Share on Pinterest
Design by Lauren Park

Us humans love to overcomplicate life. Think about any issue you’ve been working on for a while. It’s frustrating and can go on and on and on, right? That’s because we simply make it hard.

Having success in any area of your life comes down to just three steps (rejoice, overthinkers)!

In a new decade it’s important to remember, you don’t have to wait for life to be perfect to celebrate what you have. Life is never perfect but it can still be pretty damn awesome.

But, if there’s something you want to improve, here’s a method to try.

Guess what? Most people give up their power every day by not knowing the answer to this. They’re not aware of what they want, or they’re afraid to set goals and specify conditions for failure for fear that those conditions may be met. They’d rather meander through life in a protective bubble of unknowingness. And so they’re not sure if they’re even on track or not.

You’re not a plastic bag drifting through the wind, you’re a human being with a limited time on earth with decisions to make about how you want your time to be used.

Journal for 10 minutes (write freely!) about what a dream life would look like for you over the next 5 years.

SECRET: You’re allowed to have everything that you want!

Deepak Chopra says, “Inherent in every desire is the mechanics of its fulfillment.” So, if you’ve got the desire, you’ve got the goods to see it IRL.

What outcomes do you want to see in your life? A career in what? A healthy relationship? If so, how does that relationship look and feel? How does your body look and feel? How does showing up at work every day feel?

Don’t give yourself any limits here. It’s your life and your life alone.

This might be the hardest step — because we love to shy away from the truth.

If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll always receive the same results.

To improve, you have to remain conscious about what’s actually showing up in your life.

Most people avoid this step the second they don’t see the outcomes they want. It’s far easier and more convenient to look away. So… based on your desired outcome, you might ask yourself: How is my bank balance? Am I legitimately on the rise at work? How is my side hustle paying off? Do I have the love I want? How is my relationship with my sister? Do I like where I live? Be honest now.

If you don’t notice what you’re getting, it’s impossible to know if you’re on track or not.

But if you lean in to your present reality, you’ll identify how your choices are creating your outcome. And then you’ll want to…

Know this. You always have choices — a minimum of three in any situation. How flexible does this mean that you can be then? Very!

How cool is it to know that you have choices? It’s not just do this or that. It’s do this, that, or this, or that, or hey… how about this?

Choices are opportunities. Choices, when seized and played with, demonstrate your flexibility as a human. It’s the opposite of an old issue on repeat. It’s fresh. It’s fun. And there’s so much to choose from!

I practiced my flexibility muscle when I moved from New York to Miami a few months ago. I love New York but craved change. I wanted outdoor space. More natural beauty. A slower pace. The outcome of my dream environment was clear in my mind.

New York is still my favorite city, but I didn’t have a terrace with a beautiful view, palm trees, a quiet life. This was my #1 desired outcome. When I paused and practiced #2 — saw what my present reality was (indoor living, lots of traffic, a hectic schedule) — l realized I was not in sync with my desire.

I thought: What place could offer my ideal outcome? Sydney, where my husband is from? Sure. California? Yep! Puerto Rico, where some friends live? Definitely! Or… suck it up and stay in Manhattan and have more vacations? Hey — we could’ve done that, too.

We landed on Miami because we love the city. It’s still pretty close to our New York home. Do you see the three steps in play here? We moved to Miami within 2 months of making the decision. Change is fast when you commit. And right now, I have exactly what I want.

Whoever recognizes the most choices in their life, will be the most in control of their life.

Maybe your biggest challenge is your biggest opportunity now for growth and joy. Let it excite you.

Consciously or unconsciously, you’ve applied these three steps many times before. And what you see in your life now is the outcome of past decisions. The good news is that where you stand today is irrelevant to what’s next for you.

It’s all about what you do now.

Susie Moore is Greatist’s life coach columnist. Sign up for free weekly confidence injection on her website or check out her YouTube channel for actionable advice that’ll make you feel fabulous, fast.