I’ve just been listening to transgender rights campaigner Paris Lees on the Jeremy Vine show, talking about why she thinks it takes to be Human. I will definitely recommend you catch the episode on BBC iPlayer or their podcast. 

Paris grew up on a council estate in Nottingham, had an abusive childhood, wild teenage years which culminated in being sent to prison. Despite a difficult start, she’s gone on to have great success after, writing for the Guardian and I guess after becoming a celebrity. 

How did she turn her life around? 

In a word, education. Well, she actually went back to his studies and did a degree in English literature, but said that she became abscessed with reading. This is significant as many other people have turned their lines around three reading, perhaps the most famous being Oprah Winfrey. 

Leaders Are Readers

As the old saying goes. Paris says she doesn’t have a TV in the house. This is also significant, as TV, along with social media, it’s probably one of the biggest thieves of our time. Don’t get me wrong, I am also guilty of wasting time in front of the box, especially during the World Cup! 

But it’s so easy to get sucked in to watch in the next program and the next program, and then find yourself channel surfing. It’s funny, but the more channels we have the harder it is to find anything decent to watch. 

Zig Ziglar had a good technique To help spend less time in front of the television. He said you should get out one of those TV Guide you get with the Sunday newspapers and mark out specific shows you want to watch during the week. Watch those shows, but then switch the TV off.

I grew up in a TV house, so I know what it’s like. 

Another important fact is that successful people tend to watch far less television than unsuccessful people. Sorry to be brutal, but that’s the way it is. 

In my days in financial services, I visited hundreds, if not thousands, of homes. With a few exceptions, I found that the people with the least amount of money and the most problems seem to have the biggest TV, and it dominated the living room. In fact, dominated the whole house. Some of them even had big surround sound speakers that shook the whole room! 

On the other hand, the more financially successful people either had no television in the living room, or a very small old model stuck away in the corner. 

Look inside the windows of wealthy people and you will see books. 

Chinese client in roughest estate in Hackney – nervous even going there. Single parent who worked in a takeaway and did two jobs. She saved her money. I helped her with mortgages and she bought two properties. Her two daughters were studying to be a doctor and a lawyer despite going to ordinary state schools in a deprived area. Whenever I visited their flat I never saw a TV and the daughters were always reading and studying. 

Read about your industry, company or business. 

Take shortcuts and learn fast. 

I also observed more books in the house and noticed that parents who had academically bright children would encourage them to study rather than waste time watching television. 

So this is my money tip today. Take back 20 to 30 hours per week by cutting down on TV. In that time you could complete a degree or make hundreds of thousands of pounds starting a business, even if it was in your spare time.