This sounds condescending. I want to make sure you understand if it comes off that way. Maybe even over-simplified. Things are not always that simple. There’s more to a situation than meets the eye. Fair enough.
Let’s put it in another way. Let’s look at it from a different point of view.
You can’t keep acting like you’re average if you want to be above average. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you must rise above the average. If you are living an above average life, you are making decisions consistent with being average. It’s important to make decisions that will help you reach your full potential and excel above the average.
Like my whole early retirement thing. That was a big goal.
If you want to get rich, you have to stop spending most of your income on discretionary items. Smart investments can help you increase your net worth and generate more income. If you want to lose weight, you can’t keep eating the same things you’ve always eaten. To reach your goal of losing weight, you have to make lifestyle changes.
You understand the idea. The idea is very simple.
Are you anticipating your next question, how do we live an above-average life? What can we do to ensure that we are making choices in our lives that are elevating us rather than keeping us stagnant? The first thing we can do is ask ourselves what choices we want to make that will bring us closer to our goals.
Living like the 1% requires three basic principles. A combination of how you spend your money, how you invest it, and how you use it to create passive income is one of the principles.
1. Know How to Set GOOD Goals
For the longest time, I sucked at achieving goals.
I would get an idea in my head, set a goal and forget or lose interest before moving on to something else. You will find that you aren’t really going anywhere if you repeat that process enough. The same cycle of activities is being repeated again and again.
You are treading water. You’re not moving in the right direction.
The goals I set were not good. I need to come up with better goals that will motivate me. They just sucked. They were not specific and measurable. They didn’t reach their goal because of that.
Losing weight is not a good goal. Setting specific goals, such as walking for 30 minutes five days a week, can help you reach your goal in a healthier way. Why? There is no way to know when we achieved that goal. There are a lot of questions. It can be hard to find the answers.
For example:
- How much weight do I need to lose? I want to make healthy lifestyle changes to reach my weight loss goals.
- How long do I have to lose it? I need to lose 10 pounds by the end of the month, but how much time do I have?
- Do I need to keep the weight off after losing it?
Too many questions. High-quality goals set by above-average 1% people do not have follow-up questions. These goals are usually well-defined and have strict timelines for completion. They have answers.
Losing weightis too general and I dropped it because I lost motivation. I focused on specific goals and objectives that were more realistic and gave me a sense of accomplishment.
Your goals should:
- Scare you a little bit
- Push you beyond your comfort zone
- Be specific enough so you know when you’ve achieved them
People who set high-quality goals are more likely to do well. They take deliberate and consistent action to achieve their goals. Goals that will change their life in quantifiable ways and goals that are worth the effort it takes to achieve them.
2. Know When Enough is Enough
After graduating from college, I realized how the world worked. I was determined to prove myself in the workplace and make the most of this new opportunity. It was way different than I had expected.
Corporate America believes that nothing is enough. Regardless of how much success is achieved, there is always more to come.
We are always told to strive for more. No matter what you have achieved, there is always room for improvement. More money. More fame. More status. More responsibilities. Faster software. Better machines. More productivity. Better. Faster. More.
More, well, everything.
We are not progressing if we are standing still. To make progress and achieve success, it is important to keep moving forward.
We never get to rest when we stand still. Relax.
Recuperate. We don’t give ourselves time to reflect when we’re on the go. Think about whether or not our lives are actually working for us. In order to assess and make changes if necessary, we should ask ourselves this question regularly.
Whether or not we are actually moving in the right direction. We don’t know if the steps we’re taking today will lead to a brighter future tomorrow.
For example, questions that can be answered during rest periods:
- Are the decisions we make consistent with our goals? It is important to consider the impact of our decisions in order to stay on track.
- Do we live each day with purpose and meaning?
- Are we always searching for more? Are we content with what we have, or do we constantly strive for more?
People who are above average know when they have reached their limit. They know when it’s time to take a break and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Then, they stop. They reflect on their accomplishments and then start again with the energy and perspective necessary to continue making the right decisions. They take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to relax and make better decisions for their future.
We will never set ourselves up for a life where we feel happy unless we stop to smell the roses. It is possible to take a break to appreciate the beauty around us. Whatever we are doing won’t be enough when we focus on more. It’s important to recognize the accomplishments we have made, rather than constantly strive for more.
It will never be enough. It never feels like it’s enough.
3. Never Let Your Finances Run “On The Edge”
Quick, answer this question: If you lost your job today, how long could you live your normal lifestyle before having to worry about money?
You are doing well if you answered for three months. Keep up the good work! If six months, you are doing even better. And, anything longer than nine to 12 months and you’re super prepared to weather a There are a lot of storms. If you must venture out in this weather, be sure to take precautions.
My wife and I possess several years of living expenses in case something seriously bad happens, like:
- We develop a health problem that needs funding to solve
- The stock market tanks and we lose a whole ton of money
- Anything happens that requires some quick cash
People who are above average have enough saved up in a savings or money market account.
It is nice to not have to worry if we lose our jobs. It’s great to be able to pursue our passions without having to worry about finances.
Fix the problem if you don’t have a lot of emergency savings. Set aside a small amount of money each month to contribute to your emergency fund until you reach your desired amount. Now. Continue to build your pot of cash until you can live without a dime of income for at least three to six months. You may have to take on more work, but the security you will gain is worth it. You can open a savings account. You can start building financial security by regularly depositing money into your savings account. Get ‘er done.
Remember, this isn’t “us” vs “them
This is a discussion about improving your life and not being better than anyone else. Everyone has their own path and it’s important to remember that. It is meant to kick in the pants. You can’t keep doing what you’ve always done if you want to improve your life. Make a commitment to yourself to achieve your goals by taking the initiative to create positive changes.
If you want to be rich, you should make choices that are consistent with that goal. Establish financial goals and create a plan to reach them. Each and every day, your decisions impact your success if you want to lose weight, travel the world or anything else. It is important to stay focused on your goals and make conscious decisions.
Are you ready for it? Let’s do it!
This post originally appeared on Steve’s personal blog here.
