Last blog post, we talked about how to figure out who you want to be. Figuring that out is the first step; the second is using that information to build a purposeful life. This week, we’re going to get deeper into the how.

When I grounded myself with who I was and who I wanted to be, I gained clarity. I was able to eliminate the clutter that was in my mind and in my life and reclaim my time and my joy. I want that for you, too, and I’m sure you want it as well. When you are standing in your purpose, you are leading a lovely and fulfilling life. There are five keys to getting to that point:

1. Stop Putting Yourself Last

One of the first things I learned to do was to set boundaries, hire a coach, and put myself first. I wanted a coach and mentor who was leading the same kind of life that I wanted. If you’re doing great in your business, but at the expense of your relationships, then find someone who is managing to balance both effectively. You want to work with people who fill in your blind spots.

      2.  Create A Vision for Your Life

I was a goal-oriented person, so it was really hard to go from setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and with a Timeline) to looking at a vision. When I was in the rat race, I was always going for bigger and better, not just a 5k, but a marathon, not just an employee, but the president. And I was terribly unhappy. But when you have a vision for your life, it’s easier to reject things that don’t fit on that horizon. Instead of taking on all of the opportunities, you’re only taking on the ones that are serving your highest vision.

       3.  Stop Being the Go-To Person

I was always the person others went to for advice, for help, or to shoulder a responsibility, whether that was at work or in my life. When you download 6 Mindset Changing Techniques for a More Fulfilled Life, I want you to do the homework inside it.

Take a look at all the tasks you are doing. Do you love doing them? Or feel like you need to do them? What can you do away with? What can you hire out? And how can you leverage the talents of other people to be more effective in less time?

      4.  Pay Attention to Your Inner Dialogue

We become our thoughts—every mentor I’ve ever worked with and every thought leader I have read or listened to says the same thing. Our inner dialogue is powerful. If you keep saying, I’m exhausted. I am swamped. I’m overwhelmed. How am I going to get this done? There aren’t enough hours in the day. Guess what? You’ll be right. Whatever you think, whatever you feel about yourself, whatever you believe, you will be right. Rewrite those words in your head to be more positive and intentional and you will see a huge difference in your results.

      5.  Hire a Coach—and Listen

I invested money in myself (see #1) and hired a coach. I trusted my coach and knew he had my best interests at heart. If Bob Proctor had told me to stand on my head and sing the alphabet backward, I would have done it. When he told me only to talk to two people a week, the concept was incredibly foreign to me, but I chose to trust him and it immediately made me more productive and less overwhelmed.

By changing my thinking, my words, and my actions, I have created a life that is abundant, a schedule that is freeing. I’m not saying this was easy to do. You’re rewriting your own words and paradigms; it’s going to take time. But keep at it. Within a few months, you’ll find yourself working half the time and enjoying life twice as much.

Connect with Your Vision: Do this exercise to help connect with your vision for your life. Bring to your mind’s eye something that you want or want more of (time with loved ones, more of a legacy, etc.). Write down a few things that you would love to be, do, or have. If you’re struggling to align with your vision, think about how you want to feel in your life. Relaxed or overwhelmed? Fulfilled or maxed out? Picture this image of yourself in your mind, then close your eyes and breathe. Breathe in and out, always holding that vision in mind, until you feel an emotional connection to it. That vibration you are creating will attract the very life you want.

Finally, ask yourself silently for guidance: How can I be more effective and in less time? How can I serve? Or what can I let go of today that will bring me closer to that ideal? As ideas bubble up, write them down without judgment. Those ideas and inspirations are aligning with your vision and will create inspired action that creates real change.