When your life is a mess, it might not be the best time to launch your business that directly competes with Facebook or to plan an assault on the summit of Everest. When your life in chaos, your time is best spent getting that chaos under control before taking on those really big goals.
Climbing Everest would be great, but it might be more helpful to be able to consistently pay your cell phone bill on time each month.
Follow these steps to build a solid foundation that will support chasing your dreams:
Get control of your financial situation. Can you pay your bills on time consistently? Do you have enough money to buy food and clothing as needed? Is there enough money left over each month to pursue your number one hobby, enjoy a social life, and save something for the future?
○ Ensure that you have a livable income. This is a worthwhile goal to have.
Have a solid social life. Only you can determine what that means to you. It might mean going out twice a month or four times a week. It might mean having a couple of close friends or ten.
○ Your life isn’t complete or well-balanced if your social life isn’t up to snuff. You need others more than you might think. With other people in your life you’ll be less stressed, enjoy life more, create more memories, and live longer.
Get your physical health in order. This means finding a healthy weight, eating properly, and getting some exercise. See the dentist and the optometrist. Your health is more important than making your first million or moving to Tibet to write your memoirs.
○ Be sure that you’re treating any chronic medical conditions to the best of your ability. Issues like high blood pressure and diabetes always win in the end if you don’t do your part.
Work on your mental health. Everyone has psychological issues that limit their ability to enjoy life to the fullest. It might be anxiety related to interacting with strangers, a substance abuse challenge, or excessive moodiness. Give yourself a solid mental health foundation to work from.
Have at least one hobby that you love. Life can’t just be about work, chores, and socializing. Find something that you’ve always wanted to learn or explore and begin doing it. If you want to master something, it can take decades. You’ll appreciate having a hobby more in your senior years.
Take care of the little things. Mow your grass, keep your house tidy, always have clean clothes available, keep your kitchen and bathrooms clean, mow your grass, keep your car in good repair. All of these little things have much more impact on your life than you realize.
○ If you can’t manage the little things, you can’t handle the big things. If you’re sniffing your dirty socks to find pair you can wear again today, you’re not in the best position to do something spectacular.
When your life is a wreck, it can be tempting to go all-in on an outrageous goal. Part of the appeal is the fact that it’s a distraction. You might also believe that your life will have some meaning if you can accomplish something spectacular. However, chasing big goals creates imbalance, which is something you already have in excess.
You will be happier and ultimately more successful if you can master the day-to-day issues of life first.There will be plenty of time to battle Microsoft after you’ve mastered paying your electric bill on time each month.