In this age of powerful technology and information at our fingertips, the topic of success often appears to be complicated and overwhelming. Many people seem caught in a race to figure out the “right” formula inside of infinite possibilities.
We can get caught up in the trap of obsessing over which tool, whose method or what direction to go to reach our destination the quickest and most effectively. At every turn (especially online), we are bombarded by courses, tutorials, articles and videos that promise to give us the answers we are looking for.
But what if it really isn’t as complicated as we make it out to be? What if achieving success is actually simple?
That was the suggestion from Dean Graziosi. He was on TV every day for 17 years straight because his infomercials around real estate training were that successful and popular. He is a multiple New York Times best-selling author, the top real estate trainer in the world and is friends with the best of the best. But, like many other greats, he didn’t start with much.
Dyslexic, broke, coming from a family who always struggled with money, just trying to figure life out, Graziosi is an incredible example of the power of turning your story around because you chose to. We met years ago through a mutual friend, but this is the first time we were able to sit down and dive into his brilliant mind and how he has created what he has created.
We covered his top habits for millionaire-level success, and he told me some stories that made me tear up. He reiterated what rings true to me as well: that the more success you have, the more you realize that the shifts you need to make to become successful are actually smaller than people would expect.
1. Be true to yourself.
Make sure you are happy with the person you see in the mirror, with the person you are “being” every day. Are you the partner you want to be, the friend you want to be, the parent you want to be? When you are in alignment with who you want to be, you are true to yourself.
2. Set your day up for success with a morning routine.
We all suffer. We have moments of suffering, sometimes short, sometimes long. If you can limit your suffering, you can more easily focus on solutions and move forward. A morning routine can help you set your day up for the least amount of suffering and create a foundation of focus.
3. Practice gratitude.
Find gratitude at the very base level. See the beauty and blessings of every moment. In simply waking up alive, breathing. In the sheets on your bed. The bed itself. Graziosi says to bring your gratitude back to the basics in life, not the big things.
4. Disconnect.
Set yourself up for success by centering yourself with your routine so that you can respond instead of react to things coming at you during your day. Avoid your phone at night and first thing in the morning. Otherwise, your focus can be thrown off before you have taken time for yourself.
5. Feed your soul.
Read from your favorite book, meditate, do whatever it is that feeds your soul.
6. Feed your body.
Graziosi prefers a glass of water with lemon and some green juice. Nourish yourself.
7. Move your body.
Exercise, exercise, exercise. Whatever works for you.
8. Write a list of what you “get” to do, not what you “have” to do.
Graziosi used to paint cars in an auto shop when he was young, inhaling fumes all day. Now, even though he doesn’t like conference calls very much, he reminds himself that these days he “gets” to have conference calls instead of inhaling paint fumes in the shop. It is a powerful mindset shift.
9. Be overly enthusiastic and committed to your why.
Get to the core of your why. Graziosi recommends an exercise he describes as 7 Levels Deep. It changed Dean’s life and purpose forever.
10. Let thoughts be things, not who you are.
Be the observer of your thoughts. Two books Graziosi says are must-reads around this include The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
When you are struggling and want more in life, you often think there are hundreds of things you need to learn or change about yourself, but it actually boils down to a handful of things that make someone successful or not. These fundamental habits can shift everything for you. Success is actually easier than people think.
