The Millionaire Marathon: Self-Improvement

Showing posts with label Self-Improvement. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #11

MESSAGE: Abundance is your natural state of being. Anything you wish for can flow effortlessly into your life if you understand, apply and “live into” the Law of Attraction.

We live in a world that seems to emphasize scarcity and lack, and yet the truth is, this is an abundant universe. There is no scarcity, there is no lack. There is more than enough food, money, joy, happiness, spiritual fulfillment, and love for everyone.

If you want to create an abundance of love in your life, then focus on love. Be the love you want to attract. Become more loving and generous with others and with yourself.

By creating the vibration of love, you will automatically draw more love into your life. Focus on whatever it is that you want to create more of in your life, and remember to be grateful for that which you already have.

Gratitude itself is a form of abundance, and the vibrational frequency of gratitude and appreciation will automatically attract even more to be grateful for.

If you want to create financial abundance in your life, then start by focusing on prosperity and money flowing into your life. Envision the checks coming in the mail. Write yourself a check for the sum of money you wish to manifest this year, and post it in a visible location.

Every time you see it, believe that it is possible. Make a donation to your favorite charity, and know that you can afford it. You must be willing to give in order to receive. Imagine just how amazing it will feel to have complete financial freedom.

Envision the various things you will do, the places you will go, and how it will change your life. Really let yourself feel it as though it were already so. Now, think of how you will use your financial prosperity to contribute and give back within your community.

Imagine how good it will feel to help others and to really make a difference in their lives. Remember to take a moment to be thankful for everything that you already have. By doing this, you are creating a vibrational match for the financial abundance that you want to attract into your future life.

The entire universe will support you abundantly in every way when you are moving with this kind of purpose and intention in the direction of your dreams. It will respond to the vibration of your passion and commitment.

So, start paying attention to the many synchronicities in your life and become aware of all the opportunities, ideas, people, and resources that you are attracting. Be open to them, and be willing to think outside the box. New opportunities will often present themselves in surprising ways. Do what you love to do, be passionate about it, and believe in yourself.

If you are willing to invest yourself wholeheartedly in your dreams, then all the necessary resources, including the money, will follow.

ACTION: Ask yourself how you can have more ABUNDANCE with your health. Can you take the stairs instead of an elevator when the opportunity presents itself? Can you drink a few more glasses of water, or perhaps take on a yoga practice?

BENEFIT: When you think and act more ABUNDANTLY about your physical health, you’ll find that other parts of your life automatically improve for the better. You’ll think more clearly, have more energy and do everything you normally do with a little more intensity.

About the Author:

This year, after two years of research and work, Jack Canfield released a phenomenal new product to the world – it’s called the Dream Big System. A longtime success and self-esteem coach for people around the world, Jack Canfield is also renowned for his role as Co-Founder of Chicken Soup for the Soul (the most successful publishing empire in history) and Master Teacher in the blockbuster movie, The Secret.http://www.thekeytobetterlife.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #11

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #10

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: Make a conscious decision right now to focus on the positive. The Law of Attraction doesn’t filter out the information we provide. It doesn’t decide what is better for us.

You have free will, and you decide where you want to focus our energy and our attention. The universe just reflects it back to us. If you focus your attention on something (either positively or negatively), it will simply respond with more of it. Doesn’t that make sense?

So, it’s really important to focus on what you do want, not on what you don’t want. State your desires in a positive way. Your mind works in pictures, so if you say “I don’t want to be mad,” you are creating the picture and the vibration of being “mad.”

The universe only receives the frequency of “mad” and responds to that. You must focus on the opposite of what you don’t want. In this case, it would be a better choice to say “I want to be more loving and accepting of the way things are.”

Stop sending mixed signals to the universe and those around you. They will hinder your ability to attract and manifest in a clear and powerful way.

When you claim to be “against” something, you are actually recreating it. You are creating more of the very thing that you want to eliminate! If you want to think “anti-war,” think again.

The operative word here is “war,” and that is exactly what you will get more of. A better choice is to be “pro-peace.” The universe will receive the vibration of “peace” and respond accordingly.

The war on terrorism has created more terrorism. Violence attracts violence, and love attracts more love. Make this simple change in your life.

Make a conscious effort to restructure the way you think and speak, and avoid giving any unnecessary energy to the things you don’t want in your life. Whenever possible, avoid subjecting yourself, your thoughts, and your emotions to the negative people and influences in your life.

ACTION: Think of one reoccurring NEGATIVE thought you have repeatedly each day. What is it? How did it come to be? Okay, when you have it in mind, think up what POSITIVE thought you could have to replace it.

Now I’m not asking you to actually replace that positive thought yet, just practice doing it in your mind as if you were going to do it for real. Just practice now and see how it works for you … how it feels. If it feels good enough, you might want to try a few times for real…

BENEFIT: There’s a profound benefit with the power of substitution, you can quickly and almost effortlessly replace your NEGATIVE thoughts with POSITIVE ones.

If you do this enough times, it may become a habit and maybe even a daily ritual so that pretty soon, you won’t have many NEGATIVE thoughts at all.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #10

Friday, May 29, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #9

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: The act of forgiveness is a necessary and transformational process. But first, you must be willing to forgive any person or situation that has caused you pain, and release them.

By hanging on to old negative thoughts and emotions you are only harming yourself and attracting even more negative energy. It’s been said that when you are unwilling to forgive someone, it’s like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to get sick!

So, just bless the person or the situation and wish them well. Forgive them, let them go, and be willing to forgive yourself as well, if need be.

By acknowledging your positive past and releasing your negative past—you can make room for a beautiful future. True forgiveness is extremely cathartic—it will cleanse you and set you free.

It is an incredibly powerful process, one that will immediately shift you from a place of pain and anger to a higher vibrational frequency of love.

Nobody else can tell you how to feel. Only you can make that decision. If you find yourself feeling bad, then you need to look at what is creating the negative feelings—it’s not the external things, it’s you, and the judgments, beliefs, ideas, and thoughts you have about those external things.

So, the way you choose to perceive a situation will determine your emotional response, and you can deliberately choose to see anything and everything in a positive light.

You must make a conscious decision to choose happiness. Choose optimism. Choose to live in a place of constant gratitude and joy. Settle for nothing less than magnificence in your life. Your emotions fuel your energy, and your energy fuels your future.

ACTION: You’re going to love what I’m going to request of you right now because it’s about time you started to forgive yourself of something you feel guilty or ashamed of … something you’ve held on to for months or years.

