I can attribute a large percentage of anything in my life that you could call "an accomplishment" to the fact that I constantly and purposefully take a step back, look at my life, and see what I could improve. That seems pretty vague and obvious but it's always the simple things that make the biggest difference.
I like to look at my life by analyzing how I'm doing in 6 different categories.
These categories are not the "measurement" of my life. It doesn't reflect how much my life matters. It doesn't reflect anything other than what I value personally, and I think it's helpful simply because it gives me a framework of understanding how I'm doing, what I can improve in, and what I've accomplished, all in a way that is simple and somewhat measurable.
I like to analyze each one, ask myself if I'm moving forward or backwards in each one, make goals for how I want each one to be in my life, and then make a plan to improve for each one. And by no means did I "invent" this type of thinking.
My personal categories are as follows and are not necessarily in any particular order:
1. Body: This includes health, energy, muscle, fat, diet, etc. I want everyone who knows me to know I'm fit. I think that building a business and making a whole bunch of cash is an empty goal if you don't like how you look in the mirror.
2. Style: This deals with all of the "things" in your life. I want to be "put together" and enjoy nice things. I don't care for buying a Gucci backpack or anything like that, but I feel great when I put on nice clothes, hop into a decent car, and live in a nice home. A lot of people preach living like a spartan and I did that for a long time. I remember having one pair of shoes with holes in them. I remember driving a car that leaked water onto my leg when I would drive it and the carpet would get moldy. I remember never buying anything to distract me and focusing 100% on the business. There's a time and a place for that, but I enjoy having things in my life that look good, offer convenience, and overall just improve my life.
3. Money: This covers business, savings, investments, etc. It's your financial situation. I have always wanted to run a business and now I do. I get so much happiness from it and knowing that I am on the path I want to be on.
4. Dating: This covers your relationships with the opposite sex. What a waste it would be to be in good shape, have a business, but still not know how to talk to girls... If you're single, it means being competent at approaching a girl and having the confidence to get yourself some dates. If you're in a relationship it means to analyze how fulfilling that relationship is for you.
5. Mindset: Are you confident, anxious, depressed, happy? Do you have a sharp mind or a dull mind. Do you seek new information or did you stop reading after you left school? I take pride in having experience and wisdom that comes from doing new things. I like knowing that I have a naturally positive attitude and I don't "get in my own way" when it comes to living.
6. Adventure: This is your lifestyle. It includes your friends, hobbies, and how you spend your time when you've got the money and freedom.
There are times and places to let any one of these categories move to the background when you want to focus on one more heavily than the other. For example there'll be times when you haven't gone to the gym or gone on a date in 3 months because you're in the critical phase of growing your new business. There'll be times when your business is running along and you spend a few months getting into great shape. You'll decide that you've neglected your friends and haven't gone out in a while and would like to spend time enjoying hobbies and building up a larger network of friends. You can do as you wish. I enjoy to do this when I've been wasting a lot of time doing nothing and have a lot of boredom. It helps me get out of a rut and pick something to focus on in my life. It helps me treat life as more of a game and gives me simple objectives instead of being clouded by vagueness and ambiguity.
The important thing (for me) is to take a step back and analyze each of these areas of my life. Choosing to only do one with 100% effort for your whole life is often a good way to have regrets when you're older. I would like to look back at my life and see that I've accomplished my goals in all of these categories.
I like to look at my life by analyzing how I'm doing in 6 different categories.
These categories are not the "measurement" of my life. It doesn't reflect how much my life matters. It doesn't reflect anything other than what I value personally, and I think it's helpful simply because it gives me a framework of understanding how I'm doing, what I can improve in, and what I've accomplished, all in a way that is simple and somewhat measurable.
I like to analyze each one, ask myself if I'm moving forward or backwards in each one, make goals for how I want each one to be in my life, and then make a plan to improve for each one. And by no means did I "invent" this type of thinking.
My personal categories are as follows and are not necessarily in any particular order:
1. Body: This includes health, energy, muscle, fat, diet, etc. I want everyone who knows me to know I'm fit. I think that building a business and making a whole bunch of cash is an empty goal if you don't like how you look in the mirror.
2. Style: This deals with all of the "things" in your life. I want to be "put together" and enjoy nice things. I don't care for buying a Gucci backpack or anything like that, but I feel great when I put on nice clothes, hop into a decent car, and live in a nice home. A lot of people preach living like a spartan and I did that for a long time. I remember having one pair of shoes with holes in them. I remember driving a car that leaked water onto my leg when I would drive it and the carpet would get moldy. I remember never buying anything to distract me and focusing 100% on the business. There's a time and a place for that, but I enjoy having things in my life that look good, offer convenience, and overall just improve my life.
3. Money: This covers business, savings, investments, etc. It's your financial situation. I have always wanted to run a business and now I do. I get so much happiness from it and knowing that I am on the path I want to be on.
4. Dating: This covers your relationships with the opposite sex. What a waste it would be to be in good shape, have a business, but still not know how to talk to girls... If you're single, it means being competent at approaching a girl and having the confidence to get yourself some dates. If you're in a relationship it means to analyze how fulfilling that relationship is for you.
5. Mindset: Are you confident, anxious, depressed, happy? Do you have a sharp mind or a dull mind. Do you seek new information or did you stop reading after you left school? I take pride in having experience and wisdom that comes from doing new things. I like knowing that I have a naturally positive attitude and I don't "get in my own way" when it comes to living.
6. Adventure: This is your lifestyle. It includes your friends, hobbies, and how you spend your time when you've got the money and freedom.
There are times and places to let any one of these categories move to the background when you want to focus on one more heavily than the other. For example there'll be times when you haven't gone to the gym or gone on a date in 3 months because you're in the critical phase of growing your new business. There'll be times when your business is running along and you spend a few months getting into great shape. You'll decide that you've neglected your friends and haven't gone out in a while and would like to spend time enjoying hobbies and building up a larger network of friends. You can do as you wish. I enjoy to do this when I've been wasting a lot of time doing nothing and have a lot of boredom. It helps me get out of a rut and pick something to focus on in my life. It helps me treat life as more of a game and gives me simple objectives instead of being clouded by vagueness and ambiguity.
The important thing (for me) is to take a step back and analyze each of these areas of my life. Choosing to only do one with 100% effort for your whole life is often a good way to have regrets when you're older. I would like to look back at my life and see that I've accomplished my goals in all of these categories.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
