.
In order to succeed at anything, you must begin with the end in mind. You must begin by clearly defining the target, seeing it in your imagination first and knowing exactly what it is you desire. Hold your objective in mind, and in your veins carry the knowledge that you already own the result. You must believe, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that if it is your will, then your will shall be done. You must have absolute faith, supreme confidence, and total conviction in the fact that once you have decided upon a target, NOTHING can stand in your way, or tempt you from your course. . .
2. Know Why You Want It
.
If you are not fully associated to your reasons, if you forget why the goal was so important, or if you don’t have reasons that are big enough to get you through whatever obstacles you will encounter, then you will probably never get there. Remember that “Reasons come first. Answers come second.” When you get a big enough WHY to do something, the HOW becomes easier. Once you know your reasons, once you’ve got some leverage on yourself, once you are truly inspired to go the distance, then you will undoubtedly attract everything you need to make it happen. . .
3. Take Massive Action
.
Take immediate action. Take massive action. Take consistent action. Take ANY action! If you act and you are wrong, you will gain precious insight that will help you to improve. If you act and you are right, then you are already moving forward. Remember that: “Experience is what I get when I didn’t get what I wanted.” Believe that: “Everything happens for a reason that serves me.” And know that: “Better results come from better judgment, and better judgment often comes from poor decisions.” Trust yourself. Trust your judgment. And take massive action. When you act against the improbable, you will achieve more than you ever dreamed possible. . .
4. Measure Your Results
.
Once you take action, take notice. Constantly monitor your progress to see how things are going. You might already be succeeding and not even be aware of how well you’re doing! You’ve got to appreciate how far you’ve come and constantly catch yourself doing well, because the better you feel about yourself than the better you’ll keep doing for yourself! Ask yourself empowering questions to stay locked on target: What is my outcome? How am I really doing? Am I getting what I want? Am I moving in a good direction? How can I be more effective? How can I have even more fun in the process. What more can I do right now? How’s my pace? How’s my tempo? What is my outcome? . .
5. Change Your Approach and Try UNTIL.
.
Does an airplane fly in a straight line from point A to point B? No! The pilot must constantly re-evaluate his approach and make adjustments a couple of degrees left, a few degrees right…up, down, slower, faster…a bit more here, a bit less there…whatever it takes to stay on course! If you find yourself off course, if you find something isn’t working, try something else! And if that doesn’t work, try something else! And if that doesn’t work, try something else! You must try UNTIL you get your desired result! How long would you give your average baby to learn how to walk, before you write him off and toss him out the door? What?!! You’d say “That’s crazy! My baby is going to keep on trying UNTIL he finally gets it!” That’s the magic formula. . .
MH . . . .
.
Many years ago I saw a poster of a saxophone player, with a caption underneath that read “Do what you love. The rest comes.” .
Back then I wanted to believe those words, but I knew if I did, it would mean I’d have to put everything on the line. I’d have to risk taking action and then live with whatever consequence if I failed. “Going for it” meant giving up everything else in my life that was safe and comfortable and familiar. It would mean facing my ultimate fears, with no guarantee of success, and nothing to rely on but myself. .
Back then I wasn’t ready to believe in doing what I loved. I wasn’t ready for the level of responsibility that being true to myself and others actually required. Now, twenty years later, all I can tell you is it’s true. You’ve got to believe in yourself. You’ve got to believe in your dream. It’s worth it. .
Find a way to do what you love. Whatever it is. Whatever it takes. Start now. Live to support your Love, and your Love will support your life. . .
MH . . . .
Here’s a quick tip: Don’t call them “Goals”, call them “Promises”.
You’ll work harder to keep your promises,
than you will to achieve your goals.
.
Years ago I made a promise to myself to be earning $1,000,000 per year by Dec 31st, 2010. And while I know some people who are already making that kind of money, I’m sure a lot of other people would say it’s a really crazy goal. They may think it is too hard to achieve, or that nobody needs that kind of money in the first place. I disagree. .
If you are an Olympic athlete, winning a gold medal might be a pretty big goal. If you are a musician, it might be cutting an album. A snowboarder, getting sponsored. A mountain climber, Everest. Are achieving any of these things really necessary? Guess it all depends on your beliefs. It depends on what you value. It depends on what you consider to be essential. .
