SUCCESS in Minutes by Jim Rohn

Personal Philosophy Is Like the Set of the Sail   In the process of living, the winds of circumstances blow on us all in an unending flow that touches each of our lives. We have all experienced the blowing winds of disappointment, despair and heartbreak. Why, then, would each of us, in our own individual ship of life, all beginning at the same point, with the same intended destination in mind, arrive at such different places at the end of the journey? Have we not all been blown by the winds of circumstances and buffeted by the turbulent storms of discontent? What guides us to different destinations in life is determined by the way we have chosen to set our sail. The way that each of us thinks makes the major difference in where each of us arrives. The major difference is the set of the sail.

The same circumstances happen to us all. We have disappointments and challenges. We all have reversals and those moments when, in spite of our best plans and efforts, things just seem to fall apart. Challenging circumstances are not events reserved for the poor, the uneducated or the destitute. The rich and the poor have marital problems. The rich and the poor have the same challenges that can lead to financial ruin and personal despair. In the final analysis, it is not what happens that determines the quality of our lives; it is what we choose to do when we have struggled to set the sail and then discover, after all of our efforts, that the wind has changed directions. When the winds change, we must change. We must struggle to our feet once more and reset the sail in the manner that will steer us toward the destination of our own deliberate choosing. The set of the sail, how we think and how we respond, has a far greater capacity to destroy our lives than any challenges we face. How quickly and responsibly we react to adversity is far more important than the adversity itself. Once we discipline ourselves to understand this, we will finally and willingly conclude that the great challenge of life is to control the process of our thinking. Learning to reset the sail with the changing winds rather than permitting ourselves to be blown in directions we did not purposely choose requires the development of a whole new discipline. It involves going to work on establishing a powerful, personal philosophy that will help to influence in a positive way all that we do, think and decide. If we can succeed in this worthy endeavor, the result will be a change in the course of our income, lifestyle and relationships, and in how we feel about the things of value as well as the times of challenge. If we can alter the way we perceive, judge and decide upon the main issues of life, then we can dramatically change our lives.

North Houston Training Center Grand Opening Kick-off

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY (2 of 3) by Darren Hardy

In the last post we discovered the great sabotaging factor of your greater wealth (hint, it’s in the mirror). In this post I will suggest a few tools to help you get your finances back on the yellow brick road toward your pot of financial gold.

Most people’s financial life is like a runaway stagecoach, meaning they are completely out of control. Maybe even speedily heading in the wrong direction. And maybe headed for a cliff… without even knowing it.

So just like a runaway stagecoach, there are two very important things to do to regain control.

ONE: Get a Grip.

You have to first locate and grasp the reins. I find it shocking how few people have a financial budget—an accurate knowledge of what their monthly expenses and spending patterns are.

A Princeton research study reported less than 4 in 10 do. The other 60% have no idea how they are spending their money month to month (gasp!). Do you know? Right now, can you tell me what your total monthly expenses are?

If not, start grasping for your two reins now:

1) CASH FLOW

Get really clear on where it is all going. You might not even be aware of some of the leaks you have in your financial boat… or how small expenditures are adding up to big pitfalls. So, to find out where the leaks are and to promptly plug them, start tracking your spending.

Two tools I recommend: Quicken and/or Mint.com. I have found Mint.com to be extremely helpful in being able to easily, automatically and visually see where my finances are flowing and how my net worth is growing—week to week and month to month, from anywhere in the world—as it is stored on the Cloud.

2) NET WORTH

How much are you worth right now? If you don’t know off the top of your head, it isn’t good, and might be why your stagecoach has been traveling in the wrong direction.

Are you even sure what completes a personal financial statement and how to estimate your (true) net worth? If not, start there. If it hasn’t been updated recently, update it. To make this simple for you here is the personal financial statement template I use: Personal Financial Statement. It will guide you through the totaling up of your (accurate) current net worth.

TWO: Steer in the Right Direction

Now, like a runaway stagecoach, once you have a grip on the reins, it’s time to yank on them in the direction you actually want the stagecoach to go.

The next step is to start directing your finances toward the wealth-building goals you have. So, that suggests the first step to this is to HAVE some goals.

As Jim Rohn teaches, everyone should have a goal to become financially independent. I have a special clip I have pulled for you where Jim explains how to become financially independent. Find it here. Enjoy!
Financial Independence = No one having claim on your personal resources.

With my personal finances (beyond real estate) I don’t believe in carrying any debt (as in zero) whatsoever.

I never have. I was taught early on if you can’t afford it you can’t have it, period. I use a credit card, primarily for tracking and mileage reward incentives, but it is completely paid for each cycle. I never revolve credit.

