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 The One Common Trait of All Successful People

By David Frey
 

This week I received a question from a newsletter subscriber. The question was so important that I decided to share it with you.

Question from Reader

Dear David,

Greetings to you...

Was reading your news letter and I think its great to share the books you read during the last year, well I would like to ask you a question, I hope you can share with me (us) the answer.

David, how can you manage your time to have time to read since you run your own business and I imagine that your time table is full during the day, plus to other family obligations.

Hope you can share with me (us) a draft of your time table, ...

Well I also, have another question, do you run your business from home office?

I would like to wish you and your family a Happy New Year 2006.

Best Regards

Ziad

mrktg-consult@maktoob.com

Answer from David Frey

This is such a great question that I thought I would share my answer with you.

I deeply believe in "continuing education."

I believe that EVERY professional should continue to read, listen, and watch educational materials that will fill their minds with new ideas to expand their thinking.

NOTE: This is the one characteristic that is common among all super successful people. Successful people never, never, never stop educating themselves!

• When I'm riding in the car, I listen to educational tapes and CDs.

• When I'm on an airplane I read educational books.

• When I'm doing computer work that doesn't take much thinking, I'm listening to an mp3 file.

• When I'm doing "my business" I'm usually reading a magazine (I know you didn't need that visual, but I wanted to hammer home the point :-)

When ever I have a free moment I'm educating myself.

The Educational Power Lunch

One of the best habits I've formed in my professional life is to take a good book to lunch.

Sometimes I have "meeting lunches" with my managers, but most of the time, I take a good book (or a printed ebook) to lunch with me.

I'll sit there for about 30 - 40 minutes just reading.

I've learned so much during my lunch hours that if it was totaled up, it would equal about 3 MBA degrees.

My Super Power Writing Weapon

I also do a lot of writing at lunch.

My wonderful wife Ingrid, purchased me an awesome writing tool that I often take to lunch with me to write stuff.

In fact, I'm using this tool to write this newsletter right now.

It's called the Dana Alphsmart.

http://www.Alphasmart.com

I LOVE THIS THING!

I take this tool with me everywhere. Since investing in the Alphasmart I've tripled my writing production.

It's super easy to carry around and fire up. It's battery life is incredible.

Here's a Little Secret

Sometimes when I get in a writing block. I'll go down to Barnes and Noble and pick out a stack of books and sift through the books for ideas.

Then I whip out my Alphasmart on the spot and start typing. It's so liberating.

(You didn't think I came up with all these great ideas on my own, did you?)

Conclusion

I urge you to establish a pattern of learning and continuing education. It's your ticket to wealth and success (not that success equals wealth.)

Invest in your education. Make time for it and it will pay you back over and over and over.