I have been a life strategist for 20 years, and mastering the basics always leads to success in both life and business. So many people make success look easy, but no one was an overnight success: the secret is in the toolbox used.
Know Your Values
Our values are our code of conduct, our blueprint for life. Values are the base of decision-making for the rest of our lives, and values give you an insight into what is most important to you in life and will keep you from veering off track.
Write down your top three values This is one of the great secrets to success—knowing your values, knowing what is most important to you—so you don’t compromise your life as you grow your business. Most importantly, put them somewhere that you can see them each and every day. They are there to guide you, to help you make great decisions, and keep you on track. For instance, you may like to have them as your phone’s screensaver.
Know Where You Are Going
Your brain needs a roadmap moving forward. It needs to know where it is going, what the vision is for both your life and your business. Most people have a business plan but often do not have a life plan. The secret here is to ensure you also have a life plan running alongside the vision for the business.
Write down how old you will be in five years of time, ten years of time, and twenty years of time. You will instantly have a picture. How do you want to feel in five, ten, and twenty years of time? Fit, strong, flexible, energetic, calm, confident, happy, inspired, joyful, etc.—what are the words? Write them down somewhere that is visible to you all the time. With each of my clients, we really focus on clarity, the words that really mean something you, so you can get emotionally attached to the goals you will set to support your vision.
Set Your Goals
Set goals, clear and measurable goals, so you can take massive action towards your vision. When we write down our goals, we narrow down our focus to what needs to be done in order to obtain our vision. Remember, where your focus goes, your energy flows, so having clearly defined goals allows us to forge forward with purpose, with direction, and with motivation. Celebrating all the small wins along the way will help you stay inspired to stay on the path to great success, both personally and professionally.
Again, once you have goals, ensure they are not put in the drawer, but somewhere visible so you can see them every single day. The brain needs that map, or those instructions, each day.
Make A Vision Board
To bring it all together, one of the most valuable tools (and my super secret to success) is to bring everything mentioned above into a vision board—one board with your goals, your affirmations, your vision, your pictures, your words, quotes, and creative items so that you can remember your definition of success as well as remember how you want to feel and how you will celebrate. A vision board helps you appeal to your better self. It acts as a guide on moving forward and gives you permission to dream big for success in both life and business.
Success is about keeping things simple, knowing who you are, where you are going, and how you will get there, and the secret is to write it all down, kept in a place where you can see it every day, and continue to be inspired by the visual you have created.
What’s in your success toolkit?
Shannah Kennedy is one of Australia’s foremost strategic executive life and health coaches. She works to transform her clients’ careers, well-being, and lives. She specializes in executive strategy, transition, values, vision, overcoming burnout, and life planning for individuals. Her proven expertise enables clients to gain control of their lives in order to achieve their visions and goals and find happiness and fulfillment. She is a bestselling author, well-being specialist, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, media contributor, and a wife and mother of two. Her latest book is The Life Plan — Simple Strategies for Building Confidence in a Changing World. Shannah lives and dances with chronic fatigue syndrome and depression and is committed to living her best and most energetic life based on her values and commitment to authenticity. Visit shannahkennedy.com for free resources, information, and to make inquiries for Shannah’s coaching packages and public and corporate programs.
