July 31, 2007
From Motivation to Motive-Action by Denis Waitley

With the passing of every new year, each of us needs to understand the magnitude of social and economic change in the world. In the past, change in business and social life was incremental and a set of personal strategies for achieving excellence was not required. Today, in the knowledge-based world, where change is the rule, a set of personal strategies is essential for success, even survival. Never again will you be able to go to your place of business on autopilot, comfortable and secure that the organization, state or government will provide for and look after you. You must look in the mirror when you ask who is responsible for your success or failure. You must become a lifelong learner and leader, for to be a follower is to fall hopelessly behind the pace of progress. The power brokers in the new global arena will be the knowledge facilitators. Ignorance will be even more the tyrant and enslaver than in the past. As you look in the mirror to see the 21st Century you, there will also be another image standing beside you. It is your competition. Your competition, from now on, will be a hungry immigrant with a wireless, hand-held, digital assistant. Hungry for food, hungry for a home, for a new car, for security, for a college education. Hungry for knowledge. Smart, quick thinking, skilled and willing to do anything necessary to be competitive in the world marketplace. Working long hours and Saturdays, staying open later, serving customers better and more cheerfully. To be a player in the 21st Century you have to be willing to give more in service than you receive in payment.

These are the new rules in the game of life. These are the actions you must take to be a leader and a winner in your personal and professional life. By mastering these profoundly simple action steps, you will be positioned to be a change master in the new century.

Action Step Number One - Consider Yourself Self-Employed, But Be a Team Player. What this means is that you are your own Chief Executive Officer of your future. Start thinking of yourself as a service company with a single employee. You're a small company that puts your services to work for a larger company. Tomorrow you may sell those services to a different organization, but that doesn't mean you're any less loyal to your current employer. Taking responsibility for yourself in this way does mean that you never equate your personal long-term interests with your employer's.

The first idea is resolving not to suffer the fate of those who lost their jobs and found their skills were obsolete. The second is to begin immediately the process of protecting yourself against that possibility – by becoming proactive instead of reactive.

Ask yourself these questions:

How vulnerable am I? What trends must I watch? What information must I gain? What knowledge do I lack?

Again, think of yourself as a company. Set up a training department in your mind and make certain your top employee is updating his or her skills. Make sure you have your own private pension plan, knowing that you are responsible for your own financial security.

Entrusting the government or an employer, other than yourself, with your retirement income is like hiring a compulsive gambler as your accountant.

You're the CEO of your daily life who must have the vision to set your goals and allocate your resources. The mindset of being responsible for your own future used to be crucial only to the self-employed, but it has become essential for us all. Today's typical employees are no longer one-career people. Most will have five separate careers in their lifetimes. Remember, your competition is a hungry immigrant with a laptop. Action Step Number One is to consider yourself to be self-employed, but be a team player.

Action Step Number Two - Be Flexible in the Face of Daily Surprises. We live in a time-starved, overstressed, violent society. Much of our over-reaction to what happens to us every day is a result of our self-indulgent value system, where we blame others for our problems, look to organizations or the government for our solutions, thirst for immediate sensual gratification and believe we should have privileges without responsibilities. This condition is manifested in the high crime rate and in the increase in violence in the work place where employees blame their managers for threatening their security.

I have learned how to be flexible in the face of daily surprises, which is one of the most important action traits for a leader. I really haven't been angry for about 17 years. During that time, no one has tried to physically harm me or someone close to me. I've learned to adapt to stress in life and reserve my fear or anger for imminently physically dangerous situations. I rarely, if ever, get upset with what people say, do or don't do, even if it inconveniences me. I do react emotionally when I see someone physically or emotionally abusing or victimizing another. But I've learned not to sweat the small stuff.

The Serenity Prayer, "Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.", is a valuable measuring tool we can apply to our lives. Simple yet profound words to live by.

Denis Waitley

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

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July 30, 2007
A Leader Always Fails Upwards! by Tony Alessandra

Abraham Lincoln really was born in a log cabin. The fact that he went on to become President -- and to lead the country through the most difficult period of its history -- is truly remarkable. It is even more amazing when you consider what it took to be an important leader in the middle of the nineteenth century. Although we hear a lot about people like Lincoln or Andrew Jackson or Ulysses S. Grant -- people who came from nothing to wield great power -- these were most definitely the exceptions that proved the rule. Moreover, the rule was, most successful people started out with all the advantages. Financially, it was much harder to get rich a hundred and fifty years ago than it is today -- and if you failed, it was much harder to get back on your feet. There was no safety net from the government or from anywhere else to make sure that you did not go hungry. In those days, it was every man for himself.

With that in mind, let's look for a minute at some of the things that Lincoln faced and overcame. You have probably seen lists similar to this, describing Lincoln's failures, but I'd like to go through it again in order to make some important points, which we will take up immediately after the list. As you are reading this list, I'd like you also to think of setbacks you have faced in your own life, and how you responded to them.

In 1832, Lincoln was working in a general store in Illinois when he decided to run for the state legislature. However, the election was some months away, and before it took place, the general store went bankrupt and Lincoln was out of a job. So, he joined the army and served three months. When he got out, it was time for the election -- which he lost.

Then, with a partner, Lincoln opened a new general store. His partner embezzled from the business, and the store went broke. In addition, shortly thereafter, the partner died, leaving Lincoln with debts that took several years to pay off.

In 1834, Lincoln ran again for the state legislature, and this time he won. He was even elected to three more terms of two years each. During this period, however, Lincoln also suffered some severe emotional problems. Today he would have been categorized as clinically depressed.

By 1836, Lincoln had become a licensed attorney. At that time, a law degree was not required to pass the bar exam, and Lincoln had been studying on his own for years. He later became a circuit-riding lawyer, traveling from county to county in Illinois to plead cases in different jurisdictions. He was one of the most diligent of all the lawyers doing this kind of work, and between 1849 and 1860 he missed only two court sessions on the circuit.

In 1838, he was defeated in an attempt to become Speaker of the Illinois legislature, and in 1843, he was defeated in an attempt to win nomination for Congress. In 1846, he was elected to Congress, but in 1848, he had to leave because his party had a policy of limiting terms. In 1854, he was defeated in a run for the U.S. Senate. In 1856, he lost the nomination for Vice President, and in 1858, he was again defeated in a race for the Senate. Yet in spite of all these setbacks, in 1860 he was elected President of the United States.

