Article Archive

A Case Of The Cyber Blues

A Picture That Makes A Difference

Beware Of The Wolves

Everything Counts

For The Love Of Money

Getting Your House In Order

Inertia Is Lethal

Japan As The Gateway to a New World Order

Living An Honest And Fruitful Life Is Not An Option (from a seminar I gave)

Matrix

Never Compromise For Less than The Best

Nine Things More Important Than Capital

Of Circled Incomes And Small Fortunes

Sunrise Checklist For Success

Switching From Failure To Resounding Success

Success Begins With Self-Education

Taking Inventory In The Final Moments of Wakefulness

Ten Steps To Level Your Playing Field

The Bare Minimums

The Keys To Success In Japan Already Lie In Your Heart

Want To Fly Like An Eagle? Then Quit Hanging Out With Turkeys

Warning: Thinking Could Be Essential To Your Financial Health...And That Ain't Bad

When A Japanese Person Seems To Say No

Your DNA of Success

Switching From Failure To Resounding Success

Success is not a lucky charm.  It is an irreversible decision to excel – no matter what – while those around you are shouting words of discouragement and throwing stones of doubt in your path.  It may arrive in a strange package at any age or stage of our life. We must be vigilant to sense its arrival and have faith that it will arrive again and again until we cease to be. 

Success is a life choice that will not discriminate against

*those who have experienced failure,

*the slob,

*the underachiever,

*the high school dropout,

*the idle dreamer,

*the felon,

*the fat tub of lard,

*the ghetto dweller,

*the recovering alcoholic,

*the irresponsible loafer,

*the smelly, homeless man sleeping under the bridge,

*the sullied woman selling her flesh for creature comforts,

*the neglected child who daddy loved least,

*the sexually dysfunctional,

*the homosexual,

*the atheist,

*the pious brethren,

*the grief-ridden……or any other misery-ridden human being on this planet.  

Nor will success and happiness be a given for those who are extremely gifted, intelligent, gorgeous, unbelievably handsome, loved, revered, pampered, or living in the lap of luxury.   

As Carole King, an early 1970s entertainer, sang:

"You've got to get up every morning with a smile on your

face, and show the world all the love in your heart.  Then

people gonna treat you better;  You're gonna find, yes, you

will, that you're beautiful as you feel." 

We need not choose to be unhappy, unfulfilled, guilt-ridden, esteem-deflated shells of human potential.  There is so much more to us than what we have seen or experienced.  We walked before we had a planned destination.  We uttered words before we had a word for talking.  We ate before we understood the importance of nourishment.  

In fact, the breaths of life are a given blessing, for with each passing breath we can choose excellence and happiness over survival and pastel living.  The only rope that can hang us in our pursuit of success and fulfillment is the one that turns off our thinking mechanism.

Success Begins With Self-Education

I fervently hate slick, long winded marketing hype that forces me to scroll down a lengthy litanies of half-truths and doubtful speculations before I can get to the bottom line about the "deal."

They, whoever they may be among unscrupulous marketers, tell you that their technique or product is a "proven winner." Often they pad their super-duper offers with arbitrarily-valued bonus reports and whatnots intended to give you that final impetus to reach for your credit card and get screwed.

My advice:

1)Specialize your knowledge.

2)Read all you can about products or technology for free, but be prepared to invest modest sums to get high-quality information.

3)Attend live seminars, webcasts, teleseminars and workshops on your specialized interest or niche – and be prepared to invest in these, when necessary.

4)Always trust your better judgment to kick in when you wish to invest in tools for your education or skills' upgrade.

5)Move out of your comfort zone and become truly interested in other people and their stories.

6)Choose your models for success carefully.

7)Write out your goals succinctly and with a time deadline for each.

8)Understand and accept on a deep level that there is no such animal as an "overnight success."

9)Hang out and around successful or success-oriented people.

10)Keep a personal journal of your journey.

I do appreciate honest, straightforward business propositions.

I do appreciate the spirit of sharing what's free, low cost and beneficial without sounding like a schemer.

There are many deals and things which you must chose to refuse offhand. But never become so cynical that you reject everything and everyone with one broad stroke. There are thousands of sincere people who can help you grow your online business.

Follow your heart because one size seldom fits all.

There are lessons of life to be learned, however, by keeping your mind open to the unusual and different.

Henry Ford had an "I am the king of automobiles, nobody can dethrone me" sentiment when he said: "You can have any color Ford as long as it is black," when referring to his Model T car of the early Twentieth Century. His company spent 50 years catching up to General Motors because of that haughtiness and lack of insight.

The world will change, but will you? If you are not moving forward in your thinking and your action plan, then you are most certainly moving backwards.

I am dedicated to the proposition that the Internet is the last bastion of hope for Mankind. Information to enable and empower each of us has never been so readily available and accessible. It is my hope and my passion to be a leader in teaching people to think independently and to develop an unstoppable passion for service and achievement.

I salute one and all for taking bold steps toward greatness and self-actualization.

When A Japanese Person Seems To Say No

Do evasive and mealy-mouthed responses cause you irritation? Then you had better scratch Japan from your business plans.

One aspect of dealing with Japanese, which can totally frustrate a newcomer (and a veteran like me!) to this island-nation, is the lack of straightforwardness in communication. Evasiveness is a national past time here and that can infuriate an impatient foreign businessman wanting results in a New York minute.

If you can’t tame your desire for specific responses and quick results, then I already know the exact outcome of your business trip even before you arrive at Narita Airport. You will fail and you may never know why.

Despite the maddening "silent treatment" style of the Japanese people, I want to reassure you that you can penetrate the Japanese psyche and know the truth behind a plastic smile in due time.

For those of you tapping your collective feet and wanting to cut to the chase before you bite every fingernail to the elbow, may I offer some cautionary advice:

An outright "No" from your Japanese counterpart is as rare as a planetary realignment. The more you push for decisiveness and definitiveness in the initial stages of negotiation, the more ambiguous will be the response.

The following words spoken by a Japanese to the uninitiated foreigner can usually be interpreted as meaning "No," or "It is no good," or "It is too expensive," or "You are embarrassing me," or "Why are you in such a rush?" and a host of other rejection statements or questions which remain unspoken:

1) That’s so difficult. 2) It’s difficult for me to say in English. 3) We need time to think about it. 4) Is that so? 5) We will need a few months to consider your plan. 6) Can we continue this discussion in the future?

I can hear many of you ready to pounce on me now. Well, Mr. Posner, each of these sentences/questions gives a ray of hope. Why do you interpret their respective meanings as a sign that matters are falling apart or have even failed? Aren’t you being negative and pessimistic?

No, experience has been my teacher. Twenty-five years of dealing in business in Japan – many as a language trainer at large Japanese concerns – have given me a keen sense for the meaning of English words as spoken by a Japanese. I could write a concise dictionary of Japanese English, if I was idle.

