SEVEN "HAVE TO'S TO ACHIEVE PERSONAL GROWTH

Quite frankly, I wish personal growth would just happen! I wish I would just get better and money would fall out of the sky. I wish my waist would get smaller even as I sit on the couch in front of a warm fire eating Breyer’s Vanilla Bean ice cream. Oh, how I wish it was easy!
Okay, enough whining, enough dreaming, enough lack of reality. I have it out of my system! The reality is that it is work to grow personally. The sooner we realize that, even lovingly embrace that, the sooner we jump on the highway of success! The fact is that we “have to” do some things!
As my uncle the truck driver use to say to me when I was a kid, “Wish in one hand and spit in the other – then see which one fills first.” (Remember, he was a trucker, and somebody else may have been a bit more elegant, but I still remember it today, 25 years later. I recommend however that you take it at face value. It isn’t a fun experiment to actually carry out.
Without any further ado, here are the seven “have-to’s” to achieve personal growth for yourself. Don’t wish anymore! Get on the ball and start reaping the rewards!
1. You have to know what it is that you want. Wanting personal growth isn’t enough. Do you want more money? How much? Do you want to lose weight? How much? Do you want a spouse? Who? Do you want to travel? Where? Do you want more freedom in your professional life? What would that look like? Clearly define in your mind what it is that you want! Once you do…
2. You have to decide that you really want it. Do you really want it? That is the place to start, really, because I have realized working with people that many of them really don’t want what they think they want once I talk them through all of the issues. Is this what you really want or is it a dream you have to escape something else? For example, do you really want to quit your job and start your own company? Do you want the risk of reputation? The risk of capital loss? Do you want to work from six in the morning until nine at night, seven days a week for the next two to three years? Do you really want it? Yes? Proceed…
3. You have to be willing to sacrifice to get it. What will you give up to get personal growth? I know what I have to give up to be able to fit into size 32 pants – mud pie! Now, you may not think that is so bad, but you don’t know how bad I love mud pie! I know that it is a sacrifice for me to get to the gym every day of the week (okay, I usually take two Sunday afternoon’s a month off). I know how much I write the check out for each month to belong to the gym – it would feed a small army. This is sacrifice, all of it. What are you willing to sacrifice to get personal growth in your life? Are you willing? Then proceed…
4. You have to be willing to be criticized. Surprisingly, the average person doesn’t like the average achiever. Why? Because they make the average person feel, well, average. They resent that the achiever makes choices they don’t make, even though they could too. And they secretly resent that the achiever benefits from rewards that they don’t. It seems odd, but working with thousands of people over the years I have seen enough jealousy and envy to fill every seat in the Rose Bowl. Can you handle that to various degrees? Then see number five…
5. You have to decide you want it more than other pleasures. What is more pleasurable: Ice cream every night or a proper weight? What is more pleasurable: Sitting on the couch or pounding away on a treadmill? What is more pleasurable: Spending your money on the things you want right now or saving for later? What is more pleasurable: Getting off at five every night or working endlessly on the weekends? What is more pleasurable: Reading a favorite novel or a technical book? What is more pleasurable: Four weeks of vacation or one? You get the point. In order to grow personally or professionally, there will have to be a desire to work hard in spite of the pleasures that call your name. And if you work it right, in the end there will be plenty of time to reward yourself with the pleasures of accomplishment. Do you want it more that other pleasures? Really? Then let’s move on…
6. You have to take a long-term approach. Why do most people fail to accomplish their personal growth goals? Because they take a short-term approach. They know what to do. They do it for a week or a month, then they quit. Every January the gym gets so busy. Then February rolls around and I have no problem getting on the machines! In order to accomplish your personal growth goals, you absolutely, positively must view it as a long-term goal. For example, when most people want to lose weight, what do they do? They change their diet until they lose it. Then what? They change it back and gain the weight back. Instead, they ought to say, I am changing the way I eat for the rest of my life and slowly but surely my weight will take care of itself. And it does! Are you capable of seeing your personal goals in the log-term? Well then you are ready for number seven…
7. You have to diligently, methodically, and relentlessly work at it. Every day, every week, every year. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. I was on a conference call with Zig Ziglar last night and he made an incredible revelation. For 25 years he has read for three hours a day! No wonder he oozes information! That is diligence. That is methodical. That is relentless! Can you do the same for yourself in the area you want to grow in? Certainly! But will you, that is the question. If you do, you will achieve any dream you set forth for yourself!
You can achieve personal growth! It is entirely possible for you to live your dreams! Put the above to work and you will see them unfold before your very eyes! Just remember, it won’t just happen to you, you “have-to” do some things!

PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN MY LIFE

The strength and durability of a building is found in its foundation. The same is true in a life. What we accomplish and the effect we have on those around us is not only in what we do, but also in who we are. In fact, what we do is driven by who we are, what we believe and value and by the principles that we live by.
Principles give us direction in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. They are transferable to any given situation and will determine our direction. Those who do not have permanent principles will find themselves drifting along and making decisions that are personally expedient, short-term oriented and usually bad for their long-term success.
So I thought I would share with you the principles that govern my life. These are the ideas and concepts that drive my behavior, my career, and my family. I would encourage you to sit down and write out your own principles. Those that drive your life, or at least that you want to drive your life!
God first, others second, me third. Gale Sayers, the running back of the Chicago Bears wrote a book titled “I am Third.” This is true. If I am to do and be what I want to do and be in this life, I recognize that I must have my priorities right. Some people think that the way to success is to put themselves first. This is short-term thinking. Yes, you may be able to accomplish much in the near-term, but long-term, the best is accomplished by those who live by the above.
Always be completely honest. You really only have your character when it comes right down to it, and honesty is the quickest way to determine your character. Live in such a way that you can be completely honest and be willing to accept the responsibility that being completely honest will bring.
Make it your goal to help others, income will come from that. Zig Zigler is the one who got me thinking about that. If you take care of others and their needs, you will earn your income. If you simply try to earn income, people will stop responding to you and you will have defeated yourself.
You reap what you sow. This is the most common truth on earth. You put an apple seed into the ground, you get an apple tree. An orange seed produces an orange tree. If you invest, your money will grow. If you eat right and exercise you will lose weight. If you are kind to others they will be kind to you.
The true measure of a man’s wealth is in the things he can afford not to buy. This is one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Things are great to have and so is money, but true riches are the priceless things we can’t buy, like our family, our integrity and the sense of a job well done. Pursue true wealth.
Work smart – and hard. Some say you should work smart, not hard. I say work smart and hard. A good day of hard work is a blessing and ought to be appreciated. Hard work is what changes the world – as long as it is smart, hard work!
Follow through on all commitments. If there is one thing I can’t stand it is when someone doesn’t do what they say they will. When we don’t do what we say we will, we essentially say that the job wasn’t important, the people we promised it to aren’t important, and that we can’t be trusted. This is a good way to short-circuit your success.
Challenge others to greatness. There are enough people who will hold out the low bar for people to step over. I want to be a person who holds up the high bar, causing people to have to run and jump with all their might. And when they clear that high bar, I want to be there celebrating with them!
Find ways to generously give of your resources. The old saying is true – you can’t take it with you. But you can spread it around to lots of people while you are here. If we wait until we die to give money away, we don’t get any satisfaction in seeing how it is used and enjoyed. Write a few good-sized checks each month!
Treat people right no matter how they treat you. You cannot control another person’s behavior. It took me a long time to realize that. I can only control my behavior. And I can choose to do what is right no matter how another person treats me. If everybody retaliated every time someone treated them bad, we would have a mess on our hands. Instead, choose to act appropriately at all times.
When relationships go bad, be the first to hold out the olive branch. Life is too short to leave a relationship broken. As much as it is up to me, I will pursue reconciliation, for their sake, and for mine. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and wish I tried harder in my relationships. For this reason I attempt to restore broken relationships.
Regularly try new things. This is what keeps the spice of life going! Try new foods, go to new places, and make new friends. You will be amazed at the joy you receive and are able to give when you make it a habit to try new things. Break out of the mold, do something unusual today!
Treat everyone equally. No one is better than anyone else. I know people with tens of millions of dollars and people who do not have two nickels to rub together. They are both equally valuable and worthy of being treated as such. Don’t fall into the trap of treating some people better than others. It doesn’t matter what color they are or how much money the have or what country they come from, treat them with the respect and dignity each human deserves.
Use any success you have to help others.What good is success that only helps you? Instead, use the money you make to help others. Use the connections you make to help someone else up. Use the knowledge you achieve to give someone else a leg up. Take what you have and give to others so that they may join you on the journey of success.
Look down the economic scale more often than up. When I look up the economic scale too often I become greedy and unsatisfied. I become selfish. Looking down at others who have less than me on a regular basis keeps me humble. It reminds me of all of the blessings I have and keeps me thankful for them.
I want to encourage you to sit down soon and write out the principles that guide your life. It is an excellent exercise that will help you refocus and keep your life going in the right direction!

