Invest in your future

Invest in your future

          Today, investors sacrifice and spenders enjoy. Tomorrow, investors enjoy and spenders keep working. If you buy a house on credit today, you may have to work two jobs to make the installment payments now but you may own the house without debt within definite date, 5 years or a little more for example. If you give up TV night, you can take an evening course and in four years or less you will earn a college degree. If you start training today, you may be sore tomorrow and earn a black belt in four years. Invest in yourself.

          Most wealthy people save between 15% and 20% of their income. Invest in fields in which you have a specialized knowledge. If you sell cars, invest in the auto industry. Time is money and even your life. There is a time value to money, so the earlier you start investing the better. Invest in things that appreciate rather than spend on things that depreciate. Secure your own retirement.

Relax your body

Relax your body

          In your personal dealings, remain loose and light. Eliminate stress. There is rarely need to be tense and hardheaded. Much can be accomplished through calm reason and a soft voice.

          Most physical movements should be loose, light, fluid, agile and flexible, rather than tense, hard, rigid and stiff. Slow, deep breathing will calm anxieties, steam baths, saunas and whirlpools also help the muscles to rest. Make sure you get  your rejuvenating 6-8 hours of sleep per night.

          At any time, start counting backwards from 100 as you breathe deeply. Let the air fill your belly as you inhale and exhale, more slowly and more fully with each breath. Quiet your muscles and relax.

Stay fit and healthy

Stay fit and healthy

          Be prepared to succeed both physically and mentally. You do not know when you will be called upon to defend with a block, a blow or a word. You can swim, run, or roller blade. You can take a walk. Staying fit also helps to prevent injury and helps you deal with stress and fatigue.

          If you want to be thinner, start putting out more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. Start now. If you want to be healthier, add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Drink a lot of water. If you want to strong heart, do twenty minutes of vigorous calisthenics each day. If you want to look good and feel strong, work out with weights three times a week for thirty minutes. You don’t need fancy gym equipment to ne fit. You don’t need a lot of time. You just need the will to start and persist.

Avoid negative people

Avoid negative people

          You have one life to live. You want to be happy and to make your life meaningful. You haven’t got time to waste with negative people. They will drain your energy. When they fine a willing audience, they won’t let it go. They may have justifiable concerns but too often get involved in minor matters. They blame and look for excuses. Even when blame can be justified it serves no productive good. They are usually negative because they have ceded control of their happiness to others-the boss, the neighbors, the kids, the politicians, the police.

          Be polite and encouraging to negative people. You can be compassionate, but still be strong enough to walk away. Everyone has problems, but not everyone allows those problems to rule them. You can offer a temporary safe haven without becoming a permanent home. You do not have to sacrifice your life to the problem of another.

Communication with ease

Communication with ease

          Being an effective communicator can take you a long way and is a skill worth developing. Be yourself. Believe in your own words. It doesn’t matter if you are talking to one person or one thousand. If you want people to like what you say, persuade with modesty and build your audience up.

          Listen to good communicators and model yourself after them. How do good interviews ask questions? How do good public speakers work? How do good salespeople sell? To communicate well, you can’t get stuck on transmit. Pause before you speak. You must listen and speak with purpose. Get to the point. Create interest with visual aids. Tell them what you are going to tell them.

          Don’t let technology leave you behind. Learn to communicate via e-mail and the internet.

Venture outside the box

Venture outside the box

          It would be nice if there were logical step-by-step instructions for every step on your success journey. But unfortunately, there aren’t. you learn from your own experiences and by studying the experience of others, and then you often have to find your own way. To find an answer, you may have to go outside the box.

          If all graphic designers are offering computer-generated works, maybe your niche is hand drawing. If all your day care center competitors are stick about pick-up times, maybe your niche is to be flexible. If none of the other landlords in your area allow pets, maybe you do. Being a little different can be profitable.

          If you can’t earn a degree full time, perhaps you can take evening or correspondence or on-line courses. If you are worried about starting a business, you can consider buying an existing business or a franchise. If you can’t exercise because you have to baby-sit, how about taking the kids for a walk or run with you? Don’t get up. At times, you may have to improved and be creative quitting or not trying isn’t an option.

Accept hard work

Accept hard work

          Great accomplishments come from hard work. Luck accompanies hard work. If necessary, be prepared to endure temporary hardship. At times, the work is going to be hart to do and you would prefer doing something easier. Accept this put enthusiasm into your work and you will reduce boredom. Commit yourself to hard work and be thankful that you aren’t lazy. Laziness makes all work difficult.

