
1. Get clear on exactly what you want. One of the best ways is to have someone, a family member, a friend, or a trained professional, ask questions such as:
“What would you like?”
“What will having that do for you?”
“How will you know when you have it?”
“When you have it, what might you lose that you value?”
These can be asked in any sequence, repeated, and customized as needed. In a remarkable number of cases these seemingly simple questions can be nearly magical, letting you discover that what you really want might not be what you thought you wanted.
2. Be willing to color outside the lines. Billions of people want the same things as you. If they take the usual approaches, they’ll get the usual results. Oh, sure, some get lucky, but why depend on luck, when there are proven ways to get where you want to go?
One of the best methods for success for many situations is a mild degree of positive eccentricity. Experiment with doing things somewhat differently than others, and you will get different results. Of course, you’ll want to learn what works and what doesn’t in your field of interest, but then see how you can make adjustments, sometimes unexpected ones, and come out way ahead of the pack.
3. Many myths exist regarding confidence. It is not what people think it is. With confidence you can create great outcomes, yet it is not something to be had and you do not have to wait until you have it. Confidence is gained as you go. It is an acquired skill, built through practice.
The first thing to know about confidence is that you might not be ready. On the other hand, you’ll never be ready unless you gain some experience. Dive in and do what you fear, but do it on a small scale at first. Make a presentation to three family members, then a group of six friends, then a group of twenty, then a hundred, before you do a global webinar.
Once you have had enough experience, keep in mind that what you are doing is beneficial, and that the recipients want it. When I worked as a performer, I had no stage fright. That’s because I was thinking about how my audience would enjoy the show, rather than what could go wrong. Sometimes things did go wrong, but I just wrapped my comedy around those things, and they actually added to the enjoyment. With practice, you’ll learn to use mistakes to your advantage.
Perhaps you are in sales. If you have a product that you don’t believe in, you ought to find something else. When you absolutely know that your product is good, you’ll want your buyers to have it for their own good. That attitude is contagious!
4. Patience. With this one seemingly simple attribute, everyone can become a millionaire, as you’ll discover in a moment.
Most people drop out before they reach their goals. A few setbacks, disappointments, or embarrassing moments, and they pack up. Like the story of the three gold miners. They dug and dug, but gave up a little too soon. They sold their claim. Three feet past where they quit digging was the biggest vein of gold ever found in California.
J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, was rejected by 12 publishers over a long period before one took a chance on her story.
An appliance repairman for Sears earned just a notch above minimum wage. But, he put 20% of every paycheck in the bank. He lived in a small apartment, ate frugally, and drove old cars. When he had $10,000 in the bank, he decided to learn about investing. He continued working for Sears for twenty years. Then he retired with millions of dollars. Now, he pays cash for a brand new Jaguar every few years and has free time to pursue his passions. There was no luck involved in his financial success. This is something anyone can do.
5. Stay focused, motivated, and on-track. This is the most important of these five steps. One of the best ways to do it is have a friend, coworker, family member, or better yet, a trained coach, keep you reminded of your goals.