You ready?

Okay, let me ask you candidly … if you can recall of anything from your recent past that you feel guilty or ashamed of doing, saying, or thinking, what would it be? I don’t want you to say it out loud, just think it, ok?

Now, this may sound amusingly simple but it can work if you give it a go so right now all I want you to do is just whisper to yourself 3 simple words, “I forgive myself.” Go ahead … whisper it out loud … “I forgive myself.”

Say it again and then again … and you may want to intensify your emotional level as you keep saying it by shutting your eyes and … smiling. Keep saying it, keep smiling and now aim your face up into the sky with your eyes still shut.

Now, if you’re like most people I know, it’ll be terribly difficult to still feel guilty or ashamed. Wouldn’t you agree? Imagine if you could forgive yourself this easily in the future. How much stress, worry or heartache would dissolve? If you’re like most people I know, the answer is “a lot.”

BENEFIT: The single most important benefit of self-forgiveness is it enhances your ability to forgive others who have angered or hurt you. By practicing self-forgiveness, you can start flexing your forgiveness muscle toward others.

With more ease and less effort, you’ll discover how simple it is to give up the criticisms, complaints and condemnations – toward others – these are the feelings and emotions that stunt mental, emotional and spiritual growth and prevent you from reaching the potential you’ve always deserved.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #9

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #8

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE:Negative emotions such as hatred, anger, jealousy, and fear create the opposite effect. They lower your vibrational frequency and make you feel anxious, tense, and constricted and they can create physical ailments and even disease.

Negative emotions invariably create a sense of separation, a feeling of disconnection. They are like a stone wall—a barrier to the joy that is who you really are. These emotions will effectively block the flow of positive energy into your life and will only serve to attract more negative energy.

So, if you have been holding onto feelings of anger, fear, resentment, or betrayal, now is the time to let them go. Release those old thoughts and patterns of behavior, and start living in the present.

By focusing on your pain or anger, you are only drawing even more negative and unhealthy circumstances into your life. You need to make room for the positive feelings and experiences that you want to attract.

Author Cherie Carter-Scott says, “Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.”

Positive emotions, on the other hand, have a much different impact on your life. You may notice that when you are feeling grateful, happy, or joyful there is a sense of lightness and expansion.

You feel connected. You feel alive!

My friend, this is your natural state of being.

This is what your life was intended to be. Strive to live in a state of joy, wonder, and gratitude. These expansive positive emotions feel good and raise your vibrational frequency.

In this place of love and joy, you are one with God, and you are a magnet for the beauty, joy and abundance that the Universe has to offer.

ACTION:Think of a specific incident within the past week that inspired you to feel more Joy. Got it yet?

Okay, please replay the scene or incident again in your mind right now like a movie? Don’t just watch yourself, but actually step into the movie you’re in it and not on the sidelines watching it. Are you able to do this now?

Okay, let me ask you a very important question … do you feel a little more joyful or happy now than you did 30 seconds ago? If your answer is yes, then I want you to consider playing this same movie anytime you find your emotions heading toward anger or sadness or hurt.

In a moment’s notice, you can summon this mental movie playing in your mind’s eye and you can instantly shift to more empower mental state.

BENEFIT: Your success and happiness is often linked to your ability be emotionally resourceful during times of trouble. Anger and sadness can be paralyzing. Happiness and joy are empowering.

So the next time you have an opportunity to be angry, choose Joy instead and see how that serves you; all you have to do is summon that mental movie I just asked you to remember and you’ll boost your attitude and outlook on the situation by simply choosing a more supportive emotion.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #8

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #7

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: Your emotions are a critical component in the application of the Law of Attraction. They are your key that opens the door to the secret passageway to improving every aspect of your physical, mental and spiritual life.

Learn to listen to your emotions because they are an important internal feedback system that tells you of your body's visceral response to the vibrational state you are creating.

You are creating this vibrational frequency with whatever you are giving your attention to-the thoughts you are thinking, the beliefs you are contemplating, the television show you are watching, the music you are listening to, the book you are reading, with whatever activity you are engaged in.

Your feelings are part of your internal guidance system. When you are feeling joy and a sense of expansion, it simply means you are on course-the things you are focusing on, the thoughts you are thinking or creating, the ideas you are entertaining, and the activities you are engaged in are actively moving you in the direction of your purpose, dreams, and desires.

When you are feeling anger, sadness, depression, and hopelessness-any feelings that give you a sense of physical contraction-then you are thinking thoughts and attending to things that are not taking you toward your purpose, dreams, or desires.

This is feedback that is saying that you are off course. Your emotions are telling you that it's time to switch gears. They are telling you that it's time to think a more uplifting thought, change your focus, change the channel, change the topic of discussion, and go do something different that will shift your energy and bring you feelings of joy and expansion.

Since your vibrational state is what attracts the objects of your desire, it is imperative to keep your emotions as positive as possible. So it makes sense to strive to keep your emotions in the positive range-feelings like joy, love, happiness, exhilaration, satisfaction, relief, pride, appreciation, relaxation, and serenity.

Remember: "Like attracts like." So, by deliberately creating the positive emotional states that match the feelings we will have on the completion and fulfillment of our goals and desires, we are creating an energy field that will attract what we want.

The stronger and more intense your feelings are, the more accelerated the process of vibrational attraction becomes.

Researchers are discovering that what you are feeling is actually far more important than what you are thinking or saying. Your emotions never lie.

They are the true indicator of the thoughts you are having and whether or not you are acting in accordance with your personal truth, your heartfelt desires. Don't ignore them or try to reason your feelings away. First, just notice them.

If they are not in the positive range (hope, expectation, acceptance, appreciation, love, and joy), either release them or simply choose a better thought. This means choosing a thought that creates a better feeling, or simply changing what it is that you are doing, and doing something that you enjoy instead.

Go for a walk, put some music on, pet the cat, take charge and do something to shift you back into this positive range of emotions!

ACTION: Think of the last time you shed tears. Go ahead, think of it. Were they tears of joy or tears of sadness? What specific incident motivated and inspired those tears? Was it a person, place or thing? Was it a photograph or a song? Think of it and "live into" that situation now.

Now, if that experience elicited feelings of sadness, do you feel a hint of sadness now? Or if your experience was joyful, do you feel a hint of more joy or enthusiasm now?

