It’s Tough At the Top….
So you think you want to be a success?
You think you want to contribute to the success of others?
Realize this…..
What do the following people all have in common?
Tony Robbins, Earl Nightingale, John Maxwell, Rick Warren, Napoleon Hill, Brian Tracy, Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar, Joel Olsteen, Harv Eker……
All of the above are successful authors and speakers who have sold millions of books, given thousands of seminars and helped countless people improve their lives.
All of them have followers who read and study everything they can get their hands on from their specific “guru”. If they can see their “guru” in person, they will travel wherever they have to in order to attend and learn in person.
Why do people choose a particular author/speaker as their “guru”? They do it because the message they hear, and the method that message is presented resonates with them.
Would you consider those people to be a part of a cult?
Myself, over the past 36 years, I’ve found many extremely successful people that I have studied and learned from. While I have my favorites, I find I can learn from almost anyone. And in my quest to be the best person I can possibly be, I am far more concerned with the message I hear than the source of that message.
The fact is, that only a very small percentage of all people have a passion for personal growth. According to statistics, less than 1% of all people will buy and read a self-help book this year.
Of the remaining 99%, most are simply oblivious to the idea of personal growth. But as I can relate to you from my time running Peak Potentials Training, and subsequently, since beginning my blog, there are those that are downright indignant about the whole thing.
Recently I got an email. It was sent by “anonymous”. That should tell you something right away. If you were in my place, what would you think of someone who doesn’t want you to know who they are?
This email was filled with venom. It referred to people who follow their “guru” as being a part of a cult. It went on to personally attack the character of these “guru’s”.
I know that “anonymous” truly believes what he wrote me. It was written with so much passion and hate that he MUST believe what he wrote.
What are beliefs?
Beliefs are thoughts held to be true.
But are they really true?
The fact is, beliefs are only someone’s best guess as to what the truth is.
Some people’s beliefs are empowering. Their belief system is designed to support their growth.
Other people’s beliefs are disempowering. Their belief system is designed to prohibit their growth.
If you could choose, which belief system would you choose?
My friend, Mr. Anonymous, clearly has a disempowering belief system. Rather than look for the ideas and principles that can help him in transforming his life for the better, and disregarding those ideas and principles that don’t resonate for him, he chooses to evaluate the entire teachings of an individual and either accept it in total or reject it in total.
I have absolutely no personal animosity for Mr. Anonymous. He is free to think whatever he wants. For every Mr. Anonymous I hear from, there are countless others that I hear the exact opposite response. The ratio must be 100 to 1.
Let me give you an example. When I was running Peak Potentials, I made it a point to get to as many events as I possibly could. If there were 1,500 people at a Millionaire Mind Intensive program, 1,450 people would love it, would learn from it, and would be very supportive of telling their friends and associates to attend the next one.
But there would also be the 50 people who would write me and complain about how they were being “brainwashed”, that all it was doing was giving people false hope, and that the only intention was to create a “cult following” where people would waste their time and money on such garbage.
It’s like the story of the 2 sisters who were raised in a physically abuse home. As adults, one of them was very mean and abusive to her husband and children. The other was a loving, caring mother and wife. When interviewed, the first sister said, “Of course I’m this way, look at how I was raised. What do you expect?” The second sister said, “Of course I’m this way, look at how I was raised. What do you expect?”
The first sister believed that because she was raised in this manner, that this was how she was supposed to be. The second sister believed that because she was raised in this manner, that was NOT how she was supposed to be. So whose belief system is right?
Neither! They’re not right, they’re not wrong, they’re not true and they’re not false. It’s all a made up story that they came up with and they bought. The only difference is that one is empowering and the other isn’t. Which would you chose?
Recognize, that the more successful you are, and the more people you attempt to help, the more likely it is that you are going to have you’re detractors. It’s just a fact of life.
You cannot ever get 100% acceptance from everyone who comes in contact with you.
The important lesson to learn from this is that despite the fact that you will have your detractors, who will be vocal and even vile, if you truly believe in yourself and your service, don’t be sidetracked.
The greatest and most successful men and women in history had their detractors. Why should you be any different?
If you attend a seminar or read a book, and 99% of the information is “garbage” as far as you’re concerned, take the 1% that isn’t and grow from it. Don’t focus on the “garbage”, focus on the fruit.
I sincerely hope you can reach your full potential. If I can educate and inspire you to move in that direction, I am happy to have made a difference. If I can’t, at least I tried.
Namaste.
Jeff
You think you want to contribute to the success of others?
Realize this…..
What do the following people all have in common?
Tony Robbins, Earl Nightingale, John Maxwell, Rick Warren, Napoleon Hill, Brian Tracy, Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar, Joel Olsteen, Harv Eker……
All of the above are successful authors and speakers who have sold millions of books, given thousands of seminars and helped countless people improve their lives.
