How The Rich Get Richer
We live in an interesting time in the lifespan of the world. As human beings we have organized our lives in a sort of way that maximizes our comfort and minimizes the amount of work that we need to do in order to get whatever it is that we want to have.
If we are hungry, we get delivery. If we want entertainment, we turn on the TV or go on our computers. If we want to have a conversation with another person, we no longer need to open our mouths and waste our breath, but send texts and emails instead. If we want sex, we no longer need to date first and build a relationship, but go out, get drunk, put on our beer-goggles and sleep with that 4 drooling on herself. Welcome to the future.
The funny thing is, although we get what we ‘want’ faster than ever before, we are less happy than before. Because we no longer have to work for much, the satisfaction that we receive from what little we do do, is minimal. But what is the other option? Working hard to achieve something. Having to suffer and deal with pain. Basically, displeasure.
It seems counterintuitive, but the truth is that that which gives us the most displeasure in life tends to yield the most pleasure as a result. Eating healthy, getting exercise and getting into shape — to put it frankly — sucks massive cock.
Staying home and staying introverted in order to master a skill and to better yourself is not fun. Working your ass off for months-on-end in order to get your start-up off the ground is no walk in the park, but if what people say is true, it’s all worth it.
In order to reap the benefits of our labor, we must labor. There is no shortcut and no magic formula that will get you from where you are now to where you want to be other than work and dedication. But there are ways of making things easier on yourself. There is a reason why the rich get rich and the poor get poorer; it’s all about the momentum.
It’s easy to get things started, but more difficult to keep things going. Most people decide to venture out on an expedition knowing that the journey won’t be a piece of cake, but give up once they are forced to swallow what they bit off and started chewing.
If you have upward moving momentum, then you will be much more likely to continue moving upward once times get tough and the path you need to follow swerves and leads you through an area plagued by swamps and quicksand. The same goes for those that get stuck in a downward spiral — also a form of momentum.
It’s easy to get caught up in all the negativity in our lives, causing more negative things to manifest themselves. The positive can quickly turn into the negative if we do not take care to stay on track. The best way of doing so is to keep yourself motivated by creating a reward system for yourself. One of the best motivators in the world is candy.
Not literally, but the metaphorical kind. If you are working hard and seeing results, take some time off and treat yourself. Set mini-goals for yourself and once you reach them, throw yourself a treat. If you have been following a strict diet and workout regime for a month and lost, let’s say, 5 lbs., take a day off and pig out and be lazy.
If you have been working on a project non-stop for months, making sure to stay anti-social and do the work that you know needs to be done, once you have leaped over a large hurdle, sit down and catch your breath -- in other words: go out and get shit-faced. Take a week off and enjoy yourself — reboot.
Giving yourself rewards along the way until you reach your ultimate goal will not only continue to motivate you, but will ease the pressure that you are putting on yourself for long enough for you to catch your breath. Once you see your progress becoming substantial, things will get much easier because the progress itself will be start to become a form of reward and your hunger to achieve more will only increase.
Pushing yourself will become easier because you will not only be hungrier, but you will be confident that you can accomplish that which you set out to accomplish. The more money you make, the more money you want to make because you now know that you can make it.
The task no longer seems so difficult and so far out of reach. Your goals become attainable and because you pampered yourself after your mini-accomplishments, you don’t feels so worn out. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient, treat yourself with respect and push yourself to your limits. You can’t fail.
Paul Hudson | Elite.
For more from Paul, follow him on twitter @MrPaulHudson
