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January 31, 2009
Leading Change by Dr. John C. Maxwell

Leadership is about change. If you need no change, you need no leader. In times of change, people seek out more and better leaders. Those successful sought-out leaders embrace the following thought: "The best reformers the world has ever known are those who began with themselves."

Mahatma Gandhi said, "We must be the change that we envision." Tolstoy said, "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."

The following comments are about personal change:

1. One person cannot change another person.
When I started as a young leader, I thought that a leader could change the people; and boy, did I work at it. I said, "All right, I'm going to give them thoughts, ideas, and principles; and I'm going to change people."

After several years, I awakened to the thought that the only person who can change himself or herself is himself or herself. You can change yourself, but I cannot change you. You see, I am responsible to you but I am not responsible for you; and there is a world of difference between those two. I am responsible for teaching you good leadership, I am responsible for sharing things that can help add value to your life; but you are the only one who can take responsibility to change yourself, and that is what this whole article is about.

2. Most people need to look at the way that they look at change.
How many times have you heard somebody say, "I sure hope things will change." The only way things will change for me is when I change. It has nothing to do with hope. You can't just say, "Well, I just hope things will change around me," and expect results. The only way that things will change for me is when I change.

I have also heard this before, "I don't know why I'm this way." Well, you are the way you are because that is the way you want to be. Let's expose it for what it really is.

3. When you make the right personal changes, other things begin to turn out right.
So when people say, "I'd like things to turn out better for me, I'd like things to turn out right, I'd like things to turn out better in the organization, or in my family," I say to them, "Start by making personal changes."

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 30, 2009
Actualize Your Primary Goal by Mark Victor Hansen

The word 'actualize' means to make actual, to make real. And to see something actualized requires action. As much as we'd like our dreams to be realized through virtually no effort at all on our part, that's not the way it works. (And we wouldn't appreciate it as much if we did nothing to achieve our goals). To have everything we want in life we have to decide what it is that we really want, make a plan and take action.

To transform our goals from lofty dreams to true-blue reality means that we first have to decide on a primary goal. We can have as many things as we want, make our goal list as long as we desire, but to make our goals 'actual' we must concentrate on them one at a time.

Once we have our primary goal, the one we want more than anything else; then we have to create a plan. That plan may include researching our goal, looking for classes to take, visiting a foreign country or asking about an internship with a company or individual. Creating a goal-achieving plan is like planning a road trip. If you know your eventual destination, you just need to mark a route to get there. It may take a while to get where you want to go, or you could arrive there next week. It all depends on what your number one goal is.

The last step is to follow the plan you've created by taking action! If you have 40 steps in your plan, then decide that you're going to accomplish one or two steps a day until you have what you want. It sounds simple, I know. And it is simple. The hardest part of having what you want is figuring out what you want and deciding your going to do it. The rest is just taking action.

To overcome your fear of goal setting, just take action.

Mark Victor Hansen

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 29, 2009
Walking a New Road by Jim Rohn

Here is a good question to ask yourself. Ten years from now you will surely arrive. The question is, where? We don't want to kid ourselves about where; we don't want to kid ourselves about the road we're walking.

At age 25, I had a day shortly after I met Mr. Shoaff called "do not kid myself anymore" day. I didn't want to be disillusioned anymore. Up until then, I had been using the crossed-finger theory. But after meeting Mr. Shoaff, I finally decided that the crossed-finger theory was not going to get me what I wanted. That it wasn't where the treasure lies. That I was going to have to make sure which way I was headed.

Then, with the help of Mr. Shoaff, I found with a few reading disciplines, and a few disciplines of mind, and a few disciplines of activity, that when exercised, can begin making all the difference in the world as to where you will arrive.

Just a few changes. Sometimes we get the idea that we're doing about 10% and there's about 90% more that we need in order to make the difference for our fortune but probably the opposite is true. We're doing enough things to have bought and shared in the good life so far. And maybe all we need is that extra 5% or 10% of intellectual change. Activity change. A refinement of discipline. A refinement of thought. And all we need is the ideas to make those simple changes and the equity starts gathering in one year, three years, five years, ten years.

I have a good comment for you: Now's the time to fix the next 10 years. Now, you may have to come to grips with reality and with truth; that's what was good for me when I met Mr. Shoaff, I was 25 years old, he was 44 years old. And he brought me a wealth of experience and he started asking me the tough questions. "Big question", he said, "Are you reading the books that are going to take you where you want to go in the next 5 years?"

Excellent question. See, you want to make sure. I would assume for all of you, to get to where you want to be in the next 5 years, you are either reading the right books or you're not. You're either engaged in the disciplines or you're not. But, here's what we don't want to engage in: disillusion. Hoping without acting. Wishing without doing.

The key is to take a look and say, "Where am I? What could I do to make the changes to make sure that I can take more certain daily steps toward the treasure I want, the mental treasure, the personal treasure, the spiritual treasure, the financial treasure? I don't want to make any more errors, now's the time to adjust my daily program to take me where I want to go."

In lecturing the last 39 years, I've gotten letters and personal testimonies of people that have done such remarkable things with just a few suggestions. And that is why seminars, tapes and books can be so valuable. Here's a key idea for us all to remember: We could all use a little coaching. When you're playing the game, it's sometimes hard to see it all.

But the key is to start right now making these changes to walk this new road. And here's what's exciting to me, just a few daily disciplines makes a great deal of difference in one year, three years, five years. And before you know it, you will be walking a brand new road.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

January 28, 2009
Make Your Customer Feel Important by Brian Tracy

LISTENING IS THE KEY
Listening builds self-esteem. It has been said that, "Rapt attention is the highest form of flattery." When you listen intently to another person and it is clear that you genuinely care about what that other person is saying, his or her self-esteem goes up. His or her feeling of personal value increases. He or she feels more worthwhile and important as a human being. You can actually make another person feel terrific about himself or herself by listening in a warm, genuine, caring way to everything he or she has to say.

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION
When a man and a woman go out for the first time, they spend an inordinate amount of time talking and listening to each other. They look into each other's eyes and hang on every word. They are each fascinated by the personality of the other. The more each listens to the other, the more positive and happy each of them feel and the stronger becomes the bonds of affection between them.

FOCUS 100% ON THE OTHER PERSON
The opposite of listening is ignoring. You always listen to that which you most value. You always ignore that which you devalue. The fastest way to turn a person off, to hurt their feelings and make them feel slighted and angry is to simply ignore what they are saying or interrupt them in the middle of a thought. Ignoring or interrupting is the equivalent of an emotional slap in the face. Men especially have to be careful about their natural desire to make a remark or an observation in the middle of a conversation. This can often cause the sales conversation to come to a grinding halt.

ACTION EXERCISES
First, take every opportunity to make the other person feel important by listening attentively to what he or she says.

Second, avoid interrupting the other person by slowing down and pausing for a few moments after he or she has stopped speaking.

Reprinted with permission from The Ron White Ezine

January 27, 2009
Empty Boxes And Orders by Ron White

There are two types of sales professionals. The first type is called the 'It Is Not My Fault Salesperson' and will routinely bring back excuses on why they didn't make the sale to the prospect. The second type is the 'Empty Boxes and Orders Salesperson'. This sales professional is given that name because that is routinely what they bring back - empty boxes that used to hold product and back orders for more product.

If you are in sales you must decide which group you will fall into. Now, does this mean that if you are an 'Empty Boxes and Orders Salesperson' that you will one hundred percent of the time bring back empty boxes and orders? Of course not, every now and then you will bring back boxes of product and no orders. However, because you are not the 'It is Not My Fault Salesperson' you refuse to allow yourself to make excuses or blame the situation or prospect for the lack of sales. Instead, you pose the question - What could I have done differently to earn their business? What could I have said that I didn't say that might have caused them to move to action?

When you shift the responsibility for making the sale from the prospect to yourself you are shifting your mindset from a victim of sales to a creator of sales. Victims of the sales environment have skinny kids. Creators of a positive sales environment take their kids on exotic vacations.

I recently had a speaking engagement and I sold every single person in the room and sold out of every single product I brought. When I got back to the office I shared with my business partner that I thought I could have done a few things differently to get more sales the next time. He looked at me and smiled and said, 'Ron how could you have done any better? You sold everything that you brought with you and you sold every person in the room!' I kind of smiled and said, 'Yeah, I guess you are right.'

But you know what? That is just my attitude, after every sales presentation that I give I always ask the question, 'How could I have sold more? How could I have made more money?' In other words, what can I do to get better. The 'It Is Not My Fault Salesperson' refuses to ask those probing questions of themselves because in doing so they are admitting that they alone are responsible for the outcome of their income.

Take responsibility for your sales numbers and result and I can't wait until you are brining back empty boxes and orders more often than not!

-- Ron White

Reprinted with permission from The Ron White Ezine

January 26, 2009
The Two Most Important Words in Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer

Can you guess what they are? Make money, customer service, close sales, follow up. No. They're words about sales -- I'm talking about two words that lead to sales. Hint: The words are separate.

Give up? The first word is you.

Many sales people believe that customers buy their products and services first. Incorrect. The first thing prospect's buy is the salesperson. The first sale made is you.

In order to affect any direct sale the customer must first believe in the person conveying the message. This is unfortunately most evident when "you" is bad. Ever walk out of a car dealership because the salesperson was too pushy, or worse, insulted you? Then drove somewhere else and bought the same product because they were "nice" to you. You bought the salesperson -- then you bought the product.

Ever had a rude salesperson or server, and walked away without purchasing? Not only did you walk away, you told friends and associates the horror story. The person couldn't sell themselves, therefore couldn't complete a sale that the customer was anxious to make. Amazing isn't it?

