All Things Are Possible

"Whatever the mind can conceive, it can achieve it."

We all heard this saying a thousand times.  Yet how many of us took the time to actually consider what it means?  In other words, did you ever think about the validity of this statement.  I did and the conclusion I reached is that it is most certainly true.  Whatever the mind can think up can materialize in the physical world.  In fact, everything around you originated first as a thought.  This is one of the grand "secrets" to the universe: thoughts are things and have power.

Many suffer from esteem issues.  This is a conclusion based upon years of misguided teachings.  People believe that what they achieve or do determines who they are.  This simply is not the case.  Deep within each of us is a power that can accomplish anything as long as it is natural for us.  Consider this statement for a few moments.  Whatever is natural for you, you can achieve.  There is nothing stopping you.  It is this idea that opens up the world to one.

Have you ever heard of the stories of people who had near death experiences or situations where they almost "didn't make it"?  Isn't it amazing how these people often radically change their lives after suffering something of this magnitude.  All of a sudden, living a life of safety and security, which are illusions, is not so important.  A person leaves a job that does not fulfill to become an artist or something else that touches him or her deeper at the core.  The limitations, which were self imposed, suddenly are removed.  Sadly, it took a near death experience to create the forum for change.

Therefore, I want you to institute change within yourself without going through the horror of almost dying.  It starts with the simply belief that all things are possible.  The universe operates according to perfect principles.  One only needs to look around to see this is so.  The waves of the ocean come in and out just as they have for hundreds of years.  An acorn will sprout into a tree without fail; never does animal emerge from it.  The Earth circles the sun while rotating perfectly on its axis.  Nothing we do in life alters this reality.  Nature is infinite wisdom, without beginning nor end.  What is fascinating is the human race is also a part of nature.  Hence, we are apt to operate under the same laws.  The sad thing is most fight it and go in the opposite direction.

Mankind is the only animal with an "advanced" intelligence.  However, for being so advanced, we are the dumbest part of the Animal Kingdom.  One does not have to convince a cat that it is a cat.  A cat does whatever a cat does without fear of "looking bad".  Failure does not exist in the feline world (why does it in yours).  Have you ever seen a cat go after something (prey) only to miss it?  Does the cat sit and pout?  Does it question its ability as a cat?  The answer is no.  In fact, if you walk up to the cat, he will come to you like he just caught the biggest bird in the world.  He could care less about what just happened.

Imagine what you could do if you had this same outlook.  How often are you help back from taking action because you are afraid of "looking bad"?  Is failure something that you allow to enter your mindset when making a decision?  Are you one who is run based upon fear?  If so, you reflect most of the human race.  fear is an epidemic that is paralyzing us.  Fortunately, you are able to break free of it.  Again, it all starts with the idea that all things are possible.

Start to think about what you truly want.  Imagine your life without limitations.  What would you do if you knew you could not fail is one of Tony Robbins' favorite lines.  Answer this question: what would you do if you knew you could not fail?  What would you try?  How would you life look?  What things would you be involved in?  I can assure you, if you are like most, you would not be involved in the day to day stuff you do.  Most do what they do because they settled.  It is this settling which was derived out of fear.  Have some courage by realizing that you cannot fail and that if you can think it, you can do it.  The only caveat is whether it is natural for you.  If it is, there is nothing that can stop you.

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Changing Your Life One Goal At A Time

Many people question how to change their life.  The sad fact is the majority of people have no earthly idea how to go about this.  Instead, they look for quick fixes which have a short-term impact before ultimately falling back into their old behavior.  Few people realize how simple it is to make lasting changes.

Goals

Goals are one of the most important things in life.  Without a direction, it is impossible to arrive at a destination.  Most individuals are living an empty existence because of the fact they have no goals in life.  There is  nothing to look forward to.  Everyday is a replica of the day before.  This leads to months that repeat each other and, ultimately, into years.  That is why it is not uncommon to find someone who suddenly "woke up" after 20 years only to realize that he hates his life.  A life without direction only leads to emptiness.

Before going any further, I need to clarify what I mean by goals.  Certainly, everyone is aware of the personal development idea of goal setting.  This is a process whereby one uncovers his or her "life calling".  While I admit this is a wonderful path to follow if you are able to determine this, the truth is most people get lost at this point.  What is my life purpose?  That is a question that is too difficult to conclude in one weekend. 

