Posted 11/29/2002 by Josh Hinds

Decision Is Destiny
by Steve Goodier

"Mommy, what happens when a car gets too old and banged up to run?" a little girl asked. "Well," her mother said, "someone sells it to your father."

I think I have bought a couple of cars like that! Like most people, my life is punctuated by decisions that did not turn out the way I'd hoped. But we cannot always be expected to make the best decisions. Sometimes we simply don't have enough information. And other times, there just isn't a good decision anywhere to be found! All we can really do is make decisions the best way we know how and act on them. Things change only when decisions change.

Before his rise to political fame, Maryland Congressman Kweisi Mfume walked a path of self-destruction. He dropped out of high school. A few years later, he robbed a pedestrian in order to join a street gang. Mfume spent the following years drinking and troublemaking with the gang.

A turning point came one summer night when he abruptly decided he could no longer continue on his present course. He decided to earn his high school equivalency certificate and later graduated magna cum laude from Morgan State University in Baltimore. He then went on to earn a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins University.

When Mfume ran for Congress in 1986, his opponents tried to use his old mistakes against him. But his achievements since he left a troubled past behind captivated an electorate who voted him into office by an overwhelming 87 percent. He was on a collision course with total failure until he made a decision.

What changes your life is not learning more, though education is important. What changes your life is making decisions - the best decisions you can make - and acting on them. It's been accurately said: "Your decisions determine your direction, and your direction determines your destiny." Or put another way, "The decisions you make, make you."
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Article submitted by Steve Goodier -- You can learn more about Steve at http://www.LifeSupportSystem.com, as well as find information about speaking engagements and personal coaching.

Posted 11/27/2002 by Josh Hinds

Update: If you're a Jim Rohn fan then you'll want to hop over to the new Jim Rohn Library of articles and essays I just added to the site. Enjoy, Josh :o)

Posted 11/26/2002 by Josh Hinds

Afloat in A Sea of Abundance
By Rebecca Fine

In the days of the mighty sailing ships, when brave souls voyaged into the unknown, dependent on the winds and their as-yet incomplete knowledge of geography and navigation, one of the greatest and most dangerous challenges was to traverse the area known as "the doldrums."

Extending about 30 degrees on either side of the equator, the doldrums are subject to days, weeks, even months of no wind at all. After a long and difficult crossing from Europe to South America, lying becalmed in the doldrums -- with no land in sight and with the ship's supply of fresh water dwindling -- was a terrible and life-threatening situation.

But history and legend offer us some fascinating insights into the power of our own thinking and belief. Back then no one had yet figured out how to determine longitude, although latitude was easily calculated. So if you could not see recognizable land, you could only know in what band of latitude you currently were. Exactly where you were in that ring around the earth was, at that time, unknowable.

And so it happened that at times a ship would fetch up off the coast of South America, out of sight of shore, fresh water supplies exhausted and death knocking at the door. Then, with what must have been the sweetest sound those sailors could ever have hoped for, the lookout would suddenly call out that a ship was approaching in the distance.

Once the ship was within hailing distance, the cry went up: "Water! Give us water!"

And the reply would come back, "Lower your buckets over the side."

You see, although the sailors didn't know it, they were afloat in a virtual river of drinkable and life-sustaining water flowing from the mouth of the powerful Amazon River, which carries nearly 20 percent of all the earth's runoff water into the sea with such force that the fresh (or
brackish but safe) water flows as far as 100 miles out into the Atlantic.

The sailors, dying of thirst, only THOUGHT they were experiencing lack. The REALITY was that they were afloat in a literal sea of abundance. Exactly what they needed was within their reach the whole time, but the APPEARANCE of scarcity and their BELIEF in that appearance threatened to overpower them.

They could have died -- and many certainly did -- believing in lack while surrounded by abundance.

In his amazing 1910 forgotten classic, The Science of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles writes:

"I have said that people get rich by doing things in a certain way, and in order to do so, people must become able to think in a certain way.

"A person?s way of doing things is the direct result of the way he thinks about things.

