Are You Conditioned for Success?

I'm not, but I attended a master class last week that might help me become just that. It was insightful and I took away a lot from it. I’ll run through some of the key points:

Context is not everything.
It is true that what seems like a great idea in one scenario, could very well be a bad idea in another. Try not to base decisions about today on comparisons with the past / possible. The overarching principle in situations is to consider what is going on at present.


Think like an economist: compare utility.
Opportunity costing is a beautiful thing, and it is free. Maximise your utility; consider what else you can do with your money / time / resources. After all, it is your money. By doing so, you recover the advantage in a situation. There is no reason to relinquish control in your life to market forces or other people.


Change your behaviour, and watch your thinking follow.
In order to gain something you never had, you must do something you’ve never done. If you are serious about changing things, start putting your money where your mouth is. If you want to feel better, start walking regularly. If you want to become an investment mogul, research stocks and shares and invest in something. Very soon, your mindset will change from that of a person "attempting", to that of a person who "does".


Separate the rhetoric from the reality.
Talking is great, it really is and I do a lot of it all the time. I wax lyrical about what I want, how I want it and when I want it. I also dedicate many hours to researching what other people believe the way to get to where I want to go is. In the master class, the stress was on disengaging from the rhetoric. Take the lesson, but be real about your situation. If saving 33.33(recurring)% of your income is a pipe dream at this point, don’t beat yourself down for doing less – recognise where you are and that an alternative route is just fine.


Now I'm fired up and full of creative energy. One thing that wasn't said, but is very important to me, is not losing focus. I'm easily swept in the current when interacting in such experiences, but once the master class becomes a distant memory, I am sure old habits will creep in. I'll try to keep a watchful eye on that.