Persistence takes you where you want. Who will
persist? The winners. Who will give up? The losers. If we
give up in the first failed attempt, what will happen? We
will have no chance to succeed. We'll walk in circles
without getting anywhere... Who changes direction every
day, always returns to the beginning!
Does the success is due to a rare moment of
inspiration? In most cases, this will not happen. Most likely,
and even healthy, is the success achieved through work and
continuous effort. Thomas Edison once said: "Genius is one
percent inspiration, ninety nine percent perspiration".
7.2 THE DANGER OF INACTION
"Go ahead and be lazy;
sleep on, but you will go hungry."
Proverbs 19:15
What are the terrible effects of laziness? It makes us
sleep deeply. And the problem is this: When we sleep, we
can work? No. When we sleep, we can make money? Of
course not. We are already seeing the negative
consequences of laziness: Poverty. There is a Latin proverb
that says precisely that: "Laziness is the key to poverty". We
must reject this key, because it opens the wrong door!
Solomon states categorically that inaction (do
nothing) makes us suffer hunger. Someone wants that? I
think not. Therefore, we need to reject laziness. Laziness is
a bad company that leads to the evil ways of misery!
Laziness means "aversion to work; tendency of someone
who does not want to work; negligence; indolence;
inaction" (Dictionary).
Have you heard of the law of inertia? This law
states: "All bodies are «lazy» and don't wish to change its
state of motion: if the bodies are in motion, they want to
keep moving; if the bodies are not moving, don't wish to
move. This «laziness» is called Inertia by physicists"
(Wikipedia). That is, laziness is this initial inertia that we
need to overcome. At first it is necessary to employ more
force, but then becomes easier.
We must have courage to take the first step. Have
you experienced bathe with cold water? Have you ever
swam in a sea of ice water? In either case, the harder it is to
take the first step. The hardest part is: feel the water for the
first time. Pretty soon, water seems warmer. The most
difficult is the first impact. And the only way to overcome
laziness it's through boldness! Boldness is a gateway to
success.
7.3 UNTIL WHEN?
"How long is the lazy man going to lie around?
When is he ever going to get up?
“I'll just take a short nap,” he says;
“I'll fold my hands and rest a while.” But while he sleeps,
poverty will attack him like an armed robber."
Proverbs 6:9-11
"How long, Lazy, you'll sleep?" Do you realize the
power of laziness? It makes us sleep deeply. And when
someone is sleeping, he does not like to be woken up!
"When did you, lift up out of bed?" says Solomon. "Ah, but
I like so much..." says Lazy; "But, how long?" Solomon
insists. "Until poverty and misery come to attack me..."
mutters the Lazy!
Let no one think that laziness does not give pleasure,
oh yes, gives great pleasure. Gives so much pleasure, like
sleeping a nice nap! The problem is that its effects are quite
harmful in people's lives. Man lives not only of sleep. "Few
of us view ourselves as lazy. But the truth is, we all have the
seeds of laziness within our nature. And if they are not dealt
with, they will grow into a field that will undermine one or
more aspects of our lives" (Steven K. Scott).
Theoretically humans spend a third of life sleeping
(33.3%), but the Lazy has the "capacity" to sleep much
more! He can sleep, even when he is awake. Sleeping is
good... at night, but if someone does during the day...
poverty will come knocking on his door to wake him
abruptly! Surely, he will not like it... "No one prospers in
idleness" (George S. Clason).
Laziness is good to entertain... Laziness tells us
stories so we can sleep comfortably in his the arms! It
seems that Laziness is our friend, our mother, who wants
the best for us... But the purpose of Laziness, its very
malicious! Laziness wants to make us sleep soundly, to
leave us in misery... "Self-preservation has a tendency to
lead to poverty" (Jim Rohn).
Its time to break relations with Laziness, and avoid
any kind of closeness! We must not give in, not even for a
second. We need to consider Laziness as a false friend... a
real enemy!
7.4 SOWING AND HARVEST
"A farmer too lazy to plow his fields at the right time
will have nothing to harvest."
Proverbs 20:4
What the sloth does in us? It leads us to do nothing!
Sloth paralyzes us; we stayed inactive, when we should be
working! And when is the time to harvest, you know what
we'll find? Nothing, absolutely nothing. And that leads us to
what? Hunger and poverty.
If I did not sow at the right time, how can I harvest
anything? I will reap what I did not sow? Will I receive the
reward for a job I did not do? I can be very optimistic, but
that's not likely to happen (if not impossible). The sluggard
is considered himself smarter than the worker, however:
"The indolent harms himself" (Seneca, Epistulae Morales
94.28).
