Jonah bought a couple of tools and left the shop after about half an hour. They talked with Jesus about the new farm and life in general. As he walked away, he kept thinking that Jesus the son of Joseph was growing fast into a wise young man. And he was right.

The Making of a King

Jesus was born into working class family. His dad worked as a carpenter and became an apprentice there. He worked diligently as a carpenter with his father.

After his 30^th birthday, he switched careers and became a teacher. He taught, challenged and inspired the people around him.

His teachings spread around the world and are still pertinent even after 2000 years. He is one of the inspiring legends upon whose shoulders I stand. What can we learn about this man Jesus Christ?

Lessons from the King of Kings

1 –Diligence Pays

He knew that he was the son of God but he did not sit on his laurels. He was up and about, had a job as a carpenter and worked crazy hours to achieve his goals. Positive thinking will only take you so far. You need to put in the hours and apply yourself to reach your goals.

2 – Have a Mission

His mission on earth was to teach the word of God and die for our sins so we may have eternal life. His mission was not easy; he endured tribulation but did not waver.

Determine what your mission in life is and go for it. Develop a mission statement and spend your life fulfilling it. With a mission statement, everything falls into perspective. You define your own boundaries and prioritize things in your life.

Your mission is different from your goals. Think of your mission as your core values, and your goals as tools to live up to your mission.

3 – Stories Sell

Parable after parable, Jesus shared his lessons with people as stories. He realized that human beings are suckers for a good story. Stories teach and sell.

What is your story? Package your achievements, your desires and goals into stories and tell them. You will be more likely to get an audience with stories than with facts alone. Stories help connect people and turbo charge bonding.

4 – Be a Team Player

Jesus realized that he needed a good team to help pass on his message. He assembled a team of disciples and worked well with them. They taught the gospel even after he was gone.

Everyone is gifted or experienced in their own area. Knowing how to tap into the unique talents and experiences of people can transform you from zero to hero and beyond.

5 – Fear Not

Jesus’ teachings were going against the accepted teachings at the time. He was amassing enemies at an alarming rate. He would have slowed down but he did not. He believed that what he stood for was right and his message needed to be heard.

Do not let fear paralyze you. Fear prevents action and modifies behavior in ways that slow down your journey to victory… What kind of fears do you have? Are they limiting your success? What can you do to face or address your fears?

6 – Show Leadership

Jesus was able to influence others through his teachings, his character and style. He inspired people to want to live a better life instead of forcing them into it. He also empowered his disciples and delegated authority to them.

You will achieve more by being a good leader.

Do not just sit back and wait to be led. Chart your path, grow and give others the opportunity to follow you. A good leader needs to be strong and unwavering. A good leader must have a vision and empathy for his followers. If you want to be a better leader, care more.

7 – Be Prepared

Jesus did not just wake up and start teaching people. He studied carpentry, religion, law and other disciplines. If you want to be a roaring success story, put in the hours to learn and practice. Learn from the people who are already successful at what you aspire to do. Study and copy them.

Gain valuable experiences and do your home work before you embark on a journey. You would not climb Mount Kilimanjaro before thorough preparation…right? Be sucker for preparation if you want to avoid fatal mistakes.

8 – Shun Intolerance

Jesus talked with both the elite and the poor in society. He talked with the sinners and the people the masses rejected. He saved a woman who was about to be stoned for adultery. He ate at a hated tax collectors house.

He treated everyone with love and respect. People come in different in looks, shapes, beliefs, tastes, habits, views etc.

If you don’t accept or at least respect diversity in people, it will limit how high you soar. To rise above mediocrity, we must shun intolerance by taking active steps to respect diversity.

9 – Be Generous

Jesus gave his life to save us from eternal damnation. He endured gross injustices and violations to his human rights for greater good.

When at a party and the booze ran out, he was swift to change water into wine. He turned a few loaves and fish into a lavish bash.

Giving with an open heart will open floodgates of blessings in your life. If you practice the habit of giving, the universe will compensate you many times over. Be a cheerful giver.

Give something of value to people you meet. Not necessarily money but what you have in your reserves. When you give, you are making a deposit in your spiritual account and you will reap your rewards with the same measure you give out.

10 – Humility is not Cowardice

Even though he was the Son of God, Jesus came to the world and was born in a manger. He endured poverty and humiliation to achieve his goals. You may have to swallow humble pie to achieve some of your goals.

Avoid pride especially when things start looking up in your life.  Pride comes before a fall. A bloated ego as a result of winning can obstruct common sense.

Summary

I hope I did not step on too many toes through this blog post. Religion is a touchy subject for some. Having said that; there are many lessons we can learn from Jesus Christ. Take a moment to read the bible even if you are not a Christian. It is a book with pearls of wisdom on how to succeed in life and beyond. Be blessed.

Apart from knowing exactly what you want in life, the next strong determinant of your success is your ability to achieve your goals. Having goals propels you ahead of the pack. But you are not the only one with goals. There are others who want a piece of the action. It comes down to you vs. them. So how do you win? You win through ability.

Ability comes down to your level of skill and talent. Talent is God given while skill is learned. Actor Will Smith reckons that “Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft.”

I am Legend

Will Smith is our Inspiring Legend of the day. He is the actor of the movie “I am Legend”, a title that befits him.

I have watched all of Will Smith’s movies and followed his career since the days of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He has starred in many hit movies including Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Independence Day, Men in Black, Men in Black II, I, Robot, The Pursuit of Happyness, Hancock, Enemy of the State and Hitch.

Most of us would say that Will Smith is a talented actor, and he is. But he has a different take on this. He says “I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. You may be more talented than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be better looking than me. But if we get on a treadmill together, you are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked”. Will Smith has an incredible work ethic. He applies it to his work and exercise with the same vigor. It amplifies his talents.

When he first went to Hollywood, like other aspiring actors, he was not taken seriously. He was seen as just a rapper who had been lucky to have a breakthrough with a TV show and nothing more. But that did not dampen his spirit. He vowed to be the best actor in the world and got to work on himself.

First he analyzed what the top grossing movies had in common. He realized that they all had special effects and involved strange creatures and a love story. He chose his movies carefully based on his intended goal. His record speaks for itself.

He works harder than most actors. What appears like easy delivery is a result of hours and hours of practice. As a result, Will Smith became the only actor in history to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the US domestic box office. That takes more than talent.

What about You?

There are things you are naturally good at. There are things that you do with ease that others struggle in. You may not have recognized it, but you have your talents.

The first step you should do is to take an inventory of your talents. What are you good at? Are you good with people? Are you a good problem solver? Are you a good writer? Are you good in music, dance, athletics, drawing etc?

Once you recognize what your talents are, and decide on the direction of your efforts; get to work. It is time to raise your skill level. It takes hours upon hours of practice to be really good in something. Race drivers do not rely on talent alone. Great writers do not rely on talent alone. Great mortgage brokers do not rely on talent alone. They put their heart and soul into skill development. Persistence is the name of the game.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race – Calvin Coolidge.

We take some skills for granted but they took hours of practice to develop. Walking, brushing your teeth, personal grooming, typing, reading etc. They all took time, and so will the other skills you need.

Learn from Will Smith and put in the hours to develop your skills. Find a mentor or a coach to help you improve your skills. Even world class athletes need coaching too.

The difference between being average and world class is not talent. It is relentless skill development. What have you done today to develop your skills?

Conclusion

A whisper of talent can lead to a roar of achievement. Will Smith turned his talent to roaring success through an incredible work ethic and skill development. What skills can you develop to improve your prospect for prosperity? The time to act is now.

P/s – Please share this blog post with your friend on Facebook or via email. I am trying to expand the readership of the blog and your support is highly appreciated. Your feedback and comments are also most welcome.

They had heard of chilling statistics about young, unprepared Kenyan international students. They wanted to help me beat the odds; but there was only so much they could do. I boarded the 9000km flight feeling free like a bird. I was finally free to do as I pleased.

I was soon to learn that with great freedom comes responsibility. Life is not a straight line. It is more like a winded road with bumps, traffic jams, pot holes and unpredictable motorists. There is such a thing as odds against you.

The Odds against You

If success was easy, then everyone would be successful. There will be obstacles on your success journey. The playing field will at times be tilted against you. There will be people out to pull you down. There will be times when you are just not good enough. You will be out of your depth on some occasions. And to make matters worse, there will always be people better than you. Depressing?

If you actually sat down and wrote down the reasons why you would fail in life, you would still be writing until the end of time. There are so many variables that can jettison your prospects of achievement.

Many people dwell on the reasons why they will fail instead of looking at the reasons why they will succeed. They feel the pain of failure before it happens. Failure becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Yes there will be odds against you. But your time and mental energy will have a greater return on investment if you stay positive.

Meet Jessica Watson

Today’s Inspiring Legend is 17 years old Jessica Watson.

Jessica Watson, from Queensland, Australia is the youngest person to sail around the world, non-stop and unassisted. She is Australia’s newest hero.

Millions of TV viewers, led by Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, welcomed her after 7 months at sea. Her story is an inspiration to those of us with odds to beat.

The Los Angeles Times reported her reason for the journey: “I wanted to challenge myself and achieve something to be proud of. And yes, I wanted to inspire people. I hated being judged by my appearance and other people’s expectations of what a ‘little girl’ was capable of. It’s no longer just my dream or voyage. Every milestone out here isn’t just my achievement, but an achievement for everyone who has put so much time and effort into helping getting me here“. She has inspired me and others alright.

Lessons from Jessica Watson

• It is all in the mind – Success or failure is all in the mind. Victory is first achieved in the mental realm. Very few things are impossible. Sailing around the world for a young girl is not impossible as demonstrated by Jessica Watson. Starting and succeeding in your own business is not impossible. Most of the obstacles ahead of you can diminish with a winning attitude. Do not let the odds put you down.
• Preparation is the key. – She had over 10,000 nautical miles of ocean sailing experience before departing on her round the world trip. Jessica and her team worked tirelessly to give her the best chance of succeeding. They prepared the technology and every aspect of the voyage to improve her odds.
• Get Inspiration – She sought out help from experts and sailors who had done it before her. Find people who have succeeded in what you are attempting to do and learn from them. Find a mentor to guide you on the road ahead. Reach out to people who inspire you. Read up on how others did it.
• Amass Supporters – Sailing around the world does not come cheap. She had an array of sponsors chipping in. Standing on the shoulders of giants makes life easier. How far ahead can you get if you had a team of supporters for your vision? Tilt the playing field to your advantage by finding people to believe in you and support you against the odds.
• Handle Critics – Jessica Watson had her fair share of critics. There are those that believed that she did not quite cover the distance required for hers to be regarded as a world record. She responded “If I haven’t been sailing around the world, then it beats me what I’ve been doing out here all this time! Yes it’s a shame that my voyage won’t be recognized by a few organizations because I’m under 18, but it really doesn’t worry me.” There were people out to steal her moment of glory. There will be people out to pull you down. You will have your critics too. Listen to them but do not let them dampen your spirit or prevent you from beating the odds and succeeding.
• Celebrate Victory – Her return to Sydney, Australia turned out to be one big party. She celebrated her victory with the nation and with her family. Allow for celebrations when you succeed. Reward yourself for making progress. Celebration has a way of making you want to beat more odds.

