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Have you ever wanted to be a millionaire? Maybe you’d settle for being a basically dependable citizen with money in the bank? It’s the little things that add up, and here in today’s post are my top ten success habits!
Disclaimers
But first – a disclaimer. Don’t let your desire for success turn into humanism. The ultimate drive for success should be the pursuit of excellence for the glory of God. He deserves the best you can give! A healthy relationship with God is the number one key to success for many reasons. Today’s post is just dealing with some extraneous tips.
OK…maybe we need another disclaimer. Just because I’m putting a list of my top ten tips for success on the internet does not mean that I consider myself a successful person. Trust me, these are goals for myself, not achievements. Many of them were based off of some extended conversations I had on a recent road trip; those conversations made me think about being intentional with my life. I got a good wake-up call, and I think the following ideas are valuable enough to share with you, my readers who are learning and growing right along with me. I can’t take credit for being original with the following ideas because none of them are original with me. According to Solomon, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes), and all these great ideas were definitely being implemented in many successful people’s lives centuries before I was born. I’m merely gathering information and regurgitating it into a hopefully-palatable form. (Wow, that was a disgusting metaphor.)
The List
1) “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” (Benjamin Franklin) Going to bed early and getting up early breeds a more productive attitude (and that’s coming from a night owl).
2) Treat food as necessary for life, not as a means of entertainment. Are you taking seconds because you’re hungry or because you’re just bored? Try chewing your first helping a little slower.
3) Exercise a little bit most days – be consistent. Don’t set unrealistic goals that you’ll never be able to maintain long term, but don’t be afraid to push yourself. Above all, be consistent. Start with 15 minutes a day. If you want to work up from there, go for it! If not, at least you’re exercising 15 minutes more than you used to. Exercise wakes up the body and mind, increases productivity, tones muscles, helps you sleep better, releases endorphins, and just generally improves quality of life. I am not naturally an energetic person and sometimes I feel like sitting down for half an hour in the middle of a 2-mile run, but I always feel like a million bucks when I’m done just because I powered through and accomplished something.
4) Don’t skip church. I enjoy going to church, but let’s be honest – sometimes when Wednesday evening rolls around and you’ve had a hard day full of picky customers, flopped ideas, and an afternoon of unexpected errands, you’re tired and just feel like crashing on the couch. But you know what? If you go to church with an open heart, you’ll come back blessed, even if you’re really, really tired. God blesses faithfulness. Maybe you need to be a blessing to someone else. Look outside yourself and you’ll be refreshed. This principle applies to many more areas than just church attendance.
5) Read books. Continued education is a requirement for some professions, so why not for life in general? Knowledge is power. An understanding of humanity and the ability to intelligently converse in many topics are valuable assets. Reading develops the mind and inspires creativity. The Bible is the most valuable textbook, but other books, especially biographies and informational works, illumine as well. There is a place for well-written fiction, but the more I pursue excellence, the more I am drawn to real-life narrative. If you’re entranced with Christian romance fiction…maybe you should broaden your horizons and taste something genuine, then compare the two.
6) Keep social media to a minimum. Be present in the moment – your moment. Not someone else’s moment. Use social media as a tool, not an escape from reality.
7) Drive used cars. According to this infographic, a new vehicle depreciates by 9% the instant you drive it off the lot and continues depreciating to a total of 19% in the first year. Let someone else foot the depreciation bill! Side note: making payments on a depreciating asset is not smart. If you want to get rich quick, make a habit of not making payments. Interest is killer.
8) Treat your credit card like a debit card. Again, interest. Some people don’t like credit cards because of the potential pitfall of credit card debt. If that’s a snare for you, by all means cancel all credit cards. However, I think credit cards can be used for advantageous purposes: 1) they can aid you in developing a good credit score if used correctly, and 2) you can use them to rack up air miles and save yourself money on trips you would be taking anyway. Word of advice: do not use your credit card to buy gas from companies that charge you 10 cents extra for purchasing with a credit card. You’d be better off buying a plane ticket out of your own pocket. I ran the numbers.
9) Don’t make a habit of eating out or going to Starbucks. I ran the numbers on this too in that blog post called “Starbucks or a House?” There’s more to life than being a frappuccino sucker.
10) Pay loans off as quickly as possible. Interest, again. It adds up – to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars before you can blink.
Feedback time!
Do you have any tips to add to my list? Any successful experiences of your own to share? I’d love to hear all about them in the comments section below!
Shannon says
I love the quiet of the night & have always been a natural night owl. Any tips for transitioning to an early bird?
Briana Thomas says
Hmm…I’ll let you know when I’ve done it myself. 😉 I’m the SAME way, but from experience, I KNOW I’m more productive when I make myself go to bed early and get up early! Getting up early isn’t so hard if you go to bed early – so I’d say that getting to bed early is the first step. It’ll take awhile for your body to adjust to the new schedule, so expect a few nights of not falling to sleep as soon as you usually do. It’s worth it, though!
Shannon says
So true. It’s the falling asleep early that I struggle with. Laying there wide awake. Good time to pray.
Marion says
I’m a night owl too, when left to my own devices. I had to change when God told me to take a job that started at 4 am. Yup. I go to bed at 6 pm, often with the next door children screaming outside my bedroom window.
Melatonin only helped a little the first two nights. My real help literally comes from the Lord and earplugs.
I asked Him to put me to sleep (Psalm 127:2) and to make me pull out my earplugs during the night. No kidding, without fail I fall asleep almost the moment I lie down, and my earplugs are always on my bedside table in the morning when my alarm goes off at 2:15. It’s been almost two years.