This is the cruel reality of the pleasure of laziness: I
feed me with the comfort of laziness; and laziness feeds
with my misery! It’s a perfect exchange of interests, but I'm
not interested in doing business with the laziness! The loans
are small, but the interest is huge.
Its terrible result, ends up not compensate for the
momentary pleasure. "It costs more work for many become
miserable, than for others become fortunate" (Marquês de
Maricá). All the pleasure and comfort of laziness, it's just a
trap... Laziness wants to tie us to poverty forever!
7.5 THE CRAVING OF A SLUGGARD
"The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,
because his hands refuse to work."
Proverbs 21:25 (NIV)
Do you see the relationship between: desire and
sluggard? Laziness deceives us with desires... and makes us
believe that these desires lead to happiness! But it is exactly
the opposite: laziness leads to death. Laziness is one of the
greatest illusionists that secure people to misery, we must
not let ourselves be deceived... "Economic disaster begins
with a philosophy of doing less and wanting more" (Jim
Rohn).
How laziness contaminates a person? Laziness
distorts our perspective: what is bad becomes good, and
what is good becomes bad! Have you noticed that for the
lazy all work is bad? "The sluggard makes only one
commitment: to his leisure. He'll try any excuse to shy away
from honest labor" (John C. Maxwell).
However, the work is really bad? Its true that all
work always requires some kind of effort. But it’s not
through work that we get the support to live? Where does
the money come from? The food? The house? The clothes?
The well-being? And even the self-fulfillment? All this
comes from work. "Much is lost for lack of intelligence;
however, much more is lost through laziness and aversion to
work" (Marquês de Maricá).
If the work is bad, is the same as to be saying: "I
don't want money, I want to be hungry, I want to live on the
street; I not want to have clothes to wear, I want to spend
cold and all kinds of needs; and I want to be a authentic
frustrated!" Have you ever heard someone talk like that? I
never…
However, we hear or say phrases like: "I have no
desire to work today... If I win the lottery I stop working...
Who was the unfortunate who invented the work... I don't
like to do anything... I hate Mondays... I would like to be on
vacation forever..." But you know: the one that does not
have a job, never have vacation! "No work to do is bad for
any man" (George S. Clason).
The fact is that our work should be valued and seen
as something good and source of profit. And not as a curse!
What happens when we see work as something good? We
work with more pleasure and dedication, and our
productivity is much higher! But why doesn't this happen?
The problem is laziness that blinds our eyes... and makes us
sleep in passivity... And when finally we awaken... may be
late!
7.6 POVERTY AND MISERY
"I walked through the fields and vineyards
of a lazy, stupid person.
They were full of thorn bushes and overgrown with weeds.
The stone wall around them had fallen down.
I looked at this, thought about it,
and learned a lesson from it:
Go ahead and take your nap; go ahead and sleep.
Fold your hands and rest awhile, but while you are asleep,
poverty will attack you like an armed robber."
Proverbs 24:30-34
Solomon calls the lazy "foolish" (or stupid person).
Laziness is nonsense. What characterizes someone foolish
or insensate? It’s a person who has no sense, that is, has no
sensitivity to grasp the moment. And this can be tragic.
"Laziness consumes life like rust consumes iron" (Marquês
de Maricá). What is the importance of the senses? For
example, our body has various sense organs, whose mission
is to transmit sensory information. Each sense organ is
responsible for a specific sensitivity (eg, the five senses:
sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch). These sensory organs are
vital, and sometimes alert us to things that are wrong.
Suppose someone is cooking and unwittingly puts
his hand over the fire, what happens? The moment he feels
that the fire is burning the skin, it has the immediate instinct
to divert the hand of fire. It's something instant. He did not
even need to think: "Well, the fire in direct contact with my
skin will cause a burn and will damage my health... So I
will withdraw my hand, now". This does not happen
because the person has the sensitivity to feel the pain caused
by fire; and will immediately divert hand. Now imagine that
this person had a disease that affects the touch, and has no
skin sensitivity to feel the fire, what would happen? The
person would remain more time with his hand on fire,
without realizing, and the burn would be much more
serious!
With a simple example, we see the importance of
sensitivity. And laziness, what does? Laziness takes away
the sensitivity for us to work! The lazy never realizes the
need to work, and remains in inaction... What is the result?
Carelessness, negligence, indifference, distraction,
forgetfulness, error... Poverty and misery! "Laziness walks
so slowly, that poverty easily reaches him" (Confucius).
