My Top-Ten List of Life-Changing QuickTips

Changing your life might appear to be a heavy task that takes months or even years.

But, in truth, it all starts with a small step in the right direction. Below are ten of my favorite tips to help you do just that.

1. Get Angry
It might sound strange, but getting angry about where you are is actually a very good thing.

It's only when we get upset about something that we feel any motivation to change it. If you're not mad that it's broken, why bother fixing it?

Don't lose hope if you feel unsettled and unhappy with a part of your life. That's a good sign, a sign that you're getting ready to make a change.

2. Build the Muscle
Taking action is like a muscle; it's a skill that must be built and strengthened over time.

So I want you to build it. Start small. Set mini-goals for yourself, small tasks you can do in just a few minutes.

Then, when the time comes to do something truly important, the habit of action you need will be there, ready to move you.

3. Strike When the Iron is Hot
Often, the moment bursting with the most drive and excitement is in the beginning, when a goal or idea first comes to mind.

Your juices are flowing. Your mind is spinning with possibilities. A better life is just around the corner.

This is when you need to get moving. Right that instant. When the idea comes to you, take a step toward fulfilling it. Putting it off will only let that energy fade away.

4. Raise Your Standards
We don't often defy our standards. If you're not the type of person who smokes, you can't imagine falling into the habit. It's just not who you are or who see yourself to be.

Take that idea and inject it into the rest of your goals.

No matter what you want, begin to think of yourself as someone who simply makes it happen. As you begin to raise your standards and see yourself as the person you hope to become, it will be harder and harder to procrastinate or back down from fear.

It's just not who you are.

5. Gather Your Personal Motivators
What books motivate you? What movies inspire you? What people, places, or things make you want to do the things you say you want to do?

We all have them, though few people take the time to identify in particular what they are. I want you to go a step further. I don't want you to merely name the things that motivate you--I want you to gather them into one place and create a motivation station of sorts.

When you find something that excites or inspires you, you've found gold. You can't let that slip to the side. You need to capture it so you can return to it whenever you need hope, encouragement, or confidence.

6. Clothes Do Matter
The way you dress affects the way you feel. The way you feel affects the way you act.

Many at-home entrepreneurs make themselves dress for work each day as if they were heading to the office. By putting on the clothes of a successful CEO, they in turn carry themselves that way. They dress, then act, the part.

So dress the way you want to act. If you want to feel confident, wear clothes that make you feel confident. If you want to feel motivated, dress like someone who takes decisive action.

7. Get Organized
Plain and simple: A cluttered desk or home or office makes for a cluttered mind.

Get clear. Get focused. Get organized.

You'll create a state of mind that is not only relieved from all the clutter but also ready for action.

8. Discomfort, Anyone?
Do something that makes you uncomfortable at least once a week. Once a day if you're ambitious.

Why?

Because most of our goals push us to do things we don't normally do, to say things we don't normally say. That can be scary, so most people don't do it.

But if you force yourself into uncomfortable situations (talking to a stranger, for instance), you'll get good at pushing past your comfort zone. You'll also realize the world doesn't end when you do the things that scare you.

9. Who Did This?
You're unique, no question about it. Even so, I have a feeling someone out there has been in your shoes. They shared your struggle and your dream, and they found a way.

Instead of reinventing the wheel and going at this alone, why not reach out to those people and find out how they did it?

If you want to improve your health, reach out to someone who already did it. If you want to start a business, email an entrepreneur. If you want to love your job, find someone who changed careers and adores the new direction.

You'll get two immediate rewards. First, you'll realize that you're not alone. There are other people out there just like you. Second, you'll learn how to actually achieve your goal, not through guesswork or hunches, but through actual proof.

10. Get It in Writing
I used to keep everything in my head. To-do lists, business ideas, schedules...everything I thought of or about squeezed its way into an already crowded space.

And it drove me crazy.

I was constantly going through mental lists, making sure I wasn't missing something important. Then I decided to empty my head of it all. I typed it into the computer and felt instant relief and clarity.

If your head is swirling with thoughts and ideas, write them all down on paper or record them all onto your computer.

Free your mind. You'll thank me.