I recently went through a very bad spell with my health. I honestly thought I was going to die.
This went on for about two or three weeks and, when I finally got over it, I sat down and thought about the reasons.
I was going to write a long rambling post about why I thought I got to that stage, but then I saw this article. It was written by Bruce Barton in the 1920s.
What stuck me are the lines I’ve highlighted, and realised this is what’s been happening to me… or rather… not happening. I was ruining my health in the pursuit of my business.
Take a look and see if it rings any bells. Let me know what you think, and how it affects you, in the comments.
About Making Money
It is easy to be hypocritical on the subject of money.
We have formed a habit of pretending publicly to despise money, while actually working our heads off to get more of it.
We make speeches to young men advising them to “seek the higher good,” and hurry straightway to our offices to make up for lost time.
Let us have done with such hypocrisy.
We are all out to make money; nor is there anything reprehensible in that fact.
Wise old Sam Johnson said: “There are few occupations in which men can be more harmlessly employed than in making money.”
It is not “money” that is the “root of all evil,” as we often misquote, but “the love of money.”
How much of yourself are you willing to sell for money?
The answer to that question is none of my business. It is a personal question – a question for you to ask yourself.
But if you are the sort of person I think you are, your answer to it will be something like this : There are some things I am not willing to sell for money.
I will not sell my health.
Not for all the money in the world will I die twenty years before my time, as Harriman did; nor spend my old age drinking hot water,
like John D. Rockefeller.
I will not sell my home.
I will forget my business when I leave my office.
My home shall be a place of rest and high thinking and peace not a mere annex to my factory or office, where the talk is of nothing but gains and loss.
I will not sell my honor.
I will not engage in any business, no matter what the profit, that does not contribute something to the happiness and progress of the
world.
King Midas, in a fit of covetousness, prayed that everything he touched might turn to gold.
And his prayer was granted.
The food he was lifting to his mouth turned to gold. His wife, if he had touched her, would have turned to gold.
There are too many King Midases loose in the world.
They do not have the Midas touch: they have the Midas look: They see nothing but money.
A beautiful garden to them is merely something that “must have cost a thousand dollars.”
They look on their homes and they see, not a home, but an expense of so much a month.
They look on their wives, and figure how much less it cost them to live when they lived alone.
The universe, to them, is a balancesheet: their minds are adding-machines: their hearts beat in tune with the ticker.
God pity them the men with the Midas look!
Get money but stop once in a while to figure what it is costing you to get it.
No man gets it without giving something in return.
The wise man gives his labor and ability.
The fool gives his life.
Best,
Rezbi
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com
Filed under business, John D Rockefeller, King Midas, make money, Midas Touch, Money, Success by on Feb 6th, 2011. Comment. 
A moment in advantage history…
I just saw this. It is such an amazing video I just had to put it up here.
Watch it. You won’t regret it.
Best,
Rezbi
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com
Filed under Success by on Aug 23rd, 2010. 1 Comment.
Earl Nightingale talks about what it takes to become successful.
Best,
Rezbi
www.directmarketingcourse.com
www.hotbuttoncopywriting.com
www.commonsensedirectmarketing.com
Filed under Success by on Jul 31st, 2010. Comment.
My God. Is this an important newsletter!
How many people do you know who are highly
successful?
I’d be surprised if you know more than a handful in
your entire life.
But suppose I asked you a different question.
How many people do you know who are both truly
happy and successful?
I’d wager a lot that you’d be hard pressed to name
even one or two people who are blessed with both
of these rare qualities.
I’ve known many, many, self-made millionaires.
Indeed, I’ve mentored many of them. And I know
numerous heirs to a large fortune.
Whether inherited or earned, it’s indeed rare to find
even a single person in a lifetime who has unlocked
both the secrets of happiness and success.
Let’s look at what does and does not provide
happiness.
For sure happiness is not about money. As
mentioned, lots or even most wealthy people are not
at all happy.
Indeed, contrary to common thought, instead of
enjoying life, many rich people are extremely
miserable and depressed.
It’s not even about health. You can be physically
very healthy. But mentally you can still suffer from
sadness and depression.
Happiness is not about how big your house or yacht
may be. Or toys, fame, influential friends, or even
business success.
I’m a happiness freak!
As a small boy I concluded I didn’t want to be as
miserable as the adults around me seemed. So I
decided to study the topic.