LET THE SEEDS GROW

The thought that every great thing that has ever happened, been spoken, or invented began first with a single idea is not a new one, but one that I don’t think many people have taken to heart.
I find that many people are constantly getting ideas. That is their mind is producing many new thoughts on a regular basis. This is incredible because that means that the seeds for great things are right there in the soil of our minds and hearts.
Unfortunately, we all too often do not let those seeds grow. Instead we dismiss the idea.
We will never know, but I wonder who it was that first thought of the light bulb, but dismissed the idea. I wonder who it was that first saw the automobile in his or her mind’s eye, but dismissed the idea. Who was it that thought up the way to run computers but allowed the seed to slip away?
Let these seeds grow! Do not dismiss any idea as a bad one immediately. Write your ideas down. Look at them for a week or a year. Brew over them. Consider them. Let them GROW. In the end you may need to dismiss them, but not before you give them a chance to grow into something incredible that may change your life, your family, your business, your community or your world. If you let your ideas grow, you will surely see many great things happen in your life.
Let your seeds of ideas grow – see what they may become!

EMBRACING ADVERSITY

“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.” Lou Holtz

Success in life depends upon being strong people with clear goals and indomitable spirits. Unfortunately most of us aren’t born that way. We grow that way. And that growth can either come from us entering willfully into situations that will cause us to grow, like subscribing to Impact, or from the way we react when circumstances come upon us without our consent. The latter is what we call adversity.
Most of us spend our lives trying to avoid adversity, and I guess that is just as well. We shouldn’t pursue adversity, but when she arrives, we should welcome her as a foe who, though our interaction with her, will make us into better people. Every contact we have with adversity gives us again the opportunity to grow personally and professionally and to forge our character into one that will achieve much later on.
With that in mind, here are some thoughts on adversity, and how it can help you to succeed in every area of your life and achieve your dreams.
Adversity brings out our resources. Horace said “Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.” When everything is going well, we coast. There isn’t a lot of stress, and we don’t have to draw too much on the resources that reside within us. But when adversity comes we begin to draw upon each and every resource that we have in order to conquer the circumstances at hand. Adversity then, keeps us sharp. It keeps us using our personal muscle, if you will. That is a good thing because we grow through the use of our resources.
Adversity brings us together with others. Sure a team can have their problems with each other, but when they step on the court, when they experience the adversity of facing another obstacle, they pull together. One for all and all for one, as they say. The next time you experience adversity of some kind, keep your eyes open for how it can bring you together with your family, your co-workers or your team. Then when you are through it, you will find a bond that was created that wasn’t there before. Adversity makes us better people with stronger characters. Never underestimate the power of adversity to shape us inwardly. How will courage, discipline and perseverance ever flourish if we are never tested? After adversity, we come out stronger people and able then to use our character and influence in an even greater way to lead those around us and to improve their lives as well as our own.
Adversity makes life interesting. John Amatt said, “Without adversity, without change, life is boring.” How true. Have you noticed that while we are in the middle of adversity we only long to get out of it, but we then spend a lifetime recounting it to anyone who will listen? This is because it spices life up a little. Imagine how boring life would be if everything always went well, when there was never a mountain to be climbed.
Here are some questions for you to reflect upon before I close:
Q. If you are in the middle of some adversity right now, what resources are you drawing on? Who are you drawing closer to and working with? What part of your character is being tested, and built up? What can you do to view this adversity as one who will be better for it on the other side?
"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." – Napoleon Hill

YOU CAN ACHIEVE WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO!

