1: Know that your future is unwritten. Your future does not need to resemble the past, nor should it be built on the expectations of the culture we live in and the people around you. The only person who has the power to create your future, is you.

2: Understand that life is led by choice and not by chance. Acknowledging that you are are consciously creating yourself and the world around you every day empowers you to be the author of your own story. View everything that happens in your life through the lens of something you have (or have not) done. Consistently reflect on what you could have chosen to do differently to influence the outcome.

3: Disregard ‘OPRs’ (Other People’s Rules). History holds no example of people who have changed the world by following conventional wisdom. Do not let accepted social constructs ‘OPRs’ make up the architecture of your life. You are the architect of your life.

4: Find a purpose bigger than you. Focus on the contribution you want to make in the world and the life you want to lead, rather than the career you want to have. To do this you need to ask yourself these four questions first:  What do I want my life to be about? What am I great at? What change would I love to see in the world? What would I love the ultimate contribution of my life to be?

5: Detach yourself from the outcome. This might seem counterintuitive as we live in a world that is obsessed with the results, rather than the work it takes to get there. However it’s those people who fully engage themselves in their journey, rather than absorbing themselves in a desired destination, who ultimately find their way.

6: You know that voice inside your head? Listen to it. Let your inner compass guide the decisions you make to build your future. When the voice inside of you is louder than voices outside of you, you have begun to master life.

7: Know thyself. Develop a strong sense of who you are and focus on building a life that gracefully aligns with that.

8: Write your own rulebook. There are very few absolutes in life. Everyone has their own unique rule book to living a life fulfilled.

9: Stop asking for permission. A key difference between those who build a future that reflects their true potential and those who don’t is that the latter spend a lot of time seeking validation and asking permission from others.

10: Practice self-love. What you always need to remember as you build your future is that your individuality is your strength – what makes you different is what makes you brilliant.

This blog post was inspired by my recently released book Unwritten: Reinvent Tomorrow. You can get your copy today from iBooks, Dymocks, Booktopia or Audible.