The Rich Get Richer - The Smart Get Smarter - ISSUE 38 - 4/24/12

Just as the saying states, "the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer," the same holds true to, "the smart are getting smarter and the dumb are getting dumber." I know this is a very bold statement, but if you stop and think about it, completely true. We live in trying times and just as in any life or death situation, the strong will survive over the weak and faint-of-heart.

With the advent of the Information Super Highway, the inquisitive mind has a wealth of never-ending knowledge right at his fingertips. For those of you who have invested thousands of hours into yourselves, an infinite amount of knowledge is an aphrodisiac, to say the least. For those of you who haven't, the Internet is very intimidating even though it doesn't have to be. Finding something you're interested in is not difficult if you know where to look. The idea is not to use the Internet solely as a toy, but also a tool.

Reading, writing, communication, and the desire to be a life-long student are a must-have to succeed in the present and future. Information is changing on a daily basis and without this foundation, you will quickly lose your competitive edge.

No More Excuses

Each and every day, you make a choice whether or not you're going to be successful. You wake up in the morning with the thoughts that will set your pace for the day. Each day at work, you make a choice whether or not you're going to work hard or goof off. Each night when you get home from work, you make the choice whether or not to sit in front of the TV or read a book. One of the top freedoms in our country is the power to choose. With great power, comes great responsibility. You are responsible for your own actions and all-too-often, you're actions are justified in the form of an excuse.

Following is a list of thoughts I can almost hear some of you thinking to yourselves while you are reading this article:

• "I'm too busy to learn."
• "I'm too tired at the end of the day to read."
• "I'm on the computer all day. I don't want to be in front of it any more than I have to."
• "I'm constantly learning new skills but I don't have time to learn on my own."
• "I hate reading."
• "I hate learning."
• "Between my work, my family, and my kids, I just don't have time."

Live and Learn

Hearing these types of excuses makes me cringe. Mainly because they are all just that... EXCUSES! Excuses are made by people with weak minds. The previous excuses I listed are those from weak-minded people. They are always looking for a reason to justify their actions which have negative consequences. The people who are successful in life do not look for reasons why they shouldn't do something. Instead, they look for ways to get stuff done and for solutions to their problems so that nothing will stand in the way of their goals.

If you have the heart of a warrior, here's a list of ways you will overcome the same obstacles:

• "I'm so busy that it's hard to learn, but I'm going to invest 20 minutes a day into learning something new."
  (That's 10 hours per month)
• "I'm ridiculously tired at the end of the day that it's very challenging to read, but I have many opportunities to read a page at a time."
  (Let's say up to 10 pages a day which is 300 pages per month)
• "I'm on the computer all day at work but I can spend a few hours on Saturday and a few hours on Sunday."
  (That's about 16 hours per month)
• "I hate reading, but since I'm in the car for 2 hours a day, I can listen to education audio tapes instead of my normal talk radio."
  (That's about 40 hours a month of education)

As you can see, solutions to problems are what set apart the strong from the weak and a little time invested into yourself now can add up to a whole lot of time invested in the future. Whether you are a family-goer or not, there's probably someone counting on you or looking up to you to succeed. If you have a hard time motivating yourself, think about them, dig down deep, and do it for them. If you constantly strive to better yourself, you have an infinite amount of possibilities and potential to gain.

"Live to Learn. Learn to Live." This is our motto and we've even compiled a fantastic list of books for you to read. Recommended Business Development Books | Suited Marketing Library