For years, I read the books, but didn’t act on what they told me to do.
I’m not sure why.
Part of the reason was because I didn’t really believe it was that simple. There must be something far more complicated I hadn’t yet discovered.
Part of it was mental junk about “Why should I be rich and successful while others around me were struggling?” And “I’m too young. I’m still a kid.” That was in my 20s – when I already had a few kids of my own.
Part of it was because I couldn’t see the HOW. Yeah, you need to set goals. I get that. But I couldn’t see how I’d reach them. So it always felt like a fantasy and never affected what I did.
Part of it was because the few things I thought I was doing right were misguided. In retrospect, I was building castles on quicksand.
Part of it was too much worrying about what other people think.
Part of it was that on many days I felt like a fraud. I didn’t have all my ducks in a row, so who am I to be telling others what to do? (As if any of us will ever get all our ducks in a row.)
Part of it was that I thought there was a right way to do things. I thought that the people on TV and in the news must know something I don’t. So I kept studying and learning. Then one day I realized that in many cases I knew more than them. And often they were wrong.
Part of it was our natural tendency to overcomplicate things.
And I can go on and on…
But one day I saw a video from a ‘guru’ whose work I admired. He talked about how he’d followed the advice in a certain book. I’d read that book 15 years earlier. I’d thought it was nice advice. He’d acted on it.
He was getting hundreds of thousands of views on his videos. I was just another viewer.
It was a turning point for me. Something finally clicked.
I realized that there really is no secret other than this:
- You need to know what you want. This requires some thought.
- You need a plan, or system to get to where you want. Or you get overwhelmed and you never know what to do first. A simple, proven plan that makes sense to you, gives you the confidence and motivation to implement.
- And you need feedback. From someone who has already done what you want to do. Because the steps are simple, but there are a thousand little nuances you only learn by doing.
We each have a choice: To spend the years reinventing the wheel. Or to find a mentor who, in a five minute conversation, can save you 5 days, weeks, months or even years of figuring it out for yourself.
Each month I give away five free “Consistent Flow of Customers” Strategy Sessions to small business entrepreneurs who know they should be able to add $100,000 or more in income in the coming year. They just don’t know how.
If that’s you, keep your eye open for when I make the February slots available.
Please share your reactions in the comments section below.
Dov Gordon
