Jack Canfield's Success Principle #60
If we're going to overcome as survivors of abuse or trauma, we must work hard to first provide for our basic needs. When we're no longer worrying about physical or financial survival, we can focus on learning ways to thrive emotionally and spiritually.
Jack believes that there are two ways to have more: spend less on mundane things to save for what we want; or earn more to begin with. I think that doing both is a good idea.
Figure out how to make more money.
Before we can begin making more money, we must set a goal that spells out exactly how much we need. Remember, we must have goals that we turn into affirmations on index cards or in a goals book if we want to achieve our dreams.
Jack provides five ideas for making more money, as follows:
1) Become an intrapraneur.
By definition, an intrapraneur is an entrepreneur who gets hired by his or her own company to fill a niche that the company can't. Obviously, to do this, we must first be employed.
In my opinion, following this tactic of becoming an intrapraneur would more likely net us a nice raise or a promotion, rather than a new stream of income. We would have a better chance if we figured out what our company isn't doing well and then start our own entrepreneurship to fill that need.
2) Find a need and fill it.
Thomas Edison said, "I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent." There are unmet needs all around us, and if we're creative, we can find ways to make money from them.
When I was studying interior design, I kept hearing from everyone in the business, "Good luck finding someone to make window treatments!" At that time, there were very few drapery workrooms and few choices in ready-mades.
I decided to specialize in window treatment design by opening my own drapery workroom. Word got out that I could design and fabricate custom window treatments, so designers began hiring me to handle tasks that most of them knew little about. They were relieved, and I was making great money doing something that I loved.
We can look around and think about something that needs to be provided, solved, addressed or eliminated. Our aging population and single parents have needs that go unmet every day. If we ask what's missing, we will find a way to make people's lives easier or more fulfilling.
3) Think outside the box.
Sometimes there's a need that is partially being met, but we can think of ways to do it better. If we think outside the box, we can come up with solutions that pay off great benefits.
When my son was in public school, he was not learning as one would expect. By the time he got to fifth grade, he could barely read. I spent a fortune on private schools for a few years, but I wasn't seeing much improvement.
Twenty years ago, home schooling was considered radical. In the state where we lived, it was barely legal. Considering home schooling was outside-of-the-box thinking, but I finally decided that it was what my son needed.
Within a year, he was reading at the level of an eleventh-grader. While I wasn't getting rich through home schooling, the benefits were outstanding. I saved a lot of tution money that was being wasted, and my son grew up knowing how to learn.
We can all see ways of improving things if we look around us. There are gaps in services everywhere, and by thinking outside the box, we can make or save money by doing things better.
4) Start a business on the Internet.
In today's market, anyone can start up a small business on the Internet, even if they've already got a job. We can fill the needs of very narrow markets by reaching millions of shoppers worldwide.
I recently set up an internet business to sell quilts. With the help of the Small Business Development Center director, I managed to get myself online within about a week. It cost me $25 for a vendor's license and a few hundred dollars worth of materials.
You can see the results of my Internet efforts by looking online at www.etsy.com/shop/hopequiltsofohio. For help with your own business set-up, go to www.sba.gov/sbdc.
5) Join a network marketing company.
There are thousands of companies that sell their products through network marketing. I've been involved in several of them, without great success. I do believe it's possible to make a good deal of money this way by selling vitamins, cosmetics, and so on; but I don't believe I was very good at it, because it wasn't my purpose. Unless we feel passionate about what we're selling, we can't usually sustain the effort.
Ecclesiastes 5:18 (NIV) reads, Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun druing the few days of life God has given him--for this is his lot. If we're going to choose extra work for ourselves, we should make sure it's something we enjoy.
Create multiple sources of income.
Of all the advice on financial success in this book, I believe this is the smartest tip. Too many of us have placed all of our faith in our jobs. When we get laid off, our health fails, or our job gets eliminated, where does that leave us? If we have multiple sources of income, we can create economic security.
While building multiple sources of income, it's important to look for business opportunities that require very little time and money. No matter what we decide to do, our extra work must match our purpose if we want to succeed at it.
Today's Challenge
Brainstorm ways to earn more income, using Jack's five suggestions above. Write them down and begin exploring the one or two that feel right for you. Remember to pursue the ideas that are in alignment with your purpose.
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
Monday, January 24, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Master the Spending Game
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #59
Spending too much can prevent us from achieving financial success. When our debts outweigh our savings, our focus turns to consumption, rather than wealth. Today, Jack provides some helpful tips for mastering our spending.
Keep track of expenses.
Recording every purchase in a notebook or on the computer for one month can be eye-opening. We may not think we're over-spending, but this may reveal something surprising.
Joe and I did this a few years ago, and we discovered that we were spending a fortune on fast food and restaurants. While a dash through the drive-up window or Starbucks may not seem like a big purchase, all those little receipts can really add up over the course of a month, a year, or a lifetime.
Start paying cash for everything.
If we pay cash for everything, we become far more aware of the limitations of our stash. A debit card or credit card causes most people to overspend, because they have no clue what their balances are.
Joe and I began using Dave Ramsey's envelope system two years ago. It has given us control over our spending like nothing else has. The system is simple. Using My Total Money Makeover online, we figured out how much we make and budgeted how much we wanted to spend. Then, we created an envelope for each expense category, such as groceries and gas.
Now, I go to the bank once every week with a check made out for the amount of cash that we will need. The cash goes into each category's envelope. If an opportunity to spend money comes up, and there's no cash in the envelope, we don't buy at that point.
Reduce the cost of your lifestyle.
We can live the type of lifestyle that we desire without paying top dollar for it. I recently bought some beautiful designer clothes at a Goodwill Boutique. It's a second-hand shop that specializes in upscale goods. Our daughter goes to the opera, the ballet, and off-Broadway shows for just a few dollars with an Enjoy the Arts card that she paid $35 to obtain. We can all save more by shopping for discounts, using coupons, and buying many things second-hand.
Take steps now to become debt-free.
Jack suggests the following five steps for getting out of debt:
1) Stop borrowing money.
2) Don't take out a home equity loan to pay off credit card debt.
3) Pay off your smallest debts first.
4) Slowly increase your debt payments.
5) Pay off your home mortgage early.
Cutting up every single credit card is crucial to getting out of debt. At the same time, saving for emergencies is a necessity. Otherwise, every time the furnace breaks or the car needs repairs, there is no cash on hand.
Dave Ramsey makes these same suggestions for reducing debt, but he recommends taking on an additional part-time job and creating what he calls a Debt Snowball.
We have been using the extra income Joe makes from a part-time job to pay off debts. With each small debt paid off, we take that payment and add it to what we've been paying to reduce the next bigger debt. In this way, the amount of money snowballs, until the cash available for debt pay-down is huge. We aren't quite finished, but we're getting close to living debt-free.
