Do you want to live your life the fullest? Then it’s important that you live by design, not by default. Living by design allows you to live your life. Living by default, on the other hand, will just lead you to live someone else’s life.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to live by default. It’s easy to just follow the crowd. It’s the path of least resistance. Unless you make a conscious effort not to, you will automatically go that way.
So how can we live by design? Here are some tips for designing your life.
1. Envision Your Ideal Life
To design your life, you should start with the end goal. What kind of life would make you feel most fulfilled? I’d call this your ideal life.
I believe that fulfillment is a good criterion for an ideal life. You might think about wealth or fame when thinking about an ideal life, but they don’t actually matter at the end. You want something that can minimize your lifetime regrets.
2. Envision Your Ideal Job
Having envisioned your ideal life, you should then move backward and think about your ideal job. What kind of job would help you live your ideal life?
In most cases, I believe that freedom is an essential component of an ideal job. Why? Because freedom allows you to be you. It allows you to unleash your full potential.
If you think that freedom is important, then think about the kind job that will help you achieve it. In my case, I decided to build a lifestyle business.
3. Take Steps in the Right Direction
After envisioning your ideal life and job, you should start moving in that direction. It may take years to reach your goal, so the earlier you start, the better.
Make a plan about what steps to take to move closer to your goal. You might need to learn some new skills, get to know new people, or build some side projects along the way.
It won’t be easy, of course. But with self-motivation, you will keep going.
4. Say No to Distractions
To move in the right direction, you should avoid going the wrong direction. It might seem obvious, but remember that it’s much easier to live by default than by design.
The pull to go the wrong way will be strong, so you’d better be prepared for it. For instance, you might need to say no to some attractive career opportunities that don’t fit your ideal job.
5. Stay Balanced
A key component of an ideal life is balance. But balance is important not just at the end but also on the journey toward your ideal life.
Some people think that they can sacrifice their health or relationships now for a ‘better’ future. But in the end, they may regret it. It’s much better to stay balanced all along the way.
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The five tips above can help you in designing your life. It’s not easy, but it’s well worth the effort. Why? Because you will then live your life, not someone else’s life.
Related Book Summary: Designing Your Life (discount)
