To Change Your Income,
Change Your Thinking
Over the holidays, I finally had
the chance to see "Bedazzled" with Brendan Fraser and
Elizabeth Hurley. If you're wondering why I'm not current with my
movies, my children are 2 and 4. Enough said!
Anyway, the story's about a young,
geeky computer whiz named Elliott (Fraser), who sells his soul to the
devil (Hurley) in exchange for a chance to win the heart of the woman
he loves. Through a series of mishaps and miscalculations, with the
devil having her fun, Elliott finally gives up on his dream and
resigns himself to his fate. He goes out with a bang on his final
wish--and gets a second chance at life. When he stops wishing for
things to happen and starts making them come about, his love life
finally comes together.
Now I mention this movie not for
its cinematic excellence, but rather for the final message it
imparts: To change your life, you need to change your thinking.
It's the single biggest secret for success.
For just as your love life needs
work to be successful, so does your claim to fame and fortune.
So many people want to make tons of
money NOW, without having to go through all the trials and
tribulations of building a solid foundation. Unfortunately they miss
the most integral part of the whole deal: building for long term
success. And like Elliott, they often find that the "quick and
easy" solution brings disappointment and frustration instead of
instant happiness.
In fact, studies reveal that 95% of
people who hit the lottery are broke again within 3 years. They get
the money, spend it, and are right back to square one. It's the
"easy come, easy go" mentality. When you don't have to work
for something and are unprepared for the windfall, it's easy to be
careless and allow emotions-and other people--to influence your
actions. Which is often the case in these situations.
But when you understand the basic
principles of prosperity, you're more likely to make smarter choices.
The best way to learn those principles is by rolling up your sleeves
and getting to work instead of waiting for wealth to magically strike.
In his book, "The Magic of
Thinking Big" (http://www.niftybusinessideas.com/books/thinkbig),
Dr. David Schwartz reveals that most successful people have a couple
of things in common: they set goals, and they allow for errors. They
know they're going to make mistakes along the way, so they plan for
it. They don't let the fear of the unknown keep them from getting started.
I see this very fear all the time
in emails from people. One young woman who recently visited one of my
fashion sites felt compelled to write and tell me how her life-long
dream is to be a fashion designer. She sketches all of the time, and
her friends and family keep telling her how talented she is.
"It's such a shame that I'll
never have that career," she wrote. "I don't have any money
to get started, and unless someone gives me a break, my talent will
just be wasted."
Yes, it probably will be. Because
no one is going to show up at her door and beg her to come be a
fashion designer, which is clearly what she's hoping for.
Understand this: Hope is not a strategy!
She has to take the bull by the
horns and make it happen for herself. But she won't-at least not
anytime soon. Her short, 7 line email revealed a tremendous amount
between the lines, including the fact that she has low self-esteem
and a negative attitude toward life.
So how is YOUR thinking coming
along? Are you hoping to "strike it rich" someday, or are
you actually laying the foundation to make it happen?
In "The Magic of Thinking
Big" (http://www.niftybusinessideas.com/books/thinkbig),
Dr. Schwartz gives what I think is an excellent blueprint for
success. He feels that you need to set goals in the three most
important areas of your life, including:
-
Work - How much you'd like
to earn when, what level you'd like to attain, what impact you'd like
to have in your field, etc.
-
Home - The family unit you'd
like to have, the size of home you'd like to live in, the type of
decor you'd like to have, etc.
-
Community - Political
positions you aspire to, community projects you'd like to participate
in, philanthropic contributions you'd like to make, etc.
Since the amount of money you make
pretty much determines your lifestyle and your ability to contribute
to the community, you need to take particular care when defining your
monetary goals.
So what are YOUR work-related goals
for 2002? Have you defined them yet? Even given them a passing thought?
If not, now's the time to do so.
Start with something simple,
something "do-able", like spending an hour researching the
competition for your hot new idea, or placing an ad for your latest product.
Don't make it "Make $100,000
this year".
Why not? Because that sets the bar
too high. It's so monumental a task, that you'll never get started.
Yes, that may be your ultimate goal
for this year, which is fine. But to make $100,000 this year, you
have to have the blueprint to make it happen...which includes things
like researching the competition and placing an ad for your new
product. Don't put the highest hurdle first. You'll never make it.
Instead, make a bite-size list of things to do that will help you
accomplish that final goal.
Remember that old saying, "Inch
by inch, it's a cinch, yard by yard, it's kind of hard"?
Well, most people want to get to
the end so quickly, they opt for the "yard-by-yard"
approach. Unfortunately, it's the hardest way to go. They tire
quickly and throw in the towel. Or, like Elliott in
"Bedazzled", they encounter situations they aren't prepared
to handle, and give up on their dreams.
Don't let this happen to you. Plan
your income like you'd plan a road trip: know how long it's going to
take, how much it's going to cost, and each stopping point along the
way. Once you get into this habit of "inch by inch", you'll
not only get started, you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll be able
to accomplish your goals.
Don't wait for lightening to strike
or sell your soul to the devil to accomplish your goals. Make a
solid, step-by-step plan for success, and then go for it! If you plan
your work and work your plan, you can't help but succeed!
Good luck! |