As I mentioned yesterday, Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University is a great place to learn money management. Dave makes all of these suggestions and more. You can find a financial coach or class near you by going to www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com.
As with any lifestyle change, money management adjustments take perseverance. James 1: 12 (NIV) reminds us, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. Having financial security is a blessing, and one that is worth pursuing in our quest to thrive.
Today's Challenge
Buy a notebook or set up a computer file to track every single expenditure. Begin noting everything that you spend money on, no matter how small it is. Save your receipts throughout the day and record them every night. Don't wait until the end of a month to write down the expenditures. This will only leave you feeling overwhelmed. Pray for God's guidance as you work hard to reduce your debts to achieve financial peace.
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
Spending too much can prevent us from achieving financial success. When our debts outweigh our savings, our focus turns to consumption, rather than wealth. Today, Jack provides some helpful tips for mastering our spending.
Keep track of expenses.
Recording every purchase in a notebook or on the computer for one month can be eye-opening. We may not think we're over-spending, but this may reveal something surprising.
Joe and I did this a few years ago, and we discovered that we were spending a fortune on fast food and restaurants. While a dash through the drive-up window or Starbucks may not seem like a big purchase, all those little receipts can really add up over the course of a month, a year, or a lifetime.
Start paying cash for everything.
If we pay cash for everything, we become far more aware of the limitations of our stash. A debit card or credit card causes most people to overspend, because they have no clue what their balances are.
Joe and I began using Dave Ramsey's envelope system two years ago. It has given us control over our spending like nothing else has. The system is simple. Using My Total Money Makeover online, we figured out how much we make and budgeted how much we wanted to spend. Then, we created an envelope for each expense category, such as groceries and gas.
Now, I go to the bank once every week with a check made out for the amount of cash that we will need. The cash goes into each category's envelope. If an opportunity to spend money comes up, and there's no cash in the envelope, we don't buy at that point.
Reduce the cost of your lifestyle.
We can live the type of lifestyle that we desire without paying top dollar for it. I recently bought some beautiful designer clothes at a Goodwill Boutique. It's a second-hand shop that specializes in upscale goods. Our daughter goes to the opera, the ballet, and off-Broadway shows for just a few dollars with an Enjoy the Arts card that she paid $35 to obtain. We can all save more by shopping for discounts, using coupons, and buying many things second-hand.
Take steps now to become debt-free.
Jack suggests the following five steps for getting out of debt:
1) Stop borrowing money.
2) Don't take out a home equity loan to pay off credit card debt.
3) Pay off your smallest debts first.
4) Slowly increase your debt payments.
5) Pay off your home mortgage early.
Cutting up every single credit card is crucial to getting out of debt. At the same time, saving for emergencies is a necessity. Otherwise, every time the furnace breaks or the car needs repairs, there is no cash on hand.
Dave Ramsey makes these same suggestions for reducing debt, but he recommends taking on an additional part-time job and creating what he calls a Debt Snowball.
We have been using the extra income Joe makes from a part-time job to pay off debts. With each small debt paid off, we take that payment and add it to what we've been paying to reduce the next bigger debt. In this way, the amount of money snowballs, until the cash available for debt pay-down is huge. We aren't quite finished, but we're getting close to living debt-free.
As I mentioned yesterday, Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University is a great place to learn money management. Dave makes all of these suggestions and more. You can find a financial coach or class near you by going to www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com.
As with any lifestyle change, money management adjustments take perseverance. James 1: 12 (NIV) reminds us, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. Having financial security is a blessing, and one that is worth pursuing in our quest to thrive.
Today's Challenge
Buy a notebook or set up a computer file to track every single expenditure. Begin noting everything that you spend money on, no matter how small it is. Save your receipts throughout the day and record them every night. Don't wait until the end of a month to write down the expenditures. This will only leave you feeling overwhelmed. Pray for God's guidance as you work hard to reduce your debts to achieve financial peace.
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
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Pay Yourself First
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #58
We're in the home stretch...only seven more days remaining in our discussion of Jack Canfield's Success Principles. Today, we learn about the importance of paying ourselves before paying anyone else, because our financial success contributes to our ability to thrive.
Start saving early.
Albert Einstein once said, Compound interest is the eighth natural wonder of the world and the most perfect thing I have ever encountered. That's quite a statement coming from the genius who discovered the law of relativity.
Jesus taught a parable about the kingdom of heaven in Matthew chapter 15, comparing the outcome of our Christian service to that of financial guardians of his day who invested their master's money. It clearly shows that the wise servant invests his money to earn interest, and the foolish servant buries his in the earth. Even in Jesus' time, people understood the power of compounding interest.
The sooner we start saving, the easier it is to become wealthy. If Mary invests $150 per month from age 25 to 35 and then stops, she will have invested $18,000, which will grow at 8% interest to $283,385 by the time she retires at age 65.
By contrast, if Tom invests $150 per month from age 35 to 65, he will have invested $54,000 and will only earn $220,233 by the time he retires at 65. The sooner we start saving, the greater our compounded interest will be.
Make saving a priority.
The goal of saving is to become financially independent. This means that we could live off of nothing but the interest we earn on our investments. By methodically saving 10 to 15% of our income, we can discipline ourselves to begin building our fortune. We also force ourselves to earn more if we want to do or have more.
If we can't find ways to cut the budget so that we can afford to save 10 to 15%, we can start with as little as 1% of our income. The habit of saving develops each time we practice it. Eventually, we'll be able to save more if we work at it.
Become an automatic millionaire.
Few people are able to discipline themselves to save without automatic deductions. We can arrange for our employers to automatically place money from our paychecks into our savings accounts. If we arrange to have our money placed into a retirement fund, we don't have to pay taxes right now on this savings.
Some companies, like the hospital Joe works for, offer matching contributions. If Joe puts in 10% of his income each pay period, the hospital puts in 5%. Get on board with this today if your company offers it. It's free money being given away to people who are smart enough to grab it!
Follow the 50/50 law.
John Demartini is a chiropractor who now conducts seminars on building wealth. He created the 50/50 law, which means that we never spend more than we save. I think this is a brilliant idea.
Let's say that I want to buy Joe a boat for his birthday. It costs $10,000. If I can't put $10,000 into savings first, and then set aside another $10,000 for the boat, I don't buy it. The key here is that we don't raise our lifestyle until we have earned the right to have it.
Build assets, not liabilities.
Robert Kyosaki wrote the book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Our son recommended it to us several years ago, and we were impressed with the insights of the author. One of his most important points is that we must build assets, not liabilities.
One way to think about this is to consider the purchase of a home. Many people believe this is an asset, but it's not, according to Kyosaki. An asset is something that puts money into your pocket. I don't know about your house, but mine sure takes out a lot more than it puts in!
