Future-Proofing You

1The Growth Mindset

You were not born a winner, and you were not born a loser.

You are what you make yourself to be.

—Lou Holtz

WHILE VISITING A LOGGING CAMP in Myanmar, an American tourist watched how at the end of each day, the loggers secured their elephants with just a small piece of tattered rope tethered to a teak tree. The tourist couldn't understand how such a thin flimsy rope could restrain a powerful 8,000 lb. bull elephant. Having watched the pachyderm haul over a dozen one‐ton logs that afternoon, surely, thought the tourist, this massive creature had the brawn to destroy the cord and break free. Quite perplexed, the American asked the trainer, “Why don't the elephants just break free?” The trainer explained that from birth, the elephants are tied up with the same size rope, and since as babies they weren't strong enough to break free, they were conditioned to believe that the rope is inescapable. By the time they are full‐grown adults, they stopped trying and accepted their lot in life. What's tying up your future?

Truth #1 – You Must Have a Growth Mindset

If you are reading this book and are broke, here are three comforting facts: you are not alone, it's not your fault, and a year from now you can be a millionaire. While the stock market is at an all‐time high, the sad truth is that the vast majority of people are drowning in debt. Americans owe more than $1 trillion in credit card debt and another $1.5 trillion in student loans. According to a recent Bankrate ...