Posted 5/31/2006 by Josh Hinds

The Paradox of Motivation
By Joe Tye

I often do what is generically known as motivational speaking. I enjoy it, and I’m told that I’m good at it. But I also know that “motivational speaking” is an oxymoron. I cannot motivate a person by speaking to them any more than a group of sideline cheerleaders can lead a football team to victory.

And that leads me to the Paradox of Motivation: It’s easy to be motivated when everything is going well. When the work is flowing along, there’s money in the bank, everyone loves you and the weather is fine, it’s easy to be motivated. Who wouldn’t be?

It is also irrelevant. Things are already going swimmingly well. The injection of motivation is not necessary.

It’s when your work is failing, the bank account counts in red numbers, everyone’s mad at you and it’s storming as though the heavens themselves wanted to inflict you with misery that motivation is most important. It is at those dark moments of the soul, deep in the valley of the shadow, that courage and perseverance (the sinews of motivation) can have the greatest impact.

That is also precisely the time when motivation is the most difficult to generate. Far from charging the ramparts, at such times most of us would rather hide under the bed.

The paradox of motivation leads directly to the conclusion that the time to work on establishing your own inner motivational framework is when you don’t need it, because if you wait until you do, it will be too late. Desperate people don’t get much from a motivational book, tape, or speech. The anxiety- ridden mind is not thinking clearly enough to absorb the lessons.

So the lesson for you should be this: right now, while things are good (or before they get worse) start working on your own motivational foundation. One of the best things you can do is devote a bit of time each day to reading books that have ideas and strategies that you can use to help yourself (hence the term “self-help”) deal with your most important problems and priorities.
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Joe Tye is president of Paradox 21 Inc., which provides corporate training and culture change initiatives based on a proprietary curriculum of The Twelve Core Action Values of Personal Leadership Effectiveness. He is also the author of several books and audio programs on personal, career, and business success, and a popular motivational speaker. Visit JoeTye.com.

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Posted 5/26/2006 by Josh Hinds

New from Motivational Speaker Brian Tracy

I just added the following articles from motivational speaker and author Brian Tracy to the site...

The Definition of Wealth, Earn Ten Times as Much, and Develop A Prosperity Consciousness. Enjoy!

-- To your success, Josh Hinds :-)

Posted 5/24/2006 by Josh Hinds

Are You Playing Your Song
By David Breslow

Wayne Dyer often says “don’t die with your song left inside you.” What does this mean? To me, this means that we all have a gift to offer the world. It also means we all have dreams, even though they may be “stifled” or “buried” within us they are dreams nevertheless.

The dream is our “song” and when we play it we are living more in synch with who we really are. I believe we all have a song sitting within us and you don’t have to be a singer to allow it to come out.

There is a very popular television show in the United States called, “American Idol”. Whether you watch it or not I believe the program holds a very valuable lesson for all us. The lesson is this: “sing the song that allows you to express your innate talents and your performance becomes effortless”.

If you watch the program you may have noticed that when a contestant either chooses a song out of their “range” or “over sings” a song; their performance is less than stellar. A beautiful voice behind a poor song choice can result in a poor performance. In other words; talent that is not expressed properly can go unfulfilled. What does this have to do with you and your life? I believe we can “sing the songs” that allow us to express our dreams and talents in life when we find the ones that fit us most comfortably!

How many times do you over try, over worry and over work yourself? Athletes understand the consequences of this very well. When baseball players, golfers, tennis players, etc., over try, they don’t perform their best because they are no longer in synch or in a natural rhythm.

We experience the same poor performance in life as well. When we OVER try we:

* Create too much tension in our mind, body and emotions
* Focus on outcomes rather than the process that gets us there
* Are out of our ideal performance comfort zone
* Are out of rhythm and out of synch
* Under perform

What happens when we “pick the songs” that allow us to fulfill our talents? The contestants on “Idol” automatically exude a natural confidence, trust and faith in themselves when they choose songs that allow them to excel and so can you. How do you know when you’re “playing the song” that fits you best? Here are some indicators:

* You won’t try to be somebody you’re not. Find what works for you and focus on being great within that. This builds a strong foundation of trust because you will feel more “in-synch” with yourself. When you try to be someone you’re not you will be out of synch.

