Relax and Recharge Completely

By: Brian Tracy

Regular relaxation is essential for a long life and personal effectiveness. Here are some techniques for relaxing physically that are used by the most successful and highest paid people in America.

Take Time Off Every Week
First of all, work only five or six days per week, and rest completely on the seventh day. Every single study in this area shows that you will be far more productive in the five or six days that you work if you take one or two days off completely than you ever would be if you worked straight through for seven days.

Get Your Mind Busy Elsewhere
During this time off, do not catch up on reports, organize your desk, prepare proposals, or do anything else that requires mental effort. Simply let your mind relax completely, and get busy doing things with your family and friends. Maybe work around the house, go for a walk, engage in physical exercise, watch television, go to a movie, or play with your children. Whatever you do, discipline yourself to shut your mental gears off completely for at least one 24-hour period every seven days.

Get Away on Mini-Vacations
Second, take one three-day vacation every three months, and during that time, refrain from doing any work. Do not attempt to catch up on even a few small things. If you do, you keep your mental gears in motion, and you end up neither resting nor properly doing work of any quality.

Take Big Chunks of Down Time
Third, take at least two full weeks off each year during which you do nothing that is work-related. You can either work or relax; you cannot do both. If you attempt to do a little work while you are on vacation, you never give your mental and emotional batteries a chance to recharge. You'll come back from your vacation just as tired as you were when you left.

Give Yourself a Break Today
If you are involved in a difficult relationship, or situation at work that is emotionally draining, discipline yourself to take a complete break from it at least one day per week. Put the concern out of your mind. Refuse to think about it. Don't continually discuss it, make telephone calls about it or mull it over in your mind. You cannot perform at your best mentally if you are emotionally preoccupied with a person or situation. You have to give yourself a break.

Go For a Walk in Nature
Since a change is as good as a rest, going for a nice long walk is a wonderful way to relax emotionally and mentally. As you put your physical body into motion, your thoughts and feelings seem to relax all by themselves.

Eat Lighter Foods
Also, remember that the process of digestion consumes an enormous amount of physical energy. Therefore, if you eat lighter foods, you will feel better and more refreshed afterward. If you eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products, your digestive system will require far less energy to process them.

Be Good to Yourself
Since your diet has such an impact on your level of physical energy, and through it your levels of mental and emotional energy, the more fastidious you are about what you put into your mouth, the better you will feel and the more productive you will be. We know now that foods high in fat, sugar, or salt are not good for your body. The lighter the foods you eat, the more energy you have.

Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:

First, plan your weeks in advance and build in at least one day when you will relax from work completely. Discipline yourself to keep this date.

Second, reserve, book and pay for your three day vacations several months in advance. Once you've paid the money, you are much more likely to go rather than put it off.

Third, decide that you will not work at all during your vacations. When you work, work. And when you rest, rest 100% of the time. This is very important.

The Law of Compensation

By: Brian Tracy

You Get What You Give
Ralph Waldo Emerson, in his essay,
"Compensation," wrote that each person is
compensated in like manner for that which he or
she has contributed. The Law of Compensation is
another restatement of the Law of Sowing and
Reaping. It says that you will always be
compensated for your efforts and for your
contribution, whatever it is, however much or however little.

Increase Your Value
This Law of Compensation also says that you can
never be compensated in the long term for more
than you put in. The income you earn today is
your compensation for what you have done in the
past. If you want to increase your compensation,
you must increase the value of your contribution.

Fill Your Mind With Success
Your mental attitude, your feelings of happiness
and satisfaction, are also the result of the
things that you have put into your own mind. If
you fill your own mind with thoughts, visions and
ideas of success, happiness and optimism, you
will be compensated by those positive experiences in your daily activities.

Whether we like it or not, sales is part of our
daily lives. Whether you are trying to close new
business, negotiate an increase in pay, or simply
communicate better with your loved ones, you are
constantly utilizing some form of "sales
technique". So, with the start of the new year,
it is time to improve upon what is likely the
most important skill set that one can have – sales.

Do More Than You're Paid For
Another corollary of the Law of Sowing and
Reaping is what is sometimes called the, "Law of
Overcompensation." This law says that great
success comes from those who always make it a
habit to put in more than they take out. They do
more than they are paid for. They are always
looking for opportunities to exceed expectations.
And because they are always overcompensating,
they are always being over rewarded with the
esteem of their employers and customers and with
the financial rewards that go along with their personal success.

Provide the Causes, Enjoy The Effects
One of your main responsibilities in life is to
align yourself and your activities with Law of
Cause and Effect (and its corollaries), accepting
that it is an inexorable law that always works,
whether anyone is looking or not. Your job is to
institute the causes that are consistent with the
effects that you want to enjoy in your life. When
you do, you will realize and enjoy the rewards you desire.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, remind yourself regularly that your
rewards will always be in direct proportion to
your service to others. How could you increase
the value of your services to your customers today?

Second, look for ways to go the extra mile, to
use the Law of Overcompensation in everything you
do. This is the great secret of success.

The Magic of Solitude

By: Brian Tracy

The greatest men and women of all ages have
practiced solitude regularly. They learned how to
use silence to still their minds and tap into
their superconscious powers for answers to their questions.

In this newsletter, you learn how you can apply
this wonderful technique immediately to improve
the quality of your inner and outer life.

The Magic of Solitude
Your feelings, your emotions, are the access
point to your inner powers of mind. The most
important part in the process of getting in touch
with your feelings is to begin to practice
solitude on a regular basis. Solitude is the most
powerful activity in which you can engage. Men
and women who practice it correctly and on a
regular basis never fail to be amazed at the
difference it makes in their lives.

Most people have never practiced solitude. Most
people have never sat down quietly by themselves
for any period of time in their entire lives.
Most people are so busy being busy, doing
something­even watching television­that it's
highly unusual for them to simply sit,
deliberately, and do nothing. But as Catherine
Ponder points out, "Men and women begin to become
great when they begin to take time quietly by
themselves, when they begin to practice
solitude." And here's the method you can use.

To get the full benefit of your periods of
solitude, you must sit quietly for at least 30 to
60 minutes at a time. If you haven't done it
before, it will take the first 25 minutes or so
for you to stop fidgeting and moving around.
You'll almost have to hold yourself physically in
your seat. You'll have an almost irresistible
desire to get up and do something. But you must persist.

Solitude requires that you sit quietly, perfectly
still, back and head erect, eyes open, without
cigarettes, candy, writing materials, music or
any interruptions whatsoever for at least 30 minutes. An hour is better.

Become completely relaxed, and breathe deeply.
Just let your mind flow. Don't deliberately try
to think about anything. The harder you "don't
try," the more powerfully it works. After 20 or
25 minutes, you'll begin to feel deeply relaxed.
You'll begin to experience a flow of energy coming into your mind and body.

You'll have a tremendous sense of well-being. At
this point, you'll be ready to get the full
benefit of these moments of contemplation.

The River of Ideas
The incredible thing about solitude is that if it
is done correctly, it works just about 100
percent of the time. While you're sitting there,
a stream, a river, of ideas will flow through
your mind. You'll think about countless subjects
in an uncontrolled stream of consciousness. Your
job is just to relax and listen to your inner voice.

At a certain stage during your period of
solitude, the answers to the most pressing
difficulties facing you will emerge quietly and
clearly, like a boat putting gently to the side
of a lake. The answer that you seek will come to
you so clearly and it will feel so perfect that
you'll experience a deep sense of gratitude and contentment.

Trusting Yourself
When you emerge from this period of quiet, you
must do exactly what has come to you. It may
involve dealing with a human situation. It may
involve starting something or quitting something.
Whatever it is, when you follow the guidance that
you received in solitude, it will turn out to be
exactly the right thing to do. Everything will be
OK. And it will usually work out far better than
you could have imagined. Just try it and see.

You must learn to trust yourself. You must
develop the habit of listening to yourself and
then acting on the guidance you receive.

Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, select a specific time and place to sit
quietly and practice one full hour of solitude. Don't put it off.

Second, take small periods of silence and
solitude during the day, especially when you feel
overwhelmed with problems or responsibilities.

Third, take action immediately on the ideas and
insights you receive while in solitude. One good
idea can save you months and years of hard work. The key is trust.

Quotes of the Week

'Vision isn't enough unless combined with venture. It's not
enough to stare up the steps unless we also step up the
stairs.'
-- Vance Havner

'It is never too late to be what we might have been.'
-- George Eliot

'Two little words that can make the difference: START NOW.'
-- Mary C. Crowley

'No mistake or failure is as bad as to stop and not try again.'
-- John Wanamaker

Over-Coming Life's Difficult Challenges

We are incredibly resilient and ambitious
people who are used to setting and achieving goals in life.
And yet, from time to time, we all face challenges that
seem insurmountable, a problem we can't crack.

Sometimes it's a personal goal that eludes us. Sometimes we
are knocked down by one of life's tragedies. Sometimes we
face resistance or opposition to a goal that means the
world to us. Whatever the cause, from time to time, we all
face over-whelming adversity and we need a strategy for
dealing with it.

