Have you ever noticed how many little things never get done because you’re so busy focusing on important things and urgent things? Look around your environment, and you’ll probably find over fifty of these things – e-mail accounts that need cleaned out, pictures that need framed or hung, products that need to be returned, faucets that need repaired… Trying to conquer all of these little chores would be impossible.

Yet finishing a few small tasks might actually boost your attitude.

Every time I see the charm that needs a chain, I get horribly depressed for a moment. I only see the unfinished necklace once a week or so, yet every time, it lowers my mood. There’s one thing I’m not getting taken care of. Why not take fifteen minutes to get a chain and be done with it? Why don’t you take care of your little things. We all know why we don’t. We have a million reasons and a million other things that are more important.

For the next week, I challenge you to start tackling some of these nagging areas that you neglect. Every time you take care of another box of clutter or flush out unused bookmarks on your computer, you’ll get a small boost. It’s a jolt without the caffine. You’ll feel better about yourself and your day. More positive energy feels great. Your mind will feel refreshed and ready to tackle other things… like that net worth.

Can you measure your life beyond your net worth? I’ll be the first to admit that a lot of my transactions revolve around a mental note of how much wealth I want. But what’s the point of more money in your life?

I spent the last week in a hospice in Germany where my husband’s grandmother taught me some great life lessons in her final moments.

1. What’s the point of money if it doesn’t grant you more opportunity and experiences?
My husband’s grandma grew up in Czechoslovakia under communism, which you probably know was a world of black market survival. People who had things to offer like food and medical care were in high demand. You could skip a few bread lines and police punishments if you had something to bribe with. In communism, money meant higher survival. It also meant a chance to escape to the west. Use the resources you are given to create a better life for yourself and others. Don’t steal from the poor; enrich lives.

2. Don’t work for money; let it work for you. Have a reason for wanting money besides just wanting money. After establishing themselves in the west, my husband’s grandparents started with nothing and worked hard to establish a good life. Use money to spoil your guests with the best ice cream, get a good education, own a computer capable of meeting your needs, and travel the world… and not just in five-start, English-speaking countries, for goodness sake!

3. Don’t let anyone else tell you what to do with your money.
Have you ever noticed how many “friends” people who win the lottery have all of a sudden? Everyone has an idea of where your money should go. Some people have your best interest in mind. Most people, of course, have themselves in mind. If you’re working hard with integrity, you have the right to spend your money as you see fit. You have to be smart about your spending and investing, of course. Yet something tells me that if you have worked your way to wealth, you’re going to be smart. Nonetheless…

4. Treat yourself when you’ve earned it, and save and save when you haven’t.
At first, you might think of Dairy Queen treats and French fries. Don’t forget the computers, cell phones, cars, and other fancy upgrades that you “need” and “want”. The media floods us with expectations. How many advertisements tell you that you deserve their product? They don’t even know you! They can’t say what you deserve and what you don’t. Resist the easy ability to dive into debt. It’s hard; you’ve got to try, though. Make smart choices. Live a good life.

Ever wish you were capable of something, thought of all the experts out there, and quickly lost faith in yourself? I know it happens to the best of us. But I also think that the only difference between those experts and our amateur selves is dedication and experience.

When a professional figure skater always falters in a footwork sequence, she keeps working and working until “always falters” becomes “never falters”. I grew up with skating lessons and dreams of the Olympics; I didn’t have the dedication to ever take me to the Olympics, obviously. I found myself practicing the footwork sequences that I could do best because I liked them, I looked good on the ice, and the moves were easier.

Most of us practice the things we’re good at, and we avoid what we’re not good at. We stick with what’s easy and comfortable. As a result, we’re forever average.

Richard Restake quoted in his book, The New Brain,
For the superior performer the goal isn’t just repeating the same thing again and again but achieving higher levels of control over every aspect of their performance. That’s why they don’t find practice boring. Each practice session they are working on doing something better than they did the last time.

What matters isn’t how long you work; it’s how well you work. Did you brush every tooth before bed? Is the math problem correct?

Thinking of all the things we want to be great at is easy. You could probably ramble off a handful right now. What are they?

Then the depressing part… how are you working toward becoming an expert at these things? Sometimes, amateur skill is enough. We’re content where we are. We could make lists and lists of goals, yet when it comes down to doing the things that count, we change our minds or forget.

Block the obstacles in your mind. A local business man sells worldwide tours through the internet. He told me, “If I had known the competition out there, I probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to try this business.” He went from amateur business man to a booming expert, and he’s dedicated to keep working toward his goals of furthering his business. He’s become the expert.