If you are not there, get there quickly. Make that your first and most urgent priority. Eliminate every expense beyond your absolute BASIC survival needs until you have zero credit card debt.

Oh… no… you didn’t?!
It’s amazing to me when I know people who have thousands of dollars of credit card debt and I see them going out to dinner, go on vacation or go shopping for new clothes. Noooo! Am I saying if you have credit card debt you can’t treat yourself or have any fun? Yes! That’s exactly what I’m saying, if it costs MONEY (that you don’t have). Have all the fun you want if it’s FREE. What I am saying is you cannot afford treats or fun that costs money. Look, you already danced… no more dancing until the fiddler is fully paid up.

So, if you have any credit card debt, I want you to go through every single expenditure you have and eliminate or slash everything as deeply as possible and put yourself on a 100% spending freeze until you are credit card debt free. Harsh? Yes. Necessary? Yes. Your fault? Yes. Spending is an addiction. Stop it, cold turkey.

Now, once you are from behind the starting line and at least back at zero, now is time to take Jim’s advice of developing an economic or financial plan. Jim suggested figuring out HOW you want to live—modestly or extravagantly. That HOW will effect what your plan needs to be. As Jim said, it’s not the amount that counts; rather, it’s the plan that counts. Meaning, have a plan!

As Jim stated, “Financial independence is the ability to live from the income of your investments alone. Only then are you not working FOR the money.” So to figure out what your goal must be, simply do a quick algebraic equation.



Work the equation out to match your financial independence goal.

Now two tips to help you get there.

1) Increase your income… sounds obvious, but wait for it… WITHOUT increasing your lifestyle in equal proportion. THIS is why many people who even make a significant income STILL do not become wealthy. No matter how much money they make, their lifestyle (meaning expenditures) grows in equal proportion (sometimes even more) to their increased income.

More on this…
Now I am not saying not to enjoy the fruits of your labor; God knows I like nice things and nice experiences, but they should be a fixed percentage of your income. Some people who make $50,000 a year, then make $100,000 a year, find a way to increase their lifestyle by an additional $50,000. No, I am suggesting that if your discretionary spending is 10% and you go from $50,000 to $100,000 in income, then your discretionary spending increase should only be $5,000—THAT’S the difference… and for most people’s mindset and behavior, a BIG difference. Don’t fall into the trap Jim warned us about; he said, “If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep becomes your downfall.”

2) Pay yourself first (this is of course after you are recovered from any credit card debt). One of the oldest tips in the financial playbook, but one of the most violated: At least 10% of everything you make is yours to keep… to put in an investment fund toward your wealth plan. And your goal is also to increase this percentage.

More on this…
Fortune magazine reports that on average millionaires save more than 20% of their income. I’m sure that is part how they got there. To make sure this tip is executed I have found it is best to automate it—divert it BEFORE you even see it.” I have my account set up to take 20% of my monthly income and auto-deposit it into my investment account. I don’t have to think about it, make a choice to or not to do it and I never see that money in my regular banking accounts. I suggest setting up such a system for yourself. Money can burn a hole in your pockets (and your bank account), so be sure to pay yourself first. The best way to do that is to do it without thinking about it.

So, in conclusion, make a decision to be wealthy. People become wealthy because they decide to become wealthy. Those who believe they can become wealthy and are worthy of great financial wealth are the ones who will be. Because they believe this completely, they act accordingly. They consistently take the necessary actions that turn their beliefs into realities. Decide now that you are worthy of great wealth and it will be your first step toward great prosperity. Your mindset—your attitude—will determine your destiny.

Now… in the next post I will tell you what THE greatest investment opportunity is today! These are times of great uncertainty. But with uncertainty there is great opportunity—if you get tipped off. With the shake-up of the stock market, the housing market, the commodities market, the bond market, etc., one investment opportunity has opened up and can return several times your money, almost immediately, but certainly within the first quarter of earning reports. This will be the best investment tip you have ever gotten—I can promise that! I’ll let you in on it… next week.

What are your best wealth-management and growth practices? Share them with all of us in the comments below.

Seeds of SUCCESS by Jim Rohn

Education/Learning

Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.

We must learn to apply all that we know so that we can attract all that we want.

Learning is the beginning of wealth. Learning is the beginning of health. Learning is the beginning of spirituality. Searching and learning is where the miracle process all begins.

If someone is going down the wrong road, he doesn’t need motivation to speed him up. What he needs is education to turn him around.

Don’t see the mind for more than it is, but don’t misread it for all that it can be.

Sharpen your interest in two major subjects: life and people. You will only gather information from a source if you are interested in it.

