Let me give you three steps to start a life change: steps that can transform not just your life, but also your personality, your lifestyle, your entire outlook. Everything can change if you follow these steps. Let's dive into them.
Number one: Find out how things work. The first key to doing better is understanding you can't make progress without knowing how things work. To truly change your life, you need ideas because ideas are the seeds of change.
My mentor, Mr Schoff, made this crystal clear to me. He said, "Jim, the major problem isn't a lack of resources; it's a lack of ideas. " When I first met him, I didn't have a dime to my name.
I told him, "Mr Schoff, I don't have any money. " He looked at me and said, "Jim, that's not a problem. " I was puzzled.
How could not having money not be a problem? But he explained, "The real problem is not the lack of money; it's the lack of ideas on how to create money and wealth. " And that was a revelation to me.
You see, it's not about what you don't have; it's about what you don't know. If you get the right ideas, you can change anything: money, relationships, health, career. It all starts with an idea.
But where do ideas come from? They come from study, from observation, from curiosity. You need to be in a constant state of learning.
Mr Schoff used to tell me, "Jim, if you learn something valuable, don't keep it in your head; put it down in your journal. Don't use your head for a filing cabinet; capture those ideas so that you can go over them again and again. " Repetition is the key to making an idea stick.
Go over it and over it and over it; someday that idea will take root, it will start to grow, and before you know it, it shows up in your bank account, your appearance, your personality, and your lifestyle. But it all starts with finding out how things work, and to do that, you need curiosityβ a childlike curiosity. Be curious about everything, ask questions, seek answers, and don't be satisfied until you understand.
Children are the best example of this; when they want to know something, they'll bug you with a thousand questions. They'll drive you to the brink, but they won't stop until they get their answers. That's the kind of curiosity you need.
In fact, Jesus, the master teacher, said, "Unless you can become like little children, you might as well forget it. You don't have a prayer. " What a profound piece of advice!
You've got to be like a child in four key ways: curiosity, excitement, faith, and trust. Curiosity is the drive to know more; it's the spark that ignites discovery. Excitement is the energy that fuels your actionsβget excited about your potential to change your life.
Faith is the belief that things will work out, that your efforts will bear fruit. Adults are often too skeptical, too jaded; but children have an unshakable faith in the possibilities. And trustβtrust in the process, trust in yourself, and trust in the wisdom of those who've walked the path before you.
Trust is a childish virtue, but the rewards it brings are immense. Number two: You must go to work. Now that you've gathered the knowledge, it's time to put it to use.
Action is where the rubber meets the road. In the business world, we call this a game plan. Every successful person operates with a game planβa clear, detailed strategy for how they're going to achieve their goals.
And it's not just in business; you need a game plan for every area of your life. Your finances need a game plan, your relationships need a game plan, your health needs a game plan, your career needs a game plan, and even your personal growth needs a game plan. Don't just think about what you're going to do; write it down.
There's power in putting your thoughts on paper. When you operate from your head, it's easy to get lost in the details, to forget important steps. But when you operate from paper, you have a clear, actionable plan that you can refer to and refine as you go along.
I often ask people, "What's your plan for the next six months? " If they start to tell me, I say, "No, don't tell me; show me. Show me your game plan, and then we can make something happen.
" Now, here's the best word to go with action: massive. Massive action is the cure-all. If you're going to make calls, make a thousand.
If you're going to knock on doors, knock on a thousand. If you're going to start a project, give it everything you've got. That's how you make a real change.
The language of the poor is, "I'll try it a time or two and see what happens," but that's why they stay poor. You need a better planβone that involves massive action. Pick up a good idea and take heavy action; that's the formula for success.
Don't wait until you've learned everything; act on what you know now. Too many people fall into the trap of learning without doing. They read, they study, they plan, but they never take action.
They think they need to know everything before they start, but that's a mistake. Let your learning lead to action, and you can become wealthyβnot just in terms of money, but in every area of life. Remember, there are many kinds of wealth; money is just one of them, and it's actually one of the least valuable.
I know people with a lot of money who are very poor in other areas: poor in relationships, poor in health, poor in spirit. Money isn't everything. As the song goes, "As for fortune and as for fame, they are illusions; they're not the solutions.
" They promised to be so; aim for wealth in all its forms, and to get it, you need a heavy action game plan. Number three: don't try to beat the system. Here's a little caution, and it's an important one: don't try to beat the system.
Find out how it works and work it, but don't try to cheat it. Some people learn just enough to start cutting corners, looking for shortcuts and cheap answers. They think they can outsmart the system, but that's a fool's game.