It all begins with you. Prospects must first believe in (and like) the messenger, or the message has no credibility.

How's your personal product? How's your you? Is it salable -- or does it need some work?

Rate your you. Here are 10.5 things that make "you" strong enough to make a sale. Rate yourself in each category from one (poor) to ten (the greatest) -- and see how great "you" are. Put your rating on the line before the number.

____ 1. Your image. How you look affects the way you are perceived. How do you look?

____ 2. Your ability to speak. Your ability to convey the message. Are you a member of toastmasters?

____ 3. Your ability to establish rapport. Making the prospect feel at ease, and developing some common ground as a basis to move forward. Do you make the scene warm?

____ 4. Your attitude. Your enthusiasm combined with your state of internal happiness. Not what you say, but how you say it. Are you positive plus?

____ 5. Your product knowledge. Your convincability. Do you know it cold?

____ 6. Your desire to help. Desire to help shows through, so does greed. Does your help side outweigh your greed side?

____ 7. Your preparedness. A confidence builder if you are, or destroyer if you aren't. Do you prepare for every call?

____ 8. Your humor. Nothing builds good feelings like good humor and a good laugh. Can you make others laugh?

____ 9. Your sincerity. Shows through either way. Are you genuine?

____ 10. Your reputation (or the reputation that precedes you). If you are well known in the community, or in your field, you may walk in with a slight advantage. How's your reputation?

____ 10.5 Your glue. The way you handle your total package. Your Stature. The way you carry yourself. The way you put it all together. The character of you is what leads to the credibility of what you sell. How well are you "put together"?


How'd you score? Perfect score is 110.

If you scored from 100-110 you are a great you with a great success story to tell, and are setting a great example for others.

90-99 Pretty darn good you. Climbing the ladder, and making daily progress.

70-89 You ain't as hot as you think. You're in need of a 20 minute personal daily workout.

50-69 You're mediocre at sales, and so is your success to date. You have a decision to make. Stay and get better every day, or get out before you're fired, and blame someone else for all that's wrong with you.

30-49 You stink. Go to the nearest bookstore, buy Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. Don't leave home until you read it.

Making you great is fun. And it will make more sales than 1,000 sales techniques. Oh, and for those of you who have a long way to go, here's the best advice I've ever heard to start (and stay) on the path to being the best -- You are the greatest, if you think you are.

The second most important in sales is. (out of space -- see you next time)
Jeffrey Gitomer

Reprinted with permission from The Ron White Ezine

January 25, 2009
Read All the Books by Jim Rohn

All of the books that we will ever need to make us as rich, as healthy, as happy, as powerful, as sophisticated and as successful as we want to be have already been written.

People from all walks of life, people with some of the most incredible life experiences, people that have gone from pennies to fortune and from failure to success have taken the time to write down their experiences so that we might share in their wealth of knowledge. They have offered their wisdom and experience so that we can be inspired by it and instructed by it, and so that we can amend our philosophy by it. Their contributions enable us to reset our sail based upon their experiences. They have handed us the gift of their insights so that we can change our plans, if need be, in order to avoid their errors. We can rearrange our lives based on their wise advice.

All of the insights that we might ever need have already been captured by others in books. The important question is this: In the last ninety days, with this treasure of information that could change our lives, our fortunes, our relationships, our health, our children and our careers for the better, how many books have we read?

Why do we neglect to read the books that can change our lives? Why do we complain but remain the same? Why do so many of us curse the effect but nourish the cause? How do we explain the fact that only a small percent of our entire national population uses the library card they possess - a card that would give us access to all of the answers to success and happiness we could ever want? Those who wish for the better life cannot permit themselves to miss the books that could have a major impact on how their lives turn out. The book they miss will not help!

And the issue is not that books are too expensive! If a person concludes that the price of buying the book is too great, wait until he must pay the price for not buying it. Wait until he receives the bill for continued and prolonged ignorance.

There is very little difference between someone who cannot read and someone who will not read. The result of either is ignorance. Those who are serious seekers of personal development must remove the self-imposed limitations they have placed on their reading skills and their reading habits. There is a multitude of classes being taught on how to be a good reader and there are thousands of books on the shelves of the public libraries just waiting to be read. Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary. We must not permit anything to stand between us and the book that could change our lives.

A little reading each day will result in a wealth of valuable information in a very short period of time. But if we fail to set aside the time, if we fail to pick up the book, if we fail to exercise the discipline, then ignorance will quickly move in to fill the void.

Those who seek a better life must first become a better person. They must continually seek after self-mastery for the purpose of developing a balanced philosophy of life, and then live in accordance with the dictates of that philosophy. The habit of reading is a major stepping-stone in the development of a sound philosophical foundation. And in my opinion it is one of the fundamentals required for the attainment of success and happiness.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reprinted with permission from The Ron White Ezine

January 24, 2009
Embracing Adversity for Achievement by Chris Widener

"Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity." -- Lou Holtz

Success in life depends upon being strong people with clear goals and indomitable spirits. Unfortunately most of us aren't born that way. We grow that way. And that growth can either come from us entering willfully into situations that will cause us to grow, like subscribing to Made for Success, or from the way we react when circumstances come upon us without our consent. The latter is what we call adversity.

Most of us spend our lives trying to avoid adversity, and I guess that is just as well. We shouldn't pursue adversity, but when she arrives, we should welcome her as a foe who, through our interaction with her, will make us into better people. Every contact we have with adversity gives us again the opportunity to grow personally and professionally and to forge our character into one that will achieve much later on.

With that in mind, here are some thoughts on adversity, and how it can help you to succeed in every area of your life and achieve your dreams.

Adversity brings out our resources. Horace said "Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it." When everything is going well, we coast. There isn't a lot of stress, and we don't have to draw too much on the resources that reside within us. But when adversity comes we begin to draw upon each and every resource that we have in order to conquer the circumstances at hand. Adversity then, keeps us sharp. It keeps us using our personal muscle, if you will. That is a good thing because we grow through the use of our resources.

Adversity brings us together with others. Sure a team can have their problems with each other, but when they step on the court, when they experience the adversity of facing another obstacle, they pull together. One for all and all for one, as they say. The next time you experience adversity of some kind, keep your eyes open for how it can bring you together with your family, your co-workers or your team. Then when you are through it, you will find a bond that was created that wasn't there before.

Adversity makes us better people with stronger characters. Never underestimate the power of adversity to shape us inwardly. How will courage, discipline and perseverance ever flourish if we are never tested? After adversity, we come out stronger people and able then to use our character and influence in an even greater way to lead those around us and to improve their lives as well as our own.

Adversity makes life interesting. John Amatt said, "Without adversity, without change, life is boring." How true. Have you noticed that while we are in the middle of adversity we only long to get out of it, but we then spend a lifetime recounting it to anyone who will listen? This is because it spices life up a little. Imagine how boring life would be if everything always went well, when there was never a mountain to be climbed.

Question - If you are in the middle of some adversity right now, what resources are you drawing on? Who are you drawing closer to and working with? What part of your character is being tested, and built up? What can you do to view this adversity as one who will be better for it on the other side?

Remember the words of Napoleon Hill - "Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit." Believe it, it is true!

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 23, 2009
Persistence by Bob Proctor

If you were to choose just one part of your personality to develop that would virtually guarantee your success, I'd like to suggest that you place persistence at the top of your list.

Napoleon Hill, in his classic Think and Grow Rich felt so strongly about this subject, he devoted an entire chapter to it. Hill suggested, "There may be no heroic connotation to the word persistence but the quality is to your character what carbon is to steel."

Think about it. If you took a quick mental walk down memory lane and reviewed some of your accomplishments in the past – large and small – you would have to agree that persistence played an important role in your success.

Napoleon Hill studied many of the world's most successful people. He pointed out the only quality he could find in Henry Ford, Thomas Edison or a host of other notable greats, that he could not find in everyone else was persistence. What I found even more intriguing was the fact that Hill made comment of the fact that these individuals were often misunderstood to be ruthless or cold-blooded and that this misconception grew out of their habit of following through in all of their plans with persistence.

It's both interesting and sadly amusing to me that, as a society, we would be quick to criticize people for realizing they had an unshakeable power within them and were capable of overcoming any obstacle outside of them. This power would ultimately move them toward a greater chance of achieving any goal they set for themselves!

Milt Campbell is a good friend of mine. He and I have shared many hours together discussing the very topic of persistence. Milt was a Decathlete in the Olympic Games held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. His goal was to capture gold for the US. Unfortunately, another fierce competitor who had taken home the gold four years previous in London wasn't satisfied with one gold, Bob Mathias wanted two; Milt had to settle for silver. That did not deter Milt one bit. He had formed the habit of persistence and four years later in Melbourne, Australia, Milt won the gold medal, earning him the title of the greatest athlete in the world.

On numerous occasions Milt has said, "There were many guys in school who were far better athletes than me, but they quit." I can recount story after story about individuals who overcame obstacles so great, but only did so because they dared persist. These individuals are no different than you and I.

Ultimately persistence becomes a way of life, but that is not where it begins. To develop the mental strength – persistence - you must first want something. You have to WANT something so much that it becomes a heated desire... a passion in your belly. You must fall in love with that idea. Yes, literally fall in love with the idea and magnetize yourself to every part of the idea. At that point, persistence will be virtually automatic.

Persistence is a subject I have studied all of my adult life and I can tell you one thing I know for certain: very few people ever, mentally or verbally, say to themselves... this is what I really want and I am prepared to give my life for it, and thus, they never develop the persistence to achieve it.

