Written by: Dana Hayes-Burke, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
“Chase the Vision. The money will follow” Tony Hiesh. This is one of my favorite quotes, and I have found, within it, is hidden the ultimate success plan. It has been such a guiding statement for me in life and business. This is the core of what makes you successful and keeps you successful. One of the worst decisions you can make in life is to commit to something that you aren’t fully committed to. This past year, dealing with a pandemic and being forced out of ‘your normal’ perhaps have led you to consider, “what on earth do I really want to do with my life?” It’s one of those questions that even the most accomplished of us ask ourselves. It is like an internal audit of whether or not life has been making sense or if you are just on autopilot, as many of us find ourselves. Have you found yourself asking the question, “what is the true measure of my success?”
Here’s what I know, the fact that you are reading this article right now means that you are a highly motivated person at your very core. I imagine that you have achieved some measure of success in your life up to this point. But you desire something more. Am I right? You desire a higher level of self-actualization. You want to achieve a new level of success. My goal in writing this article is to give you four (4) tips/exercises that will give you the clarity you need to design your ultimate success plan.
1. Locate yourself on the GPS of Life.
Sometimes we find ourselves on autopilot: going through the motions, doing what we need to do, and meeting our targets. But, when did you last check that all of these actions are leading you to exactly where you want to be? Sometimes our busyness leads to waywardness. In other words, we are busy going nowhere (or at least not where we actually want to go). So how do you find out where you are? As yourself these 3 questions:
Do I have a clear, written vision that guides my goals and actions?
What do I do every day that brings me joy?
Do I understand how my daily actions help me accomplish my vision and my purpose? (Tips: write down your general daily actions and connect them with a part of the vision you are trying to build).
2. Check your assets.
After you have located yourself, you may be thinking, “What’s next? What can I do with this new information?” The answer to that question is found within you. What internal assets do you presently have that can help you to be more intentional and focused in terms of the direction and quality of your life? What are the habits and negative beliefs that keep you from using those strengths? Here are some questions to help you identify your internal assets and some of the limiting beliefs that keep you from using these assets?
What activities make you feel rejuvenated, and without them, your life feels like you are missing something?
What is something that you are able to do naturally or pick up really quickly that others struggle to do?
What strengths do you see in yourself?
What strengths have other people commented on about you and your accomplishments?
Why don’t you give attention to the things that you are great at?
3. Scan your surroundings.
Finding your assets is a great way to figure out what elements you need to add to your life to achieve a great level of esteem, self-actualization and purpose. The question of how to integrate these elements into your life comes to mind. The answer is found in understanding the environment that you live in (physically, socially, economically, etc). Research the opportunities in your space (physically or virtually) to use your gifts and talents, to explore the things you are passionate about o,r perhaps even to start a business that both fulfills you and pays you. Research is simply asking:
Ask on the internet (search engines are a great way to start)
Ask your colleagues (friends, coworkers, relatives)
Ask strangers (those social media streets are golden research reservoirs)
4. Make a plan.
Use all of the information to write a clear vision of your new fulfilled life. Think about all that you will do, experience, and accomplish. Make it a vision that connects with you intimately and directly. Then turn that vision into a goal. Actionable steps that you can take to help you turn this vision into a reality. More importantly, actionable steps that will help you walk into your ultimate picture of success.
The Ultimate Success Plan isn’t one size fits all. The ultimate success plan is the one that helps you to live your ideal life design. We all deserve to experience this. I have found that the way to this experience is using the steps above. Not only do you experience ultimate success, but you all experience successes along the way, and you have a greater chance of enjoying the journey.
Dana Hayes-Burke, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dana Hayes-Burke is the Business Coach who brings your vision to life. After years in the corporate world, Dana realized that the way to her ideal life design was through her own business. She started her first business in 2012 and was able to generate over 5-figures monthly within her first 6 months. Through her unique business strategy, she transitioned to full-time entrepreneurship after just 12 months of business. Dana knows that business is the way to freedom (time, money, and the ability to be present in every area of her life) for some of us. Now, Dana Hayes-Burke is the CEO of DHB Vision Strategists - a business on a mission to help entrepreneurs build profitable businesses that generate big bucks now and also affords them freedom and sustainability. Her watchwords: See the Vision, Believe the Vision, Build the Vision.
