Welcome to Part Two of the top ten characteristics of self-made millionaires. This article will complete the list and your picture of what you need to do to achieve wealth and prosperity in your life. As you now know from the first article in this series, these secrets apply not only to building financial success, but also to building healthy relationships and to your own self-improvement. As I finalize this list, I recommend following all of the action steps listed from these two articles. Once employed and made habitual, you will undoubtedly recognize significant changes in yourself and in the world around you.
#1) SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES
As you have planned, organized and prepared for opportunities in life, you must then be ready to take the leap once they present themselves. There are no guarantees of success and successful people know this, plan for the contingencies and are prepared. Many people can train for months or years for a certain day to come and then become sometimes paralyzed by the emotion that comes when the opportunity is at hand.
Having the emotion is not the challenge. We all feel emotions of anxiety, fear, doubt and excitement. What sets the truly successful people apart in this category is they, again, are ready for the emotions and know how to process them so they do not interfere with the ultimate objective.
ACTION STEP: Visualize your day when the opportunity comes, whether it be a job, a relationship, a task, and imagine the moment. Take a piece of paper and write down the emotions you believe you will feel at the instant the opportunity arises. What emotions will interfere with your seizing the opportunity? Be honest and thoughtful in your response. Second, write down situations where emotions have interfered with you taking a chance. Third, write down methods of coping with these emotions when they arise again and PRACTICE using the skills as though the opportunity is now. You must practice using the skill so you are proficient with them when the opportunity comes.
#2) BE UNIQUE AND SERVE OTHERS
This trait ties into one from the prior article about having expert knowledge. Highly successful people find a way to set themselves apart from the crowd. They may have knowledge, a skill, or a product that allows them to stand out, and they understand one very important fact. People always want the very best and are willing to pay for it.
Think about someone famous, such as Donald Trump. His name is associated with wealth, fame and high quality. He owns casinos and apartment buildings, and people know they are getting his best when they step into his properties. This is attractive and alluring to people. At some subconscious level we want the best. The best food, clothes, car, home, vacation spot, or whatever we desire. People seek out the best in those areas and are willing to pay for high quality.
You must develop a service that is unique and offer it to others. Self-made millionaires know you must first serve others and then you will be rewarded in return. This trait is not about greed. Find a unique and creative way to solve a problem or provide a service. Develop it and offer it to others. You will then attract attention and be sought out for your service.
ACTION STEP: Search on the Internet for groups in your area, such as BNI or Meet up groups. If you do not have a unique idea or service, go to an entrepreneurial meeting and listen to what others are doing. Surrounding yourself with creative people will stir creativity inside you. If you have an idea, take it to a meeting and begin advertising it to others as a service. You must share it with others so they can realize the value you are providing.
#3) UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER
This trait of wealthy people is of paramount importance. In relationships or jobs of any sort, you must always be willing to do more than is asked of you. This is the best way out of any undesirable situation.
The psychological default response of most people when in some uncomfortable situation is to do less then they are required. Think of a job you dislike. You will probably show up with a somewhat negative attitude, dread the obligations you must fulfill and always have an eye on the clock for the day's end. In worse situations, you may worry about even leaving your office for fear of encountering a boss or co-worker. You can never do the best possible job if your mind is not focused on that goal.
People who stand out do more than asked, overachieve, and, importantly, do not overpromise. If you are unsure if you can commit to a project, meeting or a relationship request, you must say so. Otherwise, you put yourself in a position to fail by taking on excess responsibility. I am sure you know someone who says, "I'll call you later," then does not call back. Maybe you do that. This is an example of overpromising. The most successful people stand out by doing more than asked in all situations despite their internal emotional states. Do this daily and you will be recognized for overdelivering and opportunities to advance in life will present themselves.
ACTION STEP: Do one thing today that is above and beyond what is expected of you. Get your partner a gift; fulfill an unfinished obligation at work even if it's not yours, or just something as simple as holding the door for a stranger. Overdeliver everyday, even if it is just one thing, and make this a habit. Studies show that to create a habit one must repeat the action daily for three weeks and then it becomes part of our daily routine. This is your challenge.
#4) PERSISTENCE
This is one obvious commonality between many of the most successful and wealthy people around the world. They do not take no for an answer and procrastination is not an option. In essence, they are just as persistent with others as they are with themselves. To hold yourself to the same standard you hold others to is leading by example. This is a characteristic of leadership that many of have difficulty with psychologically.
Going back to the first article on being 'decisive', persistence means taking action now and acting despite uncertainty. You must be ready to deal with the insecurity that comes with uncertainty in order to consistently take action. If you get intimidated or fearful of a specific outcome, you are more likely to manifest that outcome and produce the results you fear.
You now understand how much of this process of achieving wealth is based upon your psychological constructs. Most of the above listed traits, including the last one, are based upon shifting your mindset from its old patterns and developing new habits. Read any book on achieving wealth or success and you will find at least one chapter emphasizing this point: What you think in your mind determines your actions, your emotions and your results.
ACTION STEP: Go to a local bookstore and find their section on business and finance. Look for any book about someone who has created enormous wealth, though I recommend Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill or Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker. Read the book or the first chapter if your time is short, and you will see the importance of psychology and persistence in achievement. By the way, you can find the same emphasis in any self-help or interpersonal relationship book.
#5) HAVE FUN
None of the other traits matter if you do not have this one down. You must enjoy your endeavors or you cannot hope to derive success from them. Ask yourself if your situation right now, whether it is at home, work or socially, is fun. Self-made millionaires have a passion for life and if something is not fun for them, they make it that way or move on. They realize life is too short to invest time in any project that is not fulfilling, and since successful people take responsibility for their life, they first work to change it. When enjoyment cannot be created, they recognize this and make a decision to move in another direction. On this new path they create joy and happiness. If you have ever met someone who is truly happy with their profession or passion, then you will not forget them. These people stand out in our minds since so many people are unhappy in their chosen profession or relationship. Remember, however, this was their choice to be happy, as it is yours.
ACTION STEP: Identify the area(s) of your life that are the most unfulfilled. Do not spend time reasoning why this is so. Instead ask yourself what you can do to turn it around. If you realize there is an area that needs improvement, it is your responsibility to change it. It does not matter if co-workers or a partner is involved. You, not them, are in charge of your happiness. Write down 5 ways you can improve upon your unfulfilled area and implement one each day. Repeat this process for 1 month. If you have not seen improvements, you must consider revising your list and/or removing yourself from the situation.
After researching and meeting many successful people, I truly believe they are no different from the majority of people, save for a few keys areas. One of these areas has been touched upon repeatedly above. That area is Psychology. High achieving people do not allow negative input into their minds through news, television or mass media because they realize this shifts their focus off their goals and toward tragedy, violence or pessimism. These influences move their mind away from the objective and this is an unproductive use of their time. Successful people constantly ask themselves this question: Are my actions moving me closer or further away from what I want?
Secondly, successful people are motivated toward achievement to a greater degree than most. It is not enough to psychologically believe one can reach a goal. You must then act on this belief, and continue to do so, thereby making the act habitual. This requires continuous motivation. Think about a project you may have started and did not complete. Why was it not finished? Did the routines of life interfere? Was it procrastination or did you just lose interest in the goal? Whatever the reason, it is probable that your motivation to complete the task was weaker than that which interfered.
Self-made millionaires, and others who have created extreme wealth, constantly motivate themselves, find new ways to do so, and enlist the motivation of others. Leaders are not afraid to admit what they do not know and ask for assistance.
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