What can we learn about leadership from looking at this chronology? To me, the most remarkable thing is how every time Lincoln failed at something, he was soon trying for something even bigger. After he lost his seat in the state legislature, he ran for the national congress. After he lost a bid for the Senate, he tried to become vice president -- and after he lost the Senate race again, he ended up President of the whole country.

Lincoln saw himself as a leader long before anyone else did -- and this is the first key to his leadership genius. He may have failed many times, but somehow he always failed upward. He was propelled by a sense of mission, and he was willing and able to do whatever it took to get that great mission accomplished.

Here's to more personal insight,
Tony Alessandra

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

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July 29, 2007
The Importance of Being a 'Student' of the Industry by Todd Falcone

I really appreciate you taking the time to read my article. It shows that you are eager to engulf information to better yourself... both in life and in your Network Marketing career. The information I hope to provide is going to cover the psychology of SUCCESS. Victories rather than defeats, wins rather than losses, abundance rather than lack.

Here's my simple definition of success:

"Success is the voluntary act of seeing something that you desire through to completion."

Finish the race... and you win! But, you must first get to the starting line.

One of my mentors taught me that if I wanted to be successful, I had to study success. In other words, "find someone who has what you want and do what they do". Wow! You mean success is that easy?? Not exactly, but it is certainly a great place to start!

Doesn't that make perfect sense? Think about it. If you want to be good at something, no matter what it is, doesn't it make sense to simply follow other people who are already successful doing whatever it is that you want to get good at? Remember the old phrase, "You become like those you hang around"? How true it is!

Hang around broke, unmotivated boring, unhappy people, and guess what? You become a broke, unmotivated, unhappy person. Doesn't sound appealing, does it?

On the other hand, spend your time with excited, motivated, happy, successful, inspired people who live life with passion and conviction in everything they do... and guess what? You get the picture! That's right... it rubs off on you.

Which would YOU rather have?

Every person that I know who has achieved extremely high levels of success, whether in relationships, business, or life in general, STUDIES THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS.

Over the years, many people have asked me about my favorite book, tape, or specific mentor that has led me to success. Unfortunately, I don't have one. I have many. That is what being a student is about.

Since so many people have asked me, I finally took the time to take a roster of my library.

Here is a sampling of some of the books and tapes I have read, listened to and continue to review:

*Top 50 Favorite Readings

Developing the Leader Within You By John C. Maxwell
The Game of Life and How to Play It By Florence Scovel Shinn
Quantum Leap Thinking By James Mapes
Unstoppable By Cynthia Kersey
How to Win Friends & Influence People By Dale Carnegie
The Magic of Thinking Big By David J. Schwartz
Think and Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill Enthusiasm
Makes the Difference By Norman Vincent Peale
The Trick to Money is Having Some By Stuart Wilde
The Little Money Bible By Stuart Wilde
The Psychology of Winning By Denis Waitley
The Greatest Networker in the World By John Milton Fogg
The Power of Positive Thinking By Norman Vincent Peale
The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement By Laurie Beth Jones
Unlimited Power By Anthony Robbins
Awaken the Giant Within By Anthony Robbins
Live Rich By Barry King
The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity By Catherine Ponder
The Secrets of Savvy Networking By T. Stanley & W. Danko
Creating Affluence By Deepak Chopra
It's Not Over Until I Win By Les Brown
What to Say When you Talk to Yourself By Shad Helmstetter
You'll See it When you Believe It By Wayne Dyer
Reinventing Yourself By Steve Chandler
How to Master the Art of Selling By Tom Hopkins
The Greatest Salesman in the World By Og Mandino
The Greatest Secret in the World By Og Mandino
The Greatest Miracle in the World By Og Mandino
Rhinoceros Success By Scott Alexander
Your First Year in Network Marketing By Mark Yarnell
Your Best Year in Network Marketing By Mark Yarnell
Self Wealth By Yarnell, Bates & Radford
Network Marketing for Dummies By Zig Ziglar
Rich Dad, Poor Dad By Robert Kiyosaki
Cash Flow Quadrant By Robert Kiyosaki
Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson
On Negotiating By Mark McCormack
Guerilla Selling By Jay Conrad Levinson
Chicken Soup for the Soul By Mark Victor Hanson & Jack Canfield
The Richest Man in Babylon By George S. Clason
Wave 3: The New Era in Network Marketing By Richard Poe
The Wave 3 to Building your Downline By Richard Poe
Wave 4: Network Marketing in the 21st Century By Richard Poe
Inside Network Marketing By Len Clements
The Millionaire Mind By Thomas Stanley
The Millionaire Next Door By Thomas Stanley
As a Man Thinketh By James Allen
The Ultimate Marketing Plan By Dan Kennedy
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing By Al Ries & Jack Trout


Although this is not my complete library... these are some of my favorites which have helped lead me to where I am today in my life and in my Network Marketing career.

-- Todd Falcone

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

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July 28, 2007
Every Circumstance Has Two Sides by Vic Johnson

"Your difficulty is not contained, primarily, in the situation which gave rise to it, but in the mental state with which you regard that situation and which you bring to bear upon it." - Byways of Blessedness

It is one of the most difficult lessons to accept, understand and learn.

Circumstances are not negative or positive, circumstances are neutral. It is our thinking, our mental state, our perspective, that makes a circumstance positive or negative.

Bob Proctor does some of the best teaching on this subject, using a universal law he refers to as the Law of Polarity.

"Everything in the universe has its opposite. There would be no inside to a room without an outside. You have a right and left side to your body, a front and a back. Every up has a down and every down has and up. The Law of Polarity not only states that everything has an opposite -- it is equal and opposite. If it was three feet from the floor up to the table, it would be three feet from the table down to the floor. If it is 150 miles from Manchester to London, by law it must be 150 miles from London to Manchester; it could not be any other way."

"If something you considered bad happens in your life, there has to be something good about it. If it was only a little bad, when you mentally work your way around to the other side, you will find it will only be a little good."

