One Trait Of Successful Business Owners

If you are a business owner. What type? Most people will answer that they are a “lawn mowing” or “novelty shop” owner. Only a few very successful people seem to realize that they are in the business of marketing and say “I am in business to market lawn mowing services” or “I am in the business of marketing novelty items”.

Think about the local video store. How many have you seen close down. How much marketing did you see from those who have closed down? I would hazard a guess that you didn’t see much and if you did, it never tried to sell you the experience of watching a new release movie or old classic from the comfort of your own home. Typically store owners get so caught up with the day to day running they forget the need to market their products or services to continue to bring in new customers or clients and just continue to market their store name.

Let me try and provide anther example. You have a novelty shop with a physical storefront location and have named it “Joan’s Store”. That is not your business. In fact, the store itself is usually an extra expense of running a business. If you are like many business owners, you put up a sign out the front with your store name and run an ad in the local paper telling people your store name and location. How will anyone know that your shop (Joan’s Store) sells novelty items? How differently would your business grow if instead of advertising just your store name, you advertise your novelty items and their benefits? Or if your marketing efforts sell the experience (or sizzle) of getting many laughs?

Your real business is the marketing of the novelty items…you just use the store front as a way to sell your novelty items. Instead of a store you could also use mail order, a phone order line, a website, or stores owned by others to sell your products and services. Your real business job is to drive potential customers (or traffic) into your store to buy your novelty products. There are hundreds of ways to drive traffic to your store and its products; and that is the art of marketing.

Marketing can include: advertising, direct mail campaigns, classified ads, TV infomercials, e-mail courses, e-mail mailing lists, banners, sponsorship, direct mail, postcards, events and contests, drawings, JV’s, open houses, press releases, logo branding, etc. Marketing is anything which brands your product or services, brings them to the attention of potential customers and drives them to do business with you.

How To Set Your Mind To Attract Wealth

1. Show gratitude for any money which enters your life.

In order to attract money into your life, you must show gratitude for the money which is already in your life. Instead of bemoaning how little money you have, bask in gratitude at the many ways in which you are rich already. For example, if you earn over $2,182 per year you have more wealth than 85% of the people on earth. And if you earn more than $25,400 a year you are in the top 10% of wealthy people on this planet. When you focus on what you have rather than what you want, you realize that you ARE already rich. Give thanks often for all the riches in your life.

How to use this principle today:

The next time money enters your life, from any source whatsoever, instead of barely noticing what has happened and mentally beginning to spend it, use a few moments of time to give thanks to the universe for bringing this money into your life. Every time you receive a paycheck, every time someone gives you money for any reason, every time you find money, or get a great deal, or save money in some way, stop and appreciate the fact that money is flowing into your life. Doing this every time money comes to you will attract more and more money into your life.

2. Act as if you are rich.

This is the fundamental truth of all mind power work, that you must act as if what you want is already yours. So act as if you already have the money you wish to have. Ask yourself, if I was already rich, what would I do, how would I act, how would I feel, and then do, act, and feel in those ways.

Of course, this doesn't mean that you quit your job and move to the South Pacific like you would if you suddenly won the lottery, but you start small and with each success you build your way to greater and greater wealth. Eat a little bit better, dress a little bit nicer, go on slightly higher-end vacations, take a cab instead of the bus now and then, take that course you think you can’t afford, or do anything at all that you wish to do but believe you can’t because of a lack of money.

And when you do these things, bask in joy at your inner state of wealth, and know that this state will be reflected in your outer world. You’ll be amazed at how life provides for the things which bring you joy.

How to use this principle today:

The next time you are about to buy something, anything at all, purchase an item that is of slightly higher quality and price than you would usually buy. Even if something only costs a few dollars more than what is usual for you to spend, buy that item and thank the universe for providing for your new expanding lifestyle.

Even though it is a tiny step, you are beginning to teach your mind that you are expanding your limitations, and as you practice this you will begin to purchase more of the things you want in your life and the money will come to you to pay for them.

3. Find a penny, pick it up.

In order to attract wealth into your life, your subsconscious mind must be open to the idea of wealth flowing to you. You must be open and receptive to money coming to you from any source whatsoever. This includes the pennies laying on the street. If you pass a penny on the sidewalk, and your usual reaction is simply to ignore it because stooping down to pick up a penny is not worth the effort, you are telling your subconscious mind that you are not willing to put out effort for money. The amount of money makes no difference whatsoever. The subconscious mind doesn't distinguish between one penny and one million dollars. All it knows is how you feel.

Of course this manifests in many other ways as well. Whenever you do not accept a gift graciously, whenever you do not charge someone for work that you have done for them, or charge them way less than you should because you feel guilty, and whenever you sell a product for less than it is worth because you do not want to charge too much, you are generating the same emotions. So begin to be open to money, in whatever form, and begin to accept it's flow into your life, even if it's only a penny on the street.