BENEFIT: The key to changing any negative feeling is to simply remember specific experiences that have empowered you or made you feel joyful from the past. By doing so, you'll live into those positive feelings again … and this is especially useful when you have a bad day. The point is you're just one joyful memory away from transforming a good day into a GREAT day!

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #7

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #6

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: Most of us are fairly aware of our conscious thoughts, but it is important to become aware of our subconscious thoughts as well. Our subconscious mind is pretty much running the show, and since most of us have a constant negative tape playing in our heads, we are continually sending out negative messages.

Practically anyone can learn how to reprogram their subconscious mind and transform negative internal thoughts into healthy, positive ones. It can be quite easy actually, and it all starts by looking closely at your beliefs and self-image.

It’s true; you can work on eliminating any limiting or negative ideas. This negative self-talk is like a type of static, or interference on a phone call. It will interfere with, distort, and even block the frequencies of your positive intentions. If not removed, it will reduce your ability to create and manifest the future you desire.

Take a moment and think about trying to drive a car with the parking brake on. No matter how much you try to accelerate, the parking brake will keep slowing you down, but as soon as you release it—you will automatically and effortlessly go faster.

Your limiting thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are like a negative type of psychological parking brake. They will drag you down and slow you down unless you make a committed effort to let them go and replace them with more positive thoughts and beliefs.

You must be willing to release your negative mental programming and step out of your comfort zone in order to make room for a positive, healthy self-image and belief system.

This will shift your energy vibration and allow you to more easily and effectively attract the positive energy and experiences that you desire in your life.

Beliefs are just your habitual thoughts, and they can be changed through affirmations, positive self-talk, behavioral changes, and visualizations you make with the help of your Vision Book.

As Dr. Maxwell Maltz once said, “Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs.”

Now let’s take a moment to compare and contrast your conscious and subconscious mind.

The conscious mind is the part of you that thinks and reasons—it’s the part of your mind that you use to make everyday decisions. Your free will is within your conscious mind so you can decide just what you want to create in your life. With this part of your mind you can accept or reject any idea.

Although your conscious mind is powerful, it is the more limited part of your mind. The scientifically validated data reveals that your conscious mind has limited processing capacity.

The conscious mind provides you with short term memory (just about 20 seconds). It gives you the ability to manage only 1 to 3 events at a time. Impulses travel at only 120 to 140 mph with an average processing speed of 2,000 bits of information per second.

Your subconscious mind is actually much more spectacular. It is frequently referred to as your spiritual or universal mind, and it knows no limits except for those that you consciously choose.

Your self-image and your habits live in your subconscious mind. It functions in every single cell of your body.

This is the part of your mind that is connected to your Higher Self at a much greater level than your conscious mind. It is your connection to God, your connection to Source and Universal Infinite Intelligence.

Your subconscious mind has a far greater processing capacity than your conscious mind. Long term memory of past experiences, your attitudes, you values, and beliefs all reside in your subconscious mind.

In fact, it has the awesome ability to manage thousands of events at a time with impulses that travel at over 100,000 mph and the ability to process an average of 4,000,000,000 bits of information per second!

Remarkable, isn't it?

That's why I encourage you to make it your goal to “live into” the vast power of our subconscious mind in order to use it to our advantage. We must create room in each day to “check in” with our subconscious spiritual mind. Daily time spent quietly without any external distractions will strengthen our connection to who we really are.

You can connect with our subconscious mind through the utilization of affirmations, prayer, contemplation and meditation, gratitude and visualization through the help of your Vision Book.

Your subconscious mind can take us where you want to go and help you reach more of your goals faster, better and with less conscious effort!

By at last connecting utilizing the amazing speed, power, and agility of your subconscious minds, you can begin to use the Law of Attraction in a more intentional way to more effectively attract and create the results you desire!

ACTION: Think of the last time you tied your shoe. Can you remember when it was? Did you tie your right shoe or left shoe first?

The reason I’m asking you this question is because if you’re like most people who were lace-up shoes, the process of tying shoes is handled by your subconscious mind … you unconsciously competent at it, right?

Now let’s think about what else are you unconsciously competent at? How about talking, reading, driving a stick shift or any other skill you’ve learned and eventually mastered over the years.

What’s interesting is that before you can become unconsciously competent at any new skill, you must first be consciously incompetent … as for tying shoes … that would have been around age 5 or 6.

As a young child, you were incompetent at a lot of things such as tying shoes, walking, reading even speaking … but you didn’t give up, did you?

Of course not!

You’re not still crawling because you gave up, right? I want you to treat any new skill as an adult in the same way. Rather than giving up, or worse, being fearful of ever trying … I want you to keep practicing until you get it right and it becomes unconsciously competent … just like tying your shoes.

BENEFIT: Practice doesn’t make perfect … practice makes permanent and if you choose progress over perfection, you’ll learn more skills, faster, better and with less stress and worry.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #6

Monday, May 25, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #5

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: My simple, yet often misunderstood message to you in this lesson can be summed-up in these 3 words: "Thoughts are things."

Your thoughts are not just wispy little clouds drifting through your head. Your thoughts are things. They are actually measure-able units of energy.

Thoughts are biochemical electrical impulses. They are waves of energy that, as far as we can tell, penetrate all time and space.

Look, every single thought you have is a statement of your desires to the universe. Every single thought you have generates a physiological change in your body. You are a product of all of the thoughts you have thought, feelings you have felt, and actions you have taken up until now.

And . . . the thoughts you think today, feelings you feel today, and actions you take today will determine your experiences tomorrow. So it is imperative that you learn to think and behave in a positive way that is in alignment with what you ultimately want to be, do, and experience in life.

Thoughts affect your body. Albert Einstein noted that thoughts influence the body more than we may give them credit for.

And because our thoughts affect our body it is so important to think as positively as possible. Negative thoughts are toxic, and they affect your body in a negative way.

Negative thoughts actually weaken you … physically! Negative thoughts can make you perspire, create muscular tension, and even create a more acidic environment within your body.

They can increase the likelihood of cancer (cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment) and other disease. They also send out a negative energy vibration and attract more experiences of the same vibration.

Positive thoughts, on the other hand, will affect your body in a positive way. They will make you feel more relaxed, more centered and alert. They stimulate the release of endorphins in your brain, reducing pain and increasing pleasure.

In addition to this, positive, affirmative thoughts send out a positive energy vibration that will attract more positive experiences back into your life and to those you interact with.

