Wise people do this: 10 Wisdoms that Lead to Riches

We all know that hard work does not necessarily mean riches.? Just look at the millions of people every day who work hard, but are not where they want to be financially.

So what is the key? There are several strategies but it all starts with knowing something that most others don’t. Plus, you have to do something with that new found wisdom.?

Knowledge plus action is the key to riches.??

Those who seek wisdom usually find some. Then they must act. So I am going to list out 10 things wise people do to move towards success. You can start today by putting some of these into action.

Before I move on, I want to say thanks to all of my subscribers.? I started this newsletter for insurance agents, but I see people from all kinds of industries are following along, and I love that.? I will hit the 500 subscriber mark soon and then 1000 will be right after.? Thank you in advance for commenting and sharing with your peers.

Let's get into the 10 things that wise people do:??

Develop a positive mindset.??

There are many things in life that we can't control, but the one thing that we do have control over is our thoughts.? Negative thoughts can cause you to cower in fear, while positive thoughts can cause you to charge ahead.??

“We become what we think about” -Earl Nightingale

If we become what we think about, then lets think about positive things. We all enjoy being around other positive people so it makes sense that others would want us to be positive.?

Positive people tend to attract the right kind of people and opportunities. This helps them win at life and get ahead.?

Positive people see the good in life, imagine the amazing possibility in uncertainty, and have hope for the future.? Decide today to have a positive outlook on life.

Have written goals.??

There is power in writing down your goals.? It sounds silly but writing them out and reviewing daily is a key habit of successful people.? Written goals are more clearly defined and more firmly etched into our brain.??

Subconsciously, the writing cements the idea in our memory and we are more likely to make decisions that align with our goals. As we move through the day, we should make sure our actions align with our written goals.

I am sure we have all seen these SMART goals:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time Based

I would argue that more important than writing them down perfectly as smart goals would be to review them daily.? Review daily to make sure your decisions and actions align with your long term goals.

Take Action.??

We can write down goals all day and have the most extravagant plans in the world, but if we don't take action, it is all for nothing.? Take that first step toward your goal.? The first step is always the hardest, but it is necessary.??

"Don't let your learning lead to knowledge. Let your learning lead to action." ~ Jim Rohn

Start small if needed.? Expect the first try at a new skill to be sloppy.? Also remember not to compare the first chapter of your book to somebody else's 20th chapter.? Every master of a skill starts out as a novice.

Make that first call.? Do that first push up.? Ask that question that probably everyone else is thinking as well.? Don’t hit the pillow tonight with regret about a small step you should have taken.

Work hard consistently.??

People often underestimate the power of consistency, but consistency leads to compounding effects.??

Imagine if you were to go back 20 years and put $100 per month into the S&P 500? Somebody do that math.

Now look forward 20 years and what will you decide to save?

Or consider working out. Even a small workout done daily has tremendous compounding effects on improving our health and our body.??

"Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time." ~ John C. Maxwell

Develop a weekly routine of consistent productivity.? Week in and week out hit your metrics.? Half way through the year people will wonder, “Wow, where does she get the energy and the time?”

Never stop learning.??

The most captivating leaders are confident in the direction they are going, but humble enough to know there is more to learn.? Always be on the quest for new knowledge and seek new information in every conversation you have.

I recently heard the story of someone who had a meal with Warren Buffett.? They were so excited to meet with him and they had so many questions.? They were ecstatic to be able to learn his secrets.

Unfortunately, they didn't get the chance to ask the questions because Warren was so quick to ask questions of his guest.? Even Warren Buffett knows that he must still continuously learn from other people and ask good questions.

"The best investment you can make, is an investment in yourself... The more you learn, the more you'll earn." ~ Warren Buffett

Learn the details. ?

The old saying goes, “the devil is in the details”.? This is an area that I can improve in.? I tend to focus on the bigger picture and glaze over when discussing the details.? But, the details are what people notice.??

Imagine the painstaking detail that Leonardo da Vinci put into the Mona Lisa.? Every little brush stroke was important to create that masterpiece.? Imagine a car competing in a world class auto show.? Every speck of dust, smudge on paint, and smallest detail is extremely important.

If you can’t handle the details in your business, find someone who can and delegate.? People will choose products and services that are the best, right down to the smallest detail.? However, I should also warn you: Don't let perfection be the enemy of productivity.

Find Leverage.??

I know that many people don’t love the word leverage, and they certainly don't want to be used as leverage in a negative way.? But leverage is finding a positive way to maximize the use of your time and money.? We all have limited time and money so when we want to get something done, we need the maximum return.

For example, if we want to spread the word on something, we could call one person at a time and let them know.? Or we could leverage a newsletter.? Or we could leverage social media to reach many people at once.? Find a way to leverage your time and money to your advantage.

In the book, "The One Thing", Gary Keller and Jay Papasan recommend we ask this question:? What is the one thing in our day, if we were to do it, would make everything else easier.? That is leverage.

Leverage Ideas:

• Hire an assistant.
• Optimize your website.
• Automate your social media.
• Need an introduction? Leverage your existing network. Who do you know, who knows someone, who knows someone.
• Make 100 calls - leverage the phone, CRM or leverage a script.
• Optimize your morning routine - leverage your time in the am.

Embrace Change.??

Fear of change is a sure fire way to get behind in work and life.? Change is the one thing that is guaranteed to come and we cannot stop it.? It is better to embrace the change and quickly adapt so you can be ahead of the curve.

In the book “Who Moved My Cheese”, Dr. Spencer Johnson tells us the parable of two characters “Hem” and “Haw” who go searching for cheese everyday in a maze. After they find a stockpile of cheese, they easily go through the maze every day and get the cheese from the same place.? They get lazy.? They take the cheese for granted and even think they have a right and an entitlement to the cheese.??

Of course one day the cheese is gone.? But they keep going back to the same place looking for cheese and expecting a different result.? Hem gets stuck in this devastating routine forever, while Haw decides to change and venture out into the unknown maze to find new cheese.?

Face your fear and adapt to change early.? Otherwise the change will come anyway and you will be even further behind.? Adapt quickly or the adjustment later will be even more painful.

Communication is key. ?

How we communicate with each other is a very important factor in success.? Excellent communicators can deliver a message so clearly and effectively.??

Clear messages leave no ambiguity in how we are to proceed moving forward.? Effective communication can excite, motivate and persuade a group to action.

"The way we communicate with others and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives." ~ Tony Robbins

Poor communicators send mixed messages and allow distractions to muddy the message.? We should be reminded that body language and how leaders act is a form of communication too.? If a leader says one thing but does another, it sends a message to the team that the original vision cast should not really be taken seriously.

Take Responsibility.??

This is perhaps the most important lesson we can all learn.? At the end of the day, we are responsible for ourselves.? We are responsible for our actions, our words, our attitude, our results, and even our own prosperity.

We should think like nobody is coming to save us.? A hero is not going to swoop in with a superpower to fix our problems.? We must become our own superhero.? Take responsibility for your whole life and you will find ways to get amazing things done.??

"If you aren’t where you want to be or you haven’t achieved all you hope to achieve, the reason most likely resides not around you but within you. Take responsibility and then take action." ~ Nick Vujicic

If you put the responsibility on others, then you can blame them for everything that goes wrong.? However, you will still be stuck in your situation.? You will not be better off, you will just have someone to blame. Which is better?

I would love to know your thoughts. Feel free to comment below.? I plan to expand on each of these topics in future newsletters so be sure to subscribe, so you don’t miss it.

I wish you great success this week!