Assets that put money into our pockets are things, such as investment real estate (rental properties), small businesses, stocks, bonds, gold, and so on. If we want to become rich, we put our money in these things first. Only when they are generating enough income to support us and our purchases do we buy things such as homes and cars.
Hire a financial planner.
After our nest egg begins to grow, it's important to hire a financial planner to help us invest it. To illustrate the importance of investing our money and not just stashing it under the mattress, Jack tells the story of Oseola McCarty of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Oseola dropped out of school in the sixth grade to wash and iron other people's clothes. For 75 years, she worked and saved. In 1995, she donated $150,000 of her $250,000 savings to the University of Southern Mississippi. If Oseola had invested her $50,000 in 1965 to earn about 10% interest per year, she would have had just shy of $1 million--four times what she saved!
Protect what's yours.
In this day and age when people are swift to sue, it's important to protect our assets with adequate insurance, particularly if we run a small business. I also believe that disability insurance is critical, because I didn't have any when I was running a small business a number of years ago. Without insurance, we lost our shirts when I became too ill to work.
If we have a lot of wealth that we're bringing into a marriage, it's important to get a prenuptial agreement. These days, divorce rates are so high, the risk is too great to trust that it won't happen. By protecting our assets, we also discover whether or not people love us for who we are, and not for our money.
If you've never had a lot of money, this may be difficult to understand. During my first marriage, a lot of people wanted to be my friend, because they liked hanging out with someone who was wealthy. Interestingly, when I got divorced and most of the money remained with my first husband, all of those friends vanished.
Today's Challenge
There are many good points in today's lesson, and it may take you a while to implement all of them. Start by setting up an automatic deduction from your paycheck into a savings account. If your employer offers matching contributions, invest as much as you can to maximize the free money that's waiting for you.
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
We're in the home stretch...only seven more days remaining in our discussion of Jack Canfield's Success Principles. Today, we learn about the importance of paying ourselves before paying anyone else, because our financial success contributes to our ability to thrive.
Start saving early.
Albert Einstein once said, Compound interest is the eighth natural wonder of the world and the most perfect thing I have ever encountered. That's quite a statement coming from the genius who discovered the law of relativity.
Jesus taught a parable about the kingdom of heaven in Matthew chapter 15, comparing the outcome of our Christian service to that of financial guardians of his day who invested their master's money. It clearly shows that the wise servant invests his money to earn interest, and the foolish servant buries his in the earth. Even in Jesus' time, people understood the power of compounding interest.
The sooner we start saving, the easier it is to become wealthy. If Mary invests $150 per month from age 25 to 35 and then stops, she will have invested $18,000, which will grow at 8% interest to $283,385 by the time she retires at age 65.
By contrast, if Tom invests $150 per month from age 35 to 65, he will have invested $54,000 and will only earn $220,233 by the time he retires at 65. The sooner we start saving, the greater our compounded interest will be.
Make saving a priority.
The goal of saving is to become financially independent. This means that we could live off of nothing but the interest we earn on our investments. By methodically saving 10 to 15% of our income, we can discipline ourselves to begin building our fortune. We also force ourselves to earn more if we want to do or have more.
If we can't find ways to cut the budget so that we can afford to save 10 to 15%, we can start with as little as 1% of our income. The habit of saving develops each time we practice it. Eventually, we'll be able to save more if we work at it.
Become an automatic millionaire.
Few people are able to discipline themselves to save without automatic deductions. We can arrange for our employers to automatically place money from our paychecks into our savings accounts. If we arrange to have our money placed into a retirement fund, we don't have to pay taxes right now on this savings.
Some companies, like the hospital Joe works for, offer matching contributions. If Joe puts in 10% of his income each pay period, the hospital puts in 5%. Get on board with this today if your company offers it. It's free money being given away to people who are smart enough to grab it!
Follow the 50/50 law.
John Demartini is a chiropractor who now conducts seminars on building wealth. He created the 50/50 law, which means that we never spend more than we save. I think this is a brilliant idea.
Let's say that I want to buy Joe a boat for his birthday. It costs $10,000. If I can't put $10,000 into savings first, and then set aside another $10,000 for the boat, I don't buy it. The key here is that we don't raise our lifestyle until we have earned the right to have it.
Build assets, not liabilities.
Robert Kyosaki wrote the book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Our son recommended it to us several years ago, and we were impressed with the insights of the author. One of his most important points is that we must build assets, not liabilities.
One way to think about this is to consider the purchase of a home. Many people believe this is an asset, but it's not, according to Kyosaki. An asset is something that puts money into your pocket. I don't know about your house, but mine sure takes out a lot more than it puts in!
Assets that put money into our pockets are things, such as investment real estate (rental properties), small businesses, stocks, bonds, gold, and so on. If we want to become rich, we put our money in these things first. Only when they are generating enough income to support us and our purchases do we buy things such as homes and cars.
Hire a financial planner.
After our nest egg begins to grow, it's important to hire a financial planner to help us invest it. To illustrate the importance of investing our money and not just stashing it under the mattress, Jack tells the story of Oseola McCarty of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Oseola dropped out of school in the sixth grade to wash and iron other people's clothes. For 75 years, she worked and saved. In 1995, she donated $150,000 of her $250,000 savings to the University of Southern Mississippi. If Oseola had invested her $50,000 in 1965 to earn about 10% interest per year, she would have had just shy of $1 million--four times what she saved!
Protect what's yours.
In this day and age when people are swift to sue, it's important to protect our assets with adequate insurance, particularly if we run a small business. I also believe that disability insurance is critical, because I didn't have any when I was running a small business a number of years ago. Without insurance, we lost our shirts when I became too ill to work.
If we have a lot of wealth that we're bringing into a marriage, it's important to get a prenuptial agreement. These days, divorce rates are so high, the risk is too great to trust that it won't happen. By protecting our assets, we also discover whether or not people love us for who we are, and not for our money.
If you've never had a lot of money, this may be difficult to understand. During my first marriage, a lot of people wanted to be my friend, because they liked hanging out with someone who was wealthy. Interestingly, when I got divorced and most of the money remained with my first husband, all of those friends vanished.
Today's Challenge
There are many good points in today's lesson, and it may take you a while to implement all of them. Start by setting up an automatic deduction from your paycheck into a savings account. If your employer offers matching contributions, invest as much as you can to maximize the free money that's waiting for you.
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
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
You Get What You Focus On
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #57
If we don't place value on money and seek it, we won't receive it. Many of us survived abuse, but we still carry around such poor self-esteem that we don't believe that we deserve to have money. My mother told me that I was more worthless than yesterday's trash. I had to shake off that limiting belief, decide that I was a worthwhile person, and that I was worthy of wealth before I could even begin to think about earning anything.
What's holding you back from your financial goals?
Decide to be wealthy.
If we want to be wealthy, we must make a conscious decision to do so. We have to decide from someplace deep within us that we want wealth--without worrying about how we're going to get it.