During a recent tele-seminar I conducted with Randy Gage, he used a very good example of this. While the flat tire you have seems to be a negative circumstance to you, it’s a very positive circumstance for your local tire dealer. Looking even further it’s possible that while changing the tire the dealer discovers a much more serious problem that would have cost you a large sum of money if discovered later.

So it’s even more clear from Bob’s teaching that every circumstance can be viewed two ways. It’s the way we view a circumstance that determines its impact on our thinking and mental state. And we know from James Allen’s teaching that that determines the quality of life that we live.

No matter how bad the circumstance appears to be, taking another look, from another perspective, reveals to us the good. Or, as Napoleon Hill author of the classic "Think and Grow Rich", wrote, "Every adversity, every failure and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equivalent or a greater benefit."

And that’s worth thinking about.

Vic Johnson

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

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July 27, 2007
Seven Qualities of Master Achievers by Brian Tracy

If you think the way successful people think and adopt their success habits, you too can be successful. Here are seven qualities of the top 1% of successful people.

1) They are Ambitious.
They see themselves capable of being the best. They see themselves with the capacity of being really good at what they do. This was a really big thought for me. It held me back for many years. When I saw people who were doing better than I was, I naturally assumed they were better than I was. And if they were better than I was, then I must be worse than them, so that would mean they were superior and I was inferior. That is a big problem in our society. We have feelings of inferiority, and these feelings of inferiority are often translated into feelings of undeservedness. We don't feel we deserve to be a big success. The word "deserve" comes from two Latin words meaning "from service." You deserve 100% of everything you make and enjoy as long as you get it from serving other people. Your rewards are in direct proportion to your service. If you serve better and serve more and serve at a higher level and serve more enthusiastically and serve a higher quality, then you'll have a wonderful income you'll deserve every penny of it. You must see yourself capable of being the best.

2) They are Courageous.
They work to confront the fears that holds most people back. The two biggest enemies to yours and my success is fear and doubt. Eliminating fear and doubt is the key. The key to eliminating fear: If you want to develop courage, then simply act courageously when it's called for. When you do something repeatedly, you develop a habit. Make a habit throughout your life of doing the things you fear. If you do the thing you fear, the death of fear is certain. To overcome fear of rejection in prospecting, you must realize that rejection in selling is not personal. Top salespeople do not fear prospecting. Face your fear. Do the things you fear. The ability to confront your fear is the mark of the superior person. If you have high ambition and you decide to be in the top 10%, and you can confront your fears and do the things that are holding you back, those two things alone will make you a great success.

3) They are Committed.
The top people in every field, especially the top salespeople, are completely committed. They believe in themselves; they believe in their companies; they believe in their products and services; they believe in their customers; they have an intense belief. We know that there is a one-to-one relationship between the depth of your belief and what happens in your reality. And if you absolutely believe in the rightness and the goodness of what you're doing, you become like a catalyst. You create what is called a transfer, like an electrical transfer of enthusiasm. People like to buy from people who truly believe in what they are doing. People who are not committed to what they do lead very empty lives. The second part is that caring is the critical element in modern selling. Caring is a critical element in life, as well. All men and women who enjoy great lives care about what they do! They have passion about what they do. They love what they do.

4) They are Professional.
Top salespeople see themselves as consultants rather than as salespeople. When you think of the word "consultant," what words come to mind? When do you call a consultant? A consultant is a problem-solver. What word does not appear when you think of a consultant--the word "salesperson". We don't think of consultants as salespeople. The most successful consultants in America are the very best salespeople of their services. When a person is positioned as a consultant in the mind and heart of the customer, he is not seen as a salesperson. Do people like to be sold? Do people like to be helped to improve their lives and work? So they look upon a salesperson as someone who sells them. Selling is something you do "to" someone, and people don't like to be done "to". So when you think of being a consultant, here is the key. How do you position yourself as a consultant with your customers? Of course, you act like a consultant, but even before you get the chance to act like a consultant, you build a rapport. And the most simple answer of all, and this is the most profound principle: People accept you at your own evaluation of yourself. Consultants come in and have a cup of coffee. Salespeople wait in the waiting room and have a glass of water. If you say you're a consultant, your customer will accept you as a consultant. >From now on, position yourself as a consultant. Think of yourself as a consultant. Remember, 80% of what you accomplish on the outside is determined by who you are on the inside. How you see yourself determines how the customer responds to you. The customer's perception of you determines how much they buy and how much they recommend you to other customers.

5) They are Prepared.
They review every detail in advance. To be in the top 10% requires additional efforts. It requires doing things that the average person is not willing to do. It requires making sacrifices the average person is not willing to make. It requires reviewing every detail of every call or situation before every business meeting. But the difference it makes is extraordinary. Before you go into a meeting, do your homework. Successful people are more concerned about pleasing results than they are about pleasing methods. When you sit down with a client, there is nothing more complimentary to a client than the feeling that you have prepared for the meeting.

6) They are Continuous Learners.
They recognize that if they're not continually getting better, they're getting worse. They read, they listen to CDs and they take additional training. The professional never stops learning. So read, listen to CDs, take continuous training.

7) They are Responsible.
They see themselves as President of their own personal services corporation. The top people in our society have an attitude of self-employed. 100% of us are self-employed. We are presidents of our own personal services corporation. You work for yourself. The biggest mistake we can ever make is to think we work for anyone else. We work for ourselves. The person who signs our paycheck may change; our jobs may change, but we are always the same. We are the one constant--we are always self-employed. The fact of the matter is -- this is not optional, it is mandatory -- you are the president of your own company, you're the president of your own career, your own life, your own finances, your own body, your own family, your own health. You are totally responsible. We are responsible. No one will ever do it for us. It's the most liberating and exhilarating thought of all, to think that you're the president of your own life.

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

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July 26, 2007
I'll See It When I Believe It! by Tony Alessandra

It has been estimated that we each have upwards of 50,000 thoughts per day. How many of yours are negative? Sometimes you have to do a mental spring-cleaning to get rid of those negative thoughts that have become ingrained attitudes. Stopping self-destructive thoughts is like stopping any other bad habit - it takes time and effort.

