What can i do to excel in life

Ever wonder how to excel in life? Especially since so much feels like it’s out of your control?  It’s difficult not to overthink things, trying to figure out the exact right thing to do, the perfect steps to take. The problem with that is you end up stuck in indecision, and never get started (procrastination is often due to overthinking, not laziness).

And what about when the unexpected happens, upending your plans completely (pandemic, anyone)? How do you excel then?

The good news is you can still excel in life – even when the world feel like it’s going crazy. Because your ability to excel (personally, professionally, in your business and so on) has more to do with you than external variables.

And success isn’t just about achieving things. Excelling in life means being content with your decision-making and happy with where you are (even as you work to get to a different – maybe “better” – place). Which means success starts from within and is created from the inside-out.

Read on for 10 important life tips for how to excel in life by creating success from the inside-out (on your terms). And be sure to grab your copy of this guide that contains 8 science-backed strategies for rewiring your mind to be calm, confident and in control. It’s your starting point for less stress, a positive mindset and a happier life (which will enable you to achieve more too!).

10 Life Tips for How to Excel In Life

You’ll notice that most of the tips below revolve around your mindset and how you choose to think (and – of course – having the right support). There a reason for that…. In order to create success from the inside-out, you’ll need:

• Clarity of purpose. This is about what will bring fulfillment to your life. Once you know that, it’s easier to determine what you want (out of work/business and life in general) and your path forward.
• Courage to act (and keep going when things are hard, mistakes are made and you fail). You can’t excel in life without risking failure, which is hard and requires the right mentality.
• Confidence in yourself. This is about knowing you’ll make mistakes but can learn along the way. And also trusting yourself to course correct as you go.

The tips below will help you do all of the above. So, here are my top life tips for how to excel in life and be happily successful:

#1: Redefine Success

Succeeding in life isn’t really about where you end up.  Unfortunately, most success definitions are destination-based.

Success is about how you choose to live life (and hence, living a life with purpose). Your outlook matters.

When life gets especially hard, do you savor the little things or focus on everything that’s gone wrong in your life?

Upon NOT achieving a big goal, do you celebrate how far you’ve come and identify what you’ve learned (so you can use it moving forward). . . or believe you’ve failed and never look back?

When circumstances work against you, do you let go of your dreams or consider the ways in which you can pivot (and still achieve what you want)?

Success requires that you feel good about who you are, the decisions you’re making and how you’re living your life. A success definition that’s redefined in this way allows you to work toward a better future yet still be happy with where you are in the moment.

For more about how to rethink what success means (and live a happier, more successful life) read Want to Be Successful? Stop Working So Hard and Rethink How You Define Success.

#2: Understand Your Internal Biases (and How to Change Them)

When I first started my coach training, one of the first lessons was around the concept that everyone has their own unique perception of reality.

I remember thinking at the time. . . of course that’s true! That’s why you can have 10 people see the same crime yet get 10 wildly different accounts of what happened.

But then I started coaching and quickly learned that I’d been judging people based on MY past experiences and reality. That’s when I realized that I needed to proactively seek to understand people better.

Your Stories Are Biased

Your past experiences affect how you view EVERYTHING.  Because of these experiences, you’ve written internal stories that you hold as truths about yourself, your capabilities, the world and even the people within it.

But these stories only represent what you’ve personally experienced, not the world.  And so they’re biased.  Yet you judge the world based on these internal stories (often without realizing it).

The problem is that these stories get exacerbated by the way we live (through the rise of technology, social media and how we get our news).

We live in a carefully curated bubble of like-minded people and have few relationships with (or understanding about) people who are different politically, socioeconomically, racially and religiously.  And we therefore have no ability to understand their reality. 

What You Perceive Directly Affects Your Success (Here’s How)

Your outlook on the world matters because it affects your behavior.  You’re less likely to act boldly and live your life fully when you perceive parts of the world (and many of the people in it) as threats.  And you’re also less likely to see opportunities that are out there.

And although you shouldn’t worry about how others define success (or even perceive your success), how others perceive you as a human being does matter when it comes to getting help from others.  And that’s important because you need other people to succeed in life.

Success requires collaboration and deep relationships with others.  And it’s important to include people who think and believe differently than you (they’ll help to challenge and expand your thinking).

How To Change Your Perception

Want to start changing your perception?  Here’s how:

• Remind yourself (often) that we ALL come to the table with our own unique perception of reality.
• Start listening to those who are different from you for the purpose of understanding.  Not to try to change minds. Or to fix their problems. Just let them be heard (someone must take the first step, and note that this often leads them to reciprocate).

Please note that this doesn’t require you to change your mind.  It’s about gaining understanding so that you can create trust, be more open to opportunities and feel more compassionate towards others.

But also ask yourself. . . what’s so bad about changing your mind (if you change it thoughtfully, based on new understanding)?

#3: Re-Frame (To Change Your Reality)

There are a lot of so-called self-help experts who tell you to think positive thoughts so that you can attract what you want and manifest your dream life.  There’s just one problem. . . research doesn’t back any of that up.

You have to work hard to succeed. And even then, nothing is guaranteed.

Achieving your big dreams isn’t as easy as most would have you believe.  But that doesn’t mean that going after your dreams isn’t worthwhile.

Why Hard Work Brings Fulfillment (And Can Even Be Fun)

Research shows that those who focus on growing and learning through challenges (called a growth mindset) are more hopeful and resilient. And they’re more likely to succeed at their endeavors too.

Which is why your mindset is so important.

[Recommended Reading: Why Mindset Is Everything: The Key to Success & Happiness].

But What If Things Feel Hopeless?

If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that nothing is guaranteed. There are big, complicated issues to deal with (within the world and here in the United States). And it’s not just because of the pandemic – although that has made this fact more obvious.

The problem is that many people have become too fearful… to the point where they’re paralyzed by it all. As a cancer survivor, I know how that feels. But if cancer taught me anything it’s that life keeps on (no matter what). And you owe it to yourself and others to LIVE.

So, what do you do?  Re-frame.

