Top Ten Ways to Achieve Personal and Professional Independence

1. Clearly define what you want and what is most important to you.

Here's the deal, you have to look at and define your WHOLE life not just one part. This would include personal, professional, financial, and physical needs as well as your core values and beliefs. Consider this, one aspect such as financial independence will not be fulfilling and independence will not be gained if you have to sacrifice other priorities or compromise your ideals to achieve it.

2. Understand where your motivation is coming from.

How much pleasure will you create in your life by achieving independence? How painful will it be if you don't?

3. Believe you can have it - you'll only see it AFTER you believe it. What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail?

4. Research your options.

Knowledge is power. Do your homework to clearly and factually understand the wide array of options and opportunities available.

5. Become comfortable knowing the difference between uncontrolled change and intelligent risk.

Risk is normally considered to be anything we don't know for sure. However decisions made and actions taken based on factual information and effective planning will help you succeed as you move beyond current limitations.

6. Create an action plan that expands your comfort zone.

Old scientific rules apply here - First, for every action there is a reaction and second, once something (or someone) is stretched, it will never go back to being quite as small again. There is a common sense principal too - to get what you've never had, you have to do what you've never done.

7. Implement.

Too many people are too busy "fixing to get ready to get started to begin". Nike says it best, "Just do it."

8. Evaluate and adjust.

When something is working, stick with it. When something isn't working, don't give up - change up! Change your approach based on the expanded experience you gained.

9. Remember experience is a learned process.

If you knew it all now, you'd already be joyfully independent. Enjoy the process and be kind to yourself along the way.

10. Liberate your passions and celebrate your uniqueness.

Break out from limiting thoughts and actions and set yourself free to attract whatever it is that makes you happy and fulfilled.

Jeannette Kraar, president of Performance Management International is the Breakthrough Career Coach and a highly-acclaimed trainer, speaker and consultant. Hundreds of PMI clients have succeeded even in the most turbulent times. Jeannette is the author of BREAKTHROUGH, The Hate My Job, Need A Life, Can't Get No Satisfaction SOLUTION. Learn more about the book at http://www.breakthroughcareersolutions.com. Email Jeannette at pmi@manageyoursuccess.com or visit her on-line at http://www.manageyoursuccess.com