All of them have followers who read and study everything they can get their hands on from their specific “guru”. If they can see their “guru” in person, they will travel wherever they have to in order to attend and learn in person.
Why do people choose a particular author/speaker as their “guru”? They do it because the message they hear, and the method that message is presented resonates with them.
Would you consider those people to be a part of a cult?
Myself, over the past 36 years, I’ve found many extremely successful people that I have studied and learned from. While I have my favorites, I find I can learn from almost anyone. And in my quest to be the best person I can possibly be, I am far more concerned with the message I hear than the source of that message.
The fact is, that only a very small percentage of all people have a passion for personal growth. According to statistics, less than 1% of all people will buy and read a self-help book this year.
Of the remaining 99%, most are simply oblivious to the idea of personal growth. But as I can relate to you from my time running Peak Potentials Training, and subsequently, since beginning my blog, there are those that are downright indignant about the whole thing.
Recently I got an email. It was sent by “anonymous”. That should tell you something right away. If you were in my place, what would you think of someone who doesn’t want you to know who they are?
This email was filled with venom. It referred to people who follow their “guru” as being a part of a cult. It went on to personally attack the character of these “guru’s”.
I know that “anonymous” truly believes what he wrote me. It was written with so much passion and hate that he MUST believe what he wrote.
What are beliefs?
Beliefs are thoughts held to be true.
But are they really true?
The fact is, beliefs are only someone’s best guess as to what the truth is.
Some people’s beliefs are empowering. Their belief system is designed to support their growth.
Other people’s beliefs are disempowering. Their belief system is designed to prohibit their growth.
If you could choose, which belief system would you choose?
My friend, Mr. Anonymous, clearly has a disempowering belief system. Rather than look for the ideas and principles that can help him in transforming his life for the better, and disregarding those ideas and principles that don’t resonate for him, he chooses to evaluate the entire teachings of an individual and either accept it in total or reject it in total.
I have absolutely no personal animosity for Mr. Anonymous. He is free to think whatever he wants. For every Mr. Anonymous I hear from, there are countless others that I hear the exact opposite response. The ratio must be 100 to 1.
Let me give you an example. When I was running Peak Potentials, I made it a point to get to as many events as I possibly could. If there were 1,500 people at a Millionaire Mind Intensive program, 1,450 people would love it, would learn from it, and would be very supportive of telling their friends and associates to attend the next one.
But there would also be the 50 people who would write me and complain about how they were being “brainwashed”, that all it was doing was giving people false hope, and that the only intention was to create a “cult following” where people would waste their time and money on such garbage.
It’s like the story of the 2 sisters who were raised in a physically abuse home. As adults, one of them was very mean and abusive to her husband and children. The other was a loving, caring mother and wife. When interviewed, the first sister said, “Of course I’m this way, look at how I was raised. What do you expect?” The second sister said, “Of course I’m this way, look at how I was raised. What do you expect?”
The first sister believed that because she was raised in this manner, that this was how she was supposed to be. The second sister believed that because she was raised in this manner, that was NOT how she was supposed to be. So whose belief system is right?
Neither! They’re not right, they’re not wrong, they’re not true and they’re not false. It’s all a made up story that they came up with and they bought. The only difference is that one is empowering and the other isn’t. Which would you chose?
Recognize, that the more successful you are, and the more people you attempt to help, the more likely it is that you are going to have you’re detractors. It’s just a fact of life.
You cannot ever get 100% acceptance from everyone who comes in contact with you.
The important lesson to learn from this is that despite the fact that you will have your detractors, who will be vocal and even vile, if you truly believe in yourself and your service, don’t be sidetracked.
The greatest and most successful men and women in history had their detractors. Why should you be any different?
If you attend a seminar or read a book, and 99% of the information is “garbage” as far as you’re concerned, take the 1% that isn’t and grow from it. Don’t focus on the “garbage”, focus on the fruit.
I sincerely hope you can reach your full potential. If I can educate and inspire you to move in that direction, I am happy to have made a difference. If I can’t, at least I tried.
Namaste.
Jeff
posted by Jeff Fagin at 6:48 AM
6 Comments:
OK
Anonymous here again. And Yes the previous posting was full of venom, and yes there is a reason for it. Personally I have no issue with "Personal Growth", It's called Life. Some people lead richer and fuller lives than others and there's nothign wrong with that. And to be honest if someone chooses to follwo a Guru, mentor, coach or even a dancing horse, well as long as that person is happy is that not all that truly matters?
The single largest issue I have with this whole thing is what it is doing to people, not as individuals but as partners, Wives, Husbands, lovers and friends. I know of two relationships that have been utterly destroyed by one partner getting involved with "Personal Growth" and Demanding that their partner join them, and providing the ultimatium that if they choose not to, then they can expect Divorce papers to be served. Is this the sort of thing which is promoted by Harv? Is this what Harv teaches his followers? Sounds more like a religion or a cult to me, If your not with us, then your against us and we will no longer accept you as an individual.