A good question to ask yourself is: Once you hit your goal, once you have finally achieved this thing you set out to do, what then? Will you totally stop doing that thing you love to do? Or will you keep on doing it even after you achieve your goal? Here’s one thing I have learned about pursuing goals: It’s pointless doing it for the sake of whatever you might achieve. You must do it for the sake of who you will become, and what you will experience in the process. . .
If you suddenly win a million dollars,
then you better hurry up and become a millionaire,
otherwise you are sure to lose it.
.
It’s attitude that counts. Its our psychology, our philosophy, our state of mind, our perspective that truly matters most. Why? Because one day you might wake up and realize that “thoughts are things”. That good or bad, whatever we believe, whatever we hold to be true, and especially whatever we consistently focus on, will eventually show up in our lives one way or another. .
Why do we do what we do? Some people never seem to give it any thought. Never wonder about their real purpose or reasons for doing things, they just go ahead and do them. Other people are obsessed. They think about things way too much. They suffer “paralysis from analysis.” In truth, we all do both at one time or another. Sometimes we say “he who hesitates is lost” and other times we say “look before you leap.” .
If you can see opposite points of view, then what should you believe? Which way should you turn? Goals can give you direction, AND you must remember that if you are living for your goals than you are missing the whole point. The fact is, goals are nothing but markers along the path. They give us something to shoot for, but it’s our values that matter most. .
Goals ask: “What do I want to achieve?”
Values ask: “What is truly most important?”
.
When I was many years younger, the most important thing to me was freedom. That’s what I valued most. Later, when I had all the freedom I wanted, what I valued most was…sex. When I had all the sex I wanted, what I valued most was family. Once I had a family, what I valued most was truth. And now that I’ve found some truth, what’s most important to me is living well and doing whatever that requires. Without compromising my core values.. .
. . .
Reasons Come First.
.
“Reasons come first, answers come second. If you get a big enough WHY to do something, the HOW becomes easier.” .
When did I first hear that…must have been at least 25 years ago. Yeah, I was probably 19 at the time. No, I was 18, because I was still living with my parents. Looking for a way to move out as soon as possible. Looking for a way to make some money, because back then I believed that money equaled freedom. I desperately wanted to be free. .
So a friend had given me an audio tape to listen to. It was a motivational tape called “Do Well Regardless”, by a man named Jim Rohn. What I heard on that tape had a profound impact on my life. For one, it helped me make millions of dollars in real estate. .
That was a long time ago. My first million dollar cheque came when I was 22 years old. I am now more than twice that age, and, much to my chagrin, I have yet to make the same kinds of profits that I was making when I walked away from real estate almost twenty years ago. I tried in business, failed. Tried the stock market, failed. Tried the internet, failed. .
For almost two decades now, I have tried and tried to hit my goal of netting over a million dollars a year, but that particular target has continued to elude me. Still, I know that everything happens for a reason, and at last the reasons are clear. One reason I haven’t achieved that goal, is because I wasn’t having enough fun in the process. I wasn’t honestly enjoying whatever I was doing. It was always just a means to an end. And that was my mistake. But I do enjoy writing. And I love teaching. Think I’m just gonna run with that and see where it may lead… . .
MH . . . . . .
The Top 10 Reasons People Fail To Achieve Their Goals
.
1. They don’t clearly define them. .
2. They make them a moving target. .
3. They forget their reasons to succeed. .
4. They focus on their fears. .
5. They make their goals impossible to achieve. .
6. They don’t believe they can achieve them. .
7. They don’t have an effective plan or strategy. .
8. They don’t create a supportive environment. .
9. They never get good directions or coaching. .
10. Failure to accept personal responsibility. . .
MH . . . . .
. .
There is a song that goes: .
“You’ve got to have a Dream,
If you don’t have a Dream,
Then how you gonna have a Dream Come True?” .
So what’s your dream? And what’s the very next thing you’re gonna do in order to make it happen? .
-MH . . .
No! Wait! Okay, yes. No! Wait! Okay now! Now I’m ready! No! Yes! No! Wait! No! I’m not ready! Okay now I’m ready! No! Wait! Hang on a sec! Okay! Yes! Now! No! NOW!!! YES! .
Go! Go! Go! .
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHAAAA!!!!!!!! .