Persistence is a unique mental strength; a strength that is essential to combat the fierce power of the repeated rejections and numerous other obstacles that sit in waiting and are all part of winning in a fast-moving, ever-changing world. As Napoleon Hill found out, there are hundreds of highly successful men and women who have cut a path for others to follow, while leaving their mark on the scrolls of history… and every one of these great individuals was persistent. In many cases it was the only quality that separated them from everyone else.

It is generally believed that a lack of persistence is a consequence of a weak willpower. That is not true. A person could have a highly evolved willpower and still lack the persistence required to keep moving forward in life. In more cases than not, if a person lacks persistence, they do not have a goal that is worthy of them, a desirable goal that excites them to their very core.

Though willpower is important in moving a person toward their goal, if there is ever a war between the will and the imagination, the imagination will win every time. What that means is: you're powered by desire and fuelled by the dream you hold. Once you start to use your imagination to help you build a bigger picture of your dream, to define and refine it until you get it just right in your mind, the emotion that is triggered by that desire far outweighs any force that may be caused by sheer will alone. I am not suggesting the will does not have to be developed, it does. It must become highly developed in order to direct you toward the image with which you are emotionally involved.

Your intellectual factors hold the potential for enormous good when they are properly employed. However, you must remember that everything has an opposite and any of your intellectual factors can turn, without warning, into destructive lethal enemies when they are directed toward results that are not wanted. It is easy to find individuals who are persistently doing what they don't want to do and achieving results that they do not want. A lack of persistence is not their problem; that person is persisting to their own detriment. Ignorance and paradigms are the enemy that we must defeat. Everyone is persistent. Our objective must be to put persistence to work for us rather than against us.

Vision and desire have to be the focus of your attention if you're going to develop persistence into the great ally it can become.

Another excellent example of persistence was demonstrated when, in 1953, a beekeeper from Auckland, N.Z., Edmund Hillary and his native guide, Tenzing Norguay, became the first two people to climb Mt. Everest and return, after having tried and failed the two previous years.

Hillary had two obvious character strengths that took him to the very top —- vision and desire. Even despite the seemingly insurmountable challenges, he had no trouble persisting with the strenuous acts that were required because every act was hooked into the image of him standing on top of the mountain. They were expressed because of his persistence, but he was persistent because he was emotionally involved with the image. Without persistence, all his skills would have meant nothing.

Persistence is an expression of the mental strength that is essential in almost every profession, where repeated rejection and obstacles are part of a daily routine.

In closing, let me give you four relatively simple steps that will help you to turn persistence into a habit. These steps can be followed by virtually anyone.

1. Have a clearly defined goal. The goal must be something you are emotionally involved with, something you want very much. (In the beginning, you may not even believe that you can accomplish it—the belief will come.)

2. Have a clearly established plan that you can begin working on immediately. (Your plan will very likely only cover the first and possibly the second stage of the journey to your goal. As you begin executing your plan, other steps required to complete your journey will be revealed at the right time.)

3. Make an irrevocable decision to reject any and all negative suggestions that come from friends, relatives or neighbors. Do not give any conscious attention to conditions or circumstances that appear to indicate the goal cannot be accomplished.

4. Establish a mastermind group of one or more people who will encourage, support and assist you wherever possible.

What do you dream of doing with your life? Do it. Begin right now and never quit. There is greatness in you. Let it out. Be persistent.

Bob Proctor

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 22, 2009
Success is Easy, But So is Neglect by Jim Rohn

People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking and my ideas. They found that easy not to. I found it easy to attend the classes and the seminars, and to get around other successful people. They said it probably really wouldn't matter. If I had to sum it up, I would say what I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. Six years later, I'm a millionaire and they are all still blaming the economy, the government, and company policies, yet they neglected to do the basic, easy things.

In fact, the primary reason most people are not doing as well as they could and should, can be summed up in a single word: neglect.

It is not the lack of money - banks are full of money. It is not the lack of opportunity - America, and much of the free World, continues to offer the most unprecedented and abundant opportunities in the last six thousand years of recorded history. It is not the lack of books – libraries are full of books - and they are free! It is not the schools - the classrooms are full of good teachers. We have plenty of ministers, leaders, counselors and advisors.

Everything we would ever need to become rich and powerful and sophisticated is within our reach. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is simply neglect.

Neglect is like an infection. Left unchecked it will spread throughout our entire system of disciplines and eventually lead to a complete breakdown of a potentially joy-filled and prosperous human life.

Not doing the things we know we should do causes us to feel guilty and guilt leads to an erosion of self-confidence. As our self-confidence diminishes, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity diminishes, our results inevitably decline. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins the slow shift from positive to negative, our self-confidence diminishes even more... and on and on it goes.

So my suggestion is that when giving the choice of "easy to" and "easy not to" that you do not neglect to do the simple, basic, "easy"; but potentially life-changing activities and disciplines.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine

January 21, 2009
The Opportunity Clock by Chris Widener

When I was in college, I heard someone say something that has been with me ever since. It was something that demonstrated to me a positive attitude and the choice to take something that most people dread, and change it into a motivating factor.

He called the alarm clock the "opportunity clock."

When does an alarm go off? When something bad is happening! Well, waking up isn't bad. Waking up is good! In fact, waking up is an opportunity. Each new day brings with it the opportunity to enjoy our families and other people. It enables us the opportunity to work hard, and earn a living that will enable us in turn to provide for others and ourselves. Each day brings us the opportunity to help others and serve them in such a way to make our communities better places. We get the opportunity again to dream and achieve those dreams. We have the opportunity to bask in the glory at the top of the mountain or learn valuable lessons as we walk through the valley. What
opportunities!

It's all in the perspective and attitude folks. I bet you can't wait to go to bed tonight and set your opportunity clock for tomorrow morning!

You are Made for Success!
Chris Widener

Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine

January 20, 2009
Be Committed to Keeping Your Personal and Professional Life in Balance by Denis Waitley

It is so important to be living in prime time, rather than watching TV in prime time. On your way to success make certain you grow friendships, not just bank and mutual fund accounts. Life is a collection of memories, not of material things. The Egyptian pharaohs were buried with all their treasures, and were mummified in hopes that they could enjoy their bounty in the next life. But we are only caretakers of possessions. There is a big difference between standard of living and quality of life. Standard of living is based on income earned. Quality of life is the enjoyment of the millions of minutes in between accomplishments.

Having money is only one aspect of wealth. To the sick person, wealth is health. To the lonely person, wealth is someone to talk to and share with. To the estranged person, wealth is hearing words of love and forgiveness.

Borrowing the free verse style from Brother Jeremiah's classic poem, I'd Pick More Daisies, here are a few things I'd do, the second time around.

I'd laugh at my misfortunes more. Spend more time counting my blessings than my blemishes. Spend more time playing with my children and grandchildren and less time watching performers in the arena. More time enjoying what I have, less time thinking about the things I don't have. If I could live my life again, I'd walk in the rain more without an umbrella and listen less to weather reports. I'd spend more time looking at trees and climbing them, less time flipping through magazines made from dead trees. I'd spend more time fully involved in the present moment, less time remembering and anticipating. I'd smile more, frown less.

And most of all I'd be more spontaneous and active, less hesitant and subdued. When some spur of the moment idea came up to go hiking, playing Frisbee, coloring Easter eggs, singing in a chorus, going kayaking, or watching an eclipse, I'd be less likely to sit in my chair objecting, "It's not in our plan."

I'd be inclined to jump up and run out the door next time and say, "Yes, we can!" Although I can't live my life again, I'm still going to live the new way every day any way. I'll never have all the moments I've missed, but I do have all the time remaining.

Action Idea – Choose one activity this month that you really want to engage in, but that you have been putting off because it isn't a priority. Schedule that activity in your planner, as if it were a "must do" business or financial commitment. When you have done it, while you are still feeling good, schedule one for next month, and do it as long as you live.

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 19, 2009
The Mind of Youth: Expect Big Things From Young People by Bob Proctor

The mind knows nothing about time, space or age. If we could keep that in mind when dealing with people in different age categories than ourselves, we would communicate more effectively. Older people and younger people seem to be looked at differently than those who sit in the middle (wherever the "middle" might be).

But what constitutes "young"? We generally wait until an individual has been effectively programmed with a respectable amount of nonsense before we attempt to teach them information of any practical value. But babies can be taught to read before they can talk. Glenn Doman, at the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, has been doing that for 40 years.

(For that matter, what constitutes "old"? Colonel Sanders started his little fried chicken business with his first old-age pension check.) One of the questions I'm most commonly asked in seminars is, "How do you teach this information to children or to teens?"

My reply: "Much faster -- and with less effort."

A few years ago, I was approached by a number of network marketing parents in a particular company and asked to mentor a group of teens, ages 13 to 16. I spent one hour a week with the group on the telephone, for 12 weeks. At the end of the 12 weeks, every one of these teenagers stood on a stage in Kansas City in front of 10,000 people, totally relaxed... and taught the audience what they had learned about the workings of their minds.

The audience was amazed at what the teens had learned in such a short period of time. Some of the students went from C and D averages in school to A and B averages, overnight. The teens explained how altering and changing the images they held of themselves in their subconscious minds brought about immediate changes in their lives. They also understood that the techniques they were using to improve their grades in school would be equally effective in any and every area of their lives -- and that this had absolutely nothing to do with their age. Young people are just making up their minds, while to achieve the same results, their older and more programmed parents need to change their minds. The latter is much more difficult to do than the former.

