Planning Your FutureB Y :   R I C H A R D   B A T T I S T A

R I C H A R D B A T T I S T A L I F E C O A C H I N G . C O M

Thinking about where you will want to be in the future ofyour personal, academic or professional life is a natural

thought progression that many of us seem to ponder fromtime to time. As we muster up courage in own ways, there

comes a time when we want to become the leaders orinspirational figures that we have admired for so long.

While it is natural or common for people to sometimes revealqualities that are not necessarily conducive to leadership, it’simportant to remember that making the conscious effort to

change is the first stepping stone.

Even though this may be a cliche, understanding thatmaking the most of your day to day life is absolutely

essential when moving forward. In other words, focusing onthe little things in the daily tasks throughout the week can

allow you to experience more happiness which you cancreate with simplicity. Giving your cube mate a little birthdaypresent to offering others a smile you may not know so well

cultivates an environment where people can feelcomfortable to socially interact or engage with you.

We are constantly makingother plans, searching forother opportunities andreaching to attain a goalthat we may or may notactually want. Stayingmindful about what iscurrently around you isessential when it comes tomaximizing happiness in thepresent moment, instead ofother distractions that arecurrently irrelevant.

Even if you may truly miss your college experiences or thefriends at your last job, coming to the realization that theseprecious moments are well in the past is extremely salientfor your emotional health. Dwelling on times in which you

think you were much happier or more free are only hinderingemotional progress you could be making with people you

interact with on a regular basis. Embodying leadership traitsto mark yourself as a strong individual by showing kindness,

humor and humbleness are just a few ways to become abetter you.

Show loveMaya Angelou once said“At the end of the daypeople won’t rememberwhat you said or did,theywill remember how youmade them feel.” Arguablythe most deeply felt andmeaningful emotion thathumans feel, showingothers you care is a greatway for you to not onlybecome a leader, but alsoprovide a different level ofemotional satisfaction.

Follow your dreams

Limiting discomfort or living within the constraints societyhas crafted for us is how many people live in order to

maintain a level of security. While this is all well and good,challenging yourself at the right times in your life allowsyou to grow in multiple ways. The root of actually doing

what your heart desires is suppressed by emotions such asfear and societal judgement, which are concerns that weall face at different stages. However, these root causes inno way allow you to achieve or experience the dream you

have been working towards.

Make time

An old excuse that nearly everyone you know has said onetime or another, the mindfulnessinnate tendency to use thisas a rebuttal is more than common for some. Regardless ofhow busy we actually are, it is only realistic to understand

the craziness in our lives won’t actually slow down anytimesoon and the plans we want to make aren’t going anywhereeither. Instead of complaining or making excuses, consider

ways you can successfully engage in activities that will bringyour more happiness in the present.

Finding our allyCollecting yourself in order to control perception or

thinking about a certain situation is the most ideal form ofmaintaining an emotional balance. At first, this trait

actually takes a fair amount of time to perfect, as self-control is actually an extremely difficult trait to successfully

exhibit. Once you practice applying this quality in pain-staking or difficult hardships, utilizing self-control will

eventually become easier as you get more comfortableusing it in different situations.

Honor & RespectShowing respect to others is a key takeaway when creating

and maintaining relationships in different environmentssuch as the workplace, which often times presents itself as

cut throat environment where everyone views each other ascompetitors instead of allies.

This stereotypical portrayal in the workplace can besuccessfully challenged by complimenting others on their

progress along with appreciating their efforts as theycontinue to develop their talents in a variety of ways.