* You don’t feel the need to be perfect. You will naturally be your best when you operate from your “song” or “niche”. When you work within that, you are naturally performing at a higher level and your talents express themselves more easily.

* You won’t be compelled to OVER try. When you are truly in synch you will not feel the need to over try and force things. You will be extremely confident and have a sense of trust and faith in yourself because you know you are more in “tune”. You begin to express your talents and fulfill them easily without stress and anxiety.

Is there a “song” sitting inside you waiting to come out? Why aren’t you playing it? Begin taking action toward expressing it right now!
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David is a Speaker/Facilitator/Performance Coach and Author of "Wired To Win". He works with Athletes (PGA/LPGA) and Business (Ameritech, Motorola, etc.) to help people perform at the 'top of their game" using a not "business as usual" approach. He focuses on the undeniable cause and effect performance principles that create faster shifts in how people think, feel and perform every day. David has appeared on The Golf Channel, ESPN radio and has spoken to all size businesses across the country. Book orders: 888.280.7715. To learn more about presentations or workshops, call: 847.681.1698 or email: david@theflowzone.net or visit the web: www.theflowzone.net

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Brian Tracy, Les Brown, Bob Proctor, & many other top speakers, all on high quality DVD. Perfect for training and personal development. Click here to learn more.

Posted 5/24/2006 by Josh Hinds

Motivational Quote from Robin Sharma...

"The place where your greatest fears live is also the place where your greatest growth lies." -- Robin Sharma

Posted 5/22/2006 by Josh Hinds

Peaceful Warrior Movie - movie clip and review ...

I got word earlier today that I could share a clip from the upcoming movie, Peaceful Warrior, if you haven't heard of it yet (you will I'm sure.. it's getting a lot of buzz) based on Dan Millman's best-selling autobiographical novel, Way of the Peaceful Warrior.

Here's a quick overview of the movie (you can view the clip below it):

"Dan Millman (played by Scott Mechlowicz) is a talented college gymnast with Olympic dreams. He has it all: trophies, teammates, fast motorcycles, fast girls and wild parties. Then Dan's world is turned upside down when he meets a mysterious stranger he calls Socrates (played by Nick Nolte), who holds the power to tap into new worlds of strength and understanding.

After a serious injury, with the help of Socrates and an elusive young woman named Joy (played by Amy Smart), Dan discovers that he has much to learn and even more to leave behind before he can become a peaceful warrior and find his destiny. This moving tale about the power of the human spirit is based on Dan Millman's autobiographical novel, Way of the Peaceful Warrior."

The sample movie clip is called “THIS IS A SERVICE”. In it Socrates tries to help Dan get back on his feet and learn what is really important in life. Play the Peaceful Warrior movie clip here.

-- To your success, Josh Hinds :-)

Posted 5/18/2006 by Josh Hinds

How to Motivate Unmotivated People
by John P. Strelecky -- International Best-selling Author of The Why Café

If you walk around a Walt Disney World resort or theme park, you are likely to witness something that in most other settings would seem bizarre. Not the presence of a large animated character, although you may witness that also.

Rather, at any given moment, a person in dress clothes will be walking from one destination to another and will stop, pick up a piece of paper, a cup, or other piece of trash someone dropped, and throw it in a trash can. Executives do it, front line managers do it, hourly employees do it, everybody does it.

There is no special monetary compensation for this behavior. No point system exists where $5 bonuses are given out for every fifteen pieces of trash that someone picks up. There is also no special monitoring system in place which watches for people who don’t do it and then issues penalty points or demerits. Yet, people are motivated to do it anyway.

Now picking up trash may not be your top concern, but are there other things in your department, division, or company that you would like your employees to do? Are you looking for ways to motivate your people?

The answer is not pixie dust or magic. The key is being very good at employing five essential motivation steps.

To some leaders these steps can seem intimidating. First time managers in particular, who were promoted because of their individual skills are often uncomfortable with these ideas. Many times they feel people should just do what needs to be done “Because that is what they get paid for.” Or they believe the only way to motivate people is to give them more money.