Unfortunately, two of the most common 'strategies' are to
give up, or to keep doing the same thing over and over,
hoping for a different result. I think we can do better
than that!

Here are my suggestions for a better strategy:

1. Acceptance
Reality never lies, and the first step in over-coming
adversity is to recognize it. Sometimes, bad things happen.
Sometimes our good intentions, our best efforts and our
brilliant ideas just don't work. Sometimes, life is hard
and we don't like it, and the first step forward is to
admit 'this isn't working'.

Acceptance does not mean quitting and it does not mean
failure. It means recognizing what IS, getting curious
about why our plans aren't working, and wondering what is
going on. Always face the truth! Sometimes we meet
adversity and we need to recognize and accept it when it
happens.

2. Creativity
Adversity is nature's way of suggesting you try something
else. It doesn't mean changing your goals or giving up, but
it does mean stepping back, asking for advice, talking with
a coach, brainstorming and considering a new approach.

I love the story of Thomas Edison trying many thousands of
ways to invent the light bulb! He never 'failed'; he
discovered thousands of solutions that didn't work! If your
goal is worth achieving, and what you're doing isn't
working, step back, think of 10 or 20 or 100 alternatives
and make a fresh start.

3. Patience and Persistence
There's an old saying that 'God's delays are not God's
denials', and it's good to remember that many problems take
time. Some require years to solve; a few will not be
mastered in a single lifetime.

While it's true that 'nothing can resist the human will',
it is also true that brute force rarely builds anything
beautiful. I have a friend who spent 12 years building a
magnificent china cabinet. How many 'over-night sensations'
labored for 20 years before success 'suddenly' found them?
The Grand Canyon is the result of nothing but running
water, time and persistence.

4. Give up
Some readers will be surprised by this, but sometimes we
cling to dreams that will never happen for us, and in our
stubbornness, we deny ourselves a world of success in other
areas. We invest too much in chasing dreams that are not
ours! Go where it's easy. Do what works and makes sense and
opens doors for you.

You deserve success! You were not created to beat your head
against a wall or to struggle up a mountain without meaning
or clarity. Life DOES have pain and can be horribly unfair,
but that is NOT the total human experience! Mother Teresa
said that 'God will not give me any challenge I cannot
bear', and we need to remember that. The adversity you
experience is, in some way, the raw material for something
greater. Find it.

Philip Humbert, PhD

Should You Have Written Goals?

Over the years, I've written a great deal about setting and
achieving goals. The consensus seems to be that high
achievers 'always' have a clear set of written goals, but I
don't happen to think that's true, and it may surprise you
that I don't believe setting goals is always a good thing.

Make no mistake, in most cases setting goals IS a good
thing. I have a variety of personal goals and I review them
frequently, discuss them with my wife, my coach and my
advisors, and I re-affirm them every morning. In general,
I believe most people will benefit from thoughtfully
selecting a handful of important goals, writing them down,
and going after them.

Here are the major advantages of written goals:

1. They force us to choose. Too often, we want too many
things and scatter our time and attention among all of
them. Selecting a small number of specific goals helps set
your priorities.

2. They focus our efforts. By defining exactly what you
are going to achieve and writing it down, vague desires or
wishes become concrete action plans.

3. Goals attract allies. When people know where we are
going, it's easier for them to help us. There is great
synergy, power and enthusiasm in a shared goal.

Most people, most of the time, will benefit from carefully
defining their goals, writing them down, developing an
action plan and following through.

There are, however, risks to setting goals and for some
people, setting goals can be a dangerous thing. Here are
the major weaknesses of written goals:

1. By focusing our attention on the future, goals can rob
us of the present. Some people get so caught up in their
vision, that they forget to 'smell the roses' each day.
John Lennon observed that 'life is what happens while you
are making other plans.' Don't let your dreams get in the
way of celebrating the present. Live each day and be
grateful.

2. Goals can prevent us from seeing even bigger, easier or
more vital opportunities. Like blinders on a horse, we can
become fixated on our goals and miss opportunities all
around us. Some people are so determined, so ambitious and
so disciplined that they forget to consider the alternatives.

3. Goals can become excuses. Some people set exciting
goals, then use their future achievements as an excuse to
avoid doing what they can and should do today. I've seen
teenagers so caught up the dream of becoming a 'rock star'
that they forget to study. Some adults fall into a similar trap.

Should you have written goals? Almost certainly. Carefully
selected, well-defined goals are the path to achievement,
fulfillment and satisfaction. But some areas of life should
not be 'goal oriented'. When it comes to personal integrity,
or spending time with loved ones, or celebrating the
miracles of daily life, these are not 'goals', they are
simply choices.

Have written goals, but never confuse your future
achievements with real life! Real life happens today. It
happens with the people around you, it happens right here,
right now. Ready or not, this is your life, and it is meant
to be lived to the full. Use goals; live life. Never
confuse the two.

Philip Humbert

Quotes of the Week

'Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.'
-- Theodore Roosevelt

'The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity is where you are.'
-- John Burroughs

'Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a
distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.'
-- Thomas Carlyle

'The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore
they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation
after generation.'
-- Pearl S. Buck

The Quest for Total Happiness

I've been thinking about happiness. Specifically, I've been pondering
the keys to total
happiness and thinking about a wonderful book by the Dalai
Lama, 'The Art of Happiness'.

The Dalai Lama argues that, fundamentally, we all seek more
and greater happiness in our lives and that one of the
great questions in life is, 'What makes my life totally
fulfilled and totally happy?'

For many people, happiness is related to money, and
happiness means accumulating wealth. For them, money has
great value and they are motivated to work hard and
smarter, and to use money in ways that make them happy.
But there are thousands of individual differences in how
that works. Some make money and give it all away. Some make
money and hoard it, even burying it in the backyard, while
others invest it, and still others make a show of
displaying a wealth of possessions.

For others, happiness has little to do with money, and they
seek fulfillment in their creativity, or they find ultimate
happiness in family relationships, or by serving others.
There are many paths up the mountain called 'happiness'!

One of the most important distinctions the Dalai Lama makes
is between happiness and pleasure. We can all think of
experiences that bring us delightful pleasure but which
utterly fail to make us 'happy' in life. Almost everyone
enjoys a fine meal, perhaps with good wine, but we all
reject a life of gluttony and drunkenness.

So the question: What makes you truly happy?

This is a central question for the World Class Life
Conference next month, because in order to have a GREAT
life, we must first determine what it might look like. What
are the key pieces of a great and joyful life FOR YOU?

Almost 150 years ago, Henry Thoreau wrote that most people
'live lives of quiet desperation', and sadly, I think
that's still true. All our wealth and freedom, our
education and military power, even our access to the wisdom
and literature of past generations has not created a
society in which most people are 'happy'. Indeed, many
people seem to be incredibly unhappy. With all this freedom
to choose our destiny and create the life we truly want,
why aren't more people happy?

I think this is a vital question. It may even be THE
question for modern adults to ponder and answer. Given that
you can live almost anywhere you choose, read and learn
almost any skill, and have pretty much any reasonable
lifestyle you want, WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

What are your happiest memories? What are your happiest
fantasies, dreams and aspirations? Who do you know who
seems to be truly, massively happy?

What makes YOU happy? At the end of life, what will allow
you to say, 'I did it right. I made good choices. I am
HAPPY with the way I lived my life!' Whatever your answer,
in the coming days and weeks, do more of it, and do less of
everything else.

Philip Humbert

Quotes of the Week

The thoughts we choose to think are the tools we use to
paint the canvas of our lives.
-- Louise Hay

The problem in my life and other people's lives is not the
absence of knowing what to do, but the absence of doing it.
-- Peter Drucker

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be
lost. Now put foundations under them.
-- Henry David Thoreau

It is never too late to be what we might have been.
-- George Eliot

The Quest for Total Happiness

I've been thinking about happiness. Specifically, I've been pondering
the keys to total
happiness and thinking about a wonderful book by the Dalai
Lama, 'The Art of Happiness'.

The Dalai Lama argues that, fundamentally, we all seek more
and greater happiness in our lives and that one of the
great questions in life is, 'What makes my life totally
fulfilled and totally happy?'

For many people, happiness is related to money, and
happiness means accumulating wealth. For them, money has
great value and they are motivated to work hard and
smarter, and to use money in ways that make them happy.
But there are thousands of individual differences in how
that works. Some make money and give it all away. Some make
money and hoard it, even burying it in the backyard, while
others invest it, and still others make a show of
displaying a wealth of possessions.

For others, happiness has little to do with money, and they
seek fulfillment in their creativity, or they find ultimate
happiness in family relationships, or by serving others.
There are many paths up the mountain called 'happiness'!

One of the most important distinctions the Dalai Lama makes
is between happiness and pleasure. We can all think of
experiences that bring us delightful pleasure but which
utterly fail to make us 'happy' in life. Almost everyone
enjoys a fine meal, perhaps with good wine, but we all
reject a life of gluttony and drunkenness.

So the question: What makes you truly happy?

