By: Brian Tracy
The Law of Accumulation: how your financial fortune accumulates slowly over time and then becomes enormous, like a snowball. The Law of Accumulation: Every great financial achievement is an accumulation of hundreds of small efforts and sacrifices that no one ever sees or appreciates.
Develop Discipline
The achievement of financial independence will require a tremendous number of small efforts on your part. To begin the process of accumulation, you must be disciplined and persistent. You must keep at it for a long, long time. Initially, you will see very little change or difference but gradually, your efforts will begin to bear fruit. You will begin to pull ahead of your peers. Your finances will improve and your debts will disappear. Your bank account will grow and your whole life will improve.
Build Up Momentum
The first corollary of the Law of Accumulation says: "As your savings accumulate, you develop a momentum that moves you more rapidly toward your financial goals."
It is hard to get started on a program of financial accumulation, but once you do get started, you find it easier and easier to keep at it. The "momentum principle" is one of the great success secrets. This principle says that it takes tremendous energy to overcome the initial inertia and resistance to financial accumulation and get started, but once started, it takes much less energy to keep moving.
Start Slow, Finish Fast
The second corollary of the Law of Accumulation says, "By the yard it's hard, but inch by inch, anything's a cinch."
When you begin thinking about saving 10 or 20 percent of your earnings, you will immediately think of all kinds of reasons that it is not possible. You might be up to your neck in debt. You might be spending every single penny that you earn today just to keep afloat.
If you do find yourself in this situation, instead of saving 10 percent, begin saving just 1 percent of your earnings in a special account, which you refuse to touch.
Increase As You Go Along
This small amount will begin to add up at a rate that will surprise you. As you become comfortable with saving 1 percent, increase your savings rate to 2 percent, then 3 percent, then 4 percent and 5 percent and so on. Within a year, you will find yourself getting out of debt and saving 10 percent, 15 percent and even 20 percent of your earnings without it really affecting your lifestyle.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply this law immediately:
First, decide upon your long-term financial goals and then resolve to work toward them one step at a time. The first steps are the hardest and you must discipline yourself to avoid backsliding into old habits.
Second, practice the law of accumulation in other parts of your life as well. Resolve to master a subject one page at a time. Lose extra pounds one ounce at a time. Learn a language one lesson at a time. The cumulative effect can be enormous.
Showing posts with label Brian Tracy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brian Tracy. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Efficiency Curve
By: Brian Tracy
The more you discipline yourself to working non-stop on a single task, the more you move down the "Efficiency Curve." You get more and more high quality work done in less and less time.
Each time you stop working however, you break this cycle and move back up the curve to where every part of the task is more difficult and time consuming.
Self Discipline Is The Key
Elbert Hubbard defined self discipline as, "The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."
In the final analysis, success in any area requires tons of discipline. Self-discipline, self-mastery and self-control are the basic building blocks of character and high performance.
The True Test of Willpower
Starting a high priority task and persisting with that task until it is 100% complete is the true test of your character, your willpower and your resolve.
Persistence is actually self-discipline in action. The good news is that the more you discipline yourself to persist on a major task, the more you like and respect yourself, and the higher is your self-esteem.
And the more you like and respect yourself, the easier it is for you to discipline yourself to persist even more.
Focus Clearly on Your Number One Task
By focusing clearly on your most valuable task and concentrating single mindedly until it is 100% complete, you actually shape and mold your own character. You become a superior person.
You become a stronger, more competent, confident and happier person. You feel more powerful and productive.
Build Your Self-Confidence
You eventually feel capable of setting and achieving any goal. You become the master of your own destiny. You place yourself on an ascending spiral of personal effectiveness on which your future is absolutely guaranteed.
And the key to all of this is for you to determine the most valuable and important thing you could possibly do at every single moment and then, "Eat That Frog!"
Action Exercises
Once you start your most important task, discipline yourself to persevere without diversion or distraction until it is 100% complete. See it as a “test” to determine whether you are the kind of person who can make a decision to complete something and then carry it out. Once you begin, refuse to stop until the job is finished.
The more you discipline yourself to working non-stop on a single task, the more you move down the "Efficiency Curve." You get more and more high quality work done in less and less time.
Each time you stop working however, you break this cycle and move back up the curve to where every part of the task is more difficult and time consuming.
Self Discipline Is The Key
Elbert Hubbard defined self discipline as, "The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."
In the final analysis, success in any area requires tons of discipline. Self-discipline, self-mastery and self-control are the basic building blocks of character and high performance.
The True Test of Willpower
Starting a high priority task and persisting with that task until it is 100% complete is the true test of your character, your willpower and your resolve.
