I have a very rich friend, he bought a new sofa with a nice taste which cost him thirty thousand dollars. When the sofa was delivered, he found that the tea table didn't fit with it and had it replaced, and then it was the table, the chairs...in the end, the whole furniture had been replaced. This time, he realized that the house looked too old compared with all the glistening new furniture. He then had the old house torn down and built a new one.
"Just like that," my friend said, "I spent more than three hundred thousand bucks for this sofa. The maintenance alone costs me a hundred and ten thousand every year. I used to live fairly comfortable without any trouble, and it only costs several thousand a year."
Many people are still doing the same stupid thing today. They bought a new dress and then went for the right necklace for it, and then the watch, purse, trousers, shoes, then cars, and later, they must go to the resturant fit for their identities...there is no end to spending money like this.
Even for a rich one, if he keeps going on like that, will be left with nothing in the end. Let alone some of those people aren't that rich at all.
It always pays to contribute
No matter how tired you are, never postpone what you should do now, even just for an hour. Many people have achieved success in life by mere hard-working while their neighbours go poor for their whole lives just longing for several extra hours of sleep.
The will to fight on and the spirit of hard-working are two indispensable elements of a successful life.
Those who help themselves get help from the God. Some people just sit there all day, complaining about this and that, about how everyone else had a chance to become rich while he didn't. Oppotunity seldom drops from the sky itself.
It is said that Mohammed the Prophet once made camp in the desert with his disciples and followers, and he hear the fatigued disciples talking with his followers: "I am not going to tie the camels anymore, let Allah take care of that!"
"No, no, you must not do that." the Prophet said, "You should tie them first, then hand it over to allah!"
Do the best you can, then have faith in God or whatever you call it. But never forget to do the best you can!
Do not be tempted by others' fortune
Once there was a young man who was always lazy whether walking or working. I asked him: "Why are you so beaten all day long?" The young man had received good education, and had a very good academic degree. He said: "I didn't study hard just to be somebody's errand boy. I need to work for myself, start my own business." I said:"Good! Then why don't you get started right now?" He said:"I don't have enough money to start."
"Then are you going to have it acting like this?"
"I'm waiting."
"For what?"
"My money."
And then he told me that he had an old aunt who was financially affluence. "She doesn't have much time to live on now. If she doesn't die in time, then I'll go find some other rich old guys. They'll lend me several thousand bucks, and then I'll be good to go. I will do well once I get the money I need." How could he think like that? Unbelievable! Put aside the fact whether he can actually acquire his financial support is still in question, even he does have it, I still don't believe that he can achieve sccess. Money that comes without hard working is unreliable, and that's why it comes as fast as it goes. Under such circumstance, he won't be able to realize the true meaning and value of money. It is really a terrible mental attitude that one hopes to create his career with other's financial support rather than his own savings with even no self holding, discipline, austerity, patience and persistence. It goes without saying that failure awaits for him. How did those old rich guys, like his aunt, manage to achieve success? Based on my knowledge, nine out of ten of those people came from poor families and started with absolutly nothing. It was hard will, steel resolve, arduous working, persistency, austerity and good habits that helped them on their way to success. They kept saving their earnings carefully during their successful career, and now they can live their late years comfortably. It's also the best way to accumulate fortune.
Focus all you've got!
Hammer a nail, hammer it hard, until it goes deep in.
Focus on a career, keep up the good work till you have success in your pockets, or give up when your experience tells you to. When a person stays focused on his job without any disturbance, he'll keep thinking about the ways to improve his work, and thus he will. Have a dozen different projects and tasks stuck in your head at the same time, you lose your ability to focus, and your fortune with it. So remember, any time you do anything, focus your strength on it and give it your best to complete the job. Move on to the next job only after you get this one finished. Like the old saying goes, "Forge one piece of iron at a time. Forge all of them together, and you get a bunch of crap."