This is a central question for the World Class Life
Conference next month, because in order to have a GREAT
life, we must first determine what it might look like. What
are the key pieces of a great and joyful life FOR YOU?

Almost 150 years ago, Henry Thoreau wrote that most people
'live lives of quiet desperation', and sadly, I think
that's still true. All our wealth and freedom, our
education and military power, even our access to the wisdom
and literature of past generations has not created a
society in which most people are 'happy'. Indeed, many
people seem to be incredibly unhappy. With all this freedom
to choose our destiny and create the life we truly want,
why aren't more people happy?

I think this is a vital question. It may even be THE
question for modern adults to ponder and answer. Given that
you can live almost anywhere you choose, read and learn
almost any skill, and have pretty much any reasonable
lifestyle you want, WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

What are your happiest memories? What are your happiest
fantasies, dreams and aspirations? Who do you know who
seems to be truly, massively happy?

What makes YOU happy? At the end of life, what will allow
you to say, 'I did it right. I made good choices. I am
HAPPY with the way I lived my life!' Whatever your answer,
in the coming days and weeks, do more of it, and do less of
everything else.

Philip Humbert

Using Your Inner Guidance SystemUsing Your Inner Guidance System

You have incredible powers of mind and emotions
that give you timely and accurate feedback in every area of your life.

In this newsletter, you learn how to "tune in" to
yourself so you can make the right decision in every situation.

Using Your Inner Guidance System
We know that the body has a natural bias toward
health and energy. It's designed to last for 100
years with proper care and maintenance. When
something goes wrong with any part of our body,
we experience it in the form of pain or discomfort of some kind.

We know that when our body is not functioning
smoothly and painlessly, something is wrong, and
we take action to correct it. We go to a doctor;
we take pills; we undergo physical therapy,
massage or chiropractic. We know that if we
ignore pain or discomfort for any period of time,
it could lead to something more serious.

How to Tell Right From Wrong
In the same sense, nature also gives us a way to
tell emotionally what's right for us and what's
wrong for us in life. Just as nature gives us
physical pain to guide us to doing or not doing
things in the physical realm, nature gives us
emotional pain to guide us toward doing or not
doing things in the emotional or mental realm.
The wonderful thing is that you're constructed so
that if you simply listen carefully to
yourself­to your mind, your body and your
emotions­and follow the guidance you're given,
you can dramatically enhance the quality of your life.

Just as the natural physical state of your body
is health and vitality, your natural emotional
state is peace and happiness. Whenever you
experience a deviation from peace and happiness,
it's an indication that something is amiss.
Something is wrong with what you're thinking,
doing or saying. Your feeling of inner happiness
is the best indicator you could ever have to tell
you what you should be doing more of and what you should be doing less of.

The Messenger
Unhappiness is to your life as pain is to your
body. It is sent as a messenger to tell you that
what you're doing is wrong for you.

Very often, you'll suffer from what has been
called "divine discontent." You'll feel fidgety
and uneasy for a reason or reasons that are
unclear to you. You'll be dissatisfied with the
status quo. Sometimes, you'll be unable to sleep.
Sometimes, you'll be angry or irritable. Very
often, you'll get upset with things that have
nothing to do with the real issue. You'll have a
deep inner sense that something isn't as it
should be, and you'll often feel like a fish on a
hook, wriggling and squirming emotionally to get free.

Divine Discontent
And that is a good thing. Divine discontent
always comes before a positive life change. If
you were perfectly satisfied, you would never
take any action to improve or change your
circumstances. Only when you're dissatisfied for
some reason do you have the inner motivation to
engage in the outer behaviors that lead you onward and upward.

Listen to yourself. Trust your inner voice. Go
with the flow of your own personality. Do the
things that make you feel happy inside and you'll
probably never make another mistake.

Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, listen to yourself and trust your own
feelings. If there is a part of your life that
causes you stress and unhappiness, resolve to deal with it.

Second, identify those areas of your life where
you are dissatisfied or frustrated for any
reason. What changes should you, could you make?

Third, remember that nature wants you to be
happy, healthy, popular and prosperous. Any
deviation from those conditions is a signal to you that action is necessary.

Author: Brian Tracy

It's Gift

Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends
will leave footprints in your heart.
To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
If someone betrays you once, it is his fault; If he betrays you
twice, it is your fault.
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds
discuss people.
He, who loses money, loses much; He, who loses a friend, loses much
more; He, who loses faith, loses all.
Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make
them all yourself.
Friends, you and me .... You brought another friend ... And then
there were 3 .... We started our group ....
Our circle of friends . There is no beginning or end ....
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.

Don’t give up…..

One day I decided to quit…
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality… I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I asked, "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me… "Look around", He said.
"Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I
took very good care of them. I gave them light. I
gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the
earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet
nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and
plentiful. And again, nothing came from the
bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
He said. "In year three there was still nothing
from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In
year four, again, there was nothing from the
bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged
from the earth. Compared to the fern it was
seemingly small and insignificant… But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet
tall. It had spent the five years growing roots.
Those roots made it strong and gave it what it
needed to survive. I would not give any of my
creations a challenge it could not handle."
He asked me. "Did you know, my child, that all
this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots".
"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."
"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The
bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet
they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest and brought back this story. I
hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
For us it is not an option but an opportunity.
Don't tell the Lord how big the problem is, tell
the problem how Great the Lord is!
Heavens door open this morning, God asked me… "My
CHILD, what can I do for you?"
And I said, "God, please protect and bless the one reading this message."
God smiled and answered, "Request granted."
This message is now in your hands. What will YOU do with it?

Sender: Cyn

Quotes of the Week

"You are what you think about all day long."
-- Dr. Robert Schuller

"Once you know that what you think about expands, you start
getting real careful about what you think about."
-- Wayne Dyer

"The way we live our days, is the way we live our lives."
-- Annie Dillard

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a
big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can
make which, over time, add up to big differences that we
often cannot foresee."
-- Marian Wright Edelman

Tools for The Mind(tm)

Recently, I saw a new set of new, high-tech cookware
hanging in the kitchen and made the mistake of asking how
much it cost. Mary lovingly reminded me that I never scrimp
on the cost of woodworking tools, or new computers, or a
new golf club. Her point is well taken. Investing in the
right tool for the job is always a good idea! When it comes
to our tools, we want the best.

Except. when it comes to tools for the mind.

Whether it's audio programs or books, or classes or
coaching, as a society too often we "can't afford it". How
many of us will invest in a new laptop, a vacation or new
barbeque grill (I recently bought one) but then look at the
cost of a book and convince ourselves that we can't afford
it, and if we bought it, we "wouldn't have time" to read
it?

We all know that we live in the "information age" and that
continuous learning is the key to the future, and yet as a
practical matter, we are "too busy".

I recently talked with a colleague who coaches real estate
brokers and she noted that her most productive clients
"constantly" listen to audio programs. She noted that "if a
person will not (listen to tapes), I don't think they are
coachable. Listening to tapes is the LEAST they can do to
increase their income potential. If they won't do that, I
won't coach them."

I agree.

We all have areas where we MUST improve our performance.
Whether the challenge is in our careers, our families, our
fitness, communication skills or a hobby, staying where we
are is no longer an option. The world is moving too quickly
and changing too fast. We must improve our skills on a
daily basis.

Fortunately, this is not difficult. What's difficult is
finding time to DO more stuff, but I am not talking about
that. In fact, my point is that we should be doing LESS,
but doing it better, smarter and with more joy. Too often,
we confuse activity with productivity, and they are NOT the
same thing!

There is a old story that one of Henry Ford's early
production lines broke down and after his staff had tried
everything they could think of to fix it, he called a
specialist, who found the problem and fixed it in a few
minutes. Later, he sent Ford a bill for $10,000, which was
a fortune at that time.

Ford refused to pay it, claiming it was far too much for
ten minute's work, so the specialist revised his bill to
read, "Repairs, $10. Knowing HOW to do the repair, $9,990."
Ford quickly paid the bill.

Knowing what to do, when and how to do it, pays off!

One of the great ironies of our age is that for the first
time in history, survival is rarely a question. We have
food, clothing and shelter in abundance and are free to
spend our time pursuing other things. The question becomes,
what will you do with your one and only, marvelous life?
Will you collect things, or memories? Will you pursue more
and better "stuff", or a better life?

In Thomas Leonard's memorable phrase, the choice is between
creating a life or building a lifestyle.

Author: Philip Humbert

Do Less, Live More

One of my favorite stories is that when Henry Thoreau told
his friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson, that the key to living
well was to 'simplify, simplify, simplify', Emerson
supposedly replied that, 'one simplify might have sufficed.'
I love the reminder that in many situations, less is more.

The mantra of our age seems to be, 'better, faster, cheaper
and more, more, more!', and the problem is that it's not
always helpful.

This week I told Mary that while the past few weeks have
been unusually busy, and very productive, I'm not having as
much fun as I would like. We are making more, but enjoying
it less, and that's not a good thing!

As we talked it through, it was clear that two different
processes were involved and we had to sort them out.

The first was being clear about our values.

