Many years ago I was talking with a very successful man. I told him I wanted to be rich, too. And then he asked me the strangest question: Could you live on $40,000 a year or would that be too much?

Really, he said, what would you spend the money on? I told him cars, vacations, stuff like that.

That's not what I mean. He said. Exactly what would you spend it on? I told him I had no idea, but give me the money and I’ll figure it out. Then he told me I had no chance of making $40,000 because I had no idea exactly how to use it.

At that time his words were lost on me. Years later when I finally had some success and had met other successful people, I understood: I could not be successful until I thought like, lived like, and acted like a successful person.

So how do successful people live? What kind of standards do they have? Do they eat like you do? How about exercise? Do they have any morals? Just how far will they go to earn a buck? Are they curious? Do they like kids? Do they like to travel? Do they watch television? What about Theatre? Opera? Rock and Roll concerts? Do they get toothaches? Do they like to bowl? Or ride horses? Or just sit at home and read?

The answer is a resounding YES! to every question. Successful people are just like you, except they do the things necessary to succeed.

I have been lucky enough to know many very successful people in my life. The one thing that separates them from everyone else is that they get up each morning ready to accomplish something. They don't lie in bed complaining about the drive or their next sales call or the next meeting. They wake up to take on the day.

I am always amazed at how much successful people believe they have to learn. They read, they go to seminars, they take night classes, they go to computer school, they learn, learn, and learn. Successful people understand the world is changing and they either change with it or get left behind.

I have yet to hear a successful person tell me he or she has it made. They believe there are new worlds to conquer every day of the week. If they own their company they are looking to expand their products/services. If they are satisfied with their business they look to charitable work. Every day brings a new challenge and new possibility.

They walk, they jog, they stretch, they weight lift, or scuba dive or ride horses or something, but they don't sit around. Perhaps the most important aspect of life they understand is that you have to feel good and look good to succeed. Think about it, if you don't like the way you look and you don't feel energetic, you tend to sit around feeling sorry for yourself.

This is my personal pet peeve: I believe television steals life. I tell people that a good life begins with turning off the television. In fact, I tell them, the only worthwhile button on the television is the off button. I know people who turn the television on when they wake up in the morning and leave it on until they go to sleep at night. They don't read, don't exercise, and don't achieve. In fact, I have yet to meet a person whose life has been improved because of television. Sure, there are good programs now and then, but television should be the last thing, never the first, in your day. Watch it only when you have already achieved your goals for the day.

This is just a different way to say that successful people plan. They look at what they want to do, decide if it can be done, and then outline the steps to accomplish it. Years ago I wondered how successful people always seem to know how to be successful. I thought they just woke up with brilliance and that was that. For example, I know a lady who decided she wanted to invest in real estate. She knew how much she had to invest but didn't know where or when. So she first took a basic real estate course to understand the language, then she attended several specialized seminars until she determined her direction. Then she followed through. Now everybody around her is mystified: how did she do it? Where did she find those properties? She was really lucky to get in at the right time. Luck had nothing to do with it, she had a plan. We provide our students with valuable information in our free reports, "Mailing Your Way To Wealth!" and "Get Wealthy By Giving Money Away!". When my students decide to start, we provide them with a detailed step-by-step plan. There is a reason we do this, as you can see on the testimonials link, it is because we want them to become successful.

Have you ever noticed that successful people never settle for less? When you mention something to them they ask questions, questions that often make you second-guess yourself. Successful people have a difficult time understanding mediocrity, even more difficulty understanding why others settle for it.