I have one final note of caution. It is often said that our Maker gave us two ears and one mouth so that we could listen twice as much as we speak. Japanese in business circles have mastered that art, plus alpha.

Bite your tongue and let the Japanese counterpart take a little of the initiative. They will respect you more and most likely find a place in their business budget for your product, service or proposal…eventually.

Your DNA of Success

Successful propagandists and copywriters of our times tend to embrace a stealthy, holier-than-Thou, airtight philosophy of life.  They strut their stuff.

They tend to embrace specious ideas or systems, which may have at least worked for them, and then, spin these concepts into sugary bibles (systems) of gospel truth for sale.  

They tend to dangle the mysterious, the unknown, and the unknowable before the truth seekers’ eyes. 

They promise to reveal the secrets which are not theirs to give. 

They then reel you in with the “What ifs…” of fear and ignorance.  

They prey on spineless, wishy-washy seekers of the quick fix or the fast buck.  

They claim sovereignty over the minds of the disenfranchised, the undernourished, the impoverished, the underdeveloped of mind and character, the underachiever, the maverick, the shunned, and the unnoticed ant colonies of mediocrity scattered across this planet.  

They speak with an air of divine authority, which makes those weak of mind and body unable to resist. 

Never believe another man's justice or cause is your own. 

You are you, a different set of DNA and life choices. 

Nobody, no authority, no law can decide what you should stand for or hold you in chains. 

Your destiny is in your hands, believe it or not.  

Claim it or reclaim it.  

Success IS knocking on your door.  Are you at home?

Never Compromise For Less Than The Best

It is estimated that the average Japanese lifespan is over 80 years.  That is a long, wasteful time if one falls out from the "think and do" column as soon as a plum job is secured or the wedding vows are exchanged.

Are you living according to others' rules?  Are you walking through life like it's a dress rehearsal?  Have you utterly discarded your dreams of youth in order to conform and get societal approval?

Constant, never-ending improvement is the only means we have to define ourselves.  We are uncut stones until we begin to sculpt ourselves through discovery of our hidden and latent talents.

Don't think you have any distinguishing talents?  Then think again.  No two people have the identical chemistry.

Do you make people laugh?  Do you cook a tasty stew?  Do you speak with passion?  Are you always curious and willing to learn?  Then you have talent!

Are you good at golf? household matters? or winning debates?  Are you a person of integrity?  Are you good with machines?  Then you do have talent(s) that many other people don’t have.  Give yourself credit.

I am sure you get the point.  Stretching ones mind and effort to the limit always - yes always - bears good fruit. The mental and physical holding cells WE have locked ourselves into since youth are not who we are. We can shape our destiny by refusing to be victimized by external circumstances.    

Survival mode is not for you and it never should be.  Each and every creature on this planet fulfills its evolutionary destiny to the maximum.  The flower grows when watered and given proper sunlight and soil.  The river and the salmon work the spawning act to perfection, unless man interferes. 

You, too, are destined for greatness.  Keep your spirits elevated with the soil of effort.  Spawn your skills' inventory by rigorous trial and error. Increase the sunshine on your self-confidence with small yet measurable successes.

Never, ever give up!  Adjust?  Yes.  Reorganize?  Most certainly.  Take a break?  We all need one from time to time.  But keep moving in the direction of your dreams.  Write a million, tangible goals and eventually you will be a millionaire; that is, unless you surrender to your circumstances and retreat to your comfort zone.

You are the master.  Your mind is your slave.  Remind it everyday, from time to time, who is in charge.  Never again impulsively give into your emotions.  Know what you want through careful and serious reflection, and then live your life wholeheartedly with honesty, fortitude and vigor in the present moment. 

There is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.  Turn on your mental lights for guidance and keep going.  You deserve only the best and the best is within sight.

Ten Steps To Level Your Playing Field

Not all of us were born into wealthy and happy families.  A fair number of us never felt loved or appreciated as children or young adults.  Many of us never learned to love and nurture or to accept love and nurturing.  A sizeable number of us have made some bad life choices which have led to divorce, firing or even a prison sentence.  The economy must also be added to our customized "blame" formula of reasons and excuses for our failures and shortcomings.  And don't forget the politicians, the greedy capitalists, the conniving relative who got an inheritance you thought was in the bag, or the friend who stole your lover.  We have all been jilted, tilted and wilted.

When you get tired of listing everyone and everything that has gone wrong and will go south in you life, I'm ready to talk with you.  My first paragraph is a rough roadmap of most of my life.  Yet there was something still stirring in me as I reached my forties.   Unsuccessful in every meaningful way to me, I secretly dreamed of being a hero and standing before a million people in love.  That something whispered to me that I am resilient, extremely intelligent and on the verge of greatness.  Some called my dreams delusions of grandeur.   

Nothing in my world seemed to justify my hopes and aspirations for greatness.  Now I am in my fifties, 90 pounds lighter and fit.  Everyday I am writing and trying to touch lives with honesty, hope and action.  At 56 years old next week, I want to stand before you and say that life ain't over until you stop trying.  I want to stand before you and say you are special - maybe spectacular - and nobody or nothing is standing in your path other than your own shadow of doubt.

With great reverence for the uniqueness and divinity in you, please accept my ten-step formula for finally standing tall and throwing away the crutches of failure and despair:

1) Read or learn to read.  Anything and everything you assimilate can stimulate your mind and put you into a problem-solving trance.

2) Walk on the other side of the street.  This activity will help to give you a new set of eyes.

3) Look to the heavens three times a day.  Rejoice that you are alive, that a day has been granted to you, and that the heavens, just like your life, are expansive and breathtaking.

4) Respect people by letting them finish their thoughts.  The quickest way to isolation is to be a dominant, know-it-all who chops off other people's sentences and imposes your values and viewpoints in order to look smart and intelligent.

5) Find the lesson rather than dwell on the failure or failing.  To dwell means to live in a time warp which leaves you powerless and unable to make necessary adjustments for success.  Be aware of this trap and avoid it at all costs.

6) Breathe.  Hello?  Most of us are shallow breathers.  We don't bring in sufficient oxygen to the brain for maximum alertness.  Breathe deeply...and deep thoughts and revolutionary concepts will appear from within and without.

7) Refrain from eating foods which make you sluggish and provide scant nutrition.  Would you pour sugar into your car's gas tank?   Methinks not.  Put high octane food into your body.  I call it the 80-20 formula, eighty percent water-based foods and twenty percent healthy, solid foods of any variety. 

8) Try one new activity every week.  If you can't draw, start today.  If you can't build a website, get on it.  If you can't find a mate, ask someone for dinner.  Open your world to the delicious realm of possibilities.

9) Keep a diary of your accomplishments, your thoughts, your doubts, and your dreams.  Watch yourself grow from day to day.

10) Write down your goals in very specific terms.  If a pilot says he wants to go to North America, that's a start.  But if he doesn't have a destination, he will likely crash.  Goals are the road signs as we march toward our divine purpose on this planet.  Trust me, you do have a special purpose waiting to be discovered. 

