We’ve made it to Part 4 of this series, on setting up your life for success after you graduate college and entering the real world of #adulting with confidence and enthusiasm for the future! Hooray!
Now, this last part is my favorite, because it involved tangible things mixed with intangible emotions.
Feel free to start at the beginning here: 12 Steps You Need To Take After You Graduate College – Part 1. (or jump to Part 2 or Part 3)
But let’s review. So far we’ve talked about taking action in nine areas of your life to get started in #adulting!
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First, I told you to determine your priorities. Because frankly, you can’t set goals and chase after those goals until you know what your priorities are in life. When you are 70 years old and in retirement, let’s say, I want you to look back at your life and feel confident in the legacy you are leaving. That means no regrets!
The second step is to take those priorities and set up some goals. Do you want to run your own business? Set a long-term goal to accomplish this year, like saving money to start a business. Then set a weekly goal that is a baby step toward your larger goal, and lastly a daily goal.
The SELF Journal is one I use to set yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals, and get stuff done.
Third, I want you to create a bucket list. I created one called 30 in 30 where you set 30 goals of what you want to accomplish before the age of 30. You’re more likely to accomplish your bucket list goals when there is a deadline at the end of it! Plus it’s more fun to do those things when you’re younger anyway.
Now that you have priorities, goals, and a bucket list in place, it’s time to find a community where you are right now. You need like-minded people to go through the ups and downs of life with you. You need support. Plus community helps you relieve stress and enjoy life. So don’t wait, and find a community that you can pour into.
Two other big things for me after college, with a new paycheck and living habits, were to create a budget and start eating healthier. You’re the one who decides what happens with the money for the rest of your life. You’re the one who puts food in your body and decides if you will take care of it or not. It’s time to make smart financial and health decisions now so that for the rest of your life, it becomes a habit and you follow suit.
After you have a community, you’ll also want a mentor to connect with and look up to. You need accountability. You need that guidance when you make a poor decision because mistakes will happen. It is so important to have encouragement from someone that knows all the details of what you are going through in this season of life. So take the time to find a mentor in your life.
Step nine is to invest in yourself. Personal development is going to be huge in your life. You no longer go to class to learn or have people telling you what to do and not do outside of work. You have to learn and study the world around you and grow and educate yourself. If you don’t put in the time and effort for personal development, then you’ll likely get left in the dust. So learn a new skill. Read a business book. Take a personality test. Read the news. Keep learning and keep growing.
Phew, that’s a lot to take in am I right?
But be sure to see the previous articles linked here where I go in-depth on all these topics: 12 Steps You Need To Take After You Graduate College – Part 1; 12 Steps You Need To Take After You Graduate College – Part 2; and 12 Steps You Need to Take After You Graduate College – Part 3.
Let’s dive right into number ten!
10. Conquer Your Fears
Easy to say right? I can’t make you have a spirit of adventure or drag you off your couch to do crazy things. But I’m going to do my best to motivate you to do it.
A couple of months ago I went skydiving. It just seemed so insane for so long, but my head was telling me to go.
A friend at work had just gone and hearing her talk about the thrill of it was so exciting, yet my stomach turned a bit hearing about it. But then this thought came into my head, “Why not??” “Um, because I could die!”
Which is a pretty legitimate excuse for never going, I’ll give you that. However, the more I thought about it the more I started mentioning it to others, and before I knew it a friend and I called and signed up on a whim.
The next day we showed up, shaking in our boots a bit, whispering about how we didn’t think we were actually doing this, and laughing at the safety video stating we had a risk of death, because how else are you supposed to react?!
As the small rickety plane took us up in the air, I was feeling ok. It wasn’t until the instructor told me to dangle my feet over the edge of the open door that I freaked out. Before I knew it we were free-falling and I opened my eyes to a world I had never seen before.
Facing your fears is always worth it.
You learn about yourself. You become more confident. You learn the value of taking risks. You remember that you’re only young once. YOLO, right?
The best advice I can give is to play into your age right now. You are young and have the chance to take risks in life because you’re not providing for a family yet, or have a secure job that likely won’t change in your life, or the energy to go to some of these.
Of course, you need to be wise. But you also have an amazing opportunity to just go for it!
I love this video by Gary Vee here:
The Ultimate Guide To #Adulting
Because #ADULTING.
Do you feel in the dark? I know I did after I graduated college! Here's everything you need to know to start your SUCCESSFUL adult life!
11. State A Manifesto For Your Life
Set up your life for success by writing down exactly what you want to pursue for the rest of your life.
A manifesto is a declaration for your life. It doesn’t have to be a certain length, just whatever you want to write.
Here is an example of a manifesto someone wrote:
Stop living the life you hate. Stop worrying about the future. Set up your future self for success. Start doing the work to create the beautiful life you want to live. Start pursuing what you love.
I love this manifesto because it shows the heart behind the person. There is no specific on how it will happen, because that is for goal setting or if you were writing a mission statement.
Instead, a manifesto is going to the light at the end of the tunnel.
It is the drive inside of you, pushing you forward.
To write your manifest, ask yourself “What do I want my legacy to be when I am 70 years old?”
Start just spilling thoughts and ideas onto paper. There should be no rhyme or reason to it.
Next, find quotes, videos, motivational speeches, bible verses, etc. that resonate with you. Use keywords from those to find the phrases you are looking for.
Then, just write it! There is nothing that has to be perfect in it. It can always change as you get older.
But one of the most important things is to display your manifesto. Hang it above your bed or desk. Put it on the fridge. Make it visible so that you are reminded daily of how you want the direction of your life to head.
Live a fulfilling life with no regrets by writing a manifesto and living by it.
12. Find Your Level of Freedom
Lastly, after all, is said and done, I want you to discover yourself. It comes by taking risks, overcoming barriers, and opening up to vulnerability.
It comes by being grateful and helping others. It means pursuing your dreams when you seem to be the only one who believes in them.
You are incredible. God views you as His beloved child. He is for you and wants the best for you.
Following steps, one through eleven will automatically lead you to step 12.
You will discover who you are through the journey and become a better version of yourself.
“Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting, in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.” – Zig Ziglar
That is why one of my goals in my 30 in 30 bucket list is to find myself.
It’s a process. Learn to love the process, because you have your whole life to reach the end goal.
Discover yourself slowly over time and grow from learning all those things.
I’d love to hear if you made it through all 12 steps in the comments below!
Best of Luck and Happy Adulting! We’re in this together, friend.
The Ultimate Guide To #Adulting
Because #ADULTING.
Do you feel in the dark? I know I did after I graduated college! Here's everything you need to know to start your SUCCESSFUL adult life!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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I love the idea of writing a manifesto that describes how you want to feel and accomplish at the end of your life. How you get there can vary, but the feeling you want is constant.
Yes, it keeps us grounded on why we do what we do!
I agree with all of your points! I’m someone who is always trying to push myself and plan everything out. Although it hasn’t always benefitted me, it’s worked out really well in the long run! I haven’t reached all 12 steps yet, but also I’m not finished with college so I still have time to figure it out! 🙂
Keep pushing and planning!! You got this Maddie!
Super-great ideas! I especially love the suggestion of connecting with a mentor – that’s really helpful for growth and learning!
It is very important! Thanks, Patricia!