AARP The Pledge E-Book

Michael Masterson

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Serie: Agora Series
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 360

Beschreibung

AARP Digital Editions offer you practical tips, proven solutions, and expert guidance. Successful people don't sit around waiting for everything to be "100%" right or to be "absolutely sure" they will succeed. They don't need absolute assurance, because they realize life doesn't provide any. To get what they want out of life, they set specific goals and put together a formal plan to achieve those goals, one step at a time. Successful people know that the cost of failure is modest compared to that of inaction. Failure means they are smarter the next time. Inaction means there is no next time-there's only a lifetime of regret. In The Pledge: Your Master Plan for an Abundant Life, author Michael Masterson reveals how to become successful-and not just financially, but in every area of life. The book * Offers simple tips to making immediate changes and to establishing long-term goals * Details strategies on becoming more productive at the office and defeating depression * Explains why simplifying goals into four major ones makes them much easier to achieve The Pledge teaches readers how to start and finish projects they have been dreaming about for years, boost confidence, strengthen skills, build wealth, and enjoy life.

Leseprobe

MAKING YOUR MONEY WORK FOR YOU

Maybe you’re thinking it’s time to review your investment strategy and make the most of the money you have today. Maybe you’ve already built a financially successful retirement egg and want to protect what you’ve built. Or maybe you need to bulk up your earnings to ensure your family’s future.

Welcome to money for grown-ups. Where do you turn for credible information?

Dedicated to helping you protect your assets, stretch your dollars, and bolster your longterm security, AARP can offer you powerful solutions. Whatever your strategy for managing money, we’ve got suggestions that will help – from saving money on that next big purchase to planning your charitable giving. If you’re taking your job to the next level or building up a second career, we’ve got strategies that will help you make your mark.

You may think your money — or your financial advisor — should be working harder for you. You may be watching market trends and seeing new opportunities. And, of course, you want to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams and data breaches. We can give you the support you need.

And turn to us for fun, too. (Is it time for that car, that trip, that weekend home you’ve always wanted?) Because that, too, is what this time of your life is about.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50 and older improve their lives. For more than 50 years, AARP has been serving our members and society by creating positive social change. AARP’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all as we age; lead positive social change; and deliver value to members through information, service and advocacy. This information in this book is for educational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

HOW GOOD IS YOUR LIFE? TAKE THIS TEST AND FIND OUT

WITH WHOM YOU DO IT . . . YOUR PARTNERS, VENDORS, AND MAIN CLIENTS

WHERE YOU DO IT . . . THE PLACE YOU LIVE AND WORK

HOW TO SCORE

OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVEMENT: WHY YOU CAN’T GET STARTED

Part One - YOUR MASTER PLAN FOR AN ABUNDANT LIFE

WHAT DOES IT REALLY TAKE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE?

REINVENT YOUR LIFE WITH A PROVEN PLAN FOR SUCCESS

INTRODUCING THE MASTER PLAN

Part Two - HOW TO TURN YOUR BIGGEST DREAMS INTO REALITY

ARE YOU SETTING GOALS . . . OR STILL DREAMING?

THE VOCABULARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

BEFORE SETTING YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS, FIGURE OUT YOUR CORE VALUES

SETTING SEVEN-YEAR GOALS AND SHORTER-TERM OBJECTIVES

USING DAILY TASK LISTS TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS

HOW TO MAKE MEASURABLE PROGRESS TOWARD YOUR MOST-NEGLECTED GOALS

TRACKING YOUR SUCCESS: WHY YOU SHOULD KEEP A DAILY JOURNAL

Part Three - YOUR ABUNDANT LIFE, DAY BY DAY

HOW TO BECOME AN EARLY RISER

A LIFE-CHANGING EARLY-MORNING ROUTINE

YOUR PERFECT DAY! HOW TO ALLOCATE YOUR HOURS FOR MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY

THREE STEPS TO SUCCESS: THINKING, ACTING, AND BREAKING UP THE DAY

HOW TO BE ON TOP OF EVERYTHING

FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GIVE YOURSELF MORE TIME TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL

HOW TO CREATE A PERFECTLY ORGANIZED OFFICE

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR WORK HABITS AND BECOME A SUCCESS MACHINE

