3 Lessons from "Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life"

Larry Winget, as I mentioned before, is one of my favorite self-help writers / speakers. Here I present three lessons I learned from his book, "Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life" - I believe that these three lessons form the core of where he is coming from:

1. Stop whining and take responsibility for the events in your life. 
• Life is filled with great stuff and horrible crap. Celebrate the good and deal with the bad.
• You cannot solve your problems when you are too busy whining.
• Instead of complaining, develop a plan.
2. Stupidity, laziness, and indifference create failures. 
• Move beyond laziness.
• Further your education - there are plenty of free and obtainable resources.
• Clean up your thoughts and speech, and you will clean up your life
3. Be realistic.
• Everyone makes mistakes.
• Own up, fix it, and move on. 

 

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."

 - Earl Nightengale

Lessons from "The Millionaire Next Door" by William Danko and Thomas Stanley

Quite honestly this is one of the most important books I have read this year! Although the edition I read was nearly 20 years old, I believe that the principles remain the same; and I've begun to apply them - already I've seen considerable change in my attitude towards finances.

Here is my summary - click here to read / print / download it.

Click here to find the book on Amazon

"Don't let schooling interfere with your education."

 - Mark Twain

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"Some cause happiness wherever they go, others when they go."

 - Oscar Wilde

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"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid."

 - Albert Einstein

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"Wisdom is often nearer when we stoop than when we soar."

 - William Wordsworth

Larry Winget's 5 Tips to Fix Your Screwed-up Life

A few months back I decided that I wanted to write my own self-help book in 2014. It was June 2013 and I had read numerous books and compiled pages upon pages of notes. I've applied the principles and advice from all of these sources to my own life and have seen staggering results in so many areas - and I want to share that information with others (which is why I publish my notes on the internet).

I contemplated many titles, including "Stop Whining and Succeed" which I really liked, until my mentor told me that it was very similar to a book which already exists, "Shut Up, Stop Whining and Get a Life" by Larry Winget. He showed me a YouTube video of Larry - it was love at first sight! Finally someone who doesn't coddle his audience, but motivates them by helping them to understand how stupid people can be!

Larry will always hold a special place in my heart, as I continue to read his books. Here I am presenting a small list called "5 Tips to Fix Your Screwed-up Life".

1. Know where you are - Know exactly how much you make and spend. Write it down.
2. Establish priorities - Spend your time and money towards your priorities.
3. Establish a budget - Live by it. Don't give yourself any excuses.
4. Cash only
5. Keep a journal - Write down what you spend on everything, every day.

These things may seem simple, but they are highly effective! These five principles, along with what I will be presenting in a few posts from The Millionaire Next Door have really helped me realize where I am financially, where I need to be, and what steps to take to start getting there.

"The desire not to be anything is the desire not to be."

 - Ayn Rand

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"The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try nothing and succeed."

 - Martyn Lloyd-Jones

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"The great secret of success in life is for a man to be ready when his opportunity comes."

 - Benjamin Disraeli

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"A handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains."

 (Old Dutch Proverb)