You can't cheat your way to lasting success. If you try, you'll end up with a cheap life, one that lacks depth, integrity, and real achievement. Find out how things work best and then do it that way, even if it seems to take longer.
Do it right, without compromise. It may take more time and effort upfront, but the rewards will be worth it in the end. Shortcuts often lead to setbacks; quick fixes are usually temporary.
But when you do things the right way, you build a strong foundation that will support you for years to come. Under this step, here's another key: be a quick learner. Don't let it take long to teach you a lesson; learn quickly from your mistakes.
If something doesn't work, figure out why and adjust your approach. Don't keep making the same mistakes over and over again. One guy told me he broke his nose seven times in the same place.
Someone said, "Looks like you'd stay out of that place. " Learn quicker. And here's a crucial part of this third step: don't be stubborn.
Stubbornness can be a major roadblock to your progress. It's good to be determined, but not so rigid that you refuse to adapt or change when necessary. Life is constantly changing, and those who succeed are the ones who can adapt quickly to new circumstances.
Be flexible; be willing to change course when needed, and you'll find success much faster. So, in summary, the three steps to life change are: find out how things work, go to work, and don't try to beat the system. These steps may seem simple, but they are profound.
If you follow them, you'll set yourself on a path to real, lasting success. Remember: change doesn't happen overnight, but with the right ideas, massive action, and a commitment to doing things the right way, you can transform your life in ways you never imagined. Let me leave you with four questions, what I like to call questions to ponder.
These questions were invaluable to me, and I hope they will be just as valuable to you. So, let's dive in. The first question is: why?
Why should we work this hard? Why take that many classes? Why go to school for so many years?
Why take notes, read the books, and put yourself through all the push-ups and disciplines? It's a good question: why? Why put in all this effort?
The best answer I can offer to "why" is to ask another question. The second question: why not? Why not see how many books you can read, how many classes you can take, and how many skills you can develop?
Why not see how valuable you can become to the marketplace, to your friends, and to your family? Why not see what you can make of yourself? Why not see how far you can go, how much you can see, how much you can earn, and how much you can share?
That's the heritage we all have, especially here in Americaβthe heritage of seeing what we can make out of our lives now that we've been given this extraordinary opportunity. There's something magical about the "why not" question; it opens doors in the mind, it challenges the status quo, and it pushes you beyond your limits. It's about stretching yourself, about exploring the vast potential within you.
So, why not? Why not push a little harder? Why not aim a little higher?
Why not make the most of this life that you've been given? After all, the potential is there, waiting to be unlocked by your "why not. " The third question: why not you?
Why not you? Why not you with good self-esteem? Why not you starting to change, starting to set goals, and making progress toward financial independence?
If I can do it, you can do it. I wish I had a lot more testimonials to share with you today besides mineβa whole steady stream of people who would tell you their stories, stories of those who started with nothing and went on to run big enterprises, or a mother who was on welfare and now owns her own business. If they could stand before you, guess how they would probably end their stories?
They'd probably say, "Why not you? " If we can read, you can read; if we can change, you can change; if we can figure it out, you can figure it out; if we can turn it around, you can turn it around. There isn't anything you can't accomplish.
That's what those testimonials would say. So, I want to say it to you personally: why not you? You've got the brains, the stamina, the vitality, the interest; you've got your whole life ahead of you.
You've got the future. If anybody can do it, you can do it. If one of us can do it, hey, we all can do it.
So why not you? The door of opportunity is open to everyone, but it's up to you to walk through it. The question is: will you?
The fourth and final question: why not now? Why not start now? This is as good a time as any.
The 20th century is winding down, and we're getting ready to step into a new century, a new era. What a perfect time to set your goals, to work on yourself, to hone your skills! What a good time to get.
. . It together!
What a good time to start this process of personal development, of growing, changing, and developing. What a great time to have a solid plan for your money, your life, and your future! There's no better time than now.
The opportunities are here, the resources are available, and the potential is within you. The question is: why not seize this moment? Why not make this the turning point in your life?
Why not now? I hope that one day I'll have the chance to see you in person, to hear your story, to learn about the progress you've made, whether it's on this side of the world or the other, in some school, some seminar, or maybe even at a company you work for. I hope our paths cross, and until then, I wish you the best.
I want all that I've gained to be yours and much, much more. Now, let me remind you of something crucial: whenever you engage in any endeavor, always take time for self-reflection. It's a fundamental process.
Knowing what information you need and gathering it is one of the keys to living the good life. Some of the best advice Mr Scha gave me in those early years was about the why and the how of study. Study β that's a key word for life change.
If you wish to be successful, study success; if you wish to be happy, study happiness. Happiness is not an accident; it's a deliberate practice. But before it can be practiced, it must be studied.
If you wish to be wealthy, study wealth. Now, would you like to guess how many people make wealth a study? Very few!
And yet, wealth, happiness, and success are all values worth cultivating. You would think most people would naturally make a careful study of them, but why they do not is one of those mysteries of the mind that remains unsolved for many. Remember, the major keys to your better future are going to be ideas and information.
If we lack anything in life, it's not money, opportunity, or resources; it's ideas that have taken form from quality information. Many years ago, I learned that some of the best advice ever given comes from the Bible. There's a phrase in that remarkable book that says, "If you search, you will find.
" That's the way to discover life-changing ideas and information. You must search to find; you must become a seeker. Attend seminars and training classes, listen to programs and podcasts that offer breakthrough ideas, engage in conversations with people of substance.
Go looking, go searching! Rarely does a good idea interrupt you; you have to pursue it diligently. And as you make this dedicated search, you'll find just the ideas you need.
Now, here's the next crucial step in this process: capture. When you come across a good idea, don't trust your memory; capture it! Write it down, record it, preserve it.
That's one of the reasons we have tools like journals and note-taking apps. As a serious student of wealth and happiness, I encourage you to maintain a journal as a gathering place for all the valuable ideas that come your way. I consider personal journals to be one of the three treasures a wise person will leave behind: 1.
Your photographs. Take plenty of pictures. Capturing moments and events in fractions of a second is a phenomenon of our time; don't take it for granted.
Photos tell the story of your life: new friends, new experiences, cherished memories. Make sure you leave behind a rich tapestry of your life's journey through your photographs. 2.
Your library. Build a collection of books that have shaped your philosophy and values. Books well-read, well-underlined, filled with notes and reflections in the margins.
Include in your library a treasure trove of audio programs and podcasts that have enriched your mind and spirit. This library becomes a testament to your commitment to learning and growth. 3.
Your journals. Perhaps the most important treasure, your journals contain all the ideas, insights, and experiences you've captured throughout your life: business ideas, social insights, cultural observations, investment strategies, lifestyle inspirations β all documented and preserved. Can you imagine the value these journals would hold for your children and grandchildren?
They would be priceless compared to any material possession. Another key word for expanding your life for the better is review. Take time to go back over your life experiences and learn from them.
Develop the skill of reflection, pondering life's events with the intent of extracting valuable lessons. I call it "running the tapes again. " Your life experiences are some of your best sources of information.
Donβt merely go through your days; get from your days. Here are some ideal times for reflection: - **Daily Reflection:** At the end of each day, take a few minutes to review what happened. Where did you go?
Who did you meet? What did you learn? What worked well?
What could have gone better? Capture the colors, the sights, the sounds, the conversations, the experiences. This daily practice turns each day into a valuable learning opportunity.
- **Weekly Reflection:** At the end of each week, dedicate an hour or two to reflect on the week's events. Consolidate your learnings, celebrate your successes, and identify areas for improvement. - **Monthly and Yearly Reflection:** At the end of each month and year, take more extended periods to review and reflect.
This allows you to gather up the past and invest it into your future. When my father was about to celebrate his 76th birthday, I said to him, "Father, can you imagine what it's going to be like to gather up the last 75 years and invest them into year 76? " That's how life becomes productive and exciting β not just living one more year, but building upon all the years that came before.
By reflecting, you can gather all the conversations, experiences, and lessons from your past and invest them into your future endeavors. The more value, substance, information, and wisdom you can extract from your yesterdays, the more exciting and promising your tomorrows become. Most of us already know enough to make our lives work out the way we want, except for one thing: how to gather what we've learned and invest it into what we want to become.
So, start this new discipline todayβa discipline that leads to wealth and happiness. Find out how things work, and make sure you don't let it be said that you didn't find out. Let me leave you with a qualifying thought: you may not be able to do all that you find out, but make sure you find out all that you can do.
Don't let the opportunity of knowledge and growth pass you by. At the end of your life, you don't want to discover that you lived only a fraction of what was possible because you didn't seek out and apply the knowledge available to you. Embrace the journey of continuous learning.
Reflect and apply; seek out knowledge, capture valuable ideas, review, and reflect upon your experiences, and invest all that you've learned into building a better, richer, more fulfilling life for yourself and those around you. This is the path to true success and happiness. Remember, life is not just about the passing of time; it's about the collection of experiences and the accumulation of wisdom.
Make your life a masterpiece by becoming a diligent student of life. Start today and let your future self thank you for the efforts you make now.
