Nobody wants to say it but this is the truth.

Where you are in life is on you. 

Right now, as you're reading this article, I want you to look up and take a quick glance at your surroundings. You might see a ceiling above you, or maybe a few clouds and a blue sky. Take it in.

What does it feel like to be where you are in this moment? Does it feel good? Does it feel bad? Is it calm? Chaotic?

I know it may seem like a simple question, but it's an important one to ask on a consistent basis. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world, it was a question many of us had to ask ourselves as we sat back and were forced to reexamine our lives. Now that things are getting back to "normal", it a question we still should be considering.

In this article we will help you understand what it means to be "self-made" and how answering a few simple questions, like the ones mentioned earlier, can help you lead a more fun, fulfilled and satisfied life in both your professional and personal worlds.

 

Being Self-Made

Oxford Languages defines being self-made as “having become successful or rich by one’s own efforts.” It is an unparalleled achievement and a coveted title that is attainable to anyone who is willing, dedicated and daring enough to chase it. It’s not a dream or an idea, it’s the reality of people who take the time to spend their hours, days and years striving to be something greater than they were before. 

The question is, how do you do that? How do you take an ordinary life and turn it into an extraordinary one? One that you can be proud of and be glad that you built when it’s all said and done. The answer lies within you. The path to being self made is always not the same for each person, however, the principles and steps they use to get there are. 

 

Here’s 10 steps that you can follow to put yourself on track to becoming the self-made man or woman you want to be:

 

1. Develop your mindset

The thoughts we think are the building blocks for our success. What goes on in your mind will spill out into your reality whether you like it or not. Everyday our minds are filled with ideas. What we do with those ideas determines the course of our decisions and how the time in the days of our lives will be spent. So make it count.

 

2. Get started, even if you're starting from scratch

For most, the road to success isn’t an overnight trip. In fact, if you study self-made individuals, it usually takes years to finally execute the vision that they first began with.

When you decide to undertake this task, it can be scary. At times, it may seem like the light at the end of the tunnel is just too far to reach. However, all great expeditions began with the first step. 

Just getting started puts you in front of all the people who only thought about doing it. Even if you have no idea of what’s next, once you start, you’re in it for real.

 

3. Don't be afraid of change

It’s hard to believe that some of the most beneficial decisions we make are also some of the most uncomfortable ones. Consider working out. The same short term process that brings pain is the same one that will make you look better, feel better and do better in the long term. Exercise is a great example of how short term sacrifice can lead to long term gain.

Keeping this in mind always will have an impact on how you feel about trying new things. Over time, you’ll develop a switch that turns off fear and turns on curiosity. Eventually, you’ll feel more confident in yourself and your ability to handle whatever life sends your way. 

 

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4. Work on yourself

If you want to be wealthy and happy, learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. What you become is infinitely more important than any material possessions you’ll get in life. Self growth is pivotal to being successful because it takes care of half the equation to being self-made — and that is your “self”.

When we equip ourselves with the mental tools to become greater people, we are simultaneously making ourselves more equipped business people, entrepreneurs, professionals, friends, family, etc. To constantly evolve, you need to build a desire within yourself to improve continuously. It’s a life long commitment and it will be your most valuable asset on your journey to becoming a self-made individual.

 

5. Believe in your vision

The ability to see beyond the present is a gift. There are only a select number of people who have the talent to imagine not only what things are, but what they could be. It’s a fascinating skill and it’s vital to becoming triumphant in your endeavors.

Having a vision for the future is key because it is a ray of light that will guide you during the darkest moments in life. Many people desire to improve their life, run a successful business or have a stellar career but lack a coherent vision. They say they want these things but what for? If you ask what is the purpose for these desires, most people don’t have a clue about why they are chasing such massive goals. 

To avoid getting lost along the way, being truly self-made requires having a vision that will trickle down into achievable objectives that will represent a quantifiable goal. Once you set these metrics, you’ll know when you have manifested your vision completely and will be able to stay motivated to continue to work towards something that is meaningful.

