Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Is it time to get focused?

Do you know what you WANT out of life?

Do you know what you want to CONTRIBUTE to life?

Do you know what’s IMPORTANT to you in your life?

Do you know WHO’s important to you in your life?

Questions, questions, questions.

Sometimes, the most important thing you can do for yourself is to ask yourself the RIGHT questions. But only if you take the time for serious reflection and ANSWER those questions from deep within yourself.

In today’s hectic world, it’s so easy to get caught up in daily living, that you can lose focus on what you really want in life, and what will make you happiest.

I’ve read numerous times that most people never reach anywhere near their peak potential. I’ve also read many times that most people are never truly happy. Do you believe it?

The fact is, out of every hundred people, only a handful, perhaps 3 or 4, ever decide on what they truly want out of life, and are actively pursuing their dreams. Why do you think that’s so?

What separates these 3 or 4 people from the masses? What do they know that everyone else doesn’t? Are you already one of the few? And if you aren’t, do you want to be?

If you answered no to the last couple of questions, then there is very little anyone can do to help you.

It all starts with ATTITUDE. If you haven’t read my previous post about the value and importance of having a POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE (PMA) then I would encourage you to read it now. I believe that having PMA is the most critical factor in your happiness and success.

The great thing about PMA is that it is free and available to anyone who chooses to exercise it. You can start right this very minute, at the snap of your fingers. You can decide this instant that regardless of what is happening in your life that you will ALWAYS have the best possible attitude given the situation.

One prevailing attitude of happy, successful people is that they are AMBITIOUS. They want more out of life. They also accept full responsibility for taking control of their life and making things happen, rather than waiting for things to happen.

These people have goals. They have a clear picture in their own minds of what they want to accomplish, and have a belief that they can achieve their goals if they do the right things on a consistent basis.

Here’s where I believe you can make huge strides towards joining that elite group at the top, the 3% who are living a life of success and happiness.

There are Universal laws that are a fact of life. If an apple falls from a tree, gravity will pull it down to the ground. The sun always rises in the east and sets in the west.

There’s a Universal law that you must understand and ingrain into every fiber of your being. We live in a world of CAUSE AND EFFECT. Everything you say and do causes an effect. You might refer to the word effect as RESULT. You are charged with creating the cause. The effects, or the results of your actions, take care of themselves.

Let me ask you something. If someone you know is very successful at doing something, and you do exactly what he or she is doing, do you think you might become successful too? Actually, that’s exactly what you should be thinking.

I remember hearing Harv Eker talk about the turning point in his financial life. He was living at home again after failing at another business venture, and his Dad was having his regular poker game at the house. During a break, a wealthy and successful friend of his Dads took Harv aside and had a brief conversation with him.

He said that he had started off in business the same way Harv did. He was a disaster. But he learned how to be successful. He then mentioned that if Harv wasn’t as successful as he’d like to be, all that meant was that there was something that Harv didn’t know. He went on to ask Harv something to the effect that if Harv began thinking and acting like rich and successful people, did Harv think he could be rich and successful too?

Harv took to heart the message of this conversation, and began immediately to search out and acquire the missing knowledge that would propel him to his success. He began to look for the experts in the fields he wanted to study and understand, and he INVESTED his TIME and MONEY to attend seminars and learn from the best minds in their fields.

He then took ACTION on the newfound knowledge he had learned and began to grow his business. On an ongoing basis, he went to more seminars to add to his knowledge base, and with each seminar, he APPLIED the new knowledge to add to his skill set.

Harv was focused on creating the CAUSE. The EFFECTS, or RESULTS of his efforts have made Harv a wealthy and successful person well beyond the average.

In my own life, I have studied the most successful people in many areas of life and adopted their ideas as my own. It doesn’t mean that I’m perfect, because no one is. But the quality of my life has been incredibly upgraded because of the ideas that I’ve learned and applied.

Over the last 35 years of my life, in the area of personal and financial success, I couldn’t even begin to calculate the number of books I’ve read, the hours of tapes and cd’s I’ve listened to, and the countless seminars I’ve attended. For me, it’s been a lifelong passion. I truly love learning and growing in this area.

Am I as successful as I want to be? No, not yet. But I am COMMITTED to my own personal and financial growth, and I KNOW that I will never be bored, because of my thirst for knowledge and then applying it in my life.