We both love doing stuff, learning things, building things,
starting things. We love things that challenge us or
promise to enrich our lives, so we are suckers for every
great new idea that comes along - and there are lots of
great ideas!

But our values are not around glamour or excitement or
even, primarily around money or success. Our values tend
to be more about relationships, quality time, travel and
education, peace of mind and personal integrity, and the
problem is that our culture rarely encourages or talks
about those things.

The media tends to applaud public displays of wealth or
power or popularity, and our culture celebrates things that
result in 'progress' or tangible profit. And those are
good things! Don't get me wrong - I love both progress
and making a profit!

But, as Emerson observed, 'sometimes money costs too much.'
We noticed that in our rush to jump on several recent
opportunities, we were getting caught up in what Michael
Angier calls 'the thick of thin things' and it wasn't
working for us. A return to personal values is called for.

Secondly, we had failed to plan, and as the saying goes,
'those who fail to plan, are planning to fail.'

In our case, the failures were not obvious. In terms of
profits, we are doing very well, and that is exciting!
It's wonderful to see things come together and to receive
the applause of friends and business associates. It's fun,
it's good - and it's seductive.

We were off balance and off track. We were canceling
private time and postponing important priorities. We were
missing the joy of time together and the daily activities
we value. We had failed to plan, and so the distractions
of life were running away with our schedules, and again,
that is not a recipe for success!

So, we've cut back on activities and are talking about our
values every day. We talk about what we love, what we
cherish, what we stand for. It's not that we had forgotten
these things, but we have realized (again) that it is our
personal responsibility to align ourselves with our values,
and to do it on purpose, every day.

And, we have re-committed to investing time and money and
energy in the things that mean the MOST to us. We have re-
committed to planning our lives, to living from values, and
to making the most of our talents, our relationships, and the
opportunities to live well, rather than to being merely busy.

Philip Humbert, PhD

The End of Procrastination!

People often ask me how to over-come procrastination to
achieve their goals and create the life they truly want.
This week, I discovered two of the essential steps to
dealing with procrastination and making your dreams come
true.

The situation is familiar: We have a vision or goal, and
we know it is within our reach. It may not be simple or
easy, but we KNOW it's possible - if only we would get
started. But we don't. We procrastinate. We plan and
dream and talk, but we fail to take action. Time passes,
things don't change and we berate ourselves in frustration!

That is no way to live your life! Let's look at some solutions.

Step One: Power comes from Purpose!

This week I talked with three people who have big dreams
and wonderful ideas, but they've taken no action. As we
talked, I realized they have no powerful, passionate
REASONS to succeed. No rational person works long and
hard without a good reason!

They each thought they had reasons. Their dreams are
creative and would make them rich if they succeeded. Their
families support them, and they thought their 'reasons to
succeed' were obvious, but their reasons were really just
cliches, and cliches have no real power in them!

Power comes from purpose! The power to get up early, stay
late, and work hard to achieve a distant goal comes from
your heart. It comes from knowing your purpose, your
REASONS for doing it!

When a teenager wants to make the basketball team, or a
mother wants a doctor for her sick child, or we NEED a
college education, human beings will find a way. But
'nice' goals are not enough.

The power to over-come procrastination, take action, find
solutions and keep going comes from one source: Living
your life on PURPOSE! When you know WHY, you'll find
the HOW!

Step Two: Become a Player!

This is simple: are you an amateur, or a pro? Are you
serious, or are you dabbling? Are you committed, or merely
interested? The answers make all the difference.

Again, I've recently talked with several people who claim
to have a sense of purpose behind their goals, but I don't
think they truly mean it. They 'dabble' and leave no
tracks in the sand.

They tell a great story, and they seem committed, but their
actions are not consistent. At some level, they know that
dabbling rarely brings substantive results, and so they
postpone and procrastinate. Action that has no weight or
substance is hardly worth taking, so over the long-haul,
they make little or no effort to achieve their goals.

Don't be a lightweight! The ancient general, Hannibal, is
famous for taking his troops through impossible mountains
and is remembered for saying, 'We will find a way, or make
one.' He found a way!

To over-come procrastination, be a player! Put some weight
and time and money and skill behind your dreams and make
them happen! Life is not a rehearsal and there are no 'do-
overs'! If you have dreams that call you, be certain you
have enough REASONS to justify the investment, and then go
all out! Put your whole life into it! Procrastination cannot
survive in the face of a committed, determined human will!

Philip Humbert. PhD

Quote this day

People who enjoy what they are doing invariably do it well.
­ Joe Gibbs, Hall of Fame American Football Coach

You are educated. Your certification is in your degree. You may think of
it as the ticket to the good life. Let me ask you to think of an
alternative. Think of it as your ticket to change the world.
Tom Brokaw, American Television Journalist

The Law of Accumulation

The Law of Accumulation: how your financial fortune accumulates
slowly over time and then becomes enormous, like a snowball. The Law
of Accumulation: Every great financial achievement is an accumulation
of hundreds of small efforts and sacrifices that no one ever sees or
appreciates.

Develop Discipline
The achievement of financial independence will require a tremendous
number of small efforts on your part. To begin the process of
accumulation, you must be disciplined and persistent. You must keep
at it for a long, long time. Initially, you will see very little
change or difference but gradually, your efforts will begin to bear
fruit. You will begin to pull ahead of your peers. Your finances will
improve and your debts will disappear. Your bank account will grow
and your whole life will improve.

Build Up Momentum
The first corollary of the Law of Accumulation says: "As your savings
accumulate, you develop a momentum that moves you more rapidly toward
your financial goals."

It is hard to get started on a program of financial accumulation, but
once you do get started, you find it easier and easier to keep at it.
The "momentum principle" is one of the great success secrets. This
principle says that it takes tremendous energy to overcome the
initial inertia and resistance to financial accumulation and get
started, but once started, it takes much less energy to keep moving.

Start Slow, Finish Fast
The second corollary of the Law of Accumulation says, "By the yard
it's hard, but inch by inch, anything's a cinch."

When you begin thinking about saving 10 or 20 percent of your
earnings, you will immediately think of all kinds of reasons that it
is not possible. You might be up to your neck in debt. You might be
spending every single penny that you earn today just to keep afloat.

If you do find yourself in this situation, instead of saving 10
percent, begin saving just 1 percent of your earnings in a special
account, which you refuse to touch.

Increase As You Go Along
This small amount will begin to add up at a rate that will surprise
you. As you become comfortable with saving 1 percent, increase your
savings rate to 2 percent, then 3 percent, then 4 percent and 5
percent and so on. Within a year, you will find yourself getting out
of debt and saving 10 percent, 15 percent and even 20 percent of your
earnings without it really affecting your lifestyle.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply this law immediately:

First, decide upon your long-term financial goals and then resolve to
work toward them one step at a time. The first steps are the hardest
and you must discipline yourself to avoid backsliding into old habits.

Second, practice the law of accumulation in other parts of your life
as well. Resolve to master a subject one page at a time. Lose extra
pounds one ounce at a time. Learn a language one lesson at a time.
The cumulative effect can be enormous.

By: Brian Tracy

Quote: Dream, Life & You

Each of us was born with wings...(and) has the ability to
go farther than we ever thought possible, to do things
beyond our wildest imaginings.'
-- Barbara Stanny

'If you can DREAM it, you can DO it.'
-- Walt Disney

'A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan
and a deadline.'
-- Harvey Mackay

'It only takes one person to change your life - you.'
-- Ruth Casey

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

In the end, performance counts and in many ways, ONLY
performance truly matters. Words are interesting and
emotions are powerful, but in the end, it's what we DO
that matters.

The old saying, 'who you are speaks so loud I can't hear
what you say' is very important because it addresses both
the shallowness of words, and the reality that in life we
measure who a person IS by what they DO.

Over a hundred years ago, William James, arguably the
founder of modern Psychology, noted that 'we sing because
we're happy, and we're happy because we sing.' Emotions can
cause behavior (feelings happy makes us smile), but more
importantly, our behavior creates emotions in a reciprocal
relationship that is vitally important.

If you want to feel happy, do the things that MAKE you
happy - tell a joke, attend a concert, tickle a child, fly
a kite. For normal, healthy adults, most of our feelings
are the RESULT of how we think and what we do.

How often have you felt bored or tired, then gotten
involved in some project and discovered that the activity
picked you right up? We've all had that experience because
positive ACTIONS are a reliable source of positive feelings.

Athletes know all about this. It's called a 'runner's high'
and it's caused by chemicals (endorphins) released in the
brain. When you move your body and do stuff and breath
deeply, the brain literally, physically, rejoices!

And that has EVERYTHING to do with success, motivation and
achievement!

Active, highly effective people ARE happier than the rest
of us. They do more. They think and move and create and try
more stuff! They DO more, and as a result they FEEL BETTER.

Now of course some people suffer from depression or other
physical or emotional disorders, and these are serious
medical conditions that must be treated by a professional.
If you suspect you or a loved one has a medical problem,
for goodness sake, see your doctor! Positive thinking will
NOT fix a broken leg and it won't cure depression!

