How To Completely Change Your Life With A Single Piece Of Paper

What’s the difference between a go-getter and a giver-upper?

A go-getter sees failure or an obstacle as a necessary stepping stone to success.

A giver-upper, on the other hand, sees failure as a monumental, impossible-to-get-through dam.

In addition to a pencil and a sheet of paper, you’ll need acceptance. And what I mean by that is, you absolutely must accept that those “dead end” signs you inevitably come across in life can easily be dismantled. After all…

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I’m POSSIBLE!” -Audrey Hepburn

So, fellow go-getter, here’s how success can become a dream-like reality for you:

1. Take out a sheet of paper right now. Yes, as you’re reading this. Don’t have one? Find yourself a napkin. Also, grab a pencil. Not a pencil sort of gal or guy? A crayon will do just fine, but please, no typing. Writing makes this exercise infinitely more powerful.

2. Jot down today’s date in the upper corner. Number your writing surface from 1 to 10 and give yourself a bit of space between each number.

3. Find yourself a quiet place and write down your top ten goals. Don’t think of any limitations here. No dream is too big!

4. Close your eyes and visualize each goal like you have already achieved it. Is one of your goals to work from home and relax in a hammock by the beach? Feel the sun warm your bare arms and the gentle salted breeze rushing past you. Hear those sea gulls in the background fighting over a fish. Stare out into that glistening ocean that appears to be endless…

5. Now, turn that paper over. What are the things you need to give up in order to succeed? Procrastination perhaps? A dead-end job that just isn’t right for you? A selfish partner or friend who is constantly draining you? No need to number anything, just bullet point it all. Think of this as a cathartic experience.

6. Sign the bottom to symbolize a promise you’ve made to yourself. That you will never neglect these goals and you will let go of the things that do not serve you and are getting in the way of your success.

7. Carry that paper around with you. Read it to yourself in the morning, before you go to bed—especially when you feel like you’re not living your dream life.

The title of this article might sound so misleading to some of you, I know. One pencil and one sheet of paper equals success? That’s it? If that were the case, everyone would be successful.

Well, I have a personal story for you, which I’m sure you can relate to more or less… I used to work at a job I strongly disliked. Upon hire, I was told I’d be a “fundraising agent” which was the sugar-coated version for “telemarketer.” You know, that person no one wants to talk to.

Just a few weeks into the job, I was completely drained and every fiber of my being was telling me to get out. But I needed the money and I wasn’t hearing back from the other places that I had applied. So, I pressed on for a while longer—until I did exactly what I told you to do above.

On the back side of my paper, “quitting my job” was at the tip-top, triple underlined. On the other side, one of my goals was to have an amazing business partner and an awesome self-improvement business to match.

How could I possibly achieve that goal when most of my time was used up doing something that didn’t align with me on any level? I could have done both at the same time, sure, but where would my success level even be at? Not very high, I can say that much.

Needless to say, the deciding factor to leave that job was the best thing I could have ever done. Getting yelled and sworn at roughly five hours a day just wasn’t the kind of life I wanted to live. No one should settle for that kind of life! Now I get to do what I love: writing and helping others improve every aspect of their lives with a more-than-amazing business partner by my side.

We may not know each other at all, but please promise me AND promise yourself this: Not only will you create this goal sheet, you will make it a point to read it to yourself, and take the necessary actions to achieve those goals.

Also, document your successes and exactly a year later, see how far you’ve come. I bet you’ll be impressed with yourself.