Are you COMMITTED to your own personal and financial growth? Are you ready to stand out from the crowd and declare that you will use the Universal law of cause and effect to vault you to your success?

My blog is an expression of who I am. It’s a way to remind myself of what I know, what I believe in, and what I intend to do.

At the same time, I have another question for you. If you had knowledge that you had acquired over 35 years, and had applied it to your life, and had seen the success of using this knowledge, would you want to keep it all to yourself, or would you want to share this knowledge with others?

Because of my passion for life and desire to be something more than just average, I am happy to share this information with anyone who is ready to receive it. Very little of what I write is my own original thinking. It is the consolidation of the greatest minds in the fields of personal and financial growth that I have studied over the decades.

I am passionate about this information because I have seen the results in my life, and I know that anyone who decides that they want to take their lives to a whole new level can benefit from embracing these same principles and ideas. That is why I KNOW that anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis with an open mind and a BURNING DESIRE to have more money, better health, great relationships, and success and happiness in every important area of their life will benefit.

When you read from my blog, I hope you will imagine that YOU and I are having a one on one conversation. It’s just the 2 of us. You don’t have to agree with everything I write, I only ask that you consider it. What’s true for me may not be true for you. All I can tell you is that the principles and ideas that you will find here have transformed my life and the lives of millions of people, and I believe that if you learn these principles, and more importantly, if you USE these principles, your life will be transformed too.

Thank you for taking your precious time to read my blog. I honestly appreciate it. And as I have said before, if I can ever be of assistance to you, it is my honor.

Namaste.

Jeff

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Happy Thanksgiving....

Last night, as I was getting Thanksgiving dinner underway, I was thinking about all of the people that I am thankful for in my life. Not just the living, but those gone too. For someone like me, it also means people whose lives have touched and affected mine, even if I’ve never met them. I’ve been blessed with a truly amazing life, and surrounded by the most wonderful people I could ever hope for.

When you study personal growth and financial success the way that I have over 35 years, you realize that there are many incredible mentors who are genius in their areas, and that you have the opportunity to learn their thoughts and ideas. And although I may never meet these people, their genius is now a part of me.

In my life, people that I have never met like Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Dale Carnegie and many others have had a profound impact on me. (Of course Harv Eker is a part of this group, except I know Harv.)

After a while, you begin to realize that virtually all of these great trainers and speakers are telling you about the same basic principles, and each does it in their own particular way.

You will also realize that each brings some unique thoughts and ideas. And that’s what makes each of them special.

I am thankful for you taking your precious time to read my blog. I promise to you that I will always bring new ideas and thoughts here to help you catch the wave of passion and excitement in your own life. If I can ever be of assistance to you, it is my honor.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Namaste.

Jeff

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

The Major Key to Your Future....

If you are going to learn, might as well learn from the best, right?

Over the last 35 years, I have studied the greatest trainers and teachers in the areas of personal growth and financial success. When I see or read of someone who is referred to as an outstanding coach in my areas of interest, I always check out that person.

If someone I follow and study earnestly keeps referring to one person, then I know that this person is someone special.

Jim Rohn is one such person. I've heard of Jim Rohn and seen quotes from Jim Rohn for many years from many sources. When I finally started studying Jim several years ago, I found out why.

To this day, I find Jim Rohn to be an inspiration and valuable mentor. I recently read this article by Jim and firmly believe it's worth sharing. Hope you take his thoughts to heart.....

"Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth. It's really the open door to it all. In fact I'd like to have you memorize a most important phrase. Here it is, "The major key to your better future is YOU."

Let me repeat that. "The major key to your better future is YOU." Put that some place you can see it everyday, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, at the office, anywhere where you can see it every day. The major key to your better future is YOU. Try to remember that every day you live and think about it. The major key is YOU.

Now, there are many things that will help your better future. If you belong to a strong, dynamic, progressive company, that would help. If the company has good products, good services that you are proud of, that would certainly help. If there were good sales aids, that would help, good training would certainly help.

If there is strong leadership, that will certainly help. All of these things will help, and of course, if it doesn't storm, that will help. If your car doesn't break down, that will help. If the kids don't get sick, that will help.

If the neighbors stay half way civil, that will help. If your relatives don't bug you, that will help. If it isn't too cold, if it isn't too hot, all those things will help your better future. And if prices don't go much higher and if taxes don't get much heavier, that will help. And if the economy stays stable, those things will all help.

