There are really THREE AMOUNTS OF MONEY every person should decide upon:
- The YEARLY INCOME one wants to earn now— or in the near future;
- The amount of money one wants to have in a SAVINGS AND/OR INVESTMENT ACCOUNT; and
- The amount of money one wants as RETIREMENT INCOME—whether one ever retires from active work or not. Now, it’s here that most people make a very serious mistake—they never DECIDE on any of these three amounts of money.
Decision is another subject that is not taught in school. Napoleon Hill stated that it was the missing link in all systems of education known to civilization. He said, indecision is a habit which usually begins in youth. The habit takes on permanency as the youth goes through grade school, high school and eventually through college. “There is a corollary element that must go hand in hand with the decision … and that is commitment. IT MUST BE A COMMITTED DECISION.
Most of us have weak decision making muscles … we do not even recognize what it means to make a real decision. We fail to realize the force of change, a truly congruent, committed decision makes. Part of our problem is that we use the term decision so loosely that it has come to describe our wishes, not our commitments. Instead of making decisions, we state our preferences. The word decision comes from the Latin roots, “de,” meaning from and “caedere,” meaning to cut … therefore a decision means cutting from any other possibility.
A TRUE DECISION, then, means you are committed to achieving a result, and then cutting yourself off from any other possibility. Committed decisions show up in two places—your calendar and your bank statement. No matter what you say you value, or even think your priorities are, you have only to look at last year’s calendar and bank statement to see the decisions you have made about what you truly value. For example, if you are committed to growth, both professionally and personally a review of your calendar always shows multiple continuing education courses, seminars, and workshops in both the personal growth area, as well as in your profession. Your bank statement is filled with payments for online courses, purchases of books and videos. Bottom line … see how you have reserved your time … look at your expenditures … those are the road maps to the decisions you have made in the past.
If you will DECIDE on these three amounts, and if you will write them on a card to carry with you or put some place where you can review it from time to time you will automatically have placed yourself in the top three percent of the people. You will have a plan for your future—a blueprint for future financial accomplishment. You’ll know where you’re going, and if you’re serious about it, you will most certainly get there. You see, the trouble with people is not in achieving their goals—they can do that; it’s in NOT SETTING GOALS that people get in trouble.
They leave it to chance and find out, sooner or later and to their sorrow, that CHANCE DOESN’T WORK—that they’ve missed the boat. It’s estimated that only three percent decide on the money they’ll earn—and then grow as persons into the size of the incomes they seek. They thus take their lives, their fortunes and their futures into their own hands as they should, and accomplish their goals, right on schedule, all the years of their lives. You can do the same thing … and you can do it … starting RIGHT NOW!
There are two kinds of people where money is concerned: there are the majority who cut back on their wants to fit their incomes and there are those free spirits in the minority who make their incomes fit their wants. Now, which is best for you? You must decide. Ben Franklin gave us the secret to wealth. He said the road to wealth lies in augmenting our means—or diminishing our wants. Either will do. But the quickest way to wealth is to do BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
There are three strategies for earning money.
M1 ………………….. 96%
M2 ………………….. 3%
M3 ………………….. 1%
M1 Strategy—Trading time for money This strategy actually turns into a trap for 96% of the population. To follow it is part of our paradigm, it’s the strategy most people observed as they were growing up. It’s the one that’s taught in school and as far as becoming wealthy is concerned, it will not work. If an individual is able to save any money for the latter years of their life while they’re following their strategy, it’s at the expense of a life. They compromise on virtually everything that costs money—cars, clothes, vacations, etc., etc., etc. This strategy has an inherent problem— SATURATION. We run out of time. Everyone gets the same amount of time: we get all there is. It’s what we do with it which determines our quality of life. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, airline pilots, engineers, architects, laborers, waiters and waitresses—almost everyone you can think of follows this strategy and unfortunately, it does not work.
M2 Strategy—Investing Money to Earn Money This is an excellent way to earn passive income although there are very few people who do it—3% of the population … and not all of them do it well, although some do it very well. To develop expertise in this area requires time, interest and good counsel. Otherwise, it is recommended that you seek out some one who has developed expertise in this area, has an excellent record over a long period of time and follow their advice.
M3 Strategy—MSI Technology This is, by far, the best strategy that has ever been devised for earning money and has been used by wealthy people right back to the ancient 16 Notes Babylonians. It’s where you multiply your time through the efforts of others, by setting up multiple sources of income. You can have as many sources of income as you want. This is sometimes referred to as “mailbox money.” If you approach this strategy properly and study it continually, it can be a lot of fun, it’s extremely interesting and very lucrative. In the old economy, if you wanted to have multiple sources of income, you had to have a great idea and a fair amount of money in order to take your idea to market and properly promote it. That is not true in the new economy. Through network marketing, a person can set up multiple sources of income with a very small investment. It would appear as if network marketing is the distribution system that is ushering in the new economy. More and more professionals are being attracted to this strategy for earning income. When it is approached properly, it will give an individual the opportunity to enjoy a well-balanced life.
