I found the following article to be very clear, concise and useful.

The 10 Things in Life that You Control
by Jim M. Allen

There are just a few aspects of life that we can truly control, and it's useful to know just what those areas are. If you don't know, you'll spend a lot of time blaming others for your own failings. Try and exert too much control in areas you shouldn't and the universe will create some interesting ways to remind of your place.

So be prepared an learn the 10 things in life that you DO control:

1. What you do

Your actions are yours alone. You choose to make them or not make them and you are responsible for the effects of those actions.

2. What you say

Likewise, the words you speak (or write) are also consciously chosen. Like actions, they have an impact on your life and the lives of those you contact.

3. What you think

Yes, there are some subconscious thoughts that you can't control. But the things that you really think about, your beliefs, your ideals, etc. are concepts you have chosen to accept and believe in.

4. Your work

Many people like to overlook this one, it being much easier to say "Oh, I'm trapped in my job because I don't have a degree, experience, etc." Hogwash! That's simple a way of denying one's responsibility in having chosen the job in the first place.

It's your job and you chose it. If you stay (or go), that's a choice as well.

5. Who you associate with

There's a famous t-shirt that states: "It's hard to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by turkeys."

Your friends can either lift you up or bring you down. You make the decision which type of friends you wish to have.

6. Your health

Much of our health is a factor of genetics, environment, and exposure. Much more of our health is simply a matter of the things we choose: diet, excercise, drugs, sleep, routine physicals, check-ups, etc.

7. The environment you live in

Your house, the condition of your home, the town you live in, the amenities available to you are all things you can control, although some to a lesser degree (i.e., you decide to tolerate them or move someplace else).

8. Your finances

Having or not having enough money is a factor of what you make versus what you spend.

9. Your time

You choose how to "spend" your time and how much of your time to give to various activities. You'll never get more time than the 24 hours your given each day.

10. Your legacy

All your actions, words, and knowledge that you share while you are living become the gift that you leave when you are gone.

Jim Allen is a professional life coach, speaker, and writer. Get more great ideas in you email every week by subscribing to Jim's weekly newsletter, THE BIG IDEA, by sending a blank email to: mailto:Subscribe@CoachJim.com (©2001 Jim Allen & CoachJim.com ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)

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The following article portrays a very nice visual analogy and an interesting way of looking at attaining your dreams.

Climb Out of That Bucket and Live the Life of Your Dreams

By: Joe Farcht

From birth to adulthood we learn to become good citizens and well-adjusted adults in the world of work and life. Many people make this transformation relatively successfully and lead somewhat normal, happy lives.

Some people make it to adulthood grumbling and blaming the world for all the "bad things" it brings their way including the job they hate. Others can't make the adjustment at all and wind up in prison or dead.

What I'll call the "normal" group - the one that achieves a somewhat happy existence - learns to live by a set of rules, norms, and expectations that often limit their growth, potential, and true greatness.

A few members of this "normal" group discover something special about themselves, make a choice to excel, and take action to create the life of their dreams. They do it without the support of the normal group.

You see, the normal group wants its members to be just normal. By the way, work groups and some families act in the same way. They discourage their members from getting ahead (of the other normal group members).

The Normal Group is Crabby

If you've ever been crabbing, you've seen the "normal" group in action!

You catch crabs by attaching some meat (often a chicken neck) to a long piece of cord and lowering it to the bottom of the bay. Crabs attach themselves to the meat and begin eating. You raise the meat and catch the crabs in a net. Then you throw the crabs into a bucket to keep them from running around the boat and pinching people.

Watch the crabs and you will see that as soon as one crab tries to escape the bucket by climbing out, the other crabs will pull it back down into the bucket. There's no escape from the bucket.

Life is often like that. A person wants to get ahead and knows that there is more to work and life than what they are presently experiencing.

Get Out of the Bucket!

It takes personal leadership to become aware that escaping the normal is possible. It takes personal leadership to choose and commit to creating a better life. It takes personal leadership to take the actions necessary to propel yourself and create the new future you imagine and want.

You can do it. . . All things are possible. Many others in our great land have done it.

Don't let the other crabs in your life prevent you from developing your unique potential and discovering your greatness.