We could go on and on with the list; but remember this, the list of things that I've just covered and many more - all put together - play a minor role in your better future.

The major key to your better future is you. Lock your mind onto that. This is a super important point to remember. The major key is you. A friend of mine has always answered when asked, "How do you develop an above average income?" He says, "Simple. Become an above average person. Work on you." My friend says, "Develop an above average handshake." He says, "A lot of people want to be successful, and they don't even work on their handshake.

As easy as that would be to start, they let it slide. They don't understand." My friend says, "Develop an above average smile. Develop an above average excitement. Develop an above average dedication. Develop an above average interest in other people." He says, "To have more, become more."Remember; work harder on yourself than you do on your job. For a long time in my life, I didn't have this figured out.

Strangely enough, with two different people in the same company one may earn an extra $100 a month, and the other may earn a $1,000. What could possibly be the difference? If the products were the same, if the training was the same, if they both had the same literature, the same tools.

If they both had the same teacher, the same compensation plan, if they both attended the same meetings, why would one person earn the $100 per month and the other person earn the $1000? Remember here is the difference...the difference is personal, inside, not outside, inside.

You see the real difference is inside you. In fact, the difference IS you. Someone once said, "The magic is not in the products. The magic is not in the literature. The magic is not in the film.

There isn't a magic meeting, but the magic that makes things better is inside you, and personal growth makes this magic work for you.

The magic is in believing. The magic is in daring. The magic is in trying. The real magic is in persevering. The magic is in accepting. It's in working. The magic is in thinking. There is magic in a handshake. There is magic in a smile. There is magic in excitement and determination.

There is real magic in compassion and caring and sharing. There is unusual magic in strong feeling and you see, all that comes from inside, not outside. So, the difference is inside you. The real difference is you. You are the major key to your better future.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn"

Thanks Jim.

Namaste,

Jeff

Monday, November 21, 2005

The Value of Knowledge.....

Do you want a sure fire solution to boredom?

Would you like to be happy and excited most all the time?

The secret is in developing a burning desire to learn.

I’m not the type of person who can sit down and read a novel. It’s just not me. On the other hand, if I find a book about making better use of time, or how to network better, or communicate better, or market better, or invest better, or improve in almost any area of my life, then I’m going to make the time to read that book.

At Peak Potentials, Harv Eker teaches a money management system that is simple, yet incredibly effective. It’s a major part of “winning the money game.”

Included in the system is allocating 10% of your monthly income into your personal “educational” fund. What does that mean? It means that if you bring home $2,000 a month after all taxes and deductions, you are going to budget $200 (10%) for either books or cd’s or tapes or seminars or coaching. You invest these dollars into yourself, by educating yourself in the areas that are critical to you.

For most people, this is a totally foreign concept. “Budget money for more education? What for? I already know enough.” When you hear that little voice in your head start telling you these stories, it’s time for you to take control, and believe and know that the really happy, successful people understand the value of constant learning.

In this equation, there are 2 critical components to success. The student must be willing and eager to learn. The teacher must be an expert in the field.

The bigger challenge that most people face, is that most people don’t know what they want. And until they figure out what they want out of life, they don’t know what they need to master in order to get it. It’s like playing golf without any holes, or playing hockey without any nets.

Once you know what your definite life’s purpose is, you will never run out of things to learn about that will move you towards your goal.

But understand for sure, that no matter what it is you want to achieve in this world, the better your level of knowledge in your areas, the more successful you are likely to be.

Namaste.

Jeff

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

The miracle on ice.......

I was working out at the hotel gym tonight and ESPN Classics was on the TV. They were showing the top 20 Cinderella sports stories of all time.

Over the hour, they counted down the top stories until they got to number 1. And the number 1 Cinderella story was the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team winning the gold medal by beating the Russians.

It brought back a rush of memories for me.

1980 was towards the end of the Cold War. The winter Olympics were being held in Lake Placid, New York. The mood of the country was somber. And no one, even the most optimistic of fans could fathom the U.S. winning gold in hockey.

You see, the Russians were a juggernaut. They were professionals. They were beating up on teams from the National Hockey League, teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. The previous year, they had crushed the NHL All Stars 6-0 in the deciding game of a challenge series. The Soviet domination of the 1979 World Championship was absolute.