Therefore, we need to look at goals in another manner.  If you are one of those who understands your life calling, then follow that to the ultimate end.  Congratulations.  You are one of the few.  If, however, you fall into the category of having no idea why you are here, then pay attention to what I am going to say.  The words that follow will be of tremendous help to you.

A goal is nothing more than something that you want to accomplish.  That is it.  People make it out to be this magical thing like "Living a romantic life on the Nile".  While that is also a goal, most do not need to focus at this level to be effective.  Therefore, from now on, it is best if you consider a goal nothing more than something to do.

As you can see, since goals are nothing more than a glorified "to do" list, then the process for accomplishment is easy.  Here again, I want to caution you not to get caught up in the "magnitude" of the goal.  It is usually best to start with something small and work your way up.  For example, cleaning the bathroom is a goal.  While I admit it isnt glamorous, having a clean bathroom is a worthwhile endeavor.  Of course, to complete this, the goal needs to be broken down into smaller steps such as wash sink, scrub bathtub, and clean toilet.  The process, when divided into smaller activities, is rather simple to accomplish.

Changing Your Life

How does one change his or her life with goals?  The answer to that is contained in the title of this article.  We change our lives one goal at a time. 

Instead of focusing upon the grandness of our actions, it is best to focus upon what is in front of us.  Therefore, we need to set out a series of actions which moves us towards our desired destination.  If we desire riches, as an example, there are a series of actions we need to take to start the process.  To start, perhaps we need to open up an investment or savings account.  Then we need to commit to funding it on a regular basis.  At the same time, we will need to study investment and wealth creation materials.  All these steps aid in the process of enhancing our wealth.  If one simply will follow that along, ultimately the goal will be achieved.

Another factor involved in all this is repetitive versus single time activities.  One of the truths about life is there are just things we all need to do.  It is unavoidable.  The bathroom requires cleaning and, unless you pay someone else to do it, that task falls to you.  So does doing the laundry and other assorted chores.  Many find work to be the same way.  We end up spending our time repeating the same actions over and over.

To serious change your life, you need to implement those actions which are not repetitive in nature yet carry an ongoing benefit.  Writing this article is a prime example of that.  While I can repeat the behavior of writing, once I submit this online, it is out there forever.  My action was done once yet the benefit of what is written is ongoing.  The same can apply to reading.  Read a piece of non-fiction about a subject you are interested in and you will find the benefits ongoing.  The activity was done once yet the payoff is ongoing.

The key is to sprinkle in as many of these "goals" as possible.  Going out and taking pictures of things that are of interest is another idea.  Using your talents to rebuild a car or design a home entertainment center is another.  Whatever your interest, be sure to engage upon it regularly.  The best way to do this is to break down the goal into smaller tasks while tending to those activities on a daily basis.

One of my key goals in life is continual improvement.  I look at everything through the lens of whether it will improve my life or not.  Naturally, like mentioned, I also have the repetitive actions that require my attention.  Therefore, I look at them in the light of what I am getting out of them.  Perhaps it is the benefit (such a pride) of a clean kitchen.  Or, I often look at tasks as a method of enhancing my self-discipline.  One of my favorites is to use the classic to do list and scratch the item off as completed.  Either way, I know there is some benefit to my life by engaging in this behavior.

Goals are powerful tools to move your life forward.  The key is to simply the process so that success is yours.  It is acceptable if you are one who cannot determine your "life calling".  Start the process described here and get moving in a direction.  The benefit of this approach is that you will uncover some things along the way.  As you move down the path of life, the ability to change direction will be yours.  Over time, by implementing this strategy, you will find you accomplish a great deal more than you ever imagined. 

So start today by pulling out a piece of paper and writing down 5 goals you want to accomplish.  I do not care how minor or major they are.  Even if it is nothing more than a list of 5 things you want to accomplish today, write them down.  And then, go do them.

Here's to your success.


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Total Immersion

Many people like to dabble.  This appears to be a common trait that is within all of us naturally.  My conclusion is this stems from the inherent curiosity that we exhibit when young.  Have you ever noticed how very young children are interested in everything?  No matter what it is, it captures their attention.  For example, a small child can be entertained for hours simply by watching a bug.  Contrast that with an adult who simply takes off a shoe and introduces the insect to its' creator.  Nevertheless, the child is completely engrossed by this being.