Among the most effective ways to do this are visualization and affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements about yourself that you repeat over and over in your head until they are programmed into your subconscious.

Visualization is mentally picturing yourself the way you want to be. You've heard the old saying "I'll believe it when I see it". Well, the reverse is also true: "I'll see it when I believe it!" Affirmations and visualizations may not feel true at first. They may not even be true! However, they can become so.

Consider what happens when you tell yourself repeatedly, "I'm lousy at remembering names." There will never be any improvement there. Therefore, if you catch yourself saying it, stop and immediately say to yourself, "I'm good at remembering names."

Consider the effect of telling yourself, "I'm feeling pretty good today." Or "I can lose ten pounds." Or "I am good at getting people to see things my way." Anything you say to yourself repeatedly will actually influence your reality.

Writing down your affirmations and putting them in some handy place - above your desk, on your bathroom mirror, on the dashboard of your car - will help keep them in mind as well as in sight. Use affirmations and visualizations to project what success will feel like and look like. Imagine, in as much detail as you possibly can, how you feel as the boss singles you out for exceeding your quota, or how the audience hangs on your every word during your speech, or how your confident presence causes heads to turn everywhere you go.

To enhance your charisma and persuasion (while making others feel good about themselves), you can apply the very same techniques by turning them outward. Begin thinking positive affirmations about people you work and live with.

For example, "Bob seems much calmer and patient of late. I wonder what has changed in him." During your next interaction with Bob, you will most likely remember your positive thought about him and start your conversation with, "Bob, I've noticed a change in you. You seem really kind and patient while counseling your new employees recently and I admire that. How did you acquire this wonderful characteristic?"

Bob would likely respond with a smile and a story about a book he found, a consultant he hired, or a seminar he attended. Regardless of his reply, you have sincerely complimented another person, put out a positive thought, and begun a new habit of approaching others using "appreciative inquiry"... finding the good in another person or situation first, instead of finding fault or flaws.

Criticizing is easy and sometimes becomes habit, but re-training your mind to find the positive attributes in yourself and others will win you friends, increase your income, and make you feel better about being a better you.

Here's to more personal insight,
Tony Alessandra

Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine

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July 25, 2007
The 3 Secrets to Communication Mastery by Tony Jeary

Communication Mastery is a level few people operate at. Yet it's something that's actually quite easy to achieve. The difference is in the way the message is prepared and received, and it can be achieved by integrating three simple principles into your daily communications:

1. Get Clear on Your Objectives

Ordinary communicators whip off an email, leave a quick voicemail, or rush into a meeting with their minds on something else.

Communication Masters, on the other hand, imagine each and every communication event down the line to its ideal conclusion before they ever start typing, talking, or walking into a conference room. And they do it by asking - and answering - four questions:

What specific desired outcomes do I personally want from this communication?

What action do I want the recipient(s) to take as a result of my presentation?

What must the recipient(s) know, say, or do differently when my presentation is over?

When are these actions required?

Let's say, for example, that you're leaving someone a voice message. Do you want the recipient to call you back with a certain piece of information, write you a letter, tell his or her assistant to schedule a meeting, buy your product immediately, or simply get his or her mind turning in preparation for a follow-up presentation?

Articulate to yourself exactly what the goal of your presentation is, and exactly what the recipient has to do in order for that goal to be achieved.
You may even want to write down the objective in either a short sentence or short list of bullets and then keep that list handy and top of mind during the presentation.

2. Apply the Presentation Platinum Rule

We all know The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you.

This is good advice, but those who communicate effectively use the Platinum Rule: Do unto others as they want to be done unto. Communicate the way others want to receive your message - not the way you like to be communicated to!

Everyone receives and processes information differently. Once you realize this distinction about human nature, your power and communication effectiveness will be enhanced. Master Communicators are flexible. They rarely make the same presentation twice because they know each recipient is different. They learn the composition of the person or people they're presenting to before the presentation begins, then adjust accordingly.

The best way to determine how people want to receive your message is to take a look at how they communicate their own messages to you. The more your communications are able to mirror back to the recipients their own likes and preferences, the more likely they are to respond quickly and positively to your message. If they use email, you use email. If they always call you, use the phone. (See Match your Recipient's Communication Style.)

You can utilize the Platinum Rule even if you've never met the person you are making a presentation to. Imagine, for example, that your goal is to create a joint venture between your organization and XYZ Industries, and in order to do it, you need to get your proposal to the president-someone you've never met. What does XYZ Industries' website look like? Do they have a public persona, a "vibe" they want to convey? How does the president dress - conservatively, casually, or with an edge? Are there any articles about him or her or interviews that you can read? Does the corporate literature contain any letters-from-the-president - type content that might offer some insights into his or her personality, likes, and dislikes, or do you have any shared acquaintances who may be able to give you insight?

All of this information will enable you to shape your presentation in a way that will resonate with your prospect on a deep personal level. For example, if the president is young and the XYZ is a web company, you might send an audio postcard via email. If the company is a manufacturing company without a website, you might infer that a personal letter is best.

3. Address the 'So What?' Factor

The difference between communicators and Communication Masters is that masters constantly and continuously target the recipient(s) pains, needs, and objectives with every presentation opportunity. They can imagine their recipient saying, "So what?" to each and every idea, bullet point, or sentence. And they make sure that their presentation delivers the response to that "So what?"

Most people, excited about the opportunity to sell their idea, product, or service, spend so much time talking about what excites them about the opportunity and the need they think it solves for their prospect, they never take the time to truly dig into the recipient's pains or objectives. And, this is why most presentations fail. It has nothing to do with the opportunity; the failure is in the delivery because the "So what?" factor was never addressed, and the recipient never made the connection between the needs in his life and the opportunity presented.

Your first communication should be entirely exploratory, whether by email or in person. Ask leading questions. Take detailed notes. Resist the urge to offer solutions or answers. This is difficult at first, because you are naturally excited about the opportunity you have to offer. But, it is only an "opportunity" if the recipient recognizes it as an opportunity - if it satisfies their "So what?" Once you have identified the needs, weave those into every communication. Make sure that every presentation - every email, voicemail, or face-to-face meeting - recognizes those pains and addresses them. Make constant and continuous connection with your recipients, and you will have overcome the "So what?" factor.

