RULE 73

Don’t sit back

There’s a saying that ‘Nothing wilts faster than laurels that have been rested upon.’ It’s very true. There is a temptation once we have made a bit of money, when an investment has worked out, or it seems to be all paying off, to sit back and relax. Yes, we can. But we don’t want to. Now is the time to speed up a gear or two, put more irons in the fire. Now is the time to look around and work out our next plan of attack. Now is the time to strike, capitalise, consolidate. Now is not the time to take your eye off the ball.

We can all stir from the swamp and then settle back into the mud. But the really prosperous keep struggling until they are completely free of the slime forever. If you take a day off the slide begins and will, inexorably, continue. And the next effort will be even harder. I know, I’ve been there.

So redouble your efforts. Rekindle the enthusiasm. Relight the fires of desire and let’s get back to work.

You mustn’t sit back. The wealthy don’t take days out, tea breaks, lunch breaks, holidays. They keep their nose to the grindstone, shoulder to the wheel, ear to the ground, back to the wall, finger on the pulse, iron in the fire, fire in their belly and hand on the tiller. Wow! Tall order. They work harder and enjoy greater rewards – and get told how lucky they are.

You’ve got to keep on doing whatever it was that made you make it. If it’s a cash cow, ride that baby until it dies under you. If it was a one-off brainwave, have another. If it was sheer hard work, keep going. If you’ve found a successful formula, make some more. But whatever you do don’t turn off the tap unless it’s run dry. And even then keep it turned on just in case.

Remember, don’t get clever. Don’t think you know it all. Keep using those money mentors. Keep working harder than anyone around you. Keep it under your hat and keep at it.

But don’t forget how you got to where you are – location, method, plan, mission. Remember the ‘Don’t fiddle’ rule and don’t change anything until you are sure it will only improve results and not make the boat sink.