Habits of the Super Rich (2015)

Chapter 3: Developing the Mindset of a Successful Person

Really,” Jim said to Zach one day, “what good is all this indoctrination. Do you really think that the universe will change its ways just because I’ve changed my view of it? Do you really think that if I establish these habits that’ll make any difference?

“The wheels of my future were set in motion a long time ago. Maybe even before I was born. The universe isn’t about to bow down to my way of thinking just because I tell it to. Let’s face it, those no magic genie coming out of a magic lamp to propel me to success. I can’t change the past.

Jim didn’t really know how far off the mark he was. Once you begin using these awesome universal laws, you’ll feel as if you’re unleashing a genie from a magic lamp. If every any entity had ever said, “Your wish is my command,” it’s the remarkable energy flow of the universe.

Even if you can’t technically change the past, you can turn your present moment around and you’ll discover how to use its power to create a better and more successful life - much more quickly than you ever thought possible.

So what are these four rules you need to follow?

1. Take total responsibility for your life.

“Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will - his personal responsibility.”

Albert Einstein

I can hear you now. “But it really wasn’t my fault. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Everybody else has done things like that. But I’m the one to get caught. I was born under the wrong stars.”

It doesn’t really matter what argument you’ve decided to use, the bottom line is, your protests are probably merely excuses so you can absolve yourself of at least some of the pain of not creating a success life and not developing better habits sooner in your life.

Over the years, if you’re like most of us, you’ve tried to push the blame to various events. A popular excuse is even the saying of “Life happened while I was making other plans.” It’s such a common excuse (and yes, that’s all it is) that it’s accepted by just about everybody as legitimate argument.

But upon closer inspection, you’ll discover that this is merely another one of those excuses to absolve yourself of the responsibility for your own happiness, for your own success.

If you’ve done this, don’t believe for a moment that it’s not to late to change your change the way your think and some to believe you really do control not only your thoughts, but your actions as well.

In fact, by beginning step by step changing your habits from bad to good, can start right now to take full control for each and every action in your life. Before you even begin to argue, remember that this full confession is one of the most important steps you can take in beginning to feel good about your life.

Besides, if you don’t do this, you’ll go through life believing that you don’t have full control over the events you’re experiencing. Let me rephrase that. You may not have full control of everything that happens to you, but you have absolutely full control over how you react to those events.

This small change in perception can - and with time will - bring about a major transformation about how you view life and the amount of “luck” you’ll need to get through it.

The Power of A Brand New Start

Reassess these events impartially. Instead of blaming luck, analyze them constructively from the viewpoint of what you may have done differently in order to take full responsibility for that situation at that moment.

Once you’ve done that, and realize what you could have changed your next step is to remember what could have been done and forget about continuing to blame others or the “stars” or conjuring it as a part of fate. Instead, remember what you could have taken responsibility for. Then the next time you encounter a similar situation, be sure to take control of the event.

No one said it was going to be easy. But going forward you’ll discover it’s worth it. Don’t make a big deal of it if you happen to slip up. Everyone does now and then. As soon as you realize you’re not taking responsibility for whatever it is, then vow to start again and tighten control of the situation.

Yes, relinquishing your responsibility would be so much easier, less painful and, indeed, much less demanding. It’s also a much more comfortable approach. You can just sit back and point a finger at Aunt Katie, or your mother or your friend, Kevin. “It’s their fault I’m not a greater success,” you can say smugly.

Once again you can end your day by sitting in your living room, watching television while you munch on a bag of microwave popcorn mumbling to yourself, “When will life ever give me a break?”

But think of the power you’re allowing others to have over your life. Think of the power you’re handing to the “whimsical” fate of the universe.

2. Discover Your Purpose

Those individuals who have a problem taking control of their life and responsibility for their own successes (and failures) usually have another trait in common. They’re not sure what their purpose in life is.

Why of course not. You’re never going to understand what the Universe wants you ultimately to do with your time on earth if you’re constantly giving away your responsibility. Have you ever met someone who constantly says, in response to what she was planning for the day, “I’m going to let the events unfold as they want”?

That’s all well and good. Up to a point. It shows some degree of sensibility, but more than that is that it shows a fear of stepping up to home plate, looking the pitcher in the eyes and then hitting that ball he throws at you out of the ballpark.

Every time you allow the universe to unfold and fail to make plans, the universe will find some excuse for you not to do much of anything that day - or get caught up in the drama of others.

The truth of the matter we all have to be attuned to the direction the universe tugs us. But by the same token we need to take responsibility (there’s that phrase again) and step out. It’s the only way that you’ll be able to read the events and actually figure out what it is the universe really wants you to do.

3. Decide What you Want

And, yes that’s the next step in the process of using these amazing laws of the universe to your advantage. As you read about these irrefutable laws, you’ll discover that you’ve been using them all along - even if it means it’s been to your detriment. Remember that your subconscious doesn’t care what you feed it - optimism, pessimism, negativity, positivity - it’ll process whatever thoughts you feed it. Then it magically, mystically (so it appears) manifests it into reality.

If you don’t know what you want, if you don’t think steadily about your “purpose” in life, no wonder you haven’t found your purpose yet.

4. Believe that Your Goals and Desires are Attainable.

By now, I’ve hoped I knocked you out of your comfort zone enough to get you picking up a pen and writing down some goals. Perhaps they’re things you’ve always wanted to do but never found the time. Notice that turn of the phrase: found the time. You’ll never find the time. You have to make the time. Again, you must take control.

Now’s the time to decide that your goals, your desires, even those fleeting daydreams are possible. Always keep in mind the adage Henry Ford lived by: “Whether you believe it’s possible or not, you’re right.”