One of my favorite motivational books is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I first read this book in the early 1990’s as a college student eager to apply its advice. Think and Grow Rich is one of the most influential books about financial independence and personal achievement. It was written by Napoleon Hill, inspired by Andrew Carnegie who allowed Napoleon Hill to interview him and teach Carnegie’s secret of personal achievement. Napoleon Hill went on to interview another 500 wealthy men and summarize their thoughts on how they became successful men.

Carnegie, via Napoleon Hill, advises you to take inventory of yourself yearly. The yearly recognition of where you are with your faults and virtues (also known as your bad habits or skills!!!) helps guide you toward your goals, allowing you to make adjustments on your course. It is important to do this at the end of the year to include in your New Year’s resolutions. How do you take stock of yourself? For starters, you ask yourself questions.

Taking Stock Questions!

Here are some questions that Napoleon Hill suggests you ask yourself as you take stock:

• Have I done the best I could possibly do this year?
• Have I reached the goals of my objective for this year?
• Have I been persistent following my plans through to completion?
• Have I had focus and reached decisions definitively on all occasions?
• Have I procrastinated or wasted time?
• Have I been over cautious or under cautious?
• Have my decisions been based on guesses or analysis?
• Have I improved my personality and in what ways?
• Has my spirit been harmonious and cooperative this year?
• Has my relationship with my associates been pleasant? With my family?
• Have I been guilty of any conduct which was not approved by my conscious?
• Have I been open-minded and tolerant or been unfair to anyone?
• Have I wasted energy with lack of focus?
• Have I improved my abilities?
• Have I followed a budget for my time and expenses?
• Have I permitted any one or more of the six basic fears to decrease my efficiency?

And most important,

• Am I following my dreams or am I in the wrong vocation?

Any one of these questions can give you a starter point to fine tune and redirect your course toward your goals.  If you aren’t passionate about your vocation, it is time for a big gut check. You will never be as successful (or happy, take my advice!) in something you are not as interested in as you will be when you are pursing your dream. It is hard to take step after step toward a goal if your heart is not in it.  Getting to the top, like me at Choquequirao (Peru) in the picture, is tough work…stay on course!

Do you have any questions on how to make, break down, and strategize your goals for success?  Any examples you would care to share? 

If you like my writing here, please check out my blog CorporateCulturology.com. I welcome your comments and advice for future topics.

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Namaste.

Lesley