In a lifetime pursuit of personal happiness I’ve
invested lots of time and money in books. Seminars.
Group therapy. And studying various philosophers
and religions.
None of these pursuits, while helpful, fully
answered the crying human need we all have for
happiness.
** What is the answer to happiness? **
The good news, I believe, is surprisingly simple.
I like what President Abraham Lincoln, who
suffered so much in his life and overcame it all,
said. He made the most intelligent comment I’ve
ever seen on the subject of happiness.
Lincoln said, “Most folks are about as happy as they
make up their minds to be.”
By contrast, most people suffer from stress and are
in a constant state of worry and anxiety. A big
contributing factor to unhappiness is to observe
others and copy them. Simply do what most humans
do. Get up in a hurry. Never examine your life.
Instead stay stressed all day long until you flop into
bed at night.
** The key to happiness **
I find that the closest any of us can come to being
happy each and every day of your life rests on a
simple important principle.
How you start your day.
It’s all about how, upon awakening, you spend the
first 20 minutes.
Here is what I do each and every day. (Before I
shower or have breakfast.)
1. When I awaken the first thing I do is verbally
acknowledge what a priceless gift this day of life
really is. We both know in our heart of hearts this
day, or any day, is promised to no one.
Our life is finite. It could end at any moment. I
simply thank my higher power for this special day.
(I won’t get into long a religious discussion here. I
believe it suffices to say this. I believe there is a
higher power out there, however you wish to define
it for yourself.)
2. I count my blessings each and every day. Both
the great big massive ones. And smaller ones too.
Big blessings for me include my health and that of
my loved ones. My children and grandchildren. My
friends. My clients. My career. My readers. My
freedoms. Books I’ve written. My business ideas.
Somewhat smaller blessings include my toys. My
houses in three countries. My travels. My
acquisitions. My sports, tennis, swimming, walking
and weightlifting. Books I love to read, etc.
3. I say several personal affirmations out loud. If
you’d like a free copy of what I use, click here:
http://snipurl.com/x70r6
After the first 20 minutes I’m now mentally ready
to take on the challenge and opportunities of this
special day.
I believe that I’m a truly happy person. And the
more I follow the above procedure the more
successful and happy I seem to become.
I strongly recommend you try my 20-minute
program. Be sure you let me know your results.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under Success, Ted Nicholas by on Jun 8th, 2010. Comment.
My God. Is this an important newsletter!
How many people do you know who are highly
successful?
I’d be surprised if you know more than a handful in
your entire life.
But suppose I asked you a different question.
How many people do you know who are both truly
happy and successful?
I’d wager a lot that you’d be hard pressed to name
even one or two people who are blessed with both
of these rare qualities.
I’ve known many, many, self-made millionaires.
Indeed, I’ve mentored many of them. And I know
numerous heirs to a large fortune.
Whether inherited or earned, it’s indeed rare to find
even a single person in a lifetime who has unlocked
both the secrets of happiness and success.
Let’s look at what does and does not provide
happiness.
For sure happiness is not about money. As
mentioned, lots or even most wealthy people are not
at all happy.
Indeed, contrary to common thought, instead of
enjoying life, many rich people are extremely
miserable and depressed.
It’s not even about health. You can be physically
very healthy. But mentally you can still suffer from
sadness and depression.
Happiness is not about how big your house or yacht
may be. Or toys, fame, influential friends, or even
business success.
I’m a happiness freak!
As a small boy I concluded I didn’t want to be as
miserable as the adults around me seemed. So I
decided to study the topic.
In a lifetime pursuit of personal happiness I’ve
invested lots of time and money in books. Seminars.
Group therapy. And studying various philosophers
and religions.
None of these pursuits, while helpful, fully
answered the crying human need we all have for
happiness.
** What is the answer to happiness? **
The good news, I believe, is surprisingly simple.
I like what President Abraham Lincoln, who
suffered so much in his life and overcame it all,
said. He made the most intelligent comment I’ve
ever seen on the subject of happiness.
Lincoln said, “Most folks are about as happy as they
make up their minds to be.”
By contrast, most people suffer from stress and are
in a constant state of worry and anxiety. A big
contributing factor to unhappiness is to observe
others and copy them. Simply do what most humans
do. Get up in a hurry. Never examine your life.