Obsessive Compulsive

There is a psychological disorder called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD for short.  This is a mental state where one obsesses about certain things past the point of normal, entering the zone of abnormality.  We can see this exhibited in yard care.  Taking care of one's lawn while wanting things to look nice is normal.  However, being out there with tweezers to ensure every blade of grass near the edge is plucked is a bit obsessive.  The general idea is that a natural concern moves to the point of perfection.

My point here is that it is helpful for a person to get obsessive when trying to learn something new.  Many people suggest the best way to learn a new language is to totally immerse oneself in that language.  In other words, begin to think throughout the day in the other language.  Surround oneself with people who are speaking it.  Perhaps move to the country where it is spoken thus forcing oneself to learn it.  Through these steps one cannot help by to completely focus upon the endeavor at hand; in this instance learning a new language. 

This method is 100% successful.  Have you ever noticed that when you go to a foreign country, let us say Spain, that everyone speaks Spanish?  Why is that?  The reason is because those individuals were immersed in the language from a young age.  They had no choice but to learn it.

Do you think this same idea will hold true for you?  Let me offer up a question to get you thinking?  What are the chances that you would learn a great deal about baseball if you spent all your non-working hours studying this game?  I would hypothesize that the odds are great that you would see tremendous improvement.  Since you focus is almost exclusively in that area, great advancement is the only possible outcome.  Of course, the caveat to all this would be the willingness to dedicate the time to it.  If you were obsessive about it, increased knowledge would result.

10,000 Hours

Malcolm Gladwell popularized the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to achieve greatness in any particular area.  The main idea with this theory is that if one dedicates this amount of time to any one endeavor, superstar skills are attained.  A prime example of this is athletes.  Look at any professional and you can easily see how many hours were spent hitting golf balls or shooting baskets to achieve the level of skill the individual has.  Moving into the business realm, think about the number of hours Warren Buffett spent studying business and the stock market.  People of this nature spent years honing their craft.

So what does this mean for you?  What if you are not a person in your 20s who has decades to study a particular area so as to attain expertise?  Fortunately, there is another way of looking at this entire matter.  While 10,000 hours is given as the amount of time necessary, there are many instances which one can do it in less time.  One way to do this, especially in the area of knowledge, is to learn from others.  People often write about their successes, and pitfalls.  It is through understanding what caused the pitfalls where you can save yourself considerable time.  Using the experience of others can save you a great deal of time.

Another point that I would like to mention is for you to understand what your goal is.  While expertise is a really good thing, perhaps that is a level that is not required for success.  When it comes to money management, one does not need 10,000 hours of study to improve his or her situation.  I found that dedicating a year of study (about 500 hours) will set one ahead of most other people.  Since most fail to study money, budgeting, and sound financial decisions, the person who immerses him or herself in this arena, even for a hour or two a day, will find tremendous success. 

Therefore, I suggest you begin to immerse yourself in the study of money.  Wealth is something that anyone can attain if he or she is willing to learn the steps to achieving it.  Consider yourself like a person landing in a foreign country to learn a new language.  Put all your focus upon this single area and watch how quickly your life changes.  As with anything, when you immerse yourself in something, success will result.
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Knowledge Is Everywhere

We live in the age of information.  The Internet enabled us access to more knowledge than is present in the Library of Congress.  There are sites out there on everything.  No matter what the topic, it only requires typing a few words into a search engine and you will be given a list that will take you hours to go through.

You would think with all this information readily available to us, that we would be smarter as in general.  Sadly, this does not seem to be the case.  Most people, relatively speaking are falling further behind.  When we look at their financial situation, they are overloaded with debt.  Regarding health, they are in terrible shape (literally).  Their relationships are total train wrecks with people not even speaking to each other.  Overall, the quality of life tends to diminish as we are "dumbed down".

The truth is that it does not have to be this way.  People have the opportunity to gain whatever knowledge is needed for success.  The only requirement is the desire to attain that knowledge.

Willingness

Everything starts with willingness.  Are you willing to do the things that will lead to success?  This is a major question.  Few are willing to put in the time and effort required to move their life to an extraordinary level.  The desire is not there.  Instead, they live on a hope rather than a concentrated intent. 

Financial success is not a great mystery.  The path to riches is well known.  There are a number of options a person has which will ultimately lead to that outcome.  However, it is not something that is inherent within us at birth.  It is a learned science.  The ability to generate a massive amount of money is a result of acquiring knowledge followed up by the application.  It really is that simple.