The only thing young people lack is vocabulary and experience. Their minds operate in exactly the same way as their parents' do. We should encourage them to set big goals, to stretch and to expect the results they want. Help them understand that a young person involved in network marketing can become financially independent in a very short period of time by following the same rules their parents are encouraged to follow.

Teach them the same way you would teach anyone else -- and expect the best.

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 18, 2009
The Entrepreneurial Spirit by Tom Peters

Fred Karl, designer of the Viking range and owner of that company said, "I was a weird kid-I began designing towns when I was 12." We all know that "weird" can be good, if we don't judge others through our lens ... Being weird increases creativity if we allow it to flourish. Fred Karl, founder of Viking Range, let his weirdness flourish abundantly.

Karl's headquarters for Viking is located in his home town of Greenwood, Mississippi. Karl has restored old buildings to house his operations, so not only does his product, the Viking range, generate income for the small Mississippi town, Karl is revitalizing the town through his restoration work. He remembered a bustling place in the '60s that had "gone way downhill" by the time he returned there after a tour of duty in Vietnam. The little town of Greenwood, previously sustained by the cotton industry, wasn't ever going to be the same. But Fred Karl saw the possibilities and brought all his talents to bear to create a new Greenwood.

Fred Karl designed the first Viking range for his wife and hoped that he would sell 1,000 a year; now he sells that many in a week. Just like most startups today, he had little money. Fred Karl bartered his building design skills to obtain office space to work in. The local people called the new range Fred was designing his "Stove Project." What kept his spirit going was the encouragement from the town-support he knew he wouldn't get if he moved to a big city. That little "Stove Project" eventually became the big business of Viking Range.

Feeling a little weird lately? Take time to see where your passion and entrepreneurial spirit is calling you. Even in corporate America, the entrepreneurial spirit must remain alive. That spirit can solve the toughest of corporate problems, if only we let it.

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 17, 2009
Be Responsible For Your Own Financial Security by Denis Waitley

There is no job security. You can't rely on staying with the same company through retirement. Pension plans, when available, are woefully inadequate. Social security benefits won't come close to covering your living expenses in retirement.

The only way to reach financial security is to plan for it now, regardless of your age. You have to define financial security in your own terms. Have you defined the amount of assets that you need for financial independence?

Financial security is that amount of assets that will give you a specific income, after taxes, to live like you want to, without having to depend on day-to-day employment.

What is that amount for you? I believe it is more than you think. And, I feel that if you define it, you can reach it in ten years or less. Do you have a financial plan and the assistance of a financial planner? You need both. Always retain a financial planner on a fee-for-service basis. Don't mix financial planning with an investment broker or insurance agent. What are your financial goals and what is your time line? Because I started late in my quest for financial independence, I have a maximum five-year period remaining for capital accumulation.

Action Idea: Wealth is not only based on income, but also on expenditures. Are you spending or investing? Are your purchases goal-achieving or tension-relieving? How do you use credit cards? Use your credit cards for services or purchases that retain their value or that build your business. Don't use credit cards for vacations and personal entertainment, unless you plan to pay the entire balance in one or two months. Try to pay all your balances in full monthly. In this way, you avoid the ridiculously high interest payments. Realize that paying minimum balances, at high interest rates, means that you are paying two or three times what the original purchase was worth.

Most importantly, save at least 6 to 10 percent of your take-home pay each month, by writing a check into a savings account or mutual fund for that amount, as if it were a utility bill or house payment. The secret of most self-made multi-millionaires is compound interest. If parents saved one dollar each day for their newborn infant, by going without a cup of Starbuck's coffee, or a Big Mac, or a soft drink for that day, by the time the child reached age forty, he or she would have a million dollars cash. No lottery windfall. No brilliant investment strategy. Just compound interest, which Baron von Rothchild labeled "The Eighth Wonder of the World."

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 16, 2009
Create That Winning Feeling by Bob Proctor

I believe we would all agree that having a winning feeling is prerequisite to achieving outstanding results. A person can't possibly expect to win if they're constantly focusing on failure! The real secret here is to capture that winning feeling of success as often as you can to create the environment necessary to succeed.

If you've been a little down in the dumps, feeling insecure or perhaps not feeling as confident in your ability as you'd like, I have a great tip for you. My suggestion to anyone looking for a success track to run on, or to a person who is looking to get back on one, is to start capitalizing on short-term victories. That means specifically focus on tasks you can achieve daily. The principle is to start with an adversity over which you can succeed, and gradually take on more and more difficult tasks. Nothing succeeds like success.

Another technique used by many people in developing or maintaining a winning feeling is what we call the reflection method. Think back during a time where you were really successful at something... we all have times to which we can relate. It could have been a sale, a particular speech, a school play, or standing up to the town bully. Each one of us can reflect back on a moment in time to recapture that winning feeling.

Professional sports coaches often replay winning games of the past for their team prior to a big game to stimulate and create a winning feeling!

Years ago, a good friend of mine had left his job and a company that he had worked with for many years. He was one of the top VPs with his company and had done extremely well. He had left because he wanted to start his own business. I told him he could use one of our offices until such time as he was ready to open up his own office.

In any event, I happened to be in the office one afternoon and Grant, who normally was very upbeat and positive, was really having a difficult time. After a few moments of small talk, it became apparent what the problem was. Grant had hit the terror barrier and the possibility of starting his own company was overwhelming him... he just didn't think he could do it. Here's a man who had risen to the top of his field, made a high six-figure income for years... and yet was still having doubts as to his ability to start his own company.

I asked Grant to go home, get a notebook and start to write down all of his accomplishments, as far back as he could remember. The look on his face was priceless – I'm sure he thought I'd lost my mind. I told him that the accomplishment could be small or large... it didn't really matter. The point was to focus on something positive. I still remember him asking, "Well, what if I only fill half a page." I just smiled and asked him to do his best and start writing.

Monday morning came and Grant was back in the office with a notebook full of accomplishments. I smiled and said, "You must have been fairly confident, you picked up a good sized notebook!" We both had a good laugh. Grant went on to build a multi-million dollar financial planning company and later franchised the operation to extend across Canada and the US!

This is a great exercise for anyone needing a bit of a boost. What would give you a winning feeling of pride and satisfaction? Remember... a winning feeling is a confident feeling and one that forgets misses, and reinforces successful attempts.

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 15, 2009
The Giving-Receiving Cycle by Mark Victor Hansen

Curiously enough, the giving spirit creates the receiving spirit. So, to get more all one needs to do is give more. The more ideas one creates and gives away the more ideas one has.

Andrew Carnegie, the steel baron and philanthropist who funded America´s 3,000 libraries and the great Carnegie Hall in New York said: "I'll spend the first half of my life creating great wealth and the second half giving it away…Attempting to do the most good and the least harm with my benefactions."

Carnegie was a generous genius with ideas. He gave away visionary ideas with his charitable contributions. As a tribute and monument to his gifts, his foundation is alive, well and still processing an ever-growing largess. The Wee Scotsman was the first to give and inspired other rich people to do the same. Now that is a legacy worth leaving! It gives each of us a new benchmark to "goal" towards.

In giving and sharing you always have more. It seems arithmetically as though one would have less but, in fact, giving expands whatever one has. Music is the best example of this theory, proving that giving and sharing always creates more for everyone.

When a musician gives their all, they feel exalted and thankful that the music flowed through them. The audience is enthralled, entranced, moved to happy tears, and feels compelled to participate instantaneously in a standing ovation. The star musician bares his soul and the audience is wowed and ecstatic to tell everyone to see this performer.

Likewise, the simple act of giving simultaneously creates more good and blessings seemingly out of nowhere. Why? Because God is always watching and cheerfully gives instantaneously to the giver. That's why givers' give more. They have experienced this amazing formula, even if they cannot articulate it. They know that it works to theirs and everyone's benefit.

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January14, 2009
7 Keys for Joyful Living! by Chris Widener

Here are some thoughts for finding and experiencing joy in your life. If there were one thing I could wish upon my family, friends and the readers of this Ezine, it would be joy in everything they do!

Know your purpose. Nothing will bring you joy more than knowing what it is that you are about on this earth. Not knowing brings sadness, wondering, fear and lack of fulfillment. Above all, find out what your unique purpose is here on this earth - then fulfill it! As you do, you will experience joy!

Live purposefully. This is a follow up to number one. It is one thing to know your purpose, but then you need to live according to that purpose. This is a matter of priorities. Let your actions and schedule reflect your purpose. Don't react to circumstances and let them cause you to live without your purpose fully in site. Living without your purpose will cause frustration. Living purposefully will bring you deep satisfaction and joy!

Stretch yourself. Don't settle into the status quo. That will leave you unfulfilled. Always look to stretch yourself. Whatever you are doing, stretch yourself to do more! Stretching yourself will break the limits you have set for yourself and will cause you to find joy in your expanded horizons!

Give more than you take. It brings happiness to accumulate. It brings joy to give away. Sure, getting the car you worked hard for will bring you a sense of satisfaction and even happiness. But it won't bring you joy. Giving something away to the less fortunate will bring you deep, abiding joy.

Surprise yourself and others too. The words here are spontaneity and surprise! Every once in a while, do the unexpected. It will cause everybody to sit back and say, "Wow, where did that come from?" It will put a little joy in your life, and theirs.

Indulge yourself sometimes. Too much indulgence and you are caught in the happiness trap -- looking for the next purchase, celebration, etc., to bring you a little "happiness high." But if you will allow yourself an infrequent indulgence as a reward for a job well done and a life well lived, you will appreciate the indulgence and experience the joy of it.

