Be the CEO of your own life

If you’re so focused on your career and not really thinking holistically, you need to change your mindset. You have the power to choose how you spend your time and what you want to achieve. Be the captain of your own ship and decide where you’re heading and the pace in which you’ll get there.

Despite my 30 years’ experience in business, as a corporate CEO and entrepreneur, I’ve still gotten things wrong. I’ve failed at business deals, and I’ve not been promoted in certain roles, but despite the failures, I feel passionate about being in control of your own life and proactively creating one that you deserve.

In this blog, I’ll be talking about the importance of taking control, because becoming the CEO of your own life is about stepping into greatness.

Look beyond the finer details

Whether you’re a department head, a business owner, or a solopreneur, it’s important to remember that what you do is not who you are. It’s so easy to mix our identity up with what we do, which means the lines can get quite blurred.

So, have a compelling vision.

Think bigger than you believe is possible around what you want and what’s important to you. Senior executives and business owners can be so focused on their next move, that they’re not looking at their own life and what they really want. I’ve been guilty of this in my career, and if you give the business all your attention, you often lose sight of the bigger picture.

Enhance your vision

The next step is to break your vision down into various aspects. There may be things you want to achieve for your business or career, but what about in your life? Your wellbeing? Your fitness, philanthropy, and your personal relationships?

Don’t be constrained by the business side of things, and don’t ever think that something is impossible, because while it may seem so, you’ll come to realise that you can achieve whatever you want to as long as you put your mind to it.

I find using a yearly goal planner helpful, because I don’t just have business aspirations. I use it for everything, fitness, wellbeing, networking, financial investments, etc. If you’d like a copy to use for your own vision, you can download it here.

Take care of your wellbeing

When you’re busy being ambitious, it’s natural for there to be a lot going on in your life. It’s common for self-care to come last on our list of priorities, which unfortunately is the worst thing you can do. You might feel selfish for taking some personal time, but it’s not, because if you want to be the CEO of your life, you have to be in the best possible shape.

How can you be great for your teams, your loved ones, your investors, any key people in your life, if you’re not in good shape both physically and mentally? You’re only doing yourself and everyone else a disservice.

Putting time into yourself is the most selfless thing you can do for those around you, so carve time out for you to focus on you and your wellbeing.

It all comes down to belief

What’s the point of having a compelling vision if you don’t even believe in it? If you don’t buy into it, you’re only kidding yourself.

Personally, I am constantly working on my self-belief. To do this, I use visualisation, or regularly saying positive affirmations aloud. By making it real in your mind, you’re convincing your own subconscious that it’s a done deal.

Value tenacity

Turn your vision into a reality and take steps everyday to make this happen. But remember, you’re in control. I often hear people blaming others or particular situations, but ultimately, you’ve got to own it.

You’re responsible for where you are today, and you’re also responsible for where you’ll be in the future. However, having a plan and taking baby steps forward each day can make things feel less daunting. So be tenacious, because if you improve in one area by 1% each day, that area will be 37 times better by the end of the year.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but if you want to be the CEO of your own life, you need to take action. Of course it might not always be straightforward, and it could often be one step forward and two steps backward. But that’s still progress, and we as human beings feel happiest when we’re clearly making progress.

Surround yourself with positivity

Finally, you should really pay attention to who you’re spending time with. Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker, says that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with, and there may be people in your life who aren’t on the same page as you.

Perhaps they don’t understand your vision or where you’re headed, and that’s okay. In fact, some may even show concern, which is often coming from a good place, though it could throw you off your flow and put doubt in your mind. Unfortunately, there will also be those who are just fundamentally jealous of what you’re doing, and in doing so they’re holding a mirror up to their own life and comparing.

Ultimately, ignore the naysayers and those who don’t believe in you. Sometimes you need to make radical decisions about those you choose to spend time with, whether it’s colleagues, friends, family, etc. There will always be people on a different journey, and that’s fine because you’re still friends, but there are certain topics that are just best not talked about.

Conclusion

To be the CEO of your own life, you can’t think small. Everyone has greatness within them, and you need to look at the bigger picture in order to unlock it.

What do you want your legacy to be? What do you want it to say on your gravestone? Do you want to be in the same place in 5, 10, 15 years’ time, or do you want to branch out into something completely new?

Whatever you want to do, it’s all there for the taking as long as you open your eyes and become clear on your vision. I encourage you to be selfish, think about what you want, and take tenacious action towards it every single day.

If you need guidance in becoming the CEO of your own life, contact us and see how Brave Bold Brilliant can help.

By Jeannette Linfoot www.jeannettelinfootassociates.com