Right now I’m think about my son, Jonathan, standing with his skateboard, on top of a 14′ halfpipe, deciding wether or not to “drop in” and risk cracking his skull open. This was several years ago. Back then he was probably only 12 or 13 years old, but had already broken enough bones to understand the possible outcome of his actions… .
What I didn’t understand at the time, what really confused the hell out of me, was why this particular ramp suddenly appeared to be so much scarier to him than any of the other bowls, pipes or ramps he had previously conquered. .
To me, it certainly appeared a lot less risky than some of the other crazy stuff I had seen him do. But then again, I wasn’t the one putting myself on the line. I was just standing there watching safely from the ground, while Jonathan was up there alone on the edge, quietly assessing the challenge, before finally deciding “not today.” .
Man. I can remember how disappointed I felt when he decided to turn away. How I had unfairly judged him. How wrong it had been for me to show anything but admiration, for anyone with enough confidence in himself to even consider such a feat. .
When Jon was even younger, I can remember how proud of him I had been for all that he had accomplished on a skateboard. How fearless he had been. How determined he was. Tackling one obstacle after another with pure and bloody determination. The boy constantly raised the bar. Always pushing himself to higher and higher heights. .
.
So it was very confusing to me that I could suddenly feel damn near ashamed when he wouldn’t tackle the half-pipe as well. .
And of course I should have been ashamed. I should have been ashamed of myself for even thinking that this talented young athlete’s skill, determination, courage, his immeasureable perseverence, his relentless pursuit of excellence… had all been somehow lessened by one obviously personal, and undoubtedly wise decision, to walk away from one particular dragon, on one particular afternoon. A dragon that I myself would never have stood a chance against. Me? On a skateboard? Dropping in completely vertical from a ledge that’s higher than a house? Forget it! .
It’s so easy to judge the fears of other people. It’s much harder to accept our own fears and failures. As a father, my failures and mistakes have been too numerous to mention. I have tried and failed at so many different things some might say it’s a wonder I have any ambition left. Maybe you have often failed, too. Failed to follow through. Failed to make the grade. Failed to perform. Failed to earn the money. Failed to face a challenge, keep your word, or achieve some elusive goal… .
Have you ever heard of Babe Ruth? He was a guy who once held the world record for hitting the most home runs in baseball. What most people don’t realize, is that he also held the record for being struck out. In other words, he failed to hit the ball far more often than he succeeded. And yet his accomplishments endured. .
I have also heard that in Silicon Valley, the home of many self-made millionaires and dot com executives, it is said they won’t even look at your resume unless you have declared bankruptcy a couple of times. Whether that’s true or not, the point is, in order to succeed, you’ve gotta be willing to fail. You’ve got to be willing to learn from your mistakes, and get up and try again. And again. And again. .
And again and again and again and again… .
You’ve gotta try UNTIL you get the results you want. No matter how often, and no matter how hard you fall. .
Ask any skateboarder. Ask any millionaire. . .
MH . . .
If you want to become invincible, turn your weaknesses into your strengths.
.
One of my greatest weaknesses is procrastination. In fact, I was going to write about that today, but I decided to put it off for later… .
I don’t know about you, but sometimes, no matter how hard I try, it just feels like there’s never enough time to get to the things that I think are most important. In the past, I often felt overwhelmed by the tasks or job ahead of me. .
And what I have found is, it’s really just a matter of learning to be more honest with yourself about what you truly value. You see I have learned that if you want to know what a person thinks, then listen to what they say. But if you want to know what they believe, then look at what they do. .
For example, a woman may say that exercise is really important to her, or a man may think he’d really like to be in business for himself, but their actions reveal the truth of their priorities. .
I believe that awareness can be curative. And I believe that more often than not, we have to consciously work at developing the behaviors that are more likely to get us what we want. I also believe it is much better to acknowledge our challenges so that we can be supported to overcome them, and take effective action. .
Experience is what we get when we didn’t get what we wanted. It is also what we get when we are open to the wonders of the world, rather than staying attached to having things be a certain way. .
The guy in the picture above is Yogi Bhajan, one of my favorite teachers. He once told me the story of a man who consulted a Yogi on a mountain: The man climbed the mountain and said to the Yogi “Tell me. How much is God’s will, and how much is my will?” The Yogi thought for a minute and said: “God’s will, 95%. Your will, figure it out.” .
Of course, being an investor, I always like to think of that as having 5% of Infinity. . .
MH . . .