I have one firm belief that was drilled into my head by my mother: You can achieve whatever you choose to! It is true. Here are some facts:
Wherever you are right now, is because you chose to be there (even if situations went sour on you and you feel like a victim of circumstances, go back far enough and you will see that choices brought you to where you were).
Whatever you choose to do, you can do. Even if you are far down a road you don’t want to be on, you can make choices, though they may be hard, to change direction.
With that in mind, let’s talk about the coming years of your life. Are you where you want to be? If so, great. If not, then understand this: Your choices got you to where you are and they can take you to where you want to be! That is powerful if we look at it in the positive!
Here are a couple of examples:
You earn what you choose to. Don’t like your pay? Choose a different profession! I have long said that anybody can make $150,000 a year guaranteed, if they want to. They can quit their job, finish college and go to medical school. “But that would take years,” you say? I never said your choice would be easy – just possible! The point is, you CAN do it. You no longer have to be the victim!
You spend your time the way you choose to. “But I have no time,” you say? No, you have as much time as any sports hero, business leader or president of a country – 24 hours a day! Imagine that, you have as much time as those people who shape the world. What is the difference? It is in how we choose to spend and prioritize our time. You can do whatever you choose to, and live whatever kind of life you desire, if you choose to reprioritize your time and how you spend it! That is so freeing!
There are many more examples I could give but I want to give you the key principle and then some questions to spur you on to make powerful choices that will shape your life. Take some time to go through these and begin to make the choices you need to to live the kind of life you want to!
Key Principle: We must take responsibility for our life and understand that we can, and will, achieve whatever we ourselves choose to.
Q. What kind of income will you choose to have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What career will you have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of family life will you have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of emotional and intellectual state will you be in for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of spiritual state will you be in for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What will be your physical state of being for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Remember, you can achieve whatever you choose to – and you do!

THE DNA OF TOP ACHIEVERS

Of course by now we are all becoming aware of DNA. It is the source code that determines who we are. When we look at DNA we can see what a person will look like, what diseases they may come down with, etc. This has been a tremendous breakthrough for scientists and will continue to be so for some time, I think.
This got me to thinking about what makes up those who are top achievers. Is there a “DNA” to them? Obviously, all top achievers wouldn’t have the same literal DNA but what about a figurative DNA? Is there a common “gene” that they all have? Are there common “genes” perhaps? I think so!
If we could get right down to it, I think these are the genes we would find in the DNA of top achievers:
A predisposition to setting high, lofty goals. Top achievers are people who won’t and can’t settle for the status quo. They see average as a place they want to keep in the rear-view mirror. Instead, they continually look for ways to stretch themselves, to get better, to do better, to be better! They set their sights on goals that others have never even thought of. They want to shoot so high that even if they miss, they go higher than everyone else. This is what makes them top achievers.
An ability to focus intently upon reaching their desired destination. Many people can set high goals, but just as many people get sidetracked by one thing or another on their way to those goals. High, lofty goals usually take a while to get there so there will always be plenty of time to be tempted to stray away from the road that is taking you to those goals. Often, those things that sidetrack people are good things, but not the best things. Top achievers do not get sidetracked. They stay focused. They know where they are going. They have an ability to say “no” to the good things in order to get to the best things.
The willingness to personally sacrifice in order to get to their goal. When the going gets tough, many people quit. When the going get tough personally, most people quit. When the going gets tough for top achievers, they remind themselves of the high. lofty goals they have set for themselves. They remind themselves of what an accomplishment it will be for them and that the reward is worth pushing through the momentary trials. They are willing to sacrifice personally in the short-term in order to get the reward and the prize long-term. Keeping their eyes on the big picture enables them to persevere through any personal pain they may experience.
A predisposition to tenacity. Tenacity is the ability to “keep on going.” Tough times? Keep on going! Financial troubles? Keep on going! People are suspect? Keep on going! You look like a dreamer? Keep on going! Tired? Keep on going! Want to quit and take it easy? Keep on going! Just remember this: Keep on going! The prize is ahead! Many people quit just before they were to get the reward, so keep on going!
The ability to see available resources and to use them accordingly. Those who are top achievers know that they cannot be lone-rangers on the way to the top. No one makes it by himself or herself. Top achievers recognize their weaknesses – the weaknesses that if they don’t cover will keep them from becoming a top achiever! They see their resources and they work to get them into a helping position so they can continue the route to becoming a top achiever. And they don’t use them, they utilize them. There is a big difference! People, finances, etc are all brought in to help by the top achiever.
A desire to help others achieve more for themselves as well. The top achiever knows that they can make a difference for others by becoming a top achiever. They know that the wealth they make can feed the hungry. They know that the position of influence they achieve can open a door for someone who may not normally get a chance. True top achievers look at how they can bring many with them, not how they can leave many in the dust. People are helped by the top achiever, not trampled upon!
I think if we could get to the DNA of top achievers, the things we talked about above would be at the core and fiber of their beings. What about you? Did you recognize yourself at all? I hope so! The good news about the DNA we are talking about today as opposed to real DNA is that you can go out and work on top achiever DNA whereas you are stuck with real DNA. So if you lack a little in the above-mentioned areas, take heart – you can get better and work on them so that you can become a top achiever!
Go get ‘em, tiger!