Getting Your House In Order

Are you a complainer and a whiner? Whenever something goes south in your life do you find blame in others? When a merchant rips you off, do you say “That S.O.B. is going to pay for this!”?  When a natural disaster or tragedy happens to you, do you sit and sob for years? Are you always saying “I didn't do anything?” when others are angry with you? Do you wallow in self-pity because others have money and you don't? Do you still blame mom and dad for your adult shortcomings?

Ouch! Reality hurts....at first. But the sooner each of us takes responsibility for our results and outcomes, the sooner we can claim our “proper” place in the scheme of things. Unfortunately, until that time, we will continue to frame our lives as being the victim of circumstances and unfairness, and we will continue to fail or come up short in all we attempt to do.

Here is a stark reality to chew on:  Most people don't care about you and your outcomes. And if you don't care, you will sink into obscurity and not a soul with miss you. Maybe you are already experiencing that.

Let's move from pain to gain, shall we?

Here are ten empowering activities you can start today, so that you can reclaim autonomy over your life and its results:

1) Find a new road or neighborhood to explore. This activity will enable you to see life from another perspective – that of the neighbor.
2) Find a book on your own bookshelf that you bought months or years ago because you thought it would be useful but never bothered to read. Finally put those hidden word treasures to use!
3) Find a book on your same bookshelf that you have read and were touched by some time in the past. Read through it again and begin to understand how the words have changed in meaning as you have changed over the years.
4) Spend a whole day asking only questions and listening. See if that activity doesn't make you exceedingly more popular and hugely wiser. If you can do it one day, do it each day.
5) Smile until it doesn't hurt. This activity is guaranteed to make others much more receptive to you, what you say, and what you want.
6) Hold your tongue when you are angry or when you are cock-sure you are right about something. The most dominating people in the world understand the power of keeping their emotions in check when a crisis arises or tension mounts. Try using this affirmation all day long: “I am cooler than a cucumber.”
7) Walk tall and briskly. If you are slumped over and shuffling, your mind follows your posture and gait. People don't follow sluggish underachievers; they look for a source of energy and inspiration every time!
8) Start to believe that you are worth at least a million dollars...because you are. The difference in life results is often a matter of making a plan and working it through. How many well-meaning plans have you shelved in the past years?
9) Think now, and leave the past and the future alone. What can you do right now, this moment, to start taking control of your destiny? Put down the cigarette or éclair? Attend a seminar in your field? Converse with a long-neglected wife or child? The possibilities for starting are infinite.
10) Clean up the clutter in your life and paint the walls. No need for explanation. If you are multi-tasking you more than likely have too many loose ends standing in the way of your success.

Congratulations. You have taken ten steps toward mastery. Just keep walking steadily and you'll get there...eventually. In fact, if you are taking these ten steps you are already there. Double congratulations.

Everything Counts

It is not what you know or how much you have accumulated during life that matters the most.  It is in the how of accumulation and prosperity that we can determine whether we have left a trail of blood and sorrow or a legacy for the ages.

Everything counts and is counted.  No, there isn't some eunuch hiding in the bushes with an abacus adding up your naughtiness and good deeds and reporting back to Santa.  There is only you, the genuine or the phony.  There is only you, the honest or the shameless.  There is only you, the server or the perpetual taker. 

Where do you stand on these scales?

"Some persons do first, think afterward, and then repent forever." 
~Thomas Secker (former Archbishop of Canterbury)~

Who and what counts?  

The people you chose to scorn or scowl at count.

The people you ignore because they are below you count.

The candy wrapper or beer can tossed aimlessly counts.

The children who you were too busy to listen to count.

The projects you put off for hours, days or years count.

The "just one bite of cheesecake" philosophy counts.

Looking the other way counts.

Just getting by counts.

Endless criticizing and its fraternal twin, ridicule, count.

White or bold-faced lies count...equally.

Sugar-coating your language to persuade people counts.

Bad hygiene counts.

Driving the car two blocks to the supermarket counts.

A messy work environment counts.

Keeping no record or diary of life events and finances count.

Crumpling money and throwing it at your unappreciative teen counts.

Neglecting to return correspondences and phone calls count.

Wasting time nitpicking counts. 

Having no written goals and strategies count.

Screaming at other drivers from the sealed, air-conditioned comfort of a car counts.

Ignoring the chest pains because you are just too busy counts.

Developing a lifestyle which allows you to avoid exercise and keeps you from eating healthy food counts.

Pigging out at every opportunity counts.

Never apologizing counts. 

Consistent and persistent negative self-talk counts.

Failure to prioritize counts.

Lack of appreciation to those whom you live, work and party with counts.

Always living in the past and wrapped in regret counts.

Exaggerating and idly boasting counts.

Constantly glancing at a timepiece while someone is spilling their heart to you counts.

Choosing to hang out with losers, turkeys and lifetime wannabes counts.

You count!!!  

Pay attention to your words and your actions.  If they don't register well, change your strategies.  Learn to become steady, accepting and solution-oriented.  Success will soon follow.

In your marketing business, always - not just when it is convenient - take the high (not higher) road.  Treat people like you would hope to be treated.  Avoid flogging products or services just because they sound good or they are endorsed by a famous person or institution.  Sell quality, service and after service.  Go the extra mile consistently.  

If everything counts - which it truly does - then don't sell snake oil products to dumb suckers.  Only sell products or services which deliver the benefits and features to the customer you intend to attract.  Avoid platitudes in the selling process.  Dissuade people who cannot now benefit from owning your widget or info-product with disclaimers and frank honesty.  The lifetime value of a customer is exponentially greater when you act with integrity, compassion and empathy. 

Count your blessings when you meet someone like me.  Success and lots of money are often poignant symbols of service and integrity.  I have no aversion to you or me becoming fabulously wealthy and capable of permanent financial freedom.  The trick is to build an ethical empire that doesn't stink up the planet and leave trails of bad karma.

It can be done.  Keep tuned to this station.

Of Circled Incomes and Small Fortunes

Okay, I'll admit it. When some hypster guru or wannabe writes a letter or splash page full of in-your-face claims about how they made zillions of dollars doing this technique and using so-and-so software application, I want to say "What the hell" and buy whatever it is just in case it isn't BS.

These slicksters bring out the lottery mentality in most of us.

The allure of a quick-buck artist has cost me (and you?) many dollars I (we?) couldn't afford to invest or lose.

The good (or evilly-good) copywriters are well aware of how to reel in a fish.

They are also aware of how to play on your guilt, on your curiosity, and on your fear of loss.

Mind you, many of these gurus, wannabes and charlatans know they are selling you air. In the pre-virtual era we rightfully called these slight-of-hand machinations pyramids or Ponzi schemes.

They know you want to know what they are doing in detail. They also know you want a glimpse of economic paradise for a mere guilder or half-pence. Hence, they offer every ebook under the galaxy as a "free" bonus enticement to get you to loosen your purse strings. Hello, plastic money!

