Seven Keys to Prosperity According to the Highly Prosperous

I have a most unique job. I interview self-made, very wealthy individuals who all came from modest backgrounds about the principles of prosperity, success and wealth accumulation. I then pass the information onto you, in writing, on CD or DVD, so that you can choose, if you wish, to apply those same principles. It’s a fascinating and enlightening process, one that never ceases to surprise and amaze me.

Here are the seven most common keys that came up repeatedly in interviews conducted in 2005, along with a prosperity tip for each one that may help you apply them:

1.The Power of Imprints.

Perhaps most surprising, was the repeated importance of the parental or familiar imprint. Not some, but all of the individuals interviewed had at least one strong influence from a family member that made a powerful imprint on their ability to manifest prosperity later in life—ranging from an understanding of money to the value of discipline to open-mindedness toward new ideas and more. Obviously, this poses a bit of a challenge for those of us (myself included) who did not have such a positive imprint.

Prosperity Tip #1—Get the imprint now by immersing yourself in prosperity consciousness. Listen to tapes and CDs, sign up for financial newsletters on the internet, attend seminars. It will take time yet the ability to change our mindset is available to all of us. If you have impressionable children, you might consider including them in the process.

2.The Necessity of Passion.

The message “do what you love” came through loud and clear—though not necessarily for the most obvious, life-enjoyment reasons. Each of the interviewees described the inevitable challenges that come with any great accomplishment and the need to overcome them. In the face of the most daunting circumstances, only a true passion for the undertaking will give us the resiliency when knocked down and a sufficient desire to endure long enough to reach our target goals.

Prosperity Tip #2—Dig within yourself and find what truly gets your juices flowing. What causes your internal metabolism to speed up at the very thought of it? What brings a natural smile and an innate energy? Discover it, uncover it and go after it.

3.Undying tenacity.

Napoleon Hill in his bestseller Think and Grow Rich stated: “The majority of people are ready to throw their aims and purposes overboard, and give up at the first sign of opposition or misfortune. A few carry on despite all opposition, until they attain their goal. These few are the Fords, Carnegies, Rockefellers and Edisons. There may be no heroic connotation to the word ‘persistence,’ but the quality is to the character of man what carbon is to steel.” Enough said. Everyone interviewed echoed the sentiment. As one gentleman stated: “I’ll take staying power over brain power every day of the week.”

Prosperity Tip #3—Complete all tasks large and small and build the “Completion Muscle.” Use the small tasks as the training ground for finishing the larger ones. Over time, tenacity and perseverance will become second nature.

4.Mentorship and guidance.

In addition to the familiar imprint, the highly successful seek continuous counsel from those who have walked the walk before them. They network continuously and expand their circles of influence. Early on, the majority had not one but several mentors that helped shape their careers and businesses.

Prosperity Tip #4—We choose our mentors. Even those we do not have direct access to can often be found at the library, in the bookstore or on the internet. And—don’t be afraid to ask. Most wealthy people, feel a strong sense of obligation to pay back. You’ll be surprised how many of them will gladly offer their support.

5.Asking for the Sale.

Perhaps most unexpected for me, in discussing what was the single greatest impediment to success and wealth accumulation, the answer was consistent and strongly stated: people don’t ask for the sale. It doesn’t matter how good the presentation or the product is, in the end, we must ask for the sale. If we market a good product or service at a fair price, then we owe it to ourselves and to all consumers to put that product into the marketplace. No one will beat down our door to find anything. We must learn to ask for the sale.

Prosperity Tip #5—We sell ourselves every day. We sell our spouses on putting up with us, our children on tolerating us, our friends and colleagues on liking us every day. Instead of talking, practice the art of silence. Make a small request and shut up—not another word. Let the other person respond. You’ll be amazed at how effective this is to get a “yes.” Then apply the same lesson to your enterprise.

6.The Lessons of History.

Most rich people collect things. When asked why, they responded that collectibles contain inherent history. Behind every piece is a memory or a person that teaches a life lesson. Even though financial transactions travel largely through the ethers, collectibles convey tangible, historical messages and we all know that history repeats itself.

Prosperity Tip #6—Start a collection and educate yourself about each item you collect. Coins, paperweights, teacups, stamps, sports memorabilia, antiques, anything—all carry with them a piece of the human experience. It doesn’t cost a lot of money and you can choose a collection you will truly enjoy.

7.Philanthropy and reward.

“Give and ye shall receive” and other often-quoted sayings apply. There is a definite karmic connection between inflow and outflow. Even anonymous gifts have a way of circling fortune back to the giver. As one gentleman who has increased his yearly donations by significant amounts every year for the past decade shared with me: “I don’t know how it works. What I do know is that every year I give more and every year I am exponentially more prosperous—and that’s all I need to know.”

Prosperity Tip #7—Give. It’s that simple. Find a cause to support and support it.

I realize that any one of these Seven Keys merits a full exploration, so here’s a suggestion. Pick a couple to use this year and embrace them. Then pick a couple more. Before you know it, you’ll be the person I interview!!!