TOP TEN WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE

1. Maintain impeccable character. make your character one that others know and trust.
2. Develop your skills to excellence. In everything you do, make sure you are a person of excellence.
3. Help others in all that you do. Make sure that you are a win-win person who does things so that everybody can enjoy the fruits of the victory.
4. Be successful at what you do. Success is the ultimate influencer. If you are successful, others will want to learn how - and they'll listen to you!
5. Speak well. Speaking is a powerful tool of influence. Speak well and you will attract others to you - and to follow you.
6. Go the extra mile. Don't quit at average. Go further than anyone else. Make people know you will give them more than they asked for.
7. Be known as the "go to" guy. Let it be your name that people think of when they need something done. Develop the reputation that you can and will get the job done. This will attract people to you like flies to honey.
8. Be generous. Give to others. Help others. Let others succeed, make money, and gain recognition.
9. Know more than others but don't be a know-it-all. People will come to you if they know you will have the answer. They won't if you arrogantly remind them that you have all the answers!
10. Deliver the goods and get the job done. No excuses get the job done. That's what counts. That's the language people speak. Period.

WHAT MOTIVATES THE MOTIVATOR?

I realized that me staying motivated revolves around a few basic things that I do. And they are things that ANYBODY can do. So if I can stay motivated, you can too!
If you want to stay motivated, try these basics that I use to keep myself motivated:
Read good books and magazines. I am an information junkie! I read all of the time. I don’t care what you say; you cannot be successful without reading! I read books, magazines etc all of the time. I read a breadth of information so as to develop myself on a wide variety of topics. Keep reading them on a regular basis throughout the month and not just in reading binges.
Listen to good information.Get yourself into some good tapes. Listen to what others have to say. Give yourself a budget to spend on materials that will make you into a motivated animal! Above all, as you listen, apply the truths to your life in your head and they will become what you live!
Maintain a positive group of friends and colleagues. I broke this rule yesterday and went to coffee with a real downer. I am still recovering from him! One of the best things you can do is to surround yourself with positive people who will build you up and encourage you to pursue your dreams. They will be honest with you, yes, but they will also challenge you to shoot for the stars!
Focus clearly on my goals. I know where I am going and what I want to accomplish. They are firmly rooted in my mind and heart. Because of this, my mind and heart are in an attitude of motivation all of the time. I want to hit my goals and since they are present in my heart and mind, I put my energies into them.
Discipline myself to live out my priorities. Most of the time it takes plain old work. We have to discipline ourselves and as we do we find ourselves becoming more and more motivated. If we discipline ourselves, it gives us wins and victories, which makes us feel good, which motivates us for further action. If we don’t discipline ourselves, we feel defeated and we fall into a downward spiral of despair.
Are you keeping yourself motivated? You can. I know you can because I have seen these principles and actions work in my own life. Take a moment right now and see if you are living out the principles for keeping motivated:
Do you regularly read good books and magazines? Do you regularly listen to good material? Do you surround yourself with positive and supportive people? Do you know and focus on your goals? Do you discipline yourself to action even when you don’t feel like it?
Commit yourself to these and you will find that you become a much more motivated person. This is what I do, and why I can continue to motivate others!
Upward and onward my friends!