We need to reflect as Solomon, and extract lessons
of wisdom. Laziness can be a huge obstacle to wealth, and a
large door to disgrace! We must completely reject the
darkness and sleepiness of laziness, for us to see life
differently. In fact when we do that, our eyes are opened...
and finally begin to contemplate new horizons!
Finally, we will learn from one of the smallest
beings that exist, but it can become one of our greatest
teachers: The Ant! "Lazy people should learn a lesson from
the way ants live" (Solomon, Pr. 6:6). And what ants do?
They have:
“Attitude of Initiative: Ants don’t need a commander
to tell them what to do.
Nature of Integrity: Ants work faithfully and need no
outside accountability to keep them doing right.
Thirst for Industry: Ants work hard and will replace
their anthill when it gets ruined.
Source of Insight: Ants store provision in the
summer.” (John C. Maxwell).
Simple but wise. Follow the example of the great
master Ant, and you will prosper!
7.7 LESSONS OF WISDOM
Do not stand still, nor have afraid of making mistakes.
Reject all laziness, aversion to work, and inaction.
Have the audacity to take the first step and overcome the
initial inertia.
Reject the "pleasures" of laziness, and accept with pleasure
the "pains" of work.
Recognize that work is good and is a source of profit.
Work diligently and joyfully.
Be enterprising, responsible, industrious, persistent and
prudent.
SECRET 8
SEED FOR GROWTH
8.1 PROSPERITY OF GIVING
"The absence of love is the greatest poverty."
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
When we study the prosperity laws of King
Solomon, we realize that these laws are contrary to the
thinking of most people. Indeed, a world with the mentality
of Solomon would be a very different world! It would
certainly be a happier world, a world with more solidarity,
and also a more prosperous world. Our goal would be not
only our happiness but also the happiness of others! Have
you noticed that "the entire population of the world - with
one minor exception - is composed of others" (John C.
Maxwell). Our greatest reward is serving others.
I don't believe that Solomon was more special than
others. In my view, all human beings are special: not for
what they do, but for what they are. You are special, I'm
special, we are all special. What is the difference? The
difference is what we do. And in that sense, I have one
certainty: If we follow the steps of Solomon, we will arrive
at the same destination. That is the purpose of this book:
Learn, practice and live what Solomon lived (the good
things, of course). He is one of the best examples we can
follow to help us to triumph (regardless of our area). All
Solomon's secrets are universal, so it can apply to anyone,
in any situation.
One of the most common advices we received in the
financial area has to do with the savings. That is: "the best
way to accumulate money is economize it"; "the profit are
in the savings", some might say; "whoso keepeth, has it",
say others. All this advice are extremely important, and help
us to wisely manage our money. However, there are very
few financial advices about the prosperity of giving!
We are so used to hearing these phrases: "In this
world, no one gives anything to anyone", "it's every man for
himself", or "we are in crisis," "there is no money", etc.
What is the consequence of this kind of thinking? A natural
tendency to avarice. "Somebody says, “Well, I can’t be
concerned about other people. About the best I can do is to
take care of myself” Well, then you will always be poor"
(Jim Rohn).
With this kind of mentality: "Giving is something
negative, because it means losing what we have". And who
knows: "If you ever need help, perhaps, you have no one to
help you". We are not trained to believe in abundance, but
we are trained to fear the shortage. And what will be the
result? Shortage. "Sometimes we hold on to our possessions
because we fear we might run out – life seems scarce. But
when we believe that giving is the way to live, we will
produce more in the future – life seems abundant" (John C.
Maxwell).
We will always be attracted to what we believe or
attracted to what we fear. The evil that we fear, happens;
And equally: the good that we believe, also happens. As
once said the Master of Masters: "Don't be afraid, only
believe" (Jesus, in Mark 5:36). If we want to thrive: We
should not live with fear of something negative, but with
faith in something positive.
8.2 GIVE WITH GENEROSITY
"One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."
Proverbs 11:24
Solomon makes a fantastic revelation: Giving is the
natural way to receive. "Only by giving are you able to
receive more than you already have" (Jim Rohn). It seems
that whoever gives loses. But in reality, who gives, receives
more. How does this happen? To better understand, let's do
an illustration: What happens when a seed is planted in the
ground? Will germinate, take root, grow to become a tree,
bear fruit, and more seeds, more trees and more fruit... You
see the potential of a single seed?
Now imagine that the farmer is so fond of his "seed"
that never sown in the ground with fear of losing it... It
sounds ridiculous, but that's what happens to many people
financially. They are so attached to their “seeds” that are
afraid of losing, and so never get to multiply. The money
then is like a seed? Yes. Money can multiply? Yes. How?
Sowing correctly.
It's very good save money and not spend incorrectly.
