10 Ways to be More Successful in Life

Being an entrepreneur, and being surrounded by other entrepreneurs, I have noticed certain traits that a lot of successful people have. Now keep in mind that success can be measured in many different ways, to different people. However you define success, I believe there are certain things that you can do to increase success in any area of your life.

Here are my 10 tips to be more successful in your life:

1. Dream: All of the successful people that I know are dreamers! They dare to think outside of the box and have a clear vision of what they want to achieve. One of my favourite quotes of all time is from Walt Disney; "If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started by a mouse". Dreaming big is one of the first steps to being successful.

2. Find Your Passion: Most of the successful people that I know are passionate. They love what they do and their enthusiasm is contagious. Whether in business or finding a hobby, spend time doing the things that you love. Trust me, it will have a positive effect on all areas of your life!

3. Work Hard and Never Give Up: Being successful means doing whatever it takes to achieve your goals. This is a very important point. You have to be willing to put in the work to achieve your dreams. Too many people get overwhelmed and give up before they succeed. I like the analogy that Will Smith uses in the video at the end of this blog post. He talks about rather than focusing on building an entire brick wall, focus on placing a brick. Place it the best way it can be placed and then move on to the next brick. One day, without realizing it, you will have a brick wall. Sometimes focusing on the big picture can be overwhelming, so try focusing on one step at a time. Eventually you will succeed in achieving your dreams. Be persistent, work hard and never give up on something that you believe in.

4. Set Goals: There is something very powerful about writing down a goal. It has been proven that you are more likely to achieve a goal if you write it down. Not only does it help you clarify what you want to achieve, it also helps motivate you to take action. Write down big picture goals, things that you want to achieve within the next year or next five years. Then break those into smaller goals, things that you want to achieve this month or this week.

5. Make a Difference: A trait that I have found in a lot of successful people is the desire to give back and to create purpose in their work and life. The most successful people I know make a positive impact on the lives of people around them. There are so many ways to make a difference in people's lives and to give back. Have fun and get creative! Because I have a background in events, one of the things that I do every year to give back is a big Halloween event that raises money for The Canadian Cancer Society and CADS. It is so rewarding knowing that you are making a difference in people's lives.

6. Never Stop Growing and Learning: As some of you know, one of the reasons that prompted me to start writing this blog is that I just signed up for a certificate program in social and digital media. Although I already have some experience using social media for my business, as well as for some clients, I knew there was a lot I didn't know and wanted to learn. Never stop growing and learning in all areas of your life! The adventure and excitement of living is in learning and experiencing new things. I challenge you to do something new and out of your comfort zone this year.

7. Don't be Afraid of Failure: It might surprise you, but in general people who are the most successful have experienced significant failure. People have a negative perception of failure for some reason. When I fail, I try to look at it like a learning experience. There is always something to learn from making a mistake. Sometimes failure just means that it wasn't meant to be and that something else is on the horizon for you. Learn and grow from your failures, don't let them get you down because they are leading you to something even better! Checkout some failures, from some of the most successful and famous people out there today. Hopefully it changes the way you think about failure:

8. Practice Gratitude Daily: Gratitude is another trait that I have noticed in most successful people. People who approach life with a sense of gratitude are able to appreciate all the good things in life. They celebrate all of the successes and tend to attract more of that into their life. When you spend time focusing on the good, more good will come. On the same note, when things don't go as planned, people who practice gratitude are able to put those things in perspective and not dwell too much on the negative. They are too busy focusing on the positive, and being grateful for what they do have. There is also a direct correlation between happiness and success; happier people tend to attract more success into their lives.

9. Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People: One of the best ways to be successful is to surround yourself with positive, hard working, motivated and like-minded people. People that you admire and inspire you to grow. Try to distance yourself from negative people as much as possible, because they may bring you down rather than helping you achieve your dreams. I am constantly inspired by the people around me, which makes me want to grow and be successful in my life.

10. Believe: Sometimes you have to believe when no one else around you does. If you have the courage to dream, and let nothing sway the belief you have in that dream, you will create so much success in your life and will inspire others to do the same. If you believe in something strong enough and are willing to put in the work, you will be able to achieve anything. So never give up believing and working on achieving your dreams.

This is one of my all time favourite videos. Everything Will Smith says resonates with me! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do:

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