Being, Doing & Having

Being, Doing & Having by Zig Ziglar

"You've got to be before you can do and do before you can have." — Zig Ziglar

Read the quote above again…

"You've got to be before you can do and do before you can have."

In short, you have to be a person of character and do the right things, and then you can have the things you really want.

To make the "be, do, have" theory valid, believable, and usable on your part, look at some examples in your own life:

1. Take a sheet of paper and draw two vertical lines to make three columns.

2. At the top of the left-hand column, write "Be"; in the middle column, write "Do"; and over the last column, write "Have."

3. In the right-hand column, list all the things that you really want in life, whether it's an education, good family relationships, a beautiful new home, a fancy luxury car, a trip around the world, better health—you name it.

4. Work your way down the center column of the page, identifying the things that you have to do in order to have the things listed in the right-hand column.

If you want a successful marriage, as an example, you must be willing to share your innermost thoughts and concerns with your mate. You must carry more than your share of the workload, encourage your mate when he or she is down, and defend your mate against criticism. You need to remember special occasions (which go beyond Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, and anniversaries). Be particularly helpful when your mate is having a "down day," is not feeling well, or has had a tough time on the job. Apply the philosophy that "you can have everything that you want out of this marriage if you will just help your mate get what he or she wants." Everybody's list varies, because each of us has his or her own needs, beliefs, and interests. However, the formula remains the same.

5. Go to the left-hand column and identify what you have to be in order to do so that you can have. As a brief, simple example, and continuing with your desire for a successful marriage, look at the "be" part of the formula and think your way through this process. Some of the things that you must be are faithful, attentive, loving, caring, helpful, empathetic, encouraging, persistent, committed, kind, thoughtful, considerate, and responsible. Not having all these qualities at this moment is okay, because they're all skills, and skills can be developed.

Regardless of what you want to have—whether it's a better education, more sales, a beautiful home, closer relationships with your children, or a handicap of 10 on the golf course—you can use this basic formula. Just look at what you have to do in order to accomplish that objective, and then examine yourself and determine what kind of person you have to be in order to do so that you can have.

…Adapted from Success For Dummies by Zig Ziglar.