Successful motivators don’t think that way. They know that by following the five steps, people can be motivated far beyond what they get paid for, and far more effectively than when money is the only incentive.

Step #1 Clearly Articulate What Needs to be Accomplished and Why
Often the problem with getting people to accomplish things is not that they are unmotivated, it is that they are uninformed. Leaders discuss goals with their peers and superiors on a regular basis and are therefore intimately familiar with them. Because of this familiarity, they mistakenly assume all of their employees also know them. Usually this is not the case.

Take time to explain to all of your employees exactly what needs to be accomplished and the reasons why. Don’t forget the “Why?” Knowing that enables people to make educated choices in their day to day decisions. For example, the output from a team at a market research company whose goal is to launch three new products, will vary greatly depending on if they know that the “Why?” is because the company is losing market share to competitors with products that can be downloaded from the Internet.

Goals should always include specific numeric objectives and timelines. A goal of “Improve Customer Service” is nebulous and people won’t know how they are doing in their efforts to achieve it. However, “Decrease customer wait times to 10 seconds by June 1st” is something people can visualize and work toward.

Step #2 Involve People in Finding the Solutions
People are more motivated to succeed at something if they personally choose to attempt it. Therefore, managers should involve their people in choosing the goals the group needs to accomplish. If this is not possible, then involving people in the creation of how to achieve the goals is the next best thing. Their involvement will generate buy in and also opens up the opportunity for an optimal solution.

Successful coaches use this technique on a regular basis. While it is true they watch hours and hours of game films looking for weaknesses in their own team as well as their competitors, they also involve their players in finding the best way to win. They do it because no matter how much film they watch, or how close they are to the game, they aren’t in the game. The perspectives of players or employees who are in the midst of the action can be drastically different from a coach or a manager who is near the action.

If those perspectives aren’t incorporated into the solution, two things will happen. First, those in the midst of the action will feel that no-one is listening to them, and they will become unmotivated. Second, decisions will be made without incorporating all the relevant data. Both of these will negatively impact progress toward the goals.

Step #3 Explain the Rules of the Game
Have you ever played a new sport or game against people who are experienced players? In the early stages of learning how to play, every few minutes you do something which you think is correct only to be told that it is illegal, or against the rules. It can be exceptionally frustrating. This scenario often plays out in the workplace.

Employees are given a task, but are not told all the parameters or rules. Weeks into a project they present their work to someone only to be informed that they need to change direction because of something they were never told about. This is particularly demoralizing and should be avoided at all costs. People can find solutions to almost any problem, but they need to know the rules of the game.

Step #4 Link People’s Personal Goals with the Organizations Goals
There is a reason that each employee goes to work. Successful motivators know what that reason is for every person who works for them. Each day they help their employees fulfill those reasons. Really successful motivators understand not only the reason, but how the reason ties into the person’s bigger life goals.

When necessary, they help their people think about and articulate those bigger life goals. When a person no longer thinks “I work so that I can make money,” and instead thinks “I work so that I can enable my daughter to attend a school that will give her a chance to go do what she wants in life,” there is a significant mental and motivational shift that occurs.

Understanding that someone comes to work because they thrive on personal interaction, are trying to gain experience so they can run their own corner deli, or whatever is their personal goal, enables a manager to talk in that person’s language. It also enables the manager to assign responsibilities in that person’s area of interest, and remind them of how what they are doing is tied to their bigger goals.

Managers who enable people to fulfill their life goals through work never have to worry about how to motivate their people. The act of fulfilling their life goals is enough to keep them motivated. All the manager has to do is find the links between those goals, and the organization’s needs, and match the two up.

Step #5 Move Negative People off the Team
Nothing can halt progress like someone who is discontent simply for the sake of being discontent. It is demoralizing to others and it draws energy and time from the tasks being attempted. That doesn’t mean you don’t want good “counter-point” people on your team. Someone who says “Look, I know what we are all trying to do, and I think there is a better way,” can be a valuable resource to help make sure the team is on the right track. However, someone who just regularly says “We’ll never get there,” will just hold everyone back. Move them off the team, and bring in someone who will assist and support the group’s efforts.

