Table Of ContentThe views presented are those of the author
and do not necessarily represent the views of the
United States Department of Defense or the United States Navy.
© 2018 Jean G. Mathurin, M.D.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner
without written permission, except in the case of short quotations used for critical
articles or review. Although the authors and publisher have made every effort to
ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this book,
we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or inconsistencies
herein. Any brands, products, companies, and trademarks that appear in this book
are stated for illustrative purposes only. Their mention in no way expresses explicit
or implied endorsement or approval of the content in this book.
ISBN: 978-1-7322884-0-9 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1-7322884-1-6 (epub)
Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication Data
provided by Five Rainbows Cataloging Services
Names: Mathurin, Jean G., author.
Title: 7 checklist items for success : a guide to a richer and more successful life /
Jean G. Mathurin, M.D.
Description: Pensacola, FL : 7 Checklist Items, 2018.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018905089 | ISBN 978-1-7322884-0-9 (pbk.) | ISBN 978-
1-7322884-1-6 (ebook) | ISBN 978-1-7322884-2-3 (audiobook)
Subjects: LCSH: Success--Psychological aspects. | Wealth--Psychological
aspects. | Motivation (Psychology) | Self-realization. | Inspiration. | Self-
help techniques. | BISAC: SELF-HELP / Personal Growth / Success. |
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT / Inspiration & Personal Growth.
Classification: LCC BF637.S8 M38 2018 (print) | LCC BF637.S8 (ebook) |
DDC 650.1--dc23.
Printed in the United States.
This book is dedicated to my father,
Jean Lenord Mathurin.
His love for his children was unsurpassable.
I loved him, and I miss him every day.
This book is also dedicated to my nephew,
Walner Nelson, and all the young people of this world.
I hope this book will teach you the life lessons
I wish I had learned when I was your age.
May you have a life full of success and joy.
CONTENTS
Preface 9
CHAPTER 1: Goals 23
Starting Is Hard, but Essential 23
Prioritize Your Goals 26
The 5-Second Rule 27
Goals Before Gold 28
The Power of Goals 31
The Hardship of Having Goals 32
Remain Enthusiastic 34
CHAPTER 2: Take Action 37
The GPS of Success 38
Do to Yourself As You Would Unto Others 40
You Are Your Own CEO 42
Taking Effective Actions 43
Success Is Like Swimming Against the Current 45
Adversity Is the Impetus for Action 46
Learn from Your Critics 47
Taking Action Leads to a More Perfect Life 50
Take Action Only After Setting Detailed Goals 53
CHAPTER 3: Courage to Consistently Commit 55
The Courage to Make a Difference 57
What Is Your Price to Stop? 58
The Courage to Be Successful in Life 60
Be Grateful 65
Give Others the Benefit of the Doubt 65
Show to Others a Reflection of Their Perfection 66
Moving Forward: Be Grateful for Your Past 68
Be Confident about the Future 70
The Courage to Maintain a Positive Attitude 71
We Don’t Get to Be Successful, We Become Successful 72
The Courage to Say NO 73
The Courage to Say YES 74
CHAPTER 4: Value Resources 77
You Cannot Appreciate the Value of What You Don’t Know 77
Valuing Resources Now 80
Valuable Resources Should Always Be Viewed as Assets 81
Be Humble in Victory 82
Value People and Time, They’re both Fleeting 85
Be Consistent in How You Value Resources 87
Have a Budget 89
Know What You Don’t Know and Listen to Others 91
The Secret to More Valuable Resources 91
CHAPTER 5: Investing In Yourself And Others 95
No Better Return than Investing in Yourself
and Managing Your Time 95
Good Investments for God are Good Investments for You 97
Example of a Typical Investment with Extraordinary Return 100
Investing in People Who Have What it Takes 101
The Power of Investment 103
Investment Is the Vehicle to a More Successful Life 104
Lack of Financial Knowledge Leads
to Misconceptions about Investment 105
Investment During Times of Famine and Abundance 108
Make Sure that Those Who Invest in You
Never Lose Their Investment 109
CHAPTER 6: Giving Back 111
Give Back More than You Receive 111
Be Empathetic 113
Giving Back Your Time Is the Foundation of Trust 116
