What You Need Before True Wealth Building Can Begin

"Simplicity, clarity, singleness: These are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy...."

By Beau Henderson

What's the difference between wildly successful people everybody else?

They have CLARITY.

They know exactly what they want and where they are going - not just in regard to their business and finances, but their personal life as well.

It's like they have one of those maps that you see in big shopping malls and theme parks. The ones with the star that tells you: "YOU ARE HERE!"

Without that little star, you would have no idea which way to go. You could end up wandering for hours, wasting time and energy.

But before we talk about how you can create your personal "Success Map," let me give you some questions to think about:

• What if you were doing the work you wanted and spending time with the people you wanted to be with?
• How much time would you have left over each day if you did not spend half of it worried about money?
• Where would you be right now if you knew not only how to attract money, but how to keep it flowing in your life to build the lifestyle of your dreams?
• And what if you knew the answer to the question, "What is the purpose of my life?"

Your FIRST Step to Clarity

When Shawn and his wife Krista started their online business, they were excited to have identified a specific niche. Things took off for them right away. And by the end of their first year, they had deposited over $300,000 in the bank. The president of the bank himself came out to meet Shawn in the lobby, congratulating him on their success.

Six months later, they filed for bankruptcy.

"We were making so much money," remembers Shawn, "we said yes to everything. The piece that was missing was what we had spent, somewhere around $400,000."

Most people don't take a close look at their finances. They don't have the time, they think it will be too depressing, or they are afraid of the changes they may have to make.

Truth is, not looking at your finances causes much more of an energy drain than the time it takes to get a clear understanding of your numbers.

SECOND Step: Design Your Life

Successful businesses start with a business plan. A successful budget begins with an income statement and a balance sheet.
What does a successful Life begin with?
You guessed it. The same principle that applies to financial success applies here: You must begin by knowing where you are and where you are going. This knowledge is the compass to guide your decisions, your priorities, and behavior. It also dictates the budgeting of time, energy, and money.
When you don't have clear direction, you go through life reacting to what happens. You work for money, spend your paycheck, and pay the bills. All the while, you feel restless andunfulfilled.
Most people don't take the time to do the work of figuring out what they want. And it does require work.
Being rich doesn't just happen.
Going back to that star on your Success Map... until you invest time in getting clear about your direction, any efforts you make are potentially superfluous. You have to put first things first.

The FINAL Step: Answer the Vital Question

One of the questions I asked you to think about before we got started on your Success Map was this:
"What if you were doing the work you wanted and spending time with the people you wanted to be with?"
Well, do you know what kind of work that would be? If you could spend your days doing what you love - whether or not you to paid for it - what would you do?"
Building a successful business and life warrants requires setting aside time to identify the bigger picture of what you want.
Only after you are able to see where you are going, who you are with, what you are doing, and why you are doing it can you get yourself there.
There is a lot of information out there about how to make money. Promoting a balanced life is also a hot topic. But I believe that in order to achieve success for the long term, the two must be planned for together.
Are you willing to make some important investments in clarity?
Before you answer that, let me ask you this:

• Are you tired of living month to month? 
• Are you tired of being worried about paying the bills? 
• Is there a mission somewhere inside you, waiting to be discovered?

Money is the tool we need to help us achieve our goals. Success with money begins with understanding exactly what is coming in and going out.
Success with your business and personal life begins with the same kind of clarity.