We all have ideas about our perfect life, the perfect job, partner, income, etc. We begin life with grand plans, but years later, we don’t recognize the person we’ve become. We find that our sense of self-fulfillment and overall happiness is low, and our life feels unbalanced. The good news is, it’s never too late to get your life back on track.

Working with many clients over the years they all have their version of what success means to them, mainly this is found with financial freedom or material things. One thing I encourage them to do is to develop multiple measurements of success. If one solely focuses on one measurement, then after they achieve it, they realize their life is now unbalanced. This is where you hear of the stereotypical mid-life crisis. The person is attempting to redefine himself with different things. When you can create these different success measurements now, in the end, your life will be fulfilled.

As you continue with your journey, you may find yourself compromising in small areas of your life. This slowly starts to divert you from your course. You lose focus of what your goals are, and over time, these small compromises turn into more significant, radical decisions which lead you astray. It is important to analyze your life right now to see if you are making compromises in your actions as well as your thinking. If you are, it is vital to correct this now as opposed to years later when you are having feelings of regret.

We often use distractions as a way of “checking out” from daily stressors. This is an excellent way to decompress if it is planned or a part of your routine. If using distractions becomes a lifestyle instead of a tool, then your priorities are skewed, and you will find your life slowing down. Remember, distractions can be many things such as tv, going out, dating, clubbing, etc. A good rule of thumb is, if you are more interested in engaging in one of these distractions than working on your goals, then it is a good indication that your distraction is turning into a lifestyle.

Feelings of defeat are easily accessible when we experience a setback. We suddenly lose momentum and find ourselves struggling to find the right side up. We often lose focus and feel as if we will never reach our goals. This is a critical time to regroup. The longer you sit with these feelings, the more your goal is going to feel unattainable. This is where many people settle and only achieve a mediocre life. Sometimes we have to be our own cheerleader. Learning how to develop healthy self-talk during this time will bolster your confidence and help you redouble your efforts.

Regardless of where you are in your stage of life, you can always reset, refocus, and relaunch. There is no decision you have made that can stop you from fulfilling your purpose. As long as you are willing to recommit yourself to find your fulfillment, you will be successful. Think of your life as a bank account. You can only withdraw what you deposit into it. You get to determine what that is. Your life is only as limited as you want it to be.

James Miller is a licensed psychotherapist and the executive producer and host of the nationally broadcasted and syndicated radio show James Miller | LIFEOLOGY®.  www.JamesMillerLIFEOLOGY.com.