Posted 9/27/2002 by Josh Hinds

Zig Ziglar On The Lundy-Smiths

The Lundy-Smiths are a remarkable family from inner-city New Orleans. Susie Mae Lundy and husband, Willie J. Smith, a Baptist pastor, raised nine successful children. According to FORTUNE magazine, the parents set an entrepreneurial example built around commitment, faith and hard work. Each child grew up with assigned responsibilities. By age five the six boys were expected to hose down and sweep the driveway of the family's Exxon gas station and auto repair shop.

Larry Lundy, owner of 31 Pizza Hut outlets, says they knew that what the family ate at the end of the day was contingent upon what they did during the day. That kind of motivation is pretty easy to understand--and can be very effective.

Today, Michael is a Mobil Oil executive in Houston; Harold is president of Louisiana's Grambling State University; Mark and Wilton are psychiatric counselors in Houston; Nell is an elementary school teacher in Houston; Lloyd is a vice president at Goodwill Industries in Beaumont, Texas; Jackie is an emergency room nurse and Yolanda is an accountant, both in New Orleans.

All of them are hard-working, productive citizens and they started early. Back in 1978 all the kids led a fund-raising drive that raised about $65,000 to build the church their father now leads. These "kids" have also presented their parents with 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Yes, it looks like the American Dream is still alive for those who are willing to work hard and dream that American Dream, particularly if they have parents who guide and direct them early on. Think about it and I'll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
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Zig Ziglar offers a free weekly newsletter filled with more of his inspiring stories as well as practical ideas to help you in the areas of sales, marketing, customer service, and related topics. You can subscribe to the Zig Ziglar Newsletter by clicking here!

Posted 9/26/2002 by Josh Hinds

Who are you listening to?
By Jim Donovan

Have you ever noticed that there is no shortage of people willing to give you advice, whether or not you asked for it? I've developed some simple rules about from whom I will accept advice and suggestions.

I do not ask for heath advice from people who are sick, I do not ask for financial advice from people who are broke and I do not ask for business advice from people who are not in their own business.

Over the years I've watched hundreds of people go into a business venture and excitedly tell their family and friends about their new enterprise. Big mistake! How many of your friends and relatives own their own business? Probably few or none. While they may be well intentioned and have your best interests at heart, their lack of knowledge and their own fears can sabotage your new venture.

If you want advice or input about a business, find someone who is successfully running their own business and ask them. Ask several people so you can obtain an objective view. When your choosing mentors or role models, be sure to seek out those people who have been there.

Chose people who have "walked the walk" and have succeeded in doing what you want to do. This applies as much to health, finance, education, relationships and pretty much any area of your life.

If you want to be fit and healthy, do not seek advice from someone who is overweight, a smoker, and sick all the time. Find a fit and healthy person and model them. I know this sounds overly simple and obvious, but it never ceases to amaze me how many people are listening to and even following the advice of people who do not know what they are talking about.

They are sadly listening to the person who is stuck in a dead-end job telling them why a business idea will not work. They are listening to an overweight, sick person who is telling them that taking vitamins is a waste of money and they are listening to the person who is living paycheck to paycheck telling them how to become wealthy.

To ensure your success, make sure your role models are demonstrating in their own lives, the qualities you seek to develop.
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Jim Donovan is the author of the International bestsellers, Handbook To A Happier Life and This Is Your Life, Not A Dress Rehearsal. His articles, books and a free subscription to his newsletter are available by clicking here.

Posted 9/19/2002 by Josh Hinds

Habits
by Andrew Wood

Habits. We all have habits, some good ones and also some not-so-good-ones. You need to have certain habits and actions, each day that move you closer to your goals.

For example, if you save 10% of your income and invest it in mutual funds from the very first time you ever earn a wage you?ll be a millionaire 20 years ahead of the curve. It?s a fact that a hundred dollars a month saved between ages 20 and 30 amounts to more money, with cumulative interest, than 100 dollars a month saved between 30 and 55.

If you can teach this to your children while they are holding part-time jobs in their teens, then they will probably end up much wealthier than you when they reach your age. (Which can be great if you?re able to turn the tables and borrow money from them!)

You also have certain habits and actions that undoubtedly take you farther away from reaching your mission. If you lack education in certain subjects that would move your career forward, and you spend two hours of free time tonight watching a ball game, then you have taken a step backwards.

Someone, somewhere, who wants the same things you do, spent the same two hours at the library or at a seminar. They heard the score of the ball game when they got home. And they used the money they would have normally bet on the game to pay for the tuition of the seminar.

That?s one gamble they?ll always win. They took one small step forward while you did not. Unfortunately, most people have more steps backward rather than forward. Michael Jackson may have made a career out of doing this with his "Moonwalk", but for the rest of us we want to step forward. This will not happen to you, though, because you are a person of action. The same is true of life. What are some of the daily habits you now have that move you away from reaching your goals?

How much TV do you watch? Do you watch educational programs, or soaps and sitcoms? Do you read just the sports page and the comics? Do you sleep too much? Do you too little?

Take a few moments to recognize some of your negative habits, the ones that move you away from your goals! Write them down.

Now, take another couple of minutes to write down 3 habits you would like to form that would move you forward. Replace the negative habits with the ones that move you forward.

