You want wealth just like the rest of the world. The problem is that there are certain hoops you have to jump through to acquire that wealth. It won’t be easy. Just how many hoops are you willing to jump through and how long are you willing to keep jumping?

And what even is wealth to you anyway? Money? Love? Good health?

We think we want what we see others enjoying. A mansion. A fancy car. A loving relationship. A personal trainer. A personal chef. To be the boss. Do you really want these things, though?

If you just achieve these things then you’ll be happy, right? With every advance there comes an enormous amount of responsibilities. Responsibilities that add additional layers of stress in your life.

There are many things we think we want until we get them. I remember as a kid wanting to be an adult so bad. I saw adulthood as freedom. I dreamed of doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Then I became an adult and realized it’s not all fun and games.

Do you still want to chase that so-called wealthy lifestyle? Are you ready to take on the responsibilities that come with it?

If so, then the first step to obtaining wealth is to define what wealth means to you. Then make a plan and follow through.

I am the most unorganized person I know. I have several notebooks tucked away on bookshelves, in drawers, and on counters detailing projects that were started but never completed. Some of the notebooks contain the same energetic attempts that puttered out without making it to the finish line.

An Unproductive Time-Wasting Mess

I had to get a grip, I decided. I needed a process that would allow me to be productive. So I began by asking myself these questions:

• How efficient am I?
• Do I make good use of my time?
• How productive am I?

The answers did not surprise me. I was an unproductive time-wasting mess.

Sometimes the pace at which life is bustling around us can make us feel overwhelmed. Self-help gurus tell you to be still and appreciate the moment, but how can you be still when your notifications are dinging? When your family is calling and texting? When your kids are tugging on the bottom of your shirt?

They tell you to get up an hour earlier than everyone else and get into the zone. Pray, meditate, practice gratitude. Write in your journal. Go to bed early. Rise at the crack of dawn.

Hmm, time was not my friend.

Maybe you’re on the other end of the spectrum. Maybe you have more time than you know what to fill it with. Maybe you’re bored, depressed about your situation. Angry at yourself for every minute you watch tick by, wasting time. Maybe you’re an unproductive mess too.

I learned to rewrite my reality by focusing on my habits.

One Habit At a Time

We operate on habits. Some habits are good. Some habits are bad. Good habits serve to create a routine that leads to productivity and inches us towards our goals — such as exercising, healthy eating, and learning new skills.

Bad habits hinder us. They steal our time and derail us from being productive, like when we wallow in self-pity, watch excessive television, and binge-eat on junk food.

If big sweeping changes scare you then start with making one small change at a time. I started my healthy eating journey by first eliminating french fries from my fast-food menu. I started writing daily by creating a writing schedule that started with dedicating thirty minutes a day to writing.

Eventually, these small changes led to eliminating other bad habits and adding healthy productive habits. Then I found myself completing projects and hitting milestones that I used to only daydream about.

Figure out what you want, make a plan, create good habits and take the actions to make it happen.

Do you want to be wealthy? Use these tips to complete your projects and turn your mess into your message.

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