You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness. Zig Ziglar
Do you want to create a bigger future?
Do you have a specific desire? Do you want to reinvent yourself?
I believe what I’m sharing with you next will definitely help you get what you think is impossible.
Why?
These are the exact 7 principles I followed when I was a 24 years old clueless immigrant from North Africa to Canada.
I followed them not because I was a genius; it was my only option.
I left my country with $1300 and paid $350 for a room on day one. Left with $950, I started my journey to study for a master’s degree that costs $40,000 for International Students on top of the living expenses in Montreal.
When I think about it now, it’s not big money. But, back then, my perspective was different. Coming from a family with a household income of around $3000 a year, yes, A YEAR. And The most money I saved was the $1300 I brought with me. It was a lot.
It’s about perspective!
These principles will help you create a bigger future. It doesn’t matter your starting point.
After graduation from the top Engineering school in my country, my dad shared a piece of news with me.
“The past years were challenging; I needed to borrow money from two friends to keep up.”
I was shocked, but what seemed to be bad news was my first motivation to do things differently. I must help him pay that back!
I decided not to work in my country and to leave, looking for a better future. It’s the only way to create a better, bigger future for myself and my family. I’m the oldest son.
I’m breaking a generational inheritance of lack of income and resources.
A couple of days later, I asked my dad two questions:
- Can you still take care of the family, or do you need me to work right now?
- Can you buy me a one-way ticket to Canada? I’m going to study more.
He said, you know I always encourage you to study; it’s something I’ve never been able to do myself. I’ll manage. You go!
Today, I earn multiple six figures and am on the path to continue growing!
A friend once told me, “Sometimes, it’s not about what you have achieved but rather about what you have overcome.”
I’m confident I’m not the only one who has done something similar!
Wherever you want to do in life, hacks and shortcuts often help you make things happen. There are universal principles that will work for you.
It wasn’t because of hard work that I finished my studies without an anchor of debts on my neck. There is more to the story.
I didn’t listen to anyone who said it was not possible. Instead, I convinced myself that I was different than that person.
When you know what you want, you will find a way to put yourself in the ideal state to achieve it. You will experience a mindset shift and habits changes to keep moving forward.
You will have your weapons and be the army of one. You are the only person responsible for writing your own story.
Consider these points to add to your arsenal.
1. Define a Clear Mission
“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson
When you define your mission, the path will unfold progressively. The first step will become clear.
That’s all that you need; take the first step.
My mission was “I will go there, get accepted into the master’s degree, and complete without debt.”
Intentions are powerful. They are the source of creation.
When you know what you want, you develop selective attention. You start noticing opportunities in everything around you.
You won’t have problems organizing your schedule or knowing your following actions with a clear mission.
You will have a filter on; the following actions should bring you closer to your goal. You will invest your time and energy in the right resources and with the right people.
2. Take New Sets Of Risks
“You can’t get anywhere in life without taking risks. Esme Bianco
Some opportunities will present themselves only one time. It would help if you had enough courage to seize them.
There are no free lunches. You must be ready to pay the price.
Creating a more prominent future implies living new experiences. You’ll only get there by taking a new set of risks.
Everything in life has an embedded risk in it. You are accepting the risk of a choke while you are drinking water.
Accept a new challenge. It has to be scary. Otherwise, it’s not worth doing; it’s not big enough to contribute to your growth.
Taking a new set of risks doesn’t mean being crazy and irresponsible. It means moving forward with your actions toward an unguaranteed outcome while being fully or partially misinformed about the entire process.
I had to move to a new country, without family, without friends, without money, and without a guaranteed result. I wasn’t accepted to the master’s degree program when I arrived. I still find a way and believe it will happen.
Be open to experiencing something new, measure your steps, and prepare an exit plan while keeping your hope and faith high.
If I haven’t done that, I won’t be writing this article today. I won’t be able to have the life I enjoy today. That was the seed to creating a bigger future.
What new sets of risks can you take today?