Education must precede motivation.

While you are in school, make sure you get the information. What you think about it, that’s up to you. What you are going to do with it that will soon be up to you. But while you are there, make sure you get it. In fact, my advice is, don’t leave school without it!

Never begrudge the money you spend on your own education.

If you step up the self-education curve, you will come up with more answers than you can use.

"Vitamins for the Mind" is a weekly sampling of original quotes on a specific topic taken from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn. The burgundy hardbound book with gold-foil lettering is a collection of more than 365 quotes on 60 topics gathered from Jim's personal journals, seminars and books and spanning more than 40 years.

SUCCESS in Minutes by Jim Rohn

How to Turn Nothing into Something    Have you ever wondered how to turn nothing into something? First, in order to turn nothing into something, you've got to start with some ideas and imagination. Now, it might be hard to call ideas and imagination nothing; but how tangible are those ideas? That is a bit of a mystery. I don't believe that ideas that can be turned into a hotel, ideas that can be turned into an enterprise, ideas that can be turned into a new vaccine or ideas that can be turned into some miracle product, should be called nothing. But tangibly, you have nothing. Interesting! Think of it; ideas that become so powerful in your mind and in your consciousness that they seem real to you even before they become tangible. Imagination that is so strong, you can actually see it. When I built my first home for my family in Idaho all those years ago, before I started construction, I would take my friends

and associates out to the vacant property and give them a tour of the house. Is that possible? Is it possible to take someone on a tour through an imaginary house? And the answer is, "Yes, of course." "Here is the three-car garage," I used to say, and my friends would look and say, "Yes, this garage will hold three cars. " I could really make it "live." I would take them on a tour throughout the house…. "Here is the fireplace, and look, this side is brick and the other side is stone." I could make it so real…. "Follow me through the rest of the house. Take a look through the picture window here in the kitchen, isn't the view great?" One day, I made the house so real that one of my friends bumped his elbow on the fireplace. I mean, it was that real. So, the first step of turning nothing into something is to imagine the possibilities. Imagine all of the possibilities. One of the reasons for seminars, sermons, lyrics from songs and testimonials of others is to give us an idea of the possibilities; to help us imagine and to see the potential. Now here is the second step for turning nothing into something: You must believe that what you imagine is possible for you. Testimonials, like "If I can do it, you can do it," often become a support to our belief. And we start believing. First we imagine it's possible. Second, we start to believe that what's possible is possible for us. We might also believe because of our own testimonial. Here is what your testimonial might say: "If I did it once, I can do it again. If it happened for me before, it could very well happen again." So we believe not only the testimonials of others who say, "If I can do it, you can do it; If I can change, you can change; If I can start with nothing, you can start with nothing; If I can turn it all around, you can turn it all around." Then we also have the support of our own testimonial, if we've accomplished something before. "If we did it once, we can do it again. If we did it last year, we can do it this year." So those two things together are very powerful. Now, we do not have actual substance yet, although it is very close. Again, step one is to imagine the possibilities. Step two is to imagine that what is possible is possible for you. Here is what we call step two: faith to believe. In fact, one writer said this, "Faith is substance." An interesting word: "substance," the powerful ability to believe in the possibilities that are possible for you. If you have faith to believe, that faith is substance, substance meaning "a piece of the real." Now it's not "the real," it's not this podium, but it is so powerful that it is very close to being real, and so the writer said, "The faith is a piece of, the substance of." He then goes on to call it evidence, substance and evidence. It is difficult to call substance and evidence "nothing." It is nothing in the sense that it cannot be seen except with the inner eye. You can't get a hold of it because it isn't yet tangible. But it is possible to turn nothing, especially ideas and imaginations, into something if you believe that it is now possible for you. That substance and evidence becomes so powerful that it can now be turned into reality. So the first step is to imagine what is possible, the second is to have the faith to believe that what is possible is possible for you. And now the third step is that you go to work to make it real. You go to work to make it a hotel. You go to work to make it an enterprise. You go to work and make it good health. You go to work and make it an association. You go to work and make it a good marriage. You go to work and make it a movement. You make it tangible. You make it viable. You breathe life into it and then you construct it. That is such a unique and powerful ability for all of us human beings. Put this to work and start the miracle process today!

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY (1 of 3) by Darren Hardy

When I asked a friend, who was wearing his smile upside down, what was troubling him, that was his answer, “Money, money, money!”
Seems to be the same answer if you ask what’s troubling Wall Street, the housing market, the unemployment rate, political campaigns, charitable endeavors, corporate quarterly earnings, small-business startups and the strife between husband and wife:

Money, money, money!


