In her bestselling book ‘Successful Women Think Differently, Life Strategist Valorie Burton says seven key decisions will set you on the path to reclaim your power and maximize your potential.
How bold are you about pursuing your dreams? Most people aren’t bold at all. Reclaiming your power is about making seven, key decisions that can transform what’s possible for your life. I identified them in my book Successful Women Think Differently, and here I share them with you and challenge you to make them your own.
Decision #1: I do not downsize my dreams.
Perhaps Mark Twain said it best: “It isn’t the things we did that we most regret; it’s the things we didn’t do.” To succeed at a high level, you must start expecting more. Even when you don’t get everything you expect, you’ll get a whole lot more than if you were expecting nothing at all. The moment you choose to settle, you guarantee you’ll never achieve your real dream. Choose faith over fear.
Decision #2: I focus on solutions, not problems.
The bigger you dream, the more opportunity for obstacles, challenges, and problems. Choose a mindset that sees these problems as opportunities for growth, and you will eventually walk into your vision. Just as importantly, when you focus on solutions you attract opportunities.
Decision #3: I choose to be authentic.
Be yourself. Who else can you be? It takes less effort and energy to be yourself, but it also takes courage. Fear that you will not be accepted or approved just as you are can lead you to send your “representative” out into the world. She looks like the real you, but she’s not. She’s a counterfeit and whatever success she has is built on false pretenses that you must keep up in order to maintain success.
Decision #4: I choose courage over fear.
Like problems, fear is inevitable. But it’s not a stop sign. Fear is the most common obstacle to achieving true success and happiness. Fear tempts you to shrink from your authentic desires. It causes you to rationalize yourself out of a great idea. It leads you to pretend you don’t really want what you really want. Like problems, fear is inevitable. But it’s not a stop sign. Refuse to succumb to it.
Decision #5: I choose relationships wisely and nurture them intentionally.
Success doesn’t occur in a vacuum. You need people, and people need you. Those with a strong support system have the resources that open doors of opportunity and empower them to manage any challenge. Don’t go it alone.
Decision #6: I actively seek feedback and use it to grow.
You need people around you who tell you the truth. Resilient people know this. And even when they don’t like what they hear, they listen, process it, and ask themselves, “Is there a grain of truth to this feedback, even if it’s negative?” Be humble, and use failures and mistakes as learning tools. Put yourself around people who know more than you, and learn all you can from them.
Decision #7: I know my purpose and take daily action in the direction of my vision.
Consistency is key. If you continually take steps in the right direction, you will eventually arrive at your destination. Consistent action yields consistent results.
Valorie Burton (valorieburton.com) helps people get unstuck so they can be unstoppable. She is the author of multiple bestsellers, including Successful Women Think Differently and What’s Really Holding You Back? Follow her on Twitter @valorieburton and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/valorieburtonfanpage.