Learn More about Jessica Watson

Like we have done with the other inspiring legends, please take a moment to learn more about our young legend Jess.

• Her Official Website: http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/
• Jessica on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Watson
• Jessica’s Blog: http://youngestround.blogspot.com/
• TV Welcome of her Arrival to Australia: http://ten.com.au/video-player.htm?channel=Jessica+Watson

Summary

The road to your success may not be paved with gold. But you owe it to yourself to tilt the playing field to your advantage. Some of your odds might be imagined while others may be real. Eradicate the imagined odds first. Fight the mental battles relentlessly and take action after preparation. Look for inspiration and seek support to improve your prospects of victory. Yes you can beat the odds!

My life’s purpose is to be a positive change agent in the lives of millions. I hope to inspire you to be the best you can be through the power of positive thinking.

I do not stand on a high horse and pretend to be better than you. I am quick to remind my readers that I am not an expert or guru in the area of human psychology. All I am is a guy willing to learn from the best about successful living and share my lessons with you.

I want to grow as a person and at the end of life look back and say that I made a positive impact on the lives of others. But today’s blog post is not about me, so let me get back on track.

Inspiring Legends

In this series of articles, I continue to shine the spotlight on legends that have inspired me. These are the legends on whose giant shoulders I stand. They are the people that have enabled a regular Kenyan guy living in Western Australia to bring a message of hope to you.

We previously looked at the life of Richard Branson. His family had three generations of lawyers and he would have been expected to follow suit. But he had other plans. He discovered that being an attorney was not his calling. He charted his path and found success in business.

Many people go through life without ever finding their calling or defining their purpose. They blindly eat what is served to them instead of looking at what else is on the menu of life.

Today’s Inspiring Legend is the late Steve Irwin. This was a man so full of life and passion for what he did. Steve was a wildlife warrior that left a powerful legacy. His work endures. His life was not in vain.

Discovering Your Purpose

Before we dig deeper into the life of Steve Irwin, I want to focus on you. Take a piece of paper and write down the names of ten people who know you well. Leave a gap of about 3 lines between each name. Ideally those names should be people from various aspects of your life e.g. sports team, family, workmates, neighbors etc.

Now put yourself in the shoes of those ten people and describe YOU. If for example you have a friend called Jane, write down what you think Jane would say about you on your obituary if lying and sugar-coating was not an option.

Are you happy with what they would honestly say? Do they really understand your life’s purpose? Have you been spending time pursuing your life’s purpose or have you been too busy making a living? If you have never really sat down and thought about your purpose in life, now is a good time.

A Generous Purpose in Life

I like a quote by President Barack Obama: “Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential”.

When discovering and pursuing your purpose in life, remember that quote. Regardless of what success means to you, you can attain it faster by building others up instead of bringing them down. Give and it will come back to you. Align your purpose in life with sharing with others and the floodgates of blessings will open on your life.

Few people exemplify a generous purpose in life than Steve Irwin. Let us zoom in on the man!

Tears for a Legend

It may have been crocodile tears by some people, but the world grieved on 4^th September 2006 when Steve Irwin died. He had a cult following around the world. Millions in 130 countries followed his “Crocodile Hunter” documentaries and visited Australia Zoo to see him and his conservation work in action.

His daughter Bindi Irwin, then aged 8, wrote and read the following statement at his memorial service on 20^th September 2006, to an audience of 300 million television viewers around the world.

“My daddy was my hero – he was always there for me when I needed him. He listened to me and taught me so many things, but most of all he was fun.

I know that Daddy had an important job. He was working to change the world so everyone would love wildlife like he did. He built a hospital to help animals and he bought lots of land to give animals a safe place to live.

He took me and my brother and my mum with him all the time. We filmed together, caught crocodiles together and loved being in the bush together.

I don’t want Daddy’s passion to ever end. I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did.

I had the best daddy in the whole world and I will miss him every day. When I see a crocodile I will always think of him and I know that Daddy made this zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals. Daddy made this place his whole life, now it’s our turn to help Daddy”.

Lessons from the Crocodile Hunter

• Early is Better – Steve Irwin started his love for animals at an early age. He learned from his mum and dad, and volunteered for government conservation efforts. Today is better than next week when it comes to discovering your purpose in life and giving it your best.
• A perfect partner is worth gold – He found his perfect match in Terry Irwin. Together they built Australia Zoo into one of Australia’s favorite tourist destinations and as a conservation haven. She supported him in his work in life and continues to work to uphold his legacy. Surround yourself with people who understand and support your purpose in life. It makes life easier.
• Leverage – He discovered that he was a natural with a Video Camera. He used broadcast media to his advantage, helping him connect with over 500 million people in over 130 countries. Build on your strengths instead of focusing on your weaknesses.
• Enthusiasm is contagious – Whether talking to Jay Leno or visitors to Australia Zoo, Steve was always hyper enthusiastic about his love for animals. His enthusiasm helped pass on the conservation message faster. Are you excited about what you want to achieve in life? Are you happy to share your purpose in life with others?
• Put money in its place – Steve Irwin once said “Every cent we earn from Crocodile Hunter goes straight back into conservation. Every single cent”. He was not making chump change. Money was never the reason Steve did what he did. And that is why he was able to do it so well. Yes he made money, but money was never an end on itself. Don’t let money (or lack of it) come between you and your passion.
• Know your stuff – To be at the top of his game, Steve mastered his craft, learned a lot about the animals he was fighting for. What do you want to do? Dedicate time to ferocious learning and gaining experience.

Learn More about Steve Irwin

I have only scratched the surface of the topic of discovering your life’s purpose. This is probably a topic I will come back to at a later date. For now, as we have done with the other legends, take time to learn a little more about Steve Irwin.

• Steve Irwin Quotes – http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/steve_irwin.html
• Steve Irwin on Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Irwin
• Australia Zoo – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_zoo
• Guardian UK on Steve Irwin – http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/sep/05/australia.broadcasting
• Steve Irwin Tribute Videos – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ec09mF-ZXOM&feature=related

Summary

It does not matter who you are, where you from, or what you do for a living. Age, Race, Gender, Location, and Circumstances etc should not stop you from achieving your true potential. Take a moment to reflect on what makes you “YOU” and what you can do to better align your life with your true purpose on planet earth.

Six months later at a bookshop in Melbourne, I saw that same book again. Curiosity got the better of me and I checked it out. I started reading it to kill time before my flight. It had never crossed my mind that I would ever be so engaged reading a book called “Losing My Virginity”. It was almost time for my flight so I quickly bought it. Good decision. The page turner kept me hooked on my return journey to Perth.

I got to know Richard Branson better through this book; his autobiography (called “Losing My Virginity”) abode a Virgin Blue flight from Melbourne to Perth. He is one of my inspiring legends, a giant on whose shoulders I stand.

Someone asked me if this inspiring legend series is about dead people. No. Richard Branson is alive and kicking, though he has had his fair share of near-death experiences.

On one of his risky world record breaking attempts, he wrote a letter to his son and daughter that would have been his last had he not survived:

Dear Holly and Sam,

Life can seem rather unreal at times. Alive and well and loving one day. No longer there the next. As you both know I always had an urge to live life to its full. That meant I was lucky enough to live the life of many people during my 46 years. I loved every minute of it and I especially loved every second of my time with both of you and Mum.

I know that many people thought us foolish for embarking on this latest adventure. I was convinced they were wrong. I felt that everything we had learned from our Atlantic and Pacific adventures would mean that we’d have a safe flight. I thought that the risks were acceptable. Obviously I’ve been proved wrong.

However, I regret nothing about my life except not being with Joan to finally help you grow up. By the ages of 12 and 15 your characters have already developed. We’re both so proud of you. Joan and I couldn’t have had two more delightful kids. You are both kind, considerate, full of life (even witty!). What more could we both want.

Be strong. I know it won’t be easy. But we’ve had a wonderful life together and you’ll never forget all the good times we’ve had.

Live life to its full yourselves. Enjoy every minute of it. Love and look after Mum as if she’s both of us.

I love you,
Dad

Luckily for Holly and Sam, daddy returned and saw them grow up. He survived, had fun and made a fortune. He is still having fun, getting rich and growing strong.

Rags to Riches Story

Richard Branson’s grandfather was a judge and his father a barrister. Three generations of the Bransons had been lawyers. Pressure was on him to do well in school but the poor chap was not too good in class. He was mildly dyslexic, short sighted and preferred sports to books.

His school headmaster predicted that he would either go to prison or become a millionaire. He did both and went on to become a billionaire. “Losing My Virginity” is his inspiring rags to riches story.

Seeds of Greatness

His first venture was growing and selling Christmas trees (a business I once tried along Ngong Road in Nairobi Kenya lol). His business plan indicated that he and his partner would make ₤800 but as fate would have it their young trees were eaten by rabbits. His revenge mission on the rabbits allowed him to make a few shillings after selling the meat to a local butcher.

He tried a few such businesses with poor results in making money but scored high on lessons and confidence. Eventually, he found his footing when he teamed up with a friend to setup an alternative school magazine. They named the magazine “Student”.  The magazine was opened up to more schools, colleges and universities. They worked the phones and came up with a list of advertisers and distributors before the first issue. The magazine went on to become a huge success. At 17, he had over 100,000 readers.

Virgins in Business

Students love music and Richard Branson quickly moved in to fill the information gap. He interviewed musicians including the Beatles. Being a people person, he was able to attract people to work for him mostly on volunteer basis. They worked out an arrangement where the friends would sell the magazine. They would keep 50% of the money as commission. Amazon and other internet companies call this affiliate marketing; Richard was doing it in 1970.

Richard Branson learned to leverage the “Student” name and had other companies funding his ventures such as sending reporters overseas. He also realized that his magazine could also be used as a platform for selling music, not just posting photos and interviews of the artists.

He had the vision for expanding the “Student” brand to “Student Accommodation”, “Student Hostels”, “Student Travel” etc. Then someone suggested that they use the name “Virgin” since they were virgins in business. A global brand was born.