Investing is a huge part of the wealth creation process.  A foundational piece to all financial success is that money needs to go to work.  It is wonderful to excel and increase one's income.  However, true abundance is rarely achieved unless money is earned of existing capital.  Failure to do this means one will be a high income earner but not see their net worth excel.  This is the condition many athletes find themselves in.  The eventual outcome is they go broke because their expenses far exceed their income once the enormous contract runs out. 

To be a successful investor, one must learn the basics of investing.  There are fundamental principles to follow which will create a nice bank account.  One of them is the advantage of time.  Too many opt for the get rich quick scenarios.  This is catastrophic financially.  Most of these "investments" are losers from the start.  Yet millions follow this idea.  If they were willing to do a little reading and study how many of the most successful investors built their wealth, they would realize that sound financial principles were followed.

10,000 Hours

There is a concept that applies to success which I tend to agree with.  It is the belief that to achieve excellence in something, a person needs to devote 10,000 hours to it.  This is a lot of time, obviously, yet it is required to attain the highest level of success.  Consider the hours spent by an Olympic athlete training and honing his or her craft.  Bill Gates spent thousands of hours playing around with software.  Warren Buffet invested tens of thousands of hours to learning and reading about businesses.  People like these have the drive to excel and put in the time.

Contrast this with the average person.  How many hours do you dedicate to your investments, as an example?  Jim Cramer talks about that an individual needs to be willing to dedicated 1 hour per week to each stock he or she owns.  If that person is not willing to do that, investing in mutual funds is the way to go.  It is incredible that he is asking for a little more than 50 hours per year to study a stock thoroughly.  Compare this to the amount of time spent watching television.  I read studies that stated the average American watches 5-6 hours of television a day.  This amounts to 1,500-2,000 hours yearly.  Yet someone is not willing to invest 50 hours towards creating successful financial returns.

It is time to begin the process of working towards your 10,000 hours.  Obviously, most will never get to this level.  However, if you can invest 500 hours into your financial future, I will hypothesize that you will be far ahead of the average person.  Most people spend more time planning a vacation than they do on their financial plan.  Is it any surprise that most suffer financial difficulties especially as they get older?  Those who have the willingness to garner the knowledge will become financially successful. 

3 Areas of Knowledge

There are 3 ways you can acquire knowledge.  It is best to start accessing all three to accelerate your learning curve.

1. Personal experience: 

You have a wealth of knowledge simply from the actions you have or have not taken over the years.  Often, these are the best lessons.  Look back upon your life and the decisions you made.  See where you were mistaken to learn what the correct action should have been.  Life is an excellent teacher if we will embrace the lessons.  Sadly, few are willing to do this.  Instead they blame other people and circumstances for their shortcomings.  There is a wealth of knowledge in your own life story if you will simply look at it.  Sit down with a piece of paper to analyze what took place.  Be honest about what the decisions you make.  Do not beat yourself up over it so much as learn from it.  View it the same way as you do a movie.  Through this one exercise you will see an assortment of financial "rules" emerge.  This is the beginning stages of wealth creation.

2. Experience of others:

There is no need to beat you head against the wall to realize it hurts.  Look around to see there are many who do that for you.  Notice the results they get.  When they do this, their head hurts.  Therefore, you can bet the ranch the same will occur if you do it.  This is learning from others.

Financial calamities are everywhere.  Thousands of people end up in bankruptcy court daily because of decisions they make.  It is easy to learn how people enslave themselves financially with their decisions.  Learn from their pain while avoiding it yourself.  This only requires the ability to suppress your ego and proclaim that you do not have all the answers.  Most habitually do the opposite which deters them from learning from others.  There is an abundance of financial knowledge in the success and failures of others.

3. Writings:

As mentioned, the Internet gives us access to more information than was humanly possible before.  Financial success is everywhere online.  It requires a bit of effort to sift through it but you will uncover "secrets" that few know.  Again, you must have the willingness.

The writings of others enables you to garner knowledge from their experience.  Also, there are thousands upon thousands of studies done which you can apply.  For example, there are studies about the idea "sell in May and go away".  By simply looking into this concept, one might alter his or her investing style based upon the conclusions drawn.

