How to Transform Your Life in Less than 30 Minutes
Glen / 
33 Comments / 
March 2nd, 2009 / 
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We hear it all the time don’t we…transform your life, reinvent yourself, unleash your power or even ‘awaken your giant’ if you’re familiar with Tony Robbins. But what exactly does it mean? What does it mean to transform your life?
To me transforming your life is simply this: completely changing what you’re doing now and completely changing the results you’re getting. That’s it, and based on that principle it’s not hard to see how a few simple steps outlined below can dramatically change your experience on this beautiful planet.
Why 30 minutes? Why not 60? Why not a day? To be honest with you all, you could probably complete the steps below in about 15 minutes. However, to make up for the people who may take a little longer I say you’ll need about 25-30.
There’s just one more thing. You need to read every word in this post to understand the message I’m getting across (especially at the end) and actually get the results that the title promises.
Give yourself a chance to give me a chance, and you’ll reap the rewards.
STEP ONE: Write Down Every Goal, Big or Small (0-5 Minutes)
If you were rushed into hospital today for whatever reason and told you only had 24 hours of good health left, I’m sure you could come up with some ideas on how you would use that time. Personally, one of my items would be writing the best blog post of my life. Seriously, I even know what the title would be.
In this first step, you need to write down all the life goals that you would like to accomplish, whether they are as large as becoming a millionaire or as small as showing gratitude, write them down. Some ideas to start you off may include:
- Swimming with Dolphins
- Flying in a helicopter
- Visiting the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls
- Dining out at an underwater restaurant
Whatever comes to mind, write it down. I wouldn’t spend too long on this; if your list starts getting closer to 100 than it is to 0 then you definitely have enough items written down.
STEP TWO: List Your Items in Order of Priority (0 – 5 Minutes)
Put simply, the next step is to take the items you’ve wrote down for step one and put them in order of importance to you. Which would you like to complete first, which would mean more to you than the others? This might be challenging but deep down you should know which points hold the most value to you.
My own list includes some of the following:
- Build PluginID to become one of the biggest blogs in the world
- Travel around Europe with no map and no specific plans
- Build a school or social club in a poor country that helps children
- Give a speech to a large audience
- See the Northern lights in Alaska
Some of your points may need another to be completed before they are possible. So for example, I need to make a good amount of regular income online before I can travel Europe and go where I want. If that is the case, list the task that needs to precede the others first.
STEP THREE: Write Down Basic Action Points for the Top 5 (0 – 10 Minutes)
This doesn’t have to be detailed, but for the top 3-5 items on your list, write down some action points that would help you get there. In regards to building PluginID, my action points might be:
- Write more guest posts on other blogs
- Increase activity on the top social media sites
- Write high quality content on a regular basis
Just some simple points that don’t have to be very specific, just so you know what steps you would take.
STEP FOUR: Put them Online (0 – 3 Minutes)
This step is fairly painless and straight forward. Now that you have everything written down, put it online somewhere. The reason for this is that you can look at your goals wherever you are in the world, and it’s unlikely that you’re going to lose the list (something very easily done if you’ve wrote it on paper).
You don’t have to do this right now but definitely do it at some point, I recommend using the likes of Scribd or Google Docs to do this. If you want to keep them private then use Google Docs, or make sure you change the privacy settings on Scribd or whichever service you use.
STEP FIVE: Start with Number One (0 – Lifetime?)
That’s it, seriously. This is the most important thing to you in your life right now. Of all the other things you would like to achieve, this is at the top of your list. If you are wondering why life isn’t working in your favour, it’s because you aren’t starting on number one.
If you’re wondering what your purpose in life is, then you haven’t started on number one. I’m not saying the first point is what you should be doing for the rest of your life, but from starting here the doors will open to wherever you are supposed to be next on your personal mission. I’m working on number one right now by writing this blog post, it may not be my ‘destiny’ in life, but it’s a goal with the highest priority to me and therefore I’m working on it.
There’s nothing more productive you can be doing with your time, really.