They know you want to know why they are achieving success on a massive scale while you seem to mired in marketing quicksand.

They know you want to buy their upgrade gold or platinum package, even though the price is mucho steeper than the introductory offer.

They know that with each passing day of inertia on our part, they can bombard us with auto-responded drum-beaten messages reminding us that they are only offering a limited number of memberships or applications or licenses to their exclusive, "no-holds-barred" secret elite group until Monday evening at midnight.

They try to make you hear the tick-tock of the clock winding down.

Let's evaluate this logically. Can you provide individualized follow up support to thousands of people whom you sell software, ideas or a coaching program under an exclusivity banner? Methinks that to be scientifically an impossibility.

Information is only as useful as the person who uses it. I do believe that many people selling information give each of us some valuable tidbits and strategies of the Internet marketing game. That keeps them from being legally prosecuted by the consumer or their government.

But anyone can write anything, and many people do. One of the greatest psychological traps is when someone tells you that all or many of the others in cyberspace are lying or exaggerating. They, they claim to the contrary, are totally above board. Hmm???

But then you read on and on, scrolling to Dante's Seventh Circa of hell. And wayyyyyyyyyyy down the page comes the drum roll, the bonuses, the income claims, the takeaway offers, ad nauseum.

The payoffs by Google or Clickbank or eBay are always circled to show you just how successful they have been in implementing a certain, secret strategy which they are generously willing to part with to you for a mere $499 or whatever.

They also remind you, if they use audio in making their case, that they are not bragging.

Hey folks, that should be when the warning lights begin to flash with urgency. Of course they are boasting! If they didn't boast and flash their income payouts, they believe (rightfully) that their credibility would be in question.

Okay. You may think me to be a cynic looking at things like a hungry, homeless person might look at stale bread in the bakery window. You may think I am jealous of mega-successful online marketers.

No, to both charges. I want to have a happy and prosperous life. I am no different than you, I believe. But we needn't make a Faustian compromise in order to make our financial killing.

Trash the fast-buck artists, and build your small or large financial empire with integrity. I'm not saying that you mustn't market questionable products or services, but I am saying you must offer education and marketing insights to the people who are willing to put trust in your judgment.

It is time to see the big picture. The Internet is a potential tool to bring about a prosperous, literate world. It is a tool which must be passed on from generation to generation. If we abuse this tool, governments will eventually clamp down on free exchange of ideas and we will all be the worse for it.

I love the English language. The Frenchman loves the French language. The Russian loves his mother tongue. The power of the word can move mountains. Let us use that power to insure a more prosperous world with fewer reasons to fight wars or discriminate against people we disagree with for whatever reason.

Dishonesty never leads to honesty and trust. If you can make a quick million by selling snow to the Eskimos, that doesn't make it right.

Speak and write from your heart.

Few of us who are reading a message such as mine are literally starving. Take your time and build your fortune in a way which allows you to sleep well.

Serve your readership with all you've got, and that viral energy will carry you to your goals and dreams. Let's reach for the stars in an ethical win-win way, without having to lean on circled incomes and specious claims.

Nine Things More Important Than Capital by Jim Rohn

When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is full-time or part-time, we all know the value of having plenty of capital (money). But I bet we both know or at least have heard of people who started with no capital who went on to make fortunes. How?, you may ask.

Well, I believe there are actually some things that are more valuable than capital that can lead to your entrepreneurial success. Let me give you the list.

1. Time.

Time is more valuable than capital. The time you set aside not to be wasted, not to be given away. Time you set aside to be invested in an enterprise that brings value to the marketplace with the hope of making a profit. Now we have capital time.

How valuable is time? Time properly invested is worth a fortune. Time wasted can be devastation. Time invested can perform miracles, so you invest your time.

2. Desperation.

I have a friend Lydia, whose first major investment in her new enterprise was desperation. She said, "My kids are hungry, I gotta make this work. If this doesn't work, what will I do?" So she invested $1 in her enterprise selling a product she believed in. The $1 was to buy a few fliers so she could make a sale at retail, collect the money and then buy the product wholesale to deliver back to the customer.

My friend Bill Bailey went to Chicago as a teenager after he got out of high school. And the first job he got was as a night janitor. Someone said, "Bill, why would you settle for night janitor?" He said, "Malnutrition." You work at whatever you can possibly get when you get hungry. You go to work somewhere -- night janitor, it doesn't matter where it is. Years later, now Bill is a recipient of the Horatio Alger award, rich and powerful and one of the great examples of lifestyle that I know. But, his first job – night janitor. Desperation can be a powerful incentive. When you say - I must.

3. Determination.

Determination says I will. First Lydia said, "I must find a customer." Desperation. Second, she said, "I will find someone before this first day is over." Sure enough, she found someone. She said, "If it works once, it will work again." But then the next person said, "No." Now what must you invest?

4. Courage.

Courage is more valuable than capital. If you've only got $1 and a lot of courage, I'm telling you, you've got a good future ahead of you. Courage in spite of the circumstances. Humans can do the most incredible things no matter what happens. Haven't we heard the stories? There are some recent ones from Kosovo that are some of the most classic, unbelievable stories of being in the depths of hell and finally making it out. It's humans. You can't sell humans short. Courage in spite of, not because of, but in spite of. Now once Lydia has made 3 or 4 sales and gotten going, here's what now takes over.

5. Ambition.

"Wow! If I can sell 3, I can sell 33. If I can sell 33, I can sell 103." Wow. Lydia is now dazzled by her own dreams of the future.

6. Faith.

Now she begins to believe she's got a good product. This is probably a good company. And she then starts to believe in herself. Lydia, single mother, 2 kids, no job. "My gosh, I'm going to pull it off!" Her self-esteem starts to soar. These are investments that are unmatched. Money can't touch it. What if you had a million dollars and no faith? You'd be poor. You wouldn't be rich. Now here is the next one, the reason why she's a millionaire today.

7. Ingenuity.

Putting your brains to work. Probably up until now, you've put about 1/10 of your brainpower to work. What if you employed the other 9/10? You can't believe what can happen. Humans can come up with the most intriguing things to do. Ingenuity. What's ingenuity worth? A fortune. It is more valuable than money. All you need is a $1 and plenty of ingenuity. Figuring out a way to make it work, make it work, make it work.

8. Heart and Soul.

What is a substitute for heart and soul? It's not money. Money can't buy heart and soul. Heart and soul is more valuable than a million dollars. A million dollars without heart and soul, you have no life. You are ineffective. But, heart and soul is like the unseen magic that moves people, moves people to buy, moves people to make decisions, moves people to act, moves people to respond.

9. Personality.

You've just got to spruce up and sharpen up your own personality. You've got plenty of personality. Just get it developed to where it is effective every day, it's effective no matter who you talk to - whether it is a child or whether it is a business person - whether it is a rich person or a poor person. A unique personality that is at home anywhere.