Naturally, you must be mindful of who you follow or the suggestions made.  Simply because someone puts it in writing does not make it true.  You need to continually search and cross reference new ideas.  Delve into the person who is making the statement to see what success that person attained.  While a college professor might offer some insight into the stock market, I would take the words of a Warren Buffet to mean a lot more.  His track record (and net worth) far exceeds that of any of the professors at our colleges. 

The point is knowledge is everywhere.  Desire it.  Commit to starting on your 10,000 hour path by spending an hour or so a day to learning about success especially in the area of finance.  Those who live in a state of poverty do so because they lack the knowledge to live any other way.  I would guess that most people, even if not in poverty, fall into this category.  Become one who is different.  Spend some of your free time learning about this subject.  It is a central way to change your life.
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Financing Yourself To 100

Do you want to live to 100?  If not, why not?  What is your reason for not wanting to be on this planet for as long as you possibly can?  The answer to these questions lies in the fact that most people do not live lives that are worth a great deal.  Thoreau stated that most men live lives of "quiet desperation".  Certainly things have changed since his time to the point where now people are not quiet about their desperation.

Make Your Life Incredible

Few people take the time to plan their life.  This is a central tenet to the Western lifestyle.  We work in careers that we honestly have no idea how we chose.  Most people are reactive accepting a position out of need as opposed to want or desire.  They follow the dogma that their particular culture espouses as "normal" and leading to happiness only to find that it was not true.  Nevertheless, they continue on the path because "it is the responsible thing".

You only need to look at the average person to realize he or she is miserable.  Most operate in the state that Thoreau was referring to.  This has not changed in the past 100 years.  In fact, pressures on people have become greater.  Over time, we have accepted the "distractions" of life as normal.  Television watching is at an all time high.  People overeat while getting too little exercise.  Financially, more money is needed to make ends meet because we operate in a consumer driven society where having stuff shows the worth of a person.  All the while people are dying inside while becoming more enslaved.

One of the first things that you must do is to decide to make your life incredible.  There is no reason why you have to follow the path of millions who simply abide by what everyone is telling them to do.  It is up to you to determine how you want to live your life.  What is it that you truly desire?  How do you want things to be?  These are questions that few ever honestly answer.  The fact is that most anything can be achieved if one is willing to make it a goal.  Again, the number of people who actually take the time to plan how they are going to make their lives incredible is minimal.  

This is where you can alter things.  Spend time getting in touch with those things you want to make a reality in your life.  Nothing should ever stand in your way.  However, before you can have the tenacity to achieve that end, you first need to establish it as an outcome.  Therefore, your goal is to make your life truly incredible.

Massive Finances    

Once you are on the road to making your life truly incredible, you quickly learn that you do not want it to end.  This is the piece that most people are missing.  Because of their misery, deep down, they are not seeking to prolong things.  Sure, they want to live to a ripe old age because of fear of death.  However, the truth is so many are simply existing that death is a blessing.  This is especially true as people get older.

Since you are entering the minority who desires to live a long time, it is crucial that you finance this endeavor.  Money is a subject that most avoid.  Rich people have a negative connotation within our society.  However, that is only true among people who are not rich.  The wealthy do not believe that about themselves.  It is a terrible misconception meted out by irresponsible politicians and media outlets who opt to engage in class warfare.  Some of the most giving people in the world are extremely wealthy (and who came about it ethically).  Therefore, do not hold prejudice against someone for their financial status.  In fact, it is best to use that as a motivator to push yourself forward.

Today, you need to get on the path of financing yourself to 100.  Many financial planners offer to assist one in the process of preparing for retirement.  Sadly, most find that they are woefully under capitalized when the day arrives to enter their golden years.  This is a simple situation to avoid yet few are willing to take the action to arrive at this outcome.

Spending is to wealth what sugar is to health.  People are killing themselves by the food they eat.  At the same time, they are destroying their financial lives by spending without thinking.  As I mentioned, we live in a society that promotes consumerism.  It is a central part of our economy.  The Western cultures need people to spent at a growing rate to sustain growth.  We see this idea espoused by the media on a regular basis.  The problem with this mindset is that it goes counter to what is best for the individual and his or her family.

If you want to have massive finances (as opposed to massive debt), you need to stop spending.  This is a fundamental tenet to financial abundance.  You need to spend less than you earn and save the difference.  Without this ability, you are bound to be a lifelong slave to society.  No matter how much you make, the lack of discipline means that you will spend 100% (or more with credit) of what you earn.  Nothing will be left over.  Ultimately, this path will lead to financial dependence later on in life.  

