‘I want to know if you invest your time and energy wisely so you get the best return on all your efforts? Are you crystal clear around what it is you want to achieve? Are you are willing to step out of your comfort zone, and really stretch yourself? Do you take your inventory regularly, so you can then decide what to pursue and what to let go of, and stay on track with your values and priorities, as these change?’ (Huffington Post).

That’s called Personal Effectiveness. To this date, there is a single grade I earned in all of my 27 years of education that I am most proud of. It was an E for Excellent in “Makes Good Use of Self Directed Time” in Kindergarten. For some strange reason I remember that grade like it was yesterday and the thought of it has stayed with me all these years.

To get started or continue your journey, pick one of the areas below and follow these steps:

1. Begin by clarifying your goals, values and priorities – this helps you create a foundation for success.

2. Write a list of the skills you need to acquire in order to achieve your goals.

3. Banish your inner critic and say positive things to yourself each day like: ‘I am enough’ and ‘I am worthy of success’.

4. Celebrate! (added by me)