Laugh a little - no, a lot! Most people are just too serious. We need to laugh a little - no, a lot! Learn to laugh daily, even if you have to learn to laugh in bad situations. This life is to be enjoyed! The next time you go to the movie rental store, get a comedy and let loose! Let yourself laugh!

Joy can be yours! Look for it, pursue it and enjoy it!
-- Chris Widener

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January 13, 2009
Live By the Motto That Repeat Business and Profitability are Directly Related to Relationships Based on Trust by Denis Waitley

You never close a sale. You only begin a long-term relationship where both parties win.

Can you think of a successful relationship without mutual trust? Break that trust and you break the relationship. Subvert it and it´s almost impossible to put together again. Creating a long-term relationship takes two or more people – whether they´re executives, representatives of labor and management, or husband and wife – who are grounded in and operating on the same non-situational honesty.

The central secret of good communication is bringing the other person over to your side by satisfying one of every person´s most fundamental emotional needs: Make him or her feel valued. With rare exceptions, people who feel valued – who are allowed to feel important in the sense that they are recognized – answer with openness, cooperation and reciprocated respect. If you want respect, be respectable. If you want to be loved, be loveable. If you want to be trusted, be trustworthy. If you want a life-long relationship, listen openly to the other person´s needs. Much more than trying to accumulate money and power, leaders in the new era will acquire good will by helping their associates, customers, neighbors, and loved ones to win. Instead of what can you do for me, we need to embrace the new stewardship role of what can I do for you.

Action Idea – At the beginning of each workday, do something special for someone you work with or provide a service for. At the end of each day, say or do something positive for a family member or friend.

Denis Waitley

Reprinted with permission from The Denis Waitley Ezine

January 12, 2009
Making Your Goals Count in 2008 by Jim Rohn

As we enter into this New Year we all tend to have a heightened sense of the opportunities and possibilities that 2008 can bring. The need for goal-setting becomes more obvious and clear. And the great thing about goal-setting is you can keep it as simple or get as elaborate as you would like. In fact, we have dedicated one month in the One-Year Success Plan solely to the subject of goal-setting and have over 125-pages in the One-Year Plan workbook of exercises on this subject. Space and time won't allow that here, but below are some abbreviated points on goal-setting for the New Year.

I've often said the major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get. That is why goals are so powerful - they are part of the fabric that makes up our lives. And goal-setting is where we create our goals.

Goal-setting is powerful, partly because it provides focus. It shapes our dreams. It gives us the ability to hone in on the exact actions we need to perform to achieve everything we desire in life. Goals are GREAT because they cause us to stretch and grow in ways that we never have before. In order to reach our goals we must become better. We must change and grow.

Also, goals provide long-term vision in our lives. We all need lots of powerful, long-range goals to help us get past short-term obstacles. Life is designed in such a way that we look long-term and live short-term. We dream for the future and live in the present. Unfortunately, the present can produce many difficult obstacles. But fortunately, the more powerful our goals (because they are inspiring and believable) the more we will be able to act on them in the short-term and guarantee that they will actually come to pass!

So, let's take a closer look at the topic of goal-setting and see how we can make it forceful as well as practical. What are the key aspects to learn and remember when studying and writing our goals?

1. Evaluation and Reflection. The only way we can reasonably decide what we want in the future and how we will get there is to first know where we are right now and what our level of satisfaction is for where we are in life. So first take some time and think through and write down your current situation, then ask this question on each key point - is that okay?

The purpose of evaluation is two-fold. First, it gives you an objective way to look at your accomplishments and your pursuit of the vision you have for your life. Secondly, it is to show you where you are so you can determine where you need to go. In other words, it gives you a baseline from which to work.

I would strongly encourage you to take a couple of hours this week to evaluate and reflect. At the beginning of this month we encourage you to see where you are and write it down so that as the months progress and you continue a regular time of evaluation and reflection, you will see just how much ground you will be gaining - and that will be exciting!

2. What are Your Dreams and Goals? These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your own heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. So second, make a list of all the things you desire for the future.

One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams and not just pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful!

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.

So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Here are some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel GREAT and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to this point that we experience what OUR dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish - remember, you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

3. S.M.A.R.T. Goals. S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive.

I really like this acronym S.M.A.R.T., because we want to be smart when we set our goals. We want to intelligently decide what our goals will be so that we can actually accomplish them. We want to set the goals that our heart conceives, our minds believe and that our bodies will carry out. Let's take a closer look at each of the components of S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Specific: Goals are no place to waffle. They are no place to be vague. Ambiguous goals produce ambiguous results. Incomplete goals produce incomplete futures.

Measurable: Always set goals that are measurable. I would say "specifically measurable" to take into account our principle of being specific as well.

Attainable: One of the detrimental things that many people do - and they do it with good intentions - is to set goals that are so high they are unattainable.

Realistic: The root word of realistic is "real." A goal has to be something that we can reasonably make "real" or a "reality" in our lives. There are some goals that simply are not realistic. You have to be able to say, even if it is a tremendously stretching goal, that yes, indeed, it is entirely realistic -- that you could make it. You may even have to say that it will take x, y, and z to do it, but if those happen, then it can be done. This is in no way to say it shouldn't be a big goal, but it must be realistic.

Time: Every goal should have a time frame attached to it. I think that life itself is much more productive if there is a time frame connected to it. Could you imagine how much procrastination there would be on earth if people never died? We would never get "around to it." We could always put it off. One of the powerful aspects of a great goal is that it has an end, a time in which you are shooting to accomplish it. You start working on it because you know there is an end. As time goes by you work on it because you don't want to get behind. As it approaches, you work diligently because you want to meet the deadline. You may even have to break down a big goal into different parts of measurement and time frames. That is okay. Set smaller goals and work them out in their own time. A S.M.A.R.T. goal has a timeline.

4. Accountability (A contract with yourself or someone else). When someone knows what your goals are, they hold you accountable by asking you to "give an account" of where you are in the process of achieving that goal. Accountability puts some teeth into the process. If a goal is set and only one person knows it, does it really have any power? Many times, no. At the very least, it isn't as powerful as if you have one or more other people who can hold you accountable to your goal.

So: Evaluate/Reflect; Decide What You Want; Be S.M.A.R.T.; Have Accountability. When you put these 4 key pieces together, you are putting yourself in a position of power that will catapult you toward achieving your goals.

Let's Do Something Remarkable in 2008!

Jim Rohn

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

January 11, 2009
The Power in Praising Your Family by Chris Widener

One of the keys to success is to have successful relationships. We are not islands and we don't get to the top by ourselves. And one of the key ways to grow successful in our relationships is to be "life-giving" people to others. With every person we meet, we either give life to or take life from.

You know what I mean. There are people who encourage you and after spending time with them you feel built up. Then there are others who make you feel torn down. Successful people are people who have mastered the art of building up others. This is especially true of our families.

One of the ways we build up our families is to praise them. There is power in praising people! Something begins to happen in them, in you, and in your relationship when you praise someone. Can you remember a time when someone told you something about you in a praising manner? It was great, wasn't it? You probably liked that person more after they praised you, didn't you?

Now I am not talking about praising people for the sake of praising people. I am talking about honestly looking for and praising positive character traits and actions of your spouse and children. Don't lie to them. If they have done something wrong, correct it, but when they do something right, praise it!

With that said, here are benefits of and ways to start praising the people in your family.

Benefits:

Your relationship grows. Life is about relationships--family relationships, friends and co-workers. When we begin to praise people for their positive aspects, our relationships grow. It puts them, and us, on the fast track. Your leadership and influence grows. Who is going to have greater relationships, the one who tears down or the one who builds up?

Stronger relationships and loyalty. When the person is appreciated and praised, they become fiercely loyal, because they know that you care for them, love them and appreciate them. This will take you to success.

Happier, more fulfilled people. I truly believe it is our job to build the members of our family up and that they need it. There will always be others who come along to tear them down; it is our job to instill in them the power of praise!

Some Ways to Praise:

Character traits. Is your wife joyful? Is your husband hard-working? Is your son or daughter honest? Then let them know how much you appreciate that in them. Say something like this, "You know Tom, I think it is great that you are such a hard-worker. You really set a good example and I want you to know how much I appreciate that." Simple!

Action. Same idea as above. "Sue, I don't know if I have ever told you this, but I love how you always take action on the things you believe in. Thanks for that."

Other ways you can show praise and appreciation is with a card or a gift.

Make it your goal to praise every member of your family at least once each day. If you can, praise them a few times a day. It will take work but it is possible. It just takes discipline and a little work.

Any way you cut it, there is power in praising people. If you are serious about healthy family relationships, this is a great place to start!

-- Chris Widener

Reprinted with permission from The Chris Widener Ezine

January 10, 2009
The Law of Sowing and Reaping by Jim Rohn

Now, here's the second law that changed my life forever in network marketing. I learned the law of sowing and reaping. And in the law of sowing and reaping is also the story of the law of averages.

Jot this down…the story of the sower. It comes from the Bible. I am an amateur on the Bible, but this is such a useful story. Here's what the story says, and take notes, because the drama's in the details.

The sower was ambitious. Evidently, he was ambitious. When you read the whole story you'll conclude yes, this was an ambitious sower.

Here was number two. He had excellent seed. The sower who sowed the seed had excellent seed. And the excellent seed could be an excellent opportunity, an excellent product, an excellent story.

So we've got an ambitious sower with excellent seed. But now here are the rest of the details of the story. For your information, for the drama of your life, so you can understand things better, learning some of this is how I got rich by age 31.

