So many people from CEOs to receptionists are riding through life with their foot on the brake too frightened to live the life they want, to seize the day and accelerate their career. They, themselves, are the biggest obstacle to their success, not their manager or their organisation, nor their circumstances. If this is you, here are 15 steps to take to create the professional future you really want.

Your Starting Point – Make a decision to empower yourself for success. Spend time in empowering spaces, surrounded by empowered and empowering people.

 

• Conquer your fear and don’t let the fear of failure stop you having a go.

 

• Move out of your comfort zone. Mix with people who are high performing and have high expectations.

 

• Don’t just focus on being learned. Become a learner and inherit this changing world.

 

• Take risks, stretch yourself and discover talents you didn’t know you had.

 

• Learn self-discipline because nothing is achieved without it.

 

• Connect with the big “Yes” inside you so you can say “No” to what’s not important.

 

• Don’t wait for the right time to take action. It will never be just right.

 

• Understand and control your emotions so you can become the highly sought after professional.

 

• Let go of anger that drains your energy and blocks your ability to see the opportunities that will enhance your career.

 

• Be willing to embrace the struggle because that’s where we gain the toughness to persist.

 

• Set your aim high and decide to play a bigger game than you are playing now.

 

• Procrastinate no longer. Just do it!

 

• When you can’t change what life serves you, change the way you respond to it.

 

• Manage your energy, not your time, and time will take care of itself.

 

• Be pro-active, rather than reactive, and create your own success.