Imagine for a moment that you are only eight years old. Now imagine writing your biggest dreams and aspirations on a sheet of paper. Common wisdom tells us that writing down our goals is a great practice. Few of us actually do it. Even fewer follow through and achieve those goals.
Nik Halik’s To-Do List
Nik Halik not only created his “to-do” list when he was eight years old, but he completed it, too! Well, almost. “At eight years of age, I wrote the screenplay to my life and wrote:
• To climb the highest mountains in the world—like Kilimanjaro and Everest
• To become a millionaire
• To sleep in King Tut’s tomb
• To go into space in a rocket and walk on the moon
• To run with the bulls in Spain
• To own homes all over the world
• To explore and travel to more than 100 countries
• To go to the bottom of the ocean and have lunch on the Titanic
• To become a rock star”
Okay…did he do it? Yes! And he did most of it by the age of 40. To be truthful, there’s one item on that list that Nik has not yet completed: to walk on the moon. But Nik has every intention of taking that walk one day.
Self-Made Millionaire
Nik Halik was born in Melbourne, Australia, to Greek immigrant parents, and is today a self-made multimillionaire, a high-adrenalin adventurer, a best-selling author, and a global wealth strategist who runs several companies. Nik is also the first to tell everyone:
“People should feel good about themselves because of what they are, and what they do—not because of what they have in their garages.”
Obstacles Were Significant
That statement could be true about any one of us, but in Nik’s case, the obstacles were substantial. But that only makes his success all the more significant. He overcame his obstacles and challenges to live a life that most of us can only dream about. Nik compares the first ten years of his life to that of the famous “boy in the bubble”—he was plagued with chronic allergies, asthma and other constant health issues. He talks about not having friends—the encyclopedia, he says, was his best friend.
He Became an Independent Thinker
“And thinking sparked something within me—I began to feel less sick and I made a conscious decision to overcome my illness. That still works for me, and I would advise others to do the same. I really never looked back. I learned that even the smallest steps would get me closer to my goals.”
You Don’t Need Money to Make Money
When it comes to making money, Nik rejects one of the most popular notions: you need money to make money. “It takes experience and knowledge to make money. If you lack experience and knowledge, then it does takes lots of money—and you take on lots of risk. But the more knowledge and experience you have, the less money you need, and the fewer risks you have to take. That’s why the rich get richer.”
“People are often their own worst enemies with their lack of self-esteem. We all need to move out of our own ways.”
“I was born rich in potential and inherited a host of obstacles along the way.”
“At twelve years old I stopped listening to people’s B.S.”
“What I believe holds people back is their lack of belief in themselves.”
“You can’t leave your fate in the hands of others.”
Take Responsibility for Yourself
He advises: Create a daily achievement list: Write down the four “must-do” things for each day. Nik knows that an extraordinary life doesn’t usually happen by accident. It takes drive and consistent effort on your part. No one can do it for you, because “excellence is the result of a commitment to competence.” It takes commitment to live life one step at a time. Nik urges people to “focus on each task completely, and then move on.”
Maintaining Your Focus!
Other people want to tell you what to do. They try to tell you what’s important, and they can easily discourage or distract you from your dreams. But Nik simply says: “Get get to know yourself: What is your definite purpose? Pursue a career of choice rather than settling for a ‘job’ of necessity.”
He recognizes and appreciates the drama of a person overcoming the odds and achieving goals: There’s nothing better than a rags-to-riches story! “Dare to dream, live with passion and make life an epic journey.”
“Your life’s story should be written by you! It’s your screen play.”
“Don’t just exist—live your life! Stop putting off your dreams.”
“Stay happy and healthy, and never neglect the ‘kid’ in you”
My question: Have you taken the time to write your screenplay?
Copyright 2014 Jerry Gladstone