But it’s also good to know invest it in order to multiply it.
What will happen to a farmer if he did not plant their seeds?
The seeds remain equal (There are some who do not even
have seeds, why? They ate the seed rather than sow!). But
what happens if the farmer plants the seeds? He will reap
the fruits, and get more seeds to sow.
What we prefer: Give generously, and enrich? Or,
economize too much, and impoverish? We are motivated by
hope or fear? We are attracting prosperity into our lives, or
poverty? The seeds are in our hands (with their full
potential); but the decision to plant them or not, is ours.
Often, we consider the "rich" as someone greedy and
avaricious. I think, as with everything, we cannot
generalize. But one thing I know: Generosity is a source of
wealth. You must have noticed how some people have so
much wealth and generosity at the same time? I do not think
it is by chance, generosity is undoubtedly a great principle
of growth. I love this definition of generosity: "The quality
that receives more than it gives" (Steven K. Scott).
Almost everybody knows this saying: "Every one
reaps what he sows". It’s usually applied when someone
makes something wrong. But why not apply it to the
money? "Every one reaps the money he sows", why not?
Solomon thought so.
8.3 GENEROSITY = PROSPERITY
"Be generous, and you will be prosperous.
Help others, and you will be helped."
Proverbs 11:25
What does it mean to be generous? It means being
"noble; educated; illustrious; with lofty sentiments; with
character; good; friend of giving; sensitive; strong; person
of value" (Dictionary).
In the words of Solomon, a generous man is he who
gives much. And what will be the consequence? It will
thrive. That is, a generous man will receive in abundance.
We will always receive in proportion to what we give.
Nothing more, nothing less. But we cannot forget the
following: As in agriculture, every seed has its own time to
bear fruit. We cannot sow today, thinking reap tomorrow.
All financial investor must be patient, as well as a farmer is
patient.
There will always be the time of sowing, and the
time of harvest. Who never sows, never reap. He who sows
little, reap sparingly. Who sows regularly, regularly will
reap. He who sows much, will reap much. And who never
ceases to sow, also never ceases to reap.
This is the relation of generosity with wealth.
Solomon says that generosity is a wealth seed. The more we
give, the more we receive. And the more we receive, the
more we can give. And the more we can give, the greater
our ability to receive... It’s the prosperity cycle. We sow
generosity, and we reap wealth. This is the agricultural-
financial policy of Solomon!
We should not think small, because we become what
we think. If you think like a rich person, you will give
generously as a rich person. And later or earlier, you will
live like a rich person. Start being generous today, if you
want to thrive tomorrow. "You cannot be generous in
abundance, if you are not generous in shortages" (John C.
Maxwell). Listen to the advice of Jim Rohn: "It’s best to
start the discipline of generosity when the amounts are
small. It’s easy to give ten cents out of a dollar; it’s a little
harder to give a hundred thousand out of a million".
And generosity is not just about money, we can be
generous in many ways: "You don't have to wait until
you're rich to become generous. You can be generous with
your time, your kindness, your words of encouragement,
your labor, and whatever money or material possessions
you have" (Steven K. Scott).
Perhaps, you look at yourself, and just see a tiny
seed. But never forget: A seed is never what it can be. Your
life is also like a simple seed... You are not yet what you
can become! However, you already have the full potential
within. If you start to believe and to act as such, the
incredible transformation will begin to happen.
8.4 BE GENEROUS
"Be generous and share your food with the poor.
You will be blessed for it."
Proverbs 22:9
What does it mean to be generous? It means to share
with the needy. You realize that there is here a mission?
"The biggest advantage of the wealth is to provide materials
for the charity" (Marquês de Maricá). There is a purpose for
the prosperity that goes far beyond ourselves! Someone will
say: "With so many poor people, how can I dare to be rich?
It would be an injustice". And I ask: How can anyone dare
to help the poor, if he is also poor? There is a great purpose
for prosperity: Helping others. I believe that every human
being should be prosperous. And if someone already has
prosperity, should help others prosper.
The point is not the rich become poor, but the poor
become richer. What we need for this? Let's start with the
most basic things, but we must not stop there. We must give
them the “fish”, yes; but we must also teach them to “fish”!
And there will be enough fish for everyone? Certainly.
"There is abundance for all" (George S. Clason). There is
greater potential on this Earth than we imagine. We may
grow more? Absolutely. Prosperity generates more
prosperity. Thus, our prosperity increases with the
prosperity of all.
However, the Nature has no interest only in our
comfort, but especially in our learning. So if we want to
enjoy its blessings, we need to obey its laws. Do not expect
life to be easy; life can be very difficult for those who reject