The Rich Habits Training Program

Before beginning the Rich Habits Training Program it is necessary to dispel a common myth about
financial success with regard to luck. Many unsuccessful people rationalize that they don’t have
“good luck” or just aren’t “lucky.”
They argue that in order to be financially successful you need good luck. Is good luck important
to becoming successful? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” All successful people have experienced
good luck. In fact, no one will ever become successful if they do not have some good luck. But let’s
elaborate on this truth.
There are four types of luck. The first type of luck is “random good luck.” This is a type of good
luck we have no control over, like winning the lottery or receiving an unexpected inheritance.
The second type of luck is “random bad luck.” Like random good luck, we have no control over
this, either.
Events creating this type of luck are outside of our influence for the most part. Examples include
coming down with a disease, getting hit by lightning, random accidents, a tree falling on your house,
etc.
The third type of luck is “opportunity luck.” This is good luck that is a byproduct of good daily
habits. Think of opportunity luck as an apple orchard. You prepare the land, plant the apple seeds, and
diligently nurture the trees as they grow. After some time the apple trees blossom and bear fruit. This
fruit is the byproduct of doing the things you needed to do over a long period of time. These apples
represent opportunity luck.
Successful people do the things that are necessary over the long term in order for opportunity
luck to occur in their lives. They live the Rich Habits every single day. Rich Habits are like a magnet
for opportunity luck. Many of the opportunities are completely unexpected. Some people refer to this
as “the law of attraction.” Opportunity luck follows the law of attraction for those who live the Rich
Habits.
The fourth type of luck is “detrimental luck.” Detrimental luck is the evil twin of opportunity luck.
Unsuccessful people have bad habits. Like the Rich Habits, bad habits are also seeds. They will take
root and grow until they too bear fruit. Unfortunately, the bad fruit birthed by bad habits brings
detrimental luck into the lives of the unsuccessful. This detrimental luck might be a job loss,
investment losses, foreclosure, divorce, illness, or something similar.
To bring success into your life you need to attract the right kind of luck. Living the Rich Habits
guarantees you will attract the right kind of luck, and opportunities will appear, seemingly out of thin
air. As with low-hanging fruit, all you have to do is reach out and pick it.

Rich Habit Promise Number One:
I will form good daily habits and follow these good daily habits every day.
Good daily habits are the foundation of success. Successful people differ from unsuccessful people in
their daily habits. Successful people have many good and few bad daily habits. Unsuccessful people
have many bad and few good daily habits. Most successful people are not even aware that they possess
such habits. This is why defining success has always been difficult.

No person will ever be successful until they can identify their strengths and weaknesses. Self-
assessment requires brutal honesty. But how does one define a given strength or weakness? This is

not an easy task, as it is often too nebulous a request. We get in our own way. Our egos interfere and
we are left with an uncertainty about the accuracy of our own analysis. It is much easier for a third
party to assess us than for us to assess ourselves.
A simple and foolproof approach to assessing ourselves is to look at our daily patterns of living,
our daily habits. By recognizing our daily habits we gain keener insights into our individual strengths
and weaknesses. Understanding that our own bad daily habits are preventing us from becoming
successful represents the first and most significant step on the path toward financial success.
On a piece of paper, form two columns. List your Bad Daily Habits under column one. Invert each
one of your Bad Daily Habits and list their opposites under column two, which we’ll refer to as your
new Good Daily Habits.
See example on the next page:

Bad Daily Habits Good Daily Habits
I watch too much television. I limit myself to one hour of TV per day.
I don’t exercise regularly. I exercise thirty minutes each day.
I don’t watch what I eat. I eat no more than XXXX calories per day.
I don’t do my work-related reading. I read thirty minutes each day.
I procrastinate. I complete items on my to-do list every day.
I waste too much time on the Internet. I limit my daily recreational Internet use.
I smoke. I will not smoke today.
I don’t return phone calls right away. I will return every phone call today.
I don’t remember names. I write down names and remember them.
I forget important dates. I acknowledge dates that are important to others.

For thirty days follow your new Good Daily Habits. Review them once in the morning, once at noon,
and once at bedtime. In this way, each and every day, hold yourself accountable for following them.
The objective is to complete at least eighty percent of your Good Daily Habits each day.
Good Daily Habits Work Week Checklist (Sample Items)
1. I read industry-related material a half-hour today.
2. I ran 30 minutes today.
3. I completed 80% of my to-do list today.
4. I called at least one prospect today.

5. I did not waste time on the Internet today.
6. I said “DO IT NOW” when I did not want to do something today.
7. I stopped myself from saying something sarcastic today.
8. I stopped myself from saying something inappropriate today.
9. I stopped myself from talking today when I realized I was talking too much.
10. I ate no more than 2,000 calories today.
11. I limited myself to two beers today.
12. I left the office after 6 p.m. today.
13. I called one person today, just to say hello.
14. I called someone today to wish him or her a happy birthday.
Summary:
Successful people are slaves to their good daily habits. This is the first Rich Habit and the most
important Rich Habit.