If you're stuck because you still don't believe that it's godly to have wealth, think about what the Bible has to say about the love of money:
Whoever loves money never has money enough. (Ecc 5:10 NIV)
You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matt. 6:24 NIV)
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.(I Tim. 6:10 NIV)
Notice that the second verse capitalizes the word, Money. The point in all of these verses is that if you love Money and make it your god, evil will follow. Becoming wealthy is not evil, but failing to share that wealth with others or to thank God for it is. Greed, envy, and criminal conduct involving money can get us into trouble. Having wealth, however, does not automatically make us evil. We can use our wealth to bless others in need.
Joe and I decided a couple of years ago that we wanted to make as much money as possible so that we can support the work of our church. We have cut back on expenses, worked extra, paid down our debts, and kept our budget on-track; so that we can give more to people in need.
What could you do if you had more money to give?
Decide what wealthy means.
There is no right financial goal, but each of us must decide what we want. Some people want to retire with a million dollars. Others want to make millions and give their money away as scholarships. Decide what you want and then write down your goals. Some examples include:
I will have a net worth of $_____ by the year ________.
I will earn at least $_________________ next month.
I will save and invest $________________ every month.
To become debt free, I will ________________________.
Find out what it costs to finance your dream life.
Right now, we are all living the life we dreamed of in the past. It's not the same life that we hope to be living when we retire. We need to decide what kind of lifestyle we want in the future so that we can visualize it.
We can research how much it costs for our dream life, which might include: setting up a scholarship fund, eating in fine restaurants, giving to support orphans, going on vacations or mission trips, buying a different home, and so on. Remember, at this point we're not worrying about how we will achieve these things; we just need to figure out how much they would cost.
Get real about retirement.
I think that the concept of retirement is completely wrong. People work all of their lives at a job they hate, looking forward every day to the moment when they will be free. A week later, they drop dead.
I don't ever plan to retire, but if you do, take time to figure out what you would need to maintain your current lifestyle once you stop working. Charles Schwab advises saving $230,000 for every $1,000 that you will need each month in retirement. For example, if your current expenses are $5,000 each month, you would need to have saved $1,150,000 just to maintain the way you live today.
Become conscious about your money.
If we want to become financially successful, we must develop a consciouness about our money. We need to know precisely what we have so that we can figure out how much we will need for the future. Do you know:
your net worth (total assets minus total liabilities)?
your savings?
your fixed and variable monthly expenses?
your total debt?
your annual interest expenses?
your insurance coverage?
Everyone must have a financial plan. Otherwise, over-spending lands people in hot water, such as the mess we've been seeing lately with foreclosures and repossessions.
In addition, it's important to have an estate plan and a will. If you don't have one, take time now to get it in order. Even if you're not a millionaire today, it will save your heirs a lots of trouble and money later.
Jack has more to say about these topics, but I believe the best place to go for advice about money is to Dave Ramsey. You can find him online at www.mytotalmoneymakover.com, on the radio, and in classrooms taught by trained advisors all over the country. Joe and I attended a 10-week class, and it completely changed the way we use money.
Today's Challenge
Decide today what your financial future will look like. Remember, you get what you focus on. If you're thinking only about your debts, you'll keep getting more. So write down your goals for the long-term. Then, find a financial advisor to help you achieve them.
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
If we don't place value on money and seek it, we won't receive it. Many of us survived abuse, but we still carry around such poor self-esteem that we don't believe that we deserve to have money. My mother told me that I was more worthless than yesterday's trash. I had to shake off that limiting belief, decide that I was a worthwhile person, and that I was worthy of wealth before I could even begin to think about earning anything.
What's holding you back from your financial goals?
Decide to be wealthy.
If we want to be wealthy, we must make a conscious decision to do so. We have to decide from someplace deep within us that we want wealth--without worrying about how we're going to get it.
If you're stuck because you still don't believe that it's godly to have wealth, think about what the Bible has to say about the love of money:
Whoever loves money never has money enough. (Ecc 5:10 NIV)
You cannot serve both God and Money. (Matt. 6:24 NIV)
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.(I Tim. 6:10 NIV)
Notice that the second verse capitalizes the word, Money. The point in all of these verses is that if you love Money and make it your god, evil will follow. Becoming wealthy is not evil, but failing to share that wealth with others or to thank God for it is. Greed, envy, and criminal conduct involving money can get us into trouble. Having wealth, however, does not automatically make us evil. We can use our wealth to bless others in need.
Joe and I decided a couple of years ago that we wanted to make as much money as possible so that we can support the work of our church. We have cut back on expenses, worked extra, paid down our debts, and kept our budget on-track; so that we can give more to people in need.
What could you do if you had more money to give?
Decide what wealthy means.
There is no right financial goal, but each of us must decide what we want. Some people want to retire with a million dollars. Others want to make millions and give their money away as scholarships. Decide what you want and then write down your goals. Some examples include:
I will have a net worth of $_____ by the year ________.
I will earn at least $_________________ next month.
I will save and invest $________________ every month.
To become debt free, I will ________________________.
Find out what it costs to finance your dream life.
Right now, we are all living the life we dreamed of in the past. It's not the same life that we hope to be living when we retire. We need to decide what kind of lifestyle we want in the future so that we can visualize it.
We can research how much it costs for our dream life, which might include: setting up a scholarship fund, eating in fine restaurants, giving to support orphans, going on vacations or mission trips, buying a different home, and so on. Remember, at this point we're not worrying about how we will achieve these things; we just need to figure out how much they would cost.
Get real about retirement.
I think that the concept of retirement is completely wrong. People work all of their lives at a job they hate, looking forward every day to the moment when they will be free. A week later, they drop dead.
I don't ever plan to retire, but if you do, take time to figure out what you would need to maintain your current lifestyle once you stop working. Charles Schwab advises saving $230,000 for every $1,000 that you will need each month in retirement. For example, if your current expenses are $5,000 each month, you would need to have saved $1,150,000 just to maintain the way you live today.
Become conscious about your money.
If we want to become financially successful, we must develop a consciouness about our money. We need to know precisely what we have so that we can figure out how much we will need for the future. Do you know:
your net worth (total assets minus total liabilities)?
your savings?
your fixed and variable monthly expenses?
your total debt?
your annual interest expenses?
your insurance coverage?
Everyone must have a financial plan. Otherwise, over-spending lands people in hot water, such as the mess we've been seeing lately with foreclosures and repossessions.
In addition, it's important to have an estate plan and a will. If you don't have one, take time now to get it in order. Even if you're not a millionaire today, it will save your heirs a lots of trouble and money later.
Jack has more to say about these topics, but I believe the best place to go for advice about money is to Dave Ramsey. You can find him online at www.mytotalmoneymakover.com, on the radio, and in classrooms taught by trained advisors all over the country. Joe and I attended a 10-week class, and it completely changed the way we use money.