Re-Frame Problems or Threats Into Challenges To Be Solved

Make it a game if you like, where you’re the hero battling against your challenge. I know that sounds silly, but it works because your brain LOVES to win at games (and to prove others wrong).

You’re not where you want to be (nor is the world). But that doesn’t mean you – or society – can’t end up in a better place. Making that happen starts with your mindset.  And re-framing is the best way to get started with the right mindset.

To re-frame, focus on what you’re learning or how the experience is helping you to grow.

NOTE: this technique isn’t going to change your circumstances (and it’s not about solely thinking positive). What this does is to rewire your mind not to get stuck in negativity and catastrophizing. It allows you to let go and move forward despite difficult circumstances.

For step-by-step guidance on how to re-frame (plus other strategies to for cultivating a strong, resilient mentality), be sure to download 5-Minute Stress Solutions here:

#4: Learn To Be Vulnerable

Do you sometimes feel there’s got to be more to life. . . yet do nothing?  Do you have a big dream or vision for your life that you’re not acting on?

The problem is that the path to success doesn’t always feel good (despite all those Instagram quotes to the contrary).

Working to excel in life is about being yourself and living with purpose.  It requires that you go out on a limb, risk ridicule and potentially do or say the “wrong” thing.  That’s vulnerable and takes courage.

But it’s worth it because it’s how to make an impact in the world and feel free (while being content with yourself).

How Your Mind Works Against You

Ever notice that your mind has a list of ready-made reasons why you shouldn’t make a big change or go after a big dream?  You might initially feel excited about the possibilities, but then your mind starts jabbering on about how:

• it’s not the right time
• you don’t have the financial resources
• nothing will change regardless of what you do
• things could get worse
• it’s too risky
• you’ll probably fail

I could keep going.

Here’s the thing about that voice inside your head: its sole purpose is to focus on the potential negatives so that you’ll put on the breaks.  And it’s not telling you the whole truth. Just potential half (or less-than-half) truths without any context.

This voice is keeping you stuck doing nothing (while numbing yourself with food, television, social media, alcohol, busyness, or something else).  But you don’t have to stay stuck.

Why Getting Comfortable With Vulnerable Thoughts And Feelings Is A Key To Excelling In Life

If you want to excel in life, then you must get comfortable with the discomfort of vulnerable emotions and thoughts.  Because what’s keeping you stuck is not wanting to deal with those feelings.

The good news is that you can train yourself to get comfortable with feeling this way.  Whenever you feel vulnerable thoughts and emotions, here’s what to do:

• Identify exactly how you feel. Be specific.
• Ask what’s behind your feelings. Go deep (and keep asking) until you’ve identified the thoughts behind what you feel.
• And then let yourself sit with them (without doing anything about how you feel or what you’ve discovered).

This simple exercise will build inner strength and resilience. You’ll discover that you’re okay despite feeling these things.  Plus, you’ll gain deeper self-awareness around what’s going on inside of you so that you can do something about it.

But don’t stop there.  Once you start getting comfortable with feeling vulnerable emotions (and the thoughts behind them), it’s time to challenge them.  And that leads me to your next life tip for how to excel in life. . .

#5: Challenge The Voice Inside

People often talk about being stuck. But you’re not really stuck.  It’s just a feeling created by the voice inside of your head (that’s convinced you to do nothing, feel paralyzed).

I’m not saying that you should completely ignore the voice that’s warning you. But it’s important that you challenge it and consider all the potential positives (something the voice cleverly ignores).

How To Take Control Of Your Voice and Get Unstuck

• Give the voice a name.  Notice how I treat your inner voice as another person? That’s because it’s not WHO you are, and therefore important to separate yourself from it.  To help you do that, give your voice a name (mine is Nellie). Think of her (or him!) as a well-meaning friend who’s there to help, always overextends her stay and loves to repeat herself.

• Listen to your voice, but don’t let her be repetitive.  Don’t ignore what the voice tells you. Once you’ve heard everything once, tell your voice that she’s done her job and thank her. It’s time for her to leave.

• Create a list of pros and cons.  Put pen to paper and write down all the bad stuff that your inner voice has listed. And then write down all the potential good that could happen. But don’t stop there. Add to the mix the good/bad if you do NOTHING (something few people do but is necessary to make a truly informed decision).

• Write down what you’d do if the bad things on your list actually happened.  This will help you see that it’s not predetermined, you can do something about it and that you have more control than you realized.

This exercise will help you make an informed decision without getting stuck in all the reasons why you can’t.

For more about how to challenge your fears and move beyond doubts (so that you don’t stay stuck), read 5 Effective Tools to Stop Living in Fear and Worry.

#6: Live With Purpose (For Meaning and Fulfillment)

What if, when trying to determine what you even want, those three dreaded words keep popping into your head. . . I don’t know?

That’s exactly where I was post-cancer. I wanted more purpose and meaning (and knew everything I didn’t want – which included being a lawyer). Yet I didn’t know specifically what I did want.

And it’s where many of my clients are when they first come to me.

Purpose Isn’t What You Think It Is

Most people think that they have to find their purpose (and feel like it’s this heavy, difficult-to-find thing).  But you don’t find your purpose.  And you don’t have to give up your life, start over or save the world to create deeper meaning within your life.

Purpose is created from within. It’s about being content in who you are and where you’re going, given your current circumstances.

That’s important because it’s impossible for your brain to contemplate your path forward (or even your next step) without getting to that place.

But once you get there, you’ll be able to create your new path forward.

Create Purpose By Getting Back to The Basics Of Being YOU

It’s easy to get so caught up in the busyness of work and life that you become disconnected from what brings you meaning and is most important to you.  Here’s how to course correct:

1. Be useful. Be intentional about how you use your strengths and skills in service to others (at home, at work, and within your community) so that you can start to see the impact you already make + what more you can do.
2. Strengthen your relationships and prioritize community. Human beings have a primal need to belong. And that only gets satisfied through strong relationships and connections (both individually and through a larger community you care about).
3. Reconnect to your values. Aligning your life around your values brings purpose. And your values are the best guides for creating your path forward (they’re your inner compass).

