My friend Louis Gates introduced me to his 9-Year Life Cycle to understand how we progress through life.  

Cycles begin at birth and advance every 9 years and go like this:

Year 1: You decide what you want and start asking for it.  

Year 2: As the pieces come together, you narrow your focus.

Year 3: The resources you need begin to arrive.  

Year 4: You find yourself moving toward your purpose in life.

Year 5: re-evaluation begins. Toss out what you don’t need and keep what works.

Year 6: Your focus intensifies, and you work with the resources you’ve decided will benefit you.

Year 7: You take stock in things that no longer serve you.

Year 8: Clearing the clutter begins. It’s almost time to start the next cycle.

Year 9: You explore and decide what you want to do in the next cycle.

Look back on your life and notice how your 9-Year Lifecycle is always in play.

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