How to turn $8,000 into $1M with one simple change

Hey {NAME}, Do you remember that book Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul (I may be majorly dating myself here)? I know, I know, totally random, but bear with me here. I want to tell you a quick story about the author, Jack Canfield. [Chicken Soup For The Teenage Soul]( Right now, Jack is worth around $25 million. Before his Chicken Soup fame, Jack was worth less than $8,000 and was completely miserable. He was barely making ends meet and it seemed like every idea he had failed. After years of this cyclical decline, he met a man named W. Clement Stone who challenged Jack to change one single aspect of his approach - his goals. Stone said, "I want you to set a goal so big that if you achieved it, it would blow your mind." So, Jack decided his goal was to make $100,000 in 12 months. He followed up by saying "I had no strategy, no possibility, but I'm going to declare it, and I'm going to believe it." Every day after that, Jack took a few minutes to close his eyes and visualize his $100,000 goal as if he had already achieved it. Then, throughout the day, he would ask himself if the actions he was taking were bringing him closer to his goal. He began brainstorming, and four weeks into his practice, he had the idea for Chicken Soup. Six weeks later, he went to New York and gave a lecture to 600 teachers. One of them happened to be a columnist for the National Enquirer who gave Jack her card. The National Enquirer ran an article on the book and sales took off. By the time his 12 month mark had rolled around, Jack Canfield had made $92,327. Not bad, huh? Obviously, his next thought was, why don't I set my next goal for a million dollars? One year later, his publisher handed him a royalty check that had a smiley face written next a 7 figure sum. [Image]( The events that led to Chicken Soup's success were not dumb luck. Having a defined goal channeled Jack's focus toward his goal on a daily basis. Each day he was preparing to reach that goal and was aware of every opportunity that would allow him to do so. When those opportunities arose, Jack was ready, and he capitalized on them. Now I want you to do the same. Let's start with the goal. Not just any goal, but one with definition. A truly impactful goal has two things: a specific, measurable aim and a deadline. "I want to work at Facebook" is not a goal. "I want to sit in a pool and drink champagne in Greece" is not a goal. "I will increase my salary by 50% in the next 12 months" is a goal. "This time next year, I will be working in Facebook's marketing department" is a goal. See the difference? Don't want- will. And will on a deadline. * * * One of the best ways to begin setting your goals effectively is to use the SMART system. All you need to do is make sure that your goal meet each of the following criteria: S – Specific (or Significant) M – Measurable (or Meaningful) A – Attainable (or Action-Oriented) R – Relevant (or Rewarding) T – Time-bound (or Trackable) For example, instead of having "to sail around the world" as a goal, it's more powerful to use the SMART goal "To have completed my trip around the world by December 31, 2022." * * * Now we're halfway there. The other half? Believing in your goal and in yourself. You don't need to know exactly how, and you don't need a specific plan. You just need to believe deep down that it will happen. I've found that the methods for instilling this belief are unique to the individual, so I won't recommend one over any other. However, I will say that Mr. Stone's advice was extremely helpful for me. Every morning I would wake up, make a cup of coffee, and repeat my goal to myself. Then I would spend some time thinking about how my life would be when I had reached my goal: Where I would live, what trips I would take, what clothes I would buy. Have some fun with this! I used to go check out the apartment listings in New York - the ones for $10,000 per month and up. Then, as you go through your day, ask yourself if the actions you are taking are bringing you closer to your goal. If not, stop doing them and refocus. Now, take the rest of the day today and tomorrow to think about your goal. Make sure it is measurable, and make sure it has a deadline. And do me a favor - aim high, OK? You're worth more than a $10,000 raise, way more. I'm thinking at least 25% of your salary. Probably closer to 50%, 'cause you're awesome. Your Homework Your homework today is to: 1) Come up with a SMART goal 2) Write it down 3) Put it somewhere where you will see it early and often (mine was on the whiteboard I kept above my desk, and on the background of my phone) Now take a deep breath. You just took a massive step towards your goal - you created it. That should make you super proud! What's Next? Now it's time to take actionable steps towards your goal! Best, Austin [Cultivated Culture] Land a job you love without applying online. How Can I Help You? [Resume Builder](=) [Landing Referrals]() [LinkedIn](=) [Interviews](=) [LinkedIn]() [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you subscribed to get more career-related content on [cultivatedculture.com](). If you do not want to receive these emails or other communications you can easily remove yourself from our email list by [clicking this link to Unsubscribe](.                              Â