Any one of these things will bring more meaning to your life. All three together are life-changing because they’re your road map for how to excel in life and feel content with yourself (and decisions).

For more about how your values create meaning and happiness (and help you to excel in life), read How to Redefine Yourself Into Happiness.

#7: Let Go of Busy

Most people I talk to tell me about their big dreams and goals.  Yet when I ask them what they’re actually doing about them I hear that they’re too busy right now (they’ll get to it later).

Busy Is Just An Excuse

Look, we all have obligations and responsibilities (I’m right there with you, by the way).  But if something is truly a priority, then it means that you’re actually prioritizing it.

You have two choices:

• Prioritize the things you say are important, or
• Let them go (for good) because they’re not as important to you as you’ve led yourself to believe.

The other so-called option is to spend your life wishing things could be different (only to regret it later). And that’s not worth your time or effort.

That doesn’t mean that you should drop everything and focus ONLY on your big dreams (so don’t make the mistake of doing that or using that as an excuse NOT to do anything).

Start Small and Keep Things Simple

Learn from my amazing client Sabrina, who needed to fit business development into her already crazy-busy schedule.  Instead of making the excuse of being busy, she set aside 15 minutes per day for business development (and scheduled it into her calendar).

I know that 15 minutes doesn’t sound like much, but it got her started in the right direction. She developed a taste for it (really, a habit) and built momentum.

She even got plenty done (it’s amazing what being laser-focused on something will do for you, even in a small amount of time).  And after doing that for about a month, she added to it and has kept it going.

The Secret For How to Excel In Life

This is a confidence-building activity that’s going to help you get started more quickly and keep going (one step at a time).  Success isn’t rocket science.  It’s about taking small, imperfect action that builds momentum and helps you stay the course.

So, set aside 15 minutes per day to start working on YOUR big priority.

To help you maintain focus no matter what’s going on in your life, be sure to download your free Guide of 8 stress management + mindset strategies here:

#8: Focus On Your Relationships

Part of succeeding includes having healthy relationships with those you care about.  And although part of the point for wanting to excel in life is to be your best and serve others to the best of your ability (which should have a positive ripple effect on your relationships), there’s a drawback to be aware of.

The Self-Development Trap

Although bettering yourself has a positive ripple effect on others, there’s a catch.  It’s easy to become selfish (without realizing it). 

After my cancer journey, I felt like something needed to change (but had no idea what to do about it). After struggling for a couple of years, I finally hired a coach.

For the next 6 months, I happily worked with her believing that I was becoming a better version of myself.  Until the day my husband asked if I wanted to be married to him any longer.

That’s when I realized that I had become so inward focused that I was neglecting the people I loved the most (and had been for months).

Since then, I’ve been informed (by several coaches) that this is common.  But that doesn’t mean that you’re destined to fall into this trap.

How To Guard Against the Selfish Trap

As you make big decisions for yourself (including when choosing not to do something), ask how it will affect those around you.  Be specific about your close relationships (the people you love the most).  And be honest with your answers.

Most people think they consider other people yet don’t (it’s normal to assume that what you’re doing to benefit yourself will also benefit others).   They key is to balance your selfish individual needs with the needs of those you love (and your own need for strong relationships with those people).

This will interject some relationship-saving honesty into your personal development journey without slowing you down. [After all, part of personal development includes strengthening your relationships.]

#9: Be Open to Whatever Comes

Life isn’t fair. Some people have it easier than others. Many don’t play by the same rules. And sometimes people will try to hold you back.

And sometimes, other people deserve it just as much as you (or more!).

You know this, already. But have you truly accepted it or do you use it as an excuse to quit (or never try in the first place)?

Acceptance isn’t the same as giving up, but about not making excuses so that you’re more capable of taking on life’s challenges.  This means that you can’t be chained to your desired outcome.

Do you want it?  Of course.  But you also go forward knowing that it may not happen and that you’ll be okay regardless (sometimes even better for it).

It’s also important to remember that success isn’t linear. You’re going to take a couple steps back after moving forward, veer to the right, dip down, climb steep hills (even mountains) and go around in circles. It’s part of the growth process.

#10: Have a Strong Support System

You don’t succeed in life by doing everything yourself. You need people who:

• Give you spiritual, emotional and mental support and guidance.
• Push you to be your best, mentor you through tough situations and keep you accountable.

And you need coverage in ALL areas of your life (personally, professionally and spiritually).

Identify who’s within your support system and any gaps. And then fill the gaps.  Then use your support system like your life depends on it (because it does).

And before you go, be sure to grab your copy of 5-Minute Stress Solutions. This guide isn’t just about managing stress, but will help you cultivate a healthy mindset that’s calm under pressure and able to reframe even the worst of situations. Get your free Guide here:

There are so many different ways to excel in life that finding the right combination for you can feel quite overwhelming! While some methods to excel may work great for your friend, they may not provide the same satisfaction or results for you.

If you’ve recently felt like you’ve been stuck in a rut and unable to move forward, you can begin to excel further in life with these 50 tips and tricks. 

Tip 1: Redefine what success really means for you.

How you define success is purely subjective. What you would consider a major success may not be the same for your friends or family members. However, just because you see success differently from others doesn’t mean your opinions about what defines success are wrong – it means you are focusing on what it really means for you! 

Finding success is a personal journey. Don’t be afraid to rethink how you define success. If you’ve been defining success based on what your friends want out of life, what you see others striving toward, or what your family suggests you do to find success, you may discover that your current definition of success doesn’t really align with what you really want out of life. Don’t be afraid to deconstruct your definition of success and redefine it! 

Tip 2: Look at your past mistakes as learning opportunities rather than embarrassments. 

Nobody likes making mistakes, but unfortunately, doing so is a natural part of life for everyone. If you’re going to make mistakes (and you most certainly will at some point or another), a great way to use those experiences to your advantage is to view them as learning opportunities rather than embarrassments. 