The sower goes out to sow the seed, but the first part of the seed falls by the wayside and the birds get it.

So jot this down. The birds are going to get some of the seed. The birds are going to get some of the seed.

Now you say, "Mr. Rohn, what does that mean?"

Well, I invited John to come to a meeting. He said he'd be there Tuesday night. Tuesday night I show up. John isn't there. I say, "I wonder why John didn't make it."

Now I know the answer. The birds! The birds! John had this great idea of coming to the meeting to look at an opportunity, and somebody stole it and said, "You're not going to go see network marketing." And he says, "Well, maybe not."

So have you jotted that down now? The birds are going to get some.

Now when the birds get some, you've got two options. Number one is to chase birds. You say, "Well, let me get hold of the person who talked him out of coming to the meeting. I'll tear him a new page." I wouldn't do this.

Here's what happens if you go chasing birds. You leave the field. If you go chasing birds now, you leave the field. Which is going to distract from your future, not add? So you can't chase birds and try to straighten this stuff out.

Here's what it is. It's just one of those things, and here's the best comment when things are a little disappointing.

"Isn't that interesting?"

You just have to say, "I thought sure he would be there. He promised me. He promised me! But I know it was the birds." And you just have to say, "Isn't that interesting?"

Now here's the rest of the story.

The sower kept on sowing. See, that was the secret to his success. He kept on sowing. And if you keep sowing, you can sow more than the birds can get because there aren't enough birds. If you keep sowing, there are some birds but there's not enough, because the Law of Averages will work for you.

My mentor taught me, "You know, Mr. Rohn, there are only nine or ten real nasty miserable people in the whole world. Now you know they move around a lot and you're liable to bump into one once in awhile, but when you bump into one you say 'There´s only 9 more like you--I can handle that--in the whole world?'"

Now here's what else it says. The sower now keeps sowing the seed. Now the seed falls, the story says, on rocky ground where the soil is shallow. And the rocky ground where the soil is shallow is not of your making, because you had excellent seed and you were an ambitious sower.

So the rocky ground where the soil is shallow is not of your making. But here what it says happened. This time, the little seed that falls in the ground starts to grow and the little plant starts to grow. But the first hot day, it withers and dies. Not an easy thing to watch.

I finally get John started. Sure enough, three or four days later somebody says "Boo!" and he's gone--doesn't show up at the second meeting. And I say, "I thought sure John would last a week."

What happened? Jot this down. The hot weather is going to get some. And this is not of your making. Here's what you must say when that happens. "Isn't that interesting?"

What can you do? The answer is nothing.

You say, "Well, I'm going to try to change this!" I wouldn't take that class. You know, the sun comes up in the east and somebody says, "Why is that?" I wouldn't spend much time on that. Just let that happen.

Don't go for this why, why, why stuff. I'm giving you the answers here. The answer is in the structure and in the consequences and is in the deal. The answer is in the deal. Anything beyond that is not worth studying.

You say, "Well, how come some just last a little while?" I wouldn't sign up for that class. Here's the answer: Some don't stay. You just have to jot that down. And when some leave you say, "That's one of those that don't stay."

Now, you know what category to put them in, and you can't solve this now. It's like rearranging the seasons. You can't fool with that. All you can do is cooperate with the way things are set up. I didn't set it up.

You say, "Well, it shouldn't be this way." Well, when you get your own planet you can rearrange this whole deal, but on this planet you're a guest. You've got to take it as it comes.

Now, here is the secret to the ambitious sower with good seed. It said he kept on sowing.

Now, here's what he had to do to keep on sowing. He had to discipline his disappointment. This is a key phrase now to use for the rest of your life. You must learn to discipline your disappointment. Because you didn't set up the set up, and some are not going to stay, and that is not of your making.

Now, if you made gross errors and you ran them off, see that'd be different. Now you're responsible for that. But if it's in the normal course of things, this is the way things are.

Now, here's what it says. The sower keeps on sowing. Now it says the seed falls on thorny ground. And somebody says, "Well, how much of this do you have to go through?"

Well, hang on. It's not the end of the story now. Now the little seed falls on thorny ground and now the little plant starts to grow again but as the little plant starts to grow, the thorns choke it to death and it dies.

So jot this down. The thorns are going to get some. And that's not of your making.

And what are these thorns? The story even called these little thorns little cares, little distractions, little something's. Who knows what all they are.

I said, "John, we had a meeting last night. You weren't here." And John says, "Well, I can't make every meeting."

I say, "Why not? You're part-time."

He said, "Well, the screen door came off the hinges and you can't just let your house fall apart. You've got to take some time and fix things up."

And I can hear the thorns growing. He said, "Some extra trash had piled up in the garage. You can't let mountains of trash take over. You've got to keep your trash hauled out."

People who let little things cheat them out of big opportunities. People who let little things cheat them out of big opportunities, and you feel almost helpless. What could I do about that? And that's nothing. And you say, "Well, why is this?"

I'm asking you not to sign up for that class. Don't sign up for these, "Why is this?" classes. It's just the way it is--like winter following fall and spring following winter.

So have you got that? The thorns are going to get some.

But now here's the good news. Let's read the rest of the story now quickly. The sower now keeps on sowing the seed. Keeps on sharing the story. Keeps on giving an invitation. Yes the invitation can be more powerful for me as it was one year later than it was the first month, because now I'm saying I'm making twice as much money part time as I'm making on my full-time job.

Yes, the story can be more powerful, but the Law of Averages is still going to work. But now here's what the story says. Finally the seed falls on good ground. Now put this in parentheses. It always will, if you keep sowing. If you share a good idea long enough, it will fall on good people.

But now here's the rest of that story. Some of the good ground did 30%. And some of the good ground did 60%. And some of the good ground did 100%.

You say, "Well, why the difference in numbers?" I wouldn't sign up for that class! Have I said that often enough now? Don't register for that class. It's just the way it is.

Now I tried to get the 30's to do 60. Found out it was more than I could handle. I used to say, "I'll make them successful if it kills me." I almost died. No, you can't do that.

Here's what you do. Let the 30's do 30 to the best of their ability and keep doing 30, because that's how they build their lifestyle and get what they want out of life. And let the 60's do 60. And let the 100's do 100.

Now how can you get some to do a 100%? You've got to go through all these experiences and you've got to talk to all these people.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

January 9, 2009
Creative Goal-Setting for Kids and Teens by Denis Waitley

An Indian guide who displayed uncanny skills in navigating the rugged regions of the Southwest was asked how he did it. "What is your secret of being an expert tracker and trail-blazer?", a visitor asked him.

The guide answered: "There is no secret. One must only possess the far vision and the near look. The first step is to determine where you want to go. Then you must be sure that each step you take is a step in that direction."

A dream is what you would like for life to be. A Goal is what you intend to make happen. A goal is the near look; what, specifically, you intend to do on a daily basis to get there.

No matter what their current ages, try to determine the sensory learning style of each of your children: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Visual learners understand and remember best what they see. Auditory learners prefer to hear and verbalize in order to comprehend. Kinesthetic learners need to involve touch and movement into the processing of new concepts, and to learn by doing. All of these styles have some overlap because we all use hearing, seeing and doing. But keep these styles in mind when you stimulate your children's creative and goal-setting activities.

To build a pattern of positive expectations for your children, they need a way to keep score. Children know they are doing well when the task or project is well defined and the goals are clearly stated. How can a child experience the thrill of hitting the bull's eye, when he or she doesn't know what the target is? Kids need to see the end before they begin a task or they will lose interest. When you are giving your child a task, such as cleaning her room, be specific in telling her what you want her to do and when you want it done and stick to it. By providing a clear and specific ending, your child can look forward to enjoying time with her friends when the task is completed.

Goals are the target of success! Who you see is who you'll be. What you set is what you get. Help your kids get the far vision, the dream. Help them get the near look, the steps and action plans that pave the road to their dreams. Participate in your children's games, problem-solving exercises, field trips and creative projects. Instead of telling them how things work, help them learn to discover the "hows" and "whys."

Help your children dream about their future. Set the example by jotting down and cutting pictures out to describe family dreams. Assist them in defining their own goals and writing them down on index cards. Post the cards in their bedroom or on a board where they can see and review their goals daily.

Help your kids prioritize their goals. Have them consider their goals in the order of their importance. Place beside each written goal, a proposed target date for the attainment of that goal.

Help your child make plans. Unfortunately, many kids view problems as insurmountable mountains. Your role as parents is to help them view problems as opportunities. Teach them to go over, around, under or to bore a hole right through their roadblocks.

Show children how to prepare a daily "to do" list. In the evening, help prepare a list of a few important things to do the following day. At the end of the day, help them review their progress. By using index cards, you can use a file box to store daily activity cards. Monthly, quarterly and yearly, let them go through the cards in the box, to see all they have accomplished through step-by-step actions.

Help your kids to visualize, in advance, what the accomplishment of their goals looks and feels like. Bedtime is an ideal setting, where you can see in their imaginations where they want to be, what they want to do, and things they will have to work and save for to get.

Build goals and evaluations around the school year. When you go over your child's report card, discuss the goals that he set for himself and how he is doing toward achieving those goals. Share with your child any comments teachers might have regarding his grades.

Kids need rewards and behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated, especially if they understand that the reward is coming when the goal is accomplished. Rewards do not have to be strictly financial, but can be going out for an ice cream or whatever your child enjoys doing. By rewarding goal directed behavior, you are providing additional incentive to achieve almost any goal.

