There are a million things we can be working on.

We can study a new language. We can learn to code. We can learn to fly a plane. We can play an instrument. We can become a police officer. We can travel the world.

With all these options and so little time how do we choose? How do we know what we should be working on and what we should abandon?

You can choose the most appealing option first, or the option that you believe will benefit your ultimate goal. 

What if you don’t know what you want to do?

Try something. Try a bunch of things. Try doing an activity or studying a topic you never thought you’d be interested in. You never know until you try.

Push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Do something you’ve always wanted to but you’re afraid of. It could be public speaking or speaking a foreign language or starting a business.

Do something you’re not comfortable with.

You’ll start to find certain activities that interest you more than others. You’ll start to form passions for things you never thought possible.

Keep at it until you find something you’re willing to sacrifice your time to complete.

We have a finite amount of time on this earth. If we had 1,000 lives we wouldn’t be able to learn everything we want.

Don’t waste your time on activities and topics that you don’t like. You don’t have enough time.

Have fun learning new things. If you realize half way through completing a project that you’re not interested, move on.

Try learning something new this year. Focus on finishing the projects that truly interest you.

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” -Walt Disney

Where you think you spend your time and where you actually spend your time are two completely different things.

You may think you’re working towards your goals but in reality you’re spending more time on unproductive activities.

Track your time throughout the day.

Every time you start something new. Every time you catch yourself on your phone or surfing the internet. Every time you get up. Track how long you have conversations with colleagues or your boss. Track everything.

Once you get home have your friends or spouse track what you work on and how much time you spend on those specific activities.

You’ll start to realize how different your perception of the work you get done and what you actually get done is.

Track yourself for 2 weeks straight. Try to capture every interaction. Try to get as close as you can to the amount of time you’re spending on these activities.

Keep a journal close to you to document everything.

Finding out where your time is going will help you get more control of your days. It will help you realize the areas you need to improve and the daily actions you need to change. It will also help you reinforce what you’re doing right.

You’re likely wasting more time than you think.

At the end of he two weeks add up how much time you’re spending on each activity. Address the issues you find. Limit the number of distractions.

You do have the time. The first step is figuring out how you’re actually spending your days and altering everything from there.

“You can’t master time, but you have to work your hardest to manage it.” -Chuck D

Sometimes we go through an entire day working towards someone else’s dreams. We do what others want us to do.

We direct all our focus and effort to our job.

When we get home we’re exhausted. We do what’s easy. We watch TV or sleep or play on our phones. 

We tend to get stuck in an endless loop. Before you know it, you’ll be 60 wondering what happened.

What about your dreams? What about your goals?

If you want to accomplish your goals you’re going to have to make time. 

Nothing was ever accomplished by standing still. If you want something that bad you’ll find the time. 

Read your favorite book when you get home. Go get your workout done immediately. Write for your blog. Listen to your favorite music. Just do something that makes you happy.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a project or business, it can be playing anything that makes you happy.

We only live one life. 

Will you wish you would have spent more time watching TV or going after your goals? 

Would you wish you would have spent more time at work or with your family?

Prioritize your life. 

You’ll find the time if it truly matters. 

It’s not going to be easy or always fun, but it will be worth it. Believe in yourself. Believe in your goals.

Find the time and make it happen.

It’s easy to complete a task or project when you’re motivated. You want to to push yourself. You’re excited about the project.

What about the days you don’t feel like doing anything?

Those are the days that matter most. 

The hardest part about being consistent and continually completing what you’ve started is getting through the dips and tough days.

When you least want to work on that project, work for an extra hour, or do one more set is when you need to the most. 

Pushing through the tough times will almost guarantee you finish your projects.

Of course, it’s easier said than done.

Try the reward system. 

If you finish x part of the project you get one hour of TV. Of you run one more mile you can eat anything you want for dinner. 

It’s important to figure out what motivates you and use that to push you when you hit a rough point.

What are the outcomes your looking for? What happens if you complete this project? How important is it for you to finish? What if you don’t finish the project?

Keep these things in mind.

If the goal or project really is that important to you, you’ll find ways to stay motivated and dedicated to finishing what you’ve started.

Find these reasons and you can push through any dip.

“I’ve never looked at myself and said that I need to be a certain way to be around a certain sort of people. I’ve always wanted to stay true to myself, and I’ve managed to do that. People have to accept that.” – Jay-Z

We’re all different. We’re all unique. We all have different goals. We have different upbringings. We’re all our own person. Stay true to that person.

You don’t have to change because of peer pressure. You don’t have to conform. You don’t have to listen to what other people think of you. You can be you.

What people think of you doesn’t matter.

Take a step back and think about why we care what other people think of us.

As humans, we all want to be liked. We try to connect with everyone we meet. We don’t want to be hated. So we change ourselves to try to appease everyone.

That doesn’t work.

You can be open to other views and beliefs but don’t go against your core beliefs.

Don’t change who you are to make people like you.