          From day one, you accept the premise that by following the “Action Principles”, you will work hard and give much. Don’t cheat, or look for the easy way out. Bask in the feeling of exhilaration and accomplishment that few will experience. If you work hard, you will never go hungry. In the end, you will discover that all the hard work was worth it. Work hard and don’t wish that your life were any other way. Get accustomed to doing what others can’t or won’t.

Do what others can’t

Do what others can’t

          Most people can’t give two a month to volunteer at a hospice. You can.

          Most People can’t get up at 6:00 AM and jog two miles. You can.

        Most people can’t give up their lunch hour to solve a customer’s problem. You can.

          Most people can’t help to clean up other people’s messes. You can.

          Most people can’t give five percent of their money to charity. You can.

          That’s because you are following the “Action Principles”.

Develop your winning habits

Develop your winning habits

          If becoming a success were easy, everyone would do it. It isn’t. They don’t. As a follower of the “Action Principles”, you can. You can develop winning habits while identifying and working to eliminate your bad habits. Be patient. Psychological studies have shown that it takes about 30 days to begin to form or begin to rid yourself of a habit.

          You can keep your word even though this may not always be easy. You can write and focus on your goals and objectives and your to-do list. You can exercise when you’re tired. You can read business materials. You can volunteer. You can give a little extra money to charity. You can pick up litter on the jogging path. You can do a lot while others are idle.

          You won’t always want to do these things. You will feel that you are doing more than your share. You are right. Work on your habits. You are tough.

Be persistent

 Be persistent

          Modern life can make you soft. The status quo may become comfortable familiar. You can actually being to believe that you are doing all that you can, or that doing more isn’t worth the effort. No! Don’t think that way! Challenge yourself. You must start the positive momentum in your life and then you’ve got to stick with it day to day. You don’t need someone else to tell you not to smoke. If today, you smoke a pack, tomorrow smoke 18. The next day, 17. Improve. If haven’t read a book recently, read one. If you don’t exercise, take a walk around the block. If you’re shy, say to five new people: “Good morning!”

         

          You know yourself. You know that improvement you need. You don’t need anyone to tell you not to jump from a fifty-story building, so why would you need someone to tell you not to do drugs, to exercise more, eat a sensible diet, talk to your kids, or compliment your employees? You know what to do.

          Keep going. No one can say that you failed until you do. Keep taking small step toward your goal. Challenge the you who is content with yesterday’s accomplishment. Take a deep breath. Changes that last a lifetime begin in a moment. With persistence, only time stands between you and your goal.

Develop your special talent

Develop your special talent

          You were born with a special talent. It may be to sing, write, teach, paint, mentor, preach, defend or befriend. You have something special to offer the world, something you can do better than 10,000 others. You must keep learning and trying new things to find your special talent. The world needs your gift. Be aware that even a special talent can go stale if you don’t keep using and honing it. Endeavor to keep your talents and all your skills up to date.

          An advantage isn’t an advantage unless you use it. Find ways to use your advantage to set and reach goals. Likewise, you should recognize and then try to minimize the impact of your limitations. Remember that not all advantages are transferable. Just because you are talented in one area doesn’t mean that you will be talented at everything you try. The successful real estate investor can easily lose her money opening a restaurant. Stick to your advantages and don’t stray from them without reasoned justification.

Be prudent

Be prudent

          Just because you deserve victory doesn’t mean that you will win every fight, game or argument. Someone else may have the tactical advantage. Have the self-confidence to know when not to fight. Perhaps the smartest course of action is to retreat and reflect upon your options. Can you return to the challenge on another day better equipped, more experienced and stronger?

         

          The non-action of the wise man is not inaction. It is not studied. It is not shaken by anything. The heart of the wise man is tranquil. Wise men don’t fight each other.

Demonstrate your love

Demonstrate your love

          Form the Bible, we learn that love is patient and kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. It is responsibility and a willingness to work out problems.

          Love is too wonderful and too powerful to be kept bottled up. Let it out with your smiles, your voice, your manner, your enthusiasm and your continuing acts of kindness. For love, you can risk being vulnerable.

          When you find love, cherish and safeguard it. A loving marriage and family is worth all your efforts.