7 ways to get ahead in life and start living your purpose in 2023.
It is easy to get distracted by comparison or being busy.
We start worrying about what we have achieved or are yet to achieve, especially compared to our peers.
Sometimes, we are simply just living. We have our set routines, and each day passes without much thought. This is common practice.
I sometimes think about how to get ahead in life and how to truly start living out my purpose. Because for me, it all comes down to living a fulfilling life — not just being busy or having a high position at work or having lots of money — but living a life that I am eager to wake up to every morning.
Here are 7 ways to get ahead in life and start living with purpose.
1. Practice solitude occasionally
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, solitude is the quality or state of being alone or remote from society. I do not mean it in a negative sense, but rather a positive one. Solitude helps us to reflect on our lives and find joy in simply being. Through that time of reflection, we get new ideas and revive our creativity. We also get a chance to pause from the busy chaos sometimes called life, pray, and think about what really makes us fulfilled and how we can steer in that direction.
2. Persevere through the initial discomfort.
When you are starting something new and challenging, it is often uncomfortable. This can apply to anything — your exercising goals, your small business ideas, expanding your network, spending more time with your husband or children, etc. Those first steps are usually the hardest. At that moment, you want to give up and slowly crawl back to what you are used to. However, doing what you have been doing will not get you where you want to go. When I first started exercising at home, doing a 10 mins exercise at home used to feel like a chore. Hence, I was not consistent, but through perseverance, I have moved it up to 30–45 mins every other day. Don’t get me wrong, I have also given up a couple of times on different goals because they weren’t easy. So this is not to indicate that I have it figured out or always persevere because I don’t. However, I realize that on the few occasions where I do, it gets easier with time and extremely rewarding.
3. Find a way to contribute to other’s life besides your day-to-day work.
Remember that when I say “get ahead in life,” I don’t mean it in comparison with others — such that you compare your accomplishments or wealth and think, “I am better than this person,” No. I mean having a purpose and living a fulfilling life every day. One way to accomplish this is to forget about yourself and, for those few hours, work at making someone else’s life better. I believe everyone has something to offer. Start with a little here and there, and see how much impact it has on your mental well-being.
4. Get wisdom
In proverbs 4:7, the bible says — wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom, and with all your getting, get understanding. Acquiring wisdom will lead to riches, honour, longevity of life, and blessings (proverbs 3:13–18). Wisdom is the application of knowledge. How to get wisdom? Ask God, and read his word — the bible. The real treasures in life can be found in the word of God.
5. Rest
Rest seems counterintuitive. To get ahead — you should rest? Yes! Besides the occasional physical rest, it is more important to have an inward rest. When you are at rest (inwardly), you can achieve more because you let go and trust God. You are also at peace, which enables you to think clearly and act rationally rather than from a place of fear or striving. You also have confidence in God which means you can take on new challenges while relying on God’s wisdom, favor, and blessings.
6. Be Humble
Do not let pride strip you of the opportunities that come your way. Be willing to acknowledge that you do not know and need help. If you find yourself in a top position, show humility to your peers and those below you in rank. You never know what the future may hold. Proverbs 22:4 says humility is the fear of the Lord, its wages are riches and honour.
7. Show up
It gets tough along the way. When you started, you were very passionate about this idea, but it will only sometimes be that way. Some days, you wouldn’t feel like getting out of bed to perform that task or attend that gathering. However, I’d like you to have the mindset of always showing up. On some occasions at work, I am so excited to get into a meeting or share an initiative I have been working on, so I put all my energy and focus into it. On other days, I find it so challenging. Hence, rather than giving in to my desire to lay in bed all day and watch Netflix, I bring Netflix with me :-). I play a movie in the background while I mindlessly get through some repetitive tasks. That is to say, “showing up” looks different each day, but if you keep showing up, soon you will be a lot farther ahead in life.
I hope you enjoyed reading this piece and that you have noted a few things you would like to practice. Wishing you all the best! See you again soon.