Feeling shame or remorse over making a mistake are normal emotional reactions; you may feel extremely embarrassed when you think about past mistakes you’ve made. 

Instead of allowing embarrassment or shame to cloud your thoughts, think about what you learned from making those mistakes – that knowledge is valuable and can help you avoid making similar mistakes again in the future, helping you excel in life. 

Tip 3: Use vulnerability to your advantage.

Being vulnerable is tough for many people. When you’re being vulnerable, you’re allowing yourself to open up to others. Rather than hiding your opinions, feelings, and thoughts from the world, you allow people to take a candid peek inside of your mind rather than restricting those inner thoughts. 

When you’re vulnerable, you open yourself up for opportunities to excel in life. Vulnerable folks aren’t afraid of what others think of them – instead, they understand that being open, honest, and vulnerable helps strengthen relationships and communication between themselves and others.

Tip 4: Embrace your sense of tenacity.

Tenacity is the quality of not letting go or giving up on something. When you find yourself struggling to do something, embrace your sense of tenacity to carry you through that hard time. 

In the thick of a tough situation, it’s easy and tempting to just “let it go” and move on to something that may seem easier or better in comparison. However, it’s important to embrace your sense of tenacity by remembering your goals and the importance of why you’re doing what you’re doing. In the end, this attitude will help you keep pushing through toward your goal. 

Tip 5: Go after those “harder to reach” goals.

Have you ever wanted to try reaching a goal but thought to yourself, “There’s no way I could ever do that”? If so, you’ve denied yourself a chance to go after that big goal! 

Even if a goal seems really hard to reach, give yourself a chance to go after it. If you aren’t taking a chance and actually trying to reach those types of goals, there is a 100% chance that they’ll never be met. Getting started is the first step toward success; giving yourself permission to go after those “harder to reach” goals is a big part of excelling in life. 

Tip 6: Find a way to manage your time effectively.

Managing your time well is a great way to excel in life. With an organized schedule, you can maximize your productivity and ensure you’re balancing your time properly between yourself, your obligations, and other responsibilities. 

To better manage your time, it’s important to understand how you’re using it first. Keep a journal of how you spend your time each day for a week. This reflective practice can help you identify places where you spend too much time and too little. With this information, you can develop a better time management strategy to ensure you’re using your time most effectively.

Tip 7: Keep an open mind.

Being more open minded is an excellent way to excel in life. Keeping an open mind means you’re able to entertain new ideas, opinions, and experiences without any prior judgment. 

When you approach new situations with an open mind, you give yourself to experience them without any hesitation or reservations. Being able to do this allows you to experience tons of new things outside of your comfort zone. Often, you’ll discover that embracing open mindedness introduces you to lots of fantastic new people, ideas, and activities. 

Tip 8: Don’t wait for handouts and freebies from the world. 

Life will occasionally reward you with a surprise benefit or bonus. For example, you may find a $20 bill on the ground or have a friend give you something for free. These kinds of surprises are great, but they are never guaranteed.

Rather than waiting for handouts and freebies, take action to get what you want and need on your own. 

Tip 9: Determine whether or not there are any activities you can cut from your schedule. 

It’s tough to excel in life when your schedule is packed to the brim. Often, people who feel like they’re constantly being pulled in different directions by a busy schedule have activities they can cut from them to make their lives more manageable. 

Take a close look at your schedule and determine if there are any activities you can cut or reduce – doing this will give you more time to participate in activities that really matter to you and help you get closer to your personal goals. 

Tip 10: See the true value in your experiences.

Every experience you have holds value. Whether you earn something from the experience, learn something new, or meet a new person, everything you encounter in life holds value. 

Learning how to appreciate your experiences gives you the power to see the value in all your experiences. Even when difficult things happen in your life, you understand that you can still learn from these experiences and gain wisdom from them. 

Tip 11: Learn how to identify the right kinds of people to keep in your life.

You build all sorts of relationships over the course of your lifetime. Some of them are precious and valuable; others…not so much. When you create relationships with the wrong types of people, they can hurt you because they’re toxic. 

Over time, make note of what makes different relationships positive and toxic. As you identify who you do and don’t want in your life, use those traits to ensure you’re choosing the right kinds of people to keep around – maintaining positive relationships over toxic ones will help you excel in life.

Tip 12: Make living the life you really, truly want a top priority. 

Don’t let life get in your way of truly living. This may seem like an oxymoron, but it’s true – sometimes the details of life can become complicated and murky, making it difficult for you to actually live the life you want. 

Reevaluate your goals and desires often. If you notice that what you’re currently doing is no longer serving you or helping you get closer to your goals and dreams, make sure you change your course accordingly. Prioritize living the life you really, truly want. 

Tip 13: Listen to your body’s signals and respect its needs.

Excelling in life requires a healthy body to do it. Your body sends you tons of signals – make sure you are listening to them and respecting them! 

Your body will send you tons of signals each day. Make sure you’re listening to them all. Some examples of these signals include…

• Feeling hungry or thirsty 
• Feeling tired 
• Feeling uncomfortable or uneasy 
• Feeling sore or strained 
• Feeling depressed or sad 
• ….and many more! 

Your body gives you these types of signals because it needs something. If you’re going to excel in life by reaching goals and achieving your dreams, you’re going to need a healthy body to do it. Make sure you’re respecting your bodily needs when they arise – your physical body is one of your most valuable tools. 

Tip 14: Look toward people you consider role models for inspiration. 

If you find yourself admiring someone, pay close attention to how they speak and act. Identifying your role models and looking to them for inspiration is an excellent way to excel in life. By using your role models as examples, you can identify key habits and traits they exhibit that help them succeed and find ways to implement them in your own life. 

Tip 15: Make reading one of your regular habits.

People who enjoy reading reap tons of benefits! Regular readers enjoy…

• Learning about a variety of subjects and topics 
• Exercising their minds through the physical act of reading 
• Enjoying exciting stories as a means of a mental escape

Enjoying some reading time each day is a fantastic way to relax and learn new things. As an added bonus, reading before bedtime rather than scrolling on your phone or watching TV is a great way to prepare your brain for rest. 