Today's Challenge
Decide today what your financial future will look like. Remember, you get what you focus on. If you're thinking only about your debts, you'll keep getting more. So write down your goals for the long-term. Then, find a financial advisor to help you achieve them.
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
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Develop a Positive Money Consciousness
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #56, continued
All success starts in our minds. First, we must decide what we want. Next, we have to believe that we deserve it and that it's possible. Third, we must think about any success and visualize it as if we already have it. And finally, we must be willing to pay the price to achieve our goals through discipline and perseverance.
Most people never achieve financial success, because their beliefs limit them. Yesterday, we learned about our limiting beliefs that developed as a result of childhood sexual abuse. Today, we shift gears to take a look at how limiting beliefs can prevent us from achieving financial success. Jack identifies limiting beliefs, suggests steps for eliminating them, and then provides ideas for turning around those beliefs.
Identify your limimiting beliefs about money.
We may not even be aware that we have limiting beliefs about money. Many of them were probably instilled in our minds when we were children, just like the inappropriate ones we developed about love in the context of sexual abuse. The following is a list of typical limiting beliefs about money:
Money doesn't grow on trees.
You have to have money to make money.
Money is the root of all evil.
People with money are evil and unethical.
People with a lot of money are selfish.
You can't buy happiness.
It's impossible to go to heaven if you're rich.
That last belief on the list held me back for years. Jesus said, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven....I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Matt 19:21, 24 NIV)
The point of Jesus' lesson was to make a rich man see that he was coveting others' possessions. By telling him to sell everything, Jesus pushed the guy to look at his sin. Jesus' message, if taken out of context, can be sadly misinterpreted to mean that Christians should not have wealth.
I was previously married to a millionaire who also happened to be an abuser. His actions made me come to the conclusion that all rich people are evil and don't deserve to get into heaven. I didn't want to be like him, so I developed the limiting belief that it's impossible to get into heaven if you're rich.
Joe had been taught the limiting belief that it was more godly to be poor than to have money. When the two of us got married, our limiting beliefs nearly destroyed us financially. They took us from a place of financial security to a point of living on groceries from a food bank and accepting hand-outs from the church.
God doesn't want us to be poor. He promises blessings throughout the Bible. One of God's dearest saints was Abraham, who eventually owned more land and possessions than we can imagine. God wants to bless each of us abundantly, just as he blessed childless Abraham, who ended up having more descendants than the stars in the sky.
Take three steps to turn around limiting beliefs.
It's possible to change our limiting beliefs with a simple three-step technique that Jack outlines. He suggests doing it with a partner or a group of people. Working with others can be far more powerful, not to mention, fun!
1) Write down the limiting belief.
For example, we can write down, If you're rich, you can't get into heaven.
2) Challenge, make fun of, or argue with the limiting belief.
We could brainstorm a list of new beliefs to challenge this old one. By making the ideas outrageous or silly, we can create a more powerful shift in our thinking. So, we can write out something new, such as:
*If you're rich, you can't live in a housing project.
*If you're rich, you can't get into the food bank.
*If you're rich, you aren't automatically limited spiritually.
*Some people with money may not get into heaven, but wealth can't keep me out.
Dave Ramsey teaches that money is nothing more than a tool. Like a hammer, we can use it to build something, or we can use it to smash in someone's head. The hammer isn't good or bad. Our use of it merely dictates the outcomes for us.
3) Create a positive turnaround statement.
When we are finished brainstorming, we can choose a positive statement that turns around our old beliefs. For instance, I may replace It's impossible to go to heaven if you're rich with It's possible for me to go to heaven after receiving unlimited wealth here on earth and sharing God's abundant blessings with others.
Like all of our goals, we need to write our new financial beliefs on index cards and add them to our stack. If we take time every day to read them aloud with intense emotion and imagine how we will feel, our money affirmations will come true.
Today's Challenge
If you haven't yet created personal affirmations about money, start today. Write down your financial dreams on index cards. Bring up images of checks in the mail, big paychecks, royalty checks, dividend checks, and cash in your hand. Visualize your ideal bank statements, stock reports, and retirement fund returns. Add your feelings to these visualizations, along with gratitude for already having these things.
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
All success starts in our minds. First, we must decide what we want. Next, we have to believe that we deserve it and that it's possible. Third, we must think about any success and visualize it as if we already have it. And finally, we must be willing to pay the price to achieve our goals through discipline and perseverance.
Most people never achieve financial success, because their beliefs limit them. Yesterday, we learned about our limiting beliefs that developed as a result of childhood sexual abuse. Today, we shift gears to take a look at how limiting beliefs can prevent us from achieving financial success. Jack identifies limiting beliefs, suggests steps for eliminating them, and then provides ideas for turning around those beliefs.
Identify your limimiting beliefs about money.
We may not even be aware that we have limiting beliefs about money. Many of them were probably instilled in our minds when we were children, just like the inappropriate ones we developed about love in the context of sexual abuse. The following is a list of typical limiting beliefs about money:
Money doesn't grow on trees.
You have to have money to make money.
Money is the root of all evil.
People with money are evil and unethical.
People with a lot of money are selfish.
You can't buy happiness.
It's impossible to go to heaven if you're rich.
That last belief on the list held me back for years. Jesus said, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven....I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Matt 19:21, 24 NIV)
The point of Jesus' lesson was to make a rich man see that he was coveting others' possessions. By telling him to sell everything, Jesus pushed the guy to look at his sin. Jesus' message, if taken out of context, can be sadly misinterpreted to mean that Christians should not have wealth.
I was previously married to a millionaire who also happened to be an abuser. His actions made me come to the conclusion that all rich people are evil and don't deserve to get into heaven. I didn't want to be like him, so I developed the limiting belief that it's impossible to get into heaven if you're rich.
Joe had been taught the limiting belief that it was more godly to be poor than to have money. When the two of us got married, our limiting beliefs nearly destroyed us financially. They took us from a place of financial security to a point of living on groceries from a food bank and accepting hand-outs from the church.
God doesn't want us to be poor. He promises blessings throughout the Bible. One of God's dearest saints was Abraham, who eventually owned more land and possessions than we can imagine. God wants to bless each of us abundantly, just as he blessed childless Abraham, who ended up having more descendants than the stars in the sky.
Take three steps to turn around limiting beliefs.
It's possible to change our limiting beliefs with a simple three-step technique that Jack outlines. He suggests doing it with a partner or a group of people. Working with others can be far more powerful, not to mention, fun!
1) Write down the limiting belief.
For example, we can write down, If you're rich, you can't get into heaven.
2) Challenge, make fun of, or argue with the limiting belief.