More than 300 Virgins

Over the years, Richard Branson re-invested his profits to build up the Virgin Brand. Today the Virgin Brand is one of the most respected and recognized brands in the world. The Virgin Group has found success  in sectors ranging from mobile telephony to transportation, travel, financial services, media, music and fitness. Virgin Companies include Virgin Galactic, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays, Virgin Wines, Virgin Games and Virgin Media.

Inspiring Richard Branson Quotes

• My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them.

• A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

• Above all, you want to create something you are proud of…. That has always been my philosophy of business. I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive, then I believe you are better off doing nothing.

• All you have in life is your reputation: you may be very rich, but if you lose your good name, then you’ll never be happy. The thought will always lurk at the back of your mind that people don’t trust you. I had never really focused on what a good name meant before, but that night in prison made me understand.

• To be successful, you have to be out there, you have to hit the ground running, and if you have a good team around you and more than a fair share of luck, you might make something happen. But you certainly can’t guarantee it just by following someone else’s formula.

• I don’t think of work as work and play as play. It’s all living.

Learn More about Richard Branson

Like we have done with the other inspiring legends, please take a moment to learn more about Richard Branson and what makes him tick. My job was just to introduce you to the man. Your job is to learn more about him and to find the nuggets of inspiration that you can take with you.

• Follow Richard Branson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/richardbranson
• Buy Losing My Virginity Book From Amazon.
• Read Up on Richard Branson on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Branson
• Learn More About Virgin http://www.virgin.com
• Richard Branson on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6hILGfbqSg

Summary

Richard Branson is an inspiring legend who has created success after success. I hope he can inspire you to awaken you the giant within you.

Attitude Towards Discipline

Many people associate discipline with punishment. When growing up children learn that if they do not do what their parents or teachers want, they will be punished in some way. So they develop an uncanny ability to do just enough to avoid punishment. That ability becomes the genesis of mediocrity.

It is shocking how many people are like that. It is a negative trait that is honed overtime. To rise above mediocrity, you must change your attitude towards discipline.

Discipline means getting more out of yourself and giving your best towards your goal. Think of discipline as a surefire way of getting to your success. Learn to associate discipline with success not punishment.

If you are productive today, then slack off tomorrow, you will only get minimal results. Be disciplined everyday for the best results in your life.

Discipline Training

You can be trained or train yourself to be progressively more disciplined. If you can only concentrate at your job for 1 hour, try and add an extra half an hour. If you become comfortable with that, keep increasing the period until you get full concentration.

The best way to be disciplined is to learn how to set boundaries. Learn to say no to distractions from your goal. It may mean that you will not answer your phone when “in the working zone“. It may mean denying yourself some pleasures or finer things in life or set a limit to your sleeping hours.

Without boundaries, you will just go with the “flow”. Discipline is about taking deliberate action towards your goal not just going with the flow. Define what consists work or actions towards your goal, stick with it and eliminate all else.

Multitasking wastes time especially when switching from one task to another. Progressively train yourself to be more disciplined by  focusing fully on the task at hand.

Practical Discipline Examples

• Physical Health & Fitness – Be disciplined in taking care of your body. Do not just set new years resolutions in January to keep fit then forget it as the year progresses. Discipline means carrying on with your resolutions even when your emotional state has changed. Eat right and keep a regular exercise routine.

• Work – Many people do just enough not to get fired. The average office worker is productive for only half the time they are in the office. Research has shown that many workers spend time in idle socializing, checking email, reading news and other activities not directly related to their job. Set yourself apart by being more disciplined. Improve your productivity, work the required hours everyday and give your best.

• Financial Freedom – Many people read financial freedom books or attend seminars and resolve to change their financial future. But after the dust settles, they get back to the old habits. Financial freedom is a long road, expect to get bored or tired as you go along. Put in place automated systems, e.g. regular savings to help you carry on. Watch the small dollar bills regularly even as you aim for the the big bucks.

• Home & Family – Be disciplined in the amount of time you spend with your family. Be disciplined in taking action and responsibilities at home even when the going gets tough.

• Mind – Keep training your mind, feed it positive thoughts regularly, visit positive websites like this one, regularly. Train your mind to think outside the box. Keep learning new ideas and develop mental strength by stepping out of your comfort zone. Do this regularly.

• Time Management – We only have 24 hours in a day. Learn how to prioritize your activities and stick to a schedule. Do not take on more than you can chew, but when you commit to something, find the most time effective way of following through. If time management does not come naturally for you, train yourself to be more time conscious, productive and/or learn how to delegate.

Summary

Work towards your goal even when the going gets tough.  You will achieve a lot in your life if you stick to your mission day in day out. Don’t keep on falling in and out of love with your passion.

You were born lucky

My sister says that I swim like sediment. But every time she says that, I am quick to remind her that I once won a swimming contest.

The average man’s ejaculate is 280 million sperms. Only 1 is required to make a baby. If you are reading this it means you won a nearly impossible swimming championship. Even champion swimmers Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe never had to compete with that many people at the Olympics.

Always remember that you were once a winning sperm. Even when faced with life’s difficulties, remember you were born a winner. You were born lucky.

Create Your Own Luck

If you are waiting for your lucky day while lazing & sleeping all day, I have news for you; in your dreams!

You get lucky when you decide to be lucky.  Luck will meet you when you are ready for it. I have decided to be lucky this year. I will work hard for my luck, I will work smart for my luck, and I want to inspire you to do the same.

What kind of lucky break are you looking for? Are you looking to meet the love of your life? Are you looking for a recording contract? Are you looking at doubling your profits? Whatever your heart desires, you can do it if you put your all into it. Your luck is the sum total of your thoughts and actions.

You can create your lucky break by becoming clear on what you really want. No one can decide for you what your true desire is. Harness the power of your mind to zoom in on exactly what you need to do to achieve your goal.

For example, if you want to get your dream job, what are the right steps to follow? What contacts would you need? How would you position yourself to potential employers? Where would you find those employers in the first place?

Remember that you have to be in a game to win it. Spectators never legally score a goal. You have to practice and make it to the team. You have to turn up for the match. You have to do your part to get lucky. Action and thoughts are the building blocks of luck. They are the master keys of a lucky break.

A Few Lucky Men (and Woman)

• Richard Branson – He was busy selling his student magazine and distributing records on mail order. Then the unexpected happened. There was a postal strike and he suddenly realized just how reliant he had become to the postal service. That was the beginning of setting up of Virgin Megastores. He decided to invest in a place where young people could go buy records and listen to music. What could have been a death knell of his business, turned into a window of opportunity and luck.

• Napoleon Hill - He was working for a magazine that required him to compile success stories of people who had made it in life. One of his first assignments was to interview Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men in the world at the time.An interview originally intended for three hours went on for three days and nights. Andrew Carnegie then decided to entrust Napoleon Hill with the task of teaching his success principles to the world. He introduced him to various rich men such as Henry Ford, and helped set in motion the study and philosophy that would turn Napoleon Hill into the success teacher of millions in the world for decades. What a lucky break!

• J.K. Rowling – J.K Rowling is a classic rag to riches story. She was on government welfare support while writing the first Harry Potter book. Within 5 years, she moved from welfare to multi-million dollar status by following her passion. Her book was first rejected by 13 publishers, before being taken in by Bloomsbury who advised her “to get a day job, since she had little chance of making money in children’s books.”Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released on 21 July 2007 and broke its predecessor’s record as the fastest-selling book of all time. It sold 11 million copies in the first day of release in the United Kingdom and United States. Harry Potter is now a global brand worth an estimated $15 billion and the last four Harry Potter books have consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history. Lucky indeed

• Sir Donald George Bradman – He was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. He practiced batting incessantly during his youth. This form of practice developed his timing and reactions to a high degree. He may have looked like an overnight sensation, a lucky bloke, but his luck was years in the making.

• You – You can create your own luck by setting your goals, and following your passion. Do not let that internal voice called fear stop you. Do not let the challenges of the road ahead cause you to despair. Set your mind right and take action towards your goals. It is only when you are out there doing it that you will meet your lucky break. Luck does not come to you while you sleep. You meet half way.

Some Lucky Quotes

• Be prepared, work hard, and hope for a little luck. Recognize that the harder you work and the better prepared you are, the more luck you might have. – Ed Bradley
• Diligence is the mother of good luck. – Benjamin Franklin
• I believe life is a series of near misses. A lot of what we ascribe to luck is not luck at all. It’s seizing the day and accepting responsibility for your future. It’s seeing what other people don’t see and pursuing that vision. -Howard Schultz
• People always call it luck when you’ve acted more sensibly than they have. Anne Tyler

Summary

You can use the power of your mind to attract luck to your life. Your thoughts and actions bring success that others may deem as your lucky break.

We were on a stretch of road called Mombasa Road heading to Nairobi city centre. There had been many reported car-jackings around that road so other motorists were too scared to come to our aid.

Imagine this; a bunch of rough looking dudes, looking like gangstas, trying to flag down scared motorists for a lift to the nearest garage or service station. It was an effort in futility.

Someone suggested that we were scaring them coz of the sheer numbers. So we decided that some of us should hide, and have only one of us to try to flag down the speeding motorists. But even thugs had figured that one out. In fact some were way ahead of us. They were reported to have been using pregnant looking women with kids to flag down their prey. Looking back, in the light of the crime rate at the time, we were not in a position to be trusted. We were the epitome of Nairobbery.

Lets Talk About Trust, Baby…

Trust is stronger than love. No matter how much you love someone, if you cannot trust that person, it is hard for that love to bear fruits. It is hard to do business with people you do not trust. It is hard to communicate with people you cannot trust. Lack of trust destroys friendships faster than a snake’s venom.

It takes years to build trust. It is a slow process; just like nature. Trust does not grow as fast as the beans in Jack and the bean stalk.

It is the small things that you do to build trust that count. Small cumulative words and actions allow trust to thrive. You cannot impose trust. You cannot dictate trust. But you can help create an environment for it to flourish.

Trust is so important for success yet many people never really pause to think about creating a “trust strategy”. How do you gain and maintain the trust of the key people you need, to get ahead in life? How do you know whom to trust? How do you use the trust bestowed upon you responsibly? How can you piggyback on someone else’s trust?

A Unity of Purpose

There is a Swahili proverb that says “Mpanda ngazi na mshuka ngazi hawashikani mkono”. It is loosely translated as “someone heading North and someone heading South cannot hold hands”.

It is easier to trust someone after you know their goals. It is easier to trust a person if your goals and theirs are in harmony, and not in direct conflict. This applies to all spheres of life. An employee whose burning ambition is to create a competing business is not worth being on your payroll. A consultant who cares more about his fees than helping his client solve problems is not the best candidate for the job.

Pay special attention to what motivates the people you interact with. Pay attention to what makes them happy. What do they ultimately want? Do not ignore the link between goals and trust.