Achieving Communication Mastery

You're already doing the work of communicating: You're having the conversations, writing the emails, making the phone calls, giving the speeches. Simply by integrating these three principles into all of those efforts, you will transform them from mere communications into presentations ... and in so doing, multiply their effectiveness exponentially. You will accomplish more through your communications than you ever knew you could, and you'll do it in less time and with less effort than you will believe.

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

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July 24, 2007
Discipline and Loyalty are Tremendous by Charlie "T" Jones

We live in a world where these two great words -- discipline and loyalty are becoming meaningless. Does this mean that they are worthless? On the contrary, they are becoming priceless qualities because they are so hard to develop in the first place. And should you be one of the fortunate few who by God's grace has caught the vision, your battle has just begun because the greatest battle is to keep what you've learned through these two priceless qualities,

Discipline is that great quality few people use that enables them to be constructively busy all the time. Even in discouragement and defeat, discipline will rescue you and usher you to a new place to keep constructively busy while you forget about doubt, worry and self-pity. Oh, that more in this day would realize the absolute necessity of discipline and the degree of growth and happiness to be attained from it.

Most people think that loyalty is to a thing or to a person when actually it is really to one's own self. Some think that it is to a goal or an objective, but again it is to one's own convictions. If loyalty has to be earned then it is deserved and is hardy, more than devoted emotion based on a temporary feeling. No, loyalty is the character of a person who has given himself the task before him and he will always realize that out of a loyal heart will spring all the other virtues that make life one of depth and growth.

Tremendously,

Charles "T" Jones

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

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July 23, 2007
Change Begins with Choice by Jim Rohn

Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish; we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish; we can start a new activity. Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with your very own power of choice.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reprinted with permission from Your Success Ezine

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July 22, 2007
A Little Equation that Creates Big Results by Chris Widener

"The purpose of man is in action not thought" - Thomas Carlyle

Often people will ask me how I get so much done in my life. They wonder at how I am able to accomplish so many things. The answer is found not in what a great person I am, but in an equation I came up with a few years ago and remind myself of on almost a daily basis. And when I live this equation out, it produces big results. What people don't seem to grasp is that this equation will work for anybody! Anyone can see results in their life if they will live it out!

This little equation, when it is understood, and acted upon, is perhaps the most powerful equation there is in regard to long-term achievement and accomplishment. Yet, this is not a complex equation. In fact, it is rather simple. So what is it?

Your short-term actions multiplied by time equals your long-term accomplishments.

If you want to see change in your life, see big results, the first thing you must do is change your current actions. Otherwise the old saying becomes a reality: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got!" But if we change our actions, we will see different results!

Most people want to accomplish a lot in their lives. Yet very few actually do. Why is this? It is because what they believe will equal their long-term accomplishments are wrong. Here are some of the things that people believe will create great accomplishments for them:

Beliefs
Vision
Big dreams
Ideas
Ideals
Values
Desire

The truth is that while these things are very important, they are not enough in and of themselves. We need to have the above underlying all that we do, but we need to actually do something! And this is where most people stop. We need to take action on our dreams and beliefs every day.

Here are some examples of how this works.

Who loses weight? The one who knows all about the benefits of exercise or the one who walks 3 miles a day?

Who retires early? The one who dreams of a house on the beach, or the one who invests $300 a month?

Who writes books? The one who desires to become a best-selling author, or the one who gets up early and writes for half an hour a day?

Who has the best marital relationship? The one who knows how much spending time with their spouse can improve their relationship, or the one who sits down and talks with their spouse every night?

Who makes the most sales? The one who believes they can become a great salesperson, or the one who makes 10 sales calls a day?

I think you get the point. When it all comes down to it, we must act upon our vision, beliefs, and ideals or we won't see them come to fruition. I see too many people who know what is right, but don't ever do anything about it. Imagine what a difference we could make in our own lives and the lives of others if we would simply begin to act upon on our beliefs!

When I get to the end of my life, I want to know that I have done all that I can to make this world a better place and to enhance the lives of those around me. I want to know that I gave it my best shot. And I am sure that you do to.

I remember reading an interview with an author who has written numerous books that have sold in the tens of millions. They asked him how he did it. His answer was that he got up every morning before anyone else in his family and wrote, long hand, with a pencil, for an hour. Then he quit and went about his day. But his short-term actions piled up. 7 hours a week. 30 hours a month. 365 hours a year. After a while, he had lots of books!

Some questions as we leave:

What long-term accomplishments do you want to see come to pass?
What short-term actions will you need to do over time to see them come to pass?
What will you do today to begin seeing your dreams come true?
What will you do this week to see them come true?

You can have an awesome future, filled with great achievements and results if you begin today to take action and make it a reality!

One more time, so you can plug it in, memorize it, and live it.

Your short-term actions multiplied by time equals your long-term accomplishments.

Reprinted with permission from Your Success Ezine

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July 21, 2007
Why Accepting Change is Vital to Your Professional Success by Connie Podesta

Like it or not, change is an integral part of today's business climate. Those employees who embrace and initiate change will thrive, while those who complain and fear change may be headed for the unemployment line.

Employers feel strongly about the need to have employees who are successful change agents for their team and their organization as a whole. What exactly is a "change agent?" An agent is someone who represents the interests of another person or organization, and his or her job is to take care of business and make sure everything goes smoothly. Thus, a change agent helps take care of an employer's business by facilitating change.

Are you a change agent for your organization? Can others count on you to make sure things go smoothly? Do you continue to take care of business in the midst of change?

Although some employees have been conditioned to fear change, we must not lose sight of the fact that change is normal, and most of us will experience unpredictable changes in both our personal and professional lives. In the workplace, changes can occur as a result of new thinking, advances in technology, innovation and progress, knowledge and communication, as well as mergers, takeovers, layoffs, and downsizing. These organizational changes can directly affect our professional lives as well as our personal lives. They may also lead to feelings of sadness, frustration, grief, and anger, especially when jobs are lost or worse, when an entire organization ceases to exist. So let's discuss how we can make this normal life experience-change-as positive and beneficial as possible.
What's Wrong with Change?