The U.S. team was made up of a bunch of young, amateur college kids. Realistically, a bronze medal would have been considered a major accomplishment. Leading up to the Olympics, the Russians and U.S. played an exhibition game, with the Russians trouncing the Americans 10-3.

By the time the 2 teams met in the Olympics, they had both won all of their games. (Actually, the Americans had tied one game). The arena was packed. I remember sitting down to watch the game thinking that it would be over before the end of the first period. But somehow, the young Americans were able to hang in, trailing just 2-1 after one period.

By the end of the second period, the Soviets continued to lead, but only by a 3-2 margin. And the Americans pulled even early in the 3rd period. Not only did they tie the Russians, they pulled ahead on a goal by team captain Mike Eruzione with 10 minutes left to play.

The minutes slowly counted down to one. As the Soviets mounted a final charge, broadcaster Al Michaels delivered the most famous call in American sport: "Eleven seconds. You got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now. Five seconds left in the game! Do you believe in miracles? Yes!"

Watching the highlights tonight brought back some fantastic memories. But what I enjoyed most was watching the interviews with the players 25 years after that fateful game. To a man, each of them said the same thing. The Russians had the talent. They had the experience. But the Americans had the PASSION. They played with EMOTION. And to a man, each of them believes to this day that was what made all the difference.

These boys put everything they had into winning. They were committed. They were passionate. They believed. And in the end, they conquered Goliath.

Each of us has an opportunity to achieve incredible success. But it comes at a price. It comes when you have a definite goal, a mission in life that you are prepared to give everything you have to make it a reality. It comes when you become so consumed, so passionate about your mission that you develop a burning desire for its attainment.

Do you have a mission in your life? Is there anything that you are so passionate about that you will make every sacrifice to attain it? If you don’t, you’re like 97% of all the people out there.

Step out from the crowd. Find your mission. Find out what you are passionate about. Search for it. Think about it constantly. And don’t stop until you know in your heart and soul that you’ve found your true mission in life.

Napoleon Hill, the great writer and lecturer, said repeatedly that the starting point to all achievement is definiteness of purpose, knowing what you want.

Don’t settle for being average and just like everyone else. Begin at once to focus all of your thinking into understanding what your contribution to the world will be. Find your mission in life. Find your true purpose. And when you do, you’re life will take on a whole new meaning.

Think about those boys on the 1980 U.S. gold medal hockey team. They had a mission and a purpose so deep that it was ingrained into every fiber of their being. They gave it everything they had. When you can reach that level of commitment, there’s no limit to what you can do. I hope you find it.

Namaste.

Jeff

Sunday, November 13, 2005

DON'T Think and Grow Rich.....

It’s a perfect Sunday in Phoenix, and Sue and I have just returned from a fantastic hike into the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. The sky is blue, not a cloud anywhere, and the temperature is in the mid 70’s. If you’ve ever been to Phoenix in the fall, you know why this is such a popular place to live.

Sue was wearing her “Don’t Think” shirt from Peak Potentials. Written all over her shirt are the words “Don’t think” repeated over and over again. People on the hiking trail are asking her what it means?

I remember hearing Harv Eker once say from stage that he was seriously thinking of writing a book and calling it “Don’t think and grow rich”. His theory is that most of us have a tendency to overthink and overanalyze every situation.

The one thing we all need to understand is that whatever it is we hope to accomplish has more than likely already been done. All we need to do is learn what works from those who have already done it and then duplicate that exact same system.

Here’s where we have a tendency to screw up. Instead of just taking the existing system, which is proven to work in the real world, we think of how we can improve it and make it even better. Before you know it, we’ve outsmarted ourselves, and moved away from the plan.

Imagine buying a McDonald’s franchise, and deciding that you were going to use a different system to make the burgers because you think they’ll taste better. No way! It isn’t going to happen. You are going to follow the system that has been tested and proven to work in the real world. You don’t have to do any thinking, just follow the system.

So the “Don’t think” statement is to remind you not to overthink the system. Find something that works, and just do it exactly the way it is meant to work. Once you’ve made your fortune doing things the tried and proven way, then if you want to try things your own way, have at it.

Think about finding a system that produces a profit, a repeatable process that you can do over and over again that produces a real profit in the real world. Once you’ve found it, all you need to do is continue to repeat the process as often as you can, and you’re on you’re way to financial freedom.

