| Countless books and articles out there have already | | | | time you need. |
| discussed the following items contained here, but I | | | | 5. Communication and Association |
| still appreciate the fact that you are reading this. I | | | | All the great historical figures in the world were great |
| don't know who you are, but I do hope you get the | | | | communicators. They use their skills to convey their |
| most out of this section about the self. One thing I | | | | message and associate themselves with other people |
| want you to remember is that anything which | | | | with equal or higher accomplishments. Follow the |
| concerns the transformation of the self involves | | | | previous steps then start approaching people around |
| work. It's the first thing you have to know about | | | | you. Surround yourself with intelligent and good |
| self-mastery. If you cannot accept that, don't waste | | | | friends. Soon enough, you will pick-up on their |
| your time reading this. Nonetheless, I'm quite certain | | | | thoughts unconsciously and start to show similar |
| you want to waste your time so be prepared for a | | | | behavior patterns. Well, if birds of the same feather |
| shock treatment. Please read on. | | | | flock together, you can tell me who your friends are |
| 1. Stillness | | | | and I'll tell you who you are. |
| The Merriam-Webster dictionary has the following | | | | 6. Action |
| definition for stillness: devoid of or abstaining from | | | | This will seem to be the hardest part among the |
| motion, uttering no sound, quiet, calm, tranquil, and | | | | eight items - the part where you move and do the |
| free from noise or turbulence. Buddha practiced | | | | work. If you procrastinate a lot and have been like |
| meditation, a method for being still, to attain | | | | that for a long time, I'm afraid to say that you have |
| self-awareness. He believed that through | | | | a habit that is a bit hard to break. One solution I |
| concentration and extreme focus, we can become | | | | came up with to break this habit is to simply form |
| aware of ourselves and who we really are. The mind, | | | | another habit (not an original, I know). Why is that? |
| without training, is just one colossal bag of thoughts | | | | We humans can program our own minds. When you |
| which prevents you from discovering your inner | | | | get tired of one program inside your head, you can |
| nature. Spend some time of the day, everyday, just | | | | replace it with another. Whenever you say to |
| being silent. Try to think about nothing. Let yourself, | | | | yourself "you'll do it tomorrow," shut down that |
| with eyes closed, drift into space. With enough | | | | thought and just do it today. Do this for a month and |
| practice, your mind will become as steady as a | | | | it will surely reinforce the habit within you. You can |
| statue and you will then be able to realize who you | | | | apply this concept with other habits like smoking, |
| really are. | | | | drinking, gambling, or whatever. Find another habit but |
| 2. Study | | | | just make sure it's positive. |
| Your mind is a thinking machine and, like all other | | | | 7. Growth |
| machines, it needs fuel or energy to run and perform | | | | Once I remember sharing the concepts of a book |
| for you. At times, you may feel you can't produce | | | | called The Science of Getting Rich to a person I |
| anything when you happen to need a brilliant idea at | | | | worked with. After telling him so many things about |
| work, in school, at home, or your social circle. When it | | | | how he can do so much with his life and how he can |
| comes to ideas, the amount of data you put inside | | | | help so many more people by becoming wealthy, he |
| your head determines the amount of creative ideas | | | | replied to me saying "I just want to live a simple life." |
| you will put out. A car that is filled half a tank full can | | | | He added that having a house, a car, and some |
| only reach that much distance compared to a car | | | | money is enough for him to be happy. To each his |
| that is running on full tank. Read a lot of books, go to | | | | own, I guess, but some people have this mistaken |
| a lot of places, and talk to a lot of people. That is | | | | belief that acquiring a lot of money is a bad thing. |
| sure enough to mind engines running. | | | | Hey, it only gets bad when you use it for the wrong |
| 3. Practice | | | | reasons. Sure they want to be happy by living a |
| If asked how much time they have devoted to | | | | simple life, but life itself is about growth, and wealth |
| practice their skills, any talented musician, painter, | | | | is just a tool for that. Wealth allows you to |
| craftsman, or sculptor will definitely say "a heck of a | | | | experience more things, learn more things, and help |
| lot." Try approaching one and ask them if it's true. | | | | more people do the same. Think about that for a |
| Another way to get good at something or to be | | | | second. Growth appears in many forms, but being |
| successful in becoming someone is to do it everyday. | | | | wealthy gives you the freedom to explore and grow |
| A prerequisite, of course, is that you have to love | | | | more as an individual. |
| what you're doing. Some people may not know the | | | | 8. Reaching Out and Helping Others |
| right way to practice, so I created another part | | | | I saved the best for last. This one is the easiest |
| where I discuss the right way to practice. The steps | | | | because once you have attained a certain level of |
| are applicable even if you only want to improve your | | | | proficiency with the previous items, the part where |
| personality instead of any particular skill you may | | | | you reach out and help people should come naturally. |
| imagine. | | | | The more you control your mind, the less you get |
| 4. Time Management | | | | affected by negative people. The smarter you |
| Companies, organizations, and corporations allot a | | | | become, the more you can come up with ideas to |
| great deal of time into the management of their | | | | help those in need. When you practice intensively, |
| structure. The proper use of time is critical to their | | | | other techniques will be much easier to learn. If you |
| development and success. Time management should | | | | are able to balance your time, opportunities will seem |
| also go down to the personal level. No matter what | | | | to come even more. The better you communicate |
| kind of social structure you belong, the proper use of | | | | and the more you associate with good people, the |
| your time is essential to succeed and become the | | | | easier it is for everyone to come towards your way |
| mastery of yourself. Some people complain that they | | | | (those who need help and those who will help you). |
| don't have enough time. My solution is to sleep less. | | | | The sooner you move, the sooner you'll get results. |
| Seven to nine hours of sleep is the average number | | | | Lastly, the more you grow and share that growth |
| adults need to stay fully functional while awake. Try | | | | with everyone, the more you experience |
| to stay within that range and you will have all the | | | | self-fulfillment. |