“The secret to my success is determined by my daily agenda – by the daily decisions I make, and the daily disciplines I practice.”– Dr John C. Maxwell

I heard that statement a few years ago, and it is something that has always stuck with me, because I fundamentally believe that it is true. Another way of saying it is that, if what and where I am today is a direct result of my previous actions, what I am tomorrow depends on what I do today. The problem is, most people underestimate what they can do today, and over estimate what they can do tomorrow.

Now, if you think about this for a minute, you will see how true it is.  You constantly hear “I’ll do it tomorrow.”  I know I say that, and then, when it doesn’t happen tomorrow, it becomes “the next day,” then the next, then the next, until either we hit a crisis and do it at the expense of something else, or we just never quite get around to it.

Let’s take an entrepreneur building a coaching business as an example: how can you get new clients if people don’t know who you are? And how can people know who you are if you’re not publishing informative articles on your area of expertise, and attending networking events to expand your circle of contacts? So how many articles are you posting on the internet this week? What networking are you doing today? But maybe you’ve got writer’s block, so you put the article off to tomorrow, and traffic is really bad tonight, so that networking event can wait.  You get the picture.

The same is true in your finances. If I am struggling with debt, what can I do to get out from under it? Can I call the credit card companies and beg for a break? Can I tear up my bills, move, and hope they won’t find me? You certainly could, but it wouldn’t be recommended. Instead, wouldn’t it be better to look for ways to generate multiple streams of income, shave some money off your expenses, learn how to pay a little less in taxes, put a solid debt plan in place, and move forward freely, rather than constantly worrying about how you are going to handle those student loans?

What expenses can I track today that can be used as tax deductions? How can I work a bit more today to earn the money I need to cover those expenses? What financial seminar can I take or what book can I read today to build the money management skills I need to take control of my finances?  How can I alter my spending habits today so that I have to worry less tomorrow?

Oscar Wilde said “every action of the common day makes or unmakes character,” and, beyond that, everything you do today affects where you will be tomorrow.

All of this is a process. No one expects you to flick a switch and suddenly have amazing organizational skills, perfect credit and financial savvy.  But there are two kinds of pain in this arena: the pain of discipline, and the pain of regret. Now, especially when it comes to ensuring a strong financial foundation, we can play now and pay later, or we can pay now and play later. The problem is, payment compounds, and increases with time and missed opportunities. So if you suffer the pain of paying now – of discipline, of doing the things you need to do long after the mood in which you said them in has gone, of paying attention to your actions today – tomorrow’s rewards will come far sooner than you imagine.

Visit http://www.AbundanceBoundSystem.com and join our community of entrepreneurs, committed each moment to creating the success that they deserve.

We have spent the past few blog posts teaching you how to prepare yourself for success as a small business owner.  You know how to treat your business finances as an entity separate from your personal finances, you know how to organize and keep track of your expenses, and you know where you are starting on this financial journey. Great!  Now what?

Not a thing in your financial lives will change if you do not do the footwork.  You need to consistently devote the time necessary to improve your financial situation.  As entrepreneurs so many of us are great starters.  We begin to gather knowledge and make great plans, thinking of the ultimate outcome, but then we often do not fulfill our plan by taking the step-by-step actions required to bring us to that outcome.

Have you ever uttered, “I’m too busy”?  Maybe “I can’t afford it” sounds familiar.  These are excuses and you need to look closely at where they have gotten you so far.  Are you even one step closer to the financial prosperity you wish to have in your life? The financial pressure that exists for many small business owners is so distracting it brings an almost unbearable amount of stress into our lives and our minds.  If we make a little time every week to take care of our financial situation – such as reading, attending a seminar, updating your financial records, working on investing, adding extra income streams to your business model – we would actually free up time later on.

So what exactly does “priority” mean.  A priority is a “must”, something we “must” do, and a “must” is very different from a “should”.  We all have lists of things in our lives that we “must” do and we all have lists of things we “should” do.  There is a critical difference between the two.  For instance, I must pay my bills every month on time.  This is something I would never allow myself not to do.  However, I really feel I should exercise every day.  Somehow, as much as I know I should exercise, I often allow other things to get in the way.  For others, exercising every day is a must, and they are prepared to sacrifice to get that exercise time in.

I suggest to entrepreneurs that, for the period they are working with me in private coaching or in our Prosperity Bootcamp, they make implementing the steps of The Prosperity System^TM a “must.”  Generally, once we see our financial pictures start to shift, we will not go back to doing things the way we did before.

So, analyze your time.  How do you use it?  Where do you waste it?  Be completely and brutally honest with yourself.  At http://www.AbundanceBoundSystem.com you’ll learn our step by step process, which makes it easy for entrepreneurs to set aside a few hours every week to devote solely to the endeavor of creating financial prosperity.  This practice will help you develop the sound knowledge that will allow you to start building the financial wealth you deserve and desire.

Now think about your financial goals.  You want to create success in your small business, build wealth and enjoy prosperity in your life.  You plan to save some money and learn how to invest and create multiple streams of income.  What type of people are you around day after day?  Are they trying to gain wealth and prosperity like you, or are they like those people who hang out in front of the television eating junk and complaining about their lot in life?  In other words, are you associating with fellow entrepreneurs and other individuals who just talk about changing their financial life or are you associating with people who are doing something to make it happen?

Of course we are not suggesting that you dump all your friends and run out to find new ones.  Our close relationships are based on far more than simple wealth and financial criteria.  However, what we are suggesting is that in order to build success in your small business you must start expanding your circle of friends and acquaintances.  Find the entrepreneurs who are living the kind of life you want, the people who are trying to build their wealth, and get to know them.

There is a common theory that if you make a list of the five people you spend the most time with and take an average of their income, the resulting figure will be fairly close to your own earnings.  This ties directly into Step 8 of The Prosperity System – surround yourself with other wealth builders – and is part of what makes this step so important.  If you are making the choice to focus on improving your finances, it will be a far easier journey if you have other people in your life that are doing the same and who will support and encourage you on the journey.

So how do you meet these people?  Make a list of some networking groups and associations that you can join.  Think about people that you would like to meet and join the groups they are a part of.  If you are interested in learning about a particular type of investing, participate in a financial seminar or join a group that focuses on that.  As you meet new people, don’t be afraid to talk about what you are up to in your life and business.  Share your goals and ambitions.  Opportunity will not find you if you stay silent.

Part of what makes the process of building financial stability and independence less scary is that you do not have to do it alone.  Being a part of a community of other like-minded individuals will help bring you to a new level personally, professionally, and financially.  Open yourself up to new associations and friendships so that these new relationships can help feed your ambition.  It’s just like having a friend with whom to go to the gym.  It adds extra incentive to keep moving forward and achieve your goals.

Visit http://www.AbundanceBoundSystem.com and join a community of entrepreneurs committed to creating wealth and prosperity. Then build the life and business you want with their support and encouragement.