I happen to agree with Harv about the “Don’t think” attitude. At the same time, I happen to be in agreement with Napoleon Hill who believes you can “Think and Grow Rich”. There’s a fine line distinguishing the two philosophies, and I believe that they can co-exist in harmony.

I encourage all of you to both think and grow rich, and DON’T think and grow rich. Just know when to do one and when to do the other.

Namaste.

Jeff

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Think and Grow Rich.......

One of my all time favorite authors is Napoleon Hill. If you’ve not heard of him, Napoleon Hill was perhaps the greatest student of the laws of success ever. He wrote many outstanding books during his time, and perhaps the best of the bunch was “Think and Grow Rich”.

A favorite quote from that book that is often used by others is that “whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.” The book is a classic, and must reading for anyone who has a desire for financial success.

Napoleon Hill was commissioned by Andrew Carnegie to devote 20 years of his life in studying and documenting the lives of the most financially successful people of that era. In the early 1900’s, Andrew Carnegie was among the wealthiest men in the world, and had influence with virtually every significant businessman, inventor and politician of the day. Through Carnegie, Napoleon Hill was able to meet and interview hundreds of the world’s wealthiest and influential people, and document the results of those meetings.

As a result of his efforts, Hill was able to identify the common characteristics that many of the people he interviewed demonstrated. He then spent the better part of his adult life writing and lecturing about what he had learned. He came up with a set of principles that when applied in unison and on a consistent basis, virtually guarantee success in any undertaking, provided it doesn’t violate the laws of God and man.

I’ve read “Think and Grow Rich” at least a half a dozen times over the past 30 years, and listened to tapes and cd’s of the book countless other times.

Napoleon Hill is no longer with us. But his foundation is still strong and flourishing. In fact, I subscribe to their daily quote that arrives in my email first thing every morning. What’s amazing is that the messages are provided free, and I have never received any solicitation from them for anything.

Every day, when I open my email, I read an inspirational quote and follow up paragraph from Napoleon Hill designed to improve some area of my life. At this point, I believe I’ve read every message they provide, but I never get tired or bored of reading them over again. And it’s a great way to start my day.

If you’re like me and want to get the most out of yourself, I encourage you to subscribe to this quote of the day from the Napoleon Hill Foundation. You can do so simply by going to www.naphill.org/tftd/join.asp and providing your email address. The price is right….its FREE. So prove to yourself that you are going to become more proactive in your life and DO IT NOW!

In fact, there are several web sites where you can download the book “Think and Grow Rich” for free. I almost hesitate to tell you this, because human nature is to value something to the extent that you invest in it. If we get something for free, we tend not to value it as much as if we had to pay something for it. But if you are genuinely interested in reaching your full financial potential, I encourage you to go to any search engine, and enter “Free Think and Grow Rich Download”. You’ll find several sites where you can get the ebook.

Every one of us can grow to our peak potential. When you begin to focus on this idea, you will begin to realize that all the tools you need are right there waiting for you to tap into. I sincerely hope you develop a burning desire to be the very best you can in every area of your life. The Napoleon Hill Foundation is one avenue to help get you there.

Namaste.

Jeff

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Everything happens for a reason......

Last week I heard from an acquaintance who I had suggested attend the “Millionaire Mind Intensive” Program offered by Peak Potentials Training. He called to tell me he had just returned from the event and what a terrific experience it was for him.

It made me think back to my experience at the MMI and how I even found out about it in the first place.

In August of 2003, I was surfing the net looking for million dollar ideas. Quite by accident, I stumbled onto the Peak Potentials Training web site, and saw a picture of my old friend T. Harv Eker. The last time we’d seen each other was in 1979, when Harv came to Phoenix and we spent a few days together.

In the years afterwards, I’d heard from my cousins that Harv was in Florida trying his hand at being an entrepreneur, and then later that he was in Canada building a business, and then, that Harv had sold his business and retired to San Diego, and finally that he’d become a “motivational speaker”.

Now, all of a sudden, I found myself looking at a picture of Harv at his web site. I was so excited to find Harv and see what he’d accomplished that I had to contact him just to congratulate him and wish him continued success.

Fortunately, my message was forwarded to Harv, and he replied to me, inviting me to come to LA and attend his now famous 3-day Millionaire Mind Intensive seminar.

