Roundabout 2005, I had this notion that my personal economy was not really headed in a positive direction for the long term. The company I worked for was probably not going to be able to help me retire before I hit 72 years of age (as a matter of fact I wasn't sure they would make it to that age either) and I was feeling like there just has to be more than this! You know - get up, go to work, come home, eat, watch the tube, go to bed, repeat!
I had always been told by my Dad that if you want to change your results, you have to change your information; better info leads to better results. His theory, and the theory of that generation was/is: go to school, get good grades, get a good job (need a better job? repeat!) Well, I like to learn, but I didn't have the time, money, nor motivation to go back to college. Seriously, go spend another $20K a year for 2-4 years so I could get a $10K raise? I started looking for other opportunities and information to bring about some change.
I knew that I needed some input from successful people, but everyone I knew was just like me, to one degree or another (haha). I figured I should go to the local bookstore and start digging in the "self-improvement" section. A wealth of information has been written by people who had achieved significance through activity (actually "doing" the work), learning from their mistakes, and sheer tenacity in their ability to stay focused and committed to their dream. As I read more of these books, I came across a large community of people who were doing the same thing (I'll talk more about them in a later post). I read things from Maxwell, Covey, Kiyosaki, and others. I started to talk with this new group of friends about what I was reading and as we talked I understood more & more that, really, the key to my success was rooted in my belief that I have the ability to create whatever I wanted in my life! With that belief I could start doing and achieve darn near anything.
People who have succeeded in all types of industries, business, and personal struggles have written their tales in books for us to learn from. Why on earth they don't teach this stuff in schools I will never understand!
It really is true, if you want to change some things, you have to change some things! New information, positive thinking, and the belief in your own ability to dream big, take up the charge, and make some mistakes will ultimately lead to your success in life. In any business environment, those who learn the fastest and stay focused on a clear objective/goal/dream are the ones who will make it - but only if they get going!
So I challenge you to ask yourself: Are you satisfied with your life? Where are you going? What are you willing to do to get what you want? Are you reading and learning new things everyday? You can do it, you can have whatever you want if you're willing to learn, put in the work, and stay focused on where you want to go long enough. I know it, because I am doing it, my friends are doing it, and our whole community is doing it. Will you make the decision and come join us!
Dream big, Believe in yourself, and focus on action!
Be well - Live well,
Stephen
