-- Passion. There are jobs that you do just for money, and there are careers, which offer money and advancement, and then there are callings, which are life goals that you just have to accomplish.
To improve: Pinpoint your passions by asking yourself: If money weren't an issue, what would I be doing in my life? If switching careers isn't feasible right now, refer to point one and stay optimistic. Tell yourself you had a good day, put a smile on your face. Your energy will improve, and you'll feel better about your current position.
-- Intuition. We feel these signals in our gut, and we call them hunches. But they're really our intuition; a sixth sense that I believe is more developed in the affluent.
To improve: Give yourself room to breathe: If you're focusing all your energy on a problem, there is little room for your intuition to kick in. Often, you have to relax and clear the air.
-- Habitual saving. The wealthy may have the funds to be crazy spenders, but most are not. Saving money has been and will always be an essential financial goal.
To improve: Get in the routine of saving a little something on an automatic and consistent basis. To make it easier, visualize your goals. Retirement for me is a beach house in Long Beach Island, N.J. I know what it looks like. I know when I want it. And that makes it a lot easier to, for instance, refrain from buying that new pair of shoes.
-- Investing in stocks. You have to understand the need to take risks in the market in order to make your money work as hard as you do.
To improve: You can use a plan like the one included in my book, or you can work with a financial adviser. Once you have a strategy, stick with it, and try not to jump onto the next hot thing. By the time you've heard it's hot, believe me, it's already cooling.
-- Gratitude. People who get rich are not just grateful; they practice gratitude by giving back to their communities, to organizations they believe in, and to people they care about.
To improve: Adopt a new vocabulary. Incorporate words like gift, lucky, fortunate, thankful and blessed. Think of something you view as mundane -- maybe your job -- as a gift, and focus on how life might be if you didn't have it.
-- Curiosity. A college education, we know, is important. But it's not just a classroom education that sets the successful apart. They are always learning, consistently reading books for pleasure, and newspapers to keep up with current events.
To improve: Read every day. And find a mentor at work who can help to open new avenues of thought.
-- Hard work. I believe the wealthy work harder than other people. They are more likely to mix work with their downtime, and sacrifice personal time for professional success.
To improve: Kick your work ethic into high gear and try competing against yourself: What is your personal best? Do you want to fill a room for your presentation, or write a great novel? Think about doing the best you can, rather than doing better than your colleagues.