What Is Success Worth To You?

Regarding how you view success, may I ask you a simple question?

"When you consider the PRICE of success, what is it WORTH to you?"

Why do I ask this?

Well, the fact is you will usually have to give up something to get something in life. Success is no different. Either you'll have to give up your steady job to focus on that part-time company, or you'll have to take time from sports, hobbies, or maybe even family in order to do it.

Case in point: back in the 1980's and 1990's a receiver played for the San Francisco 49ers who broke all of the receiving records in the NFL. You probably remember Jerry Rice. I loved Jerry for many reasons. He knew that if they could get the ball in his hands, that he could help them win games. And, win a lot of games is exactly what the 49ers did! What made Jerry different? If you stacked up all the tall, slender, fast receivers in the NFL with "good hands" he probably would have stood out as just one of the many if it weren't for two things:

1. Work ethic.
2. Execution.

Most people fail because they lack either of these two qualities. Jerry succeeded because he began his workout campaign in both strength, endurance, and speed exercises running up hills, bicycling, and running sprints when the others guys were taking time off playing and messing around during the "off-season". To Jerry, he didn't have much of an off-season. As soon as one season finished, he'd take a quick break, then immediately get back to work to prepare for the next year. Jerry also was the best I've seen at running specific patterns and being in the right place at the right time. This increased the chances that he would be in the right spot to make the catch. Then, he used his athleticism to make moves to run after the catch and make more yards than any receiver ever before or after!

If you are not currently *feeling* successful, the odds are likely something is not happening yet in your path to live your dreams. That something is the *release* of what is blocking you from walking (or running) on the path you need to take in order to realize your personal journey. Usually, what is blocking you is your work ethic: the way you spend your time is not conducive to you winning the way you intend. Or, you are not executing on your plan. Either you stop and give up or change directions so often you never master any one thing.

If you take anyone great, the reason they become great is usually because they spend a lot of time, energy, and focus mastering their subject. Their sole intention is to master this area and know it better than anyone else. Usually, this mastery leads to higher pay, more options in career choice, and higher rewards in other ways, too.

Can you dig what I'm talking about?

How does your thinking match your ability to manifest what you want? I recently spoke with someone about a job they'd interviewed for the preview week:

"Did you get the job?" I asked. "I'm not sure yet... but I like the pay!" She replied. "The pay is good, then?" I continued, trying to pry without prying. "Hey - it beats social work!" She finished.

Well, yeah! What doesn't beat social work pay, right? So, I don't think she'd exactly set the bar high for what she considered high pay. But, if she was happy, then she'd factored the value of pay, time, and lifestyle into her choice of employment.

I once asked a group of seminar attendees a question regarding money.

Please write down your answer to this question:

"How much money do you feel you are worth an hour?"


Okay, did you write down your own answer?

Here is an interesting chart that will show you what you think you're worth:



Source: AspireNow.com

Most people will identify with this chart (above) in relation to money and the hours they work. Keep in mind, if you're working 12 hour days to make that same money, you might as well reduce your hourly worth by 1/3 because you're working that much harder to earn your keep.

But what if your goals are to make $1 Million a year? If you want to earn $10 Million a year, then what are you worth per hour?

Well, I don't even have to break out my calculator to tell you that if you make $1 Million a year then you'd better think of your hourly worth as $600 an hour, approximately. If you want to earn 10x that, then your hourly worth is about $6,000 an hour! If your time was worth $6,000 per hour, how would you spend it? What things do you do now that you would hire someone else to do? Can you make any of those changes NOW? (Hey - this is called AspireNOW for a reason!)

Have you ever thought of money like this before? If not, now is the time to start rethinking how you approach money.

If you are going to have a "millionaire" approach to money, then your worth per hour is now, from this day forward, $600 per hour.

When I, personally, made this shift in mindset, I started to say:

"I am now worth $600 per hour."

Does this change how you feel about housework? Playing that game of solitaire during your lunch break? Talking to that friend who just chatters away time meaninglessly every day? I'm not saying to become a jerk and never help out around the house, never have fun playing, or cut out every friend who isn't rich. I'm just suggesting that you consider your time WISELY. Make it count: every second of it! And, make your money count, too! Because the money you make will make you more money if you use it to work for you, rather than against you (accumulate assets rather than debt).

Next, consider the intrinsic value you receive from the activities in your life. For one week, break down how you spend your time. Each day, write down how many hours you spend on each activity. For example:

Eating
Sleeping
Working For Someone Else's Dreams
Working Towards Your Dreams
Getting Kids Ready
Driving/Commute
Travel
Resting
Thinking
Playing/Leisure
Sports/Working Out
Education - In Class
Reading A Magazine
Reading A Book
Personal Care
Sexual Proclivity
Talking On The Phone
Religious Activities - Praying, Meditating, Attending Service
Computer (break down time surfing, social networking, playing, or working)
Watching TV or a Movie
and so forth...

After a week or two of tracking, you'll have an idea what is important to you, based upon how you spend your time. After you've done this exercise, consider: does this way I spend my time match how I see myself in success? If the answer is "no", consider remapping how you spend your time!

The majority of people who do not accomplish their dreams often spend a considerable amount of time doing things like mowing the lawn, shopping, watching television, laundry, or driving to and from work. Obviously, while you're doing these things, you are typically not doing the things that can help you accomplish your dream(s).

When you're considering what is success worth to you, factor in the money, and factor in how you define success in time, people, and lifestyle. Then start to plan for your future with that revised understanding and mentality. Here's to our mutual success!

Bonus Time Management Section:

Interactive Chart: How Americans Spend Their Time

According to the NY Times: "At 9 p.m., nearly two-fifths of people are in front of the television. But at almost any hour of the day, a larger share of unemployed people are watching television or movies."

Bonus tip:
How to be twice as effective as the average person in America?

Stop watching television and spend that time networking, developing a company, or bettering YOU. My comment: Don't be "typical" - be unusual! Cut out the stuff that burns time like television and your productivity will increase. Plus, you'll have more of a social life!

The average American with High School education spends almost as much time watching television as they do working! (Note: The American with an Advanced Degree spends only 1/4 the amount of time working watching television, but this is still over an hour a day, on average.)

Related articles:
Value of Our Time
8 Tips for Healthier Living
Create More Financial Success

Related products:
Keys To Discovering Your Purpose
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Copyright © 2009 AspireNow. Chart by NY Times - see article there for interactive chart - it is interesting to see where people spend time.

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