The world is chaotic, and the best way to make a lasting change in life is to have a plan. The weather is unpredictable, and political climates are unstable. The economy is volatile, and technology can cause anxiety.

If you’re not careful, you may feel exhausted by all the changes around you.

But what if instead of letting these external forces affect your life, you could take charge of them? What if you could harness the power of change and make it work for you?

Well, guess what? You can! People have been doing it for centuries—and so can we all.

These seven tips help you take proactive actions to make life better for you and the people around you.

Point 1: Set realistic goals and draw up the plan.

Setting goals is a crucial step to achieving lasting change in your life. First, however, you should ensure your goals are realistic and measurable.

Making them more specific by giving yourself a time limit will help you stay on track with your goals and keep from getting exhausted by making changes.

Your goals need to be SMART to make a lasting change in life. 

Point 2: Break it down into smaller parts.

Break the task you’re trying to accomplish into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, if you have a big project, don’t try to tackle it all at once.

Instead, break it up and plan out what needs to be done for each part in advance. This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and help you get through the process more efficiently.

For example, if you’re trying to learn something new (e.g., guitar or cooking), start with one essential skill and practice that until it becomes second nature before moving on to another step.

Point 3: Identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Take the time to identify your strengths and weaknesses. This will help you understand how these currently affect your life, what can be improved, and how to do it.

• Identify what you’re good at: What comes easy to you? Where is your natural talent or skill? The first step in creating lasting change is knowing where to focus your energy.
• Understand your weaknesses: If there are areas that don’t come naturally for you or that require a lot of effort, take note of them so they can become opportunities for life improvement.
• Know what changes need making: Once all the information has been gathered, it’s time to decide what needs changing and how to make those changes happen.

Point 4: Learn from your past mistakes.

Learning from your past mistakes is integral to growing as a person. The best way to avoid making the same mistakes is to be honest about what went wrong, how it went wrong, and what you can do differently. If you’ve been doing the same thing repeatedly without any results, maybe it’s time to change your approach!

There’s no shame in admitting when we’re wrong or having made bad decisions—the only thing that matters is learning not to make those same mistakes again.

Point 5: Be realistic and consistent.

One of the most important things you can do to make lasting change is to be realistic and consistent. If you set a goal that is too big or your motivation fades after a few days, it will not work out.

On the other hand, setting small goals and being consistent with them will get you farther in the long run than setting huge goals and not sticking with them.

If you slip up one day, don’t punish yourself by telling yourself your actions are pointless. Instead, get back on track! If you stick with it consistently, eventually, your life will be changed for good.

Point 6: Find a support system.

Having a support system is vital for everyone. It’s even more so for those trying to make positive changes in their lives because having people around you who understand what you’re going through can make all the difference between success and failure.

Find one if you don’t have a close friend or family member who has been in your shoes before!

Even if they don’t fully understand what it’s like to be stuck in an unhealthy lifestyle (as most people aren’t), they can still offer advice based on their experiences with change and encourage when things get complicated.

Point 7: Realize that change is a process.

One of the crucial things to remember when you’re trying to make lasting change is that it’s a process that takes time.

For example, it will take more than a few weeks of intense exercise and dieting to improve your fitness and lose weight. It might take months or even years to see all the benefits of your efforts. And that’s okay! The important thing is not giving up when things get tough because something isn’t working as quickly as expected.

The Bottom Line

Change is the only constant in life. But is it the key to being happier and successful? Changing your mindset and learning how to make lasting changes in life are essential.

If you want to make lasting change in your life, you must make a plan that works for you and acknowledge that change is hard work but possible.

It’s essential to keep your goals realistic, focus on progress rather than perfection and find support from others who know what it’s like to get started on their journeys towards self-improvement.