So, let’s talk about it.

Money—love it or hate it, you need it. Best you get buddy-buddy with it. Promptly.

Aside from temporary setbacks and extraordinary fortunes of inheritance or luck, if you want to know how someone feels about himself or herself—look at their bank account.

If you want to know how someone feels about himself or herself—look at their bank account.

Money is one of the greatest measurements of one’s mindset. As Jim Rohn says, “Your net worth will seldom exceed your self worth.” This is probably why there is so much emotion and psychosis tied to people’s relationship with money. It can be very revealing.

Thus, if you want to fix your money problems, get your head examined.

It’s your mindset and attitude about money that will either draw it in to you… or repel it away from you.

What’s in Your Head Determines What’s in Your Wallet

In this three-part series, I am going to help you acquire the attitude and mindset of financial abundance.
If you want more money, here is where to look… within… or it is likely to become self-evident that you will go without.

In the book The Instant Millionaire by Mark Fisher, the old millionaire asks the boy who has sought his advice about becoming a millionaire, “Why aren’t you rich already?”

That is a good question to ask yourself. You live in an era of unprecedented wealth and opportunity. It has never been easier, and more people have become wealthy in the last 20 years than during any other time in human history. Why haven’t you?

Your answer to this question will reveal a lot about yourself. Your answers will expose your excuses, rationalizations, justifications and maybe some self-limiting beliefs, doubts and fears.

Hey, remember, you don’t read this blog for me to take it easy on you and to skirt around the issue. I think you appreciate me giving it to you straight, right?

It’s time to reprogram your mental hard drive. One of the greatest limitations to achieving financial abundance is a deep-seated belief that somehow money is wrong and that people who have a lot of it are inherently manipulative, conniving and/or evil. This belief is fiction. It goes back to early childhood conditioning, when the growing child is often told this by those who are jealous of others and want to rationalize away their own financial failures.

Contrary to the sourpuss creed: Money is the root of all good. It takes money to build hospitals, churches, shelters and charities. Money is also needed to buy homes, cars, clothes, food, education, vacations and other glorious experiences in life. Life is limitless abundance.

The other side of the dollar bill
To gain money is not to take it away from someone else. Money is granted to the creator, the one who has built something where nothing existed before. Money is the tool of exchange for production. Money is earned only by the producer. Wealth is the material shape of value that was created by effort and applied discipline. Money has energy of its own and it is largely attracted to people who understand its virtues and respect its power.
Money tends to flow toward those people who can use it in the most productive ways to produce valuable goods and services, and who can invest it to create employment and opportunities that benefit others. At the same time, money flows away from those who use it poorly, or who spend it in nonproductive ways.

Here’s what might be pushing money away from you: your attitude.

Your attitude about money is either attracting money to you or pushing it away. If we build a negative relationship with the dollar bill, it’s reflected in our thoughts, feelings and actions.

Let me identify for you the most destructive and costly attitude there is: worry.

Worry will push money away from you. Worry is a fear emotion. Fearful thoughts deplete your creative energies, inhibiting your ability to make smart choices and take progressive action, which ends up pushing you farther away from prosperity.

Now let me give you the antidote to worry: gratitude.

When we have an attitude and belief of abundance we attract money toward us. This isn’t any voodoo secret, it is plain and simple—you see what you are looking for and expect to find.

When we are confident about money, grateful for what we have, that changes how we see things; how we talk, act and interact. This mindset, outlook and behavior also stimulate your inner creativity and attract other like-minded people and circumstances that come with money-making insights and opportunities.

Positive, ambitious, abundant-minded people like to associate with and do business with like kind. They avoid those with nervous or pessimistic attitudes about what’s possible. Once you feel thankful for all you have, you will feel instantly wealthy. Once you feel wealthy you will continue to think wealthy and act wealthy, and it will charge up the magnet that will attract more and more wealth to you.

In the next post I will give you some tools on how to get a grip on your finances and chart a course toward sustainable wealth and prosperity. To additionally help you with this very important topic I will bring in my mentor, Mr. Jim Rohn, with a special audio excerpt on how to create an economic and financial plan to achieve financial independence. You won’t want to miss that!

Why aren’t you wealthy already? What has been your greatest limitation (take full responsibility, no blaming)? What will you do about it now? Proclaim your change in the comments below.

Seeds of SUCCESS by Jim Rohn

Activity/Labor

You must learn to translate wisdom and strong feelings into labor.

The miracle of the seed and the soil is not available by affirmation; it is only available by labor.

Make rest a necessity, not an objective. Only rest long enough to gather strength.

Without constant activity, the threats of life will soon overwhelm the values.

