The most affluent society in history is plagued with feelings of dissatisfaction and depression. Twenty-eight million Americans have taken Prozac or other anti-depressant medications. The Gallup Organization has suggested that 80 percent of people working in American corporations feel miscast in their current careers. How about you? Do you feel trapped in the life you are leading? Would you like more satisfaction from your job, lifestyle, and relationships? Follow these steps to beat the "success trap":

1. Know what you want and ask for it. Take charge of your existence by asking the question, "What do I need in my life to feel happy and content?" Make a list of all the things you always wanted to do, but never have gotten around to.
2. Learn how to live in the moment. By acknowledging your emotional needs and seeking to meet those needs in the present, you can chart the course that will provide satisfaction in the here and now.
3. Simplify your life. Too many "things" have a way of keeping you tied up in the details of living so you don't have time to think about life itself. Once you simplify your life, the whole idea of making changes is easier to approach.
4. Visualize what your perfect day would look like. The human mind works with images much like a movie does. See yourself actually doing the things you came up with in #1.
5. Make a "business plan," a list of the changes that must occur before you can enjoy your perfect day. Looking at the lifestyle your visualizations have created, work your way backward and determine the route you will need to take to bring it to fruition.
6. Start the ball rolling. Action breaks the ice and takes you from passive to active mode. You are no longer just talking about doing something with your life, which costs you nothing and involves no risks, but you are putting your money where your mouth is.
7. Clear your mind of abusive thoughts that hold you back. When the message you get all your life is that you really don't deserve to be a success, you end up believing it. Free yourself from abusive thoughts by exposing them to the light of day.
8. Stop accepting abusive behavior from bosses, co-workers, friends, and family. If you surround yourself with angry, negative people, you are supporting the abuse-based society that got you into trouble in the first place.
9. Surround yourself with affectionate people who are supportive and nurturing. You need their support to make significant changes in your life and to seek out meaningful personal success.
10. Don't give up. Be fully committed to the task of changing your life. Once you sincerely acknowledge the significance of making constructive changes, you may find that it is hard not to change.

Ed Brodow is a keynote speaker and author of Beating the Success Trap: Negotiating Your Own Path to Success. For more information on his presentations, call 831-372-7270 or e-mail ed@brodow.com.
Copyright © 2018 Ed Brodow. All rights reserved.