But for the rest of us, I think it's time for a call to
ACTION! As a nation, we have been focused on the war, a
sluggish economy, and of course here in North America, it's
been winter! We have lots of reasons to be cautious, to
stay home, and be careful. But now spring has come. Let's
move it!

A basic law of physics says that an object at rest will
stay at rest, while an object in motion tends to stay in
motion. Let's be objects 'in motion'!

Now is the time to make those calls, write your spring and
summer business plans, set goals, even go outside and plant
some flowers. Create beauty in your yard, bring it into
your office, and add it to your home. Surround yourself
with music and laughter, with inspirational posters and
projects that excite you. It's time to invest in your
future and MAKE IT HAPPEN!

Be an object in motion! Just DO it!

Author: Philip Humbert

The Quest for Total Happiness

This morning I've been thinking about happiness.
Specifically, I've been pondering the keys to total
happiness and thinking about a wonderful book by the Dalai
Lama, 'The Art of Happiness'.

The Dalai Lama argues that, fundamentally, we all seek more
and greater happiness in our lives and that one of the
great questions in life is, 'What makes my life totally
fulfilled and totally happy?'

For many people, happiness is related to money, and
happiness means accumulating wealth. For them, money has
great value and they are motivated to work hard and
smarter, and to use money in ways that make them happy.
But there are thousands of individual differences in how
that works. Some make money and give it all away. Some make
money and hoard it, even burying it in the backyard, while
others invest it, and still others make a show of
displaying a wealth of possessions.

For others, happiness has little to do with money, and they
seek fulfillment in their creativity, or they find ultimate
happiness in family relationships, or by serving others.
There are many paths up the mountain called 'happiness'!

One of the most important distinctions the Dalai Lama makes
is between happiness and pleasure. We can all think of
experiences that bring us delightful pleasure but which
utterly fail to make us 'happy' in life. Almost everyone
enjoys a fine meal, perhaps with good wine, but we all
reject a life of gluttony and drunkenness.

So the question: What makes you truly happy?

This is a central question for the World Class Life
Conference next month, because in order to have a GREAT
life, we must first determine what it might look like. What
are the key pieces of a great and joyful life FOR YOU?

Almost 150 years ago, Henry Thoreau wrote that most people
'live lives of quiet desperation', and sadly, I think
that's still true. All our wealth and freedom, our
education and military power, even our access to the wisdom
and literature of past generations has not created a
society in which most people are 'happy'. Indeed, many
people seem to be incredibly unhappy. With all this freedom
to choose our destiny and create the life we truly want,
why aren't more people happy?

I think this is a vital question. It may even be THE
question for modern adults to ponder and answer. Given that
you can live almost anywhere you choose, read and learn
almost any skill, and have pretty much any reasonable
lifestyle you want, WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

What are your happiest memories? What are your happiest
fantasies, dreams and aspirations? Who do you know who
seems to be truly, massively happy?

What makes YOU happy? At the end of life, what will allow
you to say, 'I did it right. I made good choices. I am
HAPPY with the way I lived my life!' Whatever your answer,
in the coming days and weeks, do more of it, and do less of
everything else.

Author: Philip Humbert, PhD

Breaking The Success Barrier

Session 1: Know What You Want
The golden age of opportunity. Masters and victims of change. Owning
your future. How to blaze your own trail. A lifetime of searching.
What makes some people successful? You are what you think you are.
Choose your own thoughts. Controlling your response to life's
challenges. Cultivating optimism. The principle of the "Objective."

Session 2: Do Whatever It Takes
Becoming action oriented. Learning the "Offensive" principle. Feeding
your need for control. Planning continuous and sustained attacks. Why
we need courage. The power of persistence. Learning the GOSPA formula
for success. The difference between desire and ability. How the
world's top executives spend their days. The ultimate test of leadership.

Session 3: Put First Things First
Mastering a simple formula. Paradigm shifts in the 20th century.
Organizing your life. The problem of complexity and how to avoid it.
Making lists of your priorities. The 80/20 rule. Using the ABCDE
method to simplify your life. Something old, something new. The seven
"R's" to greater productivity.

Session 4: Concentrate Your Powers
Learning to concentrate. Your one most important goal. The benefits
of self-discipline. Cultivating the commitment of champions. The
seven critical success factors. Increasing your return on equity.
Planning in advance. Keeping your eye on the prize.

Session 5: Lead from the Front
Becoming a united force. Playing the part of a leader. The greatest
success story ever told. Three major forms of power. Asking the right
questions. The qualities of effective leaders. Maintaining your
vision. Determining your core competencies. Giving what you're
getting. How to pass life's many tests.

Session 6: Leverage Your Strength
The principle of concerted action. Supporting your team. Taking on
more responsibility. Why many small businesses fail. The four types
of people. The key to becoming a great manager. Command vs. control
management. The importance of conflict. The power of group commitments.

Session 7: Learn All You Can
The principle of intelligence. Honing your ability to gather
information. Getting the facts straight. Upgrade your education. A
results-oriented world. The minimum requirement for success. Tapping
your brain's power. Striving to be brighter than the rest.
Accelerated learning techniques. The three most important forms of
knowledge. Rules of continuous learning.

Session 8: Be Fast on Your Feet
The principle of movement and positioning. Creativity and
entrepreneurial thinking. The purpose of every business. Strategies
for becoming more flexible in a highly-competitive market. Getting a
share of the customer. Zero-based thinking. The importance of
admitting our errors. Flexing your creative muscles.

Session 9: Minimize Your Costs
Appraising your worth. Choosing your battles. The principle of
economy. Becoming an invaluable asset. Ten steps that will accelerate
your personal and professional advancement. Developing a positive
image. The value of networking. Strengthening your character.

Session 10: Conserve Your Resources
The principle of security. Building your financial fortress. Securing
a positive mental attitude. Why we take things for granted. The
importance of customer service. Improving the quality of life. The
age of the independent contractor. Seizing the initiative. Battling
the know-it-all within all of us. Saving your money. The financial
secrets of self-made millionaires.

Session 11: Do the Unexpected
The principle of surprise. Satisfying the customer's appetite for
speed. Why customers love individuals. Listening to and acting on
every complaint. Your most important competitive edge. The four
levels of customer service. Learning from your rivals.

Session 12: Fulfill Your Potential
The principle of exploitation. Taking advantage of your resources.
Launching your shuttle toward success and lifetime prosperity. The
importance of strategic follow-up. The disguise of every opportunity.
Look within yourself. Determining your unique talents and abilities.
Becoming a no-limit person.

Brian Tracy International

You'll be Judged by Your Voice

From its earliest days the Net has been home to a rich variety of
voices. Never before have regular people had the means to communicate
their views to such a large and diverse audience. In fact, before the
Net came along, the power to publish lay in the hands of a few
powerful media companies alone. The best that you or I could hope for
was to find that our letter to the editor had made the cut.

The technology of the Net allowed anyone and everyone to publish
their views. From Usenet, to The Well, to a choice of thousands of
discussion lists and groups - millions of people discovered the joys
of raising their voices online.

Within this new culture, a premium was placed on voices that had a
unique and authentic character. That was how people stood out within
a text-based environment. No graphics. Nothing to see. Just words.
And the words that spread furthest were the words that carried the
unmistakable ring of an interesting voice.

The voices that attracted the widest or most attentive audiences did
so not by being loud, but by being interesting. And even being
interesting wasn't enough. There are lots of people out there with
interesting things to say. In addition, you needed to write in a way
that engaged the attention of your readers and always rang true.

This all happened before commerce came to the Web. And during that
period, people developed an uncommon sensitivity to voice online.

When commerce finally came to the Web, the writers or copywriters who
were responsible for writing commercial sites, emails and newsletters
failed to tap into the unique touch and flavor of online writing.
Instead, they simply borrowed their writing styles from what they
knew best - print and broadcast media.

And even today, companies online still don't get it. They still write
their online text in the slick, corporate style of offline writing.
The text of ecommerce has no character, no humanity, no recognizable voice.

This is a problem because your prospects and customers are quick to
ignore and skip over 'dead' text - wherever they see it.

To illustrate the point, here are two ways of talking about the new
Apple iBook laptop computer.

First, here's how Apple pitches it on their site:

The first thing you'll notice is that the iBook weighs just 4.9
pounds - almost 2 pounds lighter than before. You'll also note that
this iBook is appreciably smaller: just 11.2 inches wide, 9.1 inches
deep and 1.35 inches thick. The perfect size and shape to fit in your
backpack or briefcase. Fact is, the new iBook is designed to fit your
life. Fortunately, it's priced so you can still afford to have one.
Starting at $1,299.

With iMovie, iTunes and iTools, the new iBook is designed to work and
play with your digital tools and toys. Fact is, the iBook adds
fun-filled new dimensions to your MP3 player, music CD collection,
digital camera, DV camcorder and personal digital assistant. Your
iBook is right there at the center of it.

We'll forgive the writer for starting two sentences in the same way
with 'Fact is,'. A minor point.

But more telling is the construction and rhythm of the text. Take a
look at the four sentences at the end of the first paragraph.

