other peoples' lives. Remember
that no matter how perfect
somebody's life may seem,
behind closed doors everybody
deals with tragedy, insecurity,
and other difficulties.[8] Pay
attention to and limit your use of
social media to help you
remember this.
Rather than comparing yourself
with people who are "better off"
than you, think about all of the
people who are homeless,
chronically ill, or living in poverty.
This will help you appreciate what
you have rather than feeling sorry
for yourself. Try engaging in
volunteer work to help make this
more apparent. This can help to
boost your happiness and
confidence as well.
Count your blessings. No matter
how much you achieve in life, you
will always feel unhappy if you
constantly focus on what you don't
have. Instead, devote time every day
to appreciating the things you do
have. Think beyond material items;
appreciate your loved ones, and
cherish happy memories.
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Part 3 Quiz
True or false: A good path to internal
success is to daydream about the future.
True
Not quite. Although it can be fun to indulge
in a daydream once in a while, you may
come back to reality feeling disheartened
and missing out on what's happening right
now. Try again...
False
Yes! If you focus on the present and focus
on the small details of life, you're more
likely to find happiness in those moments.
Negative thoughts are going to pop up, but
if you practice recognizing them, you can
label them as such internally, and then toss
them away. Read on for another quiz
question.
Part Four of Four:
Cultivating Success in Every Aspect of
Your Life
Look after your health. A healthy
body supports a healthy mind. Eat
a balanced diet and ensure that you
aren't lacking in any necessary
nutrients. Establish the cause of any
problems you may experience, such as
a lack of energy or a lack of
concentration and deal with them by
discussing with a doctor, nutritionist
and related health professionals. Get
plenty of exercise too but make your
fitness choices according to what you
enjoy.
Follow up on opportunities. If you
have a chance to shine, take it. If
you are worried you won't have time
and energy for a good opportunity,
ask yourself: would this contribute to
my end goals? If it would, then get rid
of other commitments in order to
pursue this opportunity.
Remember, some chances only
come around once. You can't
bank them.
This doesn't mean you should
throw away all your savings or
get rid of your safety net. It just
means you should say yes when
you are given an offer to move
ahead.[9]
Surround yourself with positive
people.Make friends with people
you admire for various reasons:
because they are happy, kind,
generous, successful at work, or
successful in other ways. Join forces
with those who have achieved things
you want to achieve, or who are on
their way to a common goal. Don't let
jealousy get in your way: nobody's
success is a threat to yours.[10]
When making friends with
someone, ask yourself if the
person makes you feel motivated,
positive, and confident, or if they
make you feel tired,
overwhelmed, or incompetent.
Choose to spend time with the
positive people, not the ones
sucking your energy.
If you have friends or family
members who always make you
feel bad about yourself, limit the
time you spend with them. Also,
make sure to identify
relationships that are not helping
you to move towards your goals,
that stress you out, or that
require too much of your time
and energy without being
reciprocal.
Look for mentors among the
people you admire. If you think
you could learn from someone,
ask for their advice.
Set boundaries with others.
Advocate for your own needs. Be
caring towards others, but don't
accept abuse from anyone.
Remember, being a good person does
not mean you have to take violent or
disrespectful language or actions
from anyone.[11]
Respect the boundaries others set
for you, too. Listen to your loved
ones when they tell you they
need space, or want to do
something alone.
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Part 4 Quiz
What kind of environment, whether people
or places, can influence your success?
A micro-environment, such as a grocery
store or coffee shop.
This is right, but not the whole answer.
Micro-environments can inspire you, but
generally only on a short-term basis. Pick
another answer!
A macro-environment, such as your
home or the friends with whom you spend
the most time.
You're correct, but there's a better answer!
It's your macro-environments that provide
the most inspiration and influence for your
life. Try another answer...
Both.
Yep! The best way to ensure you're
successful in life is to insert yourself in the
right environments, whether macro or
micro. The people with whom you interact,
the places you live and work, and even the
stores you shop at can have an impact in
your life. Although micro-environments
seem to have fleeting influence, you can
turn them into macro-environments by
spending more time with those new
people or at those places. Choose
environments that are motivating and
inspirational. Read on for another quiz
question.