Whether you are trying to motivate people to help create a clean environment for guests, or something more pertinent to your organization, remember that anyone can be a great motivator. All it takes is an understanding of the appropriate steps to take and a willingness to do them. This article contains the steps. The willingness is up to you.

Copyright © 2006 John P. Strelecky
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John P. Strelecky is the international best selling author of “The Why Café”, and a highly sought after inspirational speaker on; “How to Achieve Maximum Success with Minimal Effort.” His CD series of the same name has received rave reviews from listeners. A graduate of Northwestern University’s MBA program, John has served as a business strategist for numerous Fortune 500 companies. Through his book, CDs, articles, and appearances on television and radio, he has positively impacted the lives of millions of people. John can be reached through his website at www.whycafe.com, or by calling 407-342-4181.

Posted 5/14/2006 by Josh Hinds

Follow the Little Leaders
by Julie Clark Robinson

“I meant to do my work today – But a brown bird sang in the apple tree. And a butterfly flitted across the field, and all the leaves were calling me.” --Richard le Gallienne

Remember that scene in “Big” when Tom Hanks -- the man who woke up one day to find that he was trapped in a boy’s body -- hops on his bike and awkwardly rides it down the street? That image comes to my mind more times than I can count – even all these years after the movie was made. Why? I think it’s the way a grown man was able to so accurately move his adult body with all the enthusiasm of an eight year old as he attacks a fresh new day.

That’s how I feel about summer. I’m trapped in a grown-up’s body but I want to attack this long-awaited season with all the pent-up enthusiasm of a kid. But no… how do you normal adults celebrate such a heady occurrence as the onset of barefoot season?

Let’s see, we (I’m an adult, too, contrary to what you’re about to read) ladies might switch to open-toe shoes. Men…what do they do? They probably wear linen-blend trousers if someone places them, neatly pressed, in their side of the closet. If not, they might at least opt for a Corona over their regular brew next time one’s offered. Kids are out of school, free as skinned-kneed little birds, but we must carry on, business as usual for the most part, right?

Not so fast. I firmly believe that in order to get the most out of every single day of this life of ours, we need to find ways to feel exhilaration every chance we get. As with many times throughout the year, I’ve come to look to children for ideas of how to do just that. They may be diamonds in the rough in many areas, but when it comes to feeling, and showing, pure joy, they serve as excellent role models.

I think a fine place to start capturing the essence of summer is in your driveway. Yep, sit right down in the middle of it. If you must, corral some neighborhood kids to sit there with you so you don’t feel like an idiot. (That guy whizzing by in the convertible has no idea what he’s missing.) Next, the bucket of chalk. And not the skinny white chalk that you hate the touch of -- memories of algebra and public humiliation come rushing back with skinny white chalk. I’m talking about colored chalk, the kind that’s made in big fat chunks to make it easier for toddlers to grab onto.

Now, if you can’t think of anything creative to draw, don’t give up. Just start drawing. Do you see kids waiting for inspiration? Nope. They just start with a shark. Or a rainbow. Usually a shark and a rainbow. Before you know it you see white puffy clouds…green grass…bloodshot eyes. (The one thing you have over kids is that you probably know not to rub your eyes if you’ve been handing chalk.)

Once you have a lovely driveway mural, don’t stop there. This is where your effort pays off! Bear with me, you don’t have to be anywhere that’s more important than reconnecting with the childlike love of summer. In a few hours, you can tackle your “to do” list, but you still have some “research” to do.

Next, make a lemonade stand. (I find if you call a lemonade stand “research” -- better yet, a focus group! -- you feel much less ridiculous). Start with the lemonade itself, preferably pink and waaaaay too sweet. Find some paper cups and make a sign. (Extra points if you misspell.) Then, go sit out in front of your mural and wait. If you get hungry, make a bologna sandwich, white bread – the kind that coats your teeth like a sock, real mayo. Chips are optional but definitely a plus, especially if you smash them in with the sandwich.

If you must have continue to have To Do list, I’ll share mine. And you can have until Labor Day to check it all off. If you don’t, you are, most certainly, a rotten egg.

