by Jim Rohn
After having struggled for so long, it took a shift in attitude
for my family and me when success started to happen. When I started making a
little extra money at age 25, my mentor Earl Shoaff taught me to let it serve
as a new inspiration for lifestyle. Take my family to dinner after I'd had two
or three pretty good weeks and it looked like it was going to continue. I would
say, "Today we get to order from only the left hand side of the menu—we
don't have to look at the right hand side.” It didn't cost much, just a little
extra. But you can't believe the effect on the family. Wow—that these are new
days.
It's called changing your life as well as changing your skills
when earning more money. It's best to invest some of that early money in
lifestyle. Go to the movies. Go to the concerts. My parents said don't miss
anything. Don't miss the play, the music, the songs, the performances, the
movie—whatever is happening.
When I started making some extra money I opened up an account for
my wife and I called it the "No Questions Asked Account.” I said, "Here is the checkbook for a new
account, and it's called No Questions Asked. I'll just keep putting money in
there and you spend it for whatever you wish.” It was life changing. It wasn't
a fortune. But she didn't have to ask for money any more. I could sense that it
was a little embarrassing at times when she had to ask me for money. I thought,
that's not good, so the first time I get a chance, here's what I'm going to do.
And sure enough, I did it. The "No Questions Asked Account.” You can't
believe what that did. It was absolutely amazing.
With that little extra money, work at creating lifestyle. Social
friendships, church, community, country. All those things that make a composite
of our overall life. Start furnishing that with new vigor, vitality, money,
whatever it takes to expand your life into what I call the good life as well as
economics.
When I discovered those kinds of concepts at age 25, you can
imagine it was hard for me to sleep nights that first year. I got so excited
about changing everything. And one discipline leads to another. One change
leads to another. Feeling good about yourself and starting to make the turn to
do something you've never done before, then it starts to work, wow, and then
you get excited about changing other areas of your life as well.
Now after you have made your fortune, the money might not seem as
big a deal. Fortunately you can then create even more powerful opportunities,
in particular, opportunities for benevolence, philanthropy and giving.
Now I'm certainly not saying to focus only on external pleasures
and rewards. Your relationships, health and spirituality are all of more
consequence.
But in the beginning, when the rewards of your hard work begin
paying off, make sure and treat yourself and those closest to you to a new
world of lifestyle and celebrations.
If you know you want something in your life to change, you just
need that one moment, that one episode, one realization, one action.
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