Part Four - CREATING A RICHER, MORE ENJOYABLE LIFE

MAKING OUR LIVES GOLDEN: THE CHOICES WE HAVE

REWARDING YOURSELF

FIVE STRATEGIES FOR LIVING A SIMPLER, FULLER LIFE

WANTING THINGS

EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AND THE ZEN OF GOLF

PUT A LITTLE LEVITY IN YOUR LIFE

Part Five - THE PUSH YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

GIVE YOURSELF A KICK IN THE PANTS

THE JUNKIE’S SECRET

WHY POSITIVE THINKING DOESN’T WORK FOR MOST PEOPLE

TOO SCARED TO TRY? A FORMULA FOR DEFEATING THE FEAR OF FAILURE

HOW TO BECOME WHAT YOU WANT TO BE

WHEN TO DOUBT YOURSELF

TAKING THE BIG LEAP

CHECKING YOUR PROGRESS

Part Six - SKILLS OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL

WHY YOU CAN LEARN SO MUCH FROM A MENTOR

WHAT DANCING CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT LEADERSHIP

THE POWER OF A SIMPLE QUESTION

DOUBLE YOUR PERSONAL POWER BY MASTERING ONE SKILL

THE RIGHT WAY TO TAKE A WORKING VACATION

READ TO SUCCEED

Part Seven - THE OBSTACLES TO YOUR SUCCESS—AND HOW TO DEFEAT THEM

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES

GIVING UP YOUR INFORMATION ADDICTION

INFORMATION OVERLOAD: HOW TO ESCAPE THE CRUSH

INFORMATION OVERLOAD: THE E-MAIL PROBLEM

HOW TO GET OUT OF THAT DAMNED RUT

WHEN YOUR LIFE SUDDENLY TAKES A TURN FOR THE WORSE

NINE STEPS TO DEFEATING DEPRESSION

Part Eight - BUILDING YOUR WEALTH

HOW MUCH ARE YOU WORTH? FIGURE IT OUT AND MAKE YOUR LIFE MUCH, MUCH RICHER

WHAT IT REALLY TAKES TO BECOME WEALTHY

PAY YOURSELF FIRST AND GET RICH AUTOMATICALLY

THE BEST WAY TO RISE TO THE TOP OF ANY BUSINESS

FIVE SECRETS TO DOUBLING YOUR MONEY EVERY THREE YEARS

HOW TO THINK LIKE A BILLIONAIRE

HOW NATURAL-BORN BILLIONAIRES FEEL ABOUT CHANGE

THE KEY TO ENJOYING A GREAT RETIREMENT (AND A LIFETIME OF HAPPINESS)

BECOMING A BETTER PERSON

CONCLUSION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

INDEX

Copyright © 2011 by Michael Masterson. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Masterson, Michael.

The pledge : your master plan for an abundant life / by Michael Masterson.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-0-470-92240-8 (hardback); 978-0-470-94927-6 (ebk); 978-0-470-94926-9 (ebk)

1. Success. 2. Self-actualization (Psychology) 3. Success in business. 4. Finance, Personal. I. Title.

BF637.S8M315 2011

650.1—dc22

2010034714

To Stephen Covey and Dale Carnegie, who helpedme learn the art and science of prioritization,planning, organization, and getting things done.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank the following people for their help with this book:

Kim Lansdale for her efforts in finalizing the text and putting it all together in a cohesive package.

Suzanne Richardson for her work in selecting and compiling the essays in this book.

Jason Holland for his quick and enthusiastic work in checking facts and tracking down supporting data.

Judith Strauss for her efforts to make my sentences clean and comprehensible.

Introduction

HOW TO LIVE YOUR ABUNDANT LIFE STARTING TODAY

We all want better lives, but too few of us are willing to make the changes necessary to have them.

Take my old friend Joe S., for example. Every time I see him—which is not very often these days—he complains about his (a) wife, (b) job, (c) kids, (d) body, and (e) friends. Usually he manages to complain about all those topics before he finishes a single beer. In the past I used to encourage him to change.

“Go to a marriage counselor,” I suggested.

“They don’t do anything,” he assured me.

“Then get a divorce.”

“It’s cheaper to keep her.”

All our early conversations went that way. Then I stopped making suggestions. Nowadays, when we meet, I have one beer and then get going.

Joe is an extreme example. He says he wants to change, but he doesn’t really. He prefers to keep doing what he’s always done. To lead a miserable life and waste his spare time complaining about it.

Joe is stuck. So is John K., a UK-based electrical engineer who had been reading my daily e-letter Early to Rise (ETR) for about three months when he wrote me. John said that although he regularly found “excellent” ideas in ETR, he couldn’t get started. His problem: He “lacked motivation.”

As an educated man, John could “recognize the opportunities present in . . . real estate, import/export, online, etc.,” but couldn’t get started on any of them unless he was “absolutely, 100 percent sure” that he would be successful.

He recognized that he was disabled by a fear of failing. But knowing you have an emotional problem doesn’t mean you can solve it. “How can I get by this obstacle?” he wanted to know.