Do you ever find yourself wishing things were better?

“I wish the kids would behave.”

“I wish people at work would see how awesome I am.”

“I wish my students would listen to me.”

“I wish I had more money.”

Oops. I made one too many wishes for the genie to grant.

Have you ever heard the old saying, “You can wish in one hand and spit in the other, and see which one fills up first”? That sounds a little discouraging about the possible success of all our heartfelt wishing. Well, I’ve got some great news about your magical hopes and dreams. You are the genie! You can make those things happen.

If you want the status quo, keep wishing.

If you want to be lazy, keep wishing.

If you prefer to complain, keep wishing.

If you want your life to get better, make changes.

What steps are you actively taking to improve the things you are currently unhappy with?

What books are you reading? If you don’t know where to begin, here is a list to choose from that can get you started.

Find someone who will challenge you and hold you accountable.

Do your friends and family feel comfortable challenging you to reach your goals? Maybe you should ask them to do so. If you ask and they still don’t, maybe you need to become a better recipient of constructive criticism.