If you want to live in your top 1%, you will need to get in the game — sitting on the sidelines will not take you very far. It’s a dynamic process and one that involves continuously assessing where you are and what your priorities are at different phases in your life. Here are five core questions to help you develop a path to your top 1%. You are closer than you think:
1. Am I doing what I love?
Some people feel this question is unrealistic or impossible to attain but it’s not. It’s a fair question and one that you need to ask continuously. You may present many challenges as to why it’s impossible to change jobs or aspects of your life that don’t work but that’s exactly what this question helps you identify. You deserve to be happy and to love what you do. I had several jobs in my finance career that I just did not “love” and eventually decided to change my life. It takes courage to ask this question and even more courage to bring into your life what you love to do.
2. Am I spending time with people who are positive influences on my life?
This is such a critical question. Every touch point needs to be positive or else you need to limit that influence in your life. This applies to friends, family, organizations, what you read, and other influences. Everyone needs friends but it’s essential that the friends you have in your life enhance rather than drain your energy.
3. Am I bringing things into my life that make me happy?
Recently, I was talking with a client who was ending a relationship and changing careers. He was focused on what he didn’t want in his life and I suggested a simple shift in his mindset to focus on what he DID want to bring into his life. He loved the change in perspective and noticed that it helped him to be positive and forward thinking. He wanted time to play golf, re-do his home office, and see his buddies once a week. Often, the simple things make a difference.
4. Do my daily thoughts help me or prevent me from reaching my goals?
Just like we decide what clothes we wear each day, we can decide what and how we think. It is a choice. You can either reinforce all the things you don’t want to bring into your life or what you do want. Take one day and listen to the words of people around you or even look at posts on Facebook, you’ll notice that people often use negative words for no reason. I’m not saying it’s always easy but this approach is a healthy starting point.
5. What rituals am I practicing to live my best life?
Rituals are the consistent set of practices that help you perform at your best. I have intentionally used this word because people often view rituals as a core part of their life rather than as an optional practice. Rituals can be practiced daily, weekly, yearly, or as often as you want. You may have a morning ritual to say gratitude, exercise, or walk your dog. Rituals help to calm your mind, think with greater clarity, and perform at a higher level. What role do rituals play in your life?
Please stay connected and share your thoughts on my Facebook and Twitter pages. You can learn more about creating your best life in my new book, Living in Your Top %, available March 1, 2011 on Amazon.
Believe in yourself,
Alissa
About Alissa
Alissa Finerman is an Executive Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, speaker and author of Living in YOUR Top 1%. She works with managers, C-suite executives and teams to leverage strengths, shift beliefs and achieve meaningful goals. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked with Ross Stores, Petco, BNP Paribas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Brookfield Property Partners, Neutrogena, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dress for Success. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook
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