Therefore, picture yourself living to 100.  How do you want your life to be?  Do you see yourself dependent upon others?  If this is the case, begin now to alter the behaviors you presently engage upon.  Financial prudence is one of the greatest attributes someone can acquire.  It is vital that you understand the basics of financial accumulation and begin to put money to work for you.  Over the next few decades, you can learn the skills to ensure you have massive abundance in later years.  Also, you will be able to do those things which make you want to live to 100.      

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Greatness

What is it that separates the highly successful from the rest of the population.  In a word it is "greatness".  While it is something that is difficult to categorize, people know greatness when they see it.  And those who attain this level, set out to create it in their lives.  Compare this with the approach that most people take which is merely to survive.

A Conscious Decision

To be great, one must consciously decide to be that way.  It is something that cannot be achieved unless one sets it out as a goal.  Yet few are willing to make this commitment.  Instead, they hedge what they want in an effort to avoid failure.  Greatness sets the bar extremely high.  Most of the population cannot handle the idea of putting so much pressure upon themselves.  Instead, they leave themselves "an out".  Failure becomes acceptable.

One thing that is common to hear is "I need to lose some weight" or "I need to get into shape".  Notice the hedge that is already in place.  Did the individual making these proclamations establish a high bar?  The answer is no.  Nowhere in the person's mind is the idea of having a great body.  The reason for this is the level of commitment to achieve this is much greater than simply making some progress.  The truth is that this person most likely will do nothing.

Finances are the exact same way.  People too often approach investing, as an example, with the mindset of not losing.  They do not set out to achieve big fortunes.  Fear is running the show and simply progressing is acceptable.  Certainly one wants his or her investment accounts to grow.  However, accepting a measly return because one is unwilling to commit to something greater is absurd.

It is crucial that you make the conscious choice to build fantastic wealth.  This is at the core of our existence in this society.  Obviously, I am not advocating you take the gambler mentality to the market because that is not a winning proposition either.  My point is that you must be willing to do your homework and hone your skills in the area of finance/investing.  You are looking to achieve greatness.  Maintain some humility because, if you do not, the markets have a way of humbling you.  And this gets to be an expensive approach.  Make this decision and follow up with actions that mirror it.

A Higher Level

Whenever a person implements the idea of greatness into his or her life, suddenly this person is operating at a higher level then everyone else.  As I stated earlier, most simply seek to survive.  Nowhere in there being is the idea of strive for more.  Sure, they mentally state they would like something different yet few actually make the commitment to move towards that end.  It is much easier to make things a wish, hope, or dream.

Does this mean you will achieve greatness in all you do?  Of course not.  Failure is a part of life.  There are things we attempt that do not work out.  Naturally, the ultimate failure is to give up.  Oftentimes, a misstep is not failure as much as a signal to do things differently.  This is one of life's ways of teaching us valuable lessons.  Experience is a terrific teacher if we will pay attention.

When deciding to focus upon greatness in any area, we cease to accept substandard results.  People often complain about having little motivation when if greatness was the ultimate end, motivation would be present.  It is easy to see the path when one sets a high outcome.  Work is required and lots of it.  However, as one advances up the scale, the rewards get greater.

We see this when one sets out to eliminate debt from his or her life.  At first, it is overwhelming when one looks at all the balances.  Yet, over time, as more payments are submitted, balances dwindle.  At the same time, the interest accrued starts decreasing in proportion.  Hence, more of each payment, if constant, is going towards principle, accelerating the elimination process.  Paying off one debt is a breakthrough for many people and the time where they realize progress is being made.  Nobody can have a great financial life with excessive amounts of personal unsecured debt.

Each of us has a standard of conduct that is acceptable.  If one is only striving for mediocre, obviously the level of conduct is low.  This is a person who will only do enough to get by.  A higher aspiration is not in the cards.  However, once this person adopts the idea of being great in any area, instantly the behaviors which were present before are no longer acceptable.  Instead of watching television, perhaps the person starts to read financial books.  Time is utilized in a different way in an effort to attain a greater end.  Mild attempts are unsatisfactory. 

Sports provides a terrific analogy.  Take someone like Michael Jordan who was the best basketball player of his time.  He operated at a level higher than even the other professional players around him.  Did he have a natural talent?  Certainly.  However, he also worked extremely hard at his craft always desiring to get better.  He also matched it up with the inner strength to take the pressure shots which many would shy away from.  His mental skills were as strong as his physical.  This is what separated him from the other players, many of whom were the best in the world.  He sought greatness where others were content to just give their best. 

