1 Just think

Have you ever marked another month off the calendar and wondered where the days went? You feel like you’re on a treadmill; get up, go to work, come home and do it all again. There’s no time to just stop… catch your breath, let alone figure out how you really want to be spending your days – you’re too busy just getting through another day.
So…get ‘unbusy’ - get away from your desk, your phone and your email.
Make a point of scheduling in a regular space in your diary to get away from your normal routine, distractions and demands on your time. Mark this space as a meeting with yourself; the most important person in your life!
Find a place that encourages thinking, whether it’s a café or walking in the bush. Your most powerful ideas and creativeness come from these times when you allow your mind to free wheel. This ‘unbusyness’ is far more fruitful than being anchored to your computer answering emails and fighting fires, because this time is thinking about your life, the big picture – before it all evaporates and you wake up to find you’ve run out of life.
Take stock of your life, ask yourself if you’re happy with the direction of your future; is this really what you want to be doing? What needs to change? How can you make changes?
Any action in your life starts with a thought – but you need to invest in some thinking time to have that thought.

2. Energise

Making changes in your life, starting or growing a business requires an enormous amount of energy and focus.
Mind and body wellness has to be a priority – if you fall ill or burnout, then your plans and dreams could crumble away.
Gather a team of professional supporters – a nutritionist, a masseur, a personal trainer, a life coach; people who can help you to perform at your best, so you are able to follow your dreams.
Add new activities into your day so life isn’t all about work; take up yoga and learn meditation to combat stress. Make time for that creative hobby that takes you into ‘the zone’, whether it’s dancing, painting, or playing music.
Like a race car, you need to refuel. Have weekends off to relax, unwind and rejuvenate so you can hit a new week revitalised and racing.

3. Find role models

Be inspired by other people’s success and let it open your mind to the possibilities that await you! Learn about people whom you admire; read their books, listen to them at conferences and introduce yourself at meetings.
Don’t be afraid to call them and ask to meet them over a coffee.

4. Make your dreams bigger than your fears

Realise your fears are just excuses and that you do have choices. You can choose to follow your dream… or not. To take up the challenge or to play it safe. Keep your dream in front of you to inspire and motivate you and believe that you can achieve it.
Asking yourself what is the worst that could possibly happen puts your fears into perspective. As someone once said, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.

5. Focus

Be very clear about what your dream/goal is. Write your dreams down, and create a step by step action plan to achieve them.
What will it feel like once achieved? What will it look like? What’s the first action you’ll take? How will you get around the obstacles?

6. Live your purpose and passion

Decide to have no regrets in life. Make your motto: Just did it! Don’t let your music die inside of you. Find out what your purpose is; how will you make a difference to the world and other people and make it a better place?
Determine what activities in your life are goal orientated and ‘passion’ activities and which activities can be delegated or outsourced – and begin to delegate! (Do you really need to spend all Saturday mowing the lawns?) The result is that you spend more of your time doing the things you love and that bring you closer to realising your goals.

7. Get support

Set up your own mastermind group. Meet every three weeks and take turns to report your goal progress and brainstorm ideas for solutions to any obstacles. Or find a goal setting buddy and meet twice yearly to set your goals and action steps for the year and then meet every three weeks to make each other accountable on progress.

8. Enjoy the journey

Enjoy the process of the journey – life isn’t about perfection it’s about enjoying the process; because when you get ‘there’ it will become ‘here’ and then you will have another ‘there’.

"When you do the thing you can do you'll find the way and the way will find you." (Winnie The Pooh)

Fiona Powell is the founder of entrepreneur-ette