Activity Exercise:

Find the big dipper, play croquet, turn off the air conditioner and sleep to the sound of a fan, bury your face in honeysuckle, catch lightening bugs, read a good book in a hammock (dare I suggest Live in the Moment, a catchy feel-good book that’s sure to be all the rage?), buy Lady Bugs at a garden store and set them free in your yard, make s’mores, sleep in a tent, climb a tree, swim underwater with your eyes wide open.
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Julie Clark Robinson is the author of Live in the Moment a fresh, funny and blatantly honest book about creating one's own daily joy. Visit her site at www.JulieClarkRobinson.com.

Posted 5/13/2006 by Josh Hinds

Motivational Quote To think about...

“Do not wait; the time will never be just right.” – Napoleon Hill, author

If you liked the above quote, be sure to check out our motivational and inspirational quotes database where you can search from over 13,000 more of them.

-- All the best, Josh Hinds :-)

Posted 5/12/2006 by Josh Hinds

Motivational Audio / PodCast Updated again...

I just added a few more of my motivational and inspirational audio messages if you'd like to have a listen to them. The latest two are near the top of the page, while several more are included in the Motivation Audio Archives which appears near the bottom of the page. Hope you enjoy them.

-- To your success, Josh Hinds

Posted 5/08/2006 by Josh Hinds

“Knowing What You Don’t Know”
by Jim Stovall

There are four clear states of knowledge and understanding in which you can find yourself.

1. You know something and know that you know it.

2. You know something, but you don’t know you know it.
3. You don’t know something, but you don’t know that you don’t know it.

4. You don’t know something, but you know that you don’t know it.

All of us live part of our personal or professional lives in each of these areas at one time or another. They each have their advantages and disadvantages. If you know something and know that you know it, you can act with confidence and profit from the experience; however, it is important to not rest in this knowledge as the state-of-the-art will always change, and the rate of change is accelerating daily. People who know a computer program and know that they know it will be forced to upgrade their skills as new generations of software are developed, or they will be left behind.

All of us, from time to time, know something but don’t know that we know it. This is caused by a lack of perspective. There is probably a piece of property near where you live that you have driven by countless times. Then, all of a sudden, it becomes extremely valuable and is developed in such a way that the owners or speculators profit greatly. If you will look back at the situation, you may realize that, had you thought about it from a different perspective, you knew--or at least should have known--that that property would increase in value. You simply didn’t compile the knowledge in such a way that you could recognize the value and act upon it.

The most dangerous person in the world is someone who doesn’t know something, but they don’t realize that they don’t know it. These are the people who go through life and fall into every pitfall and obstacle along the way. They think they know it all and, in reality, they only learn from the mistakes that their ignorance causes them to make. They are over-confident, and you simply can’t tell them anything. The best you can do for them is to stand back and help pick them up after the inevitable crash-and-burn.

The greatest potential is held by those people who don’t know something, but they understand that they don’t know it. This is a powerful concept in that they can understand that there is something they don’t know and recognize that they need to know it. These individuals rarely make mistakes, and they are always growing and developing. The world doesn’t belong to them yet, but it probably will someday.

As you go through your day today, act on the things you know and build on the things you don’t know.

Today’s the day!
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Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network, as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082, or by visiting www.JimStovall.com.

P.S. Discover the most cost-effective method for training salespeople and motivating the entire staff ... Seminars on DVD. Click here to learn more.

Posted 5/03/2006 by Josh Hinds

Celebrating Jonathan

Amy Jaffe Barzach
Advocate for Children of All Abilities
West Hartford, Connecticut

* Excerpted from the book The Right Words at the Right Time Volume 2 by Marlo Thomas

I'd given up on all the usual words, now I was searching for the magic ones -- words that would make the pain go away. It was just after New Year's when I lost Jonathan, my baby son, to spinal muscular atrophy. And I was stuck. Everything I read in books and magazines made sense, but nothing took the pain away.

Just before Jonathan died, I had sat with him in the hospital, his little hand clasped in mine, his three-year-old brother, Daniel, entertaining us with songs on his guitar. A copy of Parade magazine was on the table. On the cover were the words, Deal With Loss by Celebrating Life. The meaning struck a chord in me, but its full impact was yet to come.