I want you to implement greatness in all you do.  Take one area of your life and decide to make it great.  Do not settle for substandard results anymore.  Commit to being the best at whatever the endeavor is.  And then be willing to take whatever action is necessary to achieve that end.
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Take Advantage What Is Presented

Many are seeking out opportunities while ignoring what is under their nose.  This is a basic problem with the human condition; we are always looking "over there".  People simply do not put to use what is under their control.

Wanting Something Big

Individuals like to focus upon the big.  They want to make radical life changes while not accepting the fact that life is made up of a series of smaller actions.  To completely alter one's life, in most instances, people need to make lots of little changes that add up to a large difference.  Yet we are conditioned to want to find something bigger.

I will relate an example that illustrate this point.  I once studied under a guy who was a multi-millionaire.  He was one to go around picking up coins off the ground when he saw them.  People might think this strange unless you understand his mindset.  He is a person who believes that he has no right to tell the universe no when it blesses him with money.  He emphatically states "who am I do dictate the denomination of the money given to me".  This is so true.  Because he is open to a penny or a nickel, he also receives money in the form of thousands.  He is satisfied no matter what is given.

Contrast this with the outlook that most people have.  People, at least in the western cultures, have a denomination where money becomes valuable.  Obviously, to the average person, a penny or nickel is too small.  To many, so is a dollar or even 5  dollars.  Some will think about $10.  Others $20.  Still others $100.  The point is there is a threshold where one will think hard before spending.  Below that level, the amount is considered inconsequential.

The sad thing is this is how people view most things in their lives.

The Disease of More

People want more.  It is what we are conditioned to believe.  No matter what one has, there is always someone to look to who is doing better.  If that person is not around, Madison Avenue ensures this occurs by presenting advertisements of what success is.  Everyday is a quest to add to the mountain of stuff already accumulated in an effort to feel worthy.  This is a national illness which creates much pain, especially financial.

There is nothing wrong with accumulating "the finer things in life" if you are able to attain them in a sensible way.  The problem is people feel entitled as opposed to being willing to work for them.  It is here where the disconnect between opportunities and success occurs.  Most are always looking at the end while ignoring what takes place in the middle.

For example, the $100,000 a year job is desirable to most everyone.  However, few take the time to prepare themselves so they can handle a job like this.  If someone is paying that amount of money, he or she will require a return for it.  Just showing up and occupying space is not enough.  Sadly, many believe this.

What is overlooked is that one can create a better opportunity in his or her present employment.  There are opportunities in all positions.  While I acknowledge that not every job can be turned into $100,000 annually, there are things that can be attained which will propel you forward.  This is a key point to success.  Every job offers opportunities for something.  It is just being aware of what can be garnered from that position. 

Starting Where You Are

It is crucial that no matter what you are desiring, you are willing to start exactly where you are.  This might seem like common sense yet most fail to do this.  Instead, they dream of better things all the while overlooking what is presently in front of them.  Now I admit that present circumstances might be terrible for many people.  The advantage to that is the changes necessary ought to be highly obvious.  Regardless of how the situation is, dealing with reality is always your starting point.

The truth is that in the western countries, there are opportunities oozing from every segment of society.  Unless one travels around to third world nations, we do not realize how good things are.  Sure there are problems.  But, for the most part, we have the freedom to excel.  This is not the case in many parts of the world.  Necessities like food and clean water are at a premium.  People in these situations seek only to survive.  We have the opportunity for so much more.

So your present geographic location is the starting point.  Ignore things such as the economy and wage scale.  Look to what is presently in your life that you can utilize for advancement.  What skills or opportunities are there which you have been ignoring.  I will tell you something that 40% of the workforce completely overlooks: the 401K program.  Studies show only 60% participate.  Here is an example of how people fail to take advantage of something that will benefit them.  Is it any wonder that people have such horrific financial lives?

Your challenge now is to look around you and find the opportunities that presently exist within your life.  Understand that since the Internet is available to all of us, the possibilities are almost endless.  Information is available with the touch of a few keystrokes.  You can learn whatever you desire.  Begin to see what is in front of you.  The solution is never "over there" but, rather, right here.


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