How to Buy Happiness the Right Way

by Michael Corthell

You say you want to become a millionaire or even a billionaire? Or a multibillionaire. How about a trillionaire? Why not? Here's how to set that goal and get on the path to riches—the right way.

''Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable
confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.''
—Norman Vincent Peale

Your goal is clear but how to get there? The path isn't so clear, but...

Money of course isn't all there is. Not even close, but it is a major part of happiness, because it buys freedom to do what you want. By any measure and definition of success, money is way down the list, practically near the bottom, but it is a requirement.

Think about your definition of success while I tell you mine. 

My definition of success is have a burning desire to help the people of the world by teaching them how to develop a positive mindset. Throughout this book I show them that a positive mindset, desire, determination, hope and love brings happiness and a joyful life. That burning desire has brought me my own happiness and my own joyful life.

So then,  you want to be a millionaire, have lots of money? Money is high on your happiness list? What kinds of things should you do to increase your chances of reaching your desired level of financial success?

Do the things below. But, beware, they're not quick and easy. Fast, easy money is lost fast and easy.

Go through these suggestions and make them your own. After you read this, gather your own information and study. Study hard, put some real, determined effort into it, but most of all have a burning desire and believe that you will succeed by visualizing that money before your eyes.

Don't obsess about money.
It sounds counterintuitive, but focusing too much on how much you make distracts you from doing the things that truly contribute to building and growing wealth.

Look at things differently. Don't see money as the primary goal but as a byproduct of doing good things.

Keep track of how many people you help

The most successful people I know are givers. They are extremely helpful people. They are understanding of other people and they help them achieve their goals. These people know that their success is based on the success of the people around them. So they work hard to make other people successful: their employees, their customers, their vendors and suppliers...because they know, if they can do that, then their own success will surely follow.

Stop thinking about making a million dollars and start thinking about serving millions of people

People who have only have a handful of customers with a goal of making a lot of money, have to find ways to squeeze every last penny out of those customers. Don't so that. Find a way to serve a million people, many other benefits follow. (For example, I have seven billion potential customers.)  Serve a million people and serve them well. The money will follow.

Look at making money as a way to make more things

There are two kinds of entrepreneurs. One who wants to make things because they want to make money. The more of these things they make, the more cash flows into their bank account. What they produce doesn't really matter to them. They will do or make anything as long as it pays. The other kind of entrepreneur wants to make money because it allows them to make more things. They want to improve their product.They want to write another book, another song, produce another movie. They love what they make and they see making money as a way to do even more of what they love. Be that person.

"We don't make movies to make money,
we make money to make more movies."

—Walt Disney

Do one thing better

Find your burning desire, that one thing you're already better at than most people. Become laser focused on doing that one thing. Work. Train. Learn. Practice. Evaluate. Refine. Be positive and accept any criticism with a grain of salt. Successful people do at least one thing better than just about anyone else. Excellence has great rewards, excellence commands higher pay and greater respect.

Make sure to track your progress

We will tend to become what we measure, so track your progress often, at least once a week against your key measures. How many people you've helped? How many customers you've served? How about evaluating the key steps on your journey to becoming the world's best at _________? It will be a combination of metrics.

Build routines that ensure progress

Remember that achieving your goals are based on creating work routines. If you want to write a 300 page book. One method of achieving that goal will be to write ten pages a day. That will be your work routine. Wishing and hoping won't get you to a finished manuscript, but working faithfully and diligently will. So, set your goals, create the routines that support those goals, and track your progress. Correct what doesn't work. Continuously improve and repeat what does work. Refine, revise, adapt and work hard every single day. Do better and be better than you were the day before.

You'll start to get good. Then you'll start to get great. And then one day (before you know it) you'll be the best.

While you're embroiled in doing all the above and  probably without even noticing, you'll also become rich. That is if you like that sort of thing—having the freedom that money buys—freedom to create things that help people live happy, joyful lives. 

___________

How to Buy Happiness

by Michael Norton

At TEDxCambridge, Michael Norton shares fascinating research on how money can indeed buy happiness -- when you don't spend it on yourself. Listen for surprising data on the many ways pro-social spending can benefit you, your work, and (of course) other people.