— Jim Rohn
Personal responsibility: two words that will give you the key to success. You are responsible for everything you do in life. If you truly want to change, you must start by looking in the mirror. It takes courage to take personal responsibility. It would be much easier to blame someone or something else for your problems or shortcomings.
Susan grew up in a small town. Her parents were abusive, and she had very few successful role models around her. She got pregnant when she was sixteen years old and dropped out of high school to raise her child as a single mother.
There were a host of people, places, and things Susan could blame for her situation, but she decided to take a different route. Susan couldn’t change the tiny town where she was born; she couldn’t change her parents; and she couldn’t pretend the little girl she held in her arms didn’t exist. She only had the power to change one thing—herself. That’s exactly what she did. Susan went to night school and got her GED. She read about a company she really admired in the newspaper and applied for an entry-level job. Once she had a foot in the door, she went back to night school and earned a bachelor’s degree, which led to her first of many promotions. Susan changed herself, and that changed her circumstances.
Your assignment is to think of at least one situation where you avoid personal responsibility. Make a plan to change yourself and take responsibility for your actions.
DAY
21
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions.”
— Albert Einstein
Imagination is not a tool reserved for children. It is a very useful instrument for success. When was the last time you took imagination out of your toolbox? Is it old, rusty, neglected, and hidden under all of the other tools? It’s time to clean it off and play a little.
There is a very practical use for imagination. If you can’t imagine your life changing, then it’s simply not going to happen. Albert Einstein nailed it when he said imagination is a preview of coming attractions. You have to think something up before you can bring it into reality. If we didn’t use our imagination, we would never have invented airplanes, or the Internet . . . or indoor plumbing. Think of all the new ideas that pop up in our world every year. Are you astounded by the ability some people have to create new things? You possess that same capability within you. You can put it to good use simply by playing.
Today’s exercise is fun, and you may think it’s a little silly. Your task is to practice using your imagination. Give yourself permission to let your mind wander all day. Imagine your perfect life. Where do you live? What is your job like? Who do you hang out with? There are no rules here. You can live in a castle and be president of the world if you want.
Now, become even more childlike. Imagine you are a superhero, and you can use your powers to help three people. Who will you help and how?
This exercise may feel a little ridiculous to you, but it has a purpose. You are stretching your mind to visualize the impossible. That is a key ingredient to success. Have fun!
DAY
22
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
— T.S. Elliot
Are you willing to take risks in order to achieve success? That’s not such an easy question. This book is about achieving success one day at a time. The idea is that you can take small steps and reap great rewards. It sounds safe, not risky. But you also have to be willing to go out on a limb at some point. You have to step a little too far into the wilderness in order to find out what you might be missing. Are you willing to do that?
What would happen if you took a risk and failed? Would it be so terrible? Many of us are terrified of failure, but maybe it’s not so bad. Think about failure for a moment. If you try something new and fail, what will you do? You will pick yourself up and try something else. That’s not really the doomsday we make it out to be.
You cannot find success without also experiencing failure. They are twins attached at the hip. Almost every great person in history experienced an equal measure of failure before finding success. You have to be willing to get a little egg on your face if you want the big prize.
If you are afraid of risk, imagine that superhero you were yesterday. That person wouldn’t be afraid. Pretend you are fearless today. Walk up to the person you have admired from afar and ask him or her on a date. Talk to your boss about the raise you deserve. Reach out to the person you fought with months ago and swore you would never speak to again. Conquer your fear by experiencing it and moving through it. You don’t know what incredible things you will find in that wilderness.
DAY
23
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
— Abraham Lincoln
Bill shuffled through life like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh. He was always sad. He just couldn’t catch a break. It seemed as though a dark cloud followed Bill around, and he never got to feel the sunshine. Friends and family tried to snap him out of his funk, but he was a hopeless case. They suggested he see a doctor about his depression, but he ignored their recommendations. Bill watched other people who seemed to be happy, and he assumed they were faking it. Life was hard. Every time he thought things were going to get better, he was knocked right back down in the gutter. Why even bother?
Your first reaction to this story may be to empathize with Bill or at least feel sorry for him. But Bill chooses his sadness every day. He picks that gray, dingy sweater out of his closet and decides to put it on. He chooses to concentrate on his sadness and not turn it around by accepting the help and suggestions of people who care about him.
You cannot choose your circumstances. Life throws curveballs at everyone on this planet. You can choose your reaction to life. You have the power to select your mood just like you pick out your clothes. If you wake up feeling melancholy, you can take action to replace those thoughts with happier ones. Maybe you like the feel of that old, gray sweater. Maybe it’s more comfortable. Are you choosing sadness today? It’s completely up to you.
Your assignment is to experiment with the power you possess to be happy (if you want to be). List ten things that make you happy and do at least three of them. Then, do at least two random acts of kindness for someone else. How do you feel?
DAY
24
“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.”
— Andrew Carnegie
One way to find happiness is to create goals. Unhappy people tend to be aimless. They are stuck in a cycle of despair that leads nowhere. If you set just one goal, it may become your lifeline out of despair and toward hope. Goal-oriented people have drive and purpose in life. They want to get up in the morning, because they have a plan to make their life better. They are looking forward to what the day will bring, not dreading it.