Tips to Conquer Fear and Live Your Best Life by Sharon Lechter

Fear can slip silently into our everyday lives until eventually it leaves us drifting through life in avoidance. Drifting leads to the loss of control of your life. These tips to conquer fear will support you in overcoming what is stopping you from taking action or pursuing your greatest life of contribution and success. 

Acknowledge Your Fear 

Fear is a natural part of human nature. Fear can also make the difference between succeeding and merely getting by. This can be fear of failure, fear of the unknown, or fear of change—all of which can keep us from becoming as successful as we wish we could be. If you are experiencing fear in your life, it does not make you weak or incapable. Your experience of fear does not define you. Whether you choose to conquer fear is what truly matters. The first step is acknowledging your fear and determining the source. Just like a starting point on a map, once you know what is causing your fear, you can chart a course to address it. 

Change/Control What You Can 

There are many influences we face each day that are outside of our control. We cannot control the media or the thoughts and actions of others. What we can control is what we choose to expose our minds to and how we react to others. Does your environment consistently feed you negativity and doomsday scenarios or does it feed you possibility? Is your environment creative and does it facilitate exploration of solutions or are you more likely to get mired down in the problems? Do the people you are around focus on all the potential negative outcomes or are their minds open to opportunity? Knowing and controlling what is in your power is an important step to conquer fear. 

Be Purposeful with Your Time 

Spare time is the breeding ground for fear and worry. Use your spare time to be active; don’t be frozen by fear. By spending your time in physical activity or doing something you love, you will have less time to worry and fret. Productivity is what turns economies and communities around. It also helps to conquer fear. 

Believe You Can Conquer Fear 

The greatest success stories of our time are of the leaders who took risks, defied the odds, did not stop when hitting their first obstacle, and above all else, conquered their demons. As individuals, we all have the right to put strategies into place that will lead us down a path of success, as long as we identify and conquer fear head on. As business owners and entrepreneurs, we need to maintain the freedom to build free enterprises venturing into uncharted territories in search for innovation that will improve society and create jobs. Then collectively, we will make up a stronger society of independent thinkers who will challenge our political and economic leaders to make decisions not based on fear, but rather on empowering its citizens to reach their full potential. 

The Takeaway 

Don’t let fear prevent you from living your best life! You never know how close you are to breakthrough…you might be three feet from gold!  

A version of this article originally appeared on sharonlechter.com. The long-awaited anniversary edition of Three Feet from Gold, by Sharon Lechter and Dr. Greg Reid, is available on March 17 from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Porchlight Book Company, Google Play, Apple Books, and other fine retailers. This remarkable business allegory tells a fascinating story in presenting the key principles of Napoleon Hill’s revolutionary bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. As you follow a struggling young entrepreneur through a life-changing series of encounters with some of today’s foremost business leaders and inspirational figures, you’ll find encouragement and motivation to believe in yourself, discover your own Personal Success Equation™, and never give up. You are just three feet from gold! 

Steps to Create Wealth by Sharon Lechter

If you ask 100 different people how they created their wealth, I guarantee they all will tell you the same thing. The biggest key to wealth is buying, building, or creating income-producing ASSETS, and all wealthy people have them. When planning the steps to create wealth for yourself and your family, focus on buying, building, or creating ASSETS.  

Wealth and Income Are Different 

Many people learn by watching their families, friends, or culture that high income means you are wealthy. But we all know someone that has made a lot of money and lost a lot money…leaving them financially broken. The first of the steps to create wealth is to understand what wealth is. Whether by traditional employment, self-employment, or through investments—income does not equal wealth. Equity builds wealth. What is the value of the assets you hold? Do they produce ongoing revenue for you? Cash flow is important, and when your cash flow from your assets exceeds your expenses, you are financially free. But it is the equity in your assets that provides your wealth. 

Wealth Is a Mindset 

I believe we live in a world of abundance. You can create the life you want if you are willing to go for it, work hard, aren’t afraid of failing, and learn from others. People who take steps to create wealth and keep it over the long haul understand that it won’t always be perfect. But even in down times, they understand that they have the power to make improvements. How can you cultivate a wealth mindset? First, look at the words you are using and the information you are consuming. If there is underlying negativity or scarcity messaging…it is time to change. Reprogram yourself to have a wealth mindset by seeking out podcasts and affirmations to confirm abundance. And be sure the people you spend time with have an abundance mentality as well. 

Diversify Your Steps to Create Wealth 

Most people think diversification is achieved by having various investments that are all in the same asset category. For example, they own 10 different stocks or other paper assets. My definition of diversification is having different categories of assets. For instance, I own paper assets as well as real estate, businesses, and collectibles, to name a few asset categories. You may have to get some education to learn about new asset categories, but be sure your steps to create wealth include being diverse in the assets you choose. 

Mind Your Own Business 

Your asset column is your business—even when you are an employee. There is no question that you can create wealth as an employee. Having said that, I believe the greatest pathway to wealth and financial freedom is through entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur, leveraging your own expertise, you can create one of the greatest assets there is…intellectual property (IP). Your intellectual property can be leveraged to create unlimited income, which you can use to invest in other assets. In addition, that IP has value. Gone are the days of businesses holding all of their value in property plant and equipment. The majority of the equity in some of today’s biggest businesses in the U.S. and internationally are their intangible assets, such as intellectual property. How do you start to create IP? Become a solution to a problem and then start creating your own content around that. 