 

6. Find a team

When you’re born, all you have is your family. When you’re successful, all you have is your team. 

One special quality of self-made individuals is that they use other people as assets to leverage relationships and resources. Every additional person you recruit becomes an extension to new networks, new partnerships and more importantly, new opportunities. Getting and keeping people on your side is a game of tug-a-war and requires some give and take. No relationship is always perfect and therefor, no team is either. However, when the synergy is working correctly between individuals, the results can be monumental. 

Finding people who will support you through the ups and downs is crucial to long term fortitude. Social capital, in some cases, can be worth more than money. Often times, people can provide priceless commodities such as information and morale. Things that money can’t always make up for. It’s important to remember that while being self-made is an achievement in itself, having others around you who lift you up when you’re down is just as valuable. After all, what does the glory matters without people to share it with?

 

7. Know your competition 

In a perfect world, making something out of yourself and becoming self-made would be a topic of celebration for anyone there to witness such a great feat. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Chances are, jealousy, envy and hate will haunt those individuals who watch you follow your passions. I hate to say it, but it’s true. 

These feelings can arise from subconscious beliefs in others of inadequacy and shame. They may see your success as their shortcoming and instead of cheering you on, they may want to diminish you, tear you down and become your competition. Taking everything that you do as a slight towards them.

It’s not a glamorous reality but it’s a real one. In order for you to stay confident in your journey, it’s imperative that you be aware of your naysayers who will challenge you every step of the way. Understand their intentions and motives and you will always have the advantage. At the end of the day, you determine what you allow to effect you and as all self-made people know, results are the best revenge because you can’t argue with those.

 

8. Create a plan

Knowledge is a key component of being successful. However, it is just a prerequisite to laying plans. All the knowledge in the world has little value unless it is applied in a way that is beneficial to those who have it. 

Using information to create a plan is the foundational skill that will propel you to new heights. Having a well defined plan encourages focus and ensures that roadblocks don’t impede your progress. 

If you think about the way sports are played, it is easy to see how having a plan leads to success. When a team steps on the court or field, a plan is already in place that each member has at the forefront of their mind. Every member knows and understands the importance of the role they play on the team and referencing that physical or mental model allows the manifestation of synergy between players. This orchestrated interaction creates a combined effect that is greater than the sum of their individual efforts. Simply put, a plan is the main component in achieving a goal and whether it is static or dynamic, every self-made person needs one to get where they are going.

 

9. Take action

When we talk about accomplishing goals, by far, the most necessary step is putting everything in place and taking action. Execution is what will take an idea from just a thought to a physical reality. When things are happening and tasks are getting done, that is when progress is being made.

Being active means putting yourself out there and being willing to act out all the plans you have made. It means being willing to make mistakes and being ready to make changes based off of what works and what doesn’t. The only way to know if something works is if you try it. Trial and error is a part of life and it is how we learn and improve. By taking action you will gain invaluable experience that will prepare you for the future. With enough encounters, you will become more confident in your ability to get results and pivot based on the current need. The more experience you gain from taking action, the more refined your skills will become on your way to being self-made.

 

10. Love what you do

It sounds so simple, right? If you love what you do then you’ll be more likely to be successful at what it is you’re doing. It’s not hard to understand and yet putting it into practice can turn out to be way more complicated than you think.

 

Figure out what you love.

That’s step one.

Step two, is to do that thing everyday, as much as you can so that you can make your passion your profitable reality.

Never give up, and don’t let other people influence you into following a path you don’t love or believe in!

— Bianca Miller - Cole (@Bianca_B_Miller) November 5, 2019

 

The truth is, becoming self-made is a rough path. If it were easy, more people would do it. The only thing that has the power to conquer any doubt and fear is knowing that you’re spending your time doing something you love to do. Ultimately, it is something you would be doing even if it was never successful. Achieving your goals is great, but being self-made, at a philosophical level, is about living a life that you can be proud of and knowing at the end of each day that the time you spent was well worth it. And that is priceless.