My mentor Bill Bailey taught me, "You've got to learn to be just as comfortable, Mr. Rohn, whether it is in a little shack in Kentucky having a beer and watching the fights with Winfred, my old friend or in a Georgian mansion in Washington, DC as the Senator's guest." Move with ease whether it is with the rich or whether it is with the poor.

And it makes no difference to you who is rich or who is poor. A chance to have a unique relationship with whomever. The kind of personality that's comfortable. The kind of personality that's not bent out of shape.

And lastly, let's not forget charisma and sophistication. Charisma with a touch of humility. This entire list is more valuable than money. With one dollar and the list I just gave you, the world is yours. It belongs to you, whatever piece of it you desire whatever development you wish for your life. I've given you the secret. Capital. The kind of capital that is more valuable than money and that can secure your future and fortune. Remember that you lack not the resources.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com

Japan As The Gateway To The New World Order 

Japan was literally reduced to ashes at the end of the Second World War.  Japanese people scavenged for anything to sustain themselves in those dark days following surrender.  A piece of bark from a rotten tree or a limpid carrot root must have passed as a great meal.          

Each exhausting day must have been just as bleak as the previous one.  The infrastructure, what remained of it, was in total disarray.  The country was in chaos.  Panic was ensuing after news spread of the devastation that the atomic bomb had wrought on the peoples of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.     

The losers (Japan) could not decide whether to embrace their conquerors or fight to the bloody death.  It was only a painfully humiliating radio broadcast (at the urging of General McCarthur) by the Emperor Hirohito in which he admitted he was not divine that allowed the Allies to bring a horrific world event to a definable end.    

One constant explains the miraculous economic recovery that Japan – a resource-poor island nation of 130,000,000 people – was to experience in the post-war years.  That constant was its people and their strict adherence to rules, conformity, perseverance sacrifice, and a Confucian respect for the elderly.     

Let us fast-forward to the Year 2006.  Japan has regained some of its resiliency.  The arrogant swagger of the early 80s has returned in some quarters after the economic malaise of the late 90s.  An Internet Technology (IT) boom has arisen in an eerily similar manner to the one in the U.S. a few years’ back.  Large companies are restructuring and discovering new business paradigms and marketing models.  New trends in retailing are emerging.   

In Japan’s aging society, youth rule the roost.  The ubiquitous cellular phone is even more popular than cigarettes and booze.  Old-fashioned, archaic company structures have given way to promotion by merit.  Language of respect has all but disappeared except in stuffy, unwieldy organizations that represent the old Japan.   

Let me address the negative side of Japan?  Public manners are becoming atrocious in some circles.  Elders are often ignored or disrespected.  Murders, kidnappings, extortions and a host of other crimes that were almost unheard of (outside political and gangster circles in Japan until the mid-1980s) are surging at an alarming rate.  These sore points are slowly being addressed.    

Significantly, young people have no sense of urgency and no sense of direction.  Money and the pursuit of it have weakened the Japanese underbelly.  Grown, employed children often live at home until well into their thirties or forever.  Supported by mom and dad, they stay put under the pretext that it is too expensive to live independently.      

The terror and hardship of war mean nothing to these new-age drifters.  They are showered with gifts, with money, with toys, with contraptions.  They are the first generation of children spoiled by prosperity and they harbor no sense of community responsibility. 

As bad a picture as I just painted, Japan is ready to be the center of a marketing boom.  The technology, the infrastructure, and the trappings of modern life are all firmly planted.  A new, prosperous lifestyle is emerging here that is fitting for the advanced society Japan has become.  This is a great place to live and to work in the next generation, as the world shifts from the West to the East. 

A savvy entrepreneur or netrepreneur should definitely be looking to the Orient and to modern Japan as the gateway to emerging markets.

A Case of the Cyber Blues

Jay Abraham is a legendary businessman, consultant and joint venture specialist.  He had been doing his thing for decades and has sold hundreds of millions of dollars of audio/visual products, seminars and consulting services before the Internet went mainstream. His seminars are astronomically expensive, but his legion of successful, faithful venture partners swear by him. New or business-expansion-bound entrepreneurs and businesspeople alike, looking to grab every dollar on the table, line up like groupies for his next "big" event or product release. He has a huge reputation to uphold.

So when I just received an email from him stating that he had surrendered to the forces of the Internet and had abandoned his newest affiliate venture, I wanted to know why he had thrown in the towel.

The most telling statement in his letter was as follows:

"Online marketing is not my prime skill set. It's helping business owners of every kind maximize everything they are doing."

The messages we should hear from Jay are that even the richest and most successful entrepreneurs have no guarantee of marketing success. We can also learn that once you discover your strengths and apply them with heart and intelligence, others will see benefit in you. Other people's ideas can help you fortify your business, but the selling point and sustenance for your enterprise must be centered on your unique brush stroke.

Hot air is everywhere these days and I am pretty disgusted with the income-claiming crowd trying to reel in uninformed newbies. Quick-buck artists are searching for suckers and there are millions burning with desire to be rich, rich, rich! All you need is a guru and a system.

I notice that other phenomenally successful entrepreneurs from a bygone era such as Jim Rohn, Tony Robbins, and Brian Tracy seem to be steering clear of this hype crowd of mostly young and brash marketing wizards. Each of these veterans has a fairly strong presence online, but they don't want to get caught up in the wind of the blow hards. I believe they are staying away from forming JVs with these go-getters because they can sense – being well grounded - just how shallow and ugly some of these vultures are.

For the time being, I won't name names. Rest assured that my business and my site will be premised on the idea that we live in a world of bounteous opportunity and that there is no need to fudge for a sale or a mailing list.

Little by little, day by day, learn how to be independent and effective. Do not look for messianic rebirth from some self-proclaimed guru who wants to sell you the cyber version of the Brooklyn Bridge. Do listen to others, but first ground yourself.

Discover who you are and what you need for health, happiness and prosperity from your vantage point. Once that is accomplished, it is easier to be more discriminating and put your money and time to good use.

I leave you with the words of the legendary William Faulkner: "Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."

Remember: Only you can prevent cyber crybabies.

Warning:  Thinking Could Be Essential To Your Financial Health...And That Ain't Bad

My first domain is focused on fostering creativity.  Believe or not, we are born with brains that function well.  If, over the years, our brains have withered and rotted, likely that deterioration was self-inflicted.  

With absolute certainty, however, you can switch on the mental lights at any stage of your personal development and achieve remarkable greatness through this shift in thinking.  From any wheelchair, from any park bench, from any easy chair in front of the boob tube - it's up to you to make the most of affairs from this point forward.  

We must make a habit of stretching the brain muscle, from lobe to lobe, in order to remain resilient and resourceful throughout life.  Frankly speaking, to settle for a brainless, rote, rigid lifestyle based on knee-jerk actions and reactions is much more than a travesty and personal shame... it's a crime against humanity.   