Because personal growth and development is a passion of mine, and since I hadn’t seen Harv in 24 years, taking him up on his offer was a no brainer.

As I prepared for my trip to LA, I was focused on seeing Harv and watching him on stage. I hadn’t thought much about the program or what I might learn.

The MMI was an incredible event. Together with around 1,200 participants, we experienced 3 days unlike any we’d had before.

It took me all of about an hour before I realized that this was not your typical seminar. I’ve been to dozens of personal growth programs but nothing could even come close to this.

It was apparent to me that I wasn’t the only one who was experiencing these feelings. At the breaks I could see virtually everyone bursting with excitement about what they were learning. And Harv was awesome. His unique style captured our attention. We were all learning, growing, and having a ton of fun.

If you are into personal growth and financial success like I am, you have got to get to the Millionaire Mind Intensive. For at least the next while, you and a guest can attend the MMI for FREE simply by buying Harv’s new best selling book “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind”. This is the deal of a lifetime. People spend thousands of dollars for programs that aren’t half as good.

Why am I telling you this? I have no vested interest in Peak Potentials anymore. I don’t earn a penny for promoting Harv and Peak Potentials. I’m telling you this because I believe that the MMI can be a life-transforming event for you. I believe that if you are ready to take your life to a whole new level, the MMI can pave the way. I believe it because I’ve experienced it myself as a participant. I believe it because having attended numerous MMI’s as a staff member, I personally saw and spoke with thousands of MMI attendees. I’ve referred my wife, my stepdaughter, and numerous friends and relatives to the event.

Since leaving Peak Potentials earlier this year, I don’t get to see Harv anymore. He’s busy fulfilling his mission, and I’m on the road consulting. But I can tell you that I feel blessed for the time I had working with Harv, and that I’ve never known a creative and business genius quite like him. He’s a very special guy.

So be sure you read Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and attend the MMI. It’s something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

Namaste.

Jeff

Labels: , ,

Monday, November 07, 2005

Nice guys do finish first.....

Have you ever heard the expression “Nice guys finish last”? I’ve heard it numerous times over the years, and it got to the point where I actually started to believe it.

But my faith has been restored, because I know that nice guys do succeed.

In 1999, I was working for a major national bank with a huge presence in Arizona. They even named a ballpark after this bank. And I had the incredible fortune to be working for an amazing man who was the best manager of people I’ve ever known.

Dave Murray was a tremendous individual to work with. Not only was he technically proficient in the areas of his responsibilities, he was an example of how a professional should manage his staff. Dave was always available to those he managed. He had a calm demeanor that never got rattled. He knew how to get things done, and moreover, he knew how to get the best out of his people. He took the time to get to know you, and to show genuine interest in you and your life.

For 4 years, Dave was my leader, my mentor, and the lessons I learned from him about managing people and dealing with challenges were invaluable. Eventually, I left the bank to move on to Peak Potentials Training, but I always made it a point to stay in contact with Dave after I left.

Just a few months ago, I called Dave to touch base, and he told me he was leaving the bank. He had accepted a job as the Executive Pastor and Chief Operating Officer for North Phoenix Baptist Church, a popular Church with a huge congregation.

During our time together, Dave had frequently told me about his love for the ministry, and I knew that he routinely went to Church camp in New Mexico to volunteer his time. So, I wasn’t at all surprised that he chose to go in this direction.

A couple of weekends ago, my wife Sue handed me an article in the Arizona Republic highlighting Dave Murray in his new position at the Church.

The article gave a glowing report of Dave, with quotes from members of the congregation. Of course, this came as no surprise to me at all. I could have predicted it. Dave is the right person in the right place at the right time. And there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever in my mind that North Phoenix Baptist Church is lucky to have Dave on board with them. He will do a fantastic job.

Dave is one of the nicest people I have ever known. He stands for everything I believe is important in life. Reading the article in the Republic made me proud of my relationship with him. And he is proof positive that nice guys do finish first.

Way to go Dave! It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Namaste.

Jeff

Friday, November 04, 2005

Inspiration is all around us.......

I remember reading a quote many years ago that went along these lines….”10% of life is about what happens to you. 90% of life is about how you respond to it”. You’ve probably heard similar phrases…..”When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade”…..or…”It’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up”.

