A few years ago, I was trying to discover what I wanted out of life and had a million things floating around in my head. However, with the many ideas floating around in my head, nothing really stood out from the rest.  Then I heard someone say, "Before you try to take on the world, GET YOUR OWN HOUSE IN ORDER."  That statement was exactly what I needed to start evaluating from within to find out what I needed to do with what was around me.

How many of us have friends or family who seem to go through each day with no plan at all? What about those we know who seem to be stuck in the exact same place they were at this time last year? Can these things even be said about you??

My friends, the solution to this problem is simple: PRIORITIZING!!! With anything worth having in life, the key to attaining and maintaining these things is to have a plan and an order in place. The most successful and happiest people are those who have their priorities in line, down to the smallest detail. You can do this, too...starting TODAY!

Think about your life and answer these questions: What/who is most important to me? What are my long and short-term goals in life? Answering these questions will lay the foundation for what will feel like a breath of fresh air in the way you live.  Everything that's important to you is worth prioritizing...faith, family, school, work, finances, friends, etc. Be sure to give these things the consideration that they deserve, and determine how they fit in your life.

THE DAY YOU GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER IS THE DAY YOU TRULY START LIVING!!!

Remember this, my friends, as you strive to become the best that you can be...

Have you ever seen people that drift through life with seemingly NO direction or purpose? You ever woner why so many people with degrees in one area end up unhappy with their job or end up doing something completely unrelated to what they WANT to do?

Now on the other hand, have you seen people that seem to LOVE what they do...almost as if they were MADE for their profession??  This is because these people have found their PASSION.

This is what sets the extraordinary from the ordinary, the leaders from the followers.  A person with purpose and passion will always have JOY, and that's much more valuable than happiness. (Joy is long-lasting, happiness changes like the weather.)  They'll always have something to look forward to in life, and bring a sense of peace to their lives and the lives of others.

How does one find their passion? I believe it all starts with making sure you have a strong foundation within yourself--being fully aware of where you stand morally. There are people in this world that will tell you anything and pull u in a variety of different directions, and if you don't have a great sense of who you are, you'll fall for anything.  Constant prayer, self-evaluation, and knowing who your TRUE friends are is a great start to building a solid foundation in your life.

Exposure should be next on the agenda...stepping outside of your comfort zone and committing yourself to soaking up all that the world has to offer. I encourage everyone I meet to try new things and be diverse in your extracurricular activities.  You'd be surprised at how much you'll learn about yourself by putting yourself in different environments.  If you limit yourself, you limit your potential--potential to be successful, potential to find true happiness.

I can only speak for myself, and, as a person that has found his passion, I can say it is an unexplainable feeling. Encouraging and empowering others, leadership, and political change are my passions in life, and to be able to identify them early will make a world of differnce in your outlook on your surroundings. I go to bed and wake up every day thinking about what I can do to feed my passions. That's the attitude that finding your calling in life will bring out of you.

Take some time this week and really search within yourself...what are you striving for? What's important to you? What are some things you just can't imagine yourself NOT doing? Once you find the answers to these questions, you're well on your way to finding your passion.

"Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action." - Napoleon Hill

Every year, students descend upon colleges and universities hoping to become America's next great doctor, attorney, writer, politician, athlete, etc.  While some amass great success in their desired fields throughout their careers, there are many others who barely get their feet in the door of their professions of interest. How does that happen if two people have the same level of education? I'm glad you asked.

No matter where in society you look, the difference between the mediocre and the extraordinary is the willingness to go above and beyond minimum requirements and strive to stand out among their peers.

Take some time this week and evaluate yourself according to this simple checklist I provided below. If your answer isn't a YES to all of these, you have now discovered the areas you can work on to get to where you want to be!!

Be blessed!

Professional Development Checklist

1. Do you stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in your field of interest?
2. Have you identified the qualifications necessary for the position you seek in your professional career?
   
3. Do you know at least 5 of the leading individuals in your field of interest?
4. Are you a member of any professional/student organizations directly related to your field of interest?
5. Do you attend conferences/events related to your field of interest?
6. Do you have at least 3 people working within your field of interest that you can work with in a mentor/mentee relationship?
7. Do you have work experience in your field of interest (jobs, internships, etc.)?