Tip 16: Identify your excuses and cut them out of your vocabulary.

Excuses give you plenty of opportunities to shy away from good opportunities and learning experiences. If you’re using excuses to stop yourself from going after something in life, it’s time to identify them and cut them out of your vocabulary. 

Learning how to identify your excuses can be tricky. For example, some excuses may use the following language….

• I can’t do that because [insert reason here]. 
• If I tried to do that, [person/people] would think poorly of me or even laugh at me. 
• That kind of goal is for someone more experienced or smarter than me. 

Every time you use one of these excuses, you stop yourself from going after something you want in life. Eliminating those excuses takes you a step closer toward excelling in life. 

Tip 17: Start waking up earlier each day. 

Unfortunately, sleeping in as late as possible each day isn’t always a recipe for success. It’s best to start your days earlier instead. 

People who get up earlier in the mornings are usually more productive and well-established in routines that help prepare them for a successful day. For example, waking up earlier each day gives you more chances to get tasks done sooner in the day when you mind is fresh and more alert. 

Tip 18: Challenge yourself to do one hard thing each day. 

Growth doesn’t happen inside your comfort zone. To excel in life, challenge yourself to do one hard thing each day. Doing hard things gives you an opportunity to learn and grow in new ways every day. 

Hard things can vary. For example, you may consider striking up a conversation with a stranger hard to do. You may struggle to complete a type of brain teaser puzzle and consider it a hard activity. Learning a new skill may be hard for you. 

Regardless of what you find hard to do, challenging yourself to do one hard thing each day exposes you to areas outside your comfort zone and helps you develop into a more experienced, well-rounded person.

Tip 19: On your especially difficult days, use parenting tactics on yourself. 

Even if you aren’t a parent in real life, you can still use parenting techniques on yourself – especially when you’re having a challenging day! 

Parenting yourself involves using kindness, reasoning, and gentleness to get yourself through something difficult to do. For example, if you’re feeling depressed and having a hard time convincing yourself to clean your bedroom, you may use a common parenting tactic to get yourself through the challenge of cleaning: “If I get my bedroom clean, I can enjoy a couple episodes of that TV show I like.” 

Once the task is accomplished, reward yourself with the TV show and use kind words toward yourself to acknowledge your success.

Tip 20: Become a Plan A, B, and C person. 

Preparedness is a major component of excelling in life. When you are prepared with plans, you are rarely surprised by unexpected or unfortunate events. 

People with plans have a good grasp on how to handle their lives. No matter what happens, they aren’t shaken or rendered paralyzed by the surprise of what happens – instead, they are ready to take action so they can keep their lives moving forward. 

Tip 21: Adjust your goals to fit your current life. 

Sometimes readjusting or reprioritizing your goals is the best way to ensure you’re really going after what you truly need and want in life. Learning how to do this is a great way to excel further in your life – when you have your goals mapped out and planned strategically, you’ll feel like you’re succeeding and winning more. 

Adjusting a goal doesn’t mean you’re abandoning it. Instead, you’re rearranging what you need to do in order to meet it in a way that suits your current life better. For example, if your current living situation is chaotic, returning to school full time may be a difficult goal to meet.

Instead of struggling to do four classes’ worth of homework in a house full of loud roommates, try doing one or two classes at a time instead. This adjustment makes your goal better suited for your current life, thus making it easier to excel. 

Tip 22: Develop some solid routines to automate the more “automatic” parts of your life.

Getting ready for work in the mornings, preparing for bedtime, and cleaning your house: These are all necessary parts of life that can eat up a lot of your personal time if you allow them to do so! 

A great way to avoid allowing the more “automatic” parts of your life to dominate your precious time is to develop routines for them. Routines are anything but boring and predictable – they help you excel in life by making the events and actions that need to happen in your life each day feel more streamlined. 

Rather than rushing out the door each morning because you woke up late, for example, a solid morning routine can set you up for a day of success by ensuring a positive, prepared start. 

Tip 23: Do something weird each day. 

Life is too short to live by the norms of society. Give yourself an opportunity to do something a little out of the ordinary or weird each day! 

Sometimes societal expectations or your usual methods of doing things can limit you to a certain way of acting or approaching a problem. When you take the “weird” route, you open yourself up to some interesting solutions and ways to do things. 

Tip 24: Begin mastering the “balance” of life.

Learning how to balance your life is an important part of excelling. Your life contains a multitude of important categories that require your attention. For example, many people have professional careers, hobbies, families, friends, personal needs, responsibilities, obligations, and more that keep them incredibly busy. 

To get a better sense of how to master this balance, take some time to inventory all the different areas that make up your life. Create a written list of all the different aspects of your life that are vying for your time and energy. 

Are there some areas that require more energy and attention than others? Are there some areas that don’t serve you well and could be trimmed back? Analyzing a written list can help you better understand how you’re spending your time and where you could better master this balance.

Tip 25: Become your own #1 fan.

Excelling in life feels easier when you have people cheering you on. Make sure you are leading the pack of folks supporting you! Too often, people fail to be supporters of themselves. When you do something well, acknowledge it.

Celebrate all your wins, big or small. If you find success, give yourself an internal shout-out. When you’re being your own number one fan, you’re giving yourself permission to be adventurous and find success. 

Tip 26: Learn how to value all the impacts you make – not just the big ones.

Making a big impact on something feels great, but those big “a-ha!” moments of making a difference don’t happen every single day. This is why acknowledging all the impacts you make is such an important aspect of excelling in life. 

While you may consider some of the impacts you make smaller (or even insignificant), they are likely far from that. For example, small acts of kindness, choosing to be helpful, and spreading positivity are all ways to make a good impact in a small way that still make a big difference.

Tip 27: Silence the negative voices.

Human beings are naturally negative creatures. It may sound like a depressing bit of information, but it is true. Humans tend to lean toward their negative thoughts and inclinations rather than their positive ones.