The perfect size and shape to fit in your backpack or briefcase. Fact
is, the new iBook is designed to fit your life. Fortunately, it's
priced so you can still afford to have one. Starting at $1,299.

The first sentence has 12 words. The second has 11 words. The third
has 11. And the fourth and final sentence has just 3 words.

In other words, you get three sentences of equal weight and emphasis
followed by a very short, final sentence that places focus on the
price, and closes the paragraph on a high note. If you get my drift.

What's the big deal? The construction of the copy reeks of
'professional ad writer'. That's how you write for a print ad or a
catalogue. The construction is too measured, the voice too
commercial. The style is from the offline world where, as a customer,
you're meant simply to pay attention and listen to the message.

By way of comparison, here is an excerpt from an iBook review at epinions.com:

The first iBook was, like the first iMac, trying to make too radical
of a statement. The monstrosity weighed in at nearly 7 pounds. When
opened, it looked like an orange toilet seat. When closed, it looked
like a Hello Kitty purse (especially with that handle!). The colors
Apple picked made it look like a toy more than anything else. It was
underpowered and, despite Apple's greatest efforts, it was still
overpriced. The original iBook became sort of the odd little runt in
Apple's line - like the ugly duckling - and it sold like that too.

Well today is the day the little duckling turns into a beautiful
swan, and BOY whadda swan it is!

True, Apple probably wouldn't have the nerve to publish text like
this - however right the reviewer may be.

But it's not really the content I'm talking about. It's the voice and
the construction - or lack of construction - of the text. This iBook
reviewer writes pretty well, but the text isn't 'self-aware' or
'self-indulgent'. The voice is normal. It's from a regular person
with an interesting opinion.

The text has a strong character that is individual, not commercial.

And that's pretty much what I'm talking about. Real voices online
have character. And for that character to ring true in the online
environment, it has to be authentic, interesting and human. That's
why the 'toilet-seat' intro to the new iBook is so much more
compelling and powerful than the Apple version.

The voice fits with how real people communicate online in a way that
'commercial' writing never can.

And that's a good reason for us all to review our own sites, emails
and newsletters - and check for the power and authenticity of our voices.

Yes, online writers can still be 'professional'. But those
professionals, myself included, have to relearn how we write. We
can't write for print. We have to write for the online environment.

We have to learn to write with a voice that is true to our clients,
true to their customers and true to the culture of communicating
online. (And, of course, true to ourselves.)

*Nick Usborne speaks, writes, and consults on strategic copy issues
for business online.

Acceptance

<http://www.motivationalquotes.com/cgi-bin/db/db.cgi?db=db&uid=default&ID=&Quote=&Author=&Source=&Prayer=&Affirmation=&Keywords=acceptance&keyword=&mh=25&sb=---&so=asc&view_records=View+Records>Acceptance

Character Traits of Extraordinary Leaders
by <http://www.madeforsuccess.com/>Chris Widener

The success of every organization rests on the foundation of
leadership. A group of people, whether a business, organization,
family or society, can only go as far as leadership will take it.

Some people do not believe that they are leaders or even that they
can be a leader. I believe that every person is a leader in at least
one situation.

Maybe you aren't a leader at work but you are in your family or as
the soccer coach of the little league team. Somewhere you are
leading. That brings me to my final point before today's specific
topic. Here is my working definition of leadership: INFLUENCE.
Nothing more, nothing less. So as you are reading this understand
that I am giving you these thoughts in order to help you influence as
many people and in the most effective way possible

When people make a decision (either consciously or unconsciously) to
follow your leadership, they do it primarily because of one of two
things: Your Character or your Skills. They want to know if you are
the kind of person they want to follow and if you have the skills to
take them further. Yes, there are other variables but these are the
bulk of the matter. This week we focus on the kind of character that
causes people to follow your leadership.

1. Integrity. Integrity is that you do what you say you will. You are
trust worthy. People can rely on you. You keep your promises. The one
thing that will most keep people from following you is if they can't
know for sure if you will actually take them where you say you will.
Are you known as a person of integrity? If so, you will become an
Extraordinary Leader!

2. Optimistic. People don't want to follow others who think the
future is bad! They want to follow those who can see the future and
let them know that there is a better place and that they can get them
there! Do you see the cup as half empty? Then you are a pessimist. Do
you see it as half full? Then you are an optimist. Do you see it as
totally full - half air and half water? Then you are a Super
Optimist! Are you known as an optimist? If so, you will become an
Extraordinary Leader!

3. Embraces Change. Leaders are the ones who will see the need for
change and willingly embrace it. Followers will at first desire to
stay where they are. Leaders need to see the benefits of change and
communicate them to followers. If you don't change, you won't grow!
Are you known as a person who embraces change? If so, you will become
an Extraordinary Leader!

4. Risk Taker. Whenever we try something new, we are taking a risk.
That is part of growing though and it is imperative. Most people are
risk averse. Not the leader! They calculate the risk and what is to
be gained from taking the risk. Then they communicate that to the
followers and away they go to a better tomorrow! Are you known as a
person who is willing to take risks? If so, you will become an
Extraordinary Leader!

5. Tenacious. The tendency of the follower is to quit when the going
gets tough. Two or three tries and their motto becomes "If at first
you don't succeed, give up and try something else." Not the leader!
They know what good lies beyond this brick wall and they will go and
get it. Then they will bring others with them! Are you known as a
person who is tenacious? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Leader!

6. Catalytic. A leader is ultimately one who gets people going. They
are able to move others out of their comfort zone and on toward the
goal! They can raise the passion, enthusiasm and the ACTION of those
who would follow. Are you known as a catalyst? If so, you will become
an Extraordinary Leader!

7. Dedicated/Committed. Followers want people who are more devoted
and committed then themselves. At the first sign of lack of
commitment, followers scatter for the doors. If the leader sees the
end and is bailing out, they better get out first. Followers follow
those who will stick it out because they see the importance of the
task and the goal. Are you known as a person who is committed and
devoted to the goal? If so, you will become an Extraordinary Leader!

Imagine a sad pencil that wants all the pens of the world to
acknowledge its handsome lines, but it can't win its way! So, it
decides not to be a pencil any more. And while one end of this pained
pencil concocts ways to change itself into something that is no
longer a lead-filled stick, in the end - by the very need it has to
dream such dreams to escape itself - it remains a pencil.

Quote: Whatever you have

Whatever you have, spend less.
- Samuel Johnson

Influence and Motivation

I was helping to enhance the effectiveness of a sales presentation
for a division of a Fortune 500 company this week. Lots of fun and
filled with some real "aha" experiences...

In just a moment I'm going to show you how to motivate people. Very
few people have the ability to motivate others to do anything because
people who have evolved to becoming agents of change haven't
discovered the lens with which you MUST view each person.

As you read the story, don't forget the message...and then...record
the analysis for your every day reminder...

Imagine:

Someone goes to work five days per week. They "punch in" at 9 and
"out" at "5." By an entrepreneur's standards, those are pretty wimpy
hours...OK, really wimpy hours. Then it dawned on me that most people
who do the "punch in" and "9-5" have to punch in because otherwise no
one would know they were there. In other words, it's sort of like
wearing an ankle bracelet when you are released from jail and
required to be at a certain place at a certain time and no where else.

As time passes the individual becomes like the hamster in the wheel.
Each day like the last and very predictive of the future.

When you say "job" the person immediately thinks of THEIR experience.
When you say "work" they think of THEIR OWN "work" or place of
employment. After a few months, and then a few years the person
becomes dependent on the job, the company,

...the wheel. They almost become a hamster....

Take away the wheel and the hamster freaks out.

[4] Tinnitus, Pain and Visual Delusions: Repairing Perception Problems

You may hear it (tinnitus), or know someone who does, feel it (pain),
see it (visual delusions). But you don't have permanently live with
these experiences!

12 years ago I woke up with tinnitus. 70-80 dB of h*ll. Talking with
a dozen doctors and reading tons of medical literature boiled down to
one thing: You are stuck with it. Get used to it.

Not possible. There was NO way I could live with the jet engine 24/7.
In addition to medications and a whole slew of lifestyle changes, I
started studying the brain. I got caught up by buying every textbook
I could find on neurology, psychobiology and neurobiology.

I'll tell you one thing: We know 100 times more about the brain today
than we did 12 years ago, but...the doctors still tell people there
is nothing that can be done.

They tell that to people who taste metal, see delusions, have
schizophrenia (paranoia w/delusions), feel chronic pain and have the
nightmare of them all: tinnitus. And they are wrong.

Kevin Hogan

The People Behind Technique and Strategy

by Kevin Hogan

You can know all the techniques, strategies and mental linguistics on
the planet...but...if you aren't a person of influence you haven't
got a chance.
Similarly you can be a person of influence but your client quite
simply might not be motivated to change. (at least not yet!)

Let's look at both of the people in the process and find out what
kind of a person a person of influence is...then find out what your
client must feel about you to best be motivated by you....

First: What is influence? It's a process where one person motivates
another person to change something.

Let's look at just what it takes to motivate that person and who the
person of influence needs to be to accomplish persuasion.