Rich Habit Promise Number Two:
I will set goals for each day, for each month, for each year and for the long-term. I will focus on
my goals each and every day.
Successful people are goal-oriented. They create goals all the time. Daily goals are represented in
their daily to-do lists. Long-term goals are broad initiatives to be accomplished at specified points.
Successful people focus on work at work, and leave their family and personal matters outside the
office in an effort to achieve their business goals.
Successful people are long-term thinkers. They are constantly looking to the future in an effort to
determine where they are in terms of accomplishing their goals. They do not dwell on the past – no
daydreaming about past successes or failures. They continuously make course corrections to get back
on track in achieving their goals.
Unsuccessful people are not goal-oriented. Like leaves on a fall day, they float in the air
aimlessly, without direction. They allow the distractions of daily living to affect their ability to
perform their duties at work. They allow themselves to become easily distracted by things that have
nothing to do with their work. Since they are not focused on goals, they have nothing grounding them
to the tasks they need to perform to become successful.
Daily Goals
Before beginning each day, compile a Daily Goal/To-do List. List only those things that have a
realistic probability (eighty percent chance) of being completed that day. Prioritize this list and set a
specific time in which to tackle each item. The lower-priority items are those that have a low
probability (bottom twenty percent) of being accomplished that day and can be accomplished the
subsequent day. Do this in order to build flexibility into the to-do list and avoid the frustration of
failing to accomplish the important tasks set for that day. During the day, mark off each completed
task and congratulate yourself in its accomplishment. At the end of the day evaluate the to-do list. This
forces accountability.
Rich Habits Daily Goals/To-Do List (Sample Week Day)

Description When
Profession-related reading. 6-6:30 A.M.
Check voicemail and email. 8:30 A.M.
Call one person just to say hello. 9:00 A.M.
Make Happy Birthday calls/emails. 9:00 A.M.
Call prospect list. 9:30 A.M.
Complete pending Life Insurance applications. 10:00 A.M.
Follow-up on pending cases. 11:00 A.M.
Client meetings. 1-5 P.M.
Return all phone calls. 5:00 P.M.
End-of-day prospect calling. 5:30 P.M.
In the above example, completing eight out of ten Daily Goals for the day is considered successful.

Monthly Goals
At the beginning of each month, list monthly goals. These are goals with a realistic probability of
being reached by the end of the month. Break down each goal into tasks or steps. The monthly goals
could be the number of insurance policies to write that month, or the number of new clients you hope
to gain, or a revenue target for the month. These goals might include a project to be completed or an
article to be written.
EXAMPLE – MONTHLY GOAL NUMBER ONE: I will write five life insurance policies this month.
In order to achieve this goal I will need to meet with ten prospects each week for the next four weeks.
In order for these meetings to occur, I will make fifty phone calls each week, which breaks down into
ten calls each day.
Goals for the current Year and the Following Year
Goals for the current year and for the following year represent initiatives that you have some degree
of control over achieving. Break down each goal into tasks that need to be accomplished.
EXAMPLE – CURRENT YEAR GOAL NUMBER ONE: I will pass the CPA exam this year. In order
to reach this goal I will study. I will establish a study plan in which I will study one hour each day
during the week and six hours over each weekend. I will review the study material and complete the
practice exams.
Long-term Goals
Long-term goals represent broad, far-reaching initiatives. Think of your long-term goals as your
“wish list.” Create a plan for accomplishing each goal and include the tasks needed to be
accomplished.
EXAMPLE – LONG-TERM GOAL NUMBER ONE: I will buy a house in five years. In order to reach
this goal I will save one thousand dollars per month for the next five years. In order to save one
thousand dollars per month I will reduce my expenses and deposit two-hundred-and-fifty dollars each
pay period into a separate savings account.

Rich Habits Goal Sheet

Current Year Goals Next Year’s Goals Long-Term Goals
Take CPA Exam Write and Publish Book Make $….Within Five Years
Obtain Long-Term Care Designation Increase Savings Another $…. Buy Convertible For My Wife
Increase Savings Account by $…. Take CFP Exam Become a Partner by….
Pay Off Car Loan Get My Weight Down to 180 Pounds Pay Off Mortgage by….
Lose Ten Pounds by…. Run Marathon Buy Beach House by….
Obtain Promotion to …. Increase Salary to…. Accumulate $…. In College Savings For My Children
A useful technique to assist in keeping long-term goals in sight is the use of a vision board. A vision
board is an actual picture of long-term goals. This may be a picture of the house you desire to buy, a
picture of the business you hope to own one day, or a picture of the type of place you hope to retire to
one day. Before he rose to great fame, comedian Jim Carey wrote out a check to himself for twenty

million dollars and kept that check in a place where he would see it every day. That check represented
a vision board of a long-term goal he desired to achieve one day – to be paid twenty million dollars
for a movie. When the opportunity arose for a leading role in a movie, guess what Jim Carey’s
demand for compensation was? Twenty million dollars. And he got it!
Summary:
Successful people set goals and create a plan to reach those goals.