How to use this principle today:

Simply go for a walk today and look for money. You are sure to find at least a penny somewhere. Pick it up and thank the universe for bringing money into your life. Let your subconscious mind know that you are open and willing to accept money from any source.

As well, apply this principle in your working life. If you have been undercharging for your services, raise your prices. If you are not earning what you feel you should, ask for a raise. And whenever anyone gives you anything, especially money, accept it graciously and give thanks.

4. Be open to money-making opportunities.

One thing that all self-made millionaires agree on is that there are opportunities everywhere, if we are just open to seeing them. You can prove this for yourself by looking at your own life. There are probably many times in your past which you think back to and wonder what might have happened if you had taken an opportunity at just the right time. Whether it’s obvious things like career opportunities you let slip by, investment opportunities you didn’t belive in, or less obvious opportunities like an idea you once had that is now making someone else rich, or an industry you could have joined before it became saturated.

If you are like most people, when you think of your past opportunities, you believe that you once had a chance but that opportunity is now gone. The difference between rich and poor people is that rich people realize that new opportunities are always all around us, all the time. You simply need to keep a look out for the opportunities, keep and open mind, and be prepared to take advantage when the opportunity arrives.

I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage that luck occurs when opportunity meets preparation. Well, it couldn’t be more true. If you expect to find money-making opportunities in your life, and you prepare to take advantage of them when they come, you will be blessed with more incredible luck than you have ever experienced.

How to use this principle today:

Get out a little notebook and write down all the money-making ideas you can think of. It doesn’t matter how stupid or outrageous the idea might seem, write it down anyway.

This does two things. First, you realize that there are plenty of money-making opportunities around you right now, as there always have been and always will be. Secondly, this exercise will stimulate your mind to see money-making opportunities where it might have ignored them in the past, and will help you practice to see opportunities in the future.

If you keep adding ideas to your notebook consistently, one day you will see an incredibly opportunity on your list which is perfect for you. Then go for it!

5. Do something that makes you feel good.

This has got to be the easiest money-making advice I could ever give. Do something that makes you feel good. When you feel good, your energy rises, and when your energy rises, it attracts more of the things into your life which make you feel good.

Could life be any easier? Not really, but we are so caught up in the backwards thinking of everyone around us that we miss the obvious flow of energy. All you really need to attract more of the good things in your life, including more money, is to generate positive energy into the world. The states of happiness and joy literally rearrange the atoms of your world to bring you more happiness and joy. Of course, the reverse is true as well. So avoid fear, anger, depression, and spend your time feeling good about yourself and your life.

If this is difficult for you, just practice. Begin with some small thing which brings you happiness. It could be as simple as watching a sunset, renting your favorite movie of all time, taking someone you love out for dessert, or anything at all.

The secret is to do these things whole-heartedly, with all your attention focussed on the happiness vibrating from your soul out into the world. This simple act will bring you rich rewards.

How to use this principle today:

Don’t just read this article and think "that sounds good" and then go back to your life. Pick something to do which will bring you happiness and do it today. It doesn’t matter what it is or how small it seems. In fact, you don’t have to do anything at all. All that is important is feeling the positive emotions of happiness and joy emanating from your soul.

One simple way to generate positive emotion is to feel gratitude for something in your life. Just pick something in your life for which you are very grateful, and vibrate your gratitude towards it.

It's Never Too Late If You Start Now

That should get you started. Five extremely simple actions you can take to begin to expand the prosperity you experience in your life. But don’t stop there. Never let fear or doubt enter your mind. There is nothing you need in order to succeed except the power of your own mind.

If you worry that you are not smart enough, not connected enough, not talented enough, not young enough or not old enough, you are simply creating limiting beliefs which will manifest in the outside world. All you really need to know is that the outside world is a reflection of the state of your inner mind. Know that you can make every day from this day forward a little more joyful and a little more abundant and then watch your life begin to change.

It’s an easy and gentle process, much like letting a plant grow. One day you will suddenly realize that all of your good thoughts have grown into the beautiful fruits of a happy and successful life.

The Impression Of Increase

In so far as your business consists in dealing with other people—whether directly, by telephone, or by letter—the key thought of all your efforts must be to convey to their mind the impression of increase.

Increase is what all men and all women are seeking. It is the urge of the formless intelligence within them to find fuller expression.

The desire for increase is inherent in all nature. It is the fundamental impulse of the universe. All human activities are based on the desire for increase. People are seeking more food, more clothes, better shelter, more luxury, more beauty, more knowledge, more pleasure—more life. Every living thing is under that necessity for continuous advancement. Where increase of life ceases, dissolution and death set in at once.

People instinctively know this, and hence they are forever seeking more. This law of perpetual increase is set forth by Jesus in the parable of the talents. Only those who gain more retain any. "From him who hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."

The normal desire for increased wealth is not an evil or a reprehensible thing. It is simply the desire for a more abundant life. And, because it is the deepest instinct of their natures, all men and women are attracted to an individual who can give them more of the means of life.


Wallace D. Wattles
From The Science of Getting Rich