Over the years I have read 100’s of self help/motivational books. Not surprisingly there are common themes or ‘golden nuggets’ which emerge whether Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn, Dale Carnegie, etc. These I believe can be summarised into the following 7 points:
1) Goals are useless unless you create successful daily habits to achieve them.
You can control your habits as long as you have a system. If running a marathon under 4 hours is a goal; running 5 miles every day is a system to help you achieve this. First, define what you want, then create a plan and stick to it daily. Your habits will determine your success, so it’s crucial to create ones that move you in the direction of your goal.
2) Results don’t happen overnight
Change rarely happens right away, and momentum builds slowly. Don’t give up. If you do what you need to do everyday, you’ll be shocked by how much you’ve accomplished by the end of the year.
3) Blame nobody
You are the only person responsible for your life. Life deals everyone a different hand — it’s random chance. You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control your reaction to it.
4) If you control your mind you control your life
This is the foundation of every success theory ever written. It’s also where most people fail, because the mind is a fickle and we hate discipline. To clarify, “control your mind” means…
5) Focus your thoughts in order to control your actions
If you only think, but never do, you accomplish nothing. Thoughts that aren’t actionable are worthless. Let them pass. Focus on thoughts that compel you to act.
6) Controlling your mind takes practice everyday
You are not your mind; you are the willpower behind your mind. However you do it – affirmations, meditation, journaling, etc – you must improve, little by little, until you reprogram your mind to focus on optimism and action.
7) Be nice
There’s enough negativity in the world; don’t contribute to it.
