It’s not very common, but I do have a self-made billionaire friend; and he is healthy, happy and very generous with his opinions and advice. His best advice to me, even before I knew that he was a virtual billionaire, was like…
You cannot change your life overnight, but you can most certainly change the direction of your life overnight.
Yes, you can do it
Anyone who has achieved success in their life will likely tell you that their journey was not an easy one. Roadblocks, dead ends, disappointments, bad decisions, and bad experiences [failures] are often the stepping-stones that forge the path to future success.
I certainly haven’t learned all there is to learn about the life, but there are a few things that I know for sure. These universal truths apply to you no matter where you are in life or what mistakes you’ve made in the past.
What Do you Believe
Buddha was the leader in spiritual teachings some 2,500 years ago and the creator of Buddhism. To this day, people still follow this religion and apply his teachings to daily life. See what universal truths you believe in, and apply to your life… they are simple, powerful and life-changing.
- All wrong-doing arises because of mind
Take the time to be conscious of what our mind is conspiring then we will always be in control and want to do what’s right.
- No one saves us but ourselves
We ourselves must walk the path. In order to get well or heal, we must want it and do it ourselves. Whatever the problem, it stems from us, not anyone else.
- If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path
Really, just be kind, generous and loving always. The result of that is twofold. You will help someone and make their day that much brighter as well as yours. Always be helpful.
- There is no path to happiness; happiness is the path
Stop wasting time looking for happiness outside of you. All the happiness you need is inside. You must seek it within. Others can’t bring it to you.
- The past is already gone; the future is not yet here
There’s only the present for you to live in. Living in yesterday will keep us there. Living in tomorrow will make sure we miss out on things of today. Don’t look back or ahead. Look at today and do the best you can and enjoy today.
- One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world
One thing is certain, change is constant. Another thing that is certain, it only takes one person to make a difference. Never think that you can’t be that person. You certainly can.
- Every morning we are born again
What we do today is what matters most. Each new day is a gift. Unwrap it with love and excitement. It’s a new day to learn, earn, grow and love.
- Even as a solid rock is unshaken by the wind, so are the wise unshaken by praise or blame
When we are wise, humble and at peace, we won’t be harmed by blame or feel like we need to rise above everyone else with praise.
- The trouble is; you think you have time
Stop saying I’ll do that tomorrow. You are never promised another day. The things we put off sometimes never get done. Whatever you planned for today, do it today.
- It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe that lures him to evil ways
You are in control of your thoughts and actions. No one else is. Remember that before you blame someone else for something you did.
- However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?
This is so true and applies to those who talk about God, faith, go to Church, and preach but don’t apply any of that to their own lives. Walk the talk.
- Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship
Without any of those three, you have nothing but unhappiness and frustration. You should be nurturing and showing gratitude for what you have in your life now instead of seeking greedy riches and untrue love.
Though some may sound like “Chinese” to you, they can definitely be applied to your day to day life and should be. You will experience great peace, love, and harmony.
Learn the Universal Truths to Change Your Life for the Better
These universal truths apply to you no matter where you are in life or what mistakes you’ve made in the past. So read them, apply them, and watch the magic happen in your life.
- Everything and I means everything you want to achieve begins with a thought: So allow yourself the time and space to daydream, visualize, and use your imagination to craft the most amazing scenarios of what you want your life to be. Get rid of the realistic and logical thoughts of what can happen based on your past. Thoughts are made of the living, breathing, creative energy that makes everything possible, so use your thoughts wisely.
- There is no dream that is too big to achieve: Whether you want to live in a mansion, be a Broadway performer, or own your own personal island, there is nothing too big for you to achieve. I know this from experience.
- You have a gift and it is meant to be used, given, and shared in this life: Use it, gift it, apply it, but whatever you do, don’t waste it. Life is too precious to leave your song unsung, your book unwritten, or your dreams were undone. Stop questioning if you are good enough, special enough, or gifted enough to do it. You absolutely are!
- You are meant to thrive: and that means doing great things and enjoying life. In fact, it’s what life is all about. So, stop questioning your worth, let go of the stories you keep telling yourself about why or how or when you will be able to do XYZ and just do it already.
- No matter where you are in your life, you will always be able to come up with an excuse to wait: Don’t. You may want to wait until you have more money, experience, time, courage, or when you are smaller, wiser, healthier or more mentally prepared, but the truth is there is no “perfect” time to do anything. Life changes daily and as long as you use that as an excuse to keep waiting, you’ll never begin. Do yourself a favor and start today.
