 The
21 Success Secrets Of Self-Made Millionaires.
By: Brian Tracy.
Published by: Berrett-Koehler 2001.
140 Pages.
Rating 10.
This book is a short, easy to follow success methodology. In terms
of what you will learn from this book, you will be shown the qualities
shared by people who have managed to become millionaires (many from
meagre beginnings). You will also learn from this book, how to obtain,
develop and harness these very same qualities into your life, that
have made these people millionaires.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve
their life, and particularly anyone who wants to become a millionaire.
Research demonstrates that self-made millionaires succeeded by
doing certain things in a certain way, again and again. Interestingly,
the most important factor in their attainment of financial success
was not money, but the personal qualities that enabled
them to earn money and keep it.
The rate of growth of millionaires in the States is about 15% to
20% per annum. According to the book, there are currently 9 million
people in the States, who are worth more than $1 million. Most of
these financially successful people started off broke, or nearly
so. Many of them have faced bankruptcy or near bankruptcy repeatedly,
apparently on average 3.2 times each. They commonly failed before
they found the right opportunities and succeeded. Tracy maintains
that according to the Law of Cause and Effect, you can succeed
by doing what other successful people have done.
What do self-made millionaires do? They followed the 21 success
secrets.
1. Dream big dreams:
Permit yourself to dream about, and imagine the kind of life you
would like to live. List everything you will do if you were guaranteed
success. From this select one specific action, and do it now.
2. Develop a Clear Sense of Direction:
Two factors that have the most effect in determining what happens
to you are what you think about most of the time and how you think
about it. Think constantly about your goals, so you continually
move toward them. Do something every day to move you closer to your
priority goal.
3. See Yourself as Self-Employed:
You are responsible for what happens in your life, so if you don't
like something, you are responsible for changing it. Thinking that
you work for someone else is a mistake, even if you have a boss.
4. Do what You Love to Do:
Find out what you really like doing and have a natural talent for.
Then, throw yourselves fully into that work. If you love what you
are doing, you won't think of it as work.
5. Commit to Excellence:
Whatever you choose to do, resolve to be the best! Say your goal
is to be in the top 10% of your field, think about what one skill,
if you develop it, would have the greatest effect on your life?
Then make a plan to get better in that area.
6. Work Longer and Harder:
Since all self-made millionaires work very hard, you should too.
Working hard means starting earlier, staying later, and working
more intensely. The key is to work all the time you work, and don't
waste time. So, stay focused when you work. Others will notice and
will help you advance.
7. Dedicate Yourself to Lifelong Learning:
Continually learn and improve in your chosen field. Think of your
mind as a muscle, which develops more and more as you use it. The
more you learn, the more you can learn. You should spend at least
30 to 60 minutes a day reading in your chosen field. Listen to personal
development audio programmes in your car. Attend as many courses
and seminars in your field as possible.
8. Pay Yourself First:
Resolve to save and invest at least 10% of your income. Take 10%
of each cheque you receive and put into a special account for financial
accumulation. If you can't save 10%, start saving even 1%.
9. Learn Every Detail of Your Business:
Learn how to do your work better, become an expert in your field.
By becoming an expert, you rise to the top.
10. Dedicate Yourself to Customer Service:
The more you serve other people, the greater your rewards. Customer
service is especially important, and all self-made millionaires
are dedicated to serving their customers well. Every day, consider
ways that you can increase the value of your service to your customers.
11. Be Absolutely Honest:
Getting ahead requires a reputation for absolute integrity, because
the success of all businesses is built on trust. The more people
trust you, the more they will be willing to work with you. Always
do the right thing, even if this has a high cost.
12. Focus on Your Priorities:
By learning to regularly set priorities and focus on achieving them,
you will almost always be able to achieve what you want. Identify
the most valuable use of your time and do that one task until it
is completed.
13. Develop a Reputation for Speed and Dependability:
Today people want things quickly and have little patience for waiting;
you need to develop a reputation for speed and a bias for action.
Whether you're doing something for your boss or your customer, do
it as fast as you can.
14. Climb from Peak to Peak:
Be like a mountain climber who climbs a peak and must go down into
a valley before climbing the next. You will face up and downs in
your life and career, since all business life is made up of cycles.
15. Practice Self-Discipline in All Things:
By disciplining yourself to do what you should when you should,
even if you don't feel like it, you virtually guarantee your success.
Worry about getting pleasing results, rather than about using pleasing
methods.
16. Unlock Your Inborn Creativity:
The three factors that stimulate creativity are intensely desired
goals, pressing problems, and focused questions. The more you focus
on achieving your goals, solving your problems and answering tough
questions, the stronger you will become.
17. Get Yourself Around, the Right People:
The more people you know - or who know you in a positive light -
the more successful you will be and the more quickly you will advance.
Try to associate with positive people and get away from negative,
critical, complaining ones.
18. Take Excellent Care of Your Physical Health:
You can aim to live to 80 or older as you build the good health
you need to do well professionally. Maintain a proper weight, follow
a proper diet and exercise regularly.
19. Be Decisive and Action Oriented:
Self-made millionaires think carefully about making decisions quickly,
and so should you. Get feedback and quickly make any necessary corrections.
By being decisive and action orientated, you will get far more done
every day and you will live your life in a higher gear.
20. Never Allow Failure to Be an Option:
Fear of failure, not failure itself, is the greatest obstacle to
success. Failure makes you stronger and more determined, but fear
of failure paralyses you. Thus, do what you fear: when you act boldly,
you'll find that hidden forces will come to aid you.
21. Pass the Persistence Test:
Never give up, no matter what happens. Be willing to persist, regardless
of difficulties, disappointments and setbacks. Recurring crises
are inevitable, and usually rise every few months. When you respond
positively and effectively, you become stronger and cope better.
Tracy contends that if you follow these principles of success consistently
and persistently you will succeed. And nothing can stop you.
I agree, and we give this book a rating of 10.
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