We could brainstorm a list of new beliefs to challenge this old one. By making the ideas outrageous or silly, we can create a more powerful shift in our thinking. So, we can write out something new, such as:
*If you're rich, you can't live in a housing project.
*If you're rich, you can't get into the food bank.
*If you're rich, you aren't automatically limited spiritually.
*Some people with money may not get into heaven, but wealth can't keep me out.
Dave Ramsey teaches that money is nothing more than a tool. Like a hammer, we can use it to build something, or we can use it to smash in someone's head. The hammer isn't good or bad. Our use of it merely dictates the outcomes for us.
3) Create a positive turnaround statement.
When we are finished brainstorming, we can choose a positive statement that turns around our old beliefs. For instance, I may replace It's impossible to go to heaven if you're rich with It's possible for me to go to heaven after receiving unlimited wealth here on earth and sharing God's abundant blessings with others.
Like all of our goals, we need to write our new financial beliefs on index cards and add them to our stack. If we take time every day to read them aloud with intense emotion and imagine how we will feel, our money affirmations will come true.
Today's Challenge
If you haven't yet created personal affirmations about money, start today. Write down your financial dreams on index cards. Bring up images of checks in the mail, big paychecks, royalty checks, dividend checks, and cash in your hand. Visualize your ideal bank statements, stock reports, and retirement fund returns. Add your feelings to these visualizations, along with gratitude for already having these things.
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
Monday, January 17, 2011
Releasing Our Past
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #56
I am splitting up this principle and presenting the second half of it first. Tomorrow, I will go back and share Jack's thoughts about how to develop a positive money consciousness. For today, I want to share with you some insights that I have recently learned about the power of releasing our past.
I spent the weekend at a Healing Touch retreat. There, I learned that God's love is infinite. I experienced for the first time what it felt like to fully receive that love from him and from others.
As an incest survivor, I discovered that we expend huge amounts of energy pushing away love. The type of inappropriate love we received as children causes us to develop the limiting belief that love is evil. I now know that some evil people label their sinful actions as love, but God's love is pure and comes to me only for my highest good.
For a long time, whenever I tried to challenge my limiting beliefs about love, I got stuck. The Healing Touch program this weekend took me through specific steps toward accepting God's love. Jack Canfield suggests using something similar known as the Sedona Method to help us move forward. The five steps of that method follow.
1) What am I feeling right now?
We can ask ourselves what we are feeling. As abuse survivors, this may be difficult, because we are told that our feelings are not valid, should be kept secret, or may lead to punishment.
I kept pushing aside my feelings of anger toward my mother for failing to love, protect, and nurture me as a child. Every time I tried to connect with God, these negative feelings got in the way. Through Healing Touch, I learned to allow myself to focus on those feelings, instead of resisting them or reacting to them.
2) Could I welcome and allow it?
In a safe environment, such as a Healing Touch session, we can welcome the intense feelings that were brought on by childhood sexual abuse. We don't react to the feelings at this point. We simply let them come to us and observe what they are.
Sometimes, feelings come to us in the form of symbols. For me, whenever I closed my eyes during a Healing Touch practice session, I saw warm golden light with an ugly patch of dirty fabric overlaying it. In time, I realized that the light was God's pure love, and the filthy rag represented my tattered relationship with my mother. My anger toward my mother was holding the patch in place and preventing me from fully connecting with God.
3) Could I let it go?
When we are ready, we will know when the answer is yes. For a while, it may be no. That's okay.
For months, I could not let go of this frayed patch, because I didn't understand what it was. When I finally realized that the patch represented my mother's lie that abuse is love, I reached a point of preparing for release.
4) Am I willing to let it go?
If the answer to this question is no, we can ask, Would I rather have this feeling, or would I rather be free?
As soon as I recognized that the black patch represented my mother's abuse and the lie that abuse is love, I was willing to let go of the anger that held it in place. I understood that holding onto anger was not doing me any good. It wasn't changing my mother's behavior, and it wasn't altering God's reactions to those behaviors. In fact, holding onto my anger and all of the memories of the past was hurting me, because it was blocking me from receiving the fullness of God's love.
5) When will I let this go?
Eventually, we come to the realization that now is the best time to let go of whatever it is that we have been holding.
This weeked, I decided that it was time to let go of my anger. As soon as I released it, the black patch was consumed by the warm golden glow of God's love. Peace flowed in as I have never before experienced it.
This process of releasing may take time, and we may need help. With perseverance, however, we can all experience God's blessings across every area of our lives.
I am thankful for the Healing Touch practitioners who have guided me through this. If you would like to learn more about the practice of Healing Touch, go to www.HealingTouchProgram.com or contact me at cheryldenton@rocketmail.com.
Today's Challenge
Use the Sedona Method as outlined above to release your past. If you're stuck, search out a Healing Touch practitioner, counselor, or trusted friend to help you move forward without the hindrances of your past.
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
I am splitting up this principle and presenting the second half of it first. Tomorrow, I will go back and share Jack's thoughts about how to develop a positive money consciousness. For today, I want to share with you some insights that I have recently learned about the power of releasing our past.
I spent the weekend at a Healing Touch retreat. There, I learned that God's love is infinite. I experienced for the first time what it felt like to fully receive that love from him and from others.
As an incest survivor, I discovered that we expend huge amounts of energy pushing away love. The type of inappropriate love we received as children causes us to develop the limiting belief that love is evil. I now know that some evil people label their sinful actions as love, but God's love is pure and comes to me only for my highest good.
For a long time, whenever I tried to challenge my limiting beliefs about love, I got stuck. The Healing Touch program this weekend took me through specific steps toward accepting God's love. Jack Canfield suggests using something similar known as the Sedona Method to help us move forward. The five steps of that method follow.
1) What am I feeling right now?
We can ask ourselves what we are feeling. As abuse survivors, this may be difficult, because we are told that our feelings are not valid, should be kept secret, or may lead to punishment.
I kept pushing aside my feelings of anger toward my mother for failing to love, protect, and nurture me as a child. Every time I tried to connect with God, these negative feelings got in the way. Through Healing Touch, I learned to allow myself to focus on those feelings, instead of resisting them or reacting to them.
2) Could I welcome and allow it?
In a safe environment, such as a Healing Touch session, we can welcome the intense feelings that were brought on by childhood sexual abuse. We don't react to the feelings at this point. We simply let them come to us and observe what they are.
Sometimes, feelings come to us in the form of symbols. For me, whenever I closed my eyes during a Healing Touch practice session, I saw warm golden light with an ugly patch of dirty fabric overlaying it. In time, I realized that the light was God's pure love, and the filthy rag represented my tattered relationship with my mother. My anger toward my mother was holding the patch in place and preventing me from fully connecting with God.
3) Could I let it go?
When we are ready, we will know when the answer is yes. For a while, it may be no. That's okay.