Jonathan died three days later. The despair that followed was unbearable; the days were difficult, the nights were worse. Searching for comfort, I came across a passage in The Prophet by Khalil Gibran that talked about celebrating life as a way of dealing with loss. I looked up from my book and saw the little memorial card my husband had made for me, which included a picture of Jonathan and the words from the Parade cover, laminated together.

This time, the words took a grip on me and wouldn't let go. I began to cry uncontrollably; but the tears felt different, like a new beginning. It was as if the darkness that had surrounded me for the past few months had lifted.

Deal with loss by celebrating life.

I remembered a sunny day shortly before Jonathan had become ill. I had taken him and Daniel to a playground, and while Daniel frolicked, I rocked Jonathan in his carriage. Suddenly, I noticed a little girl sitting in a wheelchair on the sidewalk, sadly watching the other children. Her fingers tightly gripped the spokes of her wheelchair; her little chin quivered as she tried to hold back her tears. She longed to be joining the other children at play, but with no accessible path to the equipment, she couldn't get close. And even if she could, there was nothing for her to do. Not one part of the playground was available to a child in a wheelchair.

The image of that little girl sitting on the sidelines continued to haunt me while Jonathan was struggling for life in the hospital. Now here I was at my desk, thinking about how to celebrate Jonathan's life. I had my answer.

What if I built a playground where all children could play? Wouldn't that be a true celebration of life?

The idea stayed with me through the next few months, as I struggled to find the strength and courage to begin the work. I started slowly, enlisting the help of my family; I recruited volunteers -- more than one thousand of them. My husband made little memorial cards, just like the one he'd made for me, for our entire family. We carried them with us everywhere, and to this day, I still find them unexpectedly in the pockets of something I am wearing.

But as April 1st of that year approached -- what would have been Jonathan's first birthday -- I was once again plunged into despair. I'd see other babies who looked about a year old and my heart would break all over again. I longed for Jonathan.

Rather than run from the date, my husband Peter and I decided to have a party on Jonathan's birthday at the local hospital. We arranged for a storyteller and a singer to entertain the children. We spent the day crying tears of joy and tears of sadness.

We celebrated the day. And we survived the day.

Eighteen months from the day I'd first read those insightful words, we opened our special playground. We called it Jonathan's Dream. The moment I saw children in wheelchairs rolling up the ramp to the equipment, I was overwhelmed with tears of happiness.

Here were kids of all abilities, playing and learning together.

They were celebrating life. And I was celebrating Jonathan.
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from the book The Right Words at the Right Time Volume 2 by Marlo Thomas Published by Atria; April 2006;$25.00US/$34.50CAN; 0-7434-9743-0. For more information, visit www.RightWordsBooks.com.

Posted 5/03/2006 by Josh Hinds

Prosperity and Abundance Articles Section Updated...

I just added Five Ways To Become Wealthy By Brian Tracy and 7 Surefire Ways to Make Sure You Stay Broke By Randy Gage to the Prosperity and Abundance section of the site. You're sure to find some thought provoking ideas in both... Here's to your success, Josh Hinds :-)

Posted 5/02/2006 by Josh Hinds

New Motivational Speakers Hall Of Fame Member...

I'm pleased to announce the newest member in the Motivational Speakers Hall Of Fame -- keynote speaker and author Greg Reid, "The Millionaire Maker". Take a moment to learn more about Greg as well as all the other distinguished motivators listed there.

Posted 5/01/2006 by Josh Hinds

Keeping Yourself Positive
By Brian Tracy

The most important thing you do for your success is to take control of the suggestive elements in your environment. Be sure that what you are seeing and listening to is consistent with the goals you want to achieve.

Listen Your Way To Success ...
Listen to educational audio programs in your car. The average person drives 12,000 to 25,000 miles per year which works out to between 500 and 1000 hours per year that the average person spends in his or her car. You can become an expert in your field by simply listening to educational audio programs as you drive from place to place.

Take Courses In Your Field ...
Attend seminars given by experts in your field. Take additional courses and learn everything you possibly can. Learn from the experts. Ask them questions, write them letters, read their books, read their articles and listen to people with proven track records in the area in which you want to be successful.