Rich Habit Promise Number Three:
I will engage in self-improvement every day.
Successful people engage in the process of self-improvement every day. They read industry
periodicals and technical material specific to their profession or trade. They become students of their
industry, profession, or trade, and keep current with changes that occur. They do not spend excessive
amounts of non-work time watching television, or surfing the Internet.
Successful people read for self-improvement. They are perpetual students. Each day they devote
blocks of time to better themselves by studying subject matter that will improve them in some way
and better enable them to perform their jobs. Time is too valuable to be wasted on matters with no
tangible value. They coordinate their goals with self-improvement and set specific goals. This may
involve obtaining an additional license, a degree, or developing a new niche for their business. They
are continuously engaged in some constructive project to increase their skill sets, promote their
business or careers, keep their minds sharp, or expand their business prospects.
Unsuccessful people are not students of their industry, profession, or trade. They do not routinely
follow their industry. They do not regularly read industry periodicals. They would rather spend hours
each day watching television or engaged in “junk” reading. They use rationalization to justify their
negligence in improving themselves.
Self-improvement involves engaging is some activity every day that will improve your mind and

expand your knowledge to better your career. Expanding knowledge within your industry is a self-
improvement activity that you must engage in. This can be done by regularly reading your industry

periodicals and advancing your career by obtaining additional licenses, skill sets, or new niches for
your business. Career-specific self-improvement activities are necessary to increase skills and take
advantage of opportunities. You will notice that, as your knowledge base grows, opportunities begin
to present themselves.
Choose a time when there are fewer distractions and you can set aside a block of time. Sometimes
this is possible in the early morning hours, prior to beginning your normal workday. At a minimum,
set aside thirty minutes each day for these activities. Thirty minutes per day may not seem like much,
but over time, it adds up to a significant amount of self-improvement activity. No matter what time of
the day works best for you, engage in daily self-improvement activities without interruptions.
Summary:
Successful people devote time each and every day to self-improvement.

Rich Habit Promise Number Four:
I will devote part of each and every day in caring for my health.
Successful people make a concerted effort to eat right and exercise every day. They consider not only
what they eat, but also how much they eat. They manage their consumption of food. Successful people
do not binge or overindulge in food or drink. If they do slip, it is managed overindulgence, relegated
to that of an infrequent occurrence rather than a regular occurrence, such as a holiday meal or a party.
For successful people, exercise is a routine, like brushing their teeth. They understand that daily
exercise improves their bodies and minds. Routine exercise improves the immune system and results
in fewer sick days. This further allows for an increase in productivity, since the frequency of sick
days is less than that of others. People who regularly exercise generally have more energy during the
day.
Successful people have a system or routine for weight management that works best for them.
Some have sophisticated systems, some less sophisticated, but they “manage ” their weight. Managing
weight means monitoring the amount of food consumed every day and engaging in a daily exercise
regimen.
Unsuccessful people have no consistent, day-to-day control over their health. They are always in
search of the latest and greatest quick-fix diet idea. Unsuccessful people deal with health matters
sporadically and usually require outside influences to motivate them to eat less or eat differently. This
is the reason why there are so many diet books out there. With little control over their eating habits,
they go through phases of gaining and losing weight again and again. This behavior takes a toll on
the body, which eventually manifest as medical disorders, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart
disease, and the like.
Unsuccessful people approach exercise the same way they approach their consumption of food,
requiring some outside force to momentarily motivate them. When that motivation wears off, they
fall back into bad habits, stop exercising, and gain weight as part of a cycle that recurs throughout
their lives.
An easy way to monitor food consumption is to count the calories after every meal or snack, and
document daily consumption. In beginning a weight management program, first gain an
understanding of the specific foods you eat on a daily basis. During the first thirty days of your
weight management program you will need to track what you normally eat and figure out the number
of calories for each food item. During this thirty day period you will be able to identify certain foods
that are high in calories and you can thereafter choose to avoid those high-calorie foods, at least on a
regular basis.
Do not confuse monitoring and managing food consumption with dieting. They are not the same.
Diets don’t work in managing weight in the long term. The reason is that they are too restrictive,
unsustainable and, quite frankly, take the fun out of life. Managing the consumption of food does not
mean starving or never again eating special treats. You are going to eat treats from time to time and

