The Most Satisfied People Don't Wait For What They Want, They Go Get It

Have you ever felt like your life isn't going the way you planned? Have you ever felt like everything is spiraling out of control, like you simply can't get a grip on what's happening around you, like nothing is going your way?

It happens to the best of us. Sometimes, we forget to take control of our lives, leaving everything up to chance, to fate, to other people instead.

And putting our lives in someone else's hands might release us of that anxiety-inducing responsibility -- but it won't get us what we want.

If you don't go for that promotion at your job because you hope that your boss will notice the good job you're doing, you'll never get that promotion.

If you don't flirt with that cute guy you like at the club because you're too busy praying that he'll notice you first, you'll never know what it could have been if you simply reached out.

If you don't suggest going to that new museum opening in town because you want your friends to bring it up before you do, you'll never experience something potentially rewarding and eye-opening.

When we bumble through life without asking for what we want, we feel out of control. We never feel satisfied because we're always at the mercy of others -- and that's not the way to live.

So, to solve this problem, you have to go for what you want. You have to just go and get it.

When you go get it, you have more control.

When you sit around and wait for something to happen, you don't feel like you're in control of your life.

You feel like you're at the mercy of other people who may or may not have your best interest at heart because they're too busy having their best interest at heart.

But when you really, truly go for what you want, you're in the driver's seat. You get to call the shots. You have the power to make decisions for yourself, and you feel independent because you're taking the initiative to do so.

Taking control means making your accomplishments known at your job. It means going up to that cute guy at the club. It means suggesting a visit to that museum.

It means letting the world know what you want, doing things that you know will satisfy you, taking control of your own trajectory -- and being unafraid to reach for it.

When you go get it, you feel empowered.

With that control and independence comes wonderful feelings of empowerment.

If you leave your life up to fate, chance, or the mercy of others, you aren't leading; you're following. You're simply living in the shadows. You aren't taking the initiative.

And this is important, because this is your life. If you won't lead it, who will? If you don't have your best interest at heart, who will?

You'll never feel more powerful than when you allow yourself to be the leader of your own path. You'll never feel more capable than when you give yourself the chance to show yourself how capable you are.

When you go get it, you gain confidence.

When you give yourself permission to lead, you'll feel more confident than you ever have before.

You will see yourself as someone who can take charge, not someone who leaves their life up to chance. You will see yourself as an individual who takes responsibility for his or her actions, not someone who wanders through life without a care in the world about the outcome.

The more you practice taking control of your own life, the more you'll be able to refine your leadership qualities -- and that's the key to living successfully.

When you go get it, you learn important life lessons.

Experiencing failure is the key to learning. If you never take risks that lead to failure, you'll never know what it feels like to take risks that lead to success.

The only way you'll grow as a person is if you go for what you want, see what happens, and accept the possibility of failure that might come with it.

Not everybody succeeds all the time, and understanding this key concept -- and actually living through it -- will humble you and make you a better person.

Even if something doesn't come out the way you planned, you will know that you're at least capable of taking the initiative, which will be enough to encourage you to try it again.

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