THE TOP SIX WAYS TO STAY MOTIVATED

I receive many emails from people that basically ask the same question: How can I keep myself motivated long term? This seems to be quite a common dilemma for many people so I want to address it because it can be done! Here are my tips for staying motivated:
Get motivated every day. Zig Ziglar was once confronted about being a “motivational speaker.” The guy said to him, “You guys come and get people hyped up and then you leave and the motivation goes away. It doesn’t last, and then you have to get motivated again.” Zig reminded the gentleman that baths are the same way but we think it is a good idea to take a bath every day!It is true that motivation doesn’t last. We have to renew it each and every day. That is okay. It doesn’t make motivation a bad thing. We simply have to realize that if we want to stay motivated over the long term, it is something we will have to apply to ourselves each and every day.
Have a vision for your life. The root word of motivation is “motive.” The definition of motive is, “A reason to act.” This is the cognitive or rational side of motivation. It is your vision. You have to have a vision that is big enough to motivate you. If you are making $50,000 a year, it isn’t going to motivate you to set your goal at $52,000 a year. You just won’t get motivated for that because the reward isn’t enough. Maybe $70,000 a year would work for you. Set out a vision and a strategy for getting there. Have a plan and work the plan.
Fuel your passion. Much of motivation is emotional. I don’t know quite how it works but I do know THAT it works. Emotion is a powerful force in getting us going. Passion is an emotion, so fuel your passion. “Well, I like to work on logic,” you may say. Great, now work on your passion. Set yourself on a course to have a consuming desire for your goal, whatever it is. Do whatever you can to feel the emotion and use it to your advantage!
Work hard enough to get results. You can build on your motivation by getting results. The harder you work, the more results you will get and the more results you get, the more you will be motivated to get more. These things all build on one another. If you want to lose weight, then lose the first few pounds. When the belt moves to the next notch you will get fired up to get it to the notch beyond that!
Put good materials into your mind. I can’t say this enough – listen to tapes. I still listen to tapes regularly. I buy tape clubs from other speakers and I learn and grow. Their successes motivate me to get my own successes! Read good books. Read books that teach you new ideas and skills. Read books that tell the stories of successful people. Buy them, read them, and get motivated! Buy great music and listen to it. I just did a spinning class at the club today. Whenever a good song came on I was actually able to get motivated to ride faster! It gets you going and motivates you!
Ride the momentum when it comes. Sometimes you will just be clicking and sometimes you won’t. That is okay. It is the cycle of life. When you aren’t clicking, plug away. When you are clicking, pour it on because momentum will help you get larger gains in a shorter period of time with less energy. That is the Momentum Equation! When you are feeling good about how your work is going, ride the momentum and get as much out of it as you can!
These are the top six ways to stay motivated:
1. Get motivated every day.
2. Have a vision for your life.
3. Fuel your passion.
4. Work hard enough to get results.
5. Put good materials into your mind.
6. Ride the momentum when it comes.
These are simple principles, that when you put them to work regularly, will change your life by keeping you motivated all the time! Get going!

THE FINANCIAL EQUATION THAT WILL SET YOU FREE!