The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.

For every promise, there is a price to pay.

"Vitamins for the Mind" is a weekly sampling of original quotes on a specific topic taken from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn. The burgundy hardbound book with gold-foil lettering is a collection of more than 365 quotes on 60 topics gathered from Jim's personal journals, seminars and books and spanning more than 40 years.

SUCCESS in Minutes by Jim Rohn

What Constitutes a Good Life?

The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. The ultimate expression of life is not a Mercedes. The ultimate expression of life is not a million dollars or a bank account or a home. Here's the ultimate expression of life in my opinion, and that is living the good life. Here's what we must ask constantly, "What for me would be a good life?" And you have to keep going over and over the list. A list including areas such as spirituality, economics, health, relationships and recreation. What would constitute a good life? I've got a short list.

1) Number one, productivity. You won't be happy if you don't produce. The game of life is not rest. We must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity. What's the reason for the seasons and the seeds, the soil and the sunshine, the rain and the miracle of life? It's to see what you can do with it—to try your hand. Other people have tried their hand; here's what they did. You try your hand to see what you can do. So part of life is productivity.

2) Next are good friends. Friendship is probably the greatest support system in the world. Don't deny yourself the time to develop this support system. Nothing can match it. It's extraordinary in its benefit. Friends are those wonderful people who know all about you and still like you. A few years ago, I lost one of my dearest friends. He died at age 53—heart attack. David is gone, but he was one of my very special friends. I used to say of David that if I was stuck in a foreign jail somewhere accused unduly and if they would allow me one phone call, I would call David. Why? He would come and get me. That's a friend. Somebody who would come and get you. Now we've all got casual friends. And if you called them they would say, "Hey, if you get back, call me and we'll have a party." So you've got to have both, real friends and casual friends.

3) Next on the list of a good life is your culture. Your language, your music, the ceremonies, the traditions, the dress. All of that is so vitally important that you must keep it alive. In fact it is the uniqueness of all of us that when blended together brings vitality, energy, power, influence, uniqueness and rightness to the world.

4) Next is your spirituality. It helps to form the foundation of the family that builds the nation. And make sure you study, practice and teach. Don't be careless about the spiritual part of your nature; it's what makes us who we are, different from dogs, cats, birds and mice. Spirituality.

5) Next, here's what my parents taught me. Don't miss anything. Don't miss the game. Don't miss the performance, don't miss the movie, don't miss the show, don't miss the dance. Go to everything you possibly can. Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can. Go see everything and experience all you possibly can. This has served me so well to this day. Just before my father died at age 93, if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11:00 at night, he wouldn't be home. He was at the rodeo, he was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to the concert, he was at church, he was somewhere every night.
Live a vital life. Here's one of the reasons why. If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well it will show in your face, it will show in the texture of your voice. There will be something unique and magical about you if you live well. It will infuse not only your personal life but also your business life. And it will give you a vitality nothing else can give.

6) Next are your family and the inner circle. Invest in them and they'll invest in you. Inspire them and they'll inspire you. With your inner circle take care of the details. When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every morning with the farmers. Little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho. So Papa would go there and have breakfast and I'd call him just to give him a special day. Now if I was in Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night, but it only took five minutes, ten minutes. So I'd call Papa and they'd bring him the phone. I'd say, "Papa, I'm in Israel." He'd say, "Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?" He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear. “My son's calling me from Israel!” I'd say, "Papa, last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." He'd say, "Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." Now everybody knows the story. It only took five or ten minutes, but what a special day for my father, age 93.

If a father walks out of the house and he can still feel his daughter's kiss on his face all day, he's a powerful man. If a husband walks out of the house and he can still feel the imprint of his wife's arms around his body, he's invincible all day. It's the special stuff with the inner circle that makes you strong and powerful and influential. So don't miss that opportunity. Here's the greatest value. The prophet said, "There are many virtues and values, but here's the greatest, one person caring for another." There is no greater value than love. Better to live in a tent on the beach with someone you love than to live in a mansion by yourself. One person caring for another, that's one of life's greatest expressions.

So make sure in your busy day to remember the true purpose and the reasons you do what you do. May you truly live the kind of life that will bring the fruit and rewards that you desire.

Building Great Teams (3 of 3) by Darren Hardy

(If you missed them, here are posts #1 and #2)

We’ve learned that great teams beat great players, leaders and competitors every time. We found that the most sabotaging influence to team cohesion and performance is ego and “headwind hogging.” Now let me identify the two most important ingredients for building high-performing teams.

TRUST

As Patrick Lencioni wrote in his excellent book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, the No. 1 dysfunction is an absence of trust. Interestingly, you don’t even need to like each other, but you do have to trust each other to form the cohesion and solidarity needed for high performance.