Jennifer says
Very beautifully written! I think first and foremost we should strive to glorify God in all we do! I love how you reminded us about being faithful. I love this verse from Proverbs 37:5 Commit thy way into the Lord, trust also in Him; and he shall bring it to pass.
It’s a great beginning to any plan and goal. Be blessed! (PS we tried your butter pecan ice cream recipe tonight..winner!!!)
Sharon says
Great tips! They were right on the money:) I am amazed at the insight you already have at your age. I would add BUDGET. To some, that is a bad word and some people say they don’t make enough. The truth is that there is always someone trying to take your money from you (look at how many advertisements you see/hear a day and even how grocery and department stores are set up). Unless you SPEND INTENTIONALLY you will never get ahead financially. A budget is simply a plan of how your money is going to work for you to get you where you want to be. Every time someone gets you to spend even a small amount of money that you didn’t plan to spend you are allowing them to make you set aside your dreams for an instant gratification that usually turns out to be not so gratifying after the transaction.
Remember that a budget is not just a list of what you owe, it is a list of everything you do with money. An easy way to set up a budget as well as living your life is to: (1) Pay what you owe first. As well as setting aside money for God and making sure you have food, if you own or rent a home make sure to set aside enough to make the payment for it as well as utilities, car payments, and anything else you have made a debt for. If you have borrowed money, used a credit card, or signed a contract the money you make belongs to those people (companies) first. That is basically what the contract you signed said, that you vowed to pay them a certain amount at a certain time no matter what. Your vows should always be kept. (2) Pay yourself next. Always make a habit of saving a portion of all the money you receive for emergencies, future large purchases or even retirement. A general rule of thumb is to try to get at least three months of salary into savings for emergencies. (3) If you need transportation to get to work gas money or transportation costs should come out next. (4) What is left over can then be spent on clothing, entertainment, hobbies and whatever else you generally feel that you need to spend your money on. Don’t forget to budget a bit every month to go toward the upkeep of your car (it needs oil changes, general maintenance, and tires at regular intervals) as well as your home if you are a homeowner. Every time people get these out of order their finances get messed up. If you find that there is not enough money to cover 1-3 it tells you that you need to find a way to get rid of some of your debt or find a way to make more money. It also tells you that there is NO MONEY for #4 so you shouldn’t be doing it and it is hard to not spend any money on those things. If you realize this “law” of planning and spending money you can make it work for you.
I would also caution about setting up new debt without checking your budget carefully. That new whatsit is not “just” $29 a month which is what they want you to think, it is $29 a month on top of all the debt you already have and the plans for any money that remains over. Do you have an extra $29 a month, or whatever cost, left over after all the plans you have already made? What will you give up to cover that cost for the duration of the payments? Can you really give up anything for that many months? All good questions that you need to ask yourself before buying anything on time payments even if they look cheap.
Briana Thomas says
Good advice! Thanks, Sharon!
Renee says
I’m probably repeating someone else’s ideas, but this is what I’ve got to add for what it’s worth. Give 10% to God first. Save 10% for yourself second. Pay your bills. Don’t buy junk you don’t really need. Un-clutter your home. I learned this the hard way! Great tips to live by, Briana!
Alicia @ Sweeping Up Joy says
Great list! I do have one addition: “Be kind to everyone you meet.” There’s a reason The Golden Rule is “the golden rule.” Truly successful people don’t step on the little guy to get to the top. And they are kind to everyone equally– whether they are CEOs or the grocery store clerk.
Carol says
One thing I would add, I found this out when I was a single Mom and barely able to make ends meet. I made a vow to God to give him a portion of each check. I wrote that check first every week and never had a problem paying my bills. He really does bless you if you are faithful. It was by no means 10% but the very act of faithfully giving each and every week proved that God would take care of me and my 3 daughters.
Amanda says
“Never substitute the judgement of someone else for your own.” Any time I have gone against what I believe to be the wiser choice, I have been disappointed.
Sohailah says
So proud of you for realizing these things so young. Like me, you must have been raised by parents who understand the value of money and work. It’s all very freeing isn’t it? Love walking into a car dealer with a Cashiers check in hand.
judy says
Save 10% of every thing you make.
Katy Carr says
Excellent principal.
Sandy says
Thanks I needed this because I am always trying to get more money, when your poor and go even poorer ! If that’s a word, I struggle with making the most of what I have been given. Blessings to you
Esther says
This reply has nothing to do with today’s blog & certainly does not need to be published. It’s just the way I have to communicate with you. Some time ago (maybe last Aug?) your parents were at Shalom Mennonite Church, Milton PA. We had a fellowship meal & I had an opportunity to talk with your mom. In discussing THM lifestyle, I mentioned I liked the cream ice cream recipes (of others at that point), wasn’t sure about yours that had cottage cheese as an ingredient. Your mom encouraged me to try your cottage cheese ones. I haven’t had opportunity to try the cream/cottage cheese ones yet, but I have tried the soft serve with no cream/egg whites/cottage cheese. I really enjoy the soft serve! 🙂 It goes well with any fuel type since it’s a FP. Never know til you try, huh? Some day I will try a cream/cottage cheese recipe.
Briana Thomas says
Hi Esther! Good to hear from you! This is a good way to communicate with me, and you can also use the contact form here on my blog. I’m glad you’re experimenting with the ice cream recipes and enjoying them!
Nancy Moore says
Beautifully said. You have much wisdom for a young person. Speaking from 61 years of experience your Top 10 are right on!!