There are so many things in life over which we have no control. What we do have 100% complete control over is our minds, our attitudes and our responses to what happens to us. I especially appreciate those who have overcome challenges in their lives and continue to prosper and make the best of their circumstances.

Currently, I am working with a client in the L.A. area. There are a group of us working as a team to assist the client in improving their processes and becoming compliant with Federal regulations. The leader of the consultants group is Richard, a very bright, energetic individual. He is the first one in the office every morning, and the last to leave every night. He usually has a smile on his face and a laugh in his voice regardless what the challenges of the day are. He goes from meeting to meeting throughout the day, and always joins us for lunch and occasionally dinner too. He lives an active life, and gets more done in a day than most. And he does it all living in a wheelchair!

To me, Richard is an inspiration. He hasn’t allowed his circumstances to stop him from living a full and active life. He doesn’t ask for pity, or use his situation as an excuse for anything. He has a terrific attitude, and is a pleasure to work with. By any measure, he would be considered successful if he were physically healthy and able. The fact he has achieved this level of success while being confined to a wheelchair is outstanding.

Richard understands, either consciously or unconsciously, that the only limits on his life are the ones he chooses to accept. And he clearly demonstrates on a daily basis that he refuses to allow his wheelchair to stop him from being a successful contributing member of society.

There are so many of us who allow life’s circumstances to knock us down and keep us down. We are all guilty of it from time to time. Some more than others. All of us have problems that we need to overcome. If you’re having a difficult time getting over yours, think about all of the people whose problems are bigger than yours and are still managing to thrive.

Remember, you have 100% control over your mind, and therefore 100% control over your attitudes and actions. When you understand this completely, and more importantly, when you begin to apply control over the things you can, you will automatically put yourself into a higher place.

So three cheers for Richard, and all the Richard’s of the world. They are an inspiration to me, and hopefully to you too.

Namaste.
Jeff

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Your Personal Mission Statement...

"People with goals succeed because they know where they are going. It's as simple as that." - Earl Nightingale

The highest achievers in any field view themselves as self-employed. They have the attitude that they run their own business, even if they are affiliated with a major corporation. And so they develop a sense of “mission” about their career, taking a proactive approach to create the results they want. And their Mission Statement guides them.

This is in contrast with "average" people, who view themselves as employees and react to the ups and downs of the economy. Top producers take charge. They take full responsibility for fulfilling their Mission, regardless of market conditions. They realize that they can't wait until external factors, like the marketplace, get better ... but that THEY must get better if they intend to achieve their goals.

Which group do you want to be in -- the top 3% of achievers or the 97% of "average" people? Your Personal Mission Statement and clearly defined goals with timelines attached are the difference.

A Mission Statement is:
• a hand written or typed out paragraph
• posted someplace you can see it regularly
• committed to memory
• has specific, measurable outcomes
• has a deadline -- for example, December 31st.

A Mission Statement is defined as having goals and a deadline. This is opposed to the notion that a Mission Statement is just a bunch of flowery, general phrases like, "I will be the best producer I can be." It's no wonder that a lot of people have this type of Mission Statement sitting in their desk drawer!

A much more powerful Mission Statement would state:
“My purpose is to help my company double sales this year. I plan on accomplishing this goal by devoting one hour a week to learning a new skill in sales and negotiating offers, and then applying what I’ve learned to the deals I’m currently involved in with my company. If I do this faithfully, in one year from now, I will advance in my career because my ability to increase sales for the company I work for will be more valuable than it is now.”

Perhaps the best example of a public Mission Statement was made back in 1960, when John F. Kennedy, referring to the U.S. space program, said that we would put a man on the moon by the end of the decade — a clear goal with a specific timeline for its achievement. And, despite enormous challenges, by mid-1969, Neil Armstrong had taken that "one large step for mankind."

Anyone can easily create a Mission Statement.

You must base your goals upon your Mission Statement. If you've created your Mission according to the process above, you'll now have "big" goals to achieve by one year from today. From there, you'll need to break them down into quarterly, monthly and even weekly goals. Stephen Covey has a great quote in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In it, he says: "If you don't set your goals based upon your Mission Statement, you may be climbing the ladder of success only to realize, when you get to the top, you're on the WRONG BUILDING." Amen!

Now, start today, by creating your Personal Mission Statement and set your quarterly, monthly, and weekly goals accordingly.

Namaste.

Jeff