Life | Self Improvement | ILLUMINATION
Why JP Morgan Paid $25,000 for 2 Sentences
The $25,000 envelope.
The story
One day, a man approached JP Morgan with an envelope and said, “Sir, in my hand, I hold a guaranteed formula for success, which I will gladly sell to you for $25,000.”
Morgan told the man that he would read what was inside the envelope, and if he liked it, he would pay him.
Morgan opened the envelope, read the content, then pulled out his checkbook.
How could 2 sentences be so valuable?
As humans, we tend to overcomplicate life. The key to becoming successful and getting work done is simplicity.
The ability to take complex ideas and convert them into simple steps is invaluable. If you want to succeed in anything, all you have to do is construct a simple path to follow that leads you to completion.
This is how 2 simple sentences can have the ability to change your life. It is much easier to digest 2 sentences than a 500-page book about how to succeed at something.
Most importantly, the contents within the envelope contained actionable advice. There is a lot of useless content in the world that lacks a real game plan. It is probably all fluff if you are reading content that does not give you a road map to follow.
What did it say?
The contents of the envelope contained just two small sentences:
1- Every morning, write down a list of things that need to be done that day.
2- Do them.
Read it again.
The list does not say worry about tomorrow or the day before.
Take action today.
Read that two more times.
Don’t make excuses
Many people come up with excuses for why they cannot achieve something. For example, let’s say that you are trying to lose weight and you are confused about how to start.
Take a guess.
Write down a list of things you think should be done.
I guarantee that writing that list was easy. Maybe you wrote that you should eat healthier and exercise 5 times a week.
Congratulations, you have de-mystified your problems and are halfway to completing your goal. Unfortunately, the first sentence is the easy part.
Simple does not mean easy
These sentences provide actionable information for anything you are trying to accomplish. It truly is this simple.
But simple does not mean easy.
The real excuses arise when we get to the second sentence. Writing something down is a fantastic start, but it is just a fantasy until you take action.
Every day we have a choice. We can do what is on that list or make excuses. You must learn how to face reality and push yourself forward each day.
Don't worry about yesterday. Don't worry about tomorrow.
Worry about taking action NOW.
The exact game plan is laid out right in front of you. You have no excuses.
You have just received $25,000 of information for free. I sure hope you do not waste it.
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