So what do you do to build more trust?


I’m a believer in always giving what you want first. If you want trust from your team, give trust first.

Things that foster trust are transparency, honesty, vulnerability and complete integrity.

Brainstorm five ways you can demonstrate trust to your team.

Thought starters:

Open the Kimono: Open up your books. Share the good, the bad and the ugly of your financial statements.
Become far more transparent with how information is shared and communicated.

Marionette No More: Drop the puppet strings. Give others more responsibility and decision-making power without micromanagement and approvals. Train, but then trust them. Let them lead.

Expose Your Chest: As my friend Waldo Waldman teaches about leadership, “expose your chest to daggers,” meaning, show your vulnerability first. Be more open and honest in the disclosure of your own fears, failures and shortcomings.

Remember, people relate and connect more with your struggles than your successes. What do you fear?

When do you feel scared? When have you tried and failed? When does your confidence waver? Share that with your team and you will witness the veil of false posture lifted from your team.

Perform Pancreaticoduodenectomies: This is the surgery you need if you have pancreatic cancer—one of the most deadly of all cancers. Cancer in your team is gossip, negative talk, the “meeting after the meeting” and separate alliances or factions within the team. First, never do such things yourself. Second, stop others whenever they do them. Cancer cannot be tolerated; it has to be killed and surgically cut out before it becomes too widespread. Left too long it will destroy the whole body (team).

Be Worthy: To be trusted you first must be trustworthy. Demonstrate you are by doing what you say you will do and being where you say you will be precisely when you say you will be there. Deliver on your promises and be the example you want everyone else to follow. Simple, easy and pretty straightforward, right? Why do so many screw this one up, then? Baffles me.

Decide your five and start doing them this week.

Want to have a killer 2012? In this free video I reveal a strategy I used to generate more business the first 90days of a new year than most my competitors did ALL year. Here’s how to get a sneaky head start: Watch video on this page

APPRECIATION

“Perhaps no human need is more neglected in the workplace than to feel valued,” as written in The Way We Are Working Isn’t Working by Tony Schwartz. Feeling significant is as basic as food. This begins at birth and never goes away. The need for significance at work is a manifestation of our inborn hunger for meaning in our lives.

Here’s the trick, though: Just like I learned in marriage, people have different “love languages,” and have different ways of feeling valued and appreciated. If you just do it as you would want it done, there’s a great chance you will be wrong and miss the mark completely. The answer is to ASK them (same goes for your spouse).

Do This: Pick five people on your team. Sit down with each of them and explain how much you appreciate them, but are unsure how to express that fully, correctly or in the manner which matters most to them. Ask them when in the past they have felt the most appreciated and what they would like to see from you.

Decide your five and start doing that this week.

There you have it—the formula for building fantastically successful teams. Do just 20 percent of what we talked about here and you will greatly improve the performance of your team. Diligently work on all of it and you and your team will be unstoppable in your industry. Go for unstoppable!

What ways do you or will you demonstrate trust in, and appreciation for, your team? Share your comments below.

Seeds of SUCCESS by Jim Rohn

Problem Solving

To solve any problem, there are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, whom could I ask?

The real problem is usually two or three questions deep. If you want to go after someone's problem, be aware that most people aren't going to reveal what the real problem is after the first question.

Neil Armstrong once said, "You only have to solve two problems when going to the moon: first, how to get there; and second, how to get back. The key is don't leave until you have solved both problems."

Never attack a problem without also presenting a solution.

The best place to solve a problem is on paper.



Andriod Tablet April Promotion Winner

CONGRATULATIONS!! TO  MC SALESTRIA ROBERTSON

She is the WINNER of the Andriod Tablet April Promotion...

We are so excited about this promotion that we decided to run it again for
May 2012.

CLICK HERE for this month's promo details.

 

 

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE, SO MAKE SURE YOUR
UPLINE "CODED" SC & EC ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROMOTION.

 

 

We are also planning other giveways for our future promotions like
Widescreen TV's, GPS systems, Laptops and more...

SUCCESS in Minutes by Jim Rohn

Facing the Enemies Within

We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you've read in the papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o'clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won't need to live in fear of it.

Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us.

Let me tell you about five of the other enemies we face from within. The first enemy that you've got to destroy before it destroys you is indifference. What a tragic disease this is. "Ho-hum, let it slide. I'll just drift along." Here's one problem with drifting: you can't drift your way to the top of the mountain.

The second enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a better future. Take a sword to this enemy.