What this Means
This is a simple exercise and I feared that because of the simplicity people might not understand the importance of the message here. That’s exactly why I bolded the part saying you should read every word in this post. If you have, then “Hi!”, congratulations for sticking it out.
But what is this all about, what does it mean?
- You’ve found out exactly what matters to you most in life right NOW
- – It might not matter in a day, a week or a month, but right NOW this is your purpose
- You have no excuses not to follow this out and change your life for the better
- You can wake up every morning ready to fulfil goals that matter to you
That’s it. No more excuses. You know what matters, it’s laid out in front of you and you have some basic action points to help you on your way. If you need to wake up earlier to accommodate your efforts or you need to do research before you can start then go and do just that.
To you, right now, number one is where you should be heading, and then move down the list. It may change, but when it does, you’ll already be changing with it.
What was your number one?
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Often I have tried steps 1&2. It takes more than 5 minutes each!
Anyways, this is a good approach. What I find hard to do is to follow through..
Hey Shamelle, for some people it might take longer. For myself and the friends I tested this on before posting (as I do with most articles of this nature) – we managed to do it very quickly. That might be because we know our focus though so thanks for bringing that up.
If you find it hard to follow through, maybe you are utterly and completely content with life as it is? That is the stage I’m heading for without goals, but without them I really don’t know how I would be moving on in my day to day life (for now).
– Glen
Hi Glen,
Just amazing. You have compiled it so nicely. My number one at the moment is to spend 30 minutes right away.
IMO, the best idea is to put them online (Step 4). Thanks a bunch for sharing.
Pothi.
Excellent Pothi, I love that kind of attitude.
You’re welcome!
I love these ideas. It also helps to take action instantly, rather than mulling. Which is, basically, how I roll.
haha, nicely put Joely
Hey Glen,
This is great! My husband and I each created a list of things that we want to do in our life time and actually highlighted items that we wanted to accomplish just this year. By highlighting it we are more likely to make plans towards completing it. We keep the list in google docs so that yes we don’t lose it!
Somethings we want to accomplish this year: Camping with the family (could be interesting the kids will be 2 and 8 months…), hiking a scenic trail where we’re from, and getting our blog significantly off the ground.
Thanks for bringing this to the front of my mind again!
That’s great Sherri, great to see some of the tips already being implemented. Sounds like you have a lot of outdoor activities planned
Anytime, thanks for stopping by!
Awesome tips, as always, Glen! It reminds me of the movie, “The Bucket List”.
Take Care,
Lisis
Thansk Lisis, I haven’t seen that movie but just read the review on IMDB and sounds interesting!
I think this is a great start.
I’m in agreement with Shamelle that it’s a bit to “fortune cookie” for me… change takes time and commitment.
I suppose that’s the quandary of being a blogger tho
.
Lovin the blog… keep up the good work.
Change can be instant Halffull. I’m sure there are plenty of people who visit this blog that have no direction in life, they are simply existing rather than living (I was one of those people myself).
For them I think this can be an instant turn around, a simple exercise that actually helps you start to ‘get somewhere’ or ‘do something’. Even relate this to blogging, write down action points that you need to take.
Thanks for your comment though, I appreciate it
Change starts with a single step. Transformation can be quick for some things and time consuming for others. Great post.
Well said Newsong, thanks!
The basic actions is something which really would work for me, I’m going to try to make that list, RIGHT now!
Excellent DSK
Another great post! This is a subject I feel passionately about. I did this myself in the form of a 101 Things in 1001 Days list. If you go to the website (http://www.dayzeroproject.com/) you can read all about it and look at other people’s lists. Basically you have a list of 101 things that you try to accomplish in 1001 days (about 2.5 years). I’ve put it up in my room so i look at it every day and it helps to keep my goals fresh in my mind. I’ve already crossed so many things off the list! Lookout Vegas here i come
I hadn’t heard about that project before Alyss, thanks for sharing. I’m a big fan of 43 things which is slightly similar but there is no time deadline.
Vegas, wow (jealous)!