Denis Waitley

Reprinted with permission from The Deni Waitley Ezine

January 8, 2009
Succeeding in Tough Times by Kyle Wilson

I've been noticing (and I'm sure you have to), while many companies and individuals might be struggling right now, that there is also a group of companies and individuals flourishing. I've also noticed there are some common characteristics found in these companies and individuals who seem to be doing well during some of these uncertain times. Here are five characteristics that stand out:

1) These companies and individuals operate from a win/win philosophy and inherently value their business relationships (customers, employees and vendors). When you understand and appreciate this principle it allows you to create and receive value both on a short and long-term basis, as well as recognize and be in line for new opportunities that begin to present themselves.

2) These companies and individuals have an entrepreneurial mindset. Although, it's true that when a boom is going on the entrepreneur is often leading the way, I've also noticed that when the water is high (things are going good), everything tends to even out (everyone seems to be doing well). But when it all starts to go south, it is then that entrepreneurs can rise more quickly and distinguish themselves. Their ability to take risks, be decisive, recognize and seize opportunity and to basically "create", allows them to find a way to make things happen.

3) These companies and individuals have an excellent work ethic and focus. In sports, if you were to ask, who in their respective sport has been a dominant figure, three immediately come to my mind - Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretsky. Beyond their remarkable ability and talent, there is also something about these three that help propel them into greatness - their fierce competitiveness and their incredible work ethic. How do you beat the most talented person in the world when they will also out work you and have a "will to win" that is not to be exceeded? Well, the same is true in business. The top performers do not get complacent. They do not rest on their laurels. And they don't decide that because they are doing well or are on top that that is good enough. Their work ethic and drive to be their personal best has allowed previous victories and momentum to carry over into more success (even in difficult times).

4) These companies and individuals have made a commitment to succeed. Making a decision is the prerequisite to all successes. As Jim says, all good things are upstream, but the natural tendency is downstream. Commitment creates the mindset that allows us to face challenges, shut out negative circumstances and discomfort and then move upstream towards our goals.

5) These companies and individuals operate out of faith. Without faith it is impossible to take risk. Without faith it is impossible to make investments of time and effort in the present hoping for a future reward. And without faith it is impossible to make short-term sacrifices on a consistent basis. Faith allows you to be free to give and be our best, knowing that the reward will manifest itself sometime in the future. Faith also allows you to find the opportunity that often comes disguised in the form of a problem or challenge. While others are "missing it" or spending their time and energy complaining, the person/company of faith is identifying and seizing new opportunities.

Question - how do you rate yourself in these five areas above? I would estimate much of where you find yourself today could be directly related to how well you have fared the past few years in regards to the five points above. The good news is today is a new day, a new opportunity.

Finally, we want you to know that we love hearing all the testimonials and success stories from our enrollees. And we want you to know that now is your time, the time to work on yourself, your relationships, your business, etc., and then to attract all the success outcomes you deserve. While you are creating the new you, look at every challenge you might be facing as an opportunity to "create" new and better outcomes.

Life is full of opportunities. Go For It!

Carpe diem,
Kyle

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

January 7, 2009
Establishing Dreams and Goals by Jim Rohn

One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful! And that is what we will discuss in detail this week: How to dream dreams and establish goals to get those dreams.

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.

So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Let's take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts (you get to do this in the workbook exercises this week).

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel Great and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to this point that we experience what Our dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish - remember, you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backwards. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.

Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family's life into congruence with what you want it to be.

Until next week, let's do something remarkable!
Jim Rohn

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

January 6, 2009
Write It On Your Heart by Ron White

"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord."

Those are the words of Exodus Chapter 34 verse 29. Moses had just come down Mount Sinai for the second time with the Ten Commandments. He had the unique honor of carrying two tablets marked by the force of God to his people. This scripture tell us that the face of Moses was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.

And do you know what?... You too can carry the life changing word of God... but not in your hands. You can carry it in your heart. And if you do, I believe that you will also experience the radiant face that Moses did. While we will never have the chance to carry two stone tablets marked by God, we can carry His letter to us in our hearts.

Psalms Chapter One tells us that the one who meditates upon scripture will prosper in whatever they do. If you take this message to heart, it is the most powerful action you can undertake in the direction of self improvement.

So what does it mean to meditate on the word of God? It simply means to think about it, read it and study it. What better way to meditate on scripture that to memorize it. Imagine having the book of Proverbs, Romans or Psalms memorized word for word. Wouldn't that be remarkable?

Your mind is the greatest computer in the world and is without a doubt easily capable of recalling 100-digit numbers, 100 names and faces and even bible verses. If I asked you to walk around your bedroom and number ten pieces of furniture, could you do that? Of course you could. Then, if I asked you to visualize a heart on your first piece of furniture and joy dishwashing liquid on your second could you do that? Of course you could!

This is how easy scripture memory is. You must have files (your furniture in this instance) and then turn the verse into a picture. In the example I just used, I turn the first two fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians (love and joy) into a picture. If you desire you can turn the other seven into pictures and there you have it -- written on your heart!

Now this is just the "Cliff Notes" version of scripture memory. In my program, 'Write It On Your Heart' I teach you how to build hundreds of files and memorize chapters of scripture word for word.

It is my desire that you take the life-changing word of God and write it on the tablet of your heart. If you do, there is no doubt in my mind that your face will show the radiance not known to you before, and your life will bear the undeniable autograph of someone seeking the heart and mind of our Creator.

Ron White

Reprinted with permission from The Ron White Ezine

January5, 2009
How to Squeeze the Most Out of Your Time by Brian Tracy

How do you start your day? Years ago I started planning mine by writing everything down I would have to do, the night before. I found that drawing up your list the night before prompts your subconscious to work on your plans and goals while you sleep. When you wake up, you feel ready to tackle your challenges.

When prioritizing and planning your time, consider the following points:

• Key questions.
What is the highest value-added action I can do?
What can I, and only I, do that I've done well before to make a difference?
Why am I on the payroll?
The answers to these questions help identify all that needs to be done and in what order. That, in turn, will bolster personal productivity.

• Values.
Decide what's important to you, and in what order. Make sure your values don't conflict with work. Energy spent worrying diminishes your abilities.

• Consequences.
Every action has consequences - good and bad. Consider what rewards you'd reap by completing a task. Then, compare those rewards with the consequences of putting it aside. This process makes it easier to see which goals have a higher value.

• The Pareto Principle.
Vilfredo Pareto, a 19th-century engineer, argued that 20% of what you do accounts for 80% of the value. When considering the importance of a task, ask yourself whether it's among the 20% that creates the most value.

• Urgency vs. Importance.
An unexpected phone call or a drop-in visitor may be urgent, but the consequences of dealing with either may not be important in the long run.
The urgent is other-oriented, it's caused by someone else. Important things are self-directed and have the greatest value for you.

• The Limiting Step.
Standing between you and what you want to achieve is the limiting step. That's the bottleneck that determines how quickly you can reach your goal. It's important to identify that step and focus single-mindedly on getting that one thing done.

• A Written Plan.
Lists of goals, tasks and objectives are of no help unless they're written. Putting your plans on paper makes a seemingly elusive goal more concrete. There's a connection that takes place between the brain and the hand. When you don't write it down, it's fuzzy, but as you write it and revise it, it becomes clear.

• Visualization.
See yourself doing what you need to get done. Visualization trains the subconscious to focus on completing tasks. Say, for example, that you want to begin each morning by exercising. Visualizing yourself doing sit-ups and push-ups the night before conditions the mind to do those the next day. When you prime you mind, it wakes you up even before the alarm clock goes off.

Remember you are a winner and preparation goes a long way in helping you achieve all your goals.

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January4, 2009
Ten Steps To Goal Getting by Zig Ziglar

1. Make the commitment to reach your goal. "One person with a commitment is worth a hundred who only have an interest." Mary Crowley.

2. Commit yourself to detailed accountability. Record your progress toward your goals every night, and list the six most important things you need to do the next day. Daily discipline is the key to reaching your goals.

3. Build your life on a sold foundation of honesty, character, integrity, trust, love, and loyalty. This foundation will give you an honest shot at reaching any goal you have set properly.

4. Break your intermediate and long-range goals into increments.

5. Be prepared to change. You can't control the weather, inflation, interest rates, Wall Street, etc. Change your decision to move toward a goal carefully--but be willing to change your direction to get there as conditions and circumstances demand.

6. Share your "give-up" goals (i.e., give up smoking, being rude, procrastinating, being late, eating too much, etc.) with many people. Chances are excellent they're going to encourage you.

7. Become a team player. Remember: You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.

8. See the reaching. In your imagination see yourself receiving that diploma, getting that job or promotion, making that speech, moving into the home of your dreams, achieving that weight-loss goal, etc.

9. Each time you reach a goal your confidence will grow so that you can do bigger and better things. After accomplishing any goal, record it in your journal, Weekly Planner or Palm Pilot.

10. Remember, what you get by reaching your destination isn't nearly as important as what you become by reaching your goals--what you will become is the winner you were born to be!

See you at the top!
Zig Ziglar

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January3, 2009
Simple Ways to Super-Charge Your Goals and Make Them Work! by Chris Widener

Goals. Most people have a love-hate relationship with goals. They love them because they are such a great idea and a wonderful way to motivate us to achieve, as well as evaluate our progress, but hate them because for many, they more often than not go unattained and simply frustrate them. This isn't what goals should do!

So here are some simple ways to set goals so that we achieve them! After all, what good is a goal if it isn't something you achieve? Here are some simple steps you can take to make sure that you see change in your life this year.