Get Around The Right People ...
Associate only with positive, success-oriented people. Get around winners. As we say, fly with the eagles. You can't fly with the eagles if you keep scratching with the turkeys. Get away from the go-nowhere types and above all, get away from negative people.

Get away from negative coworkers. If you've got a negative boss, seriously consider changing jobs. Associating on a regular basis with negative people is enough in itself to condemn you to a life of underachievement, frustration and failure. Associate only with positive people. Get around winners.

Visualize Your Goals ...
The last thing before you sleep and the first thing in the morning, think about and visualize your goals as realities. See your goal as though it already existed. Your subconscious mind is only activated by affirmations and pictures that are received in the present tense. See your goal vividly just before you go to sleep. See yourself performing at your best. See the situations that you're facing working out exactly the way you want them to.

Feed Yourself Mental Pictures ...
See yourself living the kind of life that you want to live. See yourself with the kind of relationships, the kind of health, the kind of car, the kind of home you really want. Visualize just before you fall asleep at night. The first thing you do when you get up in the morning is to feed yourself mental pictures. Those are the two times of the day when your subconscious mind is most receptive to new programming, when you fall asleep and when you wake up.

Action Exercises:

Here are two things you can do, all day long, to keep your mind and emotions focused on your goals and financial success:

First, listen to audio programs in your car and when you travel around. Continue feeding your mind with a stream of high-quality, educational, motivational material that moves you toward your goal.

Second, resolve to associate with positive, optimistic people most of the time. Get around winners and get away from negative people who criticize, condemn and complain. This can change your life as much as any other factor.
___________
Brian Tracy is one of the world's leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Visit the Brian Tracy web site.

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P.S. Brian Tracy, Les Brown, Bob Proctor, & many other top speakers, all on high quality DVD. Perfect for training and personal development... Click here to learn more.

Posted 5/01/2006 by Josh Hinds

Failure Is The Line Of Least Persistence
by Dr Tony Alessandra

There likely will be setbacks and occasional self-doubts on the road to maximizing your charisma. You're going to need patience and persistence. But it's important to keep moving toward your goal.

I'm reminded of a friend who had a life-changing experience in a cross-country ski race in Minnesota. He had moved there not long before. In an enthusiastic, if not realistic, effort to adapt to the local culture, he bought some skis, practiced a bit, and entered an advanced competition.

He took off like a flash at the sound of the starter's gun. But after the first quarter-mile in near-zero temperatures, he knew he was in over his head, hopelessly outclassed by other competitors swiftly gliding past him. He was soon alone in a frozen wilderness, and his thoughts turned gloomily to fatigue and defeat.

He had initially hoped to finish in a couple of hours. But as the cold seared his lungs and the exertion weakened his arms and legs, he all but gave up on his goal.

If there had been a way to surrender, he would have. But being in deep snow in the middle of the woods, his only way out was to ski out. So he pushed aside the pain and pessimism, and kept skiing.

He imagined a lodge with a roaring fire that might be just around the bend-but wasn't. He imagined a rescue vehicle slicing through the drifts to pick him up-which didn't. He even imagined a helicopter dropping down to whisk him away-but, of course, that never materialized.

So on and on he skied until, at last, he came to a sign: FINISH LINE, 1/4 MILE. He couldn't believe it! Energized, he sprinted that last quarter mile and finished in a time not far from his original goal.

My friend often repeats that story, the winds more frigid and his muscles more aching with each retelling. It's become a part of his self-identity, and the memory of his endurance and ultimate triumph has gotten him through other of life's difficult scrapes and struggles.

The moral, as he sees it, is that if you keep slogging ahead, refuse to give up, and stay as positive as you possibly can, you'll accomplish your goal, or something very close to it.

I could hardly argue with that. So even if you have trouble imagining success, keep moving along that snowy path in the woods. And before you know it, you'll have success beyond your imaginings.
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Dr. Tony Alessandra has authored numerous books, recorded over 50 audio and video programs, and delivered over 2,000 keynote speeches since 1976. If you would like more information about Dr. Alessandra's books, audio tapesets and video programs, or about Dr. Alessandra as a keynote speaker, visit his website at www.Alessandra.com.

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