Many single parent families struggle to survive. Most have the will to be successful but few have the tools. If you have the right attitude and discipline, you can and will achieve success. The first step is creating habits and conditions conducive to a successful mindset (see Success Forming Habits Part 1) and the next step is putting it into practice and adding new ideas to your routine.
From the time to wake up to the time you go to bed, the little things you do throughout the day with your body, mind and soul contribute to the direction of your life. So if you want to get to that next level of your life (for example, get that business off the ground) and you’re having trouble getting there, here are some success-forming habits to keep you focused, healthy and well-balanced:
Success means Continuous Learning
Never stop learning. Expand your knowledge base by reading byte sized news in the morning perhaps on your commute. Create a news feed of topics that interests you like politics, local news, technology, real estate so you can keep up to the latest information and trending topics. Knowing what’s going on in the world gives you a wealth of subject matter to talk about.
The Importance of Networking
Who has time to network when you have kids and career to juggle? But to move up in the world, it’s not always what you know but who you know that helps to get your there. Pick the right events to be at where you will meet the type of people you want to be associated with or will help you to achieve your goals. If you are starting a business, go to a Chamber of Commerce event with other like-minded individuals.
Be Accountable to Yourself
Keep yourself accountable to what you set out to do. If you say you are going to do something, then make sure you do it. If you have trouble doing this on your own, ask a friend, a mentor or a colleague to help you stay accountable. Things like exercising 3 times a week or staying away from fatty foods are easy to measure and track. You can get others to help you stay “on track”.
Be Part of the Community
Being part of the community for volunteer or charity work has many positive social and emotional benefits. It creates a sense of belonging, helps you build skills, gives you an opportunity to network and gives you a rewarding feeling. This is important for maintaining a healthy, well-being.
Take Time for Self-Reflection
Part of the journey to success is learning from your mistakes, admitting to it and figuring out what you can do better. The saying goes that you can’t succeed until you failed enough times. The underlying message is that you reflect upon the mistake, learn from it and do it differently next time. Take the time to self-reflect so you don’t repeat the same mistake again or identify the wins and do it again or do it better.
Slowly integrate these habits into your life at frequencies that work for you and you’ll see positive results over time. Don’t change the way you do everything all at once. Continue learning every day, networking or volunteering when the opportunity arises, practice self-reflection as much as possible, and hold yourself accountable always.
Changing well ingrained habits is not easy to do. Don’t expect too much of yourself at first. It will take some time. Create a formula that works for you and share your goals with others as a means to reinforce your commitment and soon, you’ll be heading in the right direction.