you should not feel guilty about this. You simply need to understand that you can’t eat those high-
calorie foods every day, as this will likely push you over your daily caloric threshold, which is the

threshold you need to stay within in order to lose or maintain your weight. You should be free to eat
and drink the things you like when the spirit moves you. But you need to understand that eating some
of the foods you love might mean occasionally exceeding your caloric threshold for that day, which
is fine as long as this is the exception rather than the rule.
Monitoring food consumption only gets you halfway toward managing weight. You must engage

in a daily aerobic exercise regimen for at least twenty to thirty minutes a day, four days per week.
Jogging outdoors provides the most effective results. The number of calories burned with running is
greater by about one-third than an indoor treadmill, Stairmaster, or stationary bike. Lifting weights,
sit-ups, push-ups, and the like, are good supplements to any basic aerobic activity, but they are not
substitutes for aerobic activity. By themselves, these exercises will not help you lose weight as much
as they will help you shape and tone your body. Aerobic activity is the most reliable activity to help
you lose weight and should be the foundation for your exercise regimen.
Morning may be the best time to engage in exercise activity. By preceding the work day, you are
less likely to be pulled away by scheduling issues or conflicts that often occur during the day.
A great tool to monitor your weight is the Rich Habits Weight Management Tracking Schedule.
Tracking takes only five minutes each day. You will begin to see patterns in your weight management
that enable you to better understand your body and allow you to gain control over your weight.
Within two months of completing the Rich Habits Weight Management Tracking Schedule (see next
page) you will be able to determine your individual daily caloric threshold and you can then manage
your calorie intake to lose or maintain your weight. For example, assume your daily threshold is
2,100 calories per day, given the level of exercise you do. If you consume less than 2,100 calories
each day, you will lose weight every day.
Summary:
Successful people manage their consumption of food and engage in regular exercise.

Rich Habit Promise Number Five:
I will devote each and every day to forming lifelong relationships.
To successful people, relationships are like gold. They tend to relationships like a farmer tends crops,
nurturing them every day, remembering names, birthdays, gifts for newborns, and interacting
frequently. Successful people seek to help their relationships and their business associates, even when
there is nothing in it for them. They are focused on others, rather than on themselves.
For successful people, networking is a prerequisite to their success. They develop systems and
processes as tools to assist them in networking efforts. They search for reasons to reach out to their
contacts, such as birthday contacts or congratulatory calls, cards, or gifts. They attend important
celebrations and milestones such as graduations, funerals, and weddings. They network with
individuals who are like-minded. They do not waste their time developing and nurturing relationships
with individuals who are only out for themselves. They cut all ties that are harmful or destructive, and
stay clear of individuals who are perpetually in a state of turmoil. Many times this turmoil is financial
in nature. These individuals have bad habits and often drag down their friends or associates.
Successful people are students of relationship building. They faithfully return phone calls right
away. They continuously seek out ways to improve their relationships.
Unsuccessful people have a “What have you done for me lately?” attitude about relationships.
Some, oddly enough, even consider it a virtue when they intentionally shortchange others. If an
individual cannot provide them with some immediate value, they are ignored until needed. No calls,
emails, or cards on birthdays. No gifts congratulating their “friends” or associates on the important
events in their lives. Unsuccessful people are not good networkers. They don’t seek to improve their
relationships with others on a continuous and regular basis. They do not return phone calls right
away, and sometimes not at all.
Unsuccessful people adopt a “put out the fire” mindset in managing relationships. When a crisis
arises, and unsuccessful people often have sudden crises in their lives, they reach out for help.
Oftentimes, they seek assistance from an individual they have neglected. When it comes to
relationships, unsuccessful people simply do not care enough to invest time in developing
relationships.
Successful people employ a system in managing their relationships. Some have systems that can
be quite sophisticated and utilize the latest in technology and software. Whatever system you create
for yourself, find a way to track various types of information about each of your contacts. Besides
names, addresses, phone numbers, and email information, capture other important data such as:
professions; birthdays; spouse names; spouse birthdays; names of children; college, graduate school,
law school etc.; hobbies, interests, and other important data. “Important” means important to your
contact. The most common contact management system is Outlook. Almost anyone with a computer
has Outlook. Some cell phones even link up with Outlook, giving you the ability to carry contact
information with you.
Having the greatest contact management system in the world does you no good unless you put
your system to good use. The most basic system provides a process that reminds you of a contact’s
birthday so you can reach out to them to wish them a happy birthday. Even if you do not regularly
communicate with a specific person, this minimum amount of contact keeps your relationship alive.
Birthday calls allow you to maintain a relationship by being in touch at least once a year. Your contact
may reciprocate, thus increasing the frequency of your contacts with this individual to two times per
year.