Just who is the person of influence?

Who is the great salesman, the great therapist, the great lover, the
great President, the great you get the idea....

There are a number of qualities and characteristics that are crucial
to success in persuasion and influence...in every usage from therapy
to selling. Above all else is one characteristic that dwarfs all of the rest...

Empathy.

*Nothing* is more important than empathy for someone who wants to
motivate others to change. What is empathy? It's the ability to
feel...to understand...to walk a mile in their shoes...Empathy means
that you can *feel* and see life from the perspective of the other
person. If and when you can do that...you can be influential. If you
can't you will only be able to "close a percentage" or get lucky now
and then. You can know all the techniques on the planet but if you
can't feel their pain you will never truly be a great salesman, a
great communicator, a powerful person of influence.

***You walk into the hospital, see your loved one with the I V in
their arm. You paste a smile on your face but they know it hurts you
as much as it does them. That's empathy.

***Your child is home sick from school. You feel as bad for them as they feel.

***You see the result of their bad decisions and the pain of the
future they now face. You feel it too.

When I think of empathy I think of people like former President
Clinton. (gasp!) He has far more empathy than most people in the
public eye. Politics aside, when you watched Clinton with people, you
sensed he could really be in that person's shoes...and he was.

That means he has the capacity to identify and feel what others are
feeling at this moment. People of great empathy have three common traits.

* They have experienced pain first hand.
* They have a wide range of experiences with all kinds of other people.
* They are validated and feel good based upon the approval of others.

I saw a book on the shelf today at B & N. It was called "Disease to
Please." I didn't pick it up. Why? The person doesn't get it. (Just
like the guy who wrote "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. It's All Small
Stuff.") The book might be helpful but the *title* spreads a very bad
ideavirus.

In a broad sense, the ideal life is about two things. Giving and
receiving pleasure. (Pleasure broadly means anything that is good.)
Take away one of the two (giving or receiving) from the person and
you have a half of a person...

Take away the giving part, and in the vernacular, you have a jerk....

I'll bet a nickel the author of "Disease to Please" will tell the
reader that the reason people are unhappy and unsatisfied is that
they are trying to please other people at their own expense. (And
that might be a fact.) The possible solution might be proposed to
*stop* trying to please others and start doing what the reader has
never done perhaps...please themselves.

Problem.

As soon as the person stops being helpful, kind, loving, supportive,
nurturing to others they lose the other half of who they were. The
half of them that IS powerful and useful.

The real solution obviously is to always be supportive, kind and
helpful. And then to be supportive, kind and helpful to yourself as
well. (It requires no more time or effort. A simple set of choices.)
Then instead of becoming a jerk they becomes a complete
person...and...a person capable of powerful influence...which means
they are only one step away from success at any level they choose.

The influential person has a strong desire to please... and if they
are going to be influential that extends to the desire to help (for
both altruistic and selfish purposes) others be happy, feel better,
and be useful as a human. This desire to help, to create value, to
love will often be paired with some kind of pain and no one should
tell this person to try and squelch the feelings of being rebuffed,
rejected or hurt. That IS the healthy and normal response. These are
the feelings that generate the empathic response.

Master Your Mind

by Paul J. Meyer

Achievers set goals, are dedicated to reaching them,
concentrate on strengths and minimize weaknesses. They
continuously step up their courage, pride, determination
and confidence, all the while keeping their achievements
in perspective. In combination, these qualities make up
the achiever's attitude, the overall frame of mind that
enables people to become successful in all areas of life.

An achiever's attitude is essential to reaching goals and
fulfilling dreams. Through practice and repetition, you
can develop positive habits of thinking. Your mind
believes what you tell it, and your body receives direction
from your mind. Tell yourself constantly that you can do
something, and you will.

Master your mind with these suggestions:

Focus On Your Goals
When you have sufficient desire to reach the top, you
gain the determination, courage, pride and willingness
necessary to exert the effort to overcome obstacles that
stand between you and your goals.

Exert Self-Control
Many people panic when they make a few mistakes.
Achievers look forward­not backward. They keep
their mind focused on their goals and possess mental
toughness, never letting their emotions disrupt
performance.

Be Teachable
Achievers realize they do not know everything there is
to know. They know they can always improve, no matter
how good they are. They welcome constructive criticism
and pursue suggestions from others to reach even higher
levels of expertise and excellence.

Being rich

"Being rich has more to do with a picture than a bank account... it
is all about the picture you see in your mind about your life... that
determines what's in your bank account."
Doug Firebaugh

Success is a state of mind.

If you want to be successful, start thinking of yourself as being
successful. You are what you believe yourself to be.
Don't be afraid of what life has to offer you. If you believe that
life is worth living, your belief will help create the fact.
The barrier between you and success is not something that exists in
the real world. It's simply composed of doubts about your ability.
Your only limits to your realization of tomorrow will be your doubts of today.

by Max Steingart

Paraphrase Your Customer's Words

The customer is only sure that you have been listening when you
paraphrase what the prospect has said and feed it back in your own
words. This is where the rubber meets the road in effective
listening. This is where you demonstrate in no uncertain terms to the
prospect that your listening has been real and sincere. This is where
you show the prospect that you were paying complete attention to what
he or she was saying. Paraphrasing is how you prove it.

Question for Clarification
When the prospect has finished explaining his or her situation to
you, and you have paused, and then questioned for clarification, you
paraphrase the prospects primary thoughts and concerns, and feed them
back to him or her in your own words.

Use the Right Words
For example, you might say, "Let me make sure I understand exactly
what you are saying. It sounds to me like you are concerned about two
things more than anything else, and that in the past you have had a
couple of experiences that have made you very careful in approaching
a decision of this kind."

Feed it Back Accurately
You then go on to feed back to the prospect exactly what he or she
has told you, pausing and questioning for clarification as you go,
until the customer says words to the effect of, "Yes, that's it!
You've got it exactly."

Earn the Right to Sell
Only when you and the customer completed a thorough "examination" and
have mutually agreed on the "diagnosis" you are in a position to
begin talking to the customer about your product or service. In
general terms, this means that you can not pull out your brochures
and price lists and begin telling the customer how your product or
service can solve his problems or achieve his goals until about
seventy percent of the way through the sales conversation. Until
then, you have not yet earned the right. Until then, you don't even
know enough to begin an intelligent presentation without embarrassing
yourself.

Be a Good Listener
The more and better you listen, the more and better people will like
you, trust you and want to do business with you. The more they will
want to get involved with you as a person and the more popular you
will be with them. Excellent listeners are welcome everywhere, in
every walk of life, and they eventually and ultimately arrive at the
top of their fields.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, remember that your first job in the sale is to get the
customer to like you and believe that you understand his situation.
Paraphrasing is the way you accomplish this.

Second, be sure that the customer agrees with you completely when you
feed back his concerns to him. Only then can you really start selling.

Brian Tracy

Your Lifestyle

One of the major reasons why we fail to find happiness or to create
unique lifestyle is because we have not yet mastered the art of being.

While we are home our thoughts are still absorbed with solving the
challenges we face at the office. And when we are at the office we
find ourselves worrying about problems at home.

We go through the day without really listening to what others are
saying to us. We may be hearing the words, but we aren't absorbing the message.

As we go through the day we find ourselves focusing on past
experiences or future possibilities. We are so involved in yesterday
and tomorrow that we never even notice that today is slipping by.

We go through the day rather than getting something from the day. We
are everywhere at any given moment in time except living in that
moment in time.

Lifestyle is learning to be wherever you are. It is developing a
unique focus on the current moment, and drawing from it all the
substance and wealth of experience and emotions that it has to offer.
Lifestyle is taking time to watch a sunset. Lifestyle is listening to
silence. Lifestyle is capturing each moment so that it becomes a new
part of what we are and of what we are in the process of becoming.
Lifestyle is not something we do; it is something we experience. And
until we learn to be there, we will never master the art of living well.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Prioritize your decisions

If you find it difficult to make decisions, or you worry that your
decisions are not good decisions, or you lack the confidence to make
decisions in a timely manner... you're not alone! Many people express
their concerns about their decision-making abilities. But if you ask
them, "What's your routine for making decisions?" they often will
tell you they don't have one.

Truthfully they do, but they don't recognize it, or they don't like
it. Their decisions are based on Something, and if they stop and
think about it they'll discover what it is. However, it's much better
to purposefully and thoughtfully develop your decision-making system,
and then follow it whenever you need to make decisions

If you ask Zig Ziglar how he makes decisions, he'll tell you that he
follows some basic rules. Here they are:

1. If I'm really tired, I don't make significant decisions (except in
emergencies).

2. If someone is pressing me to decide something "right now," unless
an immediate decision is critical, I say, "If I have to decide now,
the answer is no. After I have had a chance to catch my breath and
review the facts, there's the possibility it could be yes." Then I
put the ball back in his or her court and ask, "Do you want my
decision now, or should we wait?"

3. I like to determine the maximum benefit of a decision, assuming
that everything goes my way. Then I ask, "Suppose nothing goes my
way? Suppose this doesn't develop and materialize as I expect it to?
What is my maximum exposure? What would I lose?"

