Summer is about to start in earnest for those of you with school-age children. Parent or not, August is a good time to take stock. The sun is shining and people are generally in holiday mode. Even if that’s not the case, we can still piggyback on that band wagon!

From this space it’s easier to get creative and produce the semblance of a blueprint for how you want to live your life. I started mine in the business context because that’s where I had the most certainty about what success looked like for me. It may be different for you.

A period of self-reflection and self-evaluation are important here, which is why this kind of exercise can’t be completed in one hit. What you can do is to make a start on your personal statement; resolving to come back to it regularly in order to develop it further.

If you haven’t given this much thought previously, you may be wondering where to begin. So, here are a few suggestions to help you get things moving:

CHOOSE A NOTEBOOK IN WHICH TO JOURNAL. Make it specific to the task and portable; use it to record your thoughts about what success means to you

CARRY YOUR JOURNAL WITH YOU. That way, when you have a moment of inspiration, you can add to it there and then

DON’T TREAT YOUR SUCCESS STATEMENT LIKE AN APPRAISAL FORM! Otherwise you’ll file it in a bottom drawer somewhere never to be seen again! Remember, this is your blueprint for the best possible life, or it will be if you take it seriously

SPEND A COUPLE OF MINUTES ON IT DAILY – whilst the kettle is boiling. Even better, run yourself a bath and soak for a while; reflecting on where you’re at with your success statement currently

REFLECT ON THE VERY BEST BITS OF YOUR DAY – before putting the day to bed. Consider if there’s something you could replicate more often

RECORD THOSE SWEET MOMENTS. These become another measure of success

If you go about this consistently, you will find that your list of success statements grows rapidly and that your focus shifts easily to those things that make you happy. I think you’ll find that using it as a guide and acting on it will be rewarding in itself.

We’re inspired by hearing about your experiences, so give it a go and let us know how you get on.