A Balanced Life A person is living a balanced life when they are spending their days doing what they love to do and at the same time, they earn the amount of money they NEED to provide the things they WANT, to live the way they CHOOSE. Now when you write down the yearly income you mean to earn, you no doubt know whether or not it’s average for the work you’re in, or above average. The chances are good that the figure you will decide upon will be ABOVE AVERAGE … perhaps quite a bit above average. That’s good! Now, ask yourself, “Who in my line of work is now earning that kind of money?” If you know, you’ll have a good idea of what you have to do in order to earn it.
Now, this is exactly how men and women move from the ranks into positions of top authority with corresponding incomes. I have no way of knowing your line of business. Regardless of the business you’re in, it needs new leaders—men and women to come up in the years ahead. Everything is expanding, getting larger, and with the increase in size and scope—the most DESPERATE NEED is for the dedicated, able person who can learn to lead—to LEAD THE FIELD—and to LEAD OTHERS as well. Some of the top executives in the nation today were once accountants, shipping clerks, struggling lawyers, service station attendants, salespeople far out in remote territories, sales clerks, mail room clerks, mechanics. You cannot think of a position from which people have not climbed to the top.
Understand what I’m going to say, and it will bring you and yours everything you want: it’s not the JOB—it’s the PERSON; it’s not your present CIRCUMSTANCES which count, but the circumstances you make up your mind to ACHIEVE that are important. The only limit on your income is you. And the income you decide upon can be achieved within the framework of your present work, industry or profession where you already have a start—and a place. All you need is the plan—the road map—and the courage to press on to your destination, knowing in advance that there will be problems and setbacks— but knowing also that nothing on earth can stand in the way of A PLAN, BACKED BY PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION. With the income written down that you intend to earn, spend a part of each day thinking of ways in which you can increase your service, knowing that you have only to manage this and the income will take care of itself. Since the amount of money you want to earn is more than you’re now receiving, your part of the bargain is to find ways of INCREASING YOUR SERVICE until the gap has been bridged—and more than bridged! Look at your card, with the three amounts written on it. By setting a financial goal, you are demonstrating faith. You’ll find that you’ll begin to become what others call “lucky.” You’ll begin to get good hunches and ideas; you’ll take far more interest in everything about your work and your company. You’ll see opportunities in your work and environment you’ve never noticed before. In fact, you’ll soon discover you’re no longer the same person. You’ll care less how others are doing their jobs—and concern yourself more with the manner in which you do yours. By your example you’ll inspire others to do their jobs better. Have faith in yourself—and the quiet, firm inner knowledge that you can and will accomplish your goals.
Know that THE ANSWERS YOU SEEK WILL COME TO YOU in their own time … if you only keep looking for them. Above all, realize that money cannot be sought directly. MONEY, like happiness, IS AN EFFECT. It’s the result of a cause, and the cause is valuable service. Keep money in its proper place. It’s a servant, nothing more. It’s a tool with which we can live better, see more of the world, give our youngsters the education they need and a good start in life. It’s the means to a happy, carefree retirement in later years. Money is necessary to modern life, but keep it in its place. You need only so much food to enjoy good health; you need only so much money to live comfortably, securely, and well. Too much emphasis on money reverses the whole picture—you then become the servant, and the money becomes the master.
As Horace Latimer put it: “It’s good to have money and the things money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things that money can’t buy.” Every person should know happiness in their work and home—and prosperity. These things can and should be yours.
Now—read this message as often as you can during the next week. Fix your plans firmly in your mind—and relax. Keep cool and calm. Be as serene as you possibly can be. You have nothing to worry about. Right now you may have no idea at all how the additional income you seek is going to come to you— nor how you’re going to save the amount you want in a savings account. Or how you can possibly arrange for the retirement income you’ve decided upon. That isn’t important. Remember that the only really important thing is that you know WHAT YOU WANT. If you do, YOU WILL BECOME—you must become— WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT.
Be realistic about your financial goals. For as you reach them, you can then set higher goals. Trying to jump too far too soon can often result in confusion, tenseness, and worry. Take your growth in sensible, logical steps—remembering that the big thing is that you know what you want and that you realize your rewards will match your service. That is—that you must devise ways and means of actually becoming the person who is worth the amount of money you have established for yourself. A person may be worth more than they’re getting—for a while—but the two will match up. They have to. In fact, unless a person is worth MORE than they’re now receiving, they cannot move ahead. They’re receiving all they’re worth. It all gets back to the great law that controls everything in the universe: CAUSE—AND EFFECT. The cause must precede the effect, or the effect cannot occur. This is why people who try to get something for nothing are only fooling themselves and earning the disillusionment and frustration they must one day reap.
You can have what you want. You need only make up your mind. This is the amount of money I want to earn annually. Make certain the figure you put in that box represents the amount of money you need, to provide the things you want, to live the way you choose. Don’t be shy and don’t let the figure scare you. Remember, it does not have to come from one place, although everything does come from one source. There is only one source of supply. You can establish as many MSIs as you choose. MSIs do not necessarily cause call for you to work, although they might. They will very likely require you to think. Make a commitment to yourself, that over the next one or two years, you will develop a certain number of MSIs. Use the graphic, “The Wheel of Fortune” as the model for setting up new MSIs. $ My signature is my commitment that between now and , I will establish MSIs. date # Date Signature
“If a person advances confidently in the direction of their dream and endeavors to live the life they have imagined, they will meet with success unexpected in common hours.” Thoreau