Persistence is actually self-discipline in action. The good news is that the more you discipline yourself to persist on a major task, the more you like and respect yourself, and the higher is your self-esteem.
And the more you like and respect yourself, the easier it is for you to discipline yourself to persist even more.
Focus Clearly on Your Number One Task
By focusing clearly on your most valuable task and concentrating single mindedly until it is 100% complete, you actually shape and mold your own character. You become a superior person.
You become a stronger, more competent, confident and happier person. You feel more powerful and productive.
Build Your Self-Confidence
You eventually feel capable of setting and achieving any goal. You become the master of your own destiny. You place yourself on an ascending spiral of personal effectiveness on which your future is absolutely guaranteed.
And the key to all of this is for you to determine the most valuable and important thing you could possibly do at every single moment and then, "Eat That Frog!"
Action Exercises
Once you start your most important task, discipline yourself to persevere without diversion or distraction until it is 100% complete. See it as a “test” to determine whether you are the kind of person who can make a decision to complete something and then carry it out. Once you begin, refuse to stop until the job is finished.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Getting More Done, Faster and Easier
By: Brian Tracy
There are so many demands on your time today that very little of your time is yours to use as you choose. The good news is that you can take far more control over how you use your time at work and in your personal life.
The Starting Point
Time management begins with you making a list of your goals in order of priority. You always work from a list. You then organize each day with a list as well.
Priorities Versus Posteriorities
There is a difference between priorities and posteriorities. In order to get your personal time under control, you must decide very clearly upon your priorities. You must decide on the most important things that you could possible be doing to give yourself the same amount of happiness, satisfaction, and joy in life. But at the same time, you must establish posteriorities as well. Just as priorities are things that you do more of and sooner, posteriorities are things that you do less of and later.
The fact is, your calendar is full. You have no spare time. Your time is extremely valuable. Therefore, for you to do anything new, you will have to stop doing something old. In order to get into something, you will have to get out of something else. In order to pick something up, you will have to put something down. Before you make any new commitment of your time, you must firmly decide what activities you are going to discontinue in your personal life. If you want to spend more time with your family, for example, you must decide what activities you currently engage in that are preventing you from doing so.
Hard Time Pushes Out Soft Time
A key principle of time management says that hard time pushes out soft time. This means that hard time, such as working, will push out soft time, such as the time you spend with your family. So concentrate on working when you are at work so that you can concentrate on your family when you are at home.
Three Questions For Life Balance
There are three key questions that you can ask yourself continually to keep your personal life in balance. The first question is, "What is really important to me?" Whenever you find yourself with too much to do and too little time, stop and ask yourself, "What is it that is really important for me to do in this situation?" Then, make sure that what you are doing is the answer to that question.
Your Highest Value Activities
The second question is, "What are my highest value activities?" In your personal life, this means, "What are the things that I do that give me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction? Of all the things that I could be doing at any one time, what are the things that I could do to add the greatest value to my life?"
The Most Valuable Use of Your Time
And the final question for you to ask over and over again is, "What is the most valuable use of my time right now?" Since you can only do one thing at a time, you must constantly organize your life so that you are doing one thing, the most important thing, at every moment. Personal time management enables you to choose what to do first, what to do second, and what not to do at all. It enables you to organize every aspect of your life so that you can get the greatest joy, happiness, and satisfaction out of everything you do.
Action Exercises
First, look at your calendar, your list of tasks and responsibilities, and decide what you are going to cut back on or stop doing altogether. Second, organize your work so that you work all the time you work. Don't waste time in idle socializing or low value activities. Third, ask yourself continually, "What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?" and whatever your answer, work on that task exclusively until it is complete.
There are so many demands on your time today that very little of your time is yours to use as you choose. The good news is that you can take far more control over how you use your time at work and in your personal life.
The Starting Point
Time management begins with you making a list of your goals in order of priority. You always work from a list. You then organize each day with a list as well.
Priorities Versus Posteriorities
There is a difference between priorities and posteriorities. In order to get your personal time under control, you must decide very clearly upon your priorities. You must decide on the most important things that you could possible be doing to give yourself the same amount of happiness, satisfaction, and joy in life. But at the same time, you must establish posteriorities as well. Just as priorities are things that you do more of and sooner, posteriorities are things that you do less of and later.
The fact is, your calendar is full. You have no spare time. Your time is extremely valuable. Therefore, for you to do anything new, you will have to stop doing something old. In order to get into something, you will have to get out of something else. In order to pick something up, you will have to put something down. Before you make any new commitment of your time, you must firmly decide what activities you are going to discontinue in your personal life. If you want to spend more time with your family, for example, you must decide what activities you currently engage in that are preventing you from doing so.