- Simple steps turn into big hits of inspiration that will open doors of opportunities you never knew were possible: This world is made of an intricate, seemingly invisible web that connects us to amazing opportunities and possibilities. Your job is to take the first step and follow that web through your inspiration. A simple phone call, email, web search, or coffee date has the power to open up doors you could have never planned for in your wildest dreams. Baby steps lead to bold moves and big opportunities. So never be afraid that the steps you take are too small. Even the smallest act can create enough momentum to provide more progress than you know.
- Your intuition is your inner GPS: and when you are tapped into it, it will guide you along your path almost effortlessly. The formula? Do what feels good and right and perfect…for YOU.
- You don’t have to know the “how”, the “when” or the “why” right now: Just trust that you will know the steps to take when the time is right and I promise you will be amazed at the resources, time, money, and contacts that arrive exactly when you need them.
- Magic is real and so is your dream: Believe in it, trust in it, and have faith that it is coming together even when you can’t see the physical signs.
- You are supported always, 100% of the time: There are people, friends, coaches, mentors, and others that will form your tribe to encourage and uplift you when you need it. Take the leap and know that if you need it, your tribe will catch you.
- Taking a leap of faith allows the net to appear for you: It is amazing what positive expectations can do. It is true for me and it is true for you. Try it. Trust it. Do it.
- Life is a journey: So true. Life is a journey and we all travel alone… and along the way, we make friends, have families, and acquire possessions. However, in the end all we can hope to take with us is our memories. Try to make happy memories of friendships, love, and relationships.
- Fun is important too! If I have learned nothing else on this journey of life, it is to love, be loved, have fun and let loose. Being playful opens you to receive an abundance of inspiration, opportunities, and energy to accomplish your heart’s desires. So don’t waste your days sitting in an office trying to make something happen… or just watching TV at home. Give yourself some time to laugh, play, and get curious about life.
Things You Can do to Change Your Life in less than a Year
Here are things you can start doing immediately to turn your life around in 30 days and get ready for achieving long term success:
- Read daily
If you want your life to get better, you need to start making better decisions. To make better decisions, you need to equip yourself with new ideas and better information. Get into the habit of reading at least 10 pages of great information every single day. At this rate, you’ll be able to finish at least 1 new book per month, for a total of 12 new books per year.
Don’t read fiction. In most cases, fiction is meant to entertain you, but not empower you. You should alternate between non-fiction categories that have a direct correlation to the areas of your life you want to improve. Examples of good categories include health, personal finance, wealth creation, relationships, business, self-help, productivity, success, and inspirational biographies. The wisdom and ideas you will get from these types of the book will undoubtedly help you to succeed.
- Put your needs, wants, desires, and goals in writing
Without question, the most successful people in the world all have goals. Their goals are the benchmark against which they measure their results. People without goals often have no direction. Like a hamster on a wheel, they move but go nowhere.
Turning your life around begins with identifying exactly what you want to achieve and then creating a strategy for achieving it. Give your goals deadlines, and identify the resources you will need and the actions you must take in order to accomplish them. Read your goals every morning when you wake up and every night before you go to sleep to ensure your mind stays focused on your objectives.
- Dissolve relationships with people who hold you back
There may be some people in your life that you are better off not spending time with. Not everyone has habits or attitudes that are conducive to success, and unfortunately, those habits and attitudes are contagious. Like crabs in a bucket, these people are the first to pull you down the moment they see you trying to climb to a higher level. You may have friends, coworkers, or even family members who fit this description.
It is not always a good idea to abruptly cut people out of your life (doing so typically arouses resentment). Some relationships should be dissolved gently. Gradually decrease the amount of time you spend with the people who you don’t want around you as you move forward. Use the time you would otherwise be spending with them to build new relationships with positive people who support and encourage your success.
- Stay hydrated and exercise regularly
Success doesn’t come easy. It takes a lot of hard work. In order to put in the work necessary to get to the next level without burning out, you need to build up large reserves of physical and mental energy.
The first thing you can do to immediately increase your energy levels is to drink more water. Water helps replenish your system, improve digestion and eliminate waste from your body. Many people make the mistake of thinking they are tired or hungry when in reality they are just dehydrated. Drink a large glass of water as soon as you wake up, drink a few glasses throughout the day and before each meal, and drink another glass in the evening before you go to sleep.
The second thing you should do is an exercise for at least 30 minutes (go for a run or go to the gym) no less than 3 times per week. Regular exercise helps strengthen your heart and lungs, improves your flexibility and strength, helps manage your weight, prevents illness, decreases stress, and it even helps you to get better sleep – all of which have positive effects on your energy levels, overall health, focus, and productivity.
