Have you ever had that gut-wrenching feeling like you’re wasting your life? No matter what you do, your wheels are just spinning, and you’re literally watching time slip through your fingers. I know that feeling incredibly well because I’ve lived it. There was a time when I was lost, broke, and depressed.
You hear about people hitting rock bottom. My rock bottom was May 19th 2006. It was my birthday, and I had turned 30 years old. I filed for bankruptcy for a half million dollars of debt. My dream from age 12 was gone, and I feel like I wasted my 20s. The hardest part wasn’t being broke because I had grown up on welfare and didn’t have any money. The problem was that I didn’t know what to do next. I didn’t have a Plan B. I felt like a giant loser, but I’m here to tell you it’s never too late.
Sometimes, we feel like we’re in a rut and feel stuck. But with actionable steps, you can overcome this and go in the right direction. It’s never too late to take control of your life. Take control of your actions and environment, and get out of your way. You can find your new direction and accomplish anything. You are not stuck or a failure, and it’s not too late. You are the one that decides where you’re going and the action you’re going to take. Commit to it and start today.
You can feel like you are not accomplishing anything for several reasons.
- You don’t have a goal. You need to have a clear direction for your life; without it, there’s no way you’ll move yourself in the right direction. You can’t wait for success to fall out of the sky or knock on your door.
- You shouldn’t compare yourself to others. You may see your friends with good jobs who make over six figures, drive nice cars, and have a wife or a girlfriend. You may feel like a massive loser because you’re not doing the same things as them, but this perception is dangerous and detrimental. It can prevent you from truly looking at yourself and realizing your own potential and dreams.
- Comfort zones can also make us feel like we’re wasting our lives. You need to get out of your comfort zone and grow. You can make the best decisions by being uncomfortable and having difficult times. Be willing to take risks and chances because they will ultimately pay off. Comfort breeds laziness, and it doesn’t make you reach for anything. Work to better yourself and your financial situation.
- Wasting time can make you feel like you’re wasting your life. Don’t waste your time on stupid stuff like looking at your phone and surfing aimlessly. Harness your time and be productive.
- You may also feel like you’re wasting your life because you’re living your life for somebody else. Whether it’s your parents, girlfriend, boyfriend, or whoever, if you’re not living your own dream, you can feel like you’re wasting your life. Be willing to upset other people to fulfill your destiny and dreams.
- You can’t wait for perfect timing. It doesn’t exist. The right time is now if you truly want to do anything extraordinary. You do not wait.
So, how do you move yourself forward in the right direction?
Be honest with yourself and audit your life. Know what’s going on with your time, your most valuable asset, and how you’re spending it.
Have goals. Have one goal, not 20. Focus on one thing and do that one thing well. Focus your energy on your North Star, which nobody gets to decide. Whether starting a business, losing weight, getting a better job, getting married, or whatever, focus on that, and you will be successful.
Educate yourself and get a mentor. Learn to move forward, whether joining Skillshare, the White Label Mpire, or hiring a coach. Don’t get bogged down in learning, however. Just take action.
Have a schedule. Be disciplined and be selfish with your time. It’s impossible to wing success or a productive day. Have a daily plan, which is one of my secrets. I’m consistent and boring. In my 20s, I was self-destructive and wasted too much time and energy. Instead, focus so that you’ve got that discipline when you hit your 30s.
Surround yourself with better friends. This can be hard because people think others are their ‘ride or die.’ Look for people who will facilitate the chapter in your life that contains your dreams. These people will get you into the right mindset to be successful. I had to break up with many friends I was hanging out with in my twenties because there was zero chance of success.
Take action today. Action kills fear, and this is profound. You have to be able to be scared but also take action regardless. This separates the winners from the losers.