If you believe you can accomplish anything you want stick to that. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

If you meet someone and sir core beliefs don’t match your beliefs then why does it matter what they think?

They have different views on life. That’s completely fine. They can be who they want and you can be who you want. You wot connect with everyone you meet.

Don’t change because you think you’ll be more likable. Be yourself and you’ll naturally attract people like yourself.

That’s the key to attracting like-minded individuals – being yourself.

Your life is controlled by you. What you do on a daily basis is controlled by you. Your habits are controlled by you.

Your successes and failures are for the most part controlled by you.

You are your biggest limitation and your biggest benefactor.

Take ownership of your own success. Once you realize you control your life and your outcomes you’ll start to have a more focused effort on your days.

You’ll notice your shortcomings and focus on improving them. You’ll notice where you waste the most time in your days. You’ll start worrying less and focusing more on what truly matters.

If you want to get better at a certain skills you can.

If you want a specific job you can get it.

You’ve controlled almost every aspect of your life so far. You’ve become the person you are today because of the choices you’ve made up to this point.

Your choices will change your outcomes. They will change who you become and what you can achieve.

Focus on reading more and watching less tv. Think about exercising instead of lounging. Get up early instead of sleeping in.

You are your controller. You will be the person you decide to be. 

Make a concerted effort to value your time. You only live one time. 

Be the person you want to be.

If you don’t know how to do something, figure it out. 

It may seem overwhelming at first because you’ve never done it but in reality it’s usually easier than you think. 

Think about all the people you know who have already don’t it.

It could be starting a blog, a business, a new language, or an instrument. It’s going to be hard at first but it’s very possible to do.

So many people have already done it, why can’t you?

You have to take the first step and commit yourself to figuring out how to start. Figure out what’s worked for the people who have done it already. It’s perfectly normal to ask how someone has done it.

It’s important for you to figure out ways of completing tasks and goals.

Your ability to be resourceful in the beginning and when things hit a dip is crucial. You can’t always rely on others people figuring it out for you. You need to be the one to take charge and solve the problem.

Most things we’re afraid of doing end up not being as hard as we thought. It’s still hard, but the worst case scenario is not even close to what we came up with.

Figure out how to start something, get a decent start, ask for continuous feedback and ways for improvement, ask questions to people who have done it before you, focus on the most critical tasks first, and stay consistent.

Figuring out how to start may seem like the biggest challenge but it’s not.

It’s you getting over your self-doubt and ignoring what the naysayers tell you.

You can figure anything out if you are resourceful enough and are willing to do whatever it takes to start.

“The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work.” -Thomas A. Edison

You have to grind it out. You have to put your head down and do the work most aren’t willing to do. 

It’s not particularly fun or flashy but it’s necessary.

Hard work isn’t the only factor but it’s a critical factor.

The ability to work harder than everyone else will separate you from the pack. To know you’re not the most talented or the smartest but knowing you’re willing to work harder than everyone else will drive you to become better.

The grind should never stop. There’s no easy way to becoming better. It’s through hours and hours of continuous work that you achieve your goal.

That’s the best part about learning something knew. You start back at the bottom, not knowing anything, having to work your ass off to get better.

The more you work at your craft the better you get.

Look at the grind as a necessary evil. It’s something that can’t be skipped. It’s needed for you to reach a certain point.

Instead of complaining about embrace it.

You control your ability to work hard. You control your ability to succeed. It may be a difficult process but it will be worth it.

Have you ever wondered why you set specific goals for yourself? Why do you want to accomplish a certain goal?

Is it for the outcome? Is it for the recognition? Is it to prove something to yourself? Is it for someone else?

Figure out why you’re working towards a specific goal. Evaluate if you’re doing it for yourself or for other people. 

Deep down some of your goals are more about appeasing other people. 

You probably took that job because your parents told you it was a good idea. You went to college because that’s the way you get a job. You bought that house because you’ve been told it’s the best move.

Are you doing what you want to do or are you following the directions of others?

Make sure that your goal is based on your dreams not someone else’s expectations of you.

Your goals should be about what you want to accomplish. Don’t worry about anyone else.

What is it that you truly want and why?

Understanding why you have specific goals is the crucial step. You may start to realize that your goals aren’t based around your true beliefs or desires.

Write down one goal you want to accomplish by the end of the year and a few reasons why that’s your goal. Then, write down what it would mean for you to accomplish that goal.
We all have goals for the most part. It’s about prioritizing your goals over other people’s goals for you.

Figure out what you’re truly striving for; your one main mission. Then accomplish small goals that relate to your ultimate dream and don’t stop until you get there.

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” -Confucius

You may be close to your goal. You might have already hit your goal. Now is not the time to let up.

Accomplishing what you’ve set out to do is a fantastic achievement. Take a minute to realize how far you’ve come and what you’ve accomplished.

Be grateful for the help and opportunities you’ve had along the way. It’s a time to be grateful but not a time to stop trying.