Hard Time Pushes Out Soft Time
A key principle of time management says that hard time pushes out soft time. This means that hard time, such as working, will push out soft time, such as the time you spend with your family. So concentrate on working when you are at work so that you can concentrate on your family when you are at home.
Three Questions For Life Balance
There are three key questions that you can ask yourself continually to keep your personal life in balance. The first question is, "What is really important to me?" Whenever you find yourself with too much to do and too little time, stop and ask yourself, "What is it that is really important for me to do in this situation?" Then, make sure that what you are doing is the answer to that question.
Your Highest Value Activities
The second question is, "What are my highest value activities?" In your personal life, this means, "What are the things that I do that give me the greatest pleasure and satisfaction? Of all the things that I could be doing at any one time, what are the things that I could do to add the greatest value to my life?"
The Most Valuable Use of Your Time
And the final question for you to ask over and over again is, "What is the most valuable use of my time right now?" Since you can only do one thing at a time, you must constantly organize your life so that you are doing one thing, the most important thing, at every moment. Personal time management enables you to choose what to do first, what to do second, and what not to do at all. It enables you to organize every aspect of your life so that you can get the greatest joy, happiness, and satisfaction out of everything you do.
Action Exercises
First, look at your calendar, your list of tasks and responsibilities, and decide what you are going to cut back on or stop doing altogether. Second, organize your work so that you work all the time you work. Don't waste time in idle socializing or low value activities. Third, ask yourself continually, "What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?" and whatever your answer, work on that task exclusively until it is complete.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Four Rules of Time
By: Brian Tracy
There are four rules of time. The first is that time is perishable. This means that it cannot be saved. In fact, time can only be spent. Because time is perishable, the only thing you can do with it is to spend it differently, to reallocate your time away from activities of low value and toward activities of higher value. But once it is gone, it is gone forever.
Time is Indispensable
The second rule of time is that time is indispensable. All work requires time. No matter what it is you want to do in life, even looking out a window or sleeping in for a few extra minutes, it requires a certain amount of time. And according to the 10/90 Rule, the 10% of time that you take to plan your activities carefully in advance will save you 90% of the effort involved in achieving your goals later. The very act of thinking through and planning your work in advance will dramatically reduce the amount of time that it takes you to do the actual job.
The Currency of the Future
The third rule of time is that time is irreplaceable. Nothing else will do, especially in relationships. Time is the only currency that means anything in your relationships with the members of your family, your friends, colleagues, customers and coworkers. Truly effective people give a lot of thought to creating blocks of time that they can then spend, without interruption, with the important people in their lives.
Spell The Word Correctly
There is a question: “How do children spell the word ‘Love?’”
And the answer is “T-I-M-E.” It is the same with your spouse, as well. The important people in your life equate the amount of time that you spend with them, face to face, head to head, knee to knee, with the amount that you actually love them.
Grow Your Relationships
The more time that you spend with another person, especially a member of your family, the deeper grows your understanding and affection for that person. If you get too busy to spend time with your children, you eventually lose contact with them and they go off into their own personal world of school, peers and other activities.
The Key to Goal Achievement
The fourth rule is that time is essential for accomplishment. Every goal you want to achieve, everything you want to accomplish, requires time. In fact, one of the smartest things you ever do, when you set a goal, is to sit down and allocate the exact amount of time that you are going to have to invest to achieve that goal. The failure to do this almost always leaves the goal unaccomplished.
Action Exercises
1. Decide today to redirect and reallocate your time away from low-value tasks and toward high-value activities.
2. Make a plan to spend more time face-to-face with the most important people in your life. The more you think about the use of your time, the better you will become.
There are four rules of time. The first is that time is perishable. This means that it cannot be saved. In fact, time can only be spent. Because time is perishable, the only thing you can do with it is to spend it differently, to reallocate your time away from activities of low value and toward activities of higher value. But once it is gone, it is gone forever.
Time is Indispensable
The second rule of time is that time is indispensable. All work requires time. No matter what it is you want to do in life, even looking out a window or sleeping in for a few extra minutes, it requires a certain amount of time. And according to the 10/90 Rule, the 10% of time that you take to plan your activities carefully in advance will save you 90% of the effort involved in achieving your goals later. The very act of thinking through and planning your work in advance will dramatically reduce the amount of time that it takes you to do the actual job.
The Currency of the Future
The third rule of time is that time is irreplaceable. Nothing else will do, especially in relationships. Time is the only currency that means anything in your relationships with the members of your family, your friends, colleagues, customers and coworkers. Truly effective people give a lot of thought to creating blocks of time that they can then spend, without interruption, with the important people in their lives.
