Your April Action Plan: 10 Ways to Get Serious About Your Future

UPDATED: August 21, 2024
PUBLISHED: April 1, 2023
woman setting goals to be more serious about the future

Your Action Plan is a monthly to-do list of tips straight from SUCCESS magazine—10 things you can do right now to improve yourself and your life. This month, it’s all about how to be more serious about your future.

This month, feed your mind what it needs to take on life’s challenges. Learn what it means to be mentally tough, and then step outside of your comfort zone for a total transformation.

1. Toughen up to be more serious.

The next time you’re tempted to postpone a difficult conversation, remind yourself that great leaders need to make tough decisions in order to achieve more. Schedule the conversation immediately and don’t talk yourself out of it.

Read: 5 Things Strong Leaders Do

2. Swap the sweets.

The American Heart Association recommends minimizing the amount of added sugars in foods “to no more than 6% of calories each day. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons.” Commit to healthier options by substituting the sugar for your coffee with a spoonful of raw honey or a natural sweetener.

3. Be more serious about your future by taking responsibility.

Your life is your own. Circumstances can arise that are out of your control. But you alone are responsible for your happiness. Don’t let anyone else hold that power.

Read: 7 Rules to Be Wealthy as a Single Parent

4. Picture the end when setting goals.

Write down your biggest goal. Now envision yourself achieving that goal. Imagine how accomplished you’ll feel. Keep that feeling in mind as you progress toward your goal.

Read: How Training for a Marathon Pushed Me to Seek More

5. See gratitude.

Every day this week, write down three things you’re thankful for. They don’t need to be big and you don’t need to make a production out of it. Commit to seeing the good in your life and watch a positive habit form.

Read: What I Learned from Keeping a Gratitude Journal

6. Be more serious about the future by never giving up.

Challenges are inevitable. How you respond to those challenges will define who you are. Reframe your mental attitude when difficult situations arise. Remind yourself that the hard times are a vital part of success.

Read: The Baddest Bull Rider Has a Secret to Success: Always Pick the Baddest Bull

7. Reach out.

The feeling of not being enough isn’t an uncommon one. Embrace that uncomfortable feeling and strive to create authentic, vulnerable connections with those around you.

Read: 5 Ways Being Vulnerable Can Make You Happier

8. Face challenges by being more serious about your future.

Life isn’t easy, but we all have challenges to face. The next time you come up against an obstacle, tell yourself “good job” and keep pushing forward.

Read: The Jocko Willink Way

9. Be present.

Take a couple members of your team out to lunch. Get to know them not as employees, but as people. Ask about their dreams, goals and future plans. Ask how you can help them achieve those goals.

Read: Why a Compassionate Leader Gets Results

10. Push yourself to be more serious about the future.

Commit to doing one difficult thing every day this week. Step outside of your comfort zone and relish the uncomfortable feeling of learning new things.

Read: Mental Strength Can Make You Unstoppable—Here’s How

This article originally appeared in the April 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine and has been updated. Photo by GaudiLab/Shutterstock

Cecilia Meis is the editorial director for SUCCESS and a digital nomad. She writes about other digital nomads, solopreneurs and the future of work.

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