Success
Do You Want 14 Secrets to Be Ridiculously Rich?
Grease is a Word
“I saw my problems and I’ll see the light, We got a lovin’ thing, we gotta feed it right”
— Frankie Valli, written by Barry Gibb
Napoleón Hill attributed much of his success to the Law of Attraction. Some have said he was a con, but unlike modern versions of the Law of Attraction, he at least doesn’t leave out hard work or God. He said we needed to have all the following to be wealthy, and I agree:
A Positive Mental Attitude
A positive attitude increases pragmatism and alertness. This is just common sense. Life knocks all of us around daily. Negativity and depression dig a big hole for us to wake up in every morning. So, it’s just logical to meet life with a positive outlook.
Sound physical health
Diet and exercise, right? Who hasn’t heard that before? But, what do we overlook? When is the last time you had a check-up? Are there signs of problems that you aren’t facing because you’re afraid? Listen, don’t continue to be afraid. Get whatever it is checked out. You may be worrying about nothing, and the stress you are inflicting upon yourself is only doing more harm to your body. God gave us miraculous bodies, listen to yours, take care of it.
Harmony in human relationships
My ol’ Daddy used to say, “never let anger be your pillow”. I believe that’s good advice. We shouldn’t let any issue fester. Nowadays, we tend to hide on our cell phones. If we are only communicating by texts and calls, we miss all body language. Make it a point to speak with people in person, particularly if it is serious. And, do not procrastinate in this area. Have important conversations today. Life is short.
Freedom from fear
Fear and doubt are huge stumbling blocks for many. They separate us from God, most importantly, but they are detrimental to relationships and business decisions. Fear and doubt are emotions. They are impotent without us. Healthy coping mechanisms can move us through both of them. Expressing fear and doubt weakens them. Isolation weakens us. Deal with them in the open, secrets keep us sick and fearful.
The hope of achievement
Without hope, there isn’t any reason to try, is there? Hope is fuel for our dreams and the catalyst for preparation. Hope embodies resilience. Without hope, there would never be any innovation.
The capacity for faith
Faith has so many enemies: bitterness, anger, irrational self-reliance, entitlement, and false or misguided expectations. Without trust in ourselves, some dependency on our fellow man or woman, and ultimate faith in our Creator God, we would never be able to accomplish anything.
A willingness to share one’s blessings
Wealth, money, knowledge, love, respect, and admiration, are all cyclical. They flourish when they can travel on two-way streets. Being able to share, or give back, lifts us up and opens doors around us so those travel back.
Live abundantly, not in scarcity
Nothing is predetermined. We all have the capacity to live with an abundant mindset. There is enough for everyone. Ensure you are never conditioned to believe that because one person has bought, achieved, earned, or taken something means there is now less for you. It isn’t true. A scarcity mentality limits belief in the possible, therefore, it limits our ability to achieve what we want.
We were made for each other; love God, love people
It is so simple, but not easy. Not all of us are easy to love. None of us are easy to love all the time. But, we are all necessary. No one truly wants to be alone. God doesn’t want to be alone. That’s why we are here. Life is not easy, we were never promised that it would be. We need each other and our lives will be much fuller, and richer if we love one another.
A labor of love
The purpose is the point, we all need a purpose. Many of us connect our purpose to our work or our families. Whatever we have as our purposes, we would do well to have some with passion. Something that makes us want to jump out of bed in the morning. We would all achieve so much more if we were passionate about what we do and if we are giving back to other people, our communities, and our Creator.
An open mind on all subjects
Ideas are so important to me. I love ideas, mine and yours. If someone wants to distract me, all they have to say is, “I’ve got an idea.” Learning from each other, reading, studying texts, knowing why someone thinks what they do… it’s my personal heaven. But, none of us can learn much without an open mind. We don’t have to have faith in all ideas, but being open to knowledge, even what we don’t personally believe, only makes us wiser.
Self-discipline
This is a big one for me. I will never get an award for this one. We have to control our thoughts. If you stay self-aware and pay attention to what your brain is thinking, you will be astounded. Our brains, without self-discipline, are like three-year-olds: thinking thoughts that are not true, feeling emotions based upon these lies, and taking actions, based upon these feelings. Recognize right now that your feelings are based on your own thoughts. Nobody else makes you feel anything. So take responsibility for your thoughts, and make sure you are thinking about facts, not emotions. Our emotions can, and will, lie to us. Base your actions on truth, and not on the feelings you have about your current circumstances. Accept that you are human, there is nothing wrong with having feelings. But, how we feel will not excuse our actions if we are wrong.
The capacity to understand people
People are a mixed bag, aren’t they? So many of us live in bubbles. We isolate in echo chambers so easily. We surround ourselves with people who think and feel just like we do. The best thing we can do for ourselves, and for others, is to burst these bubbles. Start mingling at life’s party, read something besides your favorite genre, watch something you’ve never seen, talk to people you’ve never met. We have to develop an understanding of other people, that’s how we live with them, and that’s how we begin to love them.
Economic security
Money is a tool. It is best if it is never the goal. We need economic security to live and help others. Money is how we do that, but it should never be our sole purpose.
Success is so simple if we take care of ourselves, break out of echo chambers, learn from each other, give back to each other, and believe in each other, and in ourselves. And all of this is way easier if we have faith in our Creator.
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Kim Hamlin is a writer, information junkie, and a researchologist. Yes, it’s a thang. She lives in Lexington with some Shih-Tzus, a cat named Diana, and a guy named Steve. She’s on Twitter @kimhamlin.