Make the change... no excuses. The power lies within you.
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Andrew Wood, is recognized worldwide as a business, marketing, leadership, and personal development expert. He is the author of The Millionaires Library, which delivers you the essence of knowledge from over 1000 business, sales, marketing, leadership, and personal development books in a single powerful set. To learn more about this life changing eManuel click here!

Posted 9/09/2002 by Josh Hinds

METRICS MAKE A DIFFERENCE--AND MONEY, TOO
By Michael Angier

Every enterprise has important numbers that should be monitored--and they’re not all financial.

If you operate a business, you’re required to maintain certain financial records in order to properly report your income and pay taxes. But most of these financials are too historic to really make good management decisions.

What’s needed are good metrics related to the most important things that affect our desired outcomes. By tracking the right metrics we can affect the changes we need to make in order to be successful.

You can’t change what you don’t measure and understand.

Interestingly enough, the simple act of measuring things seems to alter the numbers in the right direction. What we focus on expands and if we focus on the right things, we’ll start to see those numbers change the way we’d like them to.

Every business is different and it’s up to us to determine what needs measuring and how best to do it. Try brainstorming about what activities could be measured and then select those you think would be the most meaningful. If they prove not to be so valuable, try some others.

In a small business, paying people based on metrics rather than profits is usually much more effective. If you buy a new Mercedes and it’s a business expense, your incentives based on profit sharing are adversely affected. But if you base bonuses on agreed upon metrics the payoff and increased performance for employees occurs sooner. And it’s usually more fair.

Even if you’re not a business owner, you can find the best metrics to monitor what you do in your job. In doing so, you’ll be able to track things better and make changes that impact those numbers in a positive fashion. You can increase your own productivity as well as that of your department and everyone becomes more valuable.

Here’s an acrostic to help remember what good metrics can do for us:
M-easure
E-ssentials
T-o
R-apidly
I-ncrease
C-larity and
S-uccess

Clarity leads to power and the right metrics will gain that clarity for us.

Keep It Simple - Keep your metrics simple and easy to record and you’ll do more of it. I like to make a game out of it. The easier it is to do and the more fun it is, the more likely we are to follow through with this powerful process.

Programs like Excel and Access enable us to easily chart and graph our numbers so they become more meaningful and allow us to spot important trends.

You can even develop important metrics for your personal goals. Create ways to track the action steps needed to achieve your goals, and you’ll achieve them more easily and consistently. Monitor your income, outgo, net worth, your exercise program, your diet, your weight--anything that moves you toward your objectives.

Metrics work. Metrics matter. Metrics will make a difference if you use them. Because you CAN change what you measure and understand.
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(c) Copyright 1995-2002 Success Networks International. Success Net is a worldwide association committed to helping people become more knowledgeable, productive and effective. Their mission is to inform, inspire and empower people to be their best-personally and professionally. Free subscriptions, memberships, books and SuccessMark Cards. Visit the site through this link.

Posted 9/06/2002 by Josh Hinds

Not An Excuse For Laziness
by Bob Burg

To the "uninitiated", the philosophy of "Positive Persuasion" is sometimes thought of as somewhat unrealistic. "What!?", they'll ask, "Are you saying that being a nice person and honest with people will actually get you further than being crooked and nasty?"

Yes.

"But, c'mon Bob, what about those who are dishonest?"

Well, typically, that is not a problem. Remember this key point: "WWI has *nothing* to do with allowing oneself to be lied to, bullied, or otherwise taken advantage of. It's "Winning", not "losing" Without Intimidation. If we find ourselves "losing" (let's say, being taken advantage of), it is not *because* we were nice. It's typically because we were "lazy of mind." What do I mean by that?

I'd like to share something with you that happened to me about two years ago that I believe illustrates this point (and from which I hope others can learn). I had just arrived via airplane in a city with which I was not familiar. It was my third city on the trip and, by the time the plane touched down, I was exhausted.

My only thought was to get to the hotel and go to sleep. The taxi driver approached me and asked if I needed a ride. I said sure. We discussed fee, and it turned out that not only did he overcharge me, but he tricked me into giving him more money than that upon which we agreed (I learned both of these hours later. I won't go into the "scam" itself, which was later explained to me. Let's just say it was unfortunate that I paid with a large denomination). :-)

My point? This is so important: My getting "ripped off" or "taken" had absolutely, positively *nothing* to do with my being too nice a guy, too naive, or too anything else. It was plain *laziness* on my part, pure and simple. As I looked back on it afterwards, I remembered several clear warning signs and, being exhausted as I was, simply chose to not bother paying attention.

I could easily have checked out the standard fee before accepting the ride and paid more attention while receiving my change in order not to be scammed.

Lesson: I was not taken advantage of because I was too nice, but too lazy. Not because I was too trusting of this fellow, but simply too lazy.

This was not good. On the other hand, "gam zu le tovah" (all that happens is for the good). It taught me a great lesson! Be aware, not so much of others (although there is certainly a time and place for that... this was one of those times), but of yourself. Self-awareness is key. Living in the present is the key.

WWI works. Laziness does not... and I speak from first-hand experience. :-)

Have an awesome WINNING WITHOUT INTIMIDATION week!

Bob Burg
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JUST RELEASED: Own Bob's ebook, "Winning Without Intimidation"! Greatly expanded version of original. Get *what* you want, *when* you want it, and from *whom* you want it... with class, style and grace. From better relationships with your spouse and children, to handling your boss, the bureaucrat, the difficult neighbor, and even avoiding traffic tickets, this ebook has it all. To learn more visit by clicking here