Seven Cures for a Lean Purse Final
“The HOLE in our pocket/purse is usually larger than the money we are putting in – there is a cure for HEALING this HOLE – the medicine however, may hard to swallow and a bit bitter to the taste…” — Rick Cox
“But the result is worth the inconvenience of having to put up with the taste and taking the time to swallow…”
Rick Cox
Final Chapter
Cure #7: Increase YOUR ability to earn… The Richest Man in Babylon
It does not matter the skill level or pay of your current job, YOU CAN SAVE SOME MONEY IF YOU LIVE BELOW YOUR INCOME. Simply saving money can help you build a better future than you would have if you were to spend all you made. This is true regardless of your income. There is nothing wrong with this thinking if all you want to do is to have a little extra money above your social security during retirement.
If however, you want to enjoy life at a higher level and wish to save enough money to ensure this type of solid financial future for your retirement or that of your estate, this will not be realized until you become what it takes to earn more. It is only by increasing the amount you earn that you will be able through saving to amass wealth at a quicker pace, and thus, enjoy a better quality of living for the rest of your natural life.
What I found to be of help in making this happen in my life was to work harder and longer than those who worked around me. What I also found to be of interest is there were those who did not work as hard yet, where more productive. I deducted it was simply matter of skill level in those that were more productive. The difference between myself and many others was that as my skill level increased to the point of producing more, rather than slowing down or only doing enough to get by, I worked harder and longer. The result of doing this was that my production and income grew accordingly. I continued to work harder and smarter producing more than those who worked around me.
What I have learned is it wasn’t the hours one puts in, but what is put in the hours that matters i.e., the increasing of one’s skill. It is sad that many seek only to get something from each hour. That is to say many only seek a wage rather than learning to put something into the hour via skill thereby, commanding a higher return on their investment of time. Jim Rohn said, “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.” This is what will help you put more into the hour.
On the other hand there are those who do not seek to become better; choosing rather to ask for a raise. In most cases these people have done nothing to improve their skill level or do more yet, to get more money they threaten to go on strike. There is however, a simpler, easier way to get where you want to be and nothing will ever be equal to it: Increase your ability to earn. By ability I mean having the power to do something physically or mentally with the skill set, expertise and talent necessary to provide exceptional service to someone in need.
Motivational Speaker & Author, Zig Ziglar said, “You can have just about anything you want if you can help enough people get what they want.” This can be true IF you increase your ability to earn. I know what you are thinking, “Well what about those whom I work for, under or with, they could hold me down and trying to keep me from getting a raise?” The best thing you can do for yourself in this instance is to remember they will only be successful at doing this for a short while. If you remain diligent, staying at it, you will soon come face to face with those seeking people just like you. They will find you for your reputation will precede you into the market place; those in need of your service will be asking you to go to work for them. I guarantee this to be true.
You will encounter times when you do have much more ability than those that work around you yet, they wind up getting the job. You know you have more ability; you have more talent; you work harder, but still the other person gets the nod for the job. Why? Because, simply having the knowledge and skill set necessary to increase your ability to earn, often isn’t enough. One must also recognize the ability to earn is tied to what one thinks of self.
What has happened is this other person was able to better market who they are to the boss and or the market place, doing so because they have a strong belief in who and what they are while you have an inward struggle and have not sold who you are even to yourself. Remember, you must believe in yourself before any or all of your abilities and earning potential can be realized. If you do not believe in yourself it is very hard for anyone other than Mom to believe in you regardless of your knowledge or skill level. Learning to believe in self is essentially, the selling of you, TO yourself. It is as important as selling yourself to others.
Just as a company markets to the public or to another company, you must learn to market yourself as well. You must recognize anyone you meet IS potentially your market place. Anyone at anytime might be in need of your services or know someone who is. Thinking like this opens you up to any and all possibilities. It is because of this I have found that getting ahead is 20% to 25% technical skills and 75% to 80% people skills. Never the less, do not mistake the fact YOU MUST have the technical skills to back up your claims or you will eventually be replaced.
If you want to learn to play the piano you study music while learning the keys of the piano. If you want to learn about wealth; how to get wealth; how to grow wealth and how to keep wealth you study wealth. It isn’t overwhelmingly difficult, but it does take discipline, which is required if you want to increase your ability to earn.
Jim Rohn says, “Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better. Don’t wish for fewer problems; wish for more skills. Don’t wish for fewer challenges; wish for more wisdom…” Jim also said, “Don’t just let your business or your job make something for you, let it, to make something of you.”
My desire is you take these 7 principles and make them a part of your life. Memorize them to the point of having them in your thoughts continually. By doing so you will find yourself living a life of fullness and joy.
Best of LUCK as you
Labor Under Correct Knowledge…
Respectfully,
Rick Cox