I have studied those who I feel lead successful lives in most of the essential ways, and to a person they are thinkers and doers. Both elements, thinking and doing, are built into their stealthy souls and are side by side in every activity they undertake.

 They don't idly think and remain inert; that is called mental masturbation, a deadly disease of the information age.  You see such deadbeats everyday:  their thoughts are cogent, well-packaged and oftentimes romantically beautiful to the ear or the eye.  But nothing ever gets done because the music of their words and their pinpoint logic lulls them into a sleeping narcissism.

A carpenter may see the world as a nail to be hammered down or a screw to be fastened firm.  A banker may see the world as divided into assets and liabilities.  A doctor may see the world as a disease with a cure or a possible treatment.  But a person of success must remain extremely flexible and never locked into one metaphorical box to fit all.  

Flexibility in thought and in action are essentials, if we we wish to influence people to give us what we want in our lives.  

The online marketer has two or perhaps three choices, if he or she hopes to touch their target audience and reach their purse strings.  The first choice is to become flexible and discard metaphors which are too rigid or too incongruent with the mindset of the target audience.  The second choice is to build a niche business around your inflexibility and intolerance, always luring like-minded people to join you in your intolerant crusade.  The third choice is to broaden your thinking and learn to feel comfortable with and talk the language of a great number of people you presently have no connection with in life or ideology. 

Thinking, learning and doing are the ingredients for success.  Everyday you should challenge yourself to become a bigger person.  To become a bigger person, you must shuffle the cards of life everyday.  Never rest on laurels, smarminess or lethal arrogance.  None of the three is a viable alternative to thinking and broadening one's perspective.

What follows is a simple daily mind/body exercise that can put your brain back on the throne.  I recommend that for a fifteen- to thirty-minute interval each morning you throw yourself into these exercises.   No psycho-babble here, folks.

The Mind Flexor

Search for something/anything! in your physical world.  For example a ruler.  Try to first imagine and then write down how many unorthodox uses the ruler could have.  Jot down a minimum of ten.  Then, as a follow up go online to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit and a great source for niche businesses and keywords, and type in a search for "ruler".  Fascinating how the simple and commonplace have stories and histories which can keep one spellbound and thinking. 

Immerse yourself every morning in such a manner.

And, I almost forgot one thing.  Mind aerobics are not a fraction as effective as they could be if you are not keeping your physical body in shape.  The first fifteen minutes should be spent on thinking and the next fifteen spent increasing the blood flow to the brain through a fast walk or some muscle stretching activities.

Indulge yourself every single day in activities which foster thinking and action.  You are born to think and become more until the casket is lowered.   There is no better day to commence than today.

Have Patience:  If you need on-the-spot answers to big money decisions, then you will often come up disappointed in dealing with the Japanese.  Decisions take time, sometimes a long time, but often just a bit longer than that which is necessary in western cultures.  

Be Prepared for the Long Haul:  There is an obscure, inefficient, expensive distribution system in Japan which may defy western logic.  But one should understand that cost, while important, often takes a back seat to the comfort  and security of trust.  Once that trust is built between supplier, distributor and end user, only a major gaff could cause a schism amongst the three.  Over time you may develop enough credibility in Japan by providing a quality item or service to circumvent this distribution network, but don't expect overnight miracles.  Tradition trumps.

Do Your Research:  Okay, you know your own market and have had resounding success there.  Can that translate into a winner in Japan?  Not usually.  Western packaging (especially from America) is often bulky and not suitable for the cramped lifestyle and living quarters of the Japanese.  True, Starbucks is using their American language paper cups with the message about being careful because the beverage is hot written only in English with no effect whatsoever to their business.  On the other hand, you had Burger King not paying attention to consumer tastes and trying to market  "chemically-altered"  charcoal burgers rather than charcoaling them; that organization is history here.  JETRO is a great place to start your research before jumping into this fray.

Keep Your Cool:  One of the most mysterious yet admirable traits of many Japanese people is that they can keep a cool temperament under fire.  Sometimes too cool for me.  Ranting and raving seldom builds trust with the Japanese.  Though they will often - not always- be pleasant no matter how unpleasant you become, it is often the case that you or your firm will be stricken from the ranks of possible venture or trading partners.  Smile and listen more.  Don't let the gaps of silence be filled with your hot air. 

Be Loyal:  So you go to Company A and arrange a tentative business arrangement.  It feels good.  But then you hear about Japanese company B who seem to have a better deal.  B seem ready to reach a final pact with you and then bang, they back out.  Going back to Company  A, bang, they back off too.  It is true that Company A and Company B  are competitors, but they mutually hate back-schemers.  Their directors attend the same affairs, same trade fairs, and belong to the same trade associations.  Those companies are in it for the long haul.  So must you be in order to gain their trust and do business with them.

Get Comfortable With Ambiguity:  Ambiguity ("aimai" in Japanese) is an ancient method of communication for Japanese people which has it's roots in the need for harmony. Working together meant that there was more food to share, so living in harmony became more important than a persons feelings or opinions.  Natural communication often occurred without spoken words, and people followed their elders because they had more experience, wisdom, and power. In order to live without creating any serious problems for the group's harmony, people avoided expressing their ideas clearly, even to the point of avoiding giving a simple yes or no answer. If a person really wanted to say no, he or she said nothing at first, then used vague expressions that conveyed the nuance of disagreement.  Another reason for ambiguity is the feeling that to speak directly is to assume superiority over the person you are conversing with.  The Japanese think it is impolite to speak openly on the assumption that their partner knows nothing. They like and value aimai because they think that it is unnecessary to speak clearly as long as their partner is knowledgeable. To express oneself distinctly carries the assumption that one's partner knows nothing, so clear expression can be considered impolite.  Silence can also be considered a form of ambiguity. For the Japanese, silence indicates deep thinking or consideration, but too much silence often makes non-Japanese uncomfortable.

Learn About the Culture:  This point is of course closely related with the key of  "Doing Your Research."  In my Directory of Sites in Japan I have accumulated a wealth of sites to become familiar with the culture of Japan.  If you have never made a visit to Japan, by all means consider doing so and learn firsthand about the varied nation of Japan.  

In my quest for excellence and success in all I do, integrity and honesty to myself and others must never be overlooked, neglected or shunned.  The end doesn't always justify the means. 

Sunrise Checklist for Success

Ask yourself the following questions each day upon awakening (preferably 15~30 minutes earlier than you have been accustomed to)

What are the three most important jobs, goals or challenges I have for today?  Which one is most important?

How can/will I measure whether I have achieved them?

Who can I help, serve, cheer up or surprise with a gift or gesture?

What one behavior or action which is uncomfortable to me can I attempt during the day?

How much money do I need to create today in order to reach my short- and long-term objectives/goals?

How can I fit in at least 15~30 minutes of rigorous exercise/body movement in my daily life today?

Taking Inventory in the Final Moments of Wakefulness

What was the highlight or lowlight of my day?  

