3 Decisions Smart People Make to Achieve Their Dreams

The average number of decisions an adult typically makes each day — from tying your shoes to choosing your morning coffee — is about 35,000. 

At the end of the day, life is really about making the right decisions to fulfill your ultimate goals and desires. In business, the smartest leaders simplify things to keep them from making dumb choices.

To simplify your own path toward reaching your goals, there are three smart choices you need to make to achieve success. 

Life will throw many curveballs your way and everyone will be exposed to failure and disappointment at one time or another. The question is, how will you bounce back? One of the things to ultimately avoid is excessive self-pity.

Corcoran Group founder and Shark Tank mogul Barbara Corcoran once said, “The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.”

Be like the most successful people and entrepreneurs: Bounce back, learn from your mistake, chalk it up to experience, remember the lesson in the future, and forget the rest.

 Face it–your mistake cannot be undone. But you can choose to learn from it and move on.

One sure way to attract positive, encouraging, and optimistic people that won’t drag you down is to simply stop hanging around negative and critical people. Like an unwanted disease, they will contaminate the workplace by spreading their negativity virus.

We all have a tendency to ruminate more on bad experiences than positive ones — it’s quite human of us. But constant negativity can also get in the way of our happiness and add unnecessary stress to our lives. 

Be aware of the language some of your current friends or work colleagues choose. Are they dwelling heavily on the worst possible outcome? Or do they see the glass as half full? As you reevaluate your inner circle, seek connections who are optimistic, supportive, resilient, and who will lift you up instead of drag you down.

Smart and successful people take risks and create urgency with intent and purpose. They don’t suffer from analysis paralysis. When they’ve done their research and spoken to mentors and sages, they move with an uncanny level of faith.

I don’t speak of religion necessarily. I speak of a faith–whatever your belief system–that comes from a deep spiritual connection with a power greater than yours. 

It’s this faith that strengthens you and makes you endure your trials. A faith that helps you realize it’s better to surrender the outcome than experience perpetual anxiety and future regret.

This type of surrender can become one of your best leadership strengths. It’s not to be mistaken for giving in or giving up. What I am suggesting is that you take the first step by learning the subtle practice of “letting go.”