I have a good friend who works in an area of the US that has more than its share of poverty. He called me the other day with a very broken heart. He was feeling badly for the people around him who simply do not allow themselves to get set free financially. I could feel the pain he was feeling because I too, very often wonder why it is that some people experience financial independence and others do not. It really is a mystery.
But how to get financial independence is not a mystery!
Rather, financial independence is a very simple thing. Truly! It is hard work and takes time, but the process is very simple! In fact, financial independence can come from following a very simple plan. All of the books on financial independence can ultimately be boiled down to this basic equation. It is an equation that is as simple as it gets. In fact, it isn’t even a multiplication problem, it is an addition equation! And we all learned addition in the first grade! Just as 1 + 1 = 2, so does this POWERFUL yet SIMPLE equation add up to your financial independence!
What is this equation? Get ready, your life is about to change forever if you will allow yourself to understand and live by the simplicity of this equation. Here it is:
Smart Decisions + Good Math = Financial Independence
Let’s break it down and take a closer look. First the Smart Decisions, then the Good Math.
Smart Decisions:
Go to college. Get educated.I know that somebody will say, “Yeah but most of the people on the Forbes 400 never went past high school.” Well so did most of the people on the welfare line! Most people aren’t Bill Gates or Sam Walton. Most people who earn between $100,000-$150,000 a year are college graduates. “But I’m forty! I can’t go to college.” Yes you can. You will be 44 when you get out and have 21 years of a much better income. The fact is that most good jobs and careers go to those who have educated themselves. It is still the surest way to a long-term large income.
Still don’t want to go to college? See the last item under smart decisions.
Get better training. At the very least go get some training in your specific area of expertise. The promotions will go to those who are the best trained, so become the best trained! Take a course, even if your employer won’t pay for it, because eventually they WILL pay you for it!
Work hard. I have found that the many hundreds of high achievers who I know personally who have become and are becoming financially independent are hard workers. Every one of them works long hours. They sacrifice for the security they are shooting for and have attained. I know, we all get emails that say, “Financial Independence in 10 hours a week.” Let me ask you, do you know anybody like that? I don’t. No one. Even the success stories you here in the get rich quick industries show you that they worked HARD!
Develop yourself. Become a better person. Better people get better jobs and get paid better dollars! Make sure that every day you are becoming a person who is on the growth track, raising yourself to a higher and higher level with each and every passing day! Eventually your development will catch up with you and your income will soar!
Stay out of debt. This is the smartest decision you will ever make. NO Debt! You know what? I have ONE bill I have to pay every month. That is my mortgage. But that’s a debt! Well, without getting into an argument, I consider it a forced investment with the added benefit of providing me and my family with shelter! I do not consider a mortgage a debt. I mean car debt, stereo debt, and consumer debt of all kinds. It is possible. It can be done. And it will provide you with financial freedom!
Own your own business if you can. So you don’t want to go to college. Okay. Or maybe you did go to college and you just want to make sure that you make as much as you can. Well, the smart decision is to own your own business. Most millionaires in America are the people who own their own businesses. It will take a lot of risk, a lot of hard work, and many ups and downs, but owning your business gives you the opportunity to accumulate great wealth, because the profit is all yours. There are plenty of opportunities to own your own business and I would encourage you to strongly consider the alternative for many reasons, of the best of which is the opportunity to achieve financial independence.
Good Math:
Spend less than you earn.-One plus one equals two. We learn that very early on. Eventually, we learn negatives and we learn that one minus two equals negative one. Simple right? Yet many people live their lives in such a way that they spend more than their income and destroy their opportunity for long-term financial independence.
There are two things you can do to make this “good math” work for you. You can increase your income so that it outpaces your spending, or you can decrease your spending. You increase your income by making the smart decisions listed above. You decrease your spending by making hard choices. One of these must be done if you are going to achieve the kind of long-term financial independence you desire.
Put money away into investment vehicles on a regular basis. If you are going to achieve financial independence, you will have to put away money regularly. This is the math principle of addition. Don’t laugh: most people don’t get this. Or if they do, they don’t practice it! Whether it is every paycheck, or the first of the month, or quarterly, or however you can do it – DO IT! When you hit 65 years of age, you will be glad you did. And if you put away enough and into the right investments, you may just be thankful a lot sooner than that!
Let your interest accrue. This is compounding and it is powerful! If you earn twelve percent on your money every year, do you know how soon it will be until you have twice as much as you started with? At first thought you may assume that it is one hundred divided by twelve, or eight and a third years. Not true. There is an investment rule that is called the rule of 72. That is, divide 72 by what average interest you make and that is how many years it takes to double your money. In this case, at twelve percent, your money doubles every six years! This works because you earn twelve percent on not only the original amount but the interest you earned as well.
Start with $100 and the next year you have $112. If you take the $12 out then you will only make twelve percent on $100 again. If you let it accrue, you will make twelve percent on $112. This will cut almost two years off of the time it takes to double!
Where the real power comes in is over longer periods of time. Let’s say grandma dies and leaves you $25,000 when you are eighteen. You can do any number of things with that money.
Buy a snazzy car. Not a good idea, though most eighteen year-olds would do just this.
Invest the money and take out the interest every year. This is nice. It throws you $3000 every year and over forty-two years you make $126,000 for doing nothing and you still have $25,000! Here is the real deal! You leave the money alone for forty-two years at twelve percent (about the long-term average for the stock market). At the end of that time you decide to retire and go to the investment summary to see how much you have. What do you find? You find that your money doubled seven times and that leaves you with 3.2 million dollars! Can you retire on that? You bet you can.
You can achieve financial independence. You can live the life you have always dreamed of. You can have a life where you have enough at all times, especially in the end. It is possible. You just have to make smart decisions and use good math!
As a refresher, here they are again:
Smart decisions:
Go to college. Get better training.Work hard.Develop yourself.Stay out of debt.Own your own business if you can.
Good math:
Spend less than you earn. Put money away into investment vehicles on a regular basis.Let your interest accrue.