Positioning Yourself for Trust

People will use your goals in life to judge you, whether you know it or not. Whether you want it or not; it will happen. When setting your goals, add trust to the mix.

Allow me to refer to an earlier blog post I wrote last year. It was entitled – What is Personal Branding from Within? In that post, I applied a Bob Marley song to Personal Branding. I wrote “The truth outs. The truth about who you really are eventually comes out. You can fool some people sometimes, you can fool some people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. The best way to enhance your personal brand is to change your internals; your thoughts, your emotions, your habits and your character”.

Who you really are eventually comes out. The best way to inspire trust is to be happy in your own skin. Be happy with the person you really are. Develop an unshakable character and habits.

Before you can seek to be trusted by others, you must be someone worthy of trust. People break others people’s trust not because they are bad people, but because of conflicting goals.

It pays to know what you want in life. You are less likely to hurt others if you know what you want and communicate it clearly, and in good time. If you have to fake who you are, then you will break someone’s trust eventually.

There is no shame in walking away from people or situations if they do not align with your objectives. Position yourself with people that accept you just as you are instead of camouflaging your real self. It is good for you and them in the long run.

Cultivating Trustworthiness

The little things that you do day in day out are the vital trust deposits into your trust bank. Unfortunately, that bank is a little strange. The numerous small deposits over time can only sustain one withdrawal. It is possible to erode 10 years worth of trust deposits with one withdrawal. Don’t prick the balloon of trust.

Reliability is the long haul trick to solid trust. Learn to keep the small promises. When you say you are going to do something, do your best to make sure that it is done.

Not everyone will trust you. It is hard for Osama and Obama to trust the same guy. Decide whose camp you want to be in. Work on building trust with the right people. Misdirected trust efforts are futile.

Summary

People will trust you more if they know that your goals are not in direct conflict with theirs. Make small baby steps to build trust with the people who matter. Trust can be built over the years but destroyed overnight. Gourd it ferociously when you get it.

I did a degree in Marketing so I got to hear the word customer more than people doing courses such as Engineering, Medicine etc. I learned a great deal about customer relationships management, customer acquisition, customer retention, customer service etc. But it was still a limited view on the concept of “customers”.

Most people think of customers as someone who purchases goods and services from a vendor. Those are customers, yes, but there is more to it.

Defining Your Customers

Your customers are the people who help you make a living. Your customers are the people you have to satisfy to get ahead in life. If you are employed, your boss is your customer. If you are a politician, your voters are your customers.

Many people fail to achieve their true potential because they do not clearly define who their customers are. Who do you need to deliver value to for you to profit? Who do you need to please for you to make a fortune?

One of the mistakes that many small businesses make is to try and please everybody. You have to take your time and define, identify clearly, who you have to serve. Think carefully how you want to allocate your resources such as time, money, emotional engagement etc.

Do not spread yourself too thin. Laser target your efforts to those who matter. You can please everyone else in the next life time.

Amplifying Customer Satisfaction

Once you have identified whom it is that you need to please to get ahead, get to work. Find out what they need and over-deliver. Do not make promises you cannot keep. Commit to over delivering on your promises. Satisfaction is the difference between the promise and performance. The higher your promise is; the lower the satisfaction.

Don’t be boring. Boring is when you deliver exactly as you are expected to. Find interesting ways to wow! your customers. Turning up to work on time is expected, doing more than your call of duty to improve your company’s bottom line is amazing. Gravitate towards being amazing.

Learn the art of subtle bragging. When you do something great, don’t hide it. Make sure your customer knows about it. I learned this one as a little kid. My parents were my customers. Whenever they wanted something done, I did it and subtly let them know “who did it”. It worked like a charm. It still does, even with other customers I get in life.

Your customers needs evolve. Do not stagnate. Change with the times. Survey your customers from time to time to find out what tickles their fancy. Be on the forefront of knowing when your customers are unhappy. You will make mistakes from time to time, when you do, be prompt to apologize and make up for it.

The customer is always right. Learn to see things from their perspective. Learn to put yourself in their shoes. Feel their pain. Solve their pain. Be of great service to your customers. They will love you for it.

Lastly, learn to automate your customer satisfaction. Customer needs are ever changing and the quicker you learn to make your work easier, the better it will be for you in the long term. Have systems in place to please your customer, whoever he or she may be.

For example, as a blogger, I have automated the blog subscription. Anyone who wants to get a daily dose of inspiration only needs to subscribe at the top of the site. The blog is then delivered via email without me lifting a finger (after posting it on the site).

Find ways of satisfying your customers without breaking your back. It is more sustainable that way. Set specific, measurable goals for pleasing your customers.

Like in the post yesterday, I am still setting up the stage for future articles that will form the basis of this blog. The purpose of this blog is to inspire you to be the best you can be. To help you think of ways to reach your true potential. To succeed in life, you need a tried and tested way of getting there.

Revealed: My blueprint for success:

1. It is all in the mind.
2. Bias for Action.
3. Oh Baby Steps.
4. Change Habits.
5. Track your  Progress.
6. Build on your Success.

1. It is all in the mind.

Even the Great Wall of China was once an idea. If you can think it, then you can do it or be it. You have to think in vivid terms what it is that you want to succeed in. Do you want to be in the first 11 of your soccer team? Do you want to shed 10 pounds? Do you want to graduate with honors? Whatever your goal is, you have to visualize it and believe that you can make it.

Mental preparation is the most important part of the blueprint. You are going to encounter bumps and hills on the road to success.  The last thing you want is to add to the obstacles through self sabotage. At your core, you must believe that what you want to achieve is congruent with your beliefs, otherwise you will sabotage yourself.

Once you have it clear in your mind that you really want the goal e.g to shed 10 pounds, then write it down on a piece of paper.  Write down your goal and read it aloud and create an action plan. Translate your desire for that goal into a practical series of doable tasks.

2. Bias for Action.

I am a computer programmer. One of the problems that we programmers have is that we tend to over analyze and think of the most creative ways of solving a particular problem. This comes at the expense of writing the software. We call it analysis paralysis.

Don’t spend a disproportionate amount of time and effort analyzing how to solve your problem or how to get to your goal. Instead, have a bias for action. Borrow from our friends at Nike – “Just Do It!”.

Every step you make towards your goal (action), will give you more confidence and lessons, even if you fail. Like this blog for example. I spent so much time last year thinking of what kind of features to have, what kind of community to cultivate etc. Those were just delaying tactics, I later realized. That is why this year, I decide to just do it. It may not be perfect, but at least it is out there, touching the lives of a few people.

3. Oh Baby Steps.

For many years I used to start lofty projects with big goals but never really got to  the finishing line. Why? I always wanted to hit it big. I got bored with the details. But as I grew older and wiser, I realized that it is the small baby steps that  count.

When does a baby give up trying to walk? When does a baby’s parent say to the baby… “Hey little, you have tried too many times. Give it up!”. Almost never. You must have that same tenacity of learning how to make those baby steps. Once you start making small practical steps towards your goal, you will feel better and be more likely to succeed.

Even great super achievers like Tiger Woods have to make those small baby steps every day to stay at the top of their game. Plan your game, have a bias for action and remember to make baby steps towards your goals every day.

4. Change Habits.

We are creatures of habit. There is no way you are going to achieve different results if you keep doing things in the same old fashioned way. Say for example you wanted to save up to buy a house. If you were not tracking your expenses or saving money, then you need to change that.

To achieve any goal in life, you need to change some habits. Think of the goal you want to achieve, and decide what habits would keep you from achieving that.  Then change those habits.

I have recently had a great interest in healthy living. If you want to improve your health and fitness level, you may have to change some habits e.g how much food you eat, what you drink, what type of foods tickle your fancy or how much exercise you do.

5. Track your Progress.

When you set out to achieve a particular goal, you must have check points and milestones to track how you are doing. With our earlier example of shedding 10 pounds, if you gave yourself 10 weeks to get to your goal, then you can set a goal of losing say 1 pound per week. Then weigh yourself every week to see if you are on track. No point waiting for 10 weeks to find out whether or not you got to your goal.

It is important that you set yourself realistic yet challenging deadlines for your goals. If you don’t meet your milestones, analyze why you missed the deadline, and make necessary amends.  Writing your goals helps in the tracking and accountability.

6. Build on your Success.

Once you reach your goals, you should look back on how far you have come. Be truly thankful, count your blessings and then move on to bigger things. Yes, it is like chasing the wind, but success feeds on success. Don’t rest on your laurels.

Say if your goal was to make a million dollars. Once you get to you goals, don’t shoot yourself. Do something with that money. Make other goals, that capitalize on the fact that you now have your million.

Even for goals that are not monetary, you can always build on your successes. Say your goal was to attract to your life the perfect life partner. Getting him or her to your life should not be the end. You should set goals on how to improve your relationship and live in harmony.

With time, as you have more successes under your belt, you will be surprised by the momentum they will build in terms of improving your self confidence and you level of satisfaction.

Summary

Success does not just happen. You must first purpose it in your mind, resolve to achieve and create an action plan. You should always have a bias for action and make steady baby steps towards the achievement of your goals.

Succeeding in life calls for a change in habits. As you walk through the journey towards success, remember to change your habits and keep track of your success along the way.  Once you succeed, remember to turn that success to your next success.

All the best in your goals. Your comments are most welcome.

[This blog post is part of the serialization of the book "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen]

Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts. By pursuing this process, a man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life. He also reveals, within himself, the laws of thought, and understands, with ever-increasing accuracy, how the thought-forces and mind elements operate in the shaping of his character, circumstances, and destiny.

Thought and character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstance, the outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. This does not mean that a man’s circumstances at any given time are an indication of his entire character, but that those circumstances are so intimately connected with some vital thought-element within himself that, for the time being, they are indispensable to his development.

Every man is where he is by the law of his being; the thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the arrangement of his life there is no element of chance, but all is the result of a law which cannot err. This is just as true of those who feel “out of harmony” with their surroundings as of those who are contented with them.

As a progressive and evolving being, man is where he is that he may learn that he may grow; and as he learns the spiritual lesson which any circumstance contains for him, it passes away and gives place to other circumstances.

Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.

That circumstances grow out of thought every man knows who has for any length of time practised self-control and self-purification, for he will have noticed that the alteration in his circumstances has been in exact ratio with his altered mental condition. So true is this that when a man earnestly applies himself to remedy the defects in his character, and makes swift and marked progress, he passes rapidly through a succession of vicissitudes.

The soul attracts that which it secretly harbours; that which it loves, and also that which it fears; it reaches the height of its cherished aspirations; it falls to the level of its unchastened desires,—and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.

Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.

The outer world of circumstance shapes itself to the inner world of thought, and both pleasant and unpleasant external conditions are factors, which make for the ultimate good of the individual. As the reaper of his own harvest, man learns both by suffering and bliss.

