I was talking today to the Apple Mac technician Syed to sort a problem I was having and I was so impressed by his patience and courtesy as well as his problem solving skills and it just connected with one of the ways Napoleon Hill talks about in a chapter from his book Think and Grow Rich called How to Overcome Failure and achieve Success.
After speaking to Syed I definitely felt warmer towards his company and I hope it reflects how they select and train all their technicians. Of course people are going to want to use this company if they have got the right ingredients for success, and for me a key pointer is treating their customers right, with courtesy and patience in my case.
So what's holding you back from being the success you would like to be? From the thousands of people Napoleon Hill studied back there in the 1930s an impressive 98% could not be classed as successful. OK there was The Depression, but could things be very much different today? Yes I know that depends on how you define Success but I rather suspect still a huge percentage of us would struggle to class ourselves as 'successful'.
Check this out. Where would you stand on Hill's list of the 30 major causes of failure (and therefore the keys to success)? He based his list on 25 years of careful analysis of the methods of both successful and unsuccessful men in America. Try this out with someone who knows you well as we mostly can't see ourselves as others see us.
1. Unfavorable hereditary background. Here he's talking about people with a 'deficiency in brainpower' and is the only one thing on his list that can't be corrected. OK. Once you've decided that's not you, move on.
2. Lack of well defined purpose. What are you about? Do you have definite goals? 98 out of 100 of us have no such thing. Got your goals sorted out for the coming year and written down??
3. Lack of ambition to rise above mediocrity. This is people who don't want to get ahead in life or lack the motivation to put the work necessary in.
4. Insufficient education. We're not talking college degree here but self education or becoming self made, and the ability to APPLY what you know.
5. Lack of self discipline - not having self control or self mastery ca be one of the hardest things to do.
6. Ill Health mostly caused by eating unhealthily, negative thinking, lack of proper exercise, fresh air and poor breathing
7. Poor childhood influences leading to criminal tendencies
8. Procrastination . One of the most common causes of failure. Most of us are living in wait for the right time to start something. There's not usually a right time. Just start and develop as you go.
9. Lack of persistence -starting and never finishing and then giving up at the first sign of defeat.
10. Negative personality. Success can't come if your negativity repels others but from applying power through cooperation with others.
11. Lack of controlled sexual urge. What? I hear you say! This most powerful of human urges needs to be converted into other channels.
12. Uncontrolled desire for something for nothing - a gambling instinct that leads millions to failure.
13. Poor decision making. Finding it hard to make decisions then frequent changing of mind. Indecision and Procrastination are twin brothers.
14. Having one or more of the basic 6 fears (that's for another chapter)
15. Selecting the wrong marriage partner leading to misery, unhappiness and loss of ambition.
16. Over-caution - not willing to take risks. Life is filled with chances.
17. Selecting the wrong people to associate with. We end to copy those we mix with. Who are you associating with?
18. Superstition and Prejudice leads to fear and ignorance. Keep open minded.
19. Selecting the wrong vocation. You've got to like what you do that you can be wholeheartedly involved in.
20. Not concentrating your efforts - having a jack of all trades mentality so you don't concentrate on one definite aim.
21. Indiscriminate spending leads to an eternal fear of poverty. Develop the habit of saving a percentage of your income systematically.
22. lack of enthusiasm - its contagious.
23. Intolerance especially around religious, racial and political differences. You need to develop open mindedness and be ready to learn new things.
24. Intemperance - overindulgence in drink, sex, food .
25. Not cooperating with others that can lose you big opportunities in life.
26. Possessing power not achieved through your own efforts. "Power in the hands of one who did not acquire it gradually, is often fatal to success. Quick riches are more dangerous than poverty."
27. Intentional dishonesty will sooner or later erode your reputation and maybe even your freedom.
28. Egotism and Vanity will flash like warning lights for others to avoid you.
29. Guessing instead of thinking. You need to take time to get the facts so you can make accurate judgements.
30. Lack of capital. (Thinks... Are there not people we know, or know of, who are now successful but had practically nothing or were even in debt to start with?). He says its especially hard for first timers to absorb the shock of their mistakes to tide them over till they've built their reputations.
Well there you have it. How did you score in the success/failure stakes? Did Hill get it right? Have things moved on from his days? Just something to consider and I for one will definitely keep good goal setting along with persistence and self discipline at the forefront.
Blessings for today
1.I am thankful that I have been able to maintain my focus and discipline today despite low energy from lack of adequate sleep.
2. I give thanks for my family relationships that support and encourage.
3. I am grateful for the labour of the Women of Columbia whose craft was given to me as a gift. Their labour of many hours to produce a scarf of great beauty is a testimony to their resourcefulness and hard work and I wish them divine blessings in their work. I take inspiration from their work.
Personal Development and Success
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