This is due to long-ago developments in early humans’ brains that helped keep them alive. For example, when a human long ago paid attention to their negative thoughts, it kept them safe from potential threats in their environments. 

While we aren’t exactly having to worry about falling off cliffs or getting mauled by a neighboring tribal community anymore, this negativity bias remains a part of our brains. It does serve us well by helping us understand potential negative consequences, but it shouldn’t be the only voice you listen to. 

Learn how to silence your negative voices by choosing to give weight to your more positive ones. Just as something negative can happen to you, there’s also a chance that something positive can happen – learning how to acknowledge and anticipate that positivity is a major component of excelling in life. 

Tip 28: Develop a positive influence mentality in everything you do.

Every time you interact with someone, make a decision, or speak, you have the power to do so with a “positive influence” mentality.” This means that you approach your speech and actions with the intention to spread positivity. 

When you approach everything with a positive influence mentality, you’re ensuring that you’ll experience the best results possible. Negativity tends to be a huge drag – being negative can lead you down dark pathways, taint relationships, and cause extra emotional burdens. By approaching everything with the intention of being a positive influence to the world, you’ll excel much further in life. 

Tip 29: Don’t wait around for good things to happen to you.

Sometimes nice things happen unexpectedly. When these happy surprises happen, it’s a joyous occasion. However, if these random, unexpected, nice things are all you have to look forward to, you may be missing an opportunity to experience more of them. 

Rather than waiting around for good things to happen to you, take action to make them happen for yourself. If you wait around for something good to happen, you may be waiting a very long time. Instead, take steps toward making good things happen for you. 

For example, rather than waiting around for a new job opportunity to appear, you can begin searching on your own for new options. Instead of waiting to meet the perfect romantic partner to materialize, you can join a dating website or a social meetup and start meeting new people on your own. 

Tip 30: Organize your purse, backpack, or any other bag you tote around on a regular basis. 

Your purse, backpack, or wallet is likely your “center of operations” during the day. Since these bags and carryalls contain all the necessities you need to make it through a busy day, keeping it organized is important. 

It’s easier to get through life when you have your bags and wallets organized. Give yourself this small step toward having an easier time excelling in life – go through your bag, remove anything you don’t need, trash anything that needs to go to the garbage, and organize what you do need. Your future self will thank you! 

Tip 31: Keep a small notebook on you at all times. 

Small, random thoughts can derail your train of thought when you’re trying to be productive and get tasks accomplished. Rather than letting those intrusive little thoughts throw off your concentration, jot them down in a small notebook instead. 

Keeping a notebook with you gives you a place to “brain dump” when little thoughts pop into your brain. It’s easier to excel when you know your random thoughts have a place to go. With this method, you’ll feel less compelled to stop what you’re doing to text your mom back or Google search that random book you remembered. Your notebook full of random thoughts will be waiting for you once your main task is completed.

Tip 32: Limit the number of times you scroll through your smartphone notifications. 

Smartphones have their pros and cons. Having instant access to information and other people is incredibly valuable; they’re the main reasons why our smartphones have become such an essential part of our everyday lives. However, they also have some pitfalls. 

Having a smartphone has the tendency to make you feel “available” 24/7. When your calls, texts, and emails pop up immediately on your phone, it’s tempting to feel like you need to answer them as soon as you see them. This mindset can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety – being constantly available to the outside world isn’t a sustainable way to live. 

Rather than considering yourself constantly connected to the world via your smartphone, create some boundaries with your phone and honor them. For example, when you leave work for the day, you may decide to silence your notifications until the next morning. You can decide to remove your work email from your phone or leave your phone tucked in a drawer for an hour each evening. However you decide to limit how often you find yourself scrolling and checking notifications, implement and honor it. 

Tip 33: Get your hardest tasks and chores done early in the day. 

A great way to excel in life is by taking care of your hardest tasks and chores earlier in the day. By finishing these tough tasks first, you set yourself up for a much easier day. 

For example, if you start your day with a list of five major tasks to accomplish, try doing the hardest couple of tasks first. By getting these harder tasks done early, you’ll be left with a serious sense of accomplishment. You can also ease any feelings of anxiety or stress by handing these bigger tasks early.
Tip 34: Implement five grateful minutes into each day. 

Gratitude often falls by the wayside in a busy life but learning how to be grateful each day is a major component to excelling in life. Thankful people understand how good their lives truly are. 

Make a habit of spending five minutes reflecting on what makes you feel grateful. You may decide to journal, meditate, or use mantras to remind yourself of all the goodness you have in your life. However you choose to spend your five minutes being grateful will be time well spent. 

Tip 35: Start each morning with some peaceful silence before starting your day. 

One of the best times of the whole day is early in the morning before anyone else wakes up. If you are fortunate enough to be able to give yourself some quiet alone time first thing in the morning, get into the habit of doing it each morning. 

Perhaps you reserve fifteen minutes to enjoy a cup of coffee before the other members of your household awaken. Spending that quiet time before you interact with others or go out in the world in a peaceful way can help you start your day with a fresh, positive mindset.

Tip 36: Give yourself a “waiting period” before hitting send on your phone’s call button, email, or outgoing text message. 

A great way to excel in life is to be cautious with your words. Words can’t be unsaid or unsent – once you respond to someone’s email, text, or call, the words you chose to use toward them are out in the open. 

When you are in the middle of a tense conversation or receive a text that ignites your temper, make yourself observe a waiting period before responding to the person. After taking some time to contemplate your feelings about what they said, you may calm down and realize that you want to answer differently. 

Taking this time to wait and think is called “acting” rather than “reacting.” Learning how to act calmly and gather your thoughts rather than instantly reacting is a great way to preserve friendships and avoid a lot of strife with others. 

Tip 37: Practice assuming the best case scenario.

Humans are naturally hard-wired to assume the worst: It’s a major survival strategy! Our ancestors long ago learned to always expect the worst-case scenario, such as the possibility of a saber-toothed tiger hiding in the bushes or an unfamiliar plant being poisonous. By approaching scenarios with caution, they avoided pitfalls. 