I have never met a successful person who has not shared with me the same nasty little secret…each
of us has difficulty remembering names. To overcome this failing, successful people create a system
to help them remember names of even the most remote contacts.
A good way to remember names is to group your contacts by category. For example you can
group contacts into the following categories:
Tennis contacts
Golf contacts
Bowling contacts
Club contacts
Neighbor contacts
Friend John Smith’s friends
College friends
Spouse’s college friends
Business partner’s friends
Work associates and their families
Church/synagogue/mosque, or community contacts, etc.
Before any event in which you are likely to run into one or more of your contacts you can pull
out that category’s group of contacts and review their names just before you go to the event. Names
are important to each one of us and we all appreciate when someone feels we’re important enough to
be remembered by name.
Summary:
Successful people foster, grow, and improve their relationships with others each and every day. They
devote significant amounts of time networking.

Rich Habit Promise Number Six:
I will live each and every day in a state of moderation.
To live in moderation means to live a balanced life – no extremes. Successful people avoid excesses,
wild emotional swings, addictions, obsessions, binging, starvation, extravagances, and fanatical
behavior. They keep their thoughts and emotions on a short leash. They understand the need to be on
an even keel and in control of their lives.
Successful people do not binge, cram, over indulge, or behave in an excessive manner. They
understand that life is a marathon and not a sprint. They moderate their work hours, eating habits,
exercise, alcohol intake, watching television, reading, Internet use, phone conversations, emails, text
messages, conversations, entertainment, sexual relations, and so on. Their personalities reflect this

moderate mindset. They do not become overly excited or excessively melancholy. They are even-
tempered, and slow to anger or excitement. Their moderate mindset puts family, friends, colleagues,

and business partners at ease, which helps improve relationships. As a consequence, people enjoy
being around them. There is a comfort level in dealing with them in all matters.
Successful people eat, drink, entertain, and live moderate lifestyles. Contrary to what many
believe, and as a general rule, their homes, cars, personal effects, vacations, etc., are not extravagant.
Warren Buffet, one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, has lived in the same home he was
married in more than fifty years ago. His home is modest with no fence or surrounding wall. While
he owns a private jet business, he flies commercial airlines. He drives back and forth to work in his
car every day. Warren Buffet lives this Rich Habit on a daily basis.
Unsuccessful people live in extremes. They eat too much and drink too much. They overreact to
events. They permit their emotions to swing in extreme manners, which create great conflict and pain
in their relationships. Emotions such as anger, happiness, love, hate, jealousy, and envy are placed on
a very long leash, perhaps reeled in momentarily when their most important relationships are placed
in jeopardy. They obsess over food, drink, sex, drugs, gossip, personal possessions, their opinions,
their thoughts, and their actions.
Unsuccessful people have little control over their lives. They have wild swings in their moods,
which result in strained health, strained relationships, and strained finances. They have a “keep up
with the Jones” mindset. Their spending patterns are continuously influenced by others. If they fall
into money somehow, they spend this money on big homes and expensive cars to impress others.
Mortgages and loans stretch them financially. Many refinance their homes in an effort to maintain
their lifestyles. An unexpected event, such as a job loss, temporary disability, or sudden decline in
earnings, results in immediate financial catastrophe because unsuccessful people live paycheck to
paycheck. They have no savings or financial safety net. Their priorities are misplaced. They are
incapable of living moderate lifestyles, prioritizing their needs correctly, or living within their
means.
Summary:
Successful people do everything in moderation.

Rich Habit Promise Number Seven:
I will accomplish my daily tasks each and every day. I will adopt a “do it now” mindset.
Successful people do not procrastinate. They do not put off until tomorrow what they can do today.
They are focused on accomplishing things. They create “to-do” lists to record and plan the
accomplishments desired for each day. They understand the need to be the ones controlling their lives.
They do not let life or events control them. As a result, they are responsive to clients, patients,
business partners, family, and friends.
Successful people are goal-oriented. They set goals and achieve them. They are constantly
completing tasks and projects in a timely manner. They are proactive. Consequently, they are not
engaged in the practice of putting out fires or dealing with emergencies. They ignore the voice of
procrastination.
Unsuccessful people procrastinate. They delay, put off, and defer things that should and could be
done that very day. Their procrastination creates problems that require immediate attention.
Procrastination increases the risk of forgetting something important, or dealing with a critical matter
in an emergency setting, which risks mistakes, errors, and legal liabilities that can result in lawsuits.
Procrastination leads to poor quality in whatever service they provide. The lives of unsuccessful
people are haphazard, confused, and complicated. They cannot accomplish much as they are
constantly putting out one fire after another. They react instead to outside forces, which command
their immediate attention. They have no control over their lives or their daily schedules. They feel
powerless and directionless.
Do not procrastinate or delay in activities that should be performed in a given day. When the
thought of putting off something enters your mind, immediately cast this thought out by saying, “Do
It Now.” Repeat these three words a hundred times a day if necessary. Do not allow thoughts of
procrastination even a second of life. Once you are fully engaged in an activity, you will soon find
yourself absorbed in the activity and all thoughts of deferring the task will be gone. You will feel
exhilarated in accomplishing the task and feel in control of your life.
Summary:
Successful people do not procrastinate and have a “Do It Now” mindset.