What did I learn from today?

Did I achieve my goals or tasks for the day?  Why or why not?

Which areas of my life require the most immediate attention?  Finances?  Temper control?  Relationship with my boss?

Did I overeat, drink to excess, or knowingly poison my body or mind?  What triggered the excess(es)?  

How can I gain greater balance when faced with the same challenge in the future?

What one activity could I do tomorrow to take me a step closer to success, as I define it? 

What are five things which I can be grateful for today, as I am about to fall into a restful sleep for the night?

A Picture That Makes A Difference

If you have ever been to an American workplace, you will notice one very subtle yet distinct difference with the Japanese one. I'm not talking about the verbal exchanges or the arrangement of desks or the food served in a cafeteria or the number of paid holidays. Though these elements of the workplace may certainly be in contrast from country to country, there is another item on the desk that is very telling of the American character.

That item is what you look at and seek guidance from whenever your company or your conscience is troubled. It is what you touch and gaze deeply at when a worker asks you to fudge their time sheet or your boss asks you to deliver some payola to a key government official. Have you guessed what that item is....?

That item is none other than the family, framed photograph staring you in the face as you go about your drudgery. What many Japanese may not know is that that photograph is the guardian over your soul. It tells you who and what you are working for. It tells you that you have a responsibility to be the best you can for all those who are loving you and depending on your best effort. It tells you when enough is enough and when to redouble your efforts.

Icons can be powerful in keeping your life and your morality in check. But if you have no idea of who you are and what you stand for, it is easy and maybe inevitable that you will fall for any fool strong enough to lead you. So my questions to you are very deep and very important: Who are you? What do you stand for? What do you fall for? What do you want from life? Decide these answers and then do a very un-Japanese thing, put that photograph on your work desk and use it for guidance in those rough moments we all face.

Living an Honest and Fruitful Life is not an Option (from a seminar I gave)

Good day, Gentle Ladies and Gentle Men.

Let's discover your true self and the pot of gold that is yours to claim.

Truth is at the heart of an honest and happy life.

Being true to others. Being true to yourself and to the values that guide you. Start each day in truth and finish in truth. You’ll sleep soundly and each delicious next morning you’ll feel glad to be alive. It's a splendid manner of living and you’ll never have to lower your eyes again.

Okay. Let's get going. I hope that each of you will be touched today by the spirit of challenge. I hope that each of you will grasp the powerful picture I am passionately trying to paint for you with my words and visions; words which touch you and jumpstart your life up the road to success.

I hope that each of you will today walk away from this groundbreaking seminar with a strong, long-lasting belief that you CAN control your destiny through proper planning and execution of your special plan. I hope that each of you will learn to trust yourself and act on that trust.

I hope that each of you will learn to lighten up and loosen up.

I hope that each of you will walk miles taller. Firmly committed to excellence, may you never again have to settle for second best.

And finally, I hope that each of you today will leave here full of gratitude just for being alive.
The famous utopian, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote: "You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late."

Friends, we must leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of happiness and fulfillment.
Our task is huge, but well worth the effort. Whether we are 12 or 800, retired or tired, dirty or clean, angry or dreamy, wounded or whole…character is always a welcomed guest and is treated with all due respect.

Let’s take our hats off to character. So what is character? What does he or she look like who has character? What difference does character make in the scheme of things?

I can’t fully put my finger on what character is. I do know that it holds power, love, beauty, warmth, strength, forgiveness, steadiness, excellence, luxury, compassion, thoughtfulness, richness, blissful laughter and sincere teardrops.

I do know that character doesn’t ignore unhappiness, dissatisfaction, anger, frustration, stubbornness, depression and hopelessness.

I do know that it is crystal-pure blessing from wherever Heaven may be. It pays everyone in kindness, respectfulness and mindfulness.

Indeed, it is the most dignified manner of living a good, respectful, respectable life.
Character is the rope that pulls us up from deep disappointment and failure to the shores of success.

It is the smiling, confident, calm face in the eye of a storm.

Character stands for what we stand for and what we stand for should stand for something.

When life is conducted properly, our steadiness and resolve make us unstoppable.
We will set goals. We will act. We will adjust. We will not back down or turn back. We will feel able to climb steep, spiritual mountains and rebound from broken promises.

To know how to conduct your life through empowering thought and mindful action will make you absolutely unstoppable.

We must attempt the uncomfortable at times in order to gain mastery and self-confidence.
Tony Robbins, personal coach/mentor for many famous people including the late Princess Diana, gives a special, annual seminar using a very frightening strategy. He teaches his pupils the art of fire-walking barefooted across red-hot coals. It takes a full weekend to mind train and convince his audience that they can do such a dangerous task effortlessly and with no injury. Amazingly, he has never had an injury at his seminars requiring hospitalization. Why would the participants take the risk of getting seriously burned in a coal pit?

Why is an excellent question. Tony Robbins believes and fully lives a life of truth. He follows through. He wants his seminar participants to experience the victory over unbelievable circumstances. If you master coal walking, then dealing with sassy teenage daughters and sons seems that much easier. Dealing with a demanding or unfair boss becomes a trivial manner.

Nobody can or will do the hard work for us.

There is a price to be paid for success and fulfillment. That price is --- to never give up.
Never Never Never Never! I'll say it again: Never Never…Never give up on your dreams and plans. Only the losers do.

I read in a newspaper clip a few month's ago of a very old yet active woman, Lana by name, one hundred and three years young, and her reaction to the question 'What makes you stay young?' Her response?

"We don't stop playing because we grow older, we grow older because we stop playing."

Folks, our lives are not a dress rehearsal. Our lives are what we make them. The seeds we plant now will bloom into flowers over time.

Patience. Patience. Patience. But don't misunderstand me. Patience means a willingness to stick with a plan whether or not the sun shines, the wife loves you, the boss respects you, the money is flowing in or the economy is rising up. Patience brings results...

There was a famous, cynical comedian in the 1930s named W.C. Fields. He loved to drink, he loved to party and he loved to make people laugh. He was extremely funny. One day he was walking through a flower shop and a tag on one of the plants caught his eye. The plant was called a Century Plant. The somewhat dishonest florist told Mr. Fields that this plant only flowered once per century and that within 24 hours it would bloom. In a drunken ecstasy, Fields bought the over-priced plant, brought it home and invited many of his Hollywood pals over for the 24-hour wait for this Century Plant to flower. And wait they did. Two days of hard, heavy drinking passed and still the flower failed to bloom. Fields, fed up with waiting, went to his locked drawer, yanked the key off the wall hook and inserted it into the keyhole. Hearing the unlocking click, he yanked the drawer out and grabbed his pistol. He went into the living room where the Century Plant lay at rest and said to the plant: "For the last time, bloom! Bloom!!! Do you hear me, you fool?" Mysteriously, the plant remained silent and the flower failed to appear. Bang! He shot the plant and soil into a thousand directions and walked back into the kitchen for another shot of whiskey.