"To do things in the way you want to do them, you will have to acquire the ability to think the way you want to think. This is the first step toward getting rich.

"And to think what you want to think is to think TRUTH, regardless of appearances.

A couple of months ago, my friend TERESA ROMAIN of Access Abundance (www.accessabundance.com) wrote in my ezine, The
Certain Way, about how Galileo changed the world by looking at things from a new perspective. By dropping the prevailing attitude that the sun revolved around the earth, he was able to see that the opposite was, in fact, the truth.

The key to finding the truth, she noted, was choosing to cast off the old notion and look at the situation anew, through a new lens. Teresa wrote:

"The path that lies before you is one of unlimited abundance. And it begins by SEEING the abundance available all around you.

"As you begin to experience life through the new lens of abundance, you'll find that many of the problems you face today will simply disappear. As for the ones that remain, your relationship to them will have changed profoundly, empowering you to take actions that are congruent with and support abundance."

What old beliefs, what old ways of looking, seeing, and perceiving do YOU need to cast off right now, my friend? If you find yourself "in the doldrums," how can you take a fresh look today and begin to see the abundance that surrounds YOU so that you are empowered -- not becalmed and hopeless?

The choice is always available. If you have chosen unwisely before, remember that every moment is new and the great power lies in your ability to CHOOSE AGAIN, no matter the appearances and no matter what it seems everyone else thinks or does.

Teresa says that this choice "is the path that leads, ultimately, to the fulfillment of your dreams." Mr. Wattles says this choice is "the first step toward getting rich."

And, bearing in mind those long-ago sailors, I would add that this choice can be the ultimate choice -- for death or for life itself.

That choice, every moment, is yours. Which way do you choose -- right now?
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Rebecca Fine is the founder of The Science of Getting Rich Network where you can download your free copy of the amazing 1910 forgotten classic, The Science of Getting Rich. (c)2001 Certain Way Productions.

Posted 11/21/2002 by Josh Hinds

Write Down Your Goals!
by Gary Ryan Blair

Like umbrellas and pens, unwritten goals almost always end in loss!

Written goals are catalysts, transforming agents for success and achievement. You will achieve far greater and more consistent results when you take the time to write down your goals.

Writing goals sets off a chain of events that allows you and others to see and evaluate your goals so that you can develop plans to achieve them. Goals kept only in your mind have an uncanny way of remaining figments of your imagination. The odds are against you ever acting upon them.

Goals not written down fall victim to the "out of sight... out of mind" phenomenon! We've all had the experience of going to the supermarket with a "mental list" of stuff to get. Yet we inevitably return home without one or more desired item. A simple written list would have been the perfect solution.

Your goals work the same way. If you don't write them down, you will forget them. Writing challenges thought. When you write a goal, you actually see what you're thinking. You have a target to aim for... something that takes shape and grows legs.

By writing your goals, you take a step toward achieving them. It is an essential piece of the combination, a tremendous ally of focus. From eureka to achievement, the evolution of a goal begins in the mind and immediately takes shape when pen is put to paper.

The goal progresses from thought to sketch, from sketch to action, and finally from action to achievement in real time. The achievement of a goal is an exemplary tale of power, purpose, and potential. The process of writing and revising a goal forces you to make a commitment to yourself; once a goal is written, you've made an investment. And, as with any investment, you'll want to protect it and nurture its growth.

If you intend to take goal setting seriously, you must up the ante by writing down your goals and revising them continuously. By choosing your goal and writing it down, you gain an edge.

Most people simply respond to conditions rather than creating conditions for a better life. While there is no magic pill or equation for success, one thing is sure: Those who fail to plan by not writing down their goals, by default, plan to fail.

While blessed with permanent memory, your mind is cursed with lousy recall. Even if the only paper in sight is a cocktail napkin, write down your goal! You execute best with precise instructions. Your written goal must be specific and measurable.

