What does ‘Joe’ know that the addicted millionaire doesn’t?

Maybe the enjoyment of life has less to do with outward riches and more to do with an inward optimism. Joe might be lower middle-class, but he doesn’t plan to stay there. Joe has goals – he has much to achieve and looks forward in anticipation to the challenges ahead. The key factor: His mind is charged with positive, encouraging, and educational information that propels him forward.

We must deliberately feed our minds positive information and escape the negative impressions our mind soaks up daily. I understand this isn’t as easy as it sounds. We get in the car, cut on the radio, and what do we hear? Bad news! The economy is bad. There’s a crisis in the Middle East. There’s a shortage of oil. Soon we will have no air; the sky will be falling; and the world will be shattered. Even in the comfort of our own home, we turn on the television to relax yet we view shows where guests argue and verbally destroy each other. At what point did ‘rudeness’ become synonymous with ‘entertainment’?

Many of us are time-starved already and feel we don’t have the time it takes to forego the negative impressions. However, there are deliberate steps we can take that don’t require much effort.

Successful people often credit the voracious reading of positive, motivational, and educational books to their accomplishments. Many choose to start their day much earlier than required to complete their reading. Fortunately – for those of us who are not morning people – there are many inspiring and motivational books out on CD. So, the next time you’re on your way to work, running errands, or picking up the kids from school, choose these books over flipping on the radio.

Select a book and choose a period of time to read it. (You may have to eliminate some television time in order to accomplish this.) As you read, or listen to your CD, select key phrases that inspire you. Write them on 3x5 cards. Paste them to your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator, and in your car. Retention of these key phrases allows greater opportunity for practical application in your daily life.

Be careful to select books that pertain to what you desire to achieve in life. Topics can be as diverse as goal setting; overcoming adversity; financial planning and freedom; real estate success; or achieving your dreams. Zig Ziglar has a new book, Better than Good. Dan Kennedy offers great books for entrepreneurs: Ultimate Sales Letter or Ultimate Marketing Plan. If your desire is to be more successful with business relationships, the tried and true How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie would be a great pick. And the best thing, you can often find great books on tape at the public library – for free!

Meditate on Zig Ziglar’s encouraging words until you make it to the library, “When you do the things you ought to do when you ought to do them, the day will come when you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them.”

Remember: A positive attitude tends to spill over into all areas of your life. When you’re dating, you can put on the new clothes with sparkling jewels, you can spray on the finest perfume or cologne, but that “enjoying life” thing – you will find that’s the most attractive thing of all on you.