We all know what we are experiencing since the economic world turned upside down – a range anywhere from fear, despair and uncertainty to a complete inability to make decisions. HOW do you navigate when you’re not sure where you’re going? How do you steer the ship in the right direction when you have no idea where or what that is? That is what’s being asked of us, all of us, now. Once we get a handle on exactly WHAT is happening, it’s always the HOW to get through it successfully that makes all the difference. Here are some ideas to hold onto so that we all come out winners.

7 keys to Building Your Future

1. The ability to see the invisible. We have to create our own reality and destination. Sure there will be detours, road blocks, mountains to climb, bridges to cross, and we don’t know where and when they will emerge. But, manifesting your own future, exactly as you want it, will create your roadmap. So, let your mind explore all that you want the future to hold for you – no holding back! Yes, only those who can see the invisible can do the impossible.
2. Turn your vision into tangible goals. Make it real; not just a ‘dream’. Work towards it every single day. Inch by inch. And, be SMART about it! *Specific Measurable Attainable Results Oriented Time Bound * Use this SMART model to carve out what you want, what you want it to look like, and where you want to go.
3. Communicate. That’s right! Don’t keep it to yourself. Tell everyone, and especially those who work for you and with you. You will create accountability for yourself. Paint a clear, verbal picture so that your staff and co-workers can see it too. In fact, they can support you in making it a reality.
4. Staying power. That wind is going to blow; those roadblocks will come up; those detours and slow downs are inevitable on any journey. Count on them! And when they show up, identify them. ‘Yep. Here they are’ but, stay the course. No matter what you hear and see; no matter what the newscasters say, or any naysayers near you, filter it out and stay focused…even in the face of doubt.
5. Identify the day-to-day steps. Take that vision and turn it into action. What do you need to do right now, today, to get closer to it becoming a reality? DO IT! Put it down on paper and read it every day. An airline pilot may have flown the same flight plan 100 times, but reads it each trip as if it were the first. Many things bombard our thinking each day. READ IT in the morning, and READ IT in the evening. Your mind is a powerful instrument and it will make it happen.
6. Plan. Write your plans daily, weekly, monthly. When you enter your place of business, they are the first things you should see and read. They are your flight plan! 7. SMILE. That’s right! Your body language says it all. When you smile you engage your happy muscles and your mind catches on. It’s contagious. People around you usually smile back, and so you create a pleasant environment even in these tough economic waters. Nothing is more powerful than someone reflecting confidence in the face of uncertainty.

NOW – make it happen! And let me know when you get there!