Instead stay stressed all day long until you flop into
bed at night.
** The key to happiness **
I find that the closest any of us can come to being
happy each and every day of your life rests on a
simple important principle.
How you start your day.
It’s all about how, upon awakening, you spend the
first 20 minutes.
Here is what I do each and every day. (Before I
shower or have breakfast.)
1. When I awaken the first thing I do is verbally
acknowledge what a priceless gift this day of life
really is. We both know in our heart of hearts this
day, or any day, is promised to no one.
Our life is finite. It could end at any moment. I
simply thank my higher power for this special day.
(I won’t get into long a religious discussion here. I
believe it suffices to say this. I believe there is a
higher power out there, however you wish to define
it for yourself.)
2. I count my blessings each and every day. Both
the great big massive ones. And smaller ones too.
Big blessings for me include my health and that of
my loved ones. My children and grandchildren. My
friends. My clients. My career. My readers. My
freedoms. Books I’ve written. My business ideas.
Somewhat smaller blessings include my toys. My
houses in three countries. My travels. My
acquisitions. My sports, tennis, swimming, walking
and weightlifting. Books I love to read, etc.
3. I say several personal affirmations out loud. If
you’d like a free copy of what I use, click here:
http://snipurl.com/x70r6
After the first 20 minutes I’m now mentally ready
to take on the challenge and opportunities of this
special day.
I believe that I’m a truly happy person. And the
more I follow the above procedure the more
successful and happy I seem to become.
I strongly recommend you try my 20-minute
program. Be sure you let me know your results.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under Abraham Lincoln, Fortune, Personal Happiness, Self Made Millionaires, Success, Ted Nicholas, Time And Money by on Jun 8th, 2010. Comment.
I was in London last week, visiting my mum.
While lounging around and watching a little TeeVee (I don’t have one at home), I couldn’t help but criticise the vast majority of what’s supposed to pass for advertising.
My younger brother, a lawyer and much more intellingent than I could hope to be, couldn’t understand why.
You see, like too many people, my brothers have the notion that if an advert looks good and wins awards, then it’s a success.
So I asked my brother one simple question…
“Assume you’ve just paid an agency to create an ad for you. It’s looks good; it entertains its audience; and it even wins awards. But… it fails to get you any sales. You make no money from it. Basically, that agency has just used your money to improve its own profile. How would you feel?”
He replied he wouldn’t be too pleased.
Then I asked him if he understood the difference between a good ad and a bad one. And he replied he did.
A good ad is one which makes money for the advertiser. A bad ad is one which doesn’t.
End of story.
Filed under Advert, Advertiser, advertising, Money, Success by on Apr 10th, 2010. Comment.
The missing word in all the discussions I’ve ever
seen about success is – honor.
Yet, honor is a basic principle which underlies all
success.
For instance:
To be a successful human being you must first
honor yourself. You can’t honor anything or anyone
without the deepest respect and honor of yourself.
To succeed as a human being, you must also honor
your loved ones. Your friends and your family.
As an entrepreneur it’s crucial to honor your
employees, suppliers, and your customers.
In fact, honor plays a significant role in all
your actions.
As with all great things in life, it occurs in
very simple ways.
Here are some examples of the role of honor:
* You honor and keep your word to those with
whom you interact
This means your dealings with all humans is based
on honor
* You honor your product or service, and make
sure it is at least 10 times better than your
advertising promises
It’s not always an easy path. But the rewards for
living a life of honor are huge
How?
Your inner feelings of self-worth and self-esteem
will rise to a whole new level
* Your growing reputation will help you attract the
most outstanding people in all the important areas
of your life
* Your business will attract customers who respect
you at the very highest level and become raving
fans for life
* You’ll become a magnet which will enable you to
attract any amount of financing you’ll ever need or
want
* You’ll enjoy your relationship with children and
grandchildren who will respect and honor you
* Most importantly, you’ll attract the most
desirable and appealing romantic partner you could
ever want
Now let me ask you this.
Do you feel the foregoing benefits are worth the
discipline involved in living a life of honor?
If you honestly feel the answer is yes and act
accordingly, you will determine any level of success
you choose in business. And in life.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under business, Discipline, Entrepreneur, Relationship, Reputation, Respect, Rewards, Self Esteem, Success, Ted Nicholas by on Feb 25th, 2010. Comment.
