How To Scale Up Your Life In 8 Steps

When I stepped into the startup scene in late 2013 it felt like I entered a whole new world. A world that taught me to see things differently, act quickly and be able to see the bigger picture within an instant.
At first I had to get familiar with a new terminology and a bunch of business phrases I’ve never heard of before due to having neither a business nor a technical background. Luckily, I’m a quick learner so it wasn’t that much of a big deal in the end.

I soon noticed that there is this one phrase everyone seems to be talking about all the time. It is this one question every want(ent)repreneur asks himself when evaluating new business ideas:

Is this business scalable?

Seriously, this is like the holy grail of questions in business. This literally is the one question that can define the long term success of your company. The one factor that will either make or break you.
So, whenever you present your business idea or try to raise the next round of capital for your company, you will very likely be asked by potential investors something like “so what about the business model? Is it scalable?” By then, you’d better know what they are talking about! Ok, so what does ‘scalable’ actually mean? Here is a definition I came across on investorpedia:

Scalability = A characteristic of a system, model or function that describes its capability to cope and perform under an increased or expanding workload. A system that scales well will be able to maintain or even increase its level of performance or efficiency when tested by larger operational demands.

So basically, if you want your business to succeed in the long run you have to make it scale.
But does this only apply for business related causes? Certainly not.

In my opinion this can be the one and only question that has the ability to define your life.

Translated into non-business terminology this basically means that everything you do only makes sense if it has the abilty to get you further ahead in the long run.
I personally love looking at the bigger picture. I think this is the only way to be successful in the long run. The attitude of always looking forward will help you make the right decisions in order to achieve your goals.

Here are a few points you should keep in mind when you want your life to scale:

#1 Identify your personal scale.

This might be the most crucial step for your success. You have to know what you want in life in order to take action on making the best out of it. Certainly, you don’t have to have figured out everything just yet but it’s important to know who you want to be and what you are aiming for. Of course this will change over time but usually our greatest inner wishes stay with us until we’ve found a way to fulfill them.

#2 Take action. Every single day.

I know it’s very tempting to say what you want and then delay acting upon it just because you think you have time. But what are you waiting for? What you do right now will matter for your future. So sit down and figure out your goals, then make a list of options how to achieve them. It’s as easy as that — I would even recommend sitting down each night and identify 3 tasks you did this day that will benefit your personal scale. Do that for half a year and you will be pleasantly surprised of the outcome.

#3 Take baby steps if you have to — but take them.

Success doesn’t happen overnight. And those who say it, usually have been working for that sudden hit over many years. Sometimes even the smallest step into the right direction can bring you closer to your goal. And if it’s not the right direction you can always change it. So don’t be scared to try out something new, step out of your comfort zone and just do it! The only thing you should be damn scared of is a standstill.

#4 Choose your battles wisely.

Do you know the saying that we only have to fight the battles we choose for ourselves? Of course, there can always be something happening that’s out of your power to influence but if you really take a closer look at the battles you are fighting, there’s always a different way to look at things. We might not be able to choose our feelings but be can definitely choose how we act upon them. So before you get involved in the next drama or somehow complicated scenario, make sure you can deal with the consequences.

#5 Say ‘no’ when you need to.

As well as in our professional and private life we sometimes do things just out of pure external motivation. We take jobs we don’t like because it looks better on our resume, we act a certain way just to fit in and some of us even end up in relationships that only look good on the outside.
But if you really want to excel in life, you have to let go of everything that makes you anything but happy. It may be difficult at times but saying no can be the best thing you can do for yourself.

#6 Get the f*** over yourself.

Life can be hard sometimes, we all have been there. But it doesn’t help you in the long run if you are constantly living in the past and wonder what could have been. You alone have the power to change things for the better. You can only make your life scale if you are ready to work hard for your goals so you can experience a better future. And pitying yourself and whining over your defeats won’t make that happen.

#7 In the end you have to do YOU.

Some people will love you, some will hate you and some will ignore you. And all of that is completely fine. In the end all that matters is the relationship you have with yourself, because it is you you’re gonna spend the most time with. If your life goals don’t align with those of others, so what? It’s not a disaster to still chase your dreams and run the race in your own speed. Try to make it work for YOU and noone else and you will much more happier. Good people are there to help you, encourage you and support you but only you can eventually do the things that matter to you. So start doing them!

#8 Always look at the bigger picture.

Some things you do right now might not quite make sense to you. Not now at least. But everything you do can be a small puzzle stone that will fit into the bigger picture in the end. Sometimes you just have to trust that things will work out in the end. Because they will. In one way or another. But in the meantime focus on everything that brings you closer to your goals and dreams. If you stay true to yourself while chasing them you’re very likely to live a life that is very much scalable.

__________________

Sharing is caring, so please share this post. Thank you!