Employers want commitment to change when it's necessary. Knowing that, then, why are so many people resistant to it? The number one reason is fear, although very few people are willing to admit it. None of us want to acknowledge that we doubt our ability to integrate new ideas, use new technology, or adapt to new organizations. We don't even want to think about what's ahead: new management, new ways of doing things, new terminology, new titles, and new job description. Fear can have several components:

1. Fear of the unknown: What will happen to my organization, my job, my life, as I know it now? How secure is my future?

2. Fear of not being in control: What should I do? Should I just wait around while they make decisions that could seriously affect my life?

3. Fear of being inadequate: I know how to do this job now, but will I be able to do it as well as they expect me to when everything has changed? And if I can't, what happens then?

4. Fear of moving outside your personal comfort zone: I've been doing my job this way for years, and I'm very good at it. Why do we have to change what has worked so well for so long?

No matter which category your fear falls in, one thing is for sure. The more we fight and resist the change, the more painful and frightening the changes will be. Resisting doesn't keep a new idea from taking hold; it simply makes the process longer and more painful. Change will happen no matter what. We will handle it better when we learn to move with the change-not against it. Plus, this is definitely not the time to drag your feet because managers are not inclined to take employees by the hand and lead them through the change process.

Communication is Key:
There is no doubt that employees often view change from a different perspective than their supervisors. Many employees believe that management doesn't understand their side of the story, and managers often feel it is the employees who don't understand why the change is necessary. This is why communication is so vital during any change circumstance.

It's been said that lack of communication is the number one reason why personal relationships can develop problems, and the same holds true for relationships between employers and employees. Change will require open communication on both sides. Unfortunately, fear has the power to freeze employees in their tracks and prevent them from expressing their ideas and opinions.

When faced with change we must always ask ourselves this important question: Does my resistance to change have anything to do with my own fears? That's a tough question and one that's not easy to answer honestly. It's natural to fear the unknown and lack of control. We know that we won't be quite as proficient at our tasks while we're in the process of learning to do things a new way. We know we will have to work a lot harder. Are we willing to let go of the present to embrace the future? We may not know what the future will bring, but we are responsible for what we bring to the future.

The Positive Side of Change:
If you routinely describe your current job as boring, mundane, or menial, then perhaps a change is good for you. One of the most positive aspects of change is that it is never boring. On the contrary, it can create passion. And passion-and the excitement, creativity, and energy that accompany it-is the spark that keeps us going.

Passion could be called the charge for our life's batteries. Without that charge, it's hard to get our engines revved up. That igniting charge is sparked by the challenge of change-learning new things, meeting new people, growing as professionals, and taking risks that push us to reach our potential. None of that can happen unless and until we are willing to experience the fear that inevitably arises when we move out of our comfort zones. No risk, no fear; no fear, no passion; no passion, no fun.

If we want passion back in our lives, we must be willing to meet the challenge of change. What might that mean for you? Perhaps it might involve going back to school, learning how to work with a computer, working with a team, taking on new responsibilities, or redefining a career path. If you want to remain employable, you may have to change more than just your attitude and your reaction to change. You may have to change some of your ideas and goals to create a better future for yourself.

Embrace Upcoming Changes:
Many people are content to live their lives by playing it safe. If fear, pain, and hard work are prerequisites of change, it's easier to understand why some people are so dedicated to resisting it. They might be good at giving all the best-sounding reasons why this particular change is not right for the department, the organization, the team, or the customer. However, their underlying concern may be their fear about how the change will affect them-their job-their lives.

If you've been reacting negatively to change, it's important to modify your attitude and your behavior before it's too late. Think about what you really want. Comfort at all costs? The status quo? The good old days? If those are the aspects you desire-if that's what you're waiting for-then you will probably soon be out of a job. If, instead, you want challenge and welcome change, you will always be employable.

Reprinted with permission from Your Success Ezine
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July 20, 2007
Success Is A Process by Jeffery Combs

We all have a desire to achieve some level of success. For some the desire is greater than the average person. Let's face it, everyone wants to be successful but very few are really willing to pay that price of W.E.I.T. (What Ever It Takes). I have assisted entrepreneurs through my seminars, workshops, and personal coaching programs for the past six years and I have found that there are a few key principles that assist people in achieving the levels of success that they deserve.

Success is an attitude. It is a posture that you take that states "I deserve to have it all." Success is attainable to all, yet so few achieve it. Success is a habit and has no real secrets. It all starts with your belief system. Your belief system starts with how you feel about yourself. Your own personal self-esteem is the key ingredient to so much of your success. You must first adopt a personal positive self-image of yourself. In networking your product is always going to be "YOU" and your second product is people. You are really marketing your confidence. This is why a positive self-image is so important, especially in your first conversation with your prospects. (You never get a second chance to make a first impression.) Forgiving yourself, other in your past, past mistakes & failures are paramount in your early journey to success. A key point to remember here is that you attract to your reality who and what you are. When you are positive and feel good about you, you attract like-minded individuals. The same holds true if you are negative in your thought processes. Your thought processes will always determine your bank account of love. It is essential that you learn to forgive, let go, and let go of your past. Many people drag their past into their present, which stops them from ever having a clear vision of their future.

Success is a process, not a payoff. You will pay your ten dollars at the door on your journey to success, and you will find out fast that there are no shortcuts. You will never be able to completely master every detail of your life. Attempting to do so will only lead to frustration. What will make the most difference is becoming the master of a few key principles that will allow you to have the fastest personal growth.

To accomplish this task you will begin to think exponentially rather than incrementally. (THINK BIG - ACT BIG) You must have uncommon thoughts to have uncommon results and a steady consistent plan of action. What I have found in over sixteen years of entrepreneurship is that very few people have a plan of action. "When you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." By "Plan of Action", what I am talking about is putting your goals down on paper where they are visible and you can get your hands on them to monitor your progress. You also have to have a very precise clear mental picture of where you are going on your journey to success. Make your goals reachable and realistic, yet big enough that you have to stretch to reach them. Along with goal setting, I recommend that you have a daily plan of action (Method of Operation) in place that you work from daily. If you are part-time, have down on paper exactly what you will do in the hours you commit to your enterprise. If you are full time do the same. Don’t over-promise to yourself. Put down on paper exactly what it is that you will do in the time you devote to your business. This will allow you to hold yourself accountable. Every night before you go to bed look over your daily method of operation and ask yourself how accountable you were to yourself today.