Thinking this way constantly isn’t conducive to excelling in life. Always assuming the worst leads to a lot of negative thinking, anxiety, and worry. Instead, practice acknowledging the best-case scenario. Often, we focus on only the possibility of something bad happening and forget that there’s often an equal chance of something good happening. 

Tip 38: Choose to be a helper. 

In any situation, you have the opportunity to be a helper. A helper is a person who wants to do whatever they can to make things work better or run more smoothly. They aren’t afraid to get down and dirty in a situation, no matter how challenging it is.

When you’re faced with any situation, choose to be the helper. Find ways to support friends, family, and coworkers when they’re struggling to get something done. In a crisis, find out how you can support those affected negatively by the events. 

When you see a stranger in need, do what you can to offer them assistance. Helpers excel in life because they understand the value in spreading positivity to others.

Tip 39: Start viewing your failures as opportunities rather than punishments. 

When you make a mistake or fail at something, it’s easy to get sucked into a spiral of negative thinking. Failing and making mistakes stinks; both can cause you to question your abilities and doubt all the decisions you made to get yourself to that point.
Rather than allowing yourself to feel tormented by a failure or mistake, reframe your thinking to see them as opportunities rather than punishments. Any time you fail or make a mistake, you have a chance to learn something from the experience.

You can take that knowledge with you into the future and use it to avoid making similar mistakes again. Adopting this mindset is more conducive to excelling in life because you won’t feel trapped in your mistake. Instead, you’ll feel like you can move forward. 

Tip 40: Try to learn one new word each day. 

Folks with strong vocabularies excel in life in a few different ways. Make an effort to learn a new word (and use it!) each day. 

With a larger vocabulary, it’s much easier to express yourself and communicate clearly. A larger vocabulary gives you more accurate descriptions to describe your emotions, thoughts, opinions, and feelings to others. 

A larger vocabulary also boosts your self-confidence – when you know a variety of words you can use to express yourself, you can feel confident in your abilities to speak and write clearly. Clear communication is valuable in all areas of life, from your friendships to your professional career. 

Tip 41: Practice using all five of your senses to gather information and center yourself in your current environment. 

Using all of your senses can teach you a lot about your current environment and the present moment. Rather than letting some of these extra sensory details pass, practice acknowledging them using mindfulness. 

For example, you can do this by going through a rundown of each of your senses, one by one. To do this, name one thing you can hear, one thing you can smell, one thing you can taste, one thing you can feel, and one thing you can see. Doing this helps you notice details you may ordinarily overlook; being aware of your present moment is an excellent way to excel in life.

Tip 42: Enjoy some laughter each day. 

Laughter is truly the best medicine in life. Excel in life further by giving yourself an opportunity (or two…or three…) to laugh each day. Engaging in laugher releases natural feel-good chemicals, such as serotonin, in your brain, helping you instantly boost your mood. 

Watch funny videos of animals on the internet, pop in a favorite comedy movie, read through a humorous novel, or call up your funniest friend for a chat. However you choose to inject some humor into your day will lead to the same results – relaxation and happiness.

Tip 43: Create a future-focused daily journal rather than a traditional one.

The traditional journal is usually filled with reflections and venting about the past day’s events. While this is totally OK (and a great way to reflect and let out your frustrations in a healthy way), consider creating a future-focused journal instead. 

A future-focused journal gives you a space to concentrate and elaborate on your goals and aspirations. Rather than reflecting on what’s already happened to you, this journal gives you a chance to monitor your progress toward goals, fantasize about what the future holds, and elaborate on what you need to do to make those wins. 

Creating this journal helps you build a solid mental image of your future success and keep track of trends that are either helping or hurting you. 

Tip 44: Practice setting aside your pride. 

Pride gets in the way of a lot of good opportunities and happiness. If you’re in the habit of allowing your pride to drive your actions and decision making, practice setting your pride aside. 

Coming out of a difficult situation looking good is rarely the best way to handle a difficult situation. Whether you made a mistake or feel slighted by something that happened between another person, practice setting your pride aside when dealing with the aftermath – this allows you to move forward and find a resolution faster rather than continuing to stew in contempt and unhappiness. 

Tip 45: If you encounter a task that can be completed in three minutes or less, go ahead and do it right then. 

An excellent way to excel in life is to handle small, manageable tasks as soon as you realize they need to be completed. For example, when you see that dirty dish in the sink or the pile of towels that need to be folded, it’s easy and very tempting to say, “I can do that task later.” Instead of pushing off those little tasks for your future self, get into the habit of tackling those little tasks in the moment. 

By doing those short tasks right then, you’re ensuring that your future self won’t be burdened by them later. Sometimes, those quick tasks can become longer and more tedious if you procrastinate doing them. Rather than making your life harder in the future, get those “three minutes or less” tasks finished in the moment. 

While those little tasks may seem like “no big deal” for your future self, it’s important to remember that constantly pushing them aside causes them to stack up….one small task may seem minor, but when you’ve procrastinated ten or twelve small tasks, you’re putting a lot of extra stress on your future self. 

Tip 46: Make Sunday nights all about relaxation. 

The “Sunday scaries” are real for many people. With the thought of yet another school or work week looming closely on the horizon, many folks find their Sunday nights wrought with worry, dread, and anxiety about what lies ahead. Rather than enjoying the rest of their weekend time, they spend those final hours in an emotional state that isn’t conducive to relaxation or self-care.

Practice making your Sunday nights all about relaxation. Set all your work aside; instead, focus on doing self-care activities and relaxation techniques you enjoy most. Hang out with friends, watch movies, practice a hobby you enjoy, eat good food, and relax as much as possible to squash the “Sunday scaries.”

Tip 47: Find ways to incorporate more movement into your everyday activities. 

Science says it all – moving our bodies feels good, boosts our moods, and improves our health. Even the busiest people can find creative ways to incorporate more movement into their everyday activities. 

For example, you can move more by….

