Three Big Takeaways:

Approximately 95% of society settles for far less than they want in life, wishing they had more, living with regret and never understanding that they could be, do, and have all that they want. According to the Social Security Administration, if you take any 100 people at the start of their working careers and follow them for the next 40 years until they hit retirement age, here's what you will find: only 1 will be wealthy; 4 will be financially secure; 5 will continue working, not because they want to but because they have to; 36 will be dead; and 54 will be broke and dependent on friends, family, relatives, and the government to take care of them. Monetarily speaking, that's only 5% of us who will be successful in creating a life of freedom, and 95% of us who will continue to struggle their entire lives. (pg. 24)

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One of the saddest things in life is to get to the end and look back in regret, knowing that you could have been, done, and had so much more. (pg. 40)

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Think back to a time in your life when you were genuinely excited to wake up in the morning. Maybe it was to catch a flight for a vacation. Maybe it was your first day at a new job. Maybe it was your wedding day. Personally, I can't think of any time when I was more excited to wake than when I was a kid on Christmas morning. Whatever the occasions have been, how did you feel when those mornings arrived? Did you have to drag yourself out of bed? On mornings like these, we can't wait to wake up! We do so feeling energized and excited. We heave the covers off and spring to our feet. Imagine if this is what every day of your life was like. (pg. 47)
 

Other Key Ideas:​​​​

Before you read any further, please grab a pen or pencil so you can write in this book. As you read, mark anything that stands out to you which you may want to come back to later. Underline, circle, highlight, fold the corners, and scribble notes so you can quickly revisit the most important lessons, ideas, and strategies without having to read the entire book again. Remember, the purpose of nonfiction books is not for them to remain untouched, but rather to extract maximum value from each page. (pg. xxx)

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If you want your life to be different, you have to be willing to do something different first. (pg. 15)

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Most people can't articulate their life purpose - the compelling "why" that drives them to wake up every day and do whatever it takes to fulfill their mission in life. Instead, it seems that too many of us are focused on just getting through the day, taking the path of least resistance, and pursuing short term, short-lived pleasures along the way, while avoiding any pain or discomfort that might cause them to grow. (pg. 29)

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When you hit the snooze button, you're doing two negative things to yourself. First, you're fragmenting what little extra sleep you're getting so it is of poor quality. Second, you're starting to put yourself through a new sleep cycle that you aren't giving yourself enough time to finish. This can result in persistent grogginess throughout the day. (pg. 43)

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The key to waking up is to remember this: Your first thought in the morning is usually the last thought you had before you went to bed. So the key is to consciously decide every night to actively and mindfully create positive expectations for the next morning. (pg. 51)

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The #1 skill of influencers is the sincere effort to make a person feel like they are the most important person in the world. (pg. 74)

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The process of marking books as I read allows me to come back at any time and recapture all of the key lessons, ideas, and benefits without needing to read the book again, cover to cover. (pg. 89)

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There is more value in re-reading a book you already know has strategies that can improve your life than there is in reading a new book before you've mastered the strategies in the first. When I am done reading a book that I can see having an impact on my life, I commit to read-reading the book (or re-reading the parts I've underlined, circled, and highlighted) once I'm done reading the first time. I actually keep a special place on my bookshelf for the books I want to re-read. (pg. 89)

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When I went back and read what I journaled, I was able to revisit my mindset from each day, and gain a new perspective as to how much I had grown throughout the year. I reexamined my actions, activities, and progress - giving me a new appreciation for how much I had accomplished during the past 12 months. Most importantly, I recaptured the lessons I had learned, any of which I had forgotten over the course of the year. Re-reading your journal is one of the most empowering, confidence-inspiring and enjoyable experiences. It can't really be duplicated any other way. (pg. 91)