Last night I had an interesting conversation with a good friend of mine.  He had recently picked up Napolean Hill's book "Think & Grow Rich" and had called me to discuss some of what he had read.  One of the major lessons that he was able to take away from the first few pages in the book deal was "mindset" and how it is the most important factor to success.  This successful mindset calls for you to have a 100% dedication to what you want to accomplish and go after it with everything you have. I like to relate it to that "back against the wall" experience, which is how I personally work best.

This back against the wall experience basically means, putting yourself in a position (even if it's just in your head) where you feel as if you have no choice but to succeed. This way you're sure to give your all.  As I was telling my friend, think about those people that get trapped under burning cars and miraculously find the strength to lift the car up and escape. They are able to do so, because they realize that they have no other choice if they want to avoid death, and after all we are programmed for self-preservation. Obviously success at say a job, is a slightly different situation, but the same mindset should be held. As I look back at my childhood specifically my school years, I realize that I was one of those kids that always got his best work done, when I waited until the last moment to write a paper or study for a test. Back then I just thought I was lazy and would rather play some basketball or a video game then write a stupid paper. But now I realize that I got my best work done using that technique (if you want you call it that), because eventually it got to the point where I knew that I HAD to write this paper or I would fail, or worse yet face the wrath of my parents.  When I started my own business, I quit my other 2 jobs. One reason was to make time to concentrate on what I had to do, but I also wanted to put myself in the position of being under that burning car. In order to be successful I had to go in 100% and to do that I knew I had to be in the position where I had to be successful. After all as my trading mentor taught me, fear is the biggest motivator out there. 

Now back to my friend. Currently he has a job that he really enjoys. However, the problem is that it is far away from basically all of his family and best friends which is an issue. He recently applied for a similar position much closer to home that he really wants and has made it into the final four candidates.  A few weeks ago he had the mindset of, "it would be really good to get this job, but if I don't it's not the end of the world because I still have a good thing going." But now he has done a full 180 degree turn with his personality and instead of having a passive approach he now views this opportunity as being his only chance to get back home and be in the position that he wants and he's going to make damn sure he does everything in his power to get it.  This is the mindset of a person that truly wants to be a success. You have to get rid of all of those "but" "ifs" and whatever other excuses you have for not going after what you want and just go all in. "Scared money doesn't make any money" and a person that afraid to jump will never land where he wants.