Success has a low ambiguity threshold. The better job you do specifying the goal, the more focused you will be, and the better your chances of achieving it. Your mind has a great capacity to think through facts, fiction, and circumstance to find ways to achieve your goals. What was once recorded on paper will soon be recorded in history... as a goal achieved.

Everything Counts!

Gary Ryan Blair
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Written by Gary Ryan Blair - The GoalsGuy is your online goal setting and personal leadership coach. Check-out My Personal Strategic Plan and learn how to achieve more in the next year than most people do in a lifetime. See why best selling author Brian Tracy said, "This is the most remarkable, simple, and practical guide for ANYONE who wants to create the ideal life!" To learn more click here!

Posted 11/13/2002 by Josh Hinds

Words by Zig Ziglar

Frequently, we become so pragmatic that we fail to be effective. Years ago the editor of the Dallas Morning News pointed out to the sportswriters that "Bill" was not a suitable substitute for "William," and "Charlie" was not a suitable substitute for "Charles."

Taking him literally, one of the sportswriters, in the heyday of Doak Walker of Southern Methodist University, wrote about an important game. In his story he pointed out that in the third quarter Doak Walker had left the game with a "Charles horse." I think you'll agree that the story lost some meaning with the use of "Charles."

Perhaps the ultimate absurdity occurred in an article in a national publication when the writer set up the computer to analyze Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Incidentally, that address contains 362 words and 302 of them are one syllable. It's simple and direct but powerful and effective.

The computer, however, made some recommendations about how the speech really should have been given. For example, instead of saying, "Four score and seven years," the computer deemed that approach too wordy and suggested, "Eighty-seven years." The efficiency in the reduction is obvious, but the loss of effectiveness, power, drama, and passion is even more obvious.

When Lincoln said, "We are engaged in a great civil war," the computer questioned whether the word great was justified. This despite the fact that our nation suffered 646,392 casualties, including 364,511 deaths. The computer stated that the sentences were too long, and it criticized the statement that we could never forget what happened at Gettysburg as being negative.

I think you'll agree that eloquence and drama, combined with passion, logic, and common sense, are far more effective in inspiring people to do great things than technical correctness.

Think about it. Knowing their power, use your words carefully. You'll be a greater contributor to humankind.
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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 visiting ZigZiglar.com

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John Harricharan On Making a Life

Don't be so serious about making a living that you lose sight of making a life.

Always "make light of the matter" even though the matter at hand may seem to be anything but light. It is when the "light" of your being penetrates the "matter" of your existence that you can live with joy and freedom.
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John Harricharan is an award-winning author, speaker and the creator of the ground-breaking "PowerPause" system for success. To learn more about the "PowerPause"click here!

Posted 11/07/2002 by Josh Hinds

How Do YOU Measure Your Achievements?
by Gary Vurnum

"My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me." This quote isn't one of my own - although I would like to echo its sentiments.

It was the great Winston Churchill who said it. A man who led the Allies to victory in the Second World War. A man who became one of Britain's most-loved heroes. Yet - even though he achieved more in his life than you or I could possibly imagine - he certainly knew what was the most important part of his life.

It's easy to measure your achievements by the material things you have, or by how much money you earn. It's much harder to put a value on those things that are vitally important for a happy and successful life:

- A good relationship with your spouse
- Happy, 'balanced' children
- Your health
- Somewhere to live

If you were to measure your success by those alone - I am sure that you would certainly view your achievements a little more positively. It took the shock of my disabled son, Connor's, birth to make me really appreciate how lucky I was. Even though I didn't realize it at the time - I had achieved quite a lot of these 'goals' that matter.

It's no use being a 'star' at work if your home life is terrible. It's no use being a millionaire if you've only got three weeks to live. Unfortunately - we have all been 'conditioned' to focus solely on money as a barometer of success and achievement. Sure - we could all certainly do with more of it in our lives - but is it really as important as we think it is?

You alone can answer this question:

"Would you rather have a million dollars or lose a loved
one?"

I know - this may be a 'shocking' question to ask - but, when all is said and done - at least it might help you realize that what you take for granted is more precious than what you think you truly desire.

