I have a most unique job. I interview self-made, very wealthy individualswho all came from modest backgrounds, about the principles of prosperity,success and wealth accumulation. I then pass the information onto you, inwriting, on CD or DVD, so that you can choose, if you wish, to apply thosesame principles. It’s a fascinating and enlightening process, one thatnevër ceases to surprise and amaze me.Hëre are the seven most common keys that came up repeatedly in interviewsconducted in 2005, along with a prosperity tip for each one that may helpyou apply them:1. The Power of Imprints.Perhaps most surprising was the repeated importance of the parental orfamiliar imprint. Not some, but all of the individuals interviewed had atleast one strong influence from a family member that made a powerfulimprint on their ability to manifest prosperity later in life--rangingfrom an understanding of monëy to the value of discipline toopen-mindedness toward new ideas and more. Obviously, this poses a bit ofa challenge for those of us (myself included) who did not have such apositive imprint.
Prosperity Tip #1--Get the imprint nöw by immersing yourself in prosperityconsciousness. Listen to tapes and CDs, sign up for financial newsletterson the internet, attend seminars. It will take time, yet the ability tochange our mindset is available to all of us. If you have impressionablechildren, you might consider including them in the process.
2. The Necessity of Passion.The message “do what you love” came through loud and clear--though notnecessarily for the most obvious, life-enjoyment reasons. Each of theinterviewees described the inevitable challenges that come with any greataccomplishment and the need to overcome them. In the face of the mostdaunting circumstances, only a true passion for the undertaking will giveus the resiliency when knocked down and a sufficient desire to endure longenough to reach our target goals.Prosperity Tip #2--Dig within yourself and find what truly gets yourjuices flowing. What causes your internal metabolism to speed up at thevery thought of it? What brings a natural smile and an innate energy?Discover it, uncover it and go after it.
3. Undying Tenacity.Napoleon Hill in his bestseller "Think and Grow Rich" stated: “Themajority of people are ready to throw their aims and purposes overboard,and give up at the first sign of opposition or misfortune. A few carry ondespite all opposition, until they attain their goal. These few are theFords, Carnegies, Rockefellers and Edisons. There may be no heroicconnotation to the word ‘persistence,’ but the quality is to the characterof man what carbon is to steel.” Enough said. Everyone interviewed echoedthe sentiment. As one gentleman stated, “I’ll take staying power overbrain power every day of the week.”Prosperity Tip #3--Complete all tasks large and small and build the“Completion Muscle.” Use the small tasks as the training ground forfinishing the largër ones. Over time, tenacity and perseverance willbecome second nature.
4. Mentorship and Guidance.In addition to the familiar imprint, the highly successful seek continuouscounsel from those who have walked the walk before them. They networkcontinuously and expand their circles of influence. Early on, the majorityhad not one but several mentors that helped shape their careers andbusinesses.Prosperity Tip #4--We choose our mentors. Even those we do not have directaccess to can often be found at the library, in the bookstore or on theInternet. And, don’t be afraid to ask. Most wealthy people feel a strongsense of obligatïon to pay back. You’ll be surprised how many of them willgladly offer their support.
5. Asking for the Sale.Perhaps most unexpected for me, in discussing what was the single greatestimpediment to success and wealth accumulation, the answer was consistentand strongly stated: people don’t ask for the sale. It doesn’t matter howgood the presentation or the product is; in the end, we must ask for thesale. If we market a good product or service at a fair price, then we oweit to ourselves and to all consumers to put that product into themarketplace. No one will beat down our door to find anything. We mustlearn to ask for the sale.Prosperity Tip #5--We sell ourselves every day. We sell our spouses onputting up with us, our children on tolerating us, our friends andcolleagues on liking us every day. Instead of talking, practice the art ofsilence. Make a small request and shut up--not another word. Let the otherperson respond. You’ll be amazëd at how effective this is to get a “yes.”Then apply the same lesson to your enterprise.
6. The Lessons of History.Most rich people collect things. When asked why, they responded thatcollectibles contain inherent history. Behind every piece is a memory or aperson that teaches a life lesson. Even though financial transactionstravel largely through the ethers, collectibles convey tangible,historical messages, and we all know that history repeats itself.Prosperity Tip #6--Start a collection and educate yourself about each itemyou collect. Coins, paperweights, teacups, stamps, sports memorabilia,antiques, anything--all carry with them a piece of the human experience.It doesn’t cost a lot of monëy and you can choose a collection you willtruly enjoy.
7. Philanthropy and Reward.“Give and ye shall receive” and other often-quoted sayings apply. There isa definite karmic connection between inflow and outflow. Even anonymousgifts have a way of circling fortune back to the giver. As one gentlemanwho has increased his yearly donations by significant amounts every yearfor the past decade shared with me: “I don’t know how it works. What I doknow is that every year I give more and every year I am exponentially moreprosperous--and that’s all I need to know.”Prosperity Tip #7--Give. It’s that simple. Find a cause to support andsupport it.I realize that any one of these Seven Keys merits a full exploration, sohëre’s a suggestion. Pick a couple to use this year and embrace them. Thenpick a couple more. Before you know it, you’ll be the person Iinterview!!!
About the Author:Ridgely Goldsborough is the creator of Modest To Millïons, an ongoingstudy of the principles of prosperity according to the ultra-successful.He offers a fantastic introductory package that includes full-lengthinterviews of these individuals and can be reviewed absolutely FRËE for 30days for all members of SelfGrowth.com. Clïck on this link to find out howyou can get your own Prosperity Package, risk-frëe:http://www.modesttomillions.com/selfgrowth.html