Following the inmost desires, aspirations, thoughts, by which he allows himself to be dominated, (pursuing the will-o’-the-wisps of impure imaginings or steadfastly walking the highway of strong and high endeavour), a man at last arrives at their fruition and fulfilment in the outer conditions of his life. The laws of growth and adjustment everywhere obtains.

A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of grovelling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress of any mere external force; the criminal thought had long been secretly fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power. Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself No such conditions can exist as descending into vice and its attendant sufferings apart from vicious inclinations, or ascending into virtue and its pure happiness without the continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations; and man, therefore, as the lord and master of thought, is the maker of himself the shaper and author of environment. Even at birth the soul comes to its own and through every step of its earthly pilgrimage it attracts those combinations of conditions which reveal itself, which are the reflections of its own purity and, impurity, its strength and weakness.

Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. Their whims, fancies, and ambitions are thwarted at every step, but their inmost thoughts and desires are fed with their own food, be it foul or clean. The “divinity that shapes our ends” is in ourselves; it is our very self. Only himself manacles man: thought and action are the gaolers of Fate—they imprison, being base; they are also the angels of Freedom—they liberate, being noble. Not what he wishes and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.

In the light of this truth, what, then, is the meaning of “fighting against circumstances?” It means that a man is continually revolting against an effect without, while all the time he is nourishing and preserving its cause in his heart. That cause may take the form of a conscious vice or an unconscious weakness; but whatever it is, it stubbornly retards the efforts of its possessor, and thus calls aloud for remedy.

Life has plenty of systems

Did you know that a car is a collection of systems? Lighting System, Braking System, Lubrication System, Cooling System, Fuel System, Ignition System, Suspension System and many more. All these systems have to work together for the car to function properly.

A car without a braking system is a disaster waiting to happen. Do you have brakes in your life or are you hurtling down towards self destruction? Do you have self control or a moral code that determines how far or how fast you can go?

The success of a car is determined by more than one system working together. Success is not about one thing that you do. It is combination of habits and actions that you take. What good is a well paying job when you cannot get along with your family or your health is in ruins?

The trick is to understand what each part of life brings to the table. Determine how each of your activity impacts the others. Just as a car mechanic will not spend all his day inspecting the cooling system and ignore the fuel system, do not ignore parts of your life. Apportion the right amount of time for different people and activities in your life. In other words, find balance.

Are you well serviced?

A regularly serviced car runs smoothly and proves more useful to the owner over the long term. Some people try and save money by not taking their cars for service. This is short term thinking that costs more over the long term.

You can service yourself by constantly improving your skills, your thoughts and your relationships. Do not forget to spend time thinking about your life, checking your progress towards your goals, or performance.

There are different types of services that a car needs. A car may need a routine check up or tune up that helps it runs more efficiently. It also needs a log book service. A log book service is pre-determined by manufacturers based on the kilometers accumulated. This type of service helps the car runs efficiently over the long haul.

You can determine periodic periods for servicing yourself too. This can range from dental checks to annual personal goals setting sessions. Avoiding this type of service will cost you more over the long term.

Your car may be involved in an accident or work erratically. This will call for repair service. The older the car, the more the repairs required. Repairs left too long may cause a danger to the driver and to the car. If you have unresolved issues, or an area of life that needs correcting, take time to sort that out before it starts affecting other areas.

Are you insured?

Car mechanics do not always come cheap. If you want the best care, be insured. Have someone else foot the bill of repairs especially for unexpected repairs. You can self insure your car through regular servicing (against routine problems). Read more about this topic on my earlier article about insurance for the upwardly mobile.

Where do you want to go?

You are the master of the car. Likewise you are the master of your destiny. Determine where you want to go. Be in control of your own life.

Before you embark on your journey, make sure you have enough supplies for your journey. You would not want to go from Perth, Western Australia, to Adelaide, South Australia without having packed right or adequately serviced your vehicle.

What do people think about you?

Do you have a powerful personal brand? Does your reputation precede you? What kind of first impression do you make? Do you have a consistent brand image that gets the results you desire? Do you project an image of success or hardship?

Some cars are more equal than others. A Lamborghini and a Toyota Corolla are not cut from the same cloth. How you position yourself will determine what value people place on you. Today is your lucky day, I have prepared a personal branding salad bar for you.

This year, I have been unshackling myself from mental slavery. I earmarked 2009 as the year of unparalleled professional and personal growth. It has meant getting rid of some beliefs that were royally screwing my life and preventing me from getting ahead.

I decided to start this blog to share my experiences, lessons and thoughts with others…why? To inspire you to be the best you can be. It has not been an easy road exposing my life to people I might never meet. But it is a small prize to pay to make a positive contribution in your life. I might never meet you in person, but it is my hope that your success will inspire others too.

Early this week, I posted a blog post about setting up systems to serve you. If you have a good belief system… a collection of ideas, outlook, habits, and action triggers, you will succeed. The kind of belief system you set up will determine how high you rise and how far you go. To succeed, you have to let go of self limiting beliefs.

Will Smith is one of my favorite actors of all time. You can watch him on a video I posted in January 2009 on the about page of this blog. He said that he believes whole-heartedly that our thoughts, our feelings, our dreams; our ideas are PHYSICAL in the universe. Your belief system WILL manifest itself in your physical life.

I am living testimony that positive thoughts can transform a life. I had reached the depths sheol and did not like it down there. My beliefs and ideas were keeping me down. I tried the positive thinking “nonsense” and it surprisingly made absolute sense to me. I urge you to give it a try my friend. Commit yourself to a complete renewal of your mind through positive thoughts. What you think, you become. What you believe, you get.

Let us look at a few areas of life that a shaky belief system can cost you (and what to do about it).

Finances

• Generosity – What are your thoughts on giving? I have found that the more you give the more it comes back to you. Do not hoard the little you have thinking that you will start giving when you “get there”. Commit a certain percentage of your time and resources for generosity. If you cannot give $10 to your church when you have $100, it is unlikely that you will give them a hundred grand when you make a million.
• Sow and Reap – As a man soweth, so shall he also reap. What kind of seeds are you planting in your life right now? Whether you realize it or not, you are a farmer. You are always planting and harvesting. If you plant an extravagant lifestyle on credit, you will reap massive debt. If you sow an automatic investment strategy, then you will reap compounded returns.
• Don’t work for money – Do you believe that you have to work for money? That is not cool. Let money work for you instead. Don’t rock up to a job you hate every day for the rest of your life just for the paycheck. Find your passion, do what you like to do, not what money makes you do. The irony is that the more you do what you enjoy doing, the more money you will get.
• The quickest path to happiness – I have said previously on this blog that those who say money cannot buy happiness don’t know where to shop. I maintain that view, but let me add something… you can still be happy without spending your money. The quickest path to happiness is contentment.
• Gain Financial Literacy – Do you bury your head in the sand and let your accountant crunch the numbers for you? Do you say that you are not good with numbers or that finance is too complicated? Such a belief system can cost you a fortune. Get busy now and acquire financial literacy. Celebrities who hand over their money to money managers at times end up in the poor house if they do not pay attention to the details of their financial standing.

Career

• Flexible goals – Some people believe that just because their biology teacher said it, they have to become doctors. Just because you were good in math does not mean you should be an accountant. Be flexible and adaptable to changing times and opportunities in your career.
• It may take time to succeed – Career success does not happen overnight. Be prepared to put in the hours, effort and perseverance. Success is normally found just after others give up. Push yourself, don’t give up.
• Formal qualifications are not the “alpha and omega” of career success. You can succeed in a career that you did not earn a degree. I am a graduate in Business (Marketing & Information Systems) but what I do has little to do with what I studied at uni. I know a lot of people who have had career success in what they trained in. I also a lot of others that have succeeded in areas of their passion even though they do not have any formal training.
• Work on your strengths – In school we are taught to focus on our weak areas. To repeat until we get it. But real life is a little different. Work on your strengths instead of wasting your time on what you are not good at. You can always subcontract your weak areas if you find success on what you are good at.
• It is never too late – I recently read a story about a middle aged lady that had gone back to university to study law. She had been running a clothing store for 20 years. She went on to become a successful lawyer. Do not be stuck in a rut for fear of change. As long as you are not six feet underground, you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Relationships

• Treat yourself nice – How you treat and perceive yourself will have a dramatic effect on how others treat you. Think about it, when you meet new people, you treat them according to how they present or express themselves. Put your best foot forward and others will treat you accordingly.
• Relationships are forever – Think of creating win-win situations with others. Whether you are talking with your customers or wife, treat them with respect and set a foundation for an ongoing relationship.
• Birds of a feather – You will be judged by the company you keep. People you surround yourself with can infect you with their enthusiasm for life or their morbid desire for punishment.
• Stereotypes – Do not succumb to stereotyping yourself or others. Take time to listen and learn about others before making sweeping statements.

In Summary

You can do whatever your put your mind to. Your beliefs affect your relationships, your finances, your health and much more. Think positively and constantly re-evaluate your belief system.

Kindly share this article with your friends. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on this topic. For the readers who have supported this blog in the last eight months, I say a big thank you. I appreciate you.

Many of us are always looking to climb higher. Unfortunately, the higher you climb the more you realize how far you still to go. Do you spend your life looking for the next promotion, the next relationship, the next success?

I like a quote by Will Smith, he said “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t need, to impress people they don’t like.” Breaking your back to amass a collection of luxuries you don’t need, to impress people you don’t care about sounds silly, but a surprisingly high number of people do that year in year out.

Internal Congruence

To be truly successful, you need to have internal congruence. Your mind and soul needs to be convinced that what you are doing is a worthy pursuit. Wouldn’t it be nice to find the quickest path to happiness instead of perpetually chasing the wind?

If one part of you wants to succeed and the other part says “hey man, is it really worth it?” then you are going to have problems. You are going to sabotage yourself more than Al-Qaeda operatives in Iraq sabotage Americans. You will be your own enemy in your success battles.

Finding Balance

Do you have an insatiable desire for wealth that is detrimental to your values and relationships? Taking business and success too seriously can lead to stress and emotional turmoil that can ruin everything else.

Since launching this blog, I have been writing on a wide array of topics ranging from Personal Branding, to Emotional Mastery to Relationships and Getting Rich. It is all about finding balance instead of chasing success in one aspect of life to the exclusion of all else. How would you like to gain the whole world and lose your soul? How would you feel if you became the richest man in your city and lose you family?

Take a piece of piece of paper and set your goals in all aspects of your life. Re-evaluate your quest for success and decide if you are paying a fair price. Is your job worth your family life? Is your night out worth your school grades? Is your career worth a little grass or more?

