How Did You Make It?

[db@100]

Find something you enjoy doing. If you wake up and hate going to work, then it's time to find a new job.

[TB80]

Kind of funny how many comments about “success” in this thread are all about work and money and have nothing to do with family and/or loving or serving others.

[Lonestar_HOYT]

Spend less time on TBH and other internet BS and more time on being better at your craft.

[bphillips]

Two ways to do it

Help or risk

[HappyM]

Pray everyday with humility and gratitude
Marry a women with shared values
Take care of your health
Be a giver , not a taker
Treat everyone you meet with respect
Work at something you love doing
Be patient and save
Make a plan but adjust as you find the successful bits
Don’t try to impress anybody but your customers and Him

Successful business people that I have met that I admire have several traits in common

1) they know their customers and what their customers need to be successful
2) they provide services and products that meet these needs in a way their customers need it
3) they have a hyper focus on productivity and efficiency
4) they manage and perfect the inputs to get the desired outputs
5) they are not victims, they take every experience as an opportunity to learn, and continuously improve
6) most are remarkably humble, all understand they can’t do it alone.

[Wylde E]

Hunt only public land.

[60 Deluxe]

Count your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. That means not having things or doing things that other people have and do until you get over the hump and have some inertia moving you along. I cancelled the newspaper thirty years ago when it went to fifty cents a day. It just wasn't worth it. I pay ten bucks a month for cell phone service and still use a flip phone. Buy term life insurance. Stay away from the car dealerships. Repair things rather than replacing them. Double up on the house payment. Buy in bulk at the grocery store when what you like to eat is on sale.

After doing that for thirty or forty years you should be in pretty good financial shape regardless of how much money you have earned. Once there is no debt, don't fly off the handle and change your lifestyle. Money will begin to pile up in the bank at that point so put it to work for a decent cashflow. One last thing...don't vote for democrats. They will take your hard earned tax dollars and give them to someone with no financial discipline.

[Big pig]

Good advice here.
Not sure I “made it”, but I am satisfied with where we are. I enjoyed my career even though we aren’t wealthy.
As far as spending, I would stay away from houses that are too big with all the unnecessary maintenance costs.
As for your career, I would find a successful mentor in your chosen area that is retired (or close) and ask for guidance. Work long and hard, be honest and surround yourself with positive people.
A thrifty wife is a must.

BP

[tps7742]

Oh, then your talking about rich. You can be successful without being rich.

There is allot of wisdom and knowledge in this very simple statement.

[DRT]

Not sure how you measure success.
I worked every chance I had and still do. Spent 30 years never telling the boss no when he asked if I could accomplish a task. Now I continue to work for me but always employ young men trying to get a start in life. Trying to mentor them like I got when I was young.
Having a wife of 33 years, grown kids and grandchildren I'd say I've lived the American dream.
I'm not rich. Never will be. But I'm living in a paid for house, have a paid for ranch, land in two states, and discretionary funds that allow me to enjoy life a bit.
That said we've always given to the church and in all honesty nothing we have belongs to us. It belongs to the Lord and He has blessed us by giving us the opportunity to earn so giving is not only following His commandment it is the way we show our gratitude for His blessing.
I have no clue where I'd be if it weren't for hard work and Him.

Gary

[Huntingfool]

I have been self employed for 40 years now. Started from scratch.

This is how it worked for me - maybe not for everyone but sure as heck turned out good in my case.

1. You Cannot be afraid to go our on your own. Most people with wealth are self employed. Takes some moxie to leave a job with a salary and start a business.

2. My goal was not to get rich. My goal was to be financially independent - definition of that is to be able to come and go when and where you want and not have to fret about the next paycheck.

3. Speaking of goals - I set personal and business goals every year - printed them out and put them on my desk. Every morning I went to work I was reminded of what I needed to do to build a successful business.

4. This one hurts most folks - "get your butt out of bed early and get to work" - I get up at 5 am and am at my office at 5:30 am at the latest. I am 66 years old and in business 40 years and was in my office this morning (Saturday) at 5 am. For me I enjoy it - the office is quiet and I can focus on what needs to be done. Good news is that I now get to leave around noon - why??? Because I can.

5. Love what you do - I am in the sales and service business. I love helping people.

6. When I first started in business I had a mentor ask me "what is the secret to being successful in business??? His answer?? There is NO SECRET" - it boils down to hard work, developing relationships with your customers, and providing world class service. Think about this - in today's world good customer service is rare. If you are the one giving good customer service then you will stand out like a sore thumb.

7. The beauty of being self employed is this - you have nobody to blame if you don't succeed other than yourself. You are not counting on anyone else to do it for you - your boss is in your mirror

If someone asked me what I would change over my past 40 years my truthful answer would be "nothing"

[Leon County Slayer]

I shot a Mathew’s ...

[Huntingfool]

I shot a Mathew’s ...

Thank you for your contribution to the thread!

[doghouse]

Save your pennies and remember it's not the size of the house you live in, it's the love and fun within the house hold. Good luck!

[MIHunter]

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Pray everyday with humility and gratitude
Marry a women with shared values
Take care of your health
Be a giver , not a taker
Treat everyone you meet with respect
Work at something you love doing
Be patient and save
Make a plan but adjust as you find the successful bits
Don’t try to impress anybody but your customers and Him

Successful business people that I have met that I admire have several traits in common

1) they know their customers and what their customers need to be successful
2) they provide services and products that meet these needs in a way their customers need it
3) they have a hyper focus on productivity and efficiency
4) they manage and perfect the inputs to get the desired outputs
5) they are not victims, they take every experience as an opportunity to learn, and continuously improve
6) most are remarkably humble, all understand they can’t do it alone.