The earlier you start making changes the more the compound effect works in your favor. Your life is a result of your moment to moment choices. Small choices over time will get you off the track that you are desiring. If the nose of a plane is pointed just one percent off course when it leaves LA for New York, it will end up in Delaware once it gets to the east coast.

Design the life you want first and the business you want second. Many people choose a career before even thinking about what kind of life they want to build. Constantly write down your most important goals and keep evaluating them. While setting a goal figure out your why. The most motivating choices are ones that align with your “why” and your purpose. You need a deep why to achieve anything. 

What are you willing to tolerate? If you tolerate earning less than what you’re worth, that’s what you’ll earn. Become conscious of the choice you make and what you surround yourself with. Aim to spend more time around people and places that lift you up; the people you admire. You are the average of the 5 closest people around you. Create your future by raising the environment you are in. Pay attention to what you are feeding yourself. Where you put your attention creates your reality.

Take one step at a time to slowly gain momentum. With momentum, you can continue succeeding with less work. It’s easy to keep things running once it is already moving. Start your day off strong and finish strong making consistent choices to get to your goal. Develop a habit for 21 days, then focus on the 90-day stretch. After that hang with it for 3 years, it takes about 3 years to get good at about anything. It takes about 7 years to gain mastery and focused study. Don’t expect it to happen overnight. Make moment to moment positive choices to get you where you want. Start tracking tiny wins all throughout the day to turn things around.

Where you’re short on talent and skill, you can make up for with purposeful practice. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Success is a combination of your God-given gifts and the time you take to learn every day. Studying a topic means you are invested in it and try it out. What you need is to study, to practice, and to take action on the knowledge you have.

Look back 5 years ago. Are you where you thought you would be by this point? If not, why? Stay consistent with good choices and habits to put the compound effect to work for you. Identify your triggers for your bad habits: the who, what, where, and when that prompts you to start your bad habits. Focus on what you are gaining from removing the bad habits and get back on track to whatever you want in life. 

Is your life full of significance? Start giving to others. Too many people focus on achievement without fulfillment. If you want to fill more positive, try to help someone else feel encouraged. If you want more success, celebrate the success of others. Always go a little bit beyond what people expect.