Be Enthusiastic
Mr. Shoaff taught me how to pay my bills with enthusiasm.
That was a whole new thing for me. He said, “The next time you
pay a hundred dollars on an account put a little note in there that
says, ‘With great excitement I send you this hundred dollars.’” He
said I wouldn’t believe what it would do on the other end, when they
got that note. He said, “Most important of all, you won’t believe
what it will do on your end. Now start to part with your money with
excitement and enthusiasm.” He started changing my whole
opinion about money and about paying my bills and about capital
and learning to live within restricted limits. He got me excited
about it. A big part of what you do with your plan is going to be
your attitude about it. So develop a whole new attitude about your
money. Remember that it’s not the amount that counts, it’s the
attitude and the plan.
He got me to open my first savings account. He said to go
down there with excitement to open it up. I’d never had a savings
account. I told him I didn’t have any money to open a savings
account. He asked me if I had ten dollars. And I told him I did
have ten dollars and he said to go get it open. It’s not the amount;
it’s the plan. So I marched down to the bank and opened my first
savings account. Now that took a little bit. I’m a grown man. I
said to the lady who waited on me at the bank, “I want to open a
savings account.” And she said, “Fine, what’s your name?” I told
her and she said, “Mr. Rohn, just fill this out.” I filled it out and
said, “There it is.” She looked it over and said, “That’s fine, how are
we going to get this started?” I said, “Put ten in.” She asked, “Ten
what?” I said, “Ten dollars.” Now, Mr. Shoaff had said to be
enthusiastic but I had trouble there. I’m 25, married, my family is
starting, I’m working, I’ve been to college, and I’m opening up my
first savings account with only ten dollars. That was tough. But
Mr. Shoaff had said to swallow hard and just go do it, do it with
excitement because it will change. It’s the plan that counts -- not
the amount. So I put the ten dollars in and said, “Hey, this doesn’t
look like much, but I’ll tell you what, before long I will have the
largest savings account in this bank.” She said, “Well, if you say
so.”