Spell The Word Correctly
There is a question: “How do children spell the word ‘Love?’”
And the answer is “T-I-M-E.” It is the same with your spouse, as well. The important people in your life equate the amount of time that you spend with them, face to face, head to head, knee to knee, with the amount that you actually love them.
Grow Your Relationships
The more time that you spend with another person, especially a member of your family, the deeper grows your understanding and affection for that person. If you get too busy to spend time with your children, you eventually lose contact with them and they go off into their own personal world of school, peers and other activities.
The Key to Goal Achievement
The fourth rule is that time is essential for accomplishment. Every goal you want to achieve, everything you want to accomplish, requires time. In fact, one of the smartest things you ever do, when you set a goal, is to sit down and allocate the exact amount of time that you are going to have to invest to achieve that goal. The failure to do this almost always leaves the goal unaccomplished.
Action Exercises
1. Decide today to redirect and reallocate your time away from low-value tasks and toward high-value activities.
2. Make a plan to spend more time face-to-face with the most important people in your life. The more you think about the use of your time, the better you will become.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The 13 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Success
by Brian Tracy
1. The Law of Control: You feel good about yourself to the degree to which you feel that you are in control of you own life.
2. The Law of Responsibility: You are completely responsible for everything you are and fore everything you become and achieve.
3. The Law of Direction: Successful people have a clear sense of purpose and direction in every area of their lives.
4. The Law of Compensation: You are always fully compensated for whatever you do, positive or negative.
5. The Law of Service: Your rewards in life will always be in direct proportion to the value of your service to others.
6. The Law of Applied Effort: All things are amenable to hard work.
7. The Law of Overcompensation: If you always do more than you are paid for, you will always be paid more than you are getting now.
8. The Law of Preparation: Effective performance is preceded by painstaking preparation.
9. The Law of Forced Efficiency: The more things you have to do in a limited period of time, the more you will be forced to work on your most important tasks.
10. The Law of Decision: Every great leap forward in life is preceded by a clear decision and a commitment to action.
11. The Law of Creativity: Every advance in human life begins with an idea in the mind of a single person.
12. The Law of Flexibility: Success is best achieved when you are clear about the goal but flexible about the process of getting there.
13. The Law of Persistence: Your ability to persist in the face of setbacks and disappointments is your measure of your belief in yourself and your ability to succeed.
1. The Law of Control: You feel good about yourself to the degree to which you feel that you are in control of you own life.
2. The Law of Responsibility: You are completely responsible for everything you are and fore everything you become and achieve.
3. The Law of Direction: Successful people have a clear sense of purpose and direction in every area of their lives.
4. The Law of Compensation: You are always fully compensated for whatever you do, positive or negative.
5. The Law of Service: Your rewards in life will always be in direct proportion to the value of your service to others.
6. The Law of Applied Effort: All things are amenable to hard work.
7. The Law of Overcompensation: If you always do more than you are paid for, you will always be paid more than you are getting now.
8. The Law of Preparation: Effective performance is preceded by painstaking preparation.
9. The Law of Forced Efficiency: The more things you have to do in a limited period of time, the more you will be forced to work on your most important tasks.
10. The Law of Decision: Every great leap forward in life is preceded by a clear decision and a commitment to action.
11. The Law of Creativity: Every advance in human life begins with an idea in the mind of a single person.
12. The Law of Flexibility: Success is best achieved when you are clear about the goal but flexible about the process of getting there.
13. The Law of Persistence: Your ability to persist in the face of setbacks and disappointments is your measure of your belief in yourself and your ability to succeed.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
I Believe
I Believe by Brian Tracy
I believe every person has within themselves inexhaustible reserves of potential they have never even come close to realizing.
I believe each person has far more intelligence than they have ever used.
I believe each person is more creative than he or she has ever imagined.
I believe the greatest achievements of your life lie ahead of you.
I believe the happiest moments of your life are yet to come.
I believe the greatest successes you will ever attain are still waiting for you on the road ahead.
And, I believe through learning and application of what you learn, you can solve any problem, overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal that you can set for yourself.
—Brian Tracy
I believe every person has within themselves inexhaustible reserves of potential they have never even come close to realizing.
I believe each person has far more intelligence than they have ever used.
I believe each person is more creative than he or she has ever imagined.
I believe the greatest achievements of your life lie ahead of you.
I believe the happiest moments of your life are yet to come.
I believe the greatest successes you will ever attain are still waiting for you on the road ahead.
And, I believe through learning and application of what you learn, you can solve any problem, overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal that you can set for yourself.
—Brian Tracy
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