I have a friend who is smart, talented, and energetic—and always
struggling to pay his rent. One day he asked me, “If I’m so smart
why aren’t I rich yet?”
I’ve known him well for years. “Two things come to mind,”
I said.
“First, it seems you think you don’t really deserve success,
or maybe you just think it’s too hard to create the life you want. Take
an honest look at those beliefs, and express them in the simplest words possible.
“It’s so hard to succeed. Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
Then come up with affirmations that contradict them: “In an easy and relaxed,
healthy and positive way, I am now creating total financial success.” Put
it in your own words. The right affirmation can overcome doubts and fears. Keep
repeating: In an easy and relaxed, healthy and positive way, I am now creating
total success. Of course, it’s up to you to define “total success”
for you—and the more clearly you define it for yourself, the sooner you’ll
create it.
The second thing that comes to mind is that you tend to focus so
often on the problems instead of the solutions. You spend a lot of time looking
at the empty half of the glass. You often say things are harder than they used
to be—and less opportunity now. Your beliefs are not true in themselves,
but become true in your experience if you believe they are true. It’s
simply not true that it’s now more difficult to succeed. It only becomes
true if you believe it. Many people, including me, have a very different set of
beliefs.
“Opportunities are everywhere! They’ve always been everywhere;
it’s just that you don’t see them because you aren’t looking
for them. You can turn your thinking around by asking yourself, ‘What
are the opportunities, benefits, and gifts in the problems I face?’”
The next time we talked, I sensed a positive shift in his energy.
He told me, “You know, as I look back, I can see that I lacked persistence.
I gave up too soon on some very good ideas, just because I ran into some obstacles.
I’m going to be more persistent—and focus more on opportunities than
the problems.”
His affirmations are helping to change his old, limiting beliefs.
When he catches himself enmeshed in problems, he challenges himself to find opportunities,
benefits, and gifts. And he’s being persistent, keeping the same goal in
sight until he reaches it. Sooner or later, he will realize his dreams.
We all have the capability of achieving our dreams. We all have a
miraculous body, powerful emotions, and a creative brain. We just need to focus
our creative energies in the right direction. The biggest obstacle we all face
is within us—our doubts and fears. Let them go, and go for your dream!
You’ll never regret going for your dream, and taking whatever
risks are required. It’s one of the most satisfying, fulfilling things you
can do. As Goethe wrote: “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin
it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”
My Own Quest
I tend to be lazy. I never wanted to work all that hard. I’ve
never been a “morning person.” And some days, I do very little.
“But look at the books you’ve written,” people
say to me. “And the music you’ve recorded. And you run a company.
You can’t be lazy and do that.”
Oh yes, you can, I say. All it takes to write a book, record music,
or run a company is persistence. You can be “lazy” and still be persistent—and
you can accomplish a great deal.
Being “lazy” doesn’t mean being unfocused, unmotivated,
and unsuccessful. It’s possible to be lazy and still be focused on a goal,
and do whatever you need to do, in your own way, to realize of your dream, step
by step.
To many people, the word lazy has negative connotations. If you’re
lazy, you’re a procrastinator, or slow starter, or quitter. Most people
believe that it’s impossible to be lazy and still succeed.
I decided to challenge the pervasive belief that you’ve got
to work hard, all the time, to succeed. Almost 30 years ago, I decided to create
success with ease, to be successful on my own terms, as I define success—and
to live the life of my dreams, and yet have a life of ease. I take mornings and
Mondays off and never neglect long vacations.
As I tried this, I found that when I allow myself to be lazy for
a while, I inevitably find myself full of energy. During these times, it’s
surprising how much I can accomplish.
Once I spoke to a group of teenagers. I followed a motivational speaker
who had tremendous energy. When it was my turn, I said: “I fully agree with
everything our last speaker said—the importance of making challenging goals,
and doing what excites you. I just have one thing to add: You can succeed in an
easy and relaxed manner. You don’t have to be a Type-A workaholic.
I’m lazy, in fact.”
A hand shot up. “Are you really lazy?”
“Yes, I am.”
“What did you do today?”
“Well, it’s a Monday, so I took the day off. Monday is
my day for myself. I don’t do mornings either. I usually work about 30 hours
a week in my office (starting Tuesday afternoon), spend about 30 hours a week
with my family, and have about 30 hours a week alone, to myself, every week.”
You don’t have to work 60 to 80 hours a week at something in
order to be successful. You can achieve gratifying success in your own way.
We all have dreams, and we all have doubts and fears. Learn how to
focus your creative mind on a goal, and then take the first obvious steps in front
of you.
Working smarter, not harder, is an essential key to success. Most
of us work so hard we don’t take the time to work smart. And yet it does
not take all that much time! It’s just a matter of clearly setting goals,
and then making clear plans. It takes a bit of imagination—and persistence,
which we either have already or can develop. All of us have all the tools we need
to succeed in life. Just focus your creative mind in the right direction. PE
