"Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking.
There are too many people who think that the only
thing that's right is to get by, and the only
thing that's wrong is to get caught. "
~J.C. Watts
There are too many people who think that the only
thing that's right is to get by, and the only
thing that's wrong is to get caught. "
~J.C. Watts
How To Change Your Life and the World
By Greg Habstritt
If the focus on negativity isn't bad enough, there's also a dangerous trend being talked about all around us - a theme that, if you buy into it, will not only extend the challenge that today's economic circumstances are handing you ... but actually runs the risk of putting you into a permanent state of struggle for the rest of your life!
This theme, this idea, is perhaps one of the most destructive concepts being promoted out there On the surface it seems to make sense and seems like the right thing to do. But if you buy into it, you're condemning yourself to a life of mediocrity and struggle.
What is this dangerous idea? Quite simply, it's the idea that, in times like this, you need to be frugal - that the way to get through today's economy is to tighten your belt and reduce. Ultimately, the theme is contraction - less is better, and thinking smaller is the safer route. Contracting, rather than expanding.
Now it may sound logical that, in tough economic times, spending less and being careful with your money is a smart thing to do, and in some ways this is true. But here's the problem - the more you focus on spending and getting less, the more you will get exactly that - less!
A critical mistake most people are making right now is confusing the fundamental difference between frugal and simple. This involves sacrificing, expecting less, and settling for what you have. I don't know about you, but the thought of trying to settle and just be okay with less sounds like a terrible idea to me!
The secret of success today is not in just reducing spending and settling for less. No, the real secret is to focus on growth and expansion and keep it simple - because that is what leads to abundance and success. It's about thinking bigger, not smaller, and focusing on more, not less.
The irony is that today is perhaps one of the greatest times any of us will ever have to create massive abundance and success in our lives. Many of the greatest companies in the world were started during economic downturns and recessions - General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Wikipedia, CNN, Microsoft, and FedEx to name a few.
If you look carefully at what made many of these companies successful, they were built on a very simple premise. CNN was about bringing the news to the world. FedEx was about getting something where you needed it overnight. What most people do when facing challenge is to respond with a complicated answer, instead of keeping it simple.
Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, "I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity of the other side of complexity." In life, the ability to retain a simple focus on what matters most is often one of the key elements that leads to success or failure. And here's the catch - it's up to you what you choose to focus on.
The world is going to be exactly how you choose to see it. Have you lost your job in this downturn? Celebrate that you've been given the opportunity to pursue your passions! Recognize that, while it may create financial challenges, those challenges are always temporary if that's what you make them.
I understand that you may not have asked for your present circumstances, but the fact remains that you can either accept them and complain about it or decide you're going to do something about it.
Financial challenges are temporary - but living a life without passion and growth is a permanent struggle. Do you want to immediately begin seeing the world as abundant and full of opportunity, but are not sure how? Here's how to do it.
Figure out how you can make a difference for someone else in the world. Think of how you can contribute something positive to another person, whether it's volunteering at a shelter, doing a random act of kindness, or mowing your elderly neighbor's lawn without expecting recognition or thanks in return.
Most of us have an inner desire to create something spectacular in the world and leave our mark - our legacy. Yet sadly, most people are not doing anything to create that outcome. Ask anyone whether they want to change the world, and they'll immediately perk up and get excited about that idea.
But here's what I've learned from hundreds of successful entrepreneurs, billionaires and thought leaders:
Don't focus on changing the world.
Focus on changing someone's world.
That's how you change the world.
And where do you start? You start with an important someone... and that someone is you!
Decide that you're going to change your world first and believe that doing so can be a simple process. Change your life by changing your view. Instead of seeing the economic challenges today as nothing but bad news, decide that you're going to see what's happening today as opportunity.
Recognize that things are tough for many people right now but that every downturn is what comes before the next up turn!
We live in a world of duality - left and right, black and white, on and off, good and bad. You can't have a coin without 2 sides, and everything has an opposite. With 100% certainty you can bet this downturn is going to be followed by another upturn in the economy. The question isn't if, it's when.
And aren't you better to spend your time today preparing for that next opportunity and focusing on growth and expansion, while everyone's fearful and focused on contracting?
Forget about thinking small! The world desperately needs you to step up and make a difference - to get excited about what you love. That enthusiasm is contagious and what ultimately creates change in the world.
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