Let’s be honest, success is hard. Not complicated, just hard. Today, I want to rewire how you think about success and teach you how to be successful in life.

People tend to have a misconstrued definition of success. We love to say things like:

• “I’ll be successful once I find a career related to my passion.”
• “I’ll be a success when I make my first million dollars.”
• “I’ll be a success when I find the love of my life.”
  Notice something about these platitudes? They look at success as a destination — a place we can all reach and prance around with our success forever after learning THE PLAN for how to be successful. Yay!

Well, I got news for you: NO YOU WON’T!!!

The truth is success isn’t a goal or destination — it’s a MINDSET you take on to achieve your goals. And like all other mindsets, you don’t just drop it once you achieve your goals. Instead, you adopt it so you can carry it with you forever.

And I’ll be honest: Success isn’t an easy feat to accomplish.

It’s human nature to look for the quick fixes and get-rich-quick schemes — even though those methods are often temporary and incredibly ineffective.

Our brain wants to use the path of least resistance. If we really want to learn how to be successful, though, we have to go against our nature and challenge the three mental barriers that knock us off course:

• Chasing “magic bullets”
• Fearing failure
• Letting guilt control you
  Only by breaking past these mental walls, can we truly become successful in life.

That’s why I want to help you rewire how you think about success and help you break down these barriers once and for all.

I remember the joy of filling out a personality test when I was younger and asking myself those tough questions, trying to become a better version of myself. You know, it’s easy to forget how important it is to question yourself every now and then. I know I hadn’t really done it since I was younger, but I realized that if you want to be successful, you need to dig deep. There are some questions to ask yourself if you want to be successful.

Asking yourself just fifteen important questions will help you figure out your strengths and weaknesses. There’s a beauty in finding out how your personality type prepares you for certain roles. This will help you prepare to tackle any role or obstacle that life throws at you also means knowing yourself inside and out.

So let me ask you a couple of questions now; When was the last time you sat down with yourself and tried to figure yourself out? Have you made a roadmap for success that actually takes into consideration your strengths and weaknesses? The best thing to do is grab your favorite planner, mine is the Getting Things Done planner of course, get a pen and answer these questions to crack the code for success.

QUESTION 1:

What’s the one activity that fills you with joy?

Try to answer this question as quickly as possible. Within one second. This will help you to find out not only what gives you joy in life, but what will help you grow. Maybe it’s the key to starting up business. Maybe it’s the hobby you need to make more time for.

QUESTION 2:

If a relationship or job makes you unhappy, do you stay or leave?

Only you know this about yourself. Have you stayed far too long in a job, relationship, or friendship that drains you or makes you feel unhappy? Sometimes, we stay in positions or in relationships that make us unhappy. If something is making you unhappy, no matter if you describe yourself as a strong individual or a more passive one you should never let it get in the way of your growth.

QUESTION 3:

What stops you from cutting out things that make you unhappy?

Now think about the reasons why you’ve stayed in situations that made you unhappy. This is the problem you need to solve. The obstacle that stands in the way of your success. When it comes to your happiness, there’s nothing more important and it should always, always come first even if it makes you unhappy to start with.

QUESTION 4:

What do you believe is possible for you?

This is your chance to dream big. We all have big dreams that keep us going, keep us motivated and make the long paths seem worth it. When you answer this question, you shouldn’t hold back. Don’t scoff at something because you think it’s impossible. Because the truth is nothing is. And once you believe this, you’ll be unstoppable. For you, there should only be one destination, and that’s where you should be headed.

QUESTION 5:

How do you make the Universe a better place?

This is quite a difficult question to ask yourself because it’s asking you how you make the world a better place. Sometimes, we can be so busy and caught up in our own lives that we forget to give back. But these don’t have to be big gestures; you probably do so much for other people on a daily basis that you don’t even realize.

QUESTION 6:

How would you like others to perceive you?

Acknowledging how you want others to perceive you will help you mold yourself into the woman you want to become. Imagine what you want others to say about you when you’re not around. You want them to say amazing things because you’re an amazing person. So, be that person and give them something good to talk about!

QUESTION 7:

How do you think others perceive you now?

This question differs from the previous. It’s asking you how you think people actually see you now. The thing about this question is, it will teach you more about yourself than it will about other people. It will help you figure out your weaknesses and perceived flaws, so you can turn them into strengths.

QUESTION 8:

Do you believe your destiny is pre-determined or in your hands?

Whatever you believe affects how you go about your life. If you think your destiny is pre-determined, you will accept the failures and boil it down to fate. But if you don’t believe in fate then you will allow yourself to feel bad about something because it’s your doing. Having a balance between the two is good. You need to accept what has happened and move on quickly, but also recognize where you went wrong so you can be better.

QUESTION 9:

In your opinion, what’s the meaning of life?

Ask yourself, why are you here? What impact do you have on the world and people around you? This question will provide you with a deep answer that will make you realize that you are special to this world and it wouldn’t be the same without you. It will also motivate you as you’ll see the positive effects of your actions rather than focus on negative ones.

QUESTION 10

If you were given a completely free day, what would you do with the time?

How you spend your time if you were completely free says a lot about you. If you get a free afternoon out of the blue would you run back to bed? Or would you do something that adds value to your life? If your answer is something that keeps you inside and away from people, then you know you need to work on doing valuable things with your time instead. And this will only bring joy to your life.

QUESTION 11:

What would your 80-year-old self tell you to make time for?

Imagine your life way into the future. Are you looking back and wishing you did other things with your time? You don’t want to get older and regret not doing something your heart wanted you to. Always keep that 80-year-old woman in mind, would she be happy, or would she be full of regrets? Remember, you have the time, you need to make better use of it.

QUESTION 12

Are you motivated by competition with others?

Does the thought of being in direct competition with someone else scare you or even demotivate you? Being envious of others is actually just being envious of what makes them successful, or ‘better’. Your answer to this question will determine your self-worth and will tell you if it’s something you need to work on. Because confidence is key.

QUESTION 13:

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

This may change over time, but generally, you are one or the other. And it can be extremely difficult to switch between the two. Our advice, no matter which one you are you should work with. If you know you’re a night person then you need to schedule some tasks at night where you are most creative. If you are morning person then begin the day by slaying it from the very start!

QUESTION 14:

Is there anything you’re waiting for before you can be successful?

First of all, your life should not be on hold. If you are waiting for things to line up then you will always be waiting for something. These are, effectively, just excuses. Do not see your limitations, break them. There is always something you can do, always.

QUESTION 15:

What would you do if you had more energy?

This is a very important question. As individuals, we’re always complaining that we can’t do this because we are too tired, or we can’t fit it in. But that’s another limitation that your mind is imposing on you. It’s all about making time and doing things for your body that give you the energy to go and do something. Answer this question and you’ll figure out how to create the perfect day for yourself.