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Another year has come and gone. Was it a good year for you or a bad one? Did you accomplish what you wanted, or did you just sit on the sidelines watching others succeed? Years ago, I read a piece of wisdom that helps drive me, mainly because it scares me. I hope the bottom line strikes that same fear in you.
“Time is free
But it’s priceless.
You can’t own it
But you can use it.
You can’t keep it
But you can spend it.
Once you’ve lost it
You can never get it back.”
Last year... that time is gone forever. None of us can ever get it back. Why would you waste something you can never get back? That makes no sense to me. I have a question for you: Why would you ever waste your time writing down what you want to do in this coming year? For the vast majority of you, that is exactly what you are doing. Here are the numbers on those accomplishing their New Year’s Resolution list according to Forbes:
23% of people abandon their resolutions in the first week.
36% make it past the first month.
80% of people give up by the second week of February.
95% of people give up by March.
Only 6% of people follow through on their resolutions.
Here’s an interesting correlation between that 6% number and individuals whose income places them in the upper echelons of the income distribution in the U.S. The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Federal Reserve state that approximately 6% of households in the United States earn over $200,000 annually. Now, that’s per household... so when you break it down to just individuals, that number is about 3%.
Most people want to make more money but aren’t willing to do what is necessary. To be in the top 6%, you have to do what others aren’t willing to do... and do it every day. As the title of this article states: Most People Will Never Do It. Do “what,” you may be asking? Here’s my short list of what to do:
Never say “that’s not my job.”
Get to work early and stay late.
Always be prepared and positive.
Help, teach, train, and mentor others.
Lend a helping hand before being asked.
Look for a better, simpler, more efficient way.
Beat deadlines and always do more than expected.
Treat everyone with respect, especially those below you.
Success is not about just writing a list; success is about action, attitude, and discipline. The top money earners understand that. Make this year a banner year for you. Be willing to do what others won’t. You can know what to do, when to do it, and how to do it … but if you don’t have the discipline to do it, it doesn’t matter. The difference between who you are and who you want to be is... what you do.