The third enemy inside is doubt. Sure, there's room for healthy skepticism. You can't believe everything. But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worst of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it.

The fourth enemy within is worry. We've all got to worry some. Just don't let it conquer you. Instead, let it alarm you. Worry can be useful. If you step off the curb in New York City and a taxi is coming, you've got to worry. But you can't let worry loose like a mad dog that drives you into a small corner. Here's what you've got to do with your worries: drive them into a small corner. Whatever is out to get you, you've got to get it. Whatever is pushing on you, you've got to push back.

The fifth interior enemy is over-caution. It is the timid approach to life. Timidity is not a virtue; it's an illness. If you let it go, it'll conquer you. Timid people don't get promoted. They don't advance and grow and become powerful in the marketplace. You've got to avoid over-caution.

Do battle with the enemy. Do battle with your fears. Build your courage to fight what's holding you back, what's keeping you from your goals and dreams. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.

Building Great Teams (2 of 3) by Darren Hardy

(If you missed it, here’s post #1)

The Single Most Sabotaging Force of Team Performance
When a duck falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone. Left out of formation for too long it will eventually tire out and drop out completely.

We see this happen on sports teams when one player tries to showboat and carry the game. Eventually the headwind of trying to fly alone will wear him down and the opposition will prevail.

You saw Mark Cuban on our November cover of SUCCESS. His Dallas Mavericks faced the Miami Heat for the 2011 NBA Championship. The Heat demonstrated a prime example of this sabotaging force. Many argued that never had more individual talent been assembled (and paid for) on a single team in the history of the NBA as was on the 2011 Miami Heat. They had the “three kings,” or whatever they called themselves (that had to be a clue).



Meanwhile the Dallas Mavericks, while they obviously had good players, didn’t have nearly the individual superstar/celebrity talent the Heat had. The championship should have been a blowout. And it was.

Teamwork blew out talent 4 games to 2.

While the Miami Heat had more ‘eagles,’ let’s say, the Dallas Mavericks played as a unified flock, or team, and beat the Heat decisively. That is the power of teamwork and that is the detriment individual egos can be, sabotaging the greatness of a team.

The important team lesson here: No one member of your team can or should be taking the headwind all the time. Just like a duck, he or she has to have the humility and the ego strength to rotate to the back of the formation so another duck can take the lead position to keep the flock moving at top speed.

I have shared the keynote presentation I did for the EXPERTS Industry Association.

You can watch it here.

Contents of the presentation include:
> How I developed my message – key ideas on how to develop yours.

> Conclusion to a several month study I commissioned to DECODE the marketing magic of Steve Jobs and Apple: 6 specific strategies responsible for them becoming the most valuable brand in the world.

> And the specific process and sequence I use for skill development – something you can use for yourself and in developing your team.

I suggest watching it when you are relaxed (not working) and can view it all the way through.

Think about it. How often, as leaders, do we not recognize how many other leaders we have behind us?

Others who want to also be leaders and share in our burdens? Leaders that, if given the opportunity, may be able to take your group to a higher level not yet obtained?

Sometimes, true leadership is to know when to step aside to let someone else lead for awhile. Then, stand by that new leader and offer support and encouragement.

And therein lies another lesson from the duck. When in formation, the ducks quack from behind to encourage those up front.

How often do we encourage those who are leading us? We need to make sure that our “quacking” from behind is encouraging—not something less helpful or damaging.

How about this one: Did you know that when a duck gets sick or wounded, two ducks will drop out of formation and follow it down to help protect it? They stay with the wounded duck until it is either able to fly again or dies. Then, they launch out to join another formation or work together to catch up with the flock.

Beautiful isn’t it?

Are we standing by the people around us when they are in need? Or do we turn a blind eye and say, “Oh that sucks for you, duck”? Being part of a team is being there in the good times and the bad.

Takeaway action items:

• Are you hogging the leadership ball? Think of several people and several ways you can have others take the lead. Then be sure you are there to quack encouragement all along the way.
• Are you taking care of the entire flock? Is there someone you need to be there for, helping them heal some personal hurts?

Share your ideas and tips in the comments below on how you pass the ball to your teammates so they, too, can take the lead.

Seeds of SUCCESS by Jim Rohn

 

 

 

 

Health

Some people don't do well simply because they don't feel well.

Some people take better care of their pets than they do themselves. Their animals can run like the wind and they can barely make it up a flight of stairs.

Make sure the outside of you is a good reflection of the inside of you.

Treat your body like a temple, not a woodshed. The mind and body work together. Your body needs to be a good support system for the mind and spirit. If you take good care of it, your body can take you wherever you want to go, with the power and strength and energy and vitality you will need to get there.

