How to Create The Life You Want

The first step towards creating the life you want starts with figuring out exactly what you want.

Many of us allow ourselves to be pulled along unconsciously by the various forces in life, such as family responsibilities, life circumstances, or the personal agendas of others. We drift through life when we choose to react to events instead of taking charge of our life proactively. In other words, we drift through life when we fail to live life consciously.

As time passes, we start to wonder why our lives have become so different from what we had imagined it to be. The truth is, almost no one ends up where they want to be in their lives unconsciously.

In this post, I would like to share with you the three essential questions that you need to ask yourself, to stop the drift and live life the way you want.

Question 01 | How do you want to be remembered?

Beginning with the end in mind, imagine for a moment that you are no longer alive. Who would you like to be present at your funeral? What would you like each of these individuals to say about you? Would you like your children to say that you were a good worker, or a good mom (or dad)?

Thinking about your legacy helps you determine the relationship that you would like to build with each of these people in your life. It gives you clarity about what is important to you. If you would like your children to remember you as a good mom instead of a good worker, you still have time to make that happen.

Question 02 | What matters most to you?

This question refers to your priorities. There may be different areas in your life that are competing for your attention at any one time – perhaps career, family, or personal needs. These needs can change with the seasons of life, but being very clear about what matters most to you at the moment helps you make the right decisions towards the life that you have scripted for yourself.

For me, I find that starting the day with reading what matters most to me has a positive influence on my behavior. I become more patient with my husband when I am reminded that his positive and negative emotions are important to me as well.

Question 03 | How do I get from here to there?

The last question focuses on taking action. What are the immediate next steps that you can take now to get closer to your ideal life? What are the specific commitments that you have to make?

This does not mean having to script the entire journey from where you are at now, to where you want to be. This is a common misconception and a common mistake that many make. Many people believe that they can achieve their ideal lives only if they can see a clear path from where they are at now, to where they want to be. Since scripting out an entire life journey is highly impossible, many people end up giving up even before trying.

The idea is to focus on the immediate steps that you can take, and let the rest of the steps fall into place when the time comes.

The process of answering these three questions should help you gain more clarity and set yourself up towards the direction of the life you want. I hope this process has inspired you to start taking charge of your life and living life on your own terms!