Rich Habit Promise Number Eight:
I will engage in rich thinking every day.
Successful people are positive, enthusiastic, energetic, happy, and well-balanced individuals. They
feel powerful, in control, confident, and energized. This is not by accident. They are disciples of Rich
Thinking. When they talk to themselves, their words are uplifting, not critical. They congratulate
themselves internally all the time. They use positive affirmations every day to reinforce their attitudes
and create a positive mindset. They do not get down on themselves when problems occur. They have
adopted the Rich Thinking that problems and obstacles are opportunities.
Successful people control their thoughts and emotions. Bad thoughts are displaced immediately by
good thoughts. They understand that allowing a bad thought even a second of life will permit the bad
thought to take root and eventually change their behavior in a negative way. They feed their minds
with positive, good thoughts, and let them take root, eventually blossoming, and one day bearing
fruit.
Successful people think rich thoughts every day. They use positive affirmations and visualization
techniques to drive and alter their mindset. Contrary to what you may believe, successful people have
dire thoughts enter their minds. How could they not, with all of the negative news that we are
constantly bombarded with from the various media outlets? Every day we are bombarded with bad
thoughts. The information we absorb causes fear, anxiety, angst, and it is easy to fall victim to this
barrage of negativity. Successful people realize this and try to minimize their consumption of
television, radio programming, or Internet sites that are negative. Rather, they watch or listen to
programming that is constructive or uplifting. They read positive newspaper or magazine articles and
stay away from the negative ones. Successful people control what they see and hear every day.
Lastly, successful people are grateful for all that life has given them. They express thanks every
day, oftentimes before sleep or upon waking in the morning. Some even maintain a list, which they
read every day; setting forth all they are grateful for.
Unsuccessful people are critical of themselves. They are often their own worst critics. They
engage in negative, destructive thinking. They allow bad thoughts to enter their minds and take root,
which eventually causes bad behavior. They lack motivation, enthusiasm, and often fall into states of
mental depression that can last for days or weeks at a time. They watch too much negative
programming on television and radio. They buy newspapers with headlines designed to stir base
emotions. They frequent negative Internet sites. They feel hopeless and powerless.
One of the most successful techniques used to alter your mindset is to employ positive
affirmations. These are words we can feed our minds every day to foster the attitude we desire. They
need to be worded in such a way as if the trait you desire is already yours.
Positive Affirmations
“I complete my ‘to-do’ list every day.”
“I accomplish my goals.”
“I am lucky.”
“I am successful.”
“I make three hundred thousand dollars a year.”
“I own a vacation home in Long Beach Island.”
“I am a senior executive in my company.”

“I pay for my child’s college tuition out of my earnings or savings.”
“I love my job.”
“I love working with others.”
“I am confident.”
“I have a large network of relationships.”
“I call my parents every week.”
“I am a certified public accountant.”
“I live my life in moderation.”
Positive affirmations represent the picture of the individual you hope to be, the things you hope to
achieve, assets you hope to own, and income you hope to earn. They must be specific and in the
present tense to be effective. Make a list of positive affirmations and keep them by your side. Review
them once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and right before you go to sleep. Let these positive
affirmations seep into your mind every day. They represent your most positive, good thoughts, and
they will take root. Events and circumstances will begin to manifest themselves around your positive
thinking and opportunities will appear seemingly out of thin air.
Summary:
Successful people engage in Rich Thinking every day.

