Many struggle with a lack of clarity on what they want in life. This is how to (finally) get direction in your life.

Living without clarity on direction is like flying without GPS coordinates. Inefficient, frustrating and unlikely to succeed. Getting clarity on what you want will help you finally feel in alignment and live to your potential.

Unfortunately, we are never taught how to 'do life' in school. Nor are we taught how to think and reflect on what we truly want and why.

What's so difficult about getting direction in life?

• Analysis Paralysis. Life brings unlimited choice, and setting a direction can feel like saying no to all other options.

• Fear of failure. "What if I choose and then fail?", it's easier to not choose than to try and fail.

• Uncertainty is uncomfortable. Our brains love certainty. It creates biases to keep you from looking away the path you are on.

However, there is hope. By following a step-by-step approach, this practice becomes easier and easier. And once you nail it, it feels like taking the red pill and waking up from the Matrix. Here's how, step by step:

Step 1: Start with the end in mind.

If you don’t make a deliberate effort to clarify where you want to go in life, then you'll never get there.

Imagine you are at the end of your life / career. Write a list for each defining what you would have wanted to achieve or experienced for each area.

• Health: physical, mental and emotional

• Work: paid & unpaid

• Relationships: family, romantic, social

• Growth: learning, experiences,

• Security: financial

• Environment: location, peers

• Enjoyment: hobbies, recreation

Tip: Struggling to create urgency or get inspiration? Imagine you had 1 year to live and no one else knows.

Step 2: Work out what's important to you and why.

Without clarity on what's important to you, then you open the door to other people and circumstances shaping your direction. You live by default.

Review the list above again. Define your view and values on the area, then. Rate 1-10 a) its importance to you and b) your current satisfaction.

Step 3: Follow just ONE priority.

Don't fall into the trap of trying to fix everything. By following ONE priority, you will make more progress with less stress. Select one priority by:

• Combining the scores for importance and current satisfaction

• Select the area that will have most impact (low satisfaction and high importance)

• Define 2-3 actions or habits that are within your control

• Write it down and make it visible. Make this your priority everyday.

Aligning direction, values and priority will bring coherence and happiness to your life. Not only will you achieve more, but what you achieve will be meaningful to you.