Mr. Fields is not so different than most people who want quick results or want something for nothing. He got impatient and never gave his flower a chance to bloom.

Have you ever wondered what could have happened for the better, if you had been a bit more patient with someone, with some project, or with some study you gave up on?

Most of us shoot the plant before it has a chance to flower. God only knows how many times I have given up too soon. And turning back too soon results in low levels of self-confidence.

And when you lose your self-confidence, opportunity becomes like a disease. You close your mind step-by-step to the magnificent, golden fields of opportunity. You hear people say things like "I know about that" or "I did that and it doesn’t work" or "Japanese are all alike" or "My friend tried that and lost money."

Sound familiar?

Regret is a bitter pill to swallow.

Following through brings rewards and momentum.

I speak from experience. Nine and a half months ago I weighed in at 114 kilograms. My blood pressure was skyrocketing, my legs were swollen because of poor circulation. I was on a regiment of pills to control all the diseases that were starting to effect me. Clothes didn't fit well. I looked like a poor cousin of Konishiki, the gargantuan sumoist. My wife, a nurse, was constantly complaining to me that being so fat was dangerous and selfish to the family. She was right, but I ate more under that pressure.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you had seen me at that time you would not have believed that this over-fifty-year-old man, me, could have totally turned his troubled life and body around.

I’m back from the valley of the living dead to inspire each of you to do your best, always.

I did my best for the last nine months of weight loss and you can too with whatever areas of your life requiring improvement, once you understand the mindset for success. Last Friday I weighed in at 74 kilograms. My blood pressure is almost perfect. My leg swelling is virtually gone. The bounce is back in my walk. I can fit into Japanese-sized clothing without difficulty. The pillbox of disease is history.

My groundbreaking blog is dedicated to freely sharing with each of you the same set of mind/action skills which brought me back from the edge of disaster.

Whether your twenty or eighty, fat or thin, smart or not so smart, handsome, pretty or not, rich or poor, confident or lacking confidence...there are better tomorrows and they should start today.

Not one precious soul in this world hasn’t at least secretly wished he or she could live a first-class, healthy life.

A famous speaker once said,
"If a man tells you he doesn’t care about his self-improvement and success, there’s no telling what else he might lie to you about."

I'm certain many of us don't change because we are caught in what is often referred to as the "comfort zone."

The comfort zone is that cubbyhole place where we can consistently justify our underachievement and abandon our hopes and dreams while being cheered on by our failing and failed comrades. They are going nowhere and they are glad that you are too.

When we hang around with other people who are living compromised, unfulfilled lives it is easy to catch the blues. Misery does enjoy the company of other giver-uppers.

Don’t look in that dark storm, however, for support in your quest for betterment and excellence.

Great minds do, however, arise from the ashes of despair and hopelessness.

Those of Excellence do not live in mediocre circles, and neither should you.

The comfort zone club only loves you when you stop trying as hard as you can. That’s the wrong club to hang out at.

If you want to soar, then hang out with the hawks and eagles. Attend meetings and seminars with people serious about learning and improving upon their life and business skills.
Read books by people who have accomplished much by doing and sharing much.

Look up, look down, look sideways and look within.

Pause and reflect on your blessings.

Smile until it doesn’t hurt.

Listen until your tongue bleeds.

Take nothing for granted.

Give others credit, even when it is not due.

Put high expectations on everyone but never be disappointed if others can’t or don’t live up to your standards.

Be wrong often, even when you know you are right.

Make a mountain of errors in your pursuit of excellence.

Focus on the person/people you are with, as if it may be the last time you meet. And it may just be.

Be the first to reach out with a hand of friendship or an encouraging pat on the back.

One of my favorite motivational speakers and a multi-millionaire sales trainer as well is named Zig Zeigler. He has often said at his seminars:
"Are you a wandering generality or a meaningful specific?"

A wandering generality --- do you spend your life avoiding risk and settling for second best? A meaningful specific --- do you have any short-, medium- and long-term plans for your life?
Are you orchestrating your life or is your boss or spouse doing the orchestrating?

What are we living for? Are we living for our parents’, spouse’s or children’s dreams and hopes? Or are we selfishly - some people may want you to believe - looking out only for our own self-interests?

Frankly, there isn't a single soul in the world who isn't living for the appreciation and respect of others.

We all want love and acceptance.

Our self-interest gives us the confidence and reserve energy required for moving forward and navigating the uncharted waters of our lives.

Our value on this planet is in direct proportion to the effort each of us puts out, even though we can rest.

Even though no one may be watching.

Even though the result may be in doubt.

Even though the money may not be in the bank.

Even though a loved one may be suffering from a disease or other misfortune.

Even though the sun hasn’t shone for a week.

Even though you’re getting by on three hours’ rest and holding down two jobs.

Even though we are told to fear terrorists and terrorism.

Even though the economy is in the doldrums.

Even though your boss doesn’t like you.

Even though your spouse doesn’t pay attention to you.

Even though no one cares about you.

We are all given the same twenty-four hours each day. No more and no less. How we fill that time defines us.

Thomas Edison, the prolific inventor of thousands of clever gadgets, once was asked about his invention of the light bulb. The questioner wondered how he could have had the perseverance to continue with his experiments after thousands' of failures. He quickly snapped back:
"Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won't work."

Stop complaining and moaning. Things don't work. People don't work. Children don't listen. Nobody loves you (or so you think). The world is going to hell. The government is the cause of my problems. I don't have enough money, enough time, enough brains, enough good looks. I'm too shy. He pushes me around. There's no hope. Rich people are lucky. It's my destiny to fail. Everything I touch goes bad. And my parents are the reason I'm a nobody.

On and on, the excuses flow, and we never have to get off our behinds and get to work on being the best we can.

With a suicidal rapidity we march forward toward a painful mental and physical death or living hell ---
"Oh well" or a "I never got any breaks" or "What’s the use."

As you get older you start in with your list of "used to’s." We alllllll do it or have done it. "I used to be a good tennis player." "I used to bake bread." "I used to be in great shape." "I used to have four girlfriends." "I used to like people." "I used to have ambition." "I used to have a lot of money." I used to be a good tenor." "I used to write short stories." "I used to read a lot." Or here’s a clever one: "I used to have a sense of humor." And the grand prizewinner is: "I used to have time."

Hey, folks, time is not about to change. But your perception of time must change. You must be focused.

Although our lives are finite, the opportunities within our lifetime are infinite and timeless.

A woman climbed Mt. Everest in her late seventies recently. A man ran and completed a marathon at age 100. An ex-President skydived at age 88. Actor Paul Newman drove in the 24-Hour Daytona Race when he was 75.

Tired? Consider this: John Wesley, a famous Christian minister of the 19th Century, preached over 40,000 sermons and traveled 225,000 miles (his horse had never heard of kilometers). Did you realize these figures belong only to the latter part of his life, from age 36 to 88?

And if you