3. Master The Art Of Planning
You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. Zig Ziglar
You don’t need a strict and detailed plan for everything ahead of time. Imagine more than one scenario for each step, and be prepared for it.
Your success depends on your preparation.
Alan Lakein said: Failing to plan is planning to fail. You will minimize surprises and have control over the processes. You will do life instead of letting life, do you.
Distinguish between a goal and a plan. A goal is a desired outcome in the future. A plan consists of the milestones and strategies to get there.
Let your plan be flexible and open to change. Trust the process!
During your journey, you will meet new people, get further information, and fail at specific steps. Consequently, your strategy could change accordingly.
4. Solve Problems As You Face Them
“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.” John Lubbock
It’s by far one of the most helpful principles. I don’t create problems; I solve them when they come to my experience.
The time you spend visualizing your future should be way more than the time you spend worrying.
No one lived the next day the way they had imagined it. You will face problems, but none of them will match your list of worries.
It’s part of the game, and each problem has a solution almost always.
When you focus on the possible problems, you can stop yourself before even starting.
Start today by facing your most minor fears; you will slowly develop the qualities, skills, and mindset to solve more complex issues.
Solving more significant problems equals creating more noticeable results.
5. Adapt Fast
“I adapt, and I adjust to whatever environment I’m in. Kevin Gates
The world changes fast. Learn to adapt, or you will be forced to!
The only constant in life is changes. You will experience many changes in your process of achieving your goals.
Stuff will happen! It could be in your control or out of your control. In both cases, the meaning you associate to life events is 100% under your control.
Learn to adapt to new life situations. And do it quickly.
A sudden change is uncomfortable, but don’t let it stop you from moving forward.
Adapt and create new paths, new relationships, and new strategies.
Look ahead and don’t lose your time grieving the past.
You may need to take extra jobs for extra cash. You may need to start over and create a new plan. Your friends may leave you, and your partner may leave you. Your idea may fail.
Adapt.
6. Keep The End in Mind
Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in. Bill Bradley
Any new endeavor starts with excitement. You go full in at the beginning. Consequently, you build the lifestyle and habits to make your goal happen.
You will enter autopilot mode. You will carry on doing your tasks without conscious thoughts. Keep the end in mind and remind yourself of your mission daily.
In the airplane, the autopilot system controls the trajectory hands-off. It allows the team to focus on another aspect of operations; they interfere only when the aircraft changes direction for any reason.
Do what’s needed and interfere when you feel like slipping away from your trajectory.
You know your arrival point; you defined your target, planned, and are taking action. Keep that in mind!
Life events and circumstances could distract you from your original plan.
Stay conscious of your mission, and you will automatically adjust yourself.
Remind yourself why you have started in the first place.
7. Don’t Do It Alone
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Jim Rohn
Since I was a kid, my parents have said the proverb: “You can’t clap with one hand.”
You can’t achieve too much by yourself.
- Leverage the power of relationships
- Be mindful of who you spend time with
- Ask for help, and accept help
Key relationships are crucial. Per “The six degree of separation theory,” you can use the “friend of friend chain” to reach anyone worldwide. If you build a relationship of trust with people, they will be glad to introduce you to their friends.
Each one around you has expertise in different specialties. When you hang out with the right people, you will indirectly learn from them about exciting topics that you didn’t find the time and the opportunity to discover by yourself.
Help as many people as you can. Relationships are based on reciprocity. When you are helpful to people, they will help you back, or someone else will. Some are a win-win situation, and it’s entirely reasonable.
You will be down sometimes and need someone to lift you some other time. You will need someone to listen to you; you will need someone to guide you.
Maintain great relationships. Have mentors or hire coaches. Do them all!
Personally, I can’t forget two of my friends, whom I called when I was broke one day and facing a life-changing event.
I couldn’t make a rational decision by myself; I was emotional that day. Without their advice (literally two small phrases), I could have done something different and ended up with different results.
I consider myself today the sum of everyone who has coached me, who left a positive impression on me, or said a nice word to me.
Go for it! You deserve a quantum leap.