What is the measure of success? How do you know if you’re successful… really successful? What if your success is vastly different from someone else’s success?
Here’s your measure: results. You need to be making measurable progress in reasonable time. All life asks is that we make measurable progress in reasonable time. As parents, managers, and coworkers, we’ve got to be reasonable with time.
You can’t ask somebody every five minutes, “How are you doing now?” He will say, “I haven’t left the building yet. Give me a break.” Five minutes is too soon to ask. Five years is too late to ask. So what is a reasonable time to ask for results? Here’s the first time: at the end of the day. You can’t let more than a day go by without getting some things done, writing some letters, having a conversation with your son or daughter. You can’t postpone the important things more than a day.
When you’re on the job, there are some things you’ve got to get done within a day. You’ve got to make some calls within a day. In your personal life, you’ve got to get your health disciplines done within a day. You can’t carry them over. You can’t say, “Well, I’ll eat nine apples ten days from now.” No, it’s an apple a day. If it is five minutes to midnight and you haven’t gotten your apple in yet, munch away. Get it done.
Here’s the next time to ask for results: at the end of the week. Some things must be done within a week. A week is a good chunk of time. You can’t let more than a week go by without checking to see how you’re doing.
Here’s one of the better phrases to live by: success is a numbers game. You’ve got to check the numbers.
There are three important questions to ask yourself in this area. Here’s number one: “How much money have I saved and invested during my career?”
Question number two: “In the last ninety days, how many books have I read?” You need books to invest in the miracle of your mind, to give you ideas to ponder, to fashion your future with meticulous care. How many books have you read in the last ninety days?
Question number three: “In the last six months, how many classes have I taken to improve my skills?” What effort have you made to develop new skills for your future and your family? You’ve got to make progress in a reasonable amount of time. You’ve got to take a look at the numbers and see how you’re doing. It’s the name of the game.
The big gambling houses In Las Vegas put together a financial statement several times a day to see where they are. Why? So much is happening. If you don’t learn when to shut down some of those tables, you’ll be out of business by midnight. You can’t wait until midnight. You can’t wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is too late.
What is your cholesterol count? You don’t know and you don’t care? You’ve just got your fingers crossed for the future? You’d better start writing your will now.
Be responsible for the set of your own sail. Leave it to no one else but yourself. And learn to refine these numbers for yourself. How many pounds overweight should you be at age fifty? John says, “Well, I’ve got big bones.” We’ll give you ten pounds for big bones, but, hey, twenty-five or thirty pounds and we’ve got to turn on the caution light.
I (Jim Rohn) am asking you to take charge of your own life. Be responsible for your own life. Be responsible for your own retirement. Be responsible for your own health. Don’t just drift along with those others who don’t care to be responsible about their numbers.
Some of these numbers have got to be coming down, like your cholesterol. Some of these numbers have got to be going up, like the number of books in your library. Don’t be satisfied until you’ve looked at all your own numbers. And, be responsible. Don’t wait for somebody to come along. What is nobody comes along? You’ve got to be responsible yourself.
Results are the name of the game. Check the numbers. Don’t be satisfied with anything less than the best of numbers.
Here’s an interesting story. Jesus walked along one day and saw a fig tree. And as Jesus looked suspiciously at this fig tree, He said to His disciples, “Does that fig tree have any figs?” Do you think that’s an important question? For a fig tree, it’s an all-important question. Does it have any figs?
His disciples said, “No, sir. Of all the trees you were to pick, this particular fig tree does not have any figs.” The story says that Jesus then lost His cool. This is one of the few times He ever became angry. He did it, I think, to make a point. A fig tree without figs is simply unacceptable. Jesus said, “If that fig tree doesn’t have any figs, I suggest you promptly take it out!” Then He added, “Why let it take up the ground?”
You’ve got to take a good look at yourself every once in a while and say, “Today, I’m counting the figs!” Why? It’s the name of the game. You need results to be a success.
* Source: Leading an Inspired Life by Jim Rohn