For months, I could not let go of this frayed patch, because I didn't understand what it was. When I finally realized that the patch represented my mother's lie that abuse is love, I reached a point of preparing for release.
4) Am I willing to let it go?
If the answer to this question is no, we can ask, Would I rather have this feeling, or would I rather be free?
As soon as I recognized that the black patch represented my mother's abuse and the lie that abuse is love, I was willing to let go of the anger that held it in place. I understood that holding onto anger was not doing me any good. It wasn't changing my mother's behavior, and it wasn't altering God's reactions to those behaviors. In fact, holding onto my anger and all of the memories of the past was hurting me, because it was blocking me from receiving the fullness of God's love.
5) When will I let this go?
Eventually, we come to the realization that now is the best time to let go of whatever it is that we have been holding.
This weeked, I decided that it was time to let go of my anger. As soon as I released it, the black patch was consumed by the warm golden glow of God's love. Peace flowed in as I have never before experienced it.
This process of releasing may take time, and we may need help. With perseverance, however, we can all experience God's blessings across every area of our lives.
I am thankful for the Healing Touch practitioners who have guided me through this. If you would like to learn more about the practice of Healing Touch, go to www.HealingTouchProgram.com or contact me at cheryldenton@rocketmail.com.
Today's Challenge
Use the Sedona Method as outlined above to release your past. If you're stuck, search out a Healing Touch practitioner, counselor, or trusted friend to help you move forward without the hindrances of your past.
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
Friday, January 14, 2011
Be a Class Act
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #55
A successful person acts with class and attracts other people who also have class into his sphere of influence. In today's society of mediocrity, it's becoming increasingly difficult to pinpoint individuals such as these.
What does it mean to be a class act?
Jack names Jimmy Stewart, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Nelson Mandela, and Winston Churchill as examples of class acts. They rose above their fears to create their own unique worlds of expanding awareness, creativity, and accomplishment.
For Joe and me, Christian minister Bob Russell has served as a model of class. He was the lead pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky when Joe was attending seminary. On any given weekend, the church held nearly 20,000 people during its numerous services.
On Easter Sunday one year, I was in a wheelchair following an episode of paralysis. We decided to leave the back of the sanctuary during the last song to avoid the difficulty of maneuvering through the crowds.
Bob Russell met us in the hallway and asked what was wrong. I told him that doctors had no idea what had caused the paralysis, and Bob offered to pray for me. I was dumbstruck that this man who was responsible for leading such a huge church would take the time to kneel down before me to ask God to intervene on my behalf.
There are two reasons, I believe, that Bob Russell has risen to such a high level of success. First, he has always expected excellence out of himself and everyone who works with him. This expectation stems from his intense love for God and his belief that God deserves our best. Second, Bob has never let success go to his head. Every time I meet him, I feel equally important to anyone else in the crowd. He is truly a class act.
Follow the ten attributes of people who are class acts.
Jack shared a list of attributes that characterize a class act. Life coach Dan Sullivan created the list, as follows:
1) Live by your own highest standards.
Class acts live by higher standards than those of most people in conventional society. Their goals are consciously chosen and applied.
I have been writing about these success principles for months, and I hope that it has inspired you, dear reader, to apply them to your own life. Without high standards, we merely become one more mediocre individual in the great cattle herd of society.
2) Maintain dignity and grace under pressure.
People who are classy do not become perturbed when chaos ensues. They remain so calm that it gives others courage. They are so certain that God will work all things out for the good of those who love him that they are capable of leading others with ease.
Joe exhibits this type of grace under pressure. Years ago, I injured my leg, and he had to take me to the emergency room. On the way there, the hospital paged him to help a family deal with an unexpected death. While I lay on a gurney in one cubicle, I could see Joe calmly talking to the hysterical wife of the deceased man and her teenage daughter, who was lying on the floor and screaming. Joe's quiet spirit provided strength to everyone on staff who was trying to deal with the situation.
3) Focus and improve the behavior of others.
Class acts are excellent role models. Their higher standards of thinking and behaving begin to make an impact on others. Under their leadership, people improve their own acts.
Whenever Joe is faced with a difficult situation, I frequently ask him how Bob Russell would handle it. Remembering Bob's expectations of excellence helps Joe to make decisions that most conventional people would not.
4) Operate from a larger, inclusive perspective.
This is a modern-day version of Jesus' new testament commandments from Mark 12:30-31 (NIV): Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength...Love your neighbor as yourself.
5) Increase the quality of every experience.
People with class look for ways to enrich the lives of others. They do this by introducing greater beauty and significance into every experience.
My Aunt Marjorie certainly was a class act in this regard. As a teen, I cut her grass weekly. Whenever my work was done, I found a beautiful luncheon laid out for me in her dining room. She served me as if I were a visiting dignitary; the table was set with freshly starched linens, fine china, sterling silver, and sparkling crystal. She had the ability to turn a simple meal into a beautiful and significant experience.
6) Counteract meanness, pettiness, and vulgarity.
We are surrounded by mean, petty, vulgar people in our society. With the invention of television, we can now view them regularly in our own living rooms. Class acts counteract these negative qualities with courtesy, respect, gratitude, and generosity.
Our brains will model what we see the most. If we are surrounded by crass people--either in our daily walks or through what we view on TV--we will eventually become like they are. I refuse to watch TV, because I don't want to ever become like most of the characters depicted on the screen. I want to be a class act.
7) Take responsibility for actions and results.
People with class accept responsibility for their actions when most other people would hide from the truth. They see failures as opportunities to do better the next time.
As survivors of abuse, we frequently become defensive if someone points out an error we have made. Our minds have become so well programmed to expect futher punishment for mistakes, that we automatically lash out when corrected.
Unfortunately, our defensiveness often prevents us from reaching the levels of success we desire. To become people of class, we must first learn to accept the truth about our actions. Only after doing so, can we look for ways to improve ourselves.
8) Strengthen the integrity of all situations.
If we want to become class acts, we must constantly strive to grow by setting clear goals that stretch our current abilities. Creating a list of goals, along with action steps to meet them, is a must.
9) Expand the meaning of being human.
People with class do not confine themselves to old ways of thinking and doing things. They push the envelope and expect more of themselves. This provides them with the freedom to do what God sent them here to accomplish. By living so freely, they set an example for others to do the same.
Survivors of incest often live by old rules of silence and shame. I have frequently made others in my family uncomfortable and angry by speaking out about the ugly truth of childhood sexual abuse. Those who cling to the old ways struggle with their ways of coping. Some, however, have found freedom in expressing their pain as a result of my speaking the truth.
10) Increase the confidence and capabilities of others.
By acting with class, we inspire others. Whenever we enter a room, other people feel an increase in their energy, and their confidence increases. By choosing our governing ideals and sticking with them, we can help others to create ways to grow, too.
Like attracts like.
