1. If you don’t have a plan, you’ll always be a part of someone else’s

It’s essential to make your own plan, taking the reins in your own life and career. If you don’t, you’ll become part of someone else’s plan, and they might not always have the best intentions. That’s not to say you can’t voluntarily play a part in someone else’s plan. At work, your manager often has a plan for the entire team, and you’ll play a part in that to a certain extent. Even so, you can still make your own plan within these boundaries.

If you know what your responsibilities are and what you’ll be measured on, use that in setting your goals. Your goals and plan are essential in deter- mining your focus, your priorities, your development and eventually your success. So, make a plan. Actually, don’t just make it – live it!

2. Don’t get too comfortable because you don’t want to end up in your comfort zone
As soon as you start feeling too comfortable, you’ll know it’s time to set the bar a little higher and start challenging yourself. Of course, it’s also fine to give yourself time to breathe whenever possible. It’s essential that you can reload and regain new energy, in order to find new inspiration and new ideas.

The magic happens outside of your comfort zone.

The point is standing still for too long means you’re not growing. Without growing, you’ll never reach your full potential and that will eat away at you. It will make you feel restless and unhappy, because you know there’s more you can do and achieve. So, keep challenging yourself and don’t be afraid to set ambitious goals that make you feel a little nervous.

3. The way you deal with challenges can determine your future

Let me burst your bubble: life never goes to plan. Life isn’t linear. It’s a journey full of ups and downs. Just when you think everything is going well, you’ll be presented with the next challenge. Some are more challenging than others, but that’s just life. There are many things we can influence, but also many things we can’t that we simply have to deal with. The challenges we have no control over are the toughest. But the way you deal with them determines your future. Because you always have a choice!

We don’t get to control what people say to us or what happens to us, but we do control how we react to these things and what kind of impact we let them have on us. I know that’s easier said than done, and real life is never as easy, but the more you realize this the more you’ll see it’s really true.

When my brother died, I had a choice, both in business and in my private life. Of course, it didn’t feel like that at the time, because my life was a complete mess – and so was I. After a couple of weeks, I decided to continue our business, no matter how hard that was. I got a loan to buy out my sister-in-law and continued to build on my brother’s legacy. This choice determined my future and eventually led to a successful sale after four years.

It taught me two incredibly valuable lessons. First: we always have a choice, no matter how tough things may seem. Second: we can always find a way to make things work, as long as we’re motivated enough.

4. You’re only as strong as you think you are

How often do you tell yourself something is too hard? Too tough? You can’t do it because you’ve never done it before. It’s not for you. We’re so good at convincing ourselves of why we can’t do certain things.

Bottom line is; you’re only as strong as you think you are. If you really want something and feel a deeper motivation to achieve it, you’ll always find a way to make it possible. If not one way, then another. I believe we are much stronger than we think. It’s all about having a good mindset that allows you to reach new heights time and time again. Your success depends on what you tell yourself and how much you believe in your own strengths.

5. Don’t hang onto the past

It can be tempting to hang onto the past, thinking about past situations or things that ‘happened’ to us. At the end of the day, this will bring you nothing but negativity and it won’t make you feel any better.

Talk about things and don’t bottle them up because they’ll always find a way out. Especially when it comes to emotions or our personal values. Determine whether you can change something about a situation. If you can, take the necessary steps. If you can’t, speak about it, write it down, vent to your heart’s content and then let it go!

Don’t let yourself worry about situations or incidents you can’t change. Really let go of these things. Otherwise, they will affect your functionality and mentality. Having regrets won’t get you anywhere. You’re bound to make some wrong choices. Learn from them, but don’t get caught up in them. That’s a total waste of energy!

6. Don’t give up!

The difference between successful people and the rest is successful people don’t quit. You don’t win overnight: it takes a longer period of time and lots of hard work. Success is something you work on consistently, which is why you need to trust the process.

If you don’t immediately see the results you want, maybe you need to adjust. That’s why evaluation is so important. Some things may even need to be adjusted several times before you can really get them to work. It’s such a waste to give up after the first try. This is exactly where winners and people who don’t make it to the top differ.

7. Think outside the box

We can’t solve our problems with the same mindset that caused them.

When faced with challenges, and even with determining your goals, it’s important to think outside the box. It’s simple, really: if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll just get what you’ve always gotten. Often, that’s precisely not what we’re looking for. Especially when overcoming challenges, it’s important to change your mindset. At the end of the day, it was that mindset that got you here. If that’s not where you want to be, you need to be creative in finding a solution. What could you have done differently to get a different result? Also consider asking someone else for input. They can give you a completely new perspective on the situation.

8. Happiness is a choice

Okay, sometimes it takes a little bit of luck, but generally, happiness is a choice. You choose how you view things and whether you see them in a positive or negative light. Are you only looking at the things you think you’re missing? Or the things others have that you don’t? Remember that you’re the one that’s responsible for your own life and career!

We’re presented with new opportunities all the time, and it’s up to you to take them or not. That’s not a question of being lucky. It’s about assessing your chances and going for it. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. That’s when you adjust and make a new choice. Simple as that. It’s okay to change your mind, direction, and choices. Everything we experience, every hurdle we take, makes us grow. They might make us adjust our course and that’s okay. I didn’t have a strict route or plan of action when I was building my company. I made choices in every situation I was presented with. Sometimes I just went with my gut feeling. Does it feel right or not? Do you feel confident in this decision? The most important thing is staying true to yourself and the things you value.