What an Inspiration....

Do you ever see something extraordinary that has a deep impact on you?

Normally, I’m not much of a TV watcher. Too many other things to do.

But I saw an interview with Michael J. Fox that was truly inspiring.

I hadn’t seen him in a very long time. To watch him sitting in his chair during the interview was disturbing at first. Michael was twitching and jerking constantly, the results of his Parkinson’s disease.

Talk about someone who had it all.

Fame. Fortune. A beautiful family. Millions of fans. Good looks. Bright.

If anyone had it made, it sure seemed like Michael did.

His disease took over his body at a very young age. When we think of Parkinson's, we generally think of an old person’s disease.

In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone as young as Michael with such an advanced case of this affliction.

The interview showed clips of what he has been up to since retiring from television. He’s been busy raising awareness of Parkinson’s at a tireless pace.

But the thing that stood out to me the most was when the interviewer asked Michael if he looked to his future with worry or trepidation.

Without hesitation, Michael’s response revealed a side to this person I had never known.

Michael responded that he was excited and optimistic about his future.

He said that if it was his fate to raise public awareness about Parkinson’s then he was thrilled to have that opportunity. And that if his efforts were able to speed up a cure for this disease, then all of the challenges he faces were no big deal at all.

What an incredible attitude. What an amazing person.

If anyone had a reason to cry out….why me? Michael did.

But he isn’t looking for any pity. He took the challenges life has handed him, and just continues to look at life with faith and hope and optimism.

We all have a tendency to wallow in our own self pity when things don’t go well for us.

Imagine if you had it all, and a terrible disease overtook your body. How would you respond?

In my books, I have a new respect for this man I never had before.

Michael J. Fox is a winner. He’s an extraordinary human being, who has accepted the hand he’s been dealt and continues to live his life to the fullest.

He is a true hero to me.

And he reminds me that no matter how crummy things are at times, that how you respond to life is far more important than what happens to you.

As I’ve said before on this blog, I believe that 10% of life is what happens to you, and 90% of life is how you respond.

So the next time crap happens in your life, think about Michael. You can sit down and cry about it, or you can have the attitude of a winner.

You decide how you’re going to respond. No one else.

Here’s to Michael. I hope he lives a long and healthy life.

Namaste.

Jeff

What's YOUR Mission?

Those of you who’ve read this blog for a while know that I often write about passion, purpose and mission.

I was lucky in life that I found my greatest passion when I was still young. At the age of 15, I became obsessed with my personal growth and development. I began reading books, and then listening to tapes, and finally attending seminars.

Over the last 37 years, I have been on a personal mission to educate myself in as many areas of personal success as I can imagine. It’s a never ending process, and assures me that I will never be bored.

One of the areas I have focused decades of study is in the area of personal financial success. Besides all the formal education I received, and all the degrees and letters after my name, I have invested tens of thousands of dollars to learn money strategies using many different vehicles.

At the age of 52, I am financially free. What that means is that Sue and I have more than enough passive income to pay for our expenses. We don’t have to work anymore.

Was I lucky? Maybe. But I believe that taking all of the knowledge I acquired and then DOING something with it had a lot more to do with my financial success.

What would you do if you had enough passive income coming in every month to pay for all of your expenses? Would you work? Would you play golf every day? Would you travel?

I happen to believe that all of us are here on this earth for a purpose. We all have a specific mission in our lifetime.

Our missions are not only in our own development. It’s in how we contribute to society. It’s in helping our fellow man/woman with our unique skills and gifts.

When it comes to personal finances, I have achieved a level of success that places me in the top 5% of all Americans. There are universal principles I learned along the way that made the journey to financial success automatic.

As a result, I believe that my mission is to help others who have a real desire to reach their full financial potential. I do it with joy. I do it with enthusiasm. I do it with passion. I am doing what I enjoy doing more than anything else I can imagine, and I get to help those who are open to it.

What’s your mission?

Can you state exactly what your purpose is?

If you can’t, then you are cheating yourself of the greatest gifts of life.

Your life will never be the same once you know from deep within yourself what your true mission is.

If you are true to yourself, and you pursue your mission, you will find a new feeling come over you.

You’ll see life from a completely new perspective.

You’ll feel energized.

You’ll be happier.

So again, I ask you, what’s your mission?

Until you have your answer, you need to keep asking yourself this question over and over again…….

Namaste.

Jeff

The Amazing Mind Of.....

Every once in a while, a pleasant unexpected surprise happens for all of us.

Last week, I got a call from my old friend and mentor Harv Eker, President and CEO of Peak Potentials Training, and the author of the New York Times best seller “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.”

Harv was in town for a couple of days, and invited me to join him to see Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) in concert.

We weren’t in the front row, we had to settle for row 4.

If you ever have the opportunity to see a concert from up close, it’s an incredible experience.

Even more special than the concert was getting to spend almost 9 hours with Harv.

Although we’ve stayed in touch via email, we hadn’t seen each other in almost 18 months.

Having a conversation with Harv is unlike any other conversation you could ever imagine.

Harv is a genius. In particular, he’s a business genius.

As we talked, and Harv told me of the many things he’s involved in, I was amazed at all the projects he’s juggling at once.

Without a doubt, Harv is the hardest working person I have ever known. Talk about passion and drive, that’s Harv.

His schedule is unbelievable. He is constantly on the go. Phoenix to Dallas to Orlando to Toronto to…..it just never ends.

As I was telling him about my business, you could see Harv’s wheels spinning. He asked a million questions. He looked for the opportunities that could vault me to another level. He was in his element.

When it comes to creating financial success, be it personal or in business, you couldn’t have a better mentor than Harv.

If you are determined to reach your full financial potential, you have got to make it a goal to attend a Peak Potentials event, and especially if Harv is the trainer for the event. You will be transformed.

Our visit ended much too quickly. But it was a special occasion for sure.

As 2006 winds down, I urge you to begin thinking about making some major changes in your life in the new year. In particular, get out of your comfort zone. Set some new goals that will force you to grow. Read some inspiring books. Listen to some audio programs. Plan to attend a couple of seminars.

Your life won’t change until you start to do things differently. If you keep thinking the way you’ve always thought, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.

Don’t settle for the status quo. Choose to grow. Choose to aim higher than you currently are. And then, do something about it. If you do, your life will never be the same.

Namaste.

Jeff