In working with over one thousand in the past six years as a personal coach, I have worked with people on developing a seven day game plan and then working it for four consecutive weeks (one FULL month). This teaches people how to become consistent. Consistent effort over a period of time coupled with personal growth will create consistent results. I also work with people on breaking networking down to what I call the "ridiculous". First of all, this is a numbers game and you will make up in numbers what you lack in skill. No matter what business or enterprises in networking you are in, the most important aspect will be collecting the results. By "breaking it down to the ridiculous", I am talking about taking enough action so that you sponsor or enroll 1 person or more a week if you are part-time, and two people or more a week if you are full-time.

This process of success will happen when you take consistent action, let go of your past, feel good about you and continually improve your internal communication.

Reprinted with permission from Your Success Ezine

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 July 19, 2007
The Power of Observation - How Learning From What You See Can Change Your Life
By Andrew Leigh

In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king. It's one of those sayings that seems universally acknowledged for its truth, and equally universally ignored. After all, haven't most people got two good eyes? The thing is, the saying isn't about how many eyes you've got, or how good they are, it's about how well you use them.

One of the strangest things about being a human is the way we have to unconsciously ignore most of the information available to our senses

We have to do this to continue functioning - otherwise we'd probably end up like those old fashioned sci-fi robots - all flashing lights, warning buzzers and smoke pouring from our ears as we shout overload - overload! Then of course, there'd be a sparky flash and we'd blow a fuse.

So the ability to be blind to most of what we see and deaf to most of what we hear is quite useful. It helps us get by in life.

Unfortunately there's a flip side, because we also miss a lot of very important stuff - and especially when it comes to our increasingly complex work environments, where office politics and competing personalities can leave us baffled and floundering.

Whatever our role we tend to be so busy just getting along that we rarely make the time to sit up and really take notice. So in this particular land of the blind we may well be with the blind. Those that have taken the time to properly look about them have a tremendous advantage over us.

Habit of not looking

It's an advantage that has been handed to them because while they have the habit of looking, we are in the habit of not looking, of not hearing - of not noticing. Making the decision to change that habit can offer immense paybacks. Many of my coaching clients have cited their new found observation habit as their key to unlocking their personal power and their ability to change things for the better.

Here are just a few of the benefits of enhanced observation skills:

· Better understanding of friends and rivals, bosses and staff

· Improved decision making skills

· Recognising and emulating 'success behaviour' (whatever your own definition of 'success' is)

· Learning the best ways to help people

· Learning the best ways to influence people · Finding new ways to solve persistent problems

· Seeing opportunities and problems before they happen

But isn't all this talk of observation a bit creepy, you may ask. If what we mean by observation is spying, I'd agree. However, every day observation skills need not be even remotely underhand. That's because the amazing and powerful things you are likely to notice are already plainly in view.

As Jonathan Swift said: vision is the art of seeing things invisible to others. And why does so much of what's in front of us seem invisible? Well, perhaps because people only see what they are prepared to see (Ralph Waldo Emerson), and because: what we see depends mainly on what we look for (John Lubbock).

Getting the Observation Habit.

Building the observation habit is surprisingly easy. It takes little more than choosing a focus for your budding observation skills, and the willingness to practice. I'd recommend focusing on one kind of event or one person at first. And it's also useful if there is some kind of challenge you wish to address. This might something like how to be more effective in meetings by observing behaviours and reactions, or perhaps how to communicate better with an awkward member of staff. It can also be very effective for learning to handle someone who intimidates you.

Once you get into the swing of being more observant you'll probably find an interesting by-product - it's actually great fun. In fact you can enjoy it so much that your observation habit can seem more like a hobby.

Use a Journal

If you want to get the best out of your enhanced vision I'd recommend one tool above all others - a journal. Journaling is a fantastic learning tool. It consolidates the things you've learned during the day and often leads to fantastic insights that you would never have had otherwise. How do you journal? Simply make yourself some quiet time and write about the new things you've seen, and what that means to you.

So - are you really happy to keep the blinkers on - or would you prefer to try a little experiment with your ability to really see what's going on around you? Start today. You'll be surprised.

Reprinted with permission from Ezine Articles.com

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July 18, 2007
Six Behaviors that Increase Self-Esteem by Denis Waitley

Following are six behaviors that increase self-esteem, enhance your self-confidence, and spur your motivation. You may recognize some of them as things you naturally do in your interactions with other people. But if you don't, I suggest you motivate yourself to take some of these important steps immediately.

First, greet others with a smile and look them directly in the eye. A smile and direct eye contact convey confidence born of self-respect. In the same way, answer the phone pleasantly whether at work or at home, and when placing a call, give your name before asking to speak to the party you want to reach. Leading with your name underscores that a person with self-respect is making the call.

Second, always show real appreciation for a gift or complement. Don't downplay or sidestep expressions of affection or honor from others. The ability to accept or receive is a universal mark of an individual with solid self-esteem.

Third, don't brag. It's almost a paradox that genuine modesty is actually part of the capacity to gracefully receive compliments. People who brag about their own exploits or demand special attention are simply trying to build themselves up in the eyes of others — and that's because they don´t perceive themselves as already worthy of respect.

Fourth, don't make your problems the centerpiece of your conversation. Talk positively about your life and the progress you're trying to make. Be aware of any negative thinking, and take notice of how often you complain. When you hear yourself criticize someone — and this includes self-criticism — find a way to be helpful instead of critical.

Fifth, respond to difficult times or depressing moments by increasing your level of productive activity. When your self-esteem is being challenged, don't sit around and fall victim to "paralysis by analysis." The late Malcolm Forbes said, "Vehicles in motion use their generators to charge their own batteries. Unless you happen to be a golf cart, you can't recharge your battery when you´re parked in the garage!"

Sixth, choose to see mistakes and rejections as opportunities to learn. View a failure as the conclusion of one performance, not the end of your entire career. Own up to your shortcomings, but refuse to see yourself as a failure. A failure may be something you have done — and it may even be something you'll have to do again on the way to success — but a failure is definitely not something you are.