Take good care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.

SUCCESS in Minutes by Jim Rohn

Doing the Remarkable When it comes to meeting and conquering the negativity in your life, here is a key question: What can you do, starting today, that will make a difference? What can you do during economic chaos? What can you do when everything has gone wrong? What can you do when you've run out of money, when you don't feel well and it's all gone sour? What can you do? Let me give you the broad answer first. You can do the most remarkable things, no matter what happens. People can do incredible things, unbelievable things, despite the most impossible or disastrous circumstances. Here is why humans can do remarkable things: because they are remarkable. Humans are different than any other creation. When a dog starts with weeds, he winds up with weeds. And the reason is because he's a dog. But that's not true with human beings. Humans can turn weeds into gardens.

Humans can turn nothing into something, pennies into fortune, and disaster into success. And the reason they can do such remarkable things is because they are remarkable. Try reaching down inside of yourself; you'll come up with some more of those remarkable human gifts. They're there, waiting to be discovered and employed.

With those gifts, you can change anything for yourself that you wish to change. And I challenge you to do that because you can change. If you don't like how something is going for you, change it. If something isn't enough, change it. If something doesn't suit you; change it. If something doesn't please you, change it. You don't ever have to be the same after today. If you don't like your present address, change it—you're not a tree!

If there is one thing to get excited about, it's your ability to make yourself do the necessary things, to get a desired result, to turn the negative into success. That's true excitement.

Building Great Teams (1 of 3) by Darren Hardy

Nature Gives Us Clues
If you were going to pick a model from nature for how to create and operate as a great team, which animal would you pick?
How about lions, tigers, hippos or bears?
Those species are known to eat their young, or the new guy or gal on the team, in our analogy. That doesn’t make for good team building!


How about wolves or hyenas?

These animals are known to constantly have ego fights for dominance—definitely not good for trust and the morale of a team.

How about salmon?

Certainly their long struggle to swim upstream in dedication to duplicate (procreate) the team has to be a good role model, right? Yeah, well, the only problem is, once they have finally done the quiver (seriously, that’s what they do—they align themselves next to each other and “quiver” while they each do their part of the act), they die. That can’t be good if every time new people are brought into your team the leaders die.

So salmon are out.

I know what you are thinking… eagles, right?

Eagles are good role models for soaring to individual heights, but they are poor team players. They are known to be territorial, pretty hostile toward one another and constantly stealing prey from one another.

Get this… momma eagle usually lays two eggs and most often the bigger of the two siblings (which is usually the female, as they come out bigger) kills the other sibling while mom looking on (harsh, right?). No, you don’t want the new recruits killing each other or the leaders stealing sales and clients from each other. Eagles, team players? Not so much.

No, the animal species you want to learn from and emulate in working together as a team are… ducks.

Ducks, because they work together to accomplish feats that seem unimaginable and impossible for most any other animal.

Ducks fly distances of hundreds or even thousands of miles, a distance almost no other animal can travel and it’s possible only because they do it as a team.

As you know, ducks fly together in formation. As each duck flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird following and that is perpetuated throughout their V formation. Each duck takes its turn leading the flock in flight. When the lead duck gets tired, it fades from the front and is enveloped back into the fold of the flock and naturally another bird takes the lead. By working together, the whole flock adds 71% more flying range than if each bird flew alone.



Like ducks, people naturally gravitate toward organizations that will shelter and protect them and make their life easier than if they were left to fend for themselves. I have found that people want to belong; they want to be a part of a team. It gives them a sense of purpose, where they can be a part of something bigger than themselves.

I also find that most people perform to their greater potential when on a team than when on their own. They rise to meet the expectations of the team; if left alone to their own motivations, they wouldn’t push themselves nearly as hard.

I find that lots of people do more for the recognition of others than for their own satisfaction. Thus, team environments are a powerful force for drawing out the best within our individual potentials for achievement.

Amazing feats are created when the collective whole becomes greater than the sum of the individual parts. That occurs when teamwork is working well.

So in business, people who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier when they travel on the thrust of one another.

As leaders, it is our job to cast the vision and enroll others to share in that vision. As teams, we need to help one another and to offer encouragement and support as the success of the individual creates uplift for the rest of the flock… or team.

Over the next few posts I will reveal the single most sabotaging factor of why teams even made up of great people will fail, and the two most important ingredients for building great teams who perform way beyond their individual capabilities.

Do you perform better when supported and challenged by teammates? Why? What has been your experience? Please share in the comments below.

Vitamins For The Mind - SUCCESS Magazine

This Month's SUCCESS Line-up

This Month's Focus: 

Marketing