Ten Principles for Reaching Prosperity

The Following is an excerpt from the book, “The Prosperity Track – Energize, Enable, Empower” available in paperback and on Kindle. Check it out on Amazon.com

Many people live their lives in constant pursuit of wealth. Although wealth creates opportunities for prosperity, it does not guarantee it. Wealth refers solely to material possessions, while prosperity is a state of achievement, contentment, and wellbeing. Prosperity encompasses health, wealth, happiness, relationships, etc. Although pursuing enrichment may result in a very large bank account, it may not be the most fulfilling life. In life, the journey is more important than the destination. Living a life of prosperity requires you to determine your driving values and focus your attention and effort in their direction. Your driving values should be present in every decision you make. By focusing on what is most important to you, everything else will fall into place.

I’d like to present a set of ten basic principles that you should keep at the forefront of your prosperity journey.

1. Understand your income and expenses. You have a level of income, which can vary based on the choices you make. You have a combination of fixed and variable expenses. You must determine the mix best suited to make your vision of prosperity a reality.
2. Differentiate between needs and wants. There is an important difference between needs and wants. You must determine which wants to satisfy, and which ones to exclude. Life is about choices.
3. Prioritize. In order to reach your maximum potential, you must be able to prioritize. When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority.
4. Maintain records and track progress. It’s imperative to keep records. When you write things down, it changes your behavior. By tracking your progress, you will see where you have been and where you are headed. This is apparent in many other aspects of life including work, nutrition, exercising, and sports.
5. Modify behavior. We each have a set of behavioral tendencies. We act a certain way and receive pleasure in different ways. In order to achieve prosperity you must understand your own behavior and its causes. By understanding your behavior, you can make the adjustments needed to reach your greatest potential.
6. Make tough decisions. Life is a series of choices and many of them are difficult. Choose where you spend your time and money. You are at the helm, and your life is well within your control. Making the right choice is not always easy or popular. Before making an important decision, consider its effect on your vision of prosperity.
7. Be proactive. Prosperity takes planning. You must think ahead when making decisions. Many of your decisions have long-term consequences. Anticipate potential changes and plan for emergencies.
8. Get started. Although many people have great ideas, ideas alone mean very little. You must act. Getting started is the most important step. Without a start, there can be no finish.
9. Have a long-term focus. The road of prosperity can be long and winding, with no immediate grand results. Your plan must be long-term in nature.
10. Celebrate successes. Plan for indulgences to reward yourself. It’s important to celebrate your successes in a way that does not derail your Prosperity Track. Rewards don’t have to cost much money. Find activities that are special, memorable, and don’t break the bank.

Life comes at us quickly; it’s natural to be reactive. Prosperity takes planning. Envision the life you want to live. What will it take to make it a reality? What is holding you back? Don’t wait until you feel things are “perfect” to make a change. Things will never be “perfect.” Make a plan and make it happen on your own.

Did you set any goals for 2013? Have you made progress? Why or why not?