The first step on the road to success is to build a solid platform to support you for when you hit a low point - which you certainly will along the way. So - don't put yourself down for appearing not to have accomplished anything with your life because you are not financially successful.

I have less money now than before Connor was born - yet by working on the things that matter in my life - I can honestly say that both myself and my family are the happiest we have ever been. I spend more time with my wife, son, and daughter - and I have stopped taking them for granted because I have realized how important they are to me - above ALL else.

Now that I have a solid foundation - I can now begin to move forward and work towards some more of my own personal targets. Don't let the cloud of money get in the way of what you easily achieve in your life. Money makes the world go around - but it certainly doesn't make it any happier!

We are all comparatively richer than any generation before us - yet we seem more unhappy with 'our lot'. No matter how many books you read or tapes you listen to - if you focus on money at the expense of what's really important to you - then you'll be in trouble.

Take stock of your life TODAY - and see what really important things you can achieve. Once you have that foundation - then you can work on the monetary side of your achievement 'scale'. The balance between success and failure isn't defined in dollars - it's measured by stability and happiness.
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Gary Vurnum's life turned around after the birth of his severely disabled son, and he now wants to share with others the tools he used to remain positive during the worst time of his life. His life-changing ebook "The Science of Success" is available by clicking here!

Posted 11/04/2002 by Josh Hinds

Greater Competency Means Smoother Sailing
By Michael Angier

You've probably heard that most aircraft accidents occur as a result of pilot error. It's a fact. And it's also true about sailing. The vast majority of marine accidents happen because of mistakes made by captain and crew.

And it's no different in our quest for success. Certainly there are times when things outside of our control cause us problems and even result in failure. But most of these can be overcome with greater knowledge and better skills.

You see, piloting a boat is not really very difficult. Getting from point A to point B under fair skies and friendly winds is something most anyone with a modicum of
training can do. But what we prepare for, what we really need to study, is how to handle things when circumstances are less than ideal. When the weather deteriorates, when equipment breaks, when things start to unravel, THAT'S when your competence becomes critical. That's when your ability, your knowledge and your experience can make the difference between people living and dying.

A good skipper is a good student. A good skipper asks questions. They think about what they would do if X should happen. They drill themselves and they drill their crew. They practice man-overboard situations. They learn how to get sails down quickly. They have backups--plan Bs and plan Cs.

A master yachtsman is constantly adding to their knowledge base, his or her experience, learning to do things by rote--better, faster and without thinking. They do this because that's what's necessary for mastery, because NOT doing so could mean catastrophic results.

Our preparedness--or un-preparedness--for our personal and professional success may not seem quite so critical. It's not a matter of life and death, but it's important nonetheless.

In order for us to fulfill our potential, we owe it to ourselves as well as those we care about and those we serve to be constantly improving our skills. We must always be learning. We must be preparing for unexpected economic squalls. We should consistently be honing our abilities.

In doing so, we bring out the best that's in us and we raise the expectations of those around us. Our confidence begets more confidence. It attracts people to us. Every crew member wants to be part of a competent team with a skilled captain.

Your industry is worthy of your study. Enhancing your skills makes your job easier and makes you more valuable in the marketplace. Knowing enough to get by just won't cut it. We must challenge ourselves. It makes our life more fun and more interesting. And it can make all the difference in not only the quality of the journey but the wealth of the destinations.

Question to Ponder: What skills, knowledge and experience do you need to develop?

In addition to setting goals about what we want to achieve, we should also set goals as to what we want to learn. What skills do you want to acquire in the next three months? What bodies of knowledge do you want to master? What do you want to add to your experience? What courses will you take? Who will you study under? What books will you read? How much will you invest in your quest for competence?
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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, ebooks and SuccessMark Cards. To visit their website click here.

