Friend,
This weekend I had the pleasure of listening to "Outwitting The Devil" by
Napoleon Hill while on a 3 hour long walk (gotta get those steps in).
After reflecting on the book I realised just how much it applies to most of the world.
And at one point, applied to me.
The major focus of the book is a concept called drifting.
Drifting is when someone goes through life without ever actually thinking for themselves.
They blame their circumstances on external forces and never take responsibility for their actions.
And ultimately, they fail.
There are 10 key traits drifters have: (they only need 1-2 to start drifting)
1. They have a complete lack of purpose in life
2. They quit anything requiring thought and effort
3. They're Ill-tempered and lack control over their emotions
4. They have opinions on everything but accurate knowledge of nothing
5. They make the same mistake over and over again and never learn from failure
6. They fail to cooperate with those around them
7. They're intolerant and narrow-minded on all subjects
8. They expect a lot from others, and are unwilling to give in return
9. They overeat and rarely exercise
10. They criticize others who are succeeding
After listening to this it dawned on me...
We're all a drifter at one point or another.
And according to Napoleon Hill 98 out of 100 people go through life as drifters.
Why is this number so high?
Most people become drifters at a young age- before they have the chance to develop their minds.
Instead of thinking for themselves, they simply accept the opinions & views of those around them and accept them as fact.
Never thinking to challenge anything they're told.
But if you're driting I have some good news.
There's an instant fix to stop drifting through life.
The secret?
Definiteness of purpose.
The first thing you need to do is define your purpose.
What do you want to achieve?
Why do you want to achieve this goal?
What steps will you take to achieve it?
You need to ask this question in every area of your life:
Financially
Emotionally
Physically
Spiritually
Write each of these down and then write your main goal underneath.
You can then break down this goal into micro steps on how you'll achieve it.
By doing this you not only define your why, but give yourself a step-by-step process to keep yourself focused.
If you find yourself drifting, look over your notes and remember your purpose.
This will keep you going when times get difficult.
Now, there's more to success than simply having a purpose.
But I don't think most people make it that far.
Ask someone what their goals are and most people will stutter, just before they tell you they don't have any.
By giving yourself real purpose and setting goals you already have a head start in life.
I hope this helps you if you're feeling lost.
And if you've been drifting I'd highly recommend listening to the book.
Two 90 minute sessions and you can change your perspective on life.
Have a good week.
Copy "Don't Drift Through Life" Maverick
