A few years ago, David McClelland of Harvard did some interesting research about getting ahead in life.
He found that people who rise to the top have higher aspirations than those who are sitting next to them in classes, working in the next cubicle, or living next door.
This âneed to achieve,â more than talent, money, and other advantages is the key determinant of success.
There are other terms for it, such as âfire in the belly,â âdurable ambition,â and the like.
But fundamentally, when you aspire, you go higher!â¢
Whatâs extraordinary to me, and Iâve seen this first hand time and again, is the extent to which we limit ourselves and restrict our lifestyles based more on attitudes than on earnings.
For example, today, you can rent an apartment in Beverly Hills, California, for only 10-20% more than a comparable unit will cost you in Los Angelesâ neighboring communities. Youâll have access to better public schools, smoother roads, world- renowned police protection, and of course, all the status you could want.
And you can lunch with movie and TV stars, and luminaries from all walks of life, for the price of a corned beef sandwich at the neighborhood delicatessen.
Check it out for yourself!
Ok, this may not be your dream, but it would suit a lot of people if they could only get over their own self-imposed limitations. Most folks arenât knocking down the doors to get in to better places because they believe they donât, and canât âbelong.â They have the money, and as you can see, thatâs not the challenge.
Itâs the aspiration. Theyâre just not aiming high enough.
The same logic applies to the clothes we wear and nearly every goodie.
By the way, did I mention you could drive a Porsche for just a little more than youâd pay for a lesser car?
Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

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