Narrow your focus.
That's right, start small. Pick two or three areas tops, that you want to work on. Too many people say to themselves, "I want to do this, and this, and this, and this..." and they end up doing nothing! Most of what you do throughout your day can be done without a lot of mental or emotional exertion, but change isn't one of them. So focus down to a couple. This way you can get some victory in these areas. Here are some areas to think about: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Spiritual, Financial, and Relational. What areas need some work? Now, what one thing should be the first item on the change list? The others will come later, but for now, you should focus on two or three total.

Keep the long-term in mind, but set your sights on achieving your goals in the short-term.
Do you want to lose 75 pounds? Good. Long-term you will. But for now, think short-term. Don't think about losing 75 pound by summer 2002. Think about losing 5 pounds by November 1st. This does two things. First, It makes it urgent. Instead of blowing it and saying, "Oh well, I still have 17 months to lose the 75 pounds" (because eventually that becomes 2 months to lose 75 pounds) your goal is only a few weeks out. This is better in terms of reaching your goal. Secondly, as you reach these shorter goals, it gives you regular victories instead of regular progress. Progress feels good, but achieving a goal is awesome!

Reward yourself when you achieve the goal.
When you lose the 5 pounds by November 1st, go get yourself a grande whole-milk mocha. But just one! Then get back to your goal for December 1st. This puts a little fun back into the process of self-control and self-discipline. You will look forward to the reward and when the going gets tough, you will say, "two more weeks, two more pounds, then..."

That's it. I truly believe that it can be that simple for you.

This adds some ideas to the above article.

1. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Instead of saying, "I am going to quit my three pack a day habit cold turkey," say "I am going to drop to a pack and a half a day." You can always make new resolutions when you have achieved the first ones. Give yourself small victories a little at a time. Instead of saying "I am going to lose 75 pounds," say "I am going to lose 20 pounds."

2. Be specific in your timeline. Don't just say, "I am going to lose 20 pounds." Say, "I am going to lose 20 pounds by April 1st." This way, when you start to be tempted in the ice cream aisle in the middle of November, you can say, "Nope, only 10 more pounds to go in a month and a half and I am not going to blow it."

3. Post your resolutions where you will see them every day. This will keep the resolution in the front of your mind at all times. Instead of forgetting that you are trying to lose weight and ordering a big, thick porterhouse, you will have been reminded earlier that day that you need to go with something a little more on the lighter side. It will help your will beat your desire.

4. Find an encouraging person, who you respect, to keep you accountable. This person should ask you, at an interval established by the both of you, how it is going. They must be the encouraging type, though. If you are blowing it, they can say, "Well, that's okay, get back to it tomorrow." If you are doing well, they can say, "Awesome job. I'll talk to you next week." You will look forward to their weekly encouragement.

5. Find a partner. That's right, someone who is trying to accomplish the same thing (or something different if need be). Just make sure that they really want to change, or they will end up just bellyaching about how hard it is and you will both fall into the abyss.

6. Write down a list of all of the benefits that will come if you accomplish this. If it is losing weight it might be something like this: Feel better, better self-esteem, longer life, clothes are more comfortable, no more time spent sewing on popped buttons, wife says you look 22 again, etc. If it is quitting smoking, it may look like this: Better breath, no more brown fingers, no more wrinkles on my face, no more red eyes, no more smelly clothes, longer life, wife don't make me spend two hours a day on the back porch, etc. This will help you see what you will get from accomplishing your resolution.

7. Plan a reward if you accomplish your resolution. It can be anything from small to large. If you drop the twenty pounds, go out for dinner and dessert. Then get back to lose the next 20. If it is quitting smoking, go on a mini-vacation. Whatever you do, reward yourself. Or let a spouse or a friend pick the reward. Then splurge and enjoy!

Here's to achieving ALL of your goals in 2008!
Chris Widener

Reprinted with permission from The Chris Widener Ezine

January2, 2009
A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to Closing a Sale by Jeffrey Gitomer

Someone sent me a list of "sales closes" the other day. It seems they all have names. "The trail close," "The order blank close,' "The Ben Franklin close," "The sharp angle close," and so on into the night (close, or is that clothes). Anyway, it struck me that cute-name closes rarely work. In fact they usually have the reverse effect.

Salespeople still living in the 19th century think that high-pressure sales tactics will work. They don't. Sounding like a salesperson, puts the prospect on the defensive.

When all else fails in sales, I have created an entirely new set of outrageous cute-name closes. These will not work on the prospect, but they are guaranteed to make you laugh at the process:

• The "I'll buy you lunch" close... You say, "Hey, you buy my product, throw in an extra 20 bucks, and I'll buy you lunch."

• The "impatient" close... You say, "Hey, I haven't got all day, are you buying or not?" (this is a variation of the New York close..."Hey, I haven't got all day, are you buying or not, you idiot.")

• The "physical action" close... The prospect decides he doesn't want to buy, you beat him to a pulp until he says "uncle," which is actually a Latin derivative word meaning "OK, I'll order"

• The "how could you be so stupid not to buy from me" close... Since you're already thinking this while walking out the door of a lost sale, you may as well try it a few times in front of the prospect.

• The "fear of loss" close... You tell the prospect his hair will fall out if he doesn't buy. This is a very real close. Someone tried it on me once. I didn't buy, and, well, the rest is history (so is my hair).

• The "insurance" close... Buy from me and nobody gets hurt. This close has worked in gangster movies for decades. I'm surprised no right thinking Fortune 500 company has adapted it to their sales practices, since they're already using it in customer service.

• The "number on the bathroom wall" close... Start writing the prospect's phone number on the walls of prominent area bathrooms with the slogan "for an indecisive time -- call..."

• The "car salesman" close... You act like you know everything and the customer is dumb. Then you insult the customer by using high pressure tactics because you're afraid that if they "walk" without buying, then some other car salesman will pressure them higher than you. This is called Lose-Lose selling because both the sales techniques and the people who employ them are losers.

• The "filibuster" close... You talk nonstop for three days, until the guy gets so frustrated that he agrees to double his original order if you'll just shut up and leave. (This close works better in the south where they invented the filibuster. In the north you're likely to be beaten or shot after the first day.)

• The "begging" close... You get on your knees, begin crying about your bad luck, and how much you need the money because your rent is past due -- you know, the truth.

• The "camp out" close... You bring food and a sleeping bag to the prospects office. This is very effective for follow-up, since you're already there. If the person is very indecisive, you might want to take some socks and underwear.

• The "Pleeeaase, I'll be your best friend" close... It worked in grade school.

• The "lying" close...You tell the customer anything you want. You tell him anything he wants to hear, so you can make your sale -- hey, wait a minute, you're already doing that.

and finally...

The "just be honest" close... Nah, that would never work.

Closing is only frustrating if you haven't identified customer needs, shown the right attitude, made a memorable presentation, and were perceived as genuine help. These closes are far fetched, indeed. But not as far fetched as trying to use the time-worn closes of yester-year on today's prospect.

And of course, funny is not just limited to closing the sale. Here's one for building rapport -- "You know, Mr. Johnson, I know I hardly know you, and we should build some rapport before the sale begins, so can I come over for dinner tonight?

Next time we'll get serious. Kind of.
Jeffrey Gitomer

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

January1, 2009
If Selling - Listen to the Symptoms by Ron White

'Doc...I got this cough.'
'Is it a light cough?'
'No Doc it is a deep hacking cough like this....KUUH...KUUH'

'Okay, anything else?'
'Yeah, I got the shivers and this red bumpy rash.'
'Oh, well you have got the jungle hemoglobin neuro-cardio virus. Take these pills for two weeks and you will be as good as new.'

Isn't it amazing how a doctor can listen to the symptoms and then accurately diagnose what is ailing you? Well, if you are in sales you should be able to do the same. Listen to what your customers are telling you and it will tell you where you are going wrong in your presentation.

I recently heard a speaker say, 'Yeah, I didn't sell but one package of CDs – the owner stood up and said he was going to buy one package of CDs for the office library and everyone could share.' The speaker then shook his head as if there was nothing he could have done to sell the group. I never heard that speaker's sales pitch; however, I know exactly what he did wrong by listening to the symptoms. In his sales pitch, he sold the value of his products, which he should have done – however, he did not pitch the value of building your own personal development library. If he would have closed this way, the owner would have never of stood up and said he would buy one for the group to share because he would have been contradicting the value of your own personal library that was just discussed.

I didn't have to hear his sales pitch; listening to his symptoms, the diagnosis was easy.

What about you? What are the objections you are receiving? Listen closely because they are the symptoms that will diagnose your problem:

*Sounds great! I will definitely get this product one day! – Diagnosis – you didn't establish the benefits of purchasing today. You did not make it clear that inventory was low, the special price of purchasing today or other incentive.

*I need to think about it – Diagnosis – 50% of the time this will be because you didn't show them how to purchase (i.e. where to sign) or ask for the sale. The other 50% of the time it is because they have a hidden objection that you did not answer. Your response,' Is there something in particular I can answer for you as you think about it?'

*Let's buy one and share! – Diagnosis – you didn't establish the value of this being a personal purchase.

*It cost too much – Diagnosis – price is rarely the objection, you failed to build value and didn't demonstrate how this product will actually save you money over a period of time because it is durable or it will save you time and time is money.

Just as a doctor – listen to your symptoms and they will tell you where you are failing. Do not blame the symptoms on your prospects incompetence. Instead – listen, diagnose and treat by altering your presentation the next time. The answer to catapult your sales success is in the symptoms. Listen carefully!

Now, if you will excuse me I have to run. I have the jungle hemoglobin neuro-cardio virus and I have some pills I need to take.
-- Ron White

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine