Learn More to Earn More

Jack Canfield's Success Principle #36

In today's lesson, Jack provides some practical suggestions for acquiring the knowledge we need to achieve our goals. Some simple changes in daily routines can substantially increase our level of success.

Decrease your television time.
The average American watches 6 hours of television every day. If we spend that much time in front of the boob tube, by the time we are 60, we will have wasted 15 years of our lives!

I am definitely not average, because I couldn't stand to watch 6 hours of TV a year. I gave up watching television decades ago, because I simply did not have the time to waste when I was teaching full time, studying for a post-graduate degree, writing a book, and raising babies. I have never regretted this decision, and I'm sure you won't either if you decide to curb your viewing.

Instead of watching TV, we can read a book, take an exercise class, learn to play an instrument, play with our kids, or spend time with our mates. Reading inspirational or informational books really fast-forwards us toward our goals.

The Bible, in my opinion, is the best book we can read. Romans 12:2 tells us, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Learn to read faster.
If you're a slow reader, Jack recommends a self-study course or workshop from Learning Strategies Corporation. Check them out at www.learningstrategies.com.

Read one book every week.
If we make the commitment to read one book every week, review what we read, and apply at least one thing we have learned from each book; we will arrive at our goals much more quickly than the average person. The Success Principles lists books that Jack recommends on pages 441 to 451.

Read biographies of great people.
Reading about successful people can give us some excellent resources for our own lives. Jack provides a note about Great Life Network, a company that provides print and audio materials about the world's most recognized people. Take a look at www.greatlifenetwork.com.

Attend success seminars, conferences, and retreats.
We can learn a lot and network with important people by attending success seminars, professional conferences, and retreats. Check out the local paper for upcoming events.

Remain teachable.
The most successful people in life are the ones who are always open to learning something. People who think they know everything rarely get ahead in life.

Be prepared when opportunity knocks.
If we have a dream, we must continually prepare ourselves to grab onto that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when it comes our way. For me, this means that I must continually polish my writing skills, keep my manuscripts ready for review on a moment's notice, and network with people who can help me get published. If I'm unprepared when an agent contacts me for a book proposal, I may miss my chance.

Figure out what you need to do to get ready.
If we want something, we must figure out what we need to do to get ready for it. I once met an eighth grader who told me that he had a dream of climbing Pike's Peak. I asked him what he was doing to prepare himself for that challenge. He surprised me by saying that he had spent his spring break hiking in the Pyrenees Mountains along the French-Spanish border! I'll bet he made it to Pike's Peak long ago, because he had a clear goal and was preparing himself for the challenge.

Attend personal therapy and counseling.
Sometimes, life just gets the best of us. When it does, we must take the time to heal from our emotional wounds. For those of us who have suffered from abuse or trauma, therapy is practically a given. We can get referrals to competent psychologists and counselors from friends, trusted doctors, or our religious leaders. It's important to make sure that whoever we see has lots of experience in working with people who have been abused or traumatized.

Today's Challenge
For the next week, keep track of every hour that you spend watching television or movies. Commit to cutting out at least one hour of TV viewing each day. Replace that TV time with reading books that will prepare you for what lies ahead.

Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com