Good post Glen, with one exception. It’s hard to change your life in 30 minutes. I do believe that’s a bit of a stretch. It’s seems easy to you and some others because they have already committed to do it. So I applaud the ideas here because they are all good ones and I agree with them, but I question whether anyone can really do it. I think it takes almost anyone a lot more time than that just do get their mind around the idea of changing their life. I love your blog so keep up the good work!
If you don’t know where you’re going in life, yet in less than 30 minutes later you have a clear direction and you know what to start with, I think that is a dramatic change.
Either way, I thought that there would be a lot of people who would disagree with the message, no love lost!
Thanks for your honesty Stephen
Cheers,
Glen
Great suggestion to get up and going! I am facing a personal challenge myself in getting a friend to do exactly what you are proposing. Your post is timely!
First – Glen, “The Bucket List” is a must-see : )
Secondly – Halffull, as Glen says, change will only happen in this moment, if you let time being responsible for your growth (reaching your dreams), then it will probably never happen, because, there will always be more time, it’s in this moment you can change the way things are.
And to quote someone I can’t remember, I actually think it’s from NLP: If you keep doing the same things, you will keep getting the same things.
Are you happy with the way things are? If yes, stay on course Halffull
if not, you probably should consider doing this exercise (from the article)
Take care
Excellent post Glen. Don’t necessarily agree with few comments by readers on this post but everyone has different frame of reference. This post certainly helps me getting started on tons of things I always wanted to do and as they say ‘If it doesn’t start with you, it dies with you’.
Words to live by ‘Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. ‘ -Arthur Ashe
Awesome Tman, great quote and thanks for the comment.
Glennie pooooh!
Awesome post man:)
Goals…hmmm
1- become a forex millionaire over time
2-have an awesome girlfriend
3-spend time with my best friends
4-travel the world with someone
5-meet up with you and al an rishan in europe and make an adventure
6-live:)
7:) share with others and give back
Glen,
This is really awesome. I like that it is all about ACTION. I am one of those who (finally) knows what his goal in life is, but am so overwhelmed by the enormity of it and by the not knowing how to get from start to finish and by worrying about how much society and culture will have to change to see effect from my goal, that I am paralysed by inactivity. Your simple, take the first step, JUST DO IT approach is a breath of fresh air and a great encouragement! Thanks!
Glen,
I read your post and the comments. The thought behind the thought, that some of us missed, is that transformation of life starts with transformation of mind. It does not mean that all your life will change in 5 minutes (like the color of your walls or something), but it does mean that those 5 minutes may bring about a significant transformation of mind, the effects of which will show up in your physical reality, actually changing the colors of your walls too, with time.
Hi Glen,
I loved this post and do agree doing this can transform your life.
It is actually a process you should stick with through out your life. To keep your forward motion happening. It is said that if you spend time each day on a goal you have motion and this act helps it grow into your dream.
Hey Diane,
Yes you are right, it’s definitely a process that needs to be followed through on!
Dear Glen,
I don’t know what I was doing or what I was searching when I found your spot about life transformation… but something led me there and I’m glad. I opened a word document as soon as I read that I’d need to “write” and began my list. At first I wrote things that could actually be done in my last 24 hours of life… then when I got to step 2 I went back and revised my list to larger life goals.
The most powerful thing I found is how content I feel. Laying on a beach with the sun in my eyes, or holding my husband by a fire, were my first thoughts. My other “life” goals also helped me realize how content and on course I already am. They each seemed really achievable to me when I got to step three and so I ended up listing the steps for all ten of the goals I had. Now I want to have my husband do it and be sure we both are supporting they goals each of us has.
Lastly, I like the comment from the person saying they are doing the same thing on a smaller scale for the year. Great idea. Thanks for sharing in a small way and making such a big difference!
Jodie
Thanks for this simple exercise. I want to do what
Hey Jodie,
I’m glad you stumbled on the site and found it useful.
That is an excellent idea, let me know how it works out when you speak to him
You’re welcome, thanks a lot for your comment!