- Start a Savings Plan
There’s an old Chinese Proverb that says: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” When it comes to saving money, this philosophy is just as valid. If you haven’t been saving a portion of your income for investment and future use, the best time to start doing so is now. Most financial planners would agree that you should be saving a minimum of 10% of your monthly income on a consistent basis. Unfortunately, most people spend the majority of what they earn (sometimes more) and invest very little for the future.
Don’t make the mistake of working hard for money, and then using that money to pay everyone else except you. Pay yourself first. Learn to live with 90% of your monthly income. Your future self will thank you for it.
- Learn how to Invest Wisely
Investing is actually pretty simple; you’re basically putting your money to work for you so that you don’t have to take a second job, or work overtime hours to increase your earning potential. There are many different ways to make an investment, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, equity options, or real estate, and they don’t always require a large sum of money to start.
- Turn Your car or Commute into a Classroom
If you work full-time, you probably spend somewhere between 5 and 10 hours per week commuting to and from work. Instead of listening to music or the radio during this time, start listening to inspiring and educational content. Most books have an audio version, and there are plenty of great podcasts that you can listen to for free on iTunes, TED, or YouTube. With an abundance of great content on virtually every subject at your disposal, you don’t have to go back to school to get more education.
- Stop watching TV
If you pay for a monthly cable subscription then do yourself a favor and cancel it. Watching television is arguably one of the most toxic, unproductive, time-wasting activities of modern society. Stop wasting precious hours of your day on negative news, sports, advertisements, and reality shows that add no real value to your life. Start using the hours you waste channel surfing on activities that are more productive.
If for whatever reason you just can’t live without watching a specific game or episode, then add it to your schedule, watch it online (on Apple TV or Netflix, for example), and make it a social event by inviting friends or family to join you.
- Practice Public Speaking and Go to Meet-ups
The ability to speak confidently and communicate articulately is one of the most valued and rewarded skills in the marketplace today. People who are good communicators are able to navigate their way through life with ease and enjoy more success than those who are not. They earn promotions, they build key relationships, they present their ideas clearly, they resolve disputes, and they typically earn the respect and admiration of the people around them. They are leaders in their organizations, their families, and their communities.
Most people are terrified of speaking in public, and they will do almost anything to avoid it. This presents a tremendous opportunity for those who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and develop this skill. One of the places you can go to practice your communication skills in a non-threatening, positive environment is your local Toastmasters club. Most of these clubs host weekly meetings where anyone is welcome to attend and participate. As you become a stronger communicator, people will begin to perceive you as a leader, and more opportunities will come to you as a result.
- Stop complaining
One of the worst habits a person can have is the habit of complaining. People who complain are usually negative and pessimistic by nature. Don’t be one of them. If you encounter problems or challenges, don’t complain about them. If you catch yourself complaining about something, bite your tongue and reframe the situation. Complaining about a situation doesn’t change. Get proactive and focus on finding a solution.
- Learn a new Skill
A great way to bring some more excitement and financial rewards into your life is to learn something new. Consider learning to play an instrument, learning to speak a new language, taking online classes to earn a certification, playing a sport you’ve never played before. The purpose of doing this is to ignite your sense of wonder and creativity, while simultaneously getting you out of your comfort zone and into new experiences and expertise.
- Start a Business or Multiple Streams of Income from Affiliate Programs
If you don’t already own your own business, there is no better time to start one than right now. Advances in technology have removed virtually all barriers to entry for aspiring entrepreneurs. Anyone with an internet connection and a credit card [or PayPal account] can start a business, or become an Affiliate, and there is no shortage of training and resources available to help you get started.
For example, at LeRumba, you can create a free website, promote your business online and on social media, print some business cards, and start promoting yourself to the marketplace. You could sell a service, sell your own products, or promote someone else products as an Affiliate in exchange for a commission.
- Look for opportunities to help others
Most people think only in terms of what they can receive from others instead of what they can give to others. But the law of reciprocity teaches us that if we want to receive, we should give. Giving ignites the receiving process.
If you want to feel good, one of the simplest yet most effective ways to feel good is to do something to make someone else feel good. If you want people to treat you with more respect, start treating other people with more respect. If you want your life to get better, help someone else’s life get better. The more you do for others, the more others will want to do things for you. Things that await you as you stand at the start of this journey (that’s right, it’s not the end, for this road goes on for life) will exceed your expectations. By carrying out these things (which are really very simple!) every day and working them into your life, you’ll begin to feel a sense of harmony and omnipotence; you’ll start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Yes, it sounds a bit pretentious…but believe me, it’s true and it works.