Rich Habit Promise Number Nine:
I will save ten percent of my gross income every paycheck.
Successful people pay themselves first. Before any bills get paid, successful people set aside ten
percent of their gross earnings into some savings, investment, or retirement vehicle. They invest their
money wisely, watch over their savings regularly, and set realistic goals for their investment returns.
They have high credit scores, know their net worth, and monitor their personal balance sheet. They
use only the most qualified financial professionals to maximize their returns and minimize their
taxes. Every successful person employs the services of a certified public accountant, considered by
many to be the most trusted financial advisor. They may also seek out attorneys or certified financial
planners who specialize in financial or estate planning. They use these professionals to help them
manage their money and their taxes.
Successful people have a retirement plan. They participate to the fullest extent permitted in
retirement plans offered by their employers. Many of these retirement plans allow employees to put
away, in a tax-deferred manner, ten percent or more of their earnings each year. If their company
does not have a retirement plan, they create their own retirement plan by funding individual
retirement accounts. They add to these accounts with every paycheck. They have retirement goals.
They monitor their retirement plan regularly and make course corrections in an effort to reach their
retirement goal.
Unsuccessful people pay themselves last. They live paycheck to paycheck, spending every penny
to support their lifestyle. They are poor savers and carry excessive amounts of debt. They have home
equity loans, which are tapped out. Their credit cards are maxed out, and they can barely make the
monthly minimum payments. They have poor credit scores. They do not manage or monitor their
credit scores. Unsuccessful people do not participate regularly in employer retirement plans or fund
their own retirement plan. Some gamble excessively and view the lottery as their retirement plan.
They take risks, which are either unnecessary or not thought through. They don’t set aside ten percent
of their earnings and, consequently, when they reach retirement age, they do not have enough
retirement savings to allow them to retire with financial security. They rationalize that they cannot
afford to set aside ten percent of their earnings. They are unwilling to alter their lifestyle in order to
save adequately. More often than not, unsuccessful people have no choice but to continue working
well into their retirement years.
Summary:
Successful people pay themselves first by putting ten percent of their paychecks into savings or
retirement plans.

Rich Habit Promise Number Ten:
I will control my thoughts and emotions each and every day.
Successful people are the masters of their thoughts and emotions. They do not fall prey to anger,
jealousy, excitability, sadness, or other petty emotions. They cast out all bad thoughts and emotions.
They do not allow them even a second of life. They understand that bad thoughts create bad decisions
that result in bad consequences. They replace these bad thoughts and emotions with good thoughts and
positive emotions. They use the following technique when faced with a difficult situation that presents
itself: “Think, Evaluate, and React.” Thinking gives them time to understand the situation. Evaluating
the situation buys more time to determine the correct course of action. Reacting is the last thing they
do and most likely will be the appropriate reaction, as they took the time to choose their reaction.
Successful people are too busy to allow themselves to indulge in being sad or depressed. They
engage in productive activities, which take their minds off their sadness or depression. They are
constantly engaged in projects or self-improvement activities that promote positive feelings about
themselves. Successful people feel as if they have total control over their emotions and thoughts.
Unsuccessful people fall prey to petty emotions. They let their emotions rule their behavior. They
become easily depressed and feel as if they have no control over their lives. They react before
thinking. They have adopted the bad habit of “Ready, Fire, Aim.” As a consequence of this, there are
many unsuccessful people sitting in prisons throughout the world.
Bad habits cause bad behavior, which results in bad decisions and ultimately a bad life. Bad
thoughts occur when your mind is idle and not engaged in some constructive activity. You need to
constantly be engaged in constructive activities, such as self-improvement, a worthwhile project, or a
goal you want to accomplish. If you have a bad thought, immediately cast the bad thought out and
refocus on the self-improvement activity, the constructive project, or the goal you wish to
accomplish.
Summary:
Successful people are the masters of their thoughts and emotions.
Summary of the Rich Habits Promises:
1. I WILL form good daily habits and follow these good daily habits each and every day.
2. I WILL set goals for each day, for each month, for each year and for the long-term; I WILL focus
on my goals each and every day.
3. I WILL engage in self-improvement each and every day.
4. I WILL devote part of each and every day in caring for my health.
5. I WILL devote part of each and every day to forming lifelong relationships.
6. I WILL live each and every day in a state of moderation.
7. I WILL accomplish my daily tasks each and every day; I will adopt a “DO IT NOW” mindset.
8. I WILL engage in rich thinking each and every day.
9. I WILL save ten percent of my gross income every paycheck.

10. I WILL control my thoughts and emotions each and every day.

Rich Habits at Work — The Client

When they turned the last page of the Rich Habits Training Program, the client lifted his head to see
his accountant, J.C. Jobs, staring at him, a slight smile drawing up the corners of his lips. “Well?” he
asked.
“That’s a lot of information.”
“It is,” J.C. replied, the smile spreading to his eyes and flushing his cheeks. “I want you to take the
material home with you and think about the Rich Habits tonight. First thing tomorrow morning I want
you to pull out the material and begin following the program. Review the Rich Habits in the afternoon
and again just before you go to bed. Do this for the next thirty days. Follow the program, review the
Habits, live the Habits, for the next thirty days.” J.C. jotted down a date and time on the back of his
business card and slid the card across the desk to his client. “I’ll see you in thirty days.”
The client woke early the next morning, eyes still cloudy from an early rise he was not yet
accustomed to, and opened up the Rich Habits Training Program binder created for him by J.C. Jobs.
“Let’s see,” he said to himself. “Rich Habits Number One requires me to list all of my bad habits in
one column.” The client did just as instructed. One by one he began to list all of his bad habits..
“I had no idea how many bad habits I had,” he murmured to himself. As instructed by J.C. and the
program materials, he began to invert his bad habits, one by one, turning them inside out.