The Takeaway 

There is not one clear definition of what it means to be wealthy. You can be wealthy financially but not wealthy in other areas of your life, such as health or relationships. These steps to create wealth focus on how you can create financial wealth. In doing so, you will set yourself up for the freedom to cultivate wealth in all areas of your life. 

This article originally appeared on sharonlechter.com. The long-awaited new release from Sharon Lechter and Dr. Greg Reid, Success and Something Greater: Your Magic Key, is available on September 17 from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine retailers. In this official publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, you’ll learn the success secrets of today’s most prosperous individuals, including John Assaraf, John Ashworth, Michael Houlihan, Bonnie Harvey, and many more. 

How to Find Your Mastermind by Sharon Lechter

Your associations are among the most valuable resources you have. Are you part of a Mastermind? If so, is it helping you speed your way to success? Here are a few categories to consider to ensure you find your Mastermind of associations that will support your goals. No matter what kind of Mastermind you are seeking, always remember that trust and confidentiality will be key ingredients for a productive group. 

Napoleon Hill coined the term Mastermind in the early 1900s, and he defined it as:  

The coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose. 

Identify the Mastermind You Want  

Today the term is used as a “one size fits all” description for many different types of group meetings. The term is often interchanged with “strategic planning meeting,” “brainstorming session,” or “brain-trust.” I have found that if you further define the purpose of your Mastermind, it will become much easier for you to find your Mastermind. Since Hill also said the first step for achieving your goals is definiteness of purpose, I have combined definiteness of purpose with the concept of the Mastermind principle in the following categories for my business and individual goals. 

Peer Mastermind 

Me working on my business issues while simultaneously helping other peers work on their issues as well. 

I have been a member of the Women Presidents Organization for over 20 years. My chapter is comprised of approximately 15 women who are all the founders, presidents, or top women executives within their specific and unique fields. When I come to the table with an issue in my business or personal life, inevitably several of the other women have dealt with similar issues during their careers. They share their individual experiences with their own journeys…what worked and sometimes even more importantly what didn’t work…and they help me chart a more laser-focused action plan to address my specific issue. The very next month, I may be sharing my personal experiences to help another member of my group address a current issue she is facing. Many of my closest friends have come from this Peer Mastermind. In order to find your Mastermind of peers, be clear on whom you consider to be a peer and what type of common experiences will facilitate the highest level of support for each other. 

Advisor Mastermind 

Me working ON my business with strategic advisors and mentors. 

My advisor Mastermind is essential in helping me chart the strategic vision of my company. By bringing together my financial and legal advisors, along with my mentors who have already achieved success in the field I am pursuing, I draw on an incredible depth and breadth of knowledge of true experts. I often say, “Seek counsel, not opinions.” My advisor Mastermind provides me priceless counsel by bringing their expertise, their experience…and their rolodexes (incredible contacts) to the table.  

Team Mastermind 

Me working IN my business by bringing my internal team together to draw from internal strengths and to better identify internal weaknesses. 

I have an incredible team, and I learn as much, if not more, from them than they do from me. While I am usually out “stirring the pot,” they are back at the office in the trenches dealing with the day-to-day business we create. It is essential that I keep up on the issues they face, the solutions they come up with, as well as the feedback we receive from our customers and strategic partners. A leader’s greatest skill should be the ability to listen. We have a policy of identifying “little wins” at our company so that we bring the positive energy from the celebration of each and every accomplishment into our environment. In order to find your Mastermind team to work IN your business with you, be clear on the skill sets and character traits that will support you today as well as move you in the direction you want to go for the future of your business.  

Personal Mastermind 

Me working on my physical, spiritual, and mental (emotional) goals. 

This has been the most challenging of my Mastermind efforts as I have always felt “I need to do it on my own.” In the last few years, I have realized that having a Mastermind of close family and friends who are committed to each other’s physical, spiritual, and emotional health has built in an accountability that has motivated me to work much harder to achieve those goals. If you are like me and tend to deprioritize you own well-being, having a personal Mastermind is a great way to move your wellness to the front burner. In order to find your Mastermind for areas of your personal life, be sure you are ready for accountability and then give your group permission to call you out if you aren’t keeping commitments to yourself. 

The Takeaway  

Please ask yourself about your Masterminds and where they fall within these categories. Do you need to better focus your current group…or do you need to create a different Mastermind to focus on achieving specific goals for your business or personal growth? The key to finding your Mastermind for any category in your life is to be clear on your goals and outcomes from the group. 

This article originally appeared on sharonlechter.com. Now you can preorder the long-awaited new release from Sharon and co-author Dr. Greg Reid, Success and Something Greater: Your Magic Key, from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or 800-CEO-READ. In this official publication of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, you’ll learn the success secrets of today’s most prosperous individuals, including John Assaraf, John Ashworth, Michael Houlihan, Bonnie Harvey, and many more.