4. For significant business-related decisions, I run them past my
advisors. These people are successful in their businesses and
professions and have a considerable amount of knowledge, experience,
and wisdom, all of which are musts in the decision-making process. I
get their advice and follow their recommendations, with good results
in most cases. If the decision is too minor to involve my advisors
but I still want input, I get my family together to look at the pros and cons.

5. I like to pray about my decisions. I ask God to help me see the
truth of my motives and to lead me in the way I should go. If I'm
about to make an unwise decision, I simply don't have peace about
that decision, and I consequently act on that feeling of unease. I
ask myself, "How will this decision affect all the areas of my
life--personal, family, career, financial, physical, mental and
spiritual?" Obviously, not all decisions affect all areas, but if the
decision involves a financial reward but also carries considerable
family sacrifice, for example, I think carefully as to whether what I
give up is compensated for by what I gain.

One final note: Prioritize your decisions. Some are more urgent than others!

by Zig Ziglar

If you're doing a presentation

Whenever and whatever you're pitching, dozens of factors will figure
in the final decision of your prospects. All else being equal, you
have the edge if you can establish a personal connection. Connect
emotionally and intellectually, so they like and trust you more than
your competitors. How can you get your prospects to like you? Try these tips.

Focus and be sincere. If you appear nervous or unsure, you may seem
devious or incompetent. If your presentation does not respond to
their concerns and you just grind on with a prepared pitch, they will
decide you don't care about them and their problems. Look people
right in the eyes and convince them that you stand 100% behind the
ideas, products, or services that you want to sell them. Pick up on
their concerns, and address them.

"Divide and conquer." If you're doing a presentation, shake hands
with everyone as they enter the room. Connect with them so you see
them as individuals, and you become more memorable to them too.
(People are usually more shy of groups of strangers than in
one-on-one contacts.)

Use technology to enhance your presentation, not drown it. PowerPoint
can keep you on track, but it can't establish trust.

Keep it simple and memorable! When your prospects have a debriefing
afterwards, you want them to remember what you said more than
anything your competitors pitched to them. Break your talking points
into snappy sound bites that are easy to write down and remember.
Make them interesting and repeatable.

Steer clear of technical language and jargon. Rehearse your
presentation in advance with your spouse or an intelligent
12-year-old across the dinner table. If there's anything they don't
understand, it's too complicated.

Tell great stories. People are trained to resist a sales pitch, but
no one can resist a good story. Let's say you're trying to get money
to fund your software company. Tell a story about how the prospective
investor's life will change when you bring the product to market:
"Imagine that a year from now you'll come to work and use this
software to do in 5 minutes what now takes you 45 minutes. I don't
know what that would do to your life, but in all our test markets or
pilot programs, people tell us . . . " Then add more stories.

Take a lesson from Hollywood. Give your stories interesting
characters and dialogue, plus a dramatic lesson that your prospects
can relate to. Don't say, "Certain companies have used our software."
Don't even say, "IBM has used our software." Instead, say, "Joe Smith
at IBM said to me, 'If we don't increase sales turnover by 20%, we
won't make our projections'. We guaranteed them they could if they
used our software. Six months later, Joe called and said, 'You guys
saved us.'"

If you are pitching a product that hasn't been built yet, build a
story about what it will be like for someone using it.

Everything else being equal, you're way ahead of any and all your
competition when your prospects relate to you, like you, and trust you.

by Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

Acting On Your Dream

I have not often admitted this, but I was inspired to become a public
speaker by perhaps the worst motivational speaker I've ever heard in my life.

This fellow is still working, surprisingly, so I won't give his name.
He was the opening speaker in a seminar I attended early in my
speaking career and he nearly closed the show early with his
monotone, unenthusiastic presentation. As he spoke, the room grew as
quiet as a graveyard between funerals.

I went to sleep to be awakened by what could only be called courtesy
applause for his presentation. You could make more noise clapping
with one hand. After the less-than-stirring speech, I leaned over to
the guy sitting next to me and said, "That was really boring." And he
said, "You should be so boring for the kind of money he makes." The
fellow told me this terrible speaker was getting $5,000 for each
terrible speech.

After hearing how much a really bad speaker could make, I decided it
was time for me to go after this dream. A few days later, I caught a
Greyhound bus from Miami to Orlando where I'd signed up for a seminar
for beginners held by the National Speakers Association. It seemed
like the bus ride took weeks. I know it took every last dollar I
could scrape together. And so I was road-weary but eager to hear some
inspiring, motivational, and dynamic speaking when I finally took a
seat at the event. But who should walk out to lead the first session
but that same terrible $5,000-per-speech speaker? I could not believe it!

All that time on a stinking bus, stopping in every one-horse town
between Miami and Orlando, to hear this guy again? I nearly got up
and walked out. By the time he'd gotten halfway through his speech,
nearly half the audience had fled. But I stayed on until the bitter
end and the speaker's parting shot, as it turned out, was worth the
price of admission. He obviously had noted the exodus of the audience
and the drooping eyelids of those who remained because, as he built
up to his anticlimax, he stopped suddenly, looked out at the
remaining numbers of aspiring public speakers and said, "You know,
the only reason that I am standing up here and you are sitting down
there is that I represent the thoughts that you have rejected for yourself."

I don't know about the other dozen or so people in the audience, but
Mr. Monotone hit me right between the eyes with that shot. It was
true. He had acted upon something that I had only dreamt of doing.
I'd spent years dreaming of becoming a public speaker. But dreaming
was all I had done. This guy may not have had any talent for it. He
may have been the most undynamic public speaker in history. But he
was up there while I was still dreaming. And so that is how I became
motivated to start a new career by perhaps the worst motivational
speaker I have ever heard.

by Les Brown

CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Think about the following question:
What stops you from having the things in life you want...or want more of?
Did you answer money?... time?... my boss, mother, father,
partner?... fate?... bad luck? What is interesting about these
answers is that the cause is external to you and outside of your
direct control.

In order to understand how you can influence your external world, you
need to understand how your thinking affects your internal world. NLP
(Neuro Linguistic Programming) is the most useful approach we know
for doing this.

THE CONSCIOUS MIND

Why should we bother to "think positively?" Based on much published
information, many people have benefited from positive thinking. And
those of us who have consciously tried it have found it to be
worthwhile. But how does it work--and how much of the success of
positive thinking is a result of the Conscious mind?

You may already know your conscious awareness has a restricted
capacity for retaining information. Research has shown we can hold 7
plus or minus 2 chunks of information in awareness at any one time.
Techniques for helping people with their memory often vary the size
of the chunks, or find ways to link small chunks into one larger
chunk to allow more memory capacity. This is why telephone numbers
are broken into three and four digit sections.

THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND

So what else is happening behind the 7 plus or minus 2 chunks of
information in our conscious thinking? What organises our heartbeat,
our digestion, our response to outside temperature? What allows us to
drive our car without having to think about it? What receives
literally billions of pieces of external information, and processes
them with no effort?

Psychologists refer to this part of the mind as the Unconscious, or
more accurately, the Other-Than-Conscious, because it is far from
unconscious. It is awake and active even when we are asleep. Doctors
were surprised to discover that, under hypnosis, patients who had
been anaesthetised were able to recall every word said in the
operating theatre. One part of their mind was obviously fully aware
of what was going on!

The brain looks after thousands of functions in the body every
moment, and can handle astronomic amounts of information. What is
most impressive is it can do all of these things at the same time
without any need for conscious control. And fortunately, it never forgets how.

The Unconscious responds to every external stimuli, and every
thought. Each response sets off a chemical reaction which is sent to
the rest of the body. Therefore WHAT we think takes on a vital
significance. The Unconscious is like a good assistant, and basically
it will do what you tell it. But what exactly are you telling it to do?

You may say, "I deserve the very best," but if in your Unconscious
the message is being countered with,"You?...You'll never amount to
anything," what is going to be the result?

Unless you stop and think about it, you will be unaware of the
Unconscious thought. All that you will probably be aware of is a
slight sense of unease or something not being quite right An internal
conflict may result and this will lead to incongruent behaviour. This
explains why saying an affirmation, or positive statement about
yourself, sometimes does not work.

NLP has techniques and strategies to help you become fully congruent.
Congruence is when you align your mind and behaviour behind positive
thoughts so there is total commitment to achieving an outcome. This
is important because as Anthony Robbins says, "It is in your moments
of decision that your destiny is shaped." A good way to experience
congruence is to utilise past positive experiences and incorporate
these into present behaviour. The result is new and empowered ways of
thinking.

We each have ten billion neurons (brain cells). And there are more
potential simultaneous connections between neurons than there are
atoms in the known universe. Yes, you may need to read that again!
This means we have an almost infinite capacity for creativity and
problem solving. As Einstein pointed out, the ONLY way we limit
ourselves is by not fully utilising this amazing gift. NLP is
designed to help us access more neurological pathways and thereby
create more choice in our life.

by PENNY TOMPKINS AND JAMES LAWLEY
NLP Consultants to Business and Individuals