Even if you're at a point where you're feeling very negatively about yourself, be aware that you're now ideally positioned to make rapid and dramatic improvement. A negative self-evaluation, if it's honest and insightful, takes much more courage and character than the self-delusions that underlie arrogance and conceit. I've seen the truth of this proven many times in my work with athletes. After an extremely poor performance, a team or an individual athlete often does much better the next time out, especially when the poor performance was so bad that there was simply no way to shirk responsibility for it. Disappointment, defeat, and even apparent failure are in no way permanent conditions unless we choose to make them so. On the contrary, these undeniably painful experiences can be the solid foundation on which to build future success.

-- Denis Waitley

Reprinted with permission from TheDenis Waitley Ezine

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July 17, 2007
Your Own Magnificent Obsession

All enduring motivation must ultimately come from within the individual. That is why the words empower and envision are so vital to team performance. It must be your inner power and your own personal vision that propels you, not that of your leader.

The success of your efforts depends not so much on the efforts themselves, but rather on your motive for doing them. The greatest companies and the greatest men and women in all walks of life have achieved their greatness out of a desire to express something within themselves that had to be expressed, a desire to solve a problem using their skills as best they could. This is not to say that many of these individuals did not earn a great deal of money and prestige for what they produced. Many did. But the key to their successes was that they were motivated more by an inner magnificent obsession, a passion, than by any thought of profit or identity.

You may recall from history that the exquisitely beautiful armless statue of Venus de Milo was carved by an unknown sculptor. When a farmer dug up the soon-to-be world-famous work of art while plowing his field, a renowned museum curator sadly reflected what a great pity it was that the sculptor would never be recognized by thousands of admirers, nor would he or she ever know how valuable the statue became hundreds of years later.

The farmer retorted that it must have been a labor of love for someone to be able to have envisioned such perfection and brought it forth with just a chisel and a shapeless piece of stone. "Just creating something of such quality," said the farmer, "would have been payment in full for me."

You can't commission a masterpiece. Human greatness can't be externally motivated. It must be compelled from within. A magnificent obsession is the way you want to live, not just the things you want to own. A magnificent obsession is the person you want to be, not the title on your office door or business card. A magnificent obsession is the mind-set that you have, not the diplomas or awards you earn. It is the worldview you claim as your own, not the collection of stamps on your passport. It is uniquely yours, like your fingerprint or handwriting.

Ask yourself this question: "If it weren’t for money, time and personal responsibilities, what would I really love to do with my life?" You and I need to answer it from our own individual perspectives, not simply answer "to help my company, family or country." In addition to these shared visions, autograph your career and life with your own signature.

By personalizing your passion, you will experience the unlimited power from within!

Denis Waitley

Reprinted with permission from TheDenis Waitley Ezine

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July 16, 2007
No Room for Excuses by Ron White

'The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.' You have heard it a million times. However, my guess is that you have never heard it from the mouth of the 'rich'. Instead, this echo has most likely bounced to your ear with its origins being an excuse. That is right... an excuse. Excuses are what many use to pacify their guilt of not accomplishing what they are capable of.

I am not suggesting that wealth is success. My inference is that success is the progressive realization of predetermined worthwhile goals. It may be something as simple as raising a family.

What do these names have in common?
Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
Bill Clinton

They were all President Of The United States, right? They were all the most powerful man in the world at one point. However, I am looking for something else...

Richard Nixon... Nixon was born in the home his father built. He won an award from Harvard his senior year of high school. However, his family was unable to afford his leaving home for college. He instead attended Whittier College.

Gerald Ford... Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King, Jr. In 1913 his mother left her abusive husband and took her son to live with her parents. She met Gerald R. Ford, whom she married and gave her child his name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He was the only President to be adopted. Ford worked in his stepfather's paint and varnish store growing up. He coached boxing during college to afford his tuition.

Jimmy Carter... He was the first member of his family ever to go to college and his father was a peanut farmer.

Ronald Reagan... Son of an alcoholic traveling shoe salesman. He worked his way into show business by broadcasting baseball games. At forty, he was divorced and his career was at a dead end.

Bill Clinton... Born William Jefferson Blythe IV, his father (a traveling salesmen) died in an automobile accident three months before he was born. His mother married Roger Clinton and Bill took that name. Clinton grew up in a turbulent family. His stepfather was a gambler and alcoholic who regularly abused his wife, and sometimes Clinton's half brother Roger.

None of these men were born into wealth and prosperity, yet they each achieved the rank of most powerful person in the world by working hard and not making excuses. That is 5 out of the last 7 Presidents or 71% of Presidents in the last generation born into normal families who struggled. Yet, they refused to use that as an excuse.

It is true that these men were healthy and had no physical handicaps. However, I encourage you to visit www.johnfoppe.com and watch his video. This speaker proves that there is no room for excuses, regardless of your lot in life.

Life is too short to make excuses. Set your goals and pursue them. If you have been dealt a 'worse' hand than another, it may indeed be a gift that teaches you the value of hard work. Your story will be richer and your success sweeter when you achieve your dreams. Maybe one day I will cast a vote for you as President of The United States!

Ron White

Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine

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July 15, 2007
Creating Your Character is Like an Artist Creating a Sculpture by Jim Rohn

Could creating your character be likened to an artist creating a sculpture? In my opinion, I believe that character is not something that just happens by itself, any more than a chisel can create a work of art without the hand of an artist guiding it. In both instances, a conscious decision for a specific outcome has been made. A conscious process is at work. Character is the result of hundreds and hundreds of choices you make that gradually turn who you are, at any given moment, into who you want to be. If that decision-making process is not present, you will still be somebody. You will still be alive, but may have a personality rather than a character.

Character is not something you were born with and can't change like your fingerprint. In fact, because you weren't born with it, it is something that you must take responsibility for creating. I don't believe that adversity by itself builds character and I certainly don't think that success erodes it. Character is built by how you respond to what happens in your life. Whether it's winning every game or losing every game. Getting rich or dealing with hard times. You build character out of certain qualities that you must create and diligently nurture within your