And the Bible Says…

Today I will leave you with the  scripture that inspired the title of this post.

Ecclesiastes 1 (New International Version)

1. The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2        “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

3        What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?

4        Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

5        The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.

6        The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.

7        All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

8        All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.

9        What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

10    Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.

11    There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

12    I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13     I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!

14     I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

15     What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.

16    I thought to myself, “Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”

17     Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

18    For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

Parting Shot…

I would love to hear from you regarding your thoughts about chasing the wind of success and finding balance. Your comments are highly appreciated. Kindly share this blog post with your friends on Facebook and other social Media.

I was inspired by a story told by Robert Kiyosaki and I will share that with you today.

Instead of creating and delivering value in person, you can set up systems to serve you. Package your value and find a way of delivering that value to the people who need it. For example, companies like Coca-cola and Pepsi thrive even if they do not have their own shops. They seek partners in delivering their refreshments. You can do the same in your life; you can work with others to deliver value for you, just like Pepsi does.

Here is that brilliant story by Robert Kiyosaki.

Once upon a time there was this quaint little village. It was a great place to live except for one problem. The village had no water unless it rained. To solve this problem once and for all, the village elders decided to put out to bid the contract to have water delivered to the village on a daily basis.

Two people volunteered to take on the task and the elders awarded the contract to both of them. They felt that a little competition would keep prices low and ensure a back-up supply of water.

The first of the two people who won the contract, Ed, immediately ran out, bought two galvanized steel buckets and began running back and forth along the trail to the lake which was a mile away. He immediately began making money as he labored morning to dusk hauling water from the lake with his two buckets.

He would empty them into the large concrete holding tank the village had built. Each morning he had to get up before the rest of the village awoke to make sure there was enough water for the village when it wanted it. It was hard work, but he was very happy to be making money and for having one of the two exclusive contracts for this business.

Business Owner Thinking

The second winning contractor, Bill, disappeared for a while. He was not seen for months, which made Ed very happy since he had no competition. Ed was making all the money.

Instead of buying two buckets to compete with Ed, Bill had written a business plan, created a corporation, found four investors, employed a president to do the work and returned six months later with a construction crew.

Within a year his team had built a large volume stainless steel pipeline which connected the village to the lake. At the grand opening celebration, Bill announced that his water was cleaner than Ed’s water.

Bill knew that there had been complaints about dirt in Ed’s water. Bill also announced that he could supply the village with water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ed could only deliver water on the weekdays–he did not work on weekends.

Then Bill announced that he would charge 75% less than Ed did for this higher quality and more reliable source of water. The village cheered and ran immediately for the faucet at the end of Bill’s pipeline.

In order to compete, Ed immediately lowered his rates by 75%, bought two more buckets, added covers to his buckets and began hauling four buckets each trip. In order to provide better service, he hired his two sons to give him a hand for the night shift and on weekends. When his boy s went off to college, he said to them, “Hurry back because someday this business will belong to you.” For some reason, after college, his two sons never returned.

Eventually Ed had employees and union problems. The union was demanding higher wages, better benefits and wanted its members to only haul one bucket at a time.

Bill, on the other hand, realized that if this village needed water then other villages must need water too. He rewrote his business plan and went off to sell his high speed, high volume, and low cost and clean water delivery system to villages throughout the world. He only makes a penny per bucket of water delivered, but he delivers billions of buckets of water, and all that money pours into his bank account. Bill had developed a pipeline to deliver money to himself as well as water to the villages. Bill lived happily ever after and Ed worked hard for the rest of his life and had financial problems forever after.

That story about Bill and Ed has guided me for years. It has assisted me in my life’s decision making process. I often ask myself, “Am I building a pipeline or hauling buckets?” “Am I working hard or am I working smart?”

In Summary

Are you capable of creating a “pipeline” to be delivering value for you? What do you need to do before you can deliver value to others 24/7? To get ahead in life, you have to be more like Bill and less like Ed.

Please share this blog post with your friends on Facebook and other social media. I would also love to hear from you about practical areas of life that one can setup a distribution system (pipelines).

My mind was like I sponge. I was taking in lessons like you would not believe. I was constantly thinking of you, my dear reader. I found myself asking; what can I learn from this situation to share with my readers? How can I inspire my friends through what has just happened to me today? Would my friends like to hear about this? I have good news for you.

I came back with a suitcase of inspiring messages. Lessons with the potential to change lives, re-kindle passions, and fuel the desire to get ahead in life.

The Get Ahead Series

I went to various parts of Kenya and spoke to hundreds of people, many of them my neighbors and family. Even people who do not have much in the way of formal education seem to be getting ahead in life. They seem to have ingenious ways of spotting opportunities and getting ahead, given their limited resources.

It got me asking myself lots of questions. For the last 11 years that I have been in Australia, I have seen people with so much more in the way of resources, talents and opportunities. However, they do not seem to have that fire, that energy, that desire to get ahead. Not in the way people I met in Kenya are anyway.

Australia is a laid back country with lots of opportunities compared to Kenya. Some call it the lucky country although the government prefers us to think of it as the clever country. The traffic lights work, the rules are obeyed, the taps never run dry, the crime rate is really low, there is universal health care… in other words, life is good. This perhaps makes some people relax.

Many are content to go to school, get a job, have a few beers over the weekend, watch footy with some mates and call it a week. There are many in Australia that are getting, and staying ahead of the game, even compared to Kenya, but the common man in Kenya seems more obsessed and in need of getting ahead than a typical Aussie.

I decided to write a “Get Ahead” series for my friends, both in Kenya and in Australia, that want to be inspired to learn how, why and when to make a difference with their lives. In this series, I will be looking at various factors that lead to success.

I will focus mainly on success as defined in money terms. I will look at success as making money, enough money, to do all that your heart desires, and to have more left over.

How many of us would do with more money? What would an extra $15,000 a month do to your lifestyle? What would a few assets to your name do to your confidence? If you are in debt, how would it feel to wake up and find that the debts are gone?

This series will be my candid talk on what money means to me and to our society. I will be drawing lessons from both Kenya and Australia.

A Man named Desire

I went to high school with a friend that I shall name “Desire”, for the purpose of this blog post. He is a regular reader of this website. We sat with him at a Nairobi pub and had a talk about his life since high school, and my life here in Australia.

This man desired to be rich. He purposed to make it in life and in school, he would tell me of all the crazy business ideas that he had for the future. Without realizing it, we used to “bond” on our desire for success. We were young minds more than 10 years ago but with a passion for getting ahead.

Talking to him on that sunny Thursday in Nairobi reminded me of his brilliance and gave me ideas for more than 10 blog posts that will form the backbone of this series I told him “hey man, do you realize am going to be writing about the stuff you are saying?”, he was like “yeah, whatever, do you what you need to do”.

It is with much gratitude that I say thank you man, for the inspiration you gave to me. I will freely share with my readers just as you shared with me.

For your information, this man with a desire to succeed, has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. He has done well for himself and his family. I hope his lessons will inspire you to be the best you can be.

The Road Ahead

Are you still working for the big man? For many of the people I met who are doing great things in Kenya, and here in Australia, massive financial success mainly comes from working for yourself.

Working for someone else has a way of stifling creativity. Working for someone is a good way to get started, but to really get ahead of the curve financially, you have to become a business owner or an investor. More about that later in the series.

Other areas we shall look at in this series include the desire for freedom, coping with debt, living your dreams and facing your fears. We shall talk of getting ahead as being the master of your own ship, controlling your destiny and being happy.

Nothing in this series is rocket science. In fact, you may find that you already knew 99% of the stuff that we shall look at. But am willing to bet that you are probably only applying a very small portion of the lessons in this series.

Commit to applying the lessons coming to you over the next few weeks and you will make a big difference in your life. Success comes at a price. We shall be exploring the price that needs to be paid to get ahead in careers, finances, relationships and other goals in life.

Your Views

I would love to hear from you regarding getting ahead in life. Are you stuck in a rut? Do you know people who have gotten ahead in life? What lessons can you share? Your comments will help shape the rest of the series. Please share this blog post with your friends on facebook, and other social sites.

We have not yet reached the stage of development, even supposing such a stage to be possible, in which man can create directly from Formless Substance without nature’s processes or the work of human hands; man must not only think, but his personal action must supplement his thought.

By thought you can cause the gold in the hearts of the mountains to be impelled toward you; but it will not mine itself, refine itself, coin itself into double eagles, and come rolling along the roads seeking its way into your pocket.

Under the impelling power of the Supreme Spirit, men’s affairs will be so ordered that some one will be led to mine the gold for you; other men’s business transactions will be so directed that the gold will be brought toward you, and you must so arrange your own business affairs that you may be able to receive it when it comes to you. Your thought makes all things, animate and inanimate, work to bring you what you want; but your personal activity must be such that you can rightly receive what you want when it reaches you. You are not to take it as charity, nor to steal it; you must give every man more in use value than he gives you in cash value.

The scientific use of thought consists in forming a clear and distinct mental image of what you want; in holding fast to the purpose to get what you want; and in realizing with grateful faith that you do get what you want.

Do not try to ‘project’ your thought in any mysterious or occult way, with the idea of having it go out and do things for you; that is wasted effort, and will weaken your power to think with sanity.

The action of thought in getting rich is fully explained in the preceding chapters; your faith and purpose positively impress your vision upon Formless Substance, which has THE SAME DESIRE FOR MORE LIFE THAT YOU HAVE; and this vision, received from you, sets all the creative forces at work IN AND THROUGH THEIR REGULAR CHANNELS OF ACTION, but directed toward you.

It is not your part to guide or supervise the creative process; all you have to do with that is to retain your vision, stick to your purpose, and maintain your faith and gratitude.

But you must act in a Certain Way, so that you can appropriate what is yours when it comes to you; so that you can meet the things you have in your picture, and put them in their proper places as they arrive.

You can really see the truth of this. When things reach you, they will be in the hands of other men, who will ask an equivalent for them.

And you can only get what is yours by giving the other man what is his.

Your pocketbook is not going to be transformed into a Fortunata’s purse, which shall be always full of money without effort on your part.

This is the crucial point in the science of getting rich; right here, where thought and personal action must be combined. There are very many people who, consciously or unconsciously, set the creative forces in action by the strength and persistence of their desires, but who remain poor because they do not provide for the reception of the thing they want when it comes.

By thought, the thing you want is brought to you; by action you receive it.

Whatever your action is to be, it is evident that you must act NOW. You cannot act in the past, and it is essential to the clearness of your mental vision that you dismiss the past from your mind. You cannot act in the future, for the future is not here yet. And you cannot tell how you will want to act in any future contingency until that contingency has arrived.

Because you are not in the right business, or the right environment now, do not think that you must postpone action until you get into the right business or environment. And do not spend time in the present taking thought as to the best course in possible future emergencies; have faith in your ability to meet any emergency when it arrives.

If you act in the present with your mind on the future, your present action will be with a divided mind, and will not be effective.

Put your whole mind into present action.

Do not give your creative impulse to Original Substance, and then sit down and wait for results; if you do, you will never get them. Act now. There is never any time but now, and there never will be any time but now. If you are ever to begin to make ready for the reception of what you want, you must begin now.

And your action, whatever it is, must most likely be in your present business or employment, and must be upon the persons and things in your present environment.

You cannot act where you are not; you cannot act where you have been, and you cannot act where you are going to be; you can act only where you are.

Do not bother as to whether yesterday’s work was well done or ill done; do to-day’s work well. Do not try to do tomorrow’s work now; there will be plenty of time to do that when you get to it.

Do not try, by occult or mystical means, to act on people or things that are out of your reach.

Do not wait for a change of environment, before you act; get a change of environment by action.

You can so act upon the environment in which you are now, as to cause yourself to be transferred to a better environment.

Hold with faith and purpose the vision of yourself in the better environment, but act upon your present environment with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all your mind.

Do not spend any time in day dreaming or castle building; hold to the one vision of what you want, and act NOW.

Do not cast about seeking some new thing to do, or some strange, unusual, or remarkable action to perform as a first step toward getting rich. It is probable that your actions, at least for some time to come, will be those you have been performing for some time past; but you are to begin now to perform these actions in the Certain Way, which will surely make you rich.

If you are engaged in some business, and feel that it is not the right one for you, do not wait until you get into the right business before you begin to act.

Do not feel discouraged, or sit down and lament because you are misplaced. No man was ever so misplaced but that he could not find the right place, and no man ever became so involved in the wrong business but that he could get into the right business.

Hold the vision of yourself in the right business, with the purpose to get into it, and the faith that you will get into it, and are getting into it; but ACT in your present business. Use your present business as the means of getting a better one, and use your present enviornment as the means of getting into a better one. Your vision of the right business, if held with faith and purpose, will cause the Supreme to move the right business toward you; and your action, if performed in the Certain Way, will cause you to move toward the business.

If you are an employee, or wage earner, and feel that you must change places in order to get what you want, do not ‘project” your thought into space and rely upon it to get you another job. It will probably fail to do so.

Hold the vision of yourself in the job you want, while you ACT with faith and purpose on the job you have, and you will certainly get the job you want.

Your vision and faith will set the creative force in motion to bring it toward you, and your action will cause the forces in your own environment to move you toward the place you want. In closing this chapter, we will add another statement to our syllabus:–

There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made, and which, in its original state, permeates, penetrates, and fills the interspaces of the universe.

A thought, in this substance, Produces the thing that is imaged by the thought.

Man can form things in his thought, and, by impressing his thought upon formless substance, can cause the thing he thinks about to be created.

In order to do this, man must pass from the competitive to the creative mind; he must form a clear mental picture of the things he wants, and hold this picture in his thoughts with the fixed PURPOSE to get what he wants, and the unwavering FAITH that he does get what he wants, closing his mind to all that may tend to shake his purpose, dim his vision, or quench his faith.

That he may receive what he wants when it comes, man must act NOW upon the people and things in his present environment.

About

The Get Rich Series is based on The Science of Getting Rich. It  is a classic book by Wallace D. Wattles. It is a practical manual intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward.

Discussion

I would love to hear you ideas and opinion on this chapter. Your comments are highly appreciated.

TO set about getting rich in a scientific way, you do not try to apply your will power to anything outside of yourself. You have no right to do so, anyway.It is wrong to apply your will to other men and women, in order to get them to do what you wish done.

It is as flagrantly wrong to coerce people by mental power as it is to coerce them by physical power. If compelling people by physical force to do things for you reduces them to slavery, compelling them by mental means accomplishes exactly the same thing; the only difference is in methods. If taking things from people by physical force is robbery, them taking things by mental force is robbery also; there is no difference in principle.

You have no right to use your will power upon another person, even “for his own good”; for you do not know what is for his good. The science of getting rich does not require you to apply power or force to any other person, in any way whatsoever. There is not the slightest necessity for doing so; indeed, any attempt to use your will upon others will only tend to defeat your purpose.

You do not need to apply your will to things, in order to compel them to come to you.

That would simply be trying to coerce God, and would be foolish and useless, as well as irreverent.

You do not have to compel God to give you good things, any more than you have to use your will power to make the sun rise.

You do not have to use your will power to conquer an unfriendly deity, or to make stubborn and rebellious forces do your bidding.

Substance is friendly to you, and is more anxious to give you what you want than you are to get it.

To get rich, you need only to use your will power upon yourself.

When you know what to think and do, then you must use your will to compel yourself to think and do the right things. That is the legitimate use of the will in getting what you want–to use it in holding yourself to the right course. Use your will to keep yourself thinking and acting in the Certain Way.

Do not try to project your will, or your thoughts, or your mind out into space, to “act” on things or people.

Keep your mind at home; it can accomplish more there than elsewhere.

Use your mind to form a mental image of what you want, and to hold that vision with faith and purpose; and use your will to keep your mind working in the Right Way.

The more steady and continuous your faith and purpose, the more rapidly you will get rich, because you will make only POSITIVE impressions upon Substance; and you will not neutralize or offset them by negative impressions.

The picture of your desires, held with faith and purpose, is taken up by the Formless, and permeates it to great distances-throughout the universe, for all I know.

As this impression spreads, all things are set moving toward its realization; every living thing, every inanimate thing, and the things yet uncreated, are stirred toward bringing into being that which you want. All force begins to be exerted in that direction; all things begin to move toward you. The minds of people, everywhere, are influenced toward doing the things necessary to the fulfilling of your desires; and they work for you, unconsciously.

But you can check all this by starting a negative impression in the Formless Substance. Doubt or unbelief is as certain to start a movement away from you as faith and purpose are to start one toward you. It is by not understanding this that most people who try to make use of “mental science” in getting rich make their failure. Every hour and moment you spend in giving heed to doubts and fears, every hour you spend in worry, every hour in which your soul is possessed by unbelief, sets a current away from you in the whole domain of intelligent Substance. All the promises are unto them that believe, and unto them only. Notice how insistent Jesus was upon this point of belief; and now you know the reason why.

Since belief is all important, it behooves you to guard your thoughts; and as your beliefs will be shaped to a very great extent by the things you observe and think about, it is important that you should command your attention.

And here the will comes into use; for it is by your will that you determine upon what things your attention shall be fixed.

If you want to become rich, you must not make a study of poverty.

Things are not brought into being by thinking about their opposites. Health is never to be attained by studying disease and thinking about disease; righteousness is not to be promoted by studying sin and thinking about sin; and no one ever got rich by studying poverty and thinking about poverty.

Medicine as a science of disease has increased disease; religion as a science of sin has promoted sin, and economics as a study of poverty will fill the world with wretchedness and want.

Do not talk about poverty; do not investigate it, or concern yourself with it. Never mind what its causes are; you have nothing to do with them.

What concerns you is the cure.

Do not spend your time in charitable work, or charity movements; all charity only tends to perpetuate the wretchedness it aims to eradicate.

I do not say that you should be hard hearted or unkind, and refuse to hear the cry of need; but you must not try to eradicate poverty in any of the conventional ways. Put poverty behind you, and put all that pertains to it behind you, and “make good.”

Get rich; that is the best way you can help the poor.

And you cannot hold the mental image which is to make you rich if you fill your mind with pictures of poverty. Do not read books or papers which give circumstantial accounts of the wretchedness of the tenement dwellers, of the horrors of child labor, and so on. Do not read anything which fills your mind with gloomy images of want and suffering.

You cannot help the poor in the least by knowing about these things; and the wide-spread knowledge of them does not tend at all to do away with poverty.

What tends to do away with poverty is not the getting of pictures of poverty into your mind, but getting pictures of wealth into the minds of the poor.

You are not deserting the poor in their misery when you refuse to allow your mind to be filled with pictures of that misery.

Poverty can be done away with, not by increasing the number of well to do people who think about poverty, but by increasing the number of poor people who purpose with faith to get rich.

The poor do not need charity; they need inspiration. Charity only sends them a loaf of bread to keep them alive in their wretchedness, or gives them an entertainment to make them forget for an hour or two; but inspiration will cause them to rise out of their misery. If you want to help the poor, demonstrate to them that they can become rich; prove it by getting rich yourself.

The only way in which poverty will ever be banished from this world is by getting a large and constantly increasing number of people to practice the teachings of this book.

People must be taught to become rich by creation, not by competition.

Every man who becomes rich by competition throws down behind him the ladder by which he rises, and keeps others down; but every man who gets rich by creation opens a way for thousands to follow him, and inspires them to do so.

You are not showing hardness of heart or an unfeeling disposition when you refuse to pity poverty, see poverty, read about poverty, or think or talk about it, or to listen to those who do talk about it. Use your will power to keep your mind OFF the subject of poverty, and to keep it fixed with faith and purpose ON the vision of what you want.

About

The Get Rich Series is based on The Science of Getting Rich. It  is a classic book by Wallace D. Wattles. It is a practical manual intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward.

Discussion

I would love to hear you ideas and opinion on this chapter. Your comments are highly appreciated.

TO set about getting rich in a scientific way, you do not try to apply your will power to anything outside of yourself. You have no right to do so, anyway. It is wrong to apply your will to other men and women, in order to get them to do what you wish done.

It is as flagrantly wrong to coerce people by mental power as it is to coerce them by physical power. If compelling people by physical force to do things for you reduces them to slavery, compelling them by mental means accomplishes exactly the same thing; the only difference is in methods. If taking things from people by physical force is robbery, them taking things by mental force is robbery also; there is no difference in principle.

You have no right to use your will power upon another person, even “for his own good”; for you do not know what is for his good. The science of getting rich does not require you to apply power or force to any other person, in any way whatsoever. There is not the slightest necessity for doing so; indeed, any attempt to use your will upon others will only tend to defeat your purpose.

You do not need to apply your will to things, in order to compel them to come to you.

That would simply be trying to coerce God, and would be foolish and useless, as well as irreverent.

You do not have to compel God to give you good things, any more than you have to use your will power to make the sun rise.

You do not have to use your will power to conquer an unfriendly deity, or to make stubborn and rebellious forces do your bidding.

Substance is friendly to you, and is more anxious to give you what you want than you are to get it.

To get rich, you need only to use your will power upon yourself.

When you know what to think and do, then you must use your will to compel yourself to think and do the right things. That is the legitimate use of the will in getting what you want–to use it in holding yourself to the right course. Use your will to keep yourself thinking and acting in the Certain Way.

Do not try to project your will, or your thoughts, or your mind out into space, to “act” on things or people.

Keep your mind at home; it can accomplish more there than elsewhere.

Use your mind to form a mental image of what you want, and to hold that vision with faith and purpose; and use your will to keep your mind working in the Right Way.

The more steady and continuous your faith and purpose, the more rapidly you will get rich, because you will make only POSITIVE impressions upon Substance; and you will not neutralize or offset them by negative impressions.

The picture of your desires, held with faith and purpose, is taken up by the Formless, and permeates it to great distances-throughout the universe, for all I know.

As this impression spreads, all things are set moving toward its realization; every living thing, every inanimate thing, and the things yet uncreated, are stirred toward bringing into being that which you want. All force begins to be exerted in that direction; all things begin to move toward you. The minds of people, everywhere, are influenced toward doing the things necessary to the fulfilling of your desires; and they work for you, unconsciously.

But you can check all this by starting a negative impression in the Formless Substance. Doubt or unbelief is as certain to start a movement away from you as faith and purpose are to start one toward you. It is by not understanding this that most people who try to make use of “mental science” in getting rich make their failure. Every hour and moment you spend in giving heed to doubts and fears, every hour you spend in worry, every hour in which your soul is possessed by unbelief, sets a current away from you in the whole domain of intelligent Substance. All the promises are unto them that believe, and unto them only. Notice how insistent Jesus was upon this point of belief; and now you know the reason why.

Since belief is all important, it behooves you to guard your thoughts; and as your beliefs will be shaped to a very great extent by the things you observe and think about, it is important that you should command your attention.

And here the will comes into use; for it is by your will that you determine upon what things your attention shall be fixed.

If you want to become rich, you must not make a study of poverty.

Things are not brought into being by thinking about their opposites. Health is never to be attained by studying disease and thinking about disease; righteousness is not to be promoted by studying sin and thinking about sin; and no one ever got rich by studying poverty and thinking about poverty.

Medicine as a science of disease has increased disease; religion as a science of sin has promoted sin, and economics as a study of poverty will fill the world with wretchedness and want.

Do not talk about poverty; do not investigate it, or concern yourself with it. Never mind what its causes are; you have nothing to do with them.

What concerns you is the cure.

Do not spend your time in charitable work, or charity movements; all charity only tends to perpetuate the wretchedness it aims to eradicate.

I do not say that you should be hard hearted or unkind, and refuse to hear the cry of need; but you must not try to eradicate poverty in any of the conventional ways. Put poverty behind you, and put all that pertains to it behind you, and “make good.”

Get rich; that is the best way you can help the poor.

And you cannot hold the mental image which is to make you rich if you fill your mind with pictures of poverty. Do not read books or papers which give circumstantial accounts of the wretchedness of the tenement dwellers, of the horrors of child labor, and so on. Do not read anything which fills your mind with gloomy images of want and suffering.

You cannot help the poor in the least by knowing about these things; and the wide-spread knowledge of them does not tend at all to do away with poverty.

What tends to do away with poverty is not the getting of pictures of poverty into your mind, but getting pictures of wealth into the minds of the poor.

You are not deserting the poor in their misery when you refuse to allow your mind to be filled with pictures of that misery.

Poverty can be done away with, not by increasing the number of well to do people who think about poverty, but by increasing the number of poor people who purpose with faith to get rich.

The poor do not need charity; they need inspiration. Charity only sends them a loaf of bread to keep them alive in their wretchedness, or gives them an entertainment to make them forget for an hour or two; but inspiration will cause them to rise out of their misery. If you want to help the poor, demonstrate to them that they can become rich; prove it by getting rich yourself.

The only way in which poverty will ever be banished from this world is by getting a large and constantly increasing number of people to practice the teachings of this book.

People must be taught to become rich by creation, not by competition.

Every man who becomes rich by competition throws down behind him the ladder by which he rises, and keeps others down; but every man who gets rich by creation opens a way for thousands to follow him, and inspires them to do so.

You are not showing hardness of heart or an unfeeling disposition when you refuse to pity poverty, see poverty, read about poverty, or think or talk about it, or to listen to those who do talk about it. Use your will power to keep your mind OFF the subject of poverty, and to keep it fixed with faith and purpose ON the vision of what you want.

About

The Get Rich Series is based on The Science of Getting Rich. It  is a classic book by Wallace D. Wattles. It is a practical manual intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward.

Discussion

I would love to hear you ideas and opinion on this chapter. Your comments are highly appreciated.

A story is told of a shy young man who wanted to succeed. He saw an older man from his home town fishing. He mustered some courage and approached the highly successful old man and asked, “What is the secret to your success?”. Without saying as much as a word to the young man, the old man grabbed him and pushed him down into the lake.

The young man struggled to free himself, but the old man was strong and held him down. After a few minutes of a shockingly fierce struggle the old man pulled out the young from the water. The young man was belligerent and held the old man by the neck. “Why were you trying to kill me?”, he asked.

The old man looked at the young man straight into his eyes and said “You see how much you wanted to breathe while under the water. If you shall desire success with such intensity, then my son success shall be right there waiting for you.

Chapter 7 – Thinking in the Certain Way

TURN back to chapter 6 and read again the story of the man who formed a mental image of his house, and you will get a fair idea of the initial step toward getting rich. You must form a clear and definite mental picture of what you want; you cannot transmit an idea unless you have it yourself.

You must have it before you can give it; and many people fail to impress Thinking Substance because they have themselves only a vague and misty concept of the things they want to do, to have, or to become.

It is not enough that you should have a general desire for wealth “to do good with”; everybody has that desire.

It is not enough that you should have a wish to travel, see things, live more, etc. Everybody has those desires also. If you were going to send a wireless message to a friend, you would not send the letters of the alphabet in their order, and let him construct the message for himself; nor would you take words at random from the dictionary. You would send a coherent sentence; one which meant something. When you try to impress your wants upon Substance, remember that it must be done by a coherent statement; you must know what you want, and be definite. You can never get rich, or start the creative power into action, by sending out unformed longings and vague desires.

Go over your desires just as the man I have described went over his house; see just what you want, and get a clear mental picture of it as you wish it to look when you get it.

That clear mental picture you must have continually in mind, as the sailor has in mind the port toward which he is sailing the ship; you must keep your face toward it all the time. You must no more lose sight of it than the steersman loses sight of the compass.

It is not necessary to take exercises in concentration, nor to set apart special times for prayer and affirmation, nor to “go into the silence,” nor to do occult stunts of any kind. There things are well enough, but all you need is to know what you want, and to want it badly enough so that it will stay in your thoughts.

Spend as much of your leisure time as you can in contemplating your picture, but no one needs to take exercises to concentrate his mind on a thing which he really wants; it is the things you do not really care about which require effort to fix your attention upon them.

And unless you really want to get rich, so that the desire is strong enough to hold your thoughts directed to the purpose as the magnetic pole holds the needle of the compass, it will hardly be worth while for you to try to carry out the instructions given in this book.

The methods herein set forth are for people whose desire for riches is strong enough to overcome mental laziness and the love of ease, and make them work.

The more clear and definite you make your picture then, and the more you dwell upon it, bringing out all its delightful details, the stronger your desire will be; and the stronger your desire, the easier it will be to hold your mind fixed upon the picture of what you want.

Something more is necessary, however, than merely to see the picture clearly. If that is all you do, you are only a dreamer, and will have little or no power for accomplishment.

Behind your clear vision must be the purpose to realize it; to bring it out in tangible expression.

And behind this purpose must be an invincible and unwavering FAITH that the thing is already yours; that it is “at hand” and you have only to take possession of it.

Live in the new house, mentally, until it takes form around you physically. In the mental realm, enter at once into full enjoyment of the things you want.

“Whatsoever things ye ask for when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them,” said Jesus.

See the things you want as if they were actually around you all the time; see yourself as owning and using them. Make use of them in imagination just as you will use them when they are your tangible possessions. Dwell upon your mental picture until it is clear and distinct, and then take the Mental Attitude of Ownership toward everything in that picture. Take possession of it, in mind, in the full faith that it is actually yours. Hold to this mental ownership; do not waiver for an instant in the faith that it is real.

And remember what was said in a proceeding chapter about gratitude; be as thankful for it all the time as you expect to be when it has taken form. The man who can sincerely thank God for the things which as yet he owns only in imagination, has real faith. He will get rich; he will cause the creation of whatsoever he wants.

You do not need to pray repeatedly for things you want; it is not necessary to tell God about it every day.

“Use not vain repetitions as the heathen do,” said Jesus said to his pupils, “for your Father knoweth the ye have need of these things before ye ask Him.”

Your part is to intelligently formulate your desire for the things which make for a larger life, and to get these desire arranged into a coherent whole; and then to impress this Whole Desire upon the Formless Substance, which has the power and the will to bring you what you want.

You do not make this impression by repeating strings of words; you make it by holding the vision with unshakable PURPOSE to attain it, and with steadfast FAITH that you do attain it.

The answer to prayer is not according to your faith while you are talking, but according to your faith while you are working.

You cannot impress the mind of God by having a special Sabbath day set apart to tell Him what you want, and the forgetting Him during the rest of the week. You cannot impress Him by having special hours to go into your closet and pray, if you then dismiss the matter from your mind until the hour of prayer comes again.

Oral prayer is well enough, and has its effect, especially upon yourself, in clarifying your vision and strengthening your faith; but it is not your oral petitions which get you what you want. In order to get rich you do not need a “sweet hour of prayer”; you need to “pray without ceasing.” And by prayer I mean holding steadily to your vision, with the purpose to cause its creation into solid form, and the faith that you are doing so.

“Believe that ye receive them.”

The whole matter turns on receiving, once you have clearly formed your vision. When you have formed it, it is well to make an oral statement, addressing the Supreme in reverent prayer; and from that moment you must, in mind, receive what you ask for. Live in the new house; wear the fine clothes; ride in the automobile; go on the journey, and confidently plan for greater journeys. Think and speak of all the things you have asked for in terms of actual present ownership. Imagine an environment, and a financial condition exactly as you want them, and live all the time in that imaginary environment and financial condition. Mind, however, that you do not do this as a mere dreamer and castle builder; hold to the FAITH that the imaginary is being realized, and to the PURPOSE to realize it. Remember that it is faith and purpose in the use of the imagination which make the difference between the scientist and the dreamer. And having learned this fact, it is here that you must learn the proper use of the Will.

About

The Get Rich Series is based on The Science of Getting Rich. It  is a classic book by Wallace D. Wattles. It is a practical manual intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward.

Discussion

I would love to hear you ideas and opinion on this chapter. Your comments are highly appreciated.