Posted 11/02/2002 by Josh Hinds

WINNING: DEFINING IT. ACHIEVING IT
by Chris Widener

If you ask most people whether they would like to be considered a winner or a loser in life, they would most assuredly reply that they would like to be a winner. But this begs the question, "What does it mean to win at life?" In some things it's easy to define a clear winner. In a basketball game, whoever has the most points at the end of the game is the winner. In a game of hearts, my favorite card game, whoever has the least amount of points when one of the players reaches 100 points, is the winner.

But it isn't quite as easy to decide what it means to win in the game of life, is it? And that is because people define winning in different ways. For many, winning is through the accumulation of money or material possessions. "He's a success, a real winner," they say. Others think winning means living the longest. Still others say that it is to have their body in tip-top shape. Some say it is to have a happy family. Some say it is to regularly enjoy their hobbies.

All of these are fine, in and of themselves. But...

I would like to encourage us to think about winning or success in a different way. Generally, people think of winning as the over-achievement in a particular, chosen area. I like to believe, however, that to truly win at life is not to overachieve in one area but to succeed in maintaining balanced achievement in numerous areas.

Let me repeat that: To truly win, to be a success, is not to overachieve in one area, but to maintain balanced achievement in all areas of our lives.

For instance, is a person of success if they earn millions of dollars but lose their family? Is a person a success if they garner national fame but have no friends? Of course not. In fact, they may live the most pitiful of all lives.

First, Define...

So the first thing we must do is define what we will consider "winning in life." As you ponder this for yourself, I would like to recommend that you focus in on three overarching areas: Body, Soul, and Spirit. The body is that which has actual connection with the physical world and would encompass physical health, financial health, family, work, and relationships.

How is your health? How are your finances? Are your relationships, both with your family and others all that they could be? Is work fulfilling? How would you define winning in these areas?

The next area, the soul, is that which deals with the emotions, will, and intellect. It is our thoughts, ideas, and attitudes.

How are you emotionally? Are you able to exercise your will? Are you growing intellectually? Have you done an attitude check lately? How would you define winning in these areas?

And the spirit is the part of us that transcends this life, the part of us that communes with God. Zig Ziglar said, "Money will buy me a house, but not a home, a bed, but not a good night's sleep." So true. Inner peace comes from something much deeper.

Have you thought about going back to your spiritual roots? Are you able to spend time in quiet, solitude, and prayer from time to time? This is an extremely important area and all too often neglected. What would you like to achieve in this area? How would you define winning in these areas?

As we experience balance in these areas, we will find ourselves much more at peace with ourselves than if we were to experience tremendous success in one area but loss or failure in the other areas. We were designed to work as congruent, balanced people. This is how we get to the end of our lives and say, "I won."

Second, Prioritize...

Once you have defined what it is that you would like to achieve in each of these areas, you have to prioritize them, and let other, non-important areas drop off the chart. Commit to developing a plan to succeed in a balance of areas. Exercise your will. Choose. Dwight D. Eisenhower said that "The history of free men is written not by chance, but by choice - their choice."

When we manage our time and schedule, we are simply making choices in regard to our priorities. For most, their priority is to take action on whatever is screaming the loudest at the moment. For those who become winners, they reflect on what they desire to achieve, make a plan and decide to eliminate the rest.

Last, Do it...

Okay, you have defined winning. You have prioritized your life. Now, the hard part: Doing it. This is where we are all alone. We all make this step on our own, but having a written plan is as good a preparation as you can get. Rather than saying that you are going to do this for the rest of your life, take the next week to implement your new balance of winning. If a week sounds too long, just focus on today.

Spend some time, be it ever so small, enhancing your life in these areas. Exercise a little. Read for a while to challenge your mind. Deal with your emotions. Spend time in silent contemplation to renew your spirit. Give some time to your spouse and children. Will Rogers said, "Even if you're on the right track, you won't get anywhere if you're standing still." There has got to be action.

As we do this over time, and balance our lives out, we will begin to finally feel like we are winning at life. That will be exciting, as will the process!
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Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, and succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Visit his two sites at: http://www.madeforsuccess.com and http://www.extraordinaryleaders.com and be sure to take advantage of his free newsletters!