We are officially halfway through 2022!
Can you even believe it?
The year seems to have flown by.
So how do you feel about your progress so far?
Are you proud of how far you have come?
Take a moment and soak in all your incredible accomplishments.
It’s easy to breeze past them, so celebrate yourself.
Despite all you have done, you may feel you could be further along.
Perhaps you don’t have a clear vision or roadmap.
You could feel stuck and don’t know how to move forward.
Just know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.
It is never too late to improve your situation.
You can start right now.
This article will help you to examine where you are now, where you want to go, and how to get there.
And as a bonus, celebrating the first six months of 2022 (and my birthday), the Clutter to Clarity 7-Day Course is 50% off this week only!
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn exactly what steps you should take to create a life and business you love! In the course, you will:
- Identify your vision so that you can feel more clarity about the direction of your business
- Develop clear planning strategies so that you know what to do next
- Have more accountability so that you can confidently take clear action in your business
Now let’s reflect on the first half of 2022 and take action!
Step 1: Where are you now?
Understanding your current situation is essential to know what steps to take next. By analyzing past thoughts and actions, you are more equipped to interpret your experience and improve future outcomes.
First, measure where you are right now by reflecting on the following core topics in your life.
- Mindset (personal, emotional & spiritual state)
- Energy (body, health, environment)
- Growth (personal & business)
- Connection (family, friends, romantic, business)
- Marketing, Sales, & Delivery
- Money & Financial
- Celebration & Contribution
On a scale of one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten being the best possible score, where are you right now?
Try to select the first number that comes up without judgment. Whatever number comes up is fine.
Now ask yourself, why did you rate it this way?
Reflect on what has happened in the past six months in each category by answering the following questions:
- What went well?
- What did not go well?
- What did you learn?
Pro Tip: This may seem overwhelming at first, and there may be a lot of anxiety coming up for you. Create an anxiety list by writing down everything you feel anxious around. Taking thoughts from your mind and putting them out in the open by writing them on the page can decrease your overwhelm. Name your anxiety so that you can address it.
For more great ways to reflect, including how to do a highly recommended SWOT analysis, see What to Do Before Planning 2022.
Step 2: Where do you want to go?
After evaluating where you are now, how do you feel? Whether you are pleased or disappointed with your situation, there is always room for improvement.
While visiting a dear artist friend this weekend, I noticed a beautiful painting she had done a few years earlier of a woman wandering on the beach, deep in thought. As we discussed the image, she exclaimed, “I am going to paint over the beach, so it’s all water.”
Despite the painting being three years old and having already been showcased in galleries, she planned to pull it off the wall and rework it.
“There is no rule, police.” She exclaimed.
You can always revisit what you are doing and paint over that beach any time. Reflecting and changing what is no longer working for you is key to success.
Paint whatever you want. It doesn’t matter. It is your life and business.
So take a moment and imagine anything and everything is possible. If you could wave a magic wand, what would you create?
Paint a vivid picture of what you want to do next. What would you want in your life if anything were possible?
How do you want to shift your initial assessment and improve what you have? What truly matters to you? What do you want to create or achieve? Who do you want to be?
Is there something that you want to do more of or less often? Do you want to start doing something new? Create your ideal life by freewriting on the page.
Next, write a letter to yourself describing where you will be six months from now. Paint a clear picture of your new life.
Once complete, seal this letter and open this to read in six months.
To create a more impactful vision statement, make sure to write in the present tense, using positive, passionate language from your perspective (“I” or “Me”).
Pro Tip: Before you begin, it’s helpful to get into a creative flow state to allow the limitless potential to unfold. Meditating, visualization, moving your body by exercising or dancing, changing your environment, and laughing can be great ways to get creative. Read How to Get in the “Flow State” to Boost Creativity for more information.
For more on why it’s crucial to create your vision, learn How to Know Your Next Step Forward.
Step 3: How do you get there?
So you have assessed where you have been, where you are right now, and what you want. Now what?
Your Being:
Having the right mindset, energy, and spiritual state is essential. Always prioritize your well-being first, creating space for what brings you more energy while eliminating what drains you.
It is essential to feel your best so that you can accomplish your goals with ease. In the laws of thermodynamics, you can’t get more energy out of a system than you put in.
So you must ensure you are taking care of yourself to achieve optimal performance: your mindset, energy, and state fuel your results.
Remember that it is not a sprint – it’s a marathon, so make sure you take breaks and allow yourself to thrive.
To create more energy, read 5 Steps to Create Energy and Focus. Read 3 Simple Steps To Improve Your Mindset to help bring you to a more calm, relaxed state.
Your Beliefs:
Knowing why you are in business and finding your deeper purpose will motivate you. Understand what brings you passion and joy and focus your business around that.
What motivates you to create your vision, why is it important, who does it impact, and how will it impact your life and the lives of others?
The deeper your why is, the more motivation it will bring; when your reason is beyond yourself, it becomes much more powerful.
Your Blueprint:
Next, visualize your goals as if they have already happened, creating a more concrete belief system while manifesting a better outcome.
Read Visualizing Success in 2022 to learn how to best visualize your success.
After clearly crafting your short-term and long-term vision, create aligned goals to move the needle. Per the Pareto Principle, 20% of the work will give you 80% of the results, so select what will create the most impact.
For more information to stay on track, read How to Get Sh*t Done and How to Hit Your Goals Consistently.
Next, create SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Based).
Break your goals down into smaller bites, and outline your plan with this FREE PLANNER.
Recap:
Reflecting on your business is essential to evaluating where you are now and where you want to go so that you can learn and grow in your desired direction.
Remember that you can paint what you want at any moment, even if it means painting over what is no longer working.
So take the time needed to reflect and adjust by making your planning time non-negotiable and continuing to improve step-by-step.
Remember, progress IS perfection.
Always be willing to make mistakes, learn and pivot while having fun and enjoying the journey.
Step 1: Where are you now?
Step 2: Where do you want to go?
Step 3: How do you get there?
I look forward to you achieving everything you desire this year!
Michele x
If you need help building your vision by creating a step-by-step strategy (you can actually stick to), email me the word PROGRAM for details.
2 thoughts on “How to Know Your Next Steps to Success”
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