Whenever you face the choice to have a positive or negative thought about a specific experience you've had in your past, consider the advice of my good friend Reverend Michael Beckwith who says, "One affirmative thought is hundreds of times more powerful than a negative thought."

ACTION: Okay, now I want you t0 think of one reoccurring NEGATIVE thought you have repeatedly each day. What is it? How did it come to be?

When you have it in mind, think up what POSITIVE thought you could have to replace it. I know it may not be so easy at first, but give it a try because I'm going to ask you to do this little experiment again in about 4 or 5 lessons from now ;-)

Now I'm not asking you to actually replace that positive thought yet, just practice doing it in your mind as if you were going to do it for real : Practice now and see how it works for you … how it feels. If it feels good enough, you might want to try a few times for real…

BENEFIT: There's a profound benefit with the power of substitution, you can quickly and almost effortlessly replace your NEGATIVE thoughts with POSITIVE ones.

If you do this enough times, it may become a habit and maybe even a daily ritual so that pretty soon, you won't have many NEGATIVE thoughts at all.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #5

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #4

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: Right now, I want you to think of yourself as a magnet. You are a living magnet. You literally attract the things, people, ideas, and circumstances to you that vibrate and resonate at the same energy frequency as yours.

And it gets better because your energy field changes constantly, based on your thoughts and feelings, and the universe acts like a mirror, sending back a reflection of the energy that you are projecting.

The stronger and more intense your thoughts and emotions are, the greater the magnetic pull becomes. Now, this is not a process that requires any real effort; a magnet doesn't "try" to attract anything-it simply does, and so do you! You are always in the process of attracting something into your life.

Do you realize that your life at this very moment is the result of everything that you have ever thought, done, believed, or felt up until now? You can start right now to consciously and deliberately attract whatever you desire in this lifetime.

Buddha once said, "All that we are is the result of what we have thought." You are really that powerful!

My friend, you are far more powerful than you realize because whether you want to believe it or not, you really are creating everything in your life. And once you fully acknowledge this, and take responsibility for it, you can do anything that you set your mind to.

Above all, you are truly the author of your own life, and you can choose to take it in any direction you wish. You have the ability to change your life.
You have the ability to create your desired future. And most importantly, you have always had unlimited potential!

If you ever doubt that you hold this power in your mind and in your heart, just remember these words of Ralph Waldo Emerson … he said, "Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen."

ACTION: I want you to think of one situation at work, at home or with a friend when you felt unstoppably decisive. What was it about that decision that made you feel powerful? What would happen if you were that decisive in every part of your life?

BENEFIT: When you're decisive, you "cut-0ff" opportunities that don't support you. The word "decisive" literally means to "cut off." And it is my wish for you that you "cut-off" possibilities that don't support you. Your true power comes from your decision making ability, so the more decisive you become the more you'll attract what you want.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #4

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #3

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: Listen to this: You are all made up of the same stuff as the sun, the moon, and the stars. You are a walking, talking bundle of intelligent energy in the form of a human body.

You are made up of cells, which are made up of atoms, which are made up of subatomic particles. What are subatomic particles? ENERGY!

Everything is energy. All matter is energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It is the cause and effect of itself. It is evenly present in all places, at all times. Energy is in constant motion and never rests. It is forever moving from one form to another.

As Deepak Chopra says, "There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle."

So you are connected. You are connected to everything and to the rest of us. You are a completely unique piece of a much greater whole, an integral part of the cosmos. You are a ball of energy in a much larger energy field.

Think of the Internet. You can't see it or touch it but you know that it is there. It is real. It is an invisible energy connection that links us all to each other. You are connected to everyone and everything in the same way.

Have you ever found that with people you are close to, you can sometimes finish a sentence for them, or that you both say the same thing at exactly the same time? This is not coincidence, it's a connection! This is a perfect example of how connected we really are to those around us.

We've all had the experience of starting to think about someone, perhaps someone we haven't even seen or spoken to in years, and then several minutes later the phone rings, and it is them on the other end of the line. "I was just thinking about you," we exclaim in wonder.

We were actually picking up on their intention to call us before they had even acted upon it. Our thoughts travel through time and space at an amazing speed.

Through your connection you were able to pick up on the energy of their thoughts and intentions before they even dialed the number, or perhaps it was your thinking about them that stimulated them to call you.

ACTION: Think of one person who makes you laugh the moment you spend time with him or her. Is it a friend, is it a colleague, is it a loved-one? There are some people in our lives that just make us smile … right now, think of who that person is, ok? What do you both have in common? What is it about him or her that makes you smile, or just feel good.

BENEFIT: When you know who your "feel good" people are, you are one phone call away from experiencing feelings of joy. Those whom we feel most connected to are often the ones who empower us to feel happier.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #3

Friday, May 22, 2009

Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #2

Author: Jack Canfield

MESSAGE: If you are feeling excited, enthusiastic, passionate, happy, joyful, appreciative, or abundant, then you are sending out positive energy. On the other hand, if you are feeling bored, anxious, stressed out, angry, resentful, or sad, you are sending out negative energy.

The universe, through the Law of Attraction, will respond enthusiastically to both of these vibrations. It doesn’t decide which one is better for you, it just responds to whatever energy you are creating, and it gives you more of the same. You get back exactly what you put out there.

Whatever you are thinking and feeling at any given time is basically your request to the universe for more of the same. This is because your energy vibrations will attract energy back to you of the same frequencies, you need to make sure that you are continually sending out energy, thoughts, and feelings that resonate with what you want to become, do, and experience.

Your energy frequencies need to be in tune with what you want to attract in your life. If love and joy are what you want to attract, then the vibrational frequencies of love and joy are what you want to create.

You can learn to manage your thoughts and emotions and maintain a vibrational match for what you want to attract by learning to respond instead of just reacting to the situations in your life. Most of us go through life just reacting automatically and unconsciously to the things and events that take place around us.

Perhaps you’re having a rough day, you’ve gotten a flat tire, or maybe someone has treated you unfairly. Say that you react in a negative way to these situations with your thoughts and your emotions. And you become angry, frustrated, or upset.

In this case, you are unconsciously reacting to the situation instead of consciously responding to it, and your negatively charged thoughts and emotions are automatically placing an order with the universe for more of the same negative experiences. In order to create a more positive outcome, you must learn to consciously respond in a different, more positive way.

The good news is that once you understand the Law of Attraction, and how it works, you can begin to consciously and intentionally create a better life. You can choose to respond differently to the situations that arise during your day.