Keep pushing yourself harder to get better. 

It’s easy to think that because you’ve accomplished your goal that you can take it easy. Use the same mentality that got you there in the first place.

Never let up. Focus on hitting your next goal.

The same goes for a race. You have to find is through the line. Don’t run 98% of the race and let up with 2% remaining.

Push through. Keep driving. Keep working hard. 

Always keep your foot on the gas. You never know what could happen. 

If you want to be the best at your company or vertical or industry you have to continue pushing when others will stop. 

Never stop pushing forward.

As small as it may seem, every step gets you closer to your goal.

That first step doesn’t seem like anything at first. You can barely tell you’re moving forward. You’re so early in the process and your progress is limited. This is when most people give up. It’s important to push through this point.

The small steps are crucially important. Without the small starting points you would never get to your goal.

It’s one step in front of the other.

It’s like training for a marathon. Your first long run is 5 miles. It feels like nothing. The actual race is 26.2 miles. That first run isn’t even a fifth of the distance you need to ultimately run.

Why do so many people quit what they start? It’s hard. It takes a lot of time. It’s not particularly fun being bad at something.

Realize in the beginning that what you’re doing right now, no matter how small, is laying the foundation for your ultimate achievement.

You have to start somewhere.

The first step is important. What’s more important is taking those small steps each day. You’ll accomplish what you set out to do if you focus on the small steps.

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh

You're going to face times of struggle, it's inevitable.

Life will never be easy all the time. You will come up against stressful situations. Instead of complaining or becoming depressed about the way a situation plays out change it.

If it's something out of your control don't worry about it. There's nothing you can do so complaining won't help anyone especially not yourself.

If it's in your control instead of complaining solve the problem. Walk through possible solutions. Ask others for advice. See how people reacted in similar positions. 

Sometimes all you need is to pause and take a deep breath. 

Ask yourself: why does this bother me so much? Is there something I can do to change my situation? How can I solve this problem?

Complaining isn't the solution no matter what. 

Instead of reacting to the situation be proactive. Prevent these vents from taking place by preparing yourself.

Work your ass off to prevent yourself from worrying about being fired. Focus on what you can improve upon instead of comparing yourself to other people.

Don't take this issues so seriously. Shit happens. Take a minute to relax and then move on. Don't worry about the situation from there.

It's better to walk away and spend your available time on activities that truly matter.

Whenever you’ve taken a long vacation or taken a break for an extended period of time you get away from what you’ve been working towards. 

Don’t let a vacation or a break stop you from achieving your desired goals.

Focus on getting back on track. Jump right back into your daily routine. 

Breaks are crucial to your success but you can’t stop being consistent. Consistency over extended periods of time is what creates positive and negative habits.

Get back to your positive ways. Don’t let all the hard work you’ve put into your skills go to waste. 

It’s easy to do nothing. Short-term satisfaction feels great. 

Things like watching TV, playing video games, and getting drunk may feel good in the moment but give you no long term benefits. Unless your career is around some of those areas. 

Instead, focus on building new skills. Focus on achieving the long term goals you’ve set for yourself. 

When it comes down to it that’s what should matter. Long term satisfaction is more gratifying. The climb is what’s enjoyable.

Don’t get away from what’s truly important to you. Take your time off. Be with your family. Clear your head. Once you get back it’s game time again.

Get back to your schedule and continue the consistency you had before you left.

If you don’t like the way things are being run let someone know. If you want to join another team tell your boss. If you want to learn French tell everyone you’re learning French.

Let the world know what you want to accomplish. 

If you don’t say anything no one will ever know. 

You’ll never get an increase in salary. You’ll never be promoted. You’ll never find your dream spouse.

Be vocal about what you’re looking to do in life. Let everyone know. 

Speak your dreams into existence. 

If you’re worried about what people think ignore it. If they’ll judge you for your dreams it’s because they’re too chicken shit to do anything about their dreams. They don’t think they’ll ever accomplish anything so they don’t want you to accomplish anything.

Avoid these people like the plague. Let them know you don’t care what they think. You’re too focused on your goals.

Don’t be afraid to tell someone truly how you feel. If you never try you never know.

Take the shot. Speak your mind. 

Learning is never ending. It should be a continuous journey.

If you want to get better at something you’ll never stop learning. You may hit a point where you’re incredible. Even a point when you’re the best.

It still doesn’t stop there. If you want to keep being the best you have to keep practicing and learning.

That’s why learning is so great. It’s a never ending mission to become better. The more you learn the better you become. 

The better you become the more you want to learn. Learning and achievement go hand in hand. 

Learning should never stop. You should practice every single day. You should be getting better in some way all the time. 

It could be a skill or a game or a technique. You can get better in every area. That’s a fact. There is no peak. The climb itself is the journey.

For you to become good you need to learn and practice many different strategies. 

For you to stay good you need to continuously practice. 

Learning should never stop.