PRINCIPLES TO ENSURE A FANTASTIC FINANCIAL FINISH

Most people want to get to the end of their lives and be able to live comfortably, take care of themselves and leave something for their children. These are admirable goals and very achievable – especially if you have a good plan! While I am not giving specific financial advice, these are the principles I live by and believe can bring anyone to a fantastic financial finish! As always, check with a financial consultant before taking action.
Aggressive in the Beginning, Conservative in the End. The way finances work long-term is that you want to maximize your returns when you are young, while tolerating more risk because over the long-term you will recoup any losses you may incur because of the risk. This is why when you are young you can get more aggressive. You have more time to let your returns accumulate. However, the older you get, the more you want to be transitioning into more conservative, capital-protecting investments. This way short-term market fluctuations won’t affect your day to day living situation. I personally, at 33 years of age, have my investments in very aggressive stocks and mutual funds. I may be down 10 percent one year but up 80 percent the next. Over time the investment make more gains than losses. I have 30 years before I need to be more conservative. As I get older I will shift into stocks and mutual funds that may only give me 7-20 percent a year but will assure me of less risk. This idea lets me get as much as I can while I am young and can afford risk, so that when I am old I can draw a lower percentage off of a bigger net dollar amount.
Use Insurance. I am not an insurance salesman, but I could be! When my dad died when I was 4 years old, he was making $89,000 a year (In 1970). That’s pretty good! He had $30,000 of life insurance. That’s pretty bad! For a very nominal fee, he could have protected his family and left them with a couple of million dollars to maintain their current lifestyle. For many, you will want insurance to protect your assets you will be passing on to your loved ones. Don’t let the government get too much! Find a good insurance agent and they will help you out. Also, make sure you have all the right kinds of insurance: Life, health, disability etc. All of these tragedies can drain your long-term financial health.
Use a broker. The brokerage business is going through a radical transition with the onset of the Internet and that is good. It will make them sharpen up a bit, drop their fees and offer more in return. For a while I was anti broker but now I have come full circle and realize that it is good to have somebody watching your investments for you. Just be sure to tell them that you want them to be proactive with your account and communicate with you regularly. This way you get the benefit of their expertise. If you want to keep an online brokerage and trade stocks, that’s okay. Give your self a little to play with and leave the rest to the professionals.
Start Early. Even if you can only put $10 a month away, do it. The law of compounding interest is simply amazing. If you put it away early on, at least you give yourself something that is growing. And if you have kids, consider giving them a head start by putting some away for them. The 20 years it grows before they take it over will mean a lot to them.
Be disciplined. There are primarily two ways to be disciplined if you want to have a fantastic financial finish: Disciplined in controlling your spending and disciplined in saving or investing. This means that you commit to spending less than you earn. Add it all up. Are you spending less than you earn? Or are you going deeper into debt? Also, are you putting something away each month? You may think that you don’t have enough to put away. Even if you can only put away $10 a month, you should be saving and investing.
Stay Out of Debt. Debt is an absolute killer. It will kill your future, it will kill your balance sheet, and it will kill your emotional health. If you can live absolutely debt free, I would advise it. Most people should only have a house debt. “But I wouldn’t have the car I want!” you say. The question I would ask is “Do you want one of the cars you want now, with a debt coming due every month and causing pressure, or would you like to buy any car (or two or three) you want later on out of the interest your investments are throwing off – and pay cash, with no debt?”
Delay Gratification. This is the key to staying out of debt and to accumulating what you will need later on to maintain the lifestyle you desire. You have heard the old saying, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Well the truth is that a penny saved, and invested for a number of years is more like ten pennies earned! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to live life as a pauper. In fact, when I get a big check or extra income, I give ten percent away to charity, spend ten percent on things my family would like (in other words we splurge), and the rest we save and invest. This allows us some “extras” but causes us to delay gratification that we could otherwise have if we spent the other 80%. In the end, I will be glad that I invested that money.
Read up. I would encourage you to learn about money and how it works. Even if it doesn’t particularly interest you, you need to know how it works in order to manage your affairs. Know the basics of saving, investing, interest rates, stocks, mutual funds, and the power of compound interest. If I had to pick a beginner magazine that is well written and very good information, I would suggest to you Smart Money, published by The Wall Street Journal. Pick one up at the newsstand and then you can subscribe from there.
In closing, let me say that I think anyone can have a fantastic financial finish! It is simply a matter of applying these principles over the long-term and watching your money grow. Every now and then you read an article about someone who never made more than $15,000 a year and yet left an estate of millions. Get behind the scenes and you find that they saved, invested, and watched their spending.
Here’s to your Fantastic Financial Finish!