I celebrated a milestone birthday earlier this week by turning 50 years young.

Crossing that half-century mark got me thinking I should take my own advice and share some of the most meaningful insights I’ve learned through my 50 years on the planet. (After all, just a couple days ago I advised you to create content based around “What I’ve Learned in My [X] Years in Real Estate” in my most recent #TomFerryShow.)

So I started jotting down some of the most important guiding principles that I strive to live by – and that I always try to pass on to you.

And then I whittled them down to these 50.

I want to make this clear: I’m not taking credit for all of these ideas. I owe huge thanks to all the mentors, colleagues, and contemporaries who led me to where I am today, including Bill Mitchell, Mike Vance, Jay Abraham, Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy, of course my dad, Mike Ferry, and many more.

Do me a favor and honor them by adopting these ideas into your own life to accomplish your goals and achieve the lifestyle you desire.

Let’s go! (In no particular order…)

  1. There’s no wrong way to generate a lead.
  2. It’s not what happens that matters most; it’s how you respond to it.
  3. If it’s not in your schedule, it doesn’t exist.
  4. Your strategy matters and passion rules!
  5. Routine is the sign of an ambitious individual.
  6. In business, you either adapt or you die.
  7. Mentors matter. Do you have one? Five? 10? No matter how many you have, keep seeking more!
  8. All growth takes place outside your comfort zone.
  9. Your “why” matters.
  10. Living life by design is better than living it by default.
  11. People like to do business with people they feel are just like them.
  12. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when you can model your behaviors on the successes of those who went before you.
  13. Interested people do it when it’s convenient. Committed people do it, period. Are you interested or committed?
  14. Don’t just set a goal. Create a WIG: Wildly Important Goal.
  15. Always celebrate your wins… or risk work feeling like a grind and eventual burnout.
  16. There’s no such thing as work-life balance. Work time, family time, play time… it’s all just life. Accept that and you’ll be happier and more productive.
  17. Your vibe attracts your tribe.
  18. Know your daily number.
  19. Video is the absolute best way to connect with consumers and scale trust in today’s marketplace.
  20. Without a written plan in place, you’re simply rolling the dice with your future.
  21. He or she who talks to the most people wins.
  22. Repeatable and scalable processes will get you where you want to go.
  23. It doesn’t matter how good you are if you haven’t figured out how to communicate your difference to consumers.
  24. Don’t try to please everyone. Narrow your focus to broaden your appeal.
  25. Whenever possible when speaking with a prospect, show, don’t tell.
  26. Your goals must be up and visual.
  27. Know your numbers: Track and measure everything you do.
  28. Don’t practice on your clients.
  29. People will do more to avoid pain than to achieve pleasure. Create painful consequences for not taking action.
  30. Take your M.E.D.S. daily – Meditate, Exercise, Diet and Sleep.
  31. Discipline creates the real freedom we desire.
  32. When you’re stuck in your head, you’re dead.
  33. Run plays that work.
  34. Money is a tool. Nothing more. Nothing less.
  35. Relevancy and familiarity create trust. Trust creates referrals and sales.
  36. It’s you versus you.
  37. If you must doubt something, doubt your limits.
  38. Your income is in direct correlation to the amount of problems you solve.
  39. What got you here won’t get you there.
  40. Your head is a scary place to be.
  41. Always operate at #Level10 with no apologies!
  42. Gratitude creates a great attitude.
  43. Nothing worthwhile happens quickly. Commit to the long run.
  44. Don’t ask for less fear. Ask for more courage.
  45. How you feel on the inside radiates to those on the outside. Love this one… Thanks Carl Jung!
  46. Most people overestimate what they can accomplish in one year and dramatically underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade.
  47. You become who you surround yourself with. Get rid of the energy sucking vampires.
  48. If you don’t follow up, someone else will.
  49. Done is better than perfect.
  50. The market will discipline those who don’t discipline themselves.

 

That’s it! Which of those 50 resonated loudest with you? Let me know in the comments below!