Everything you are wishing for will ultimately come true, now be ready for it!
Whether you know it or not, everything you are wishing for will ultimately come to fruition if you just keep consistently working, practicing deliberately, and never giving up. Those are the things that everyone probably knows by now but the one thing a lot of people do not know is how to be ready for it.
Author: Daniel J Bockman
The main idea
Be ready for what you want! A lot of business failures happen not because of a lack of effort or clients, many times it happens because the success comes at them so fast they are not ready for it. Start preparing now to be ready for what you want.
Most people go into their success journey with the idea that they’ll jump in and see how it goes. They are hoping to be successful and they plan for success by responding to situations as they come. But I like the idea of approaching success with the “prepare to win at all times” approach. The major part of this is to be ready for all your success.
A lot of people do not realize that being successful is much, much more than just creating amazing impact and reaping the fruits of your work. You not only have to prepare to win professionally, you also have to prepare personally. As I have always said, my best piece of advice is to not be careful for what you wish for, but rather, be ready for what you wish for!
Many do not realize that professional success can take a real toll on your personal life. For one, you might be losing a lot of friends as you become more successful because – it really is “lonely at the top.” Also your family relations are starting to become strained especially if you’re the first millionaire in your family. This is starting to become a growing problem. Statistics from the US labor Bureau are showing that 1100 new, first generation millionaires are being made every day in the US. Your time at home is a lot different now because you are probably working longer hours and weekends.
While all the professional success in the world is great, it’s nothing if you are not taking care of yourself and your personal life at the same time.
1. Time
Time in the success world is not like time in the average world. You are free during times you used to not be and now working at times you used to be free like weekends. To the successful entrepreneur, time is a fluid concept. A day is just a day whether it’s a week day or a weekend. You are only constrained by other people’s perception of time. Find ways to look at your new schedule and get the most out of it. This might be were a lot of successful people are struggling. Start engineering your schedule and time like you would your business. You were able to become successful in business so look at time as a new challenge to meet. The most successful people always make time for all the things in their life.
2. Home life
Your home life is going to be a lot different now as well. While you might be spending a lot less time at home, make the time you do spend at home incredibly magical. Your home is your castle. That sacred place where you find serenity and peace. I realize that you are probably now putting on a new addition or having the pool installed so things at the successful persons home can be quite chaotic. But keep in mind that home is where you are the king and queen of your kingdom. Be very proud of the work you have done to own a piece of the American dream and live well. Savor these moments at home as you sense of achievement. Do not worry if you have to bring work home. Work is what made your home life so great. Often time what made you successful professionally will also make you successful at home. Treat working from home or catching up on work at home as a good friend in your home. You will find that work is the best friend you will ever have!
3. Healthy eating
This is a big one for me! Success can really pack on the pounds if you are not watching it. Going out to eat at nice restaurants, buying lunches for new clients, drinking fine wines and spirits, and attending all the events of your success life can really start to take a toll. I get it, you have the money now so why not enjoy the finer things? I bet I gained close to 20 pounds after making my first million. This is so easy to do. A few bottles of wine, high-end blue label scotch, and big steak dinners doesn’t affect the checkbook anymore. When my doctor said my blood pressure was getting high, he said my business is creating too much stress and I needed to take more time off. More time off is not a concept easily accepted by the successful person, I said I need to start eating better and exercising more. Really pay attention to this. It’s probably not the stress, – you know you can handle the stress. It’s the lavish lifestyle that you need to watch. Take care of yourself fat cat!
4. Marriage
Having a supportive spouse is like printing money! Having that one person in your life that is willing to walk the tightrope with you and enjoy the breathtaking view is nothing short of magical. Especially if you have built your success together. Keep in mind that flying this close to the sun is not for everyone so if you have that partner that is willing to do it, take care of that relationship with your life. My wife and I spend the early mornings together having coffee. We never miss it. It’s that few hours before the kids get up we get to just talk and really enjoy each other’s company. We do not to discuss business. We talk about our kids and our dreams for our future. When they ask me what my favorite time of day is, I will say, “Coffee with her in the morning”
5. Your kids see you as a hero
It may not seem like it now and they do not say much about it, but your kids see you as a hero. If you are successful and creating a great life for them, they see that you are doing what most people are only wishing they could do. While your kids hear other people complain they are not rich, you are the one that is doing it! That’s pretty awesome and you can really take advantage of your awesome factor. You kids also see you struggle and then get back up and win the battle. There is nothing you can say that will have the effect of an action like this. When your kids see you get kicked and then you get back up and kick some ass to rally a comeback, you might as well be Superman to them. Your kids will never do what you say, but they will do what you do. Keep showing them how to be successful in this world with your actions rather than your words.
6. Extended family
This one can be very hard especially if you are the first millionaire in your family. Your parents and in-laws are probably very proud of you but ultimately you have likely surpassed them in life achievements. This is okay and it’s what they wanted you to do but it does present a problem that you are likely not used to. Your extended family still wants to be relevant in your life but as a successful person, it’s very hard to take advice from people who have never done what you have done. Handle this with extreme care. Be considerate that your extended family still wants to give you advice because they care about you and don’t want you to struggle. They likely do not know that the concepts that made you successful professionally crossover into your personal life success as well. What made you successful at work also makes you successful at home. They generally do not understand your professional philosophies so using them at home is unfamiliar to them. Don’t patronize them by responding to them with your super success zeal. I get it! It’s hard to hear something that you are not already telling yourself 10x as strong. But be kind and accepting and let them be part of your life. Besides, they might be seeing something you are not so listen close and take it well.
7. Friends
This one can be a biggie! As you have become more successful, you notice you are starting to lose some friends. They complain you never hang out anymore and you get hit with the whole, “You’ve changed” bit. But here’s the hard truth they don’t understand, you know you haven’t changed, (people never really change.) You just changed your view of life and how you choose to experience it. That vision of your new life sometimes does not include all of your friends. Sorry, that just how success is! You need to get very comfortable with the fact that your friends don’t share in your vision and especially do not share in your excitement of your new good fortune. Friends tend to be the sacrificial lamb of success. The Gods of success make you pay this price and give you the choice. No one ever said this was always going to be fun and nice but don’t worry, you’ll make new friends. Likely you will find that friendship drift into more of an acquaintance. Maybe you don’t need friends, maybe your spouse and kids are enough for you and the people you know are just that- people you know.
I really enjoyed this article. I like how you touched on different aspects of your life and how those areas will be affected when becoming successful. You tend to shed one thing to gain another. This may be why some people have a fear of success. They want to be successful in their professional life while also wanting to keep other areas the same. And, that is not always possible.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this! I love it that you see the underlying theme that sacrificing one thing to gain something better is what I’m trying to communicate. Thanks for commenting! It inspires me to create more.