That is what Annabel Candy is saying over at GetInTheHotSpot.com in her article The Real Secret To Success in 4 Words and I couldn’t agree more!!

The law of attraction

From personal experience as long as I put forth specific action in the direction needed to accomplish my goals there have been plenty of opportunities that have come up to help me get their quicker and easier.  However if I had not ‘put it out to the universe’ and continued on my journey towards achieving it I don’t believe these opportunities would have presented themselves.  I wouldn’t go so far as to say material about the law of attraction is a ‘con’, however they are definitely not telling enough of the story for it to be useful.

Choice in wording

Did you know that if you say ‘Don’t forget the milk’, it is much more likely you or the person you say it to will forget.  Instead try saying ‘Remember to buy milk’.  Likewise with how you talk about yourself and your life, you become what you think about most of the time. If you constantly think your life is boring and stale, it’s headed there!

To learn about how words affect people check out ‘PosiWords‘ over at Positive Imperative.  The concept will make you think twice about how certain things are said.

About being lucky

Just like Annabel mentions, luck has nothing to do with it.  Work hard, stay focused and you will get where you want to go.  If you aren’t where you want to be then it’s up to you to take responsibility as it is no one else’s fault but you own.  Remember to enjoy the journey though as well and if there is something you really want to do then …

Get off your arse!!!

It’s not your fault the bank said no to the mortgage for your dream house.
It’s not your fault your potential new boss for your dream job didn’t hire you.
It’s not your fault your first attempt at starting your own business didn’t work out.
It’s not your fault you make minimum wage and can barely pay the bills.
It’s not your fault you work 80 hours a week at a job you hate.

The point here isn’t to say who’s at fault for what. The point is what are you going to do about it?

Ask questions

The only silly question is the one not asked. Ethically and morally, how can you get the bank to say yes? Stand out from the rest of the applicants for your dream job? Do differently to help your new business stay afloat? Cut back on the hours you spend at work?

The more questions you ask, the more likely you are able to find another route to accomplish the same outcome.

CAUTION: this may take extra time, require research or giving an extra 10%. You have been warned!

Be creative

We are only limited by how creative we are to accomplish what we desire. Look for inspiration and ideas from others. Who do you know that has come across the same situation as you in the past and has gotten through it?

Choose your words carefully

Instead of looking at ‘road blocks’ as ‘big brick walls’, look at it as a ‘challenge’ and chance to grow as a person. There is a big sense of accomplishment waiting on the other side once you get there.

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are usually right.”

Whether it’s a trip, a concert, a toy or even a chocolate bar.  One of the most common excuses I hear from people is they do not have enough money or can’t afford it.  When people tell me they would love to be able to afford something I ask them from what’s stopping them. The two simple ways of being able to afford what you want is to re-allocate where you’re currently spending money or increase your income.

The money is there

Do you:

- wear the latest designer clothes

- continually upgrade to the latest cellphone

- have a coffee or latte on the go each day

- eat out a couple or more times a week

- have a hardly used gym membership

- subscribe to the movie channels

- have cable

It’s not to say having or doing these things is wrong or you should not do them.  They are simply where money has been allocated to.

Reality check

Where is all the money going to? Do you know? Have you taken the time to go through all your bills and statements and record how much is leaving every month? If not, now is the time to do it.

Chances are you will not like what you see, however this is the first step that is a must. Changes can’t be made if you don’t know what needs to be changed. Did you find you were spending money on things you did not even know you were?

Re-allocating

So now that you know where your money is going, how does one go about changing this?  The main difference is short term gratification versus long term.  Instead of getting a tall grande everyday try preparing your favourite brew before heading out the door in the morning.  Bring your lunch instead of buying it.  Cut the extra channels and revisit your DVD collection. Large changes aren’t necessary to make a big impact.  Saving $5 a day adds up to $100 a month.

How bad do you want it?

Do you really want that new outfit, the weekend spa adventure or the trip to the caribbean?  If you really want to do any of these then let people know you’re working toward making it happen because if you can’t afford it then you don’t really want it.