You can choose to think differently. You can choose to focus and think about the things you want more of in your life. You can choose to experience more of the things that make you feel good.

You can choose to deliberately participate in the creation of your future by managing your thoughts and feelings. And remember what Robert Kiyosaki says, “Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.”

ACTION: In the previous lesson, I requested that you think of one more “vision” word that best describes you and write it down on a piece scrap of paper, remember? Right now, I want you to think of another “vision” word. This time it’s a word you hear your closest friends, loved-one or family utilize when complimenting you. It could be: “Resourceful” or “Happy” or “Brilliant” or “Dazzling.”

Whatever it is, write it down and read it out loud each hour throughout the rest of the day. You embody this word, so make sure you read out loud at least 3 to 5 times today …

BENEFIT: As you read your “vision” word you out loud, you’ll begin to automatically “live into” it … and you’ll find yourself attracting more people, projects and possessions that support you faster, better and easier.

About the Author:

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Welcome to Living the Law of Attraction Lesson #2

Friday, May 1, 2009

The White Glove Test of Success

I learned a little nugget of wisdom from one of the wise guys that direct the company I currently work for shortly after I was hired on that I have found has great application in every aspect of my life. We were discussing how we can improve our operations when he made the point that "we can only expect that which we inspect." He was basically saying that by implementing a system and method of monitoring and evaluating performance and giving feedback on what you observe, the performance of the job will improve.

This is the very same reason that athletes and coaches will review recordings of the games they have already played. They are looking at how they or their players acted and reacted in different situations. By identifying their strengths and their weaknesses, they can build on their strengths and improve the areas where they are weak until it, too, is strong.

I have used this same strategy to improve certain areas in my personal life. I created a Personal Accountability Spreadsheet where I have listed a number of daily, weekly and monthly actions that I would like to take on a regular basis. This spreadsheet tracks personal goals such as how often I exercise, pray, read inspirational and motivational materials, plan my days, etc. It also tracks family goals such as reading scriptures and praying together, keeping each other informed of our scheduled activities and spending time together. For my financial goals I track how well I maintain our newly established bill payment system and how often I balance our accounts. I am also tracking how often I engage in fulfilling hobbies such as practicing the piano, writing for recreation and my blogs or practicing my artistic skills.

By doing this I have been able to identify where I am doing well and where I am weak. This includes what times of the day I am most productive, what activities and situations distract me from making progress and what support systems I need to put into place.

All of this enables me to expect better performance on my personal goals because I am inspecting the performance of the daily tasks that will bring me the results I want.

What areas of your life would you like to expect better results in?

Would you like to lose more weight? Inspect the frequency and intensity of your exercise as well as your food choices you make. What situations drive you to make poor eating choices and to skip workouts? Put plans into place to improve these and inspect on a regular basis and you can expect to lose more weight.

Would you like to have more time to work on your goals or to spend in more enjoyable pursuits? Inspect where you are currently spending your time during the week. Identify the people and/or situations that are wasting your time and minimize or eliminate these. Set goals to steadily free up more and more of your time and inspect your progress on a regular basis and you can expect to have more time to do the things you want to do.

I could go on and on, but I am sure you have at least some idea of how important this concept is by now. Setting goals are essential to your success and taking action on them is crucial. But not checking your progress is like taking off in a plane headed from California to Hawaii and never checking to see if you are on course - you could very well run out of gas before you ever see land again!

So, whatever your expectations you have of life, you better start inspecting the daily steps that will bring them to you and make small corrections to make sure you are on target!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Allow Your Life to Be Wonderful

I haven't posted for several days now as I have had a very full schedule of late and am at the same time preparing as best I can for the kick off of the 2008 National Novel Writing Month coming up this Saturday. In spite of my very full and very busy schedule, I do want to share with you something that my wife and I have been focusing on this past week that has had a major impact in our relationships, our businesses and our finances.

This concept is the culmination of a number of success training cds and books that I have been listening to and reading over the past several weeks. They all have a different focus on success, but the information I am about to share with you was present in all of them. And "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." (2 Cor. 13:1)

To start off, I want you to think of a goal you are currently pursuing or one that you are interested in pursuing. Fix that goal firmly in your mind and then answer the following question:

Why do you want to accomplish this goal?

As you answer this question, I want you to consider whether or not you have given the true answer to the question. In the company that I work for, we have found that the first answer we think of when we ask the question "Why did this happen?" is rarely the root cause of a problem. So we use what is called a "5 Why" process to get to the real answer. I recommend using the same process in identifying your core reason for wanting to accomplish a goal.

For example, let's say that you have a home-based business that is bringing in an extra $250 a month. You might have the goal of increasing the income from this business to $500 a month.

Why do you want to increase your income from your business to $500 a month?

To have more money in my pocket.

If you look at that answer, is the real reason you want to increase your income so that you can have more little pieces of paper with pictures of dead presidents on them is it? Of course not. So keep asking "Why?" until you find your real reason.

Why do you want more money in your pocket?

So that I can pay my expenses as soon as I incur them.

Why do you want to pay your expenses as soon as you incur them?

So I never have to go into debt for anything.

Why do you never want to go into debt for anything?

So I don't have the stress of making a credit card payment every month.

Why don't you want the stress of making a credit card payment every month?

So I can feel good whenever I think about my finances.

Your answers may have been different than these here, but if you ask "Why?" often enough you will most likely get to the point of saying "...because it makes me feel good." That is really what we want, isn't it? It doesn't matter if your goal is losing weight, developing an artistic or musical talent, finding a spouse, starting a business or any other target. Isn't your real reason for wanting these things in your life because they would make you feel good?

But can't you feel good right now?

Some of you may have responded to that question with "No! Not with the amount of debt I have!" or something similar. And if that was your response I would like to ask: Have you had any moments today where you felt happy, even if it was just for a moment? This week? This month? I am willing to bet that you have. And why is it that you were able to feel happy? You were probably focused on something else in that moment other than what you usually focus on to feel unhappy.

The large majority of us set up rules like the one I mentioned above that determine when we can feel happy and, by default, when we can't. I will be happy when I get rid of all this debt. I will be happy when I lose 50 pounds. I will be happy when I am lying on the sandy beaches of Hawaii. But we have those small moments that are exceptions to these imperfect rules where we feel happy even though we haven't satisfied our preset guidelines for happiness.