If we make the decision to live by a higher set of standards, we will attract people of similar dispositions. Like attracts like.
Recently, someone showed me an internet video of a woman sitting on a toilet, presumably in the act of using it. Throughout the entire thing, she kept repeating stupidly, "Sittin on da towlet." It was the most base thing I have ever viewed.
I immediately thought of Bob Russell and wondered what he would have to say about such classless behavior. He certainly wouldn't be forwarding it to his friends. If we want to be a class act, we must be careful about what we attract.
Today's Challenge
In order to be a class act, we must look around at the friends, coworkers, partners, and clients that we are attracting. Are they class acts? If not, make the decision today to re-design yourself as a class act. Do everything better. Raise the quality of your attitude and actions to discover what type of people you begin attracting.
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
A successful person acts with class and attracts other people who also have class into his sphere of influence. In today's society of mediocrity, it's becoming increasingly difficult to pinpoint individuals such as these.
What does it mean to be a class act?
Jack names Jimmy Stewart, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Nelson Mandela, and Winston Churchill as examples of class acts. They rose above their fears to create their own unique worlds of expanding awareness, creativity, and accomplishment.
For Joe and me, Christian minister Bob Russell has served as a model of class. He was the lead pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky when Joe was attending seminary. On any given weekend, the church held nearly 20,000 people during its numerous services.
On Easter Sunday one year, I was in a wheelchair following an episode of paralysis. We decided to leave the back of the sanctuary during the last song to avoid the difficulty of maneuvering through the crowds.
Bob Russell met us in the hallway and asked what was wrong. I told him that doctors had no idea what had caused the paralysis, and Bob offered to pray for me. I was dumbstruck that this man who was responsible for leading such a huge church would take the time to kneel down before me to ask God to intervene on my behalf.
There are two reasons, I believe, that Bob Russell has risen to such a high level of success. First, he has always expected excellence out of himself and everyone who works with him. This expectation stems from his intense love for God and his belief that God deserves our best. Second, Bob has never let success go to his head. Every time I meet him, I feel equally important to anyone else in the crowd. He is truly a class act.
Follow the ten attributes of people who are class acts.
Jack shared a list of attributes that characterize a class act. Life coach Dan Sullivan created the list, as follows:
1) Live by your own highest standards.
Class acts live by higher standards than those of most people in conventional society. Their goals are consciously chosen and applied.
I have been writing about these success principles for months, and I hope that it has inspired you, dear reader, to apply them to your own life. Without high standards, we merely become one more mediocre individual in the great cattle herd of society.
2) Maintain dignity and grace under pressure.
People who are classy do not become perturbed when chaos ensues. They remain so calm that it gives others courage. They are so certain that God will work all things out for the good of those who love him that they are capable of leading others with ease.
Joe exhibits this type of grace under pressure. Years ago, I injured my leg, and he had to take me to the emergency room. On the way there, the hospital paged him to help a family deal with an unexpected death. While I lay on a gurney in one cubicle, I could see Joe calmly talking to the hysterical wife of the deceased man and her teenage daughter, who was lying on the floor and screaming. Joe's quiet spirit provided strength to everyone on staff who was trying to deal with the situation.
3) Focus and improve the behavior of others.
Class acts are excellent role models. Their higher standards of thinking and behaving begin to make an impact on others. Under their leadership, people improve their own acts.
Whenever Joe is faced with a difficult situation, I frequently ask him how Bob Russell would handle it. Remembering Bob's expectations of excellence helps Joe to make decisions that most conventional people would not.
4) Operate from a larger, inclusive perspective.
This is a modern-day version of Jesus' new testament commandments from Mark 12:30-31 (NIV): Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength...Love your neighbor as yourself.
5) Increase the quality of every experience.
People with class look for ways to enrich the lives of others. They do this by introducing greater beauty and significance into every experience.
My Aunt Marjorie certainly was a class act in this regard. As a teen, I cut her grass weekly. Whenever my work was done, I found a beautiful luncheon laid out for me in her dining room. She served me as if I were a visiting dignitary; the table was set with freshly starched linens, fine china, sterling silver, and sparkling crystal. She had the ability to turn a simple meal into a beautiful and significant experience.
6) Counteract meanness, pettiness, and vulgarity.
We are surrounded by mean, petty, vulgar people in our society. With the invention of television, we can now view them regularly in our own living rooms. Class acts counteract these negative qualities with courtesy, respect, gratitude, and generosity.
Our brains will model what we see the most. If we are surrounded by crass people--either in our daily walks or through what we view on TV--we will eventually become like they are. I refuse to watch TV, because I don't want to ever become like most of the characters depicted on the screen. I want to be a class act.
7) Take responsibility for actions and results.
People with class accept responsibility for their actions when most other people would hide from the truth. They see failures as opportunities to do better the next time.
As survivors of abuse, we frequently become defensive if someone points out an error we have made. Our minds have become so well programmed to expect futher punishment for mistakes, that we automatically lash out when corrected.
Unfortunately, our defensiveness often prevents us from reaching the levels of success we desire. To become people of class, we must first learn to accept the truth about our actions. Only after doing so, can we look for ways to improve ourselves.
8) Strengthen the integrity of all situations.
If we want to become class acts, we must constantly strive to grow by setting clear goals that stretch our current abilities. Creating a list of goals, along with action steps to meet them, is a must.
9) Expand the meaning of being human.
People with class do not confine themselves to old ways of thinking and doing things. They push the envelope and expect more of themselves. This provides them with the freedom to do what God sent them here to accomplish. By living so freely, they set an example for others to do the same.
Survivors of incest often live by old rules of silence and shame. I have frequently made others in my family uncomfortable and angry by speaking out about the ugly truth of childhood sexual abuse. Those who cling to the old ways struggle with their ways of coping. Some, however, have found freedom in expressing their pain as a result of my speaking the truth.
10) Increase the confidence and capabilities of others.
By acting with class, we inspire others. Whenever we enter a room, other people feel an increase in their energy, and their confidence increases. By choosing our governing ideals and sticking with them, we can help others to create ways to grow, too.
Like attracts like.
If we make the decision to live by a higher set of standards, we will attract people of similar dispositions. Like attracts like.
Recently, someone showed me an internet video of a woman sitting on a toilet, presumably in the act of using it. Throughout the entire thing, she kept repeating stupidly, "Sittin on da towlet." It was the most base thing I have ever viewed.
I immediately thought of Bob Russell and wondered what he would have to say about such classless behavior. He certainly wouldn't be forwarding it to his friends. If we want to be a class act, we must be careful about what we attract.
Today's Challenge
In order to be a class act, we must look around at the friends, coworkers, partners, and clients that we are attracting. Are they class acts? If not, make the decision today to re-design yourself as a class act. Do everything better. Raise the quality of your attitude and actions to discover what type of people you begin attracting.
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
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