So let me ask you this. Of the supposed thousands and thousands of people who get a "Milionaire Mind" of the thousands and thousands who become "Warriors" and or "Wizards", how many of them are still working the regular 9 to 5? Where are all the Millionaires produced by this "Intensive" session? Please don;t reply with the lame excuse of "They didn't follow thru" line of BS. The only person getting rich off this is Harv, laughing all the way to the bank at the fools and weak minded, gulliable individuals spending thousands and thousands of dollars to hear his spout nonsense.
Hi anonymous,
I appreciate your point of view, and we will simply have to agree to disagree.
The reality that you chose to believe is simply not the same as mine, and I have no issue with you believing whatever makes you happy.
I will answer your issues as best and as honestly as I can.
Let me begin by saying that I am not trying to defend Harv as the perfect person, because he is human, and he makes mistakes just like we all do.
Harv encourages couples and families to take the various programs together because research has proven that when someone learns a new way of thinking, it is far more likely that he/she will be successful in making change if they have the support of their family members. If you want to indict Harv for encouraging families to take the programs together, then you need to indict virtually all trainers. This isn't something unique to Harv.
As for those who "demand" that their partner either join them or else be prepared for divorce papers, I have never heard Harv tell anyone to make those demands on their spouse. That is a personal choice, over which Harv has absolutely no control. I can only use the following analogy.
Recently, a number of U.S. servicemen have been charged with rape and murder in Iraq. Were they told to do this by their superiors, or did they chose to do this on their own?
If someone is putting those demands on their spouse, I would contend that their relationship was already in trouble, and this is just another issue among many.
Harv is constantly asked what to do if someone wants to grow and improve but their spouse or friends are very negative. He is very clear in his response. He has never in the countless times I've heard him asked this question say, "you must divorce this person", or "you must make an ultimatum". He does say that it is a difficult situation, and that you have to do what is right for you.
Let me ask you, anonymous, what would you suggest if someone asked you that question?
As far as what % of people are working their 9 to 5 jobs after attending Peak Potential Programs, I guess you could ask that about every single "guru" who has ever done any seminars/training/books. Refer to my post http://lifeafterpeakpotentials.blogspot.com/2005/12/understanding-your-odds.html
Most people will not succeed, not because the material is garbage, but because they didn't follow through.
I can tell you however that those who chose to join "successtracs" or get regular coaching on a weekly or monthly basis in conjunction with the courses see tremendous results.
The fact is, we are just like cars. We need to constantly add gas and get refuled. If we don't, we lose all momentum and we fail. Unfortunately, everyone is looking for the instant solution, the quick fix, and that doesn't exist.
People who are constantly taking courses to improve themselves, and follow through with action in their lives, over a period of time, see tremendous success. I know that over the 36 years that I have studied and learned from successful people it is true for me. I can only speak from my own experience.
You will undoubtedly disagree vehimently with everything I have just written, and it is of little use to either of us to continue this debate.
I wish you nothing but success in your life if that is what you want, and would suggest that since you do not like or agree with what I write that you simply don't return to this blog.
With the best of intentions, I say to you Namaste.
Jeff
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Hi Anonymous,
You have made your point in your 2 previous posts to me.
I have already told you that we will simply have to agree to disagree.
The purpose of my blog is to offer suggestions to those who are open to the ideas, and then let people chose to do or not do as they please. It includes ideas and principles that I have learned from a large number of people over a large number of years. Some of these ideas come from Harv, many come from others.
I don’t make any money whatsoever from my blog. I have it because I have a passion for growth, and feel that I have something of value to offer for those who are so inclined.
You have an ax to grind with Harv. We do not know each other; at least I don’t believe we do.
If you have a problem with Harv, I suggest you take it up with Harv.
I have met many who feel exactly the same way you do. And I have many friends who are not into personal growth. In fact, I would say the majority of my friends and associates fall into that group. I don’t hold that against them in the least. We are all free to choose to become whoever we want to be, and it is not my place to force my values and beliefs on anyone else.
You have an agenda, and it is clear that we are on different ends of the spectrum. I hear you loud and clear. Any further debate is a waste of both of our time. I will not persuade you to think any differently than you do, and you cannot possibly change my beliefs to conform to yours. And that’s fine; it’s what makes the world go around. Different strokes for different folks.
If you want to go on a personal crusade, start your own blog and preach whatever you want. I will ask you one last time, please don’t bother coming back to my blog. Let’s just leave as friends.
Namaste.
Jeff
Jeff,
I've chosen to join a cult. It's the greatest cult I've ever been a part of. It's my own.... Not only am I the cult leader, I am the follower. I have so much power that I can control whatever I think and do.
Jeff
It is individuals and their ideas that make up this world. Other's point of view stimulates thought and reinforces one's foundation.
Well done Jeff.
Larry E.
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