The Philosophy of Living a More Successful Life 118
Give with Open Hands 119
Words from Your Mouth Are Worth More than Gold 122
A More Successful Life Is about Giving Back 123
Why Give Back? 125
CHAPTER 7: Legacy: Create a Legacy
of Service to Others 129
Aim to Create a Legacy of Hope 131
A Legacy and a Way of Life 132
Human Limitation and a Legacy that Shows Will Is Limitless 134
A Legacy of Encouragement 136
Create a Legacy of Opportunities for Others 137
Legacy, the Arbiter of the Game of Success 138
Pay it Forward 141
Summary 143
Conclusion 145
A Psalm of Life 148
PREFACE
Thank you for picking up this book. What you will undoubtedly
notice is that the 7 Checklist Items for Success is not a book for
everyone. It is not a book for the timid or for those who consider
themselves passengers enjoying the ride of life, with no significant
purpose and no desire to leave this world a little better than they
found it. This book was written for those of you who know and
believe at your core that you were created for something bigger than
your current situation or circumstance in life. This book is for those
who ask why, and want to find a way to make something happen.
You crave a way to realize your full potential. The why of your exis-
tence is your core belief about why you are here on this earth. If you
believe you are such a person, then this book is for you. As you read,
you’ll soon find this book will show you the how of these whys.
I wrote this book because I wish I had found such a book when I
was fifteen. It took years for me to establish a cogent list that can help
anyone, from any walk of life, and achieve greater success in life.
You might be in a rough spot, wondering how you can possi-
bly make it out. You might also be wondering: “How can this book
help me succeed?” “Will this be a waste of my time?” “Is this book
even worth the money I paid for it?” While my intention is not to
answer these questions for you, I do believe you will find this book
extremely valuable by the time you finish reading it.
Let me begin by sharing something that got my attention during
my first year of residency in aerospace medicine in the United States
9
7 CHECKLIST ITEMS FOR SUCCESS
Navy. I was introduced multiple times to a graph that many in the avi-
ation industry are quite familiar with: The graph shows the decrease
of the Naval Aviation Mishap Rate from the 1950s to present. During
their first year of training, many aerospace residents would often mut-
ter under their breath that they hoped the professors would stop
showing the graph because they believed the point had been made.
They thought they got it. Naval Aviation Mishap Rate has
decreased a whole lot. Yet what this graph showed me went beyond
how mishaps (aircraft accidents leading to fatalities) have decreased
over time in the Navy. I intuitively understood that we were shown
this graph again and again so that we understood that the decrease
owes to the culture of safety in Naval Aviation.
While I was taking my introductory courses in Aviation, I was
also introduced to something that I believed may have made the
biggest contribution in reducing aircraft mishaps: a checklist in avi-
ation. Going through the checklist items is a crucial aspect of what
the pilot does from preflight to turning off the aircraft engine. This
concept has been so successful in Aviation that it has also been used
in the operating room.
The big question I asked myself was: If this checklist has proven
to be so valuable in Aviation and now the surgical operating room,
why not apply this same concept to people’s lives to help them
achieve their highest potential?
As a kid who grew up in poverty in Haiti, nothing would have
been more beneficial to me than to pick up a textbook with some
pointers that—if followed carefully, step-by-step—could bring
me any success I could desire. When I started to research and ask
around if such a checklist existed, one that when and if applied
helped anyone to be successful in life, the answer was no. I set out
to create one, so started reading all of the textbooks I could find on
the subject of personal achievement. I also started to talk with some
of the smartest people I know in different fields of study involving
the mind (psychiatry, psychology) and those who have achieved
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