Take Control of Your Life

“Accountability breeds response-ability.”

Stephen Covey

Each day you have the choice to take control of your life or to let it control you. You can choose to be proactive, or you can be reactive. However, you will not have control if you allow various circumstances to take over.

To take control of your life, or exercise personal leadership, is to take responsibility for yourself and every area of your life.

It means connecting with your values and vision and setting meaningful goals for yourself. When you take control, you become more productive and more optimistic. As a result, you can tackle and solve problems more efficiently and ultimately experience less stress in your life.

No doubt, with all the chaos and uncertainty going on in the world these days, it may be challenging to feel like you are in charge of your life, and while there are some things you have no control over, there are plenty you do.

Understand that you are the principal architect and creator of your life, and where you are now is a result of the choices and decisions you have made thus far.

An interesting concept is one whereby you see yourself as the CEO of your own life. How would you run your life if you were to apply this concept to yourself? What strategic planning would you engage in, and how would you envision your future? I expect seeing yourself as the CEO of your life would inspire you to think more productively, efficiently, and in a more 
Result-oriented way.

As your CEO, here are some ways in which you can take control of your life and exercise personal leadership:

✔ Determine your values and what's important to you. As I wrote in Have A Personal Value System, knowing what you value gives you structure and purpose, which, in turn, directs you on how to focus your time and efforts. It would be similar to a company's 'mission statement.' As you probably know, a mission statement typically defines the overall goals and drives the actions of an organization. It likewise provides a roadmap and guides the decision-making processes for management.

Your life mission statement could be: "My purpose is to live life to the fullest by taking care of my relationships, finances, and overall happiness to the best of my abilities."

When you state your objective so briefly, you can't help but focus on taking the right actions for where you want to be. Doing so also helps keep you from being aimless and scattered and avoids getting into hit-and-miss situations.

✔ Plan, be organized, and set goals. Envision the big picture of your desired life and then break it down into manageable parts. It would help if you had a strategy or action plan for everything you want to accomplish. To begin, set goals appropriate to your mission statement and then devise a plan on how to go about achieving them.

Nothing happens by itself, so take charge of your life - take the bull by the horns. Rather than daydreaming or 'wishing' for what you want, set the wheels for success in motion by goal setting and planning. The planning stages can be fun and challenging! Not only will you achieve your objectives, but you will also sharpen your critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the process.

The most successful CEOs in the world, at the best companies, are those who set realistic, achievable goals, plan the best strategies, and execute them accordingly. They also set priorities, organize their tasks and duties and ensure all the different departments run smoothly and efficiently. A famous quote states, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

✔ Maintain a positive attitude. Sometimes, when your best efforts to take control of your life don't go according to Plan, one of the hardest things to do is remain positive. As any CEO will tell you, obstacles and roadblocks inevitably get in the way of any launch or rollout. In a similar example, ask any athlete, inventor, or composer whether every endeavor comes together smoothly for them and without any glitches. Not!

The quality or character trait that separates those who succeed from those who do not is a positive attitude and an unshakable belief in themselves. They do not let negative thoughts or obstacles get in the way of ultimate achievement. But, of course, that doesn't mean it's easy; it means that persistence and focus are necessary.

Those who cannot maintain control of their lives often give up at the first sign of trouble or difficulty. When that happens, all else seems to unravel as well, and they mistakenly feel they have no control of anything. This type of mindset is both counterproductive and detrimental to progress. Maintaining a positive attitude is essential for taking control of your life.

✔ Have fun. While taking control of your life involves a lot of planning, strategy, and execution, it could weigh you down if you forget to take time for some fun. Living a full, productive life requires balancing work, relaxation, and recreation. Too much structure makes Jack or Jill a dull person.

To take control of your life, try an experiment by envisioning yourself as the CEO of your company - your own life. The concept alone will make you feel more in control. Then start making the types of plans, choices, and decisions you would expect a successful CEO makes. It will surprise you how much more you will feel in control of your life. It may take some practice and role-playing, but the outcome will be - YOU in control of your life.

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