• Walking around when you’re talking on the phone 
• Taking frequent breaks to get up and stretch when you’re working at a desk 
• Parking your car in a spot farther away from the front door of your workplace 
• Doing some basic yoga poses to stretch your body after getting out of bed each morning 
• Actually playing with your kids when you’re monitoring them outdoors rather than sitting down or scrolling on your phone 
• ….and many more! 

Tip 48: Do something to make another person’s day a little bit easier or nicer.

A great way to excel in your own life is to do something that makes someone else’s life a little easier or nicer. Make a point to do one kind thing for someone each day. Whether that person is a stranger, a friend, a coworker, or a family member, spreading kindness not only benefits the other person, but also you!

Tip 49: Ditch the myth that multitasking is the only way to be successful. 

You may have experienced a boss in the past who demanded you be a skilled multitasker. The myth of multitasking is largely fictitious – rarely (if ever) can anyone actually do more than one task at a time without making errors or sacrificing the quality of their work. 

Instead of pushing yourself to multitask, you can excel further in life by handing your workload one task at a time. When you take the “one task at a time” approach, you’re giving your full attention to that particular task.

Rather than producing lackluster results while trying to split your attention between multiple tasks, you’re giving your full attention to a single task, ensuring that your work quality will be top-notch. 

Tip 50: Make your health a top priority.

If your physical health isn’t in top shape, finding success anywhere else in life will be quite challenging. Make sure you’re spending time caring for your body and physical health.

For example, this might involve:

• Taking your prescribed medications properly each day 
• Attending all your doctor’s appointments, physicals, dental appointments, etc. 
• Slowing down if you’re feeling sick, tired, or weak so your body can rest and recover 
• Eating lots of healthy, nutritious meals and snacks 
• Drinking plenty of water 
• Taking a multivitamin each day 
• Getting some regular exercise and movement every day 

By making your physical health a priority in your life, you’re ensuring that your body will be in good shape so you can continue to excel in life. Doing activities that help you excel are hard (if not impossible) when your bodily health is compromised. 

Last Updated: February 23, 2022 | Author: johnsaverin

What drives you to excel in life?

Committing to Self-Mastery

Some people devote their entire life to self-mastery and the sense of accomplishment it brings. Self-mastery is a process of becoming. It’s not an end goal. Rather, it’s a life path motivated by the opportunity to be your best self.

What does excel in life mean?

: to be superior to : surpass in accomplishment or achievement.

What are the six steps to success in life?

Develop Mental Toughness

1. Believe in yourself. Cut out negative self-talk and look for ways to stay positive and self-encouraging.
2. Keep trying. Even when things seem impossible or setbacks keep holding you back, focus on ways that you can develop your skills and keep soldiering forward. …
3. Set goals. …
4. Find support.

How do I write myself in Excel?

Read regularly

It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words appropriately. Tip: Choose books or articles with topics that interest you. Learning shouldn’t be boring. Read each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and expressions in the text.

What is basic Excel skills?

These basic Excel skills are – familiarity with Excel ribbons & UI, ability to enter and format data, calculate totals & summaries thru formulas, highlight data that meets certain conditions, creating simple reports & charts, understanding the importance of keyboard shortcuts & productivity tricks.

How does Excel help students?

To sum up, the broad benefits of learning Excel for students include faster and more accurate decision making, quick calculations, seamless data visualization, and a lot more. Many students across the globe are waking up to these benefits and starting to master the art of Microsoft Excel.

What are the 5 functions in Excel?

5 Powerful Excel Functions That Make Work Easier

• The SUM Function. The sum function is the most used function when it comes to computing data on Excel. …
• The TEXT Function. …
• The VLOOKUP Function. …
• The AVERAGE Function. …
• The CONCATENATE Function.

How can Excel help me in the future?

1. Excel is not just for making tables

1. Organize data in an easy-to-navigate way.
2. Do basic and complex mathematical functions so you don’t have to.
3. Turn piles of data into helpful graphics and charts.
4. Analyze data and make forecasting predictions.
5. Create, build, and edit pixelated images (yes, creatives use it, too!)

Why Excel is important?

A working knowledge of Excel is vital for most office based professionals today, and stronger Excel skills can open the door to promotion and leadership opportunities. … It takes a savvy computer user to take advantage of everything Excel has to offer to provide the best results for their company.

Is Excel a valuable skill?

What are Excel skills? Excel is a program within the Microsoft Office Suite. It contains a spreadsheet that can automatically input, calculate and analyze data, which makes it a valuable skill for the workplace. Employees can use Excel to accomplish an abundance of daily tasks.

Is Excel worth learning in 2021?

You will get a good understanding of all the most used Excel math functions and let you in on some secrets to save time on mundane and nerve consuming tasks. … You don’t need to exit Excel for this and you’ll be able to answer any future questions about your data without ever leaving the spreadsheet.

Is Excel difficult to learn?

How Hard Is Excel to Learn? Excel can be a challenging tool to master if you’re a beginner and have no experience in data or spreadsheets. However, learning the basics is a straightforward process that only takes a short amount of time, especially if you get some help from online courses.

Can you make money with Excel?

Excel for freelancers can be extremely lucrative. You’ll find thousands of job openings in platforms such as FlexJobs and SolidGigs, all looking for Excel experts who could help manage large amounts of data. Here are some of the most common jobs in freelance marketplaces that require knowledge in Microsoft Excel.

Can I learn Excel at home?

Microsoft offers free Excel classes online on edX to learn both fundamental and advanced Excel skills. Introduction to Data Analysis using Excel is a 4-week, self-paced online course perfect for learners with little or no prior experience using the software.

Can I learn Excel in a day?

It’s impossible to learn Excel in a day or a week, but if you set your mind to understanding individual processes one by one, you’ll soon find that you have a working knowledge of the software. Make your way through these techniques, and it won’t be long before you’re comfortable with the fundamentals of Excel.

Is learning Excel worth it in 2020?

YES !! Learning VBA is worth all the efforts for people who work with excel for long hours and people who do repetitive task in excel or any Microsoft application for that matter. Apart from automating your daily tasks you can also use it for data validation and to send automated e-Mails.