Bad Habits Good Habits
1 I gamble on sports too much. I did not gamble on sports today.
2 I smoke cigarettes. I did not smoke a cigarette today.
3 I go out to restaurants too much. I go to restaurants once a week.
4 I get to work late too often. I get to work on time every day.
5 I get up late in the morning. I wake up at 5 a.m. every day.
6 I don’t pay enough attention to my wife. I take a walk with my wife every day.
7 I eat too much junk food. I did not eat junk food today.
8 I curse too much. I did not curse today.
9 I spend too much time at the bar. I did not go to the bar today.
10 I watch too much television. I watched television for thirty minutes today.
These became his new good habits, which he followed diligently every day. This was not an easy task,
but he desperately wanted to change his life, so follow them he did.
The client began to notice subtle changes in his life almost immediately. The gambling, he
learned, was not only draining his bank account but was also taking time away from his wife and his
business. He found that once he eliminated his gambling he no longer spent time at night during the
week in the local sports bar, watching the teams he bet on. This meant he did not have to struggle as
much to get up in the mornings. He found himself able to get to work much earlier than ever before,
even after completing his Rich Habits morning ritual. The extra morning time in the office allowed
him to get more things completed, allowing him to finish his workday with less stress and at a
reasonable hour and giving him more quality time at home with his wife. His relationship with his
wife began to perk up. She liked having him around and spending time with him. His business slowly
began to improve. He wasn’t pulling money out of his company bank account to finance his
gambling. His company expenses seemed much more manageable.
His next task, Rich Habits Number Two, was to set daily, current year, next year and long-term

goals. He had never set goals before, so this was entirely new to him. At first, his daily goals were
hard to accomplish, but he adopted the “Do It Now” mindset required by Rich Habit Number Seven
and after a few days he got the hang of this. He even began to look forward to ticking each daily goal
off his list during the day. His annual goals, which he initially viewed as unrealistic, he now
considered possible. His confidence grew each day. He felt productive and proud. He was imbued with
a new thinking that he would and could eventually reach most of his goals. He became enthusiastic
about his work, which fostered a desire to work even harder. His sales increased, as new opportunities
opened up to his company.
Rich Habit Number Four required that the client devote part of each and every day in caring for
his health. Exercise was something he had engaged in only sporadically and as a result he had never
been able to lose weight. He guessed he was about twenty-five pounds overweight. Worse than his
excess weight were his poor eating habits. As he had previously not been home much, opting for the
local sports bar instead, he infrequently ate home-cooked meals. Most of his diet consisted of buffalo
wings, burgers, French fries, and beer. To remedy this, each night, he and his wife walked an hour
together after dinner. They both began to lose weight. As they became more motivated to lose weight,
they began watching what they ate. Furthermore, the time they spent walking enhanced their
relationship.
One by one he incorporated the Rich Habits into his life. And day by day his life changed for the
better. All of the pieces to the puzzle of his life began falling into place. The client knew he was on the
right track and everything was different now.
As the day of their follow-up meeting approached the client could barely contain his excitement.
He had done just as J.C. had advised. He lived the Rich Habits for thirty days. This day he felt
different, almost reborn, and he knew in his heart that he was on the path to personal and financial
success.
The client shared with J.C. all of the things he was doing and the changes that had “miraculously”
taken place during this thirty-day period. J.C. grew excited. His Rich Habits actually worked on
someone other than himself! He could see that his client was now infused with the Rich Habits
mindset. The transformation was complete. J.C. was very happy.
“Thank you so much,” his client gushed as their meeting drew to a close.
“I want you to do me one favor,” J.C. said, glancing down at the photo of Denise on his desk. The
picture was from a vacation they had taken to Myrtle Beach the year before she passed away. She was
bathed in sunlight and smiling from ear to ear. “When you come across another person in a financial
situation similar to the one you are coming out of, I want you to reach out to help them by sending
them to me. I will do for them what I have done for you.”
“How similar?” the client asked. “There are a lot of people out there struggling.”
“Ninety-five percent,” J.C. added. He paused and considered the client’s question for a moment.
“You will know when their story stirs something inside you. When their story brings back strong
memories of your difficulties. You will know when you look at the distressed individual and you feel
as if you are looking in a mirror of your old life. When you come across that person, I want you to
refer them to me. Will you do that for me?”
The client agreed and shook J.C.’s hand vigorously.
As the client exited his office, J.C. looked upon the picture of Denise on his desk and spoke to her,
“As long as I’m alive I will do my best to help others become financially successful, Denise, so they
may never have to carry the burden I carry with me every day. I love you, Denise, and once again, I’m
sorry.” Two tears streamed down J.C’s cheeks – one representing regret and the other, hope.