We can in this very moment be happy, not just feel happy, actually be happy by choosing to be so. As I mentioned in the last paragraph, we set the rules for when we can be happy so by the same measure we choose to not play by those rules. We can be happy right now! It is simply a matter of controlling our emotions rather than letting them control us.

And we must control our emotions if we are to accomplish our goals. If we don't, we will not have the power behind us that will enable us to succeed.

"Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance."
~ Brian Tracy

My wife and I have found this to be so true over the past few weeks. We have been working on controlling our emotions in regards to our financial situation and to the building of her Mary Kay business. My wife has also been applying this toward her continual efforts to meet a major weight-loss goal. We have released our attachments to what our expected outcomes are and just chosen to feel good no matter what happens. And the results have been amazing! We have experienced financial miracles, my wife's business has just been booming and she is making progress as she works on losing those last stubborn pounds that she wants to lose. (She has lost 45 pounds already!) In addition to that, our relationship with each other and with our children is better than it has ever been. Everything is just "clicking" for us!

But even if none of this had happened, we would still be happy ... because we choose to be so!

But it hasn't all been smooth sailing. You probably know as well as I do that whenever you feel like you are on top of the world someone or something will come along and try to knock you off. What makes the difference is how you respond to that event. And the best way you can respond is with gratitude.

If you are trying to pay down your debts and an exceptionally high utility bill comes through, be grateful for the continuous service that you have been given that enables you to light, heat and cool your home.

If you have a medical emergency, don't worry about the impending bill. Be grateful that you are still alive and live in an area where skilled and trained physicians are available to care for your medical needs.

If you are trying to lose weight and you go up one week rather than down, be grateful that you live in an area of the world where food is abundant and that you don't go to bed at night in extreme hunger.

If your business is building slower than you hope, be grateful that you have not only the skills and abilities to do business but also an exceptional mind that is open to ideas and inspirations that can and will lead you to build it faster and/or better.

Whenever obstacles arise before you, be grateful for them and the opportunity to become better and stronger by overcoming them.

If you think long enough, you can always find something to be grateful for. And it is impossible to feel grateful and be unhappy at the same time.

Whatever it is that you desire to accomplish in your life, allow your life to be wonderful in the process and watch how easily people, resources and events line up and fall into place to bring you success beyond your wildest dreams.

Action Steps:
1. Identify an area in your life you would like to improve or develop.
2. Identify what negative feelings come to your mind when you think about accomplishing this goal.
3. Release the negative feelings and choose to be happy.
4. Overcome challenges to your happiness with an attitude of gratitude.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

I am Complaint Free!

At the end of the First Step series yesterday we talked a little about the "Blame Game" and the negative effect that it has on you. Today, let's talk a little about the precursor to blaming - complaining!

You usually don't blame someone or something unless you have a complaint about something. And a complaint is nothing more than a negative focus on a particular situation or outcome. In fact, the dictionary defines a complaint as an expression of discontent, regret, pain, censure, resentment, or grief; lament; faultfinding.

What important lesson can you learn from that definition?

The point that I noticed in that definition is that in order for something to qualify as a complaint, it has to be expressed. It is human to feel discontentment, regret, pain, resentment and grief about things in life. But it is our choice whether or not we continue to focus on it and share that negative focus with others. The danger of doing so is that negativity is highly contagious and deadly to the spirit. The symptoms of this disease include depression, a darkening of the mind, unconscious and consistent frowning, a downward mental spiral, and an overwhelming desire to spread this disease further so that others will feel just as bad as you do or at least give you attention for having contracted it.

So, what do we do?

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”
~ Maya Angelou

You have a choice when you are faced with something that dissatisfies you. You can eliminate the negativity altogether by simply changing what you don't like. But, if you can't change it (or, as I prefer, until you change it since I believe that there is very little in this world we cannot change if we persist long enough until it does change), change your attitude and focus on something positive. But, if you struggle to do even that much, the least you can do is keep it to yourself until you do find a better focus so that you do not spread that negativity out into the world.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

I was pleased to learn today that Congressman Sam Graves of Missouri introduced a bill last July designed to reduce the amount of complaining in the U.S. To some this seems impossible and a silly waste of taxpayer's dollars. Unlike the $700 billion bailout package that has yet to make a difference (that is not a complaint, mind you - just an observation of fact), this strikes at the core of a problem rather than the typical attempt to treat the symptoms and hope the problems we face go away. It is by no means an extravagant or costly plan. What Graves has proposed is to make the Wednesday before Thanksgiving an official “Complaint Free Wednesday” in the U.S. in order to help us prepare for a day of gratitude.

H.Con.Res.404 is currently in committee, but in order for it to pass it needs 50 members of Congress to act as co-sponsors. I have included the full text of the bill and, if you can support this act, click HERE or follow the instructions after the text of the bill to send an e-mail to your congressional representative and encourage their support of this act. I would then recommend that you e-mail everyone in your address book and encourage them to read this blog posting and e-mail their representative as well.

If you choose to act on this, please leave me a comment so that I can see who my fellow non-complainers are. Those are the people I want to hang out with!

HCON 404 IH

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. CON. RES. 404

Supporting the goals and ideals of Complaint Free Wednesday.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 31, 2008

Mr. GRAVES submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Supporting the goals and ideals of Complaint Free Wednesday.

Whereas the average person complains approximately 15 to 30 times per day, resulting in approximately 4,570,350,000 complaints per day in the United States;

Whereas people complain in order to negatively get attention from others, avoid taking action, pre-excuse poor performance, brag, or exercise control over others;

Whereas complaining damages a person’s health, relationships, and ability to solve underlying problems;

Whereas violence usually begins with complaining by expressing grief, pain, or discontent;

Whereas it is not complaining if a person acts proactively to resolve an issue;

Whereas ‘A Complaint Free World’ is an organization that encourages people to wear purple bracelets as a symbolic reminder to change a person’s complaining nature;

Whereas ‘A Complaint Free World’ has delivered approximately 5,439,532 purple bracelets to people throughout the world;

Whereas ‘A Complaint Free World’ hopes to inspire 1 percent of the world’s population to have a positive attitude;

Whereas supporters of this movement have worked with thousands of schools in the United States through the Complaint Free program and have achieved amazing results in creating positive attitudes; and

Whereas Complaint Free Wednesday will be observed on the day before Thanksgiving, providing each person in the United States a day free from complaining in order to prepare for a day of gratitude: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--

(1) supports the goals and ideals of Complaint Free Wednesday;

(2) encourages each person in the United States to remember that having a positive life begins with having a positive attitude; and

(3) recognizes and reaffirms the meaning of Thanksgiving by asking each person in the United States to use Complaint Free Wednesday to refrain from complaining and prepare for a day of gratitude.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is how you can garner support for this bill:

Congressman Sam Graves of Missouri has introduced House Resolution H.CON.RES.404 to officially declare the day before Thanksgiving “Complaint Free Wednesday” in the United States of America.

For this to become a reality, we need you to contact your congressional representative and ask him or her to become a Co-Sponsor of this bill. For it to pass, this bill needs 50 members of congress to act as co-sponsors.

* * * Here’s what To Do * * *

1. Go to www.house.gov/writerep/

You will be directed to The U.S. House of Representatives web site. Enter your STATE and ZIP CODE. This will launch a window so you can send an email directly to your congressional representative.

2. Email the following Text. You can copy and paste it from here.(Be sure and insert your representative’s name at the top and your name and town at the bottom)

Dear Representative ___________,

As you know, the attitude of a society plays a critical role in the well being and prosperity of its citizens.

The United States has long been the can-do optimist capital of the world, and I urge you to please CO-Sponsor and support H.Con.Res 404, which reminds Americans that a positive attitude and avoiding complaints can have a profound impact on our society.

This bill, entitled “Supporting the goals and ideals of Complaint Free Wednesday” was introduced by Congressman Sam Graves (MO-6) on July 31, 2008, and encourages each person in the United States to participate in a day free from complaining on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day to prepare for our national day of gratitude.

Thank you in advance for your support of this legislation.

Sincerely,

__________ (Your Name)

______, ___ (Your Town, State)

So, act today and then leave me a comment letting me know that you took a first step to changing the world!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The First Step - Part 5 of 7

“Have a bias toward action - let's see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away.”
~ Indira Gandhi

Imagine just for a moment that you have just been invited to the movie set of a Christopher Nolan film. Although Batman Begins and The Dark Knight were huge successes, this is to be far greater than anything he has ever done so you are very excited to witness the master at work as he creates what is sure to be a blockbuster film. All the actors are on their marks ready to film the next scene and special effects and technical crews stand waiting to work their magic as Christopher steps forward and calls out the traditional "Lights! Cameras! ..." and then nothing happens.

The same thing happens with your life when you have goals, dreams and plans, but never act on them. You are the director of your life. You can either create a blockbuster event that the whole world would pay good money to see, or you can squeeze out a low-budget, no-plot B-movie that is quickly forgotten by the five people who went and saw it.

What is the movie you want to create? Is it a comedy that keeps people laughing? Is it a romance that inspires people to treat their spouses better? Is it an inspirational movie that moves people closer to God? Is it a "Biggest Loser" documentary starring you? Whatever type of movie you want to direct yourself in, make sure it is an ACTION movie. Go out and tackle your B.H.A.G. (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) and give the world something worth watching.

One of the major problems with B.H.A.G.s are that people are intimidated by them. Even though accomplishing their B.H.A.G. would be a huge deal to them, most people never start on them or they give up soon after they start because the end seems so far away. It seems unattainable. I talk a little bit about that in The Millionaire Marathon program and how to conquer that fear. Here is an exerpt from The Millionaire Marathon:

The Power of Stepping Stones

Just like any marathon, in order to reach the finish line, you have to take the steps that will carry you from the starting line to the end of the course. There may have been times in your life where you thought, “If I had a million dollars, my life would be so much better/easier/more fun.” But, if your life would be so much better, why didn’t you set out in that moment to create a million dollars? Is it because the idea was too big?

Try a little experiment with me. Imagine you just came home and as you enter the family room you discover that someone had broken in and tore up the place. Your DVDs are thrown all around the room, the couch is tipped over, books were pulled off the bookshelf, the curtains are lying on the floor, your potted plants are knocked over, the laundry you folded before you left has been thrown all around – it is a complete disaster area! You can’t take a single step into the room without stepping on something. You, of course, call the police. They come, take their photos, promise they will be in touch, and then they leave you alone with Martha Stewart’s worst nightmare.

Now, notice what your mind does when I give you the following instructions. Keep in mind that you are the only one there so these instructions are for you and you alone
--- CLEAN THE ROOM!

Now, most of you probably did not immediately picture a clean family room. You probably started going through a mental checklist of what to do to get it clean which may have included pick up the books and put them on the shelf, put the DVDs away, push the couch back upright, hang the curtains back up, rewash and fold the laundry, straighten up the potted plants, vacuum the whole room, etc.

Some people’s mental checklist may have been get the phone book, open to the yellow pages, look up a local cleaning service, pick up the phone, dial their number and ask how quickly they can send someone over. (There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking the easy route!) And some people’s mental checklist may have been break down in tears, go get the half-eaten pint of Ben & Jerry’s from the freezer and hide out in the bedroom until your spouse gets home.

The human mind is a funny thing in that it cannot cope with large projects. No matter which line of thought your brain may have followed, it had to take the large project and break it down into smaller, more accomplishable tasks. This is one of the true secrets of success in any endeavor. It doesn’t matter if it is to create a highly popular video game, lose 50 pounds, write a New York Times’ #1 best-selling novel or create one million dollars. Simply break the task down into the small stepping stones that will enable you to traverse the chasm that lies between where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow … and TAKE ACTION!!!

Action Steps:
1. Identify and write down a major goal you want to accomplish.
2. Write down the major tasks you need to do to accomplish this goal. These are your milestones.
3. Break your plan down into small stepping stones that will carry you from milestone to milestone.
4. Write down a "reward" for each milestone you reach.
(Note: Rewards don't have to be expensive. In fact, they can cost absolutely no money at all. It just has to be something that makes you feel good. Get creative!)
5. Take ACTION and take the first step!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

The First Step - Part 1 of 7

We have all heard the saying that every journey begins with a single step - the first step. For all the self-improvement, motivational, and success "secrets" out there, taking the first step is the most important of them all and deserves greater coverage by the success gurus than it actually gets. While I am no self-proclaimed guru of health, wealth and happiness, allow me to share with you over the next seven days some "First Step" quotes and my thoughts on how they can be applied to move you from where you are to where you want to be:

“Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation”

~ Oscar Wilde

Discontent is a powerful tool for achieving success. Every one of us is discontent with something in our lives. We all have something we want to change. The unfortunate fact is that the majority of us bury our discontent in our fears.

We are discontent with how much money we make, but we are afraid to ask our boss for a raise or to look for a new job.

We are discontent with our social situation, but we are afraid to try and make new friends or to ask our dream date out.

We are discontent with the amount of debt we have, but we are afraid of looking poor in front of our friends by spending less money.

We all have something we don't like, but our fears are holding us back. Allow that discontentment to grow until it is bigger than your fears. Then, when the pain of not changing is greater than the fear of making the change, you will be ready for that first step.

Action Steps:
1. Write down one aspect of your life that you are discontented with.
2. Write down what steps you could take to change it and identify what the first step is.
3. Write down what is holding you back from changing that aspect of your life.
4. Write down everything you would gain by changing this aspect of your life.
5. Write down everything you would miss out on by not making the change.
6. Take the first step!

I'm Coming Back!

I haven't posted on this blog for nearly three months and I apologize to any of you that have been checking back regularly. I allowed myself to get too busy living my life to actual live my life. I fell back into the habit of getting by rather than cultivating the habits that will allow me to get ahead.

One habit that I have been neglecting is my 1/96th of a day habit that was taught to me by my friend and mentor John Dilemme. John pointed out that with there being four 15 minute periods in every hour, there are a total of 96 of them in every day. He proposed that if I spent 15 minutes of every day, 1/96th of my day, reading a motivational book or listening to an inspirational tape, my life would change drastically for the better over time. He called it feeding your spirit and has based it on the concept that what goes in, must come out.

I used to do this on a daily basis. I turned my car into a rolling university by listening to cds of Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, Mike Litman and others as I drove to and from work. I read books by Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley, Norman Vincent Peale and others as I ate lunch. Having done that for a while and now having gotten out of the habit, I can testify to you that it does make a difference. When I was in the habit of feeding my spirit, I thought and acted differently; far better than I do now. I didn't react as much as I do now. My hope was higher, my goals bigger and my heart happier and I was better for it.

I am taking up that 1/96th of a day habit again and you all have the opportunity to be my accountability partners. This blog will be a measure of how well I am doing in re-cultivating that habit because it will be the outlet for what I take in my spirit. I will spend a minimum of 15 minutes absorbing motivational, enlightening, inspirational, spirit-filling material for the express purposes of changing my life and sharing it with you in the hope that it will change yours as well.

You will be hearing from me again ... very soon!

Friday, February 1, 2008

Which Price Will You Pay?

The other day I was reading in Fantastic: The Life of Arnold Schwarzenegger by Laurence Leamer. He was relating a conversation Arnold was having with another, more experienced bodybuilder just before Arnold was to take his turn flexing and posing on stage. Arnold asked his competitor suddenly if he believed that he could have everything he wanted. The competitor, surprised by the question, pondered it a second and replied that a man cannot have everything he wanted. As Arnold's name was called he shot back, "No! You're wrong! You can have everything you want. You just have to be willing to pay the price."

The Price of Success
There is nothing that we cannot attain if we are willing to pay the price of success. Talents are developed when we pay the price of remaining teachable and practicing daily. Relationships grow when we pay the price of taking time to listen and share and interact with others. Fortunes are made as we pay the price or working to increase income and disciplining ourselves to save and invest rather than spend. Bodies are strengthened when we pay the price of pushing through painful and exhausting workouts.

Is there something out there that you wish you could be, do or have? There is a price to pay for it. Figure out what that price is and determine to pay it no matter what struggles you encounter and you will receive what you wish for.

"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."
~ Arnold Schwarzenegger

Do not fall into the trap of thinking you can set the wages, though. Life is not a deal-maker. Life will not grant you a $100 reward for a $2 effort. You get what you pay for! You can't say, "I am willing to eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day, but I refuse to give up my soda pop, chocolate and doughnuts," and expect to start losing weight. You can't say, "I am willing to practice the piano for 10 minutes every other day, but that's it," and expect to learn and progress and develop at the same rate as someone who practices for a minimum of 30 minutes every single day. Do not think you can set the wages and avoid the pain. You must pay the price and push through the pain to succeed.

"The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens."
~ Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Price of Failure
Whatever path you choose, there is a price to pay. Just as the champion must pay the price of discipline to enjoy the rewards of success, there is another price to be paid by choosing not to pay the price of success. In economics this is known as the opportunity cost. The opportunity cost is lost benefits you could have enjoyed had you pursued a different course.

The athlete who does not practice and develop his or her skills has the opportunity cost of never being a starting player or perhaps not even making the team. The business person who does not consistently work their business has the opportunity cost of never enjoying the profits or the financial freedom it may have brought had they chosen to work it consistently. The man or woman who does not take the time or make the effort to eat healthy and exercise regularly has the opportunity cost not having as much energy or the self-esteem that a trim, healthy body would give them.

The difference between the price of success and the opportunity cost of failure is that the price of success diminishes over time. Muscles grow, habits form, fears diminish, experience is gained, talents develop and the actions you take grow easier and easier and easier. The opportunity cost of failure does just the opposite. Where the price of success diminishes, the opportunity cost of failure grows. Muscles atrophy, motivation fades, fears grow, self-esteem diminishes, apathy sets in and you regret more and more everything you don't have or experience. And you start blaming anything and/or anyone for your sad experiences in life while you envy the accomplished and successful.

It isn't anybody else's fault, though. You choose the price. And, once it is chosen, you will pay that price until you make the decision to change it.

What do you really desire in life? Are you paying the price to get it? If not, take the first step and start paying it now!

What did you choose not to pursue? Is the opportunity cost too high? If it is, choose to start paying the price to succeed! Do it now!!!

The choice is yours.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

The Most Valuable Question You May Ever Ask

As you begin to take action toward the fulfillment of your goals and dreams, you must realize that not every action will be perfect.

Not every action will produce the desired result. Not every action will work.

Making mistakes, getting it almost right, and experimenting to see what happens are all part of the process of eventually getting it right.

Thomas Edison is reported to have tried over 2,000 different experiments that failed before he finally got the light bulb to work. He once told a reporter that, from his perspective, he had never failed at all. Inventing the light bulb was just a 2,000-step process. If you can adopt that attitude, then you can be free to take an action, notice what result you get, and then adjust your next actions based on the feedback you have received.

Ready, Fire, Aim!
Don’t be afraid to just jump in and get started moving toward your goals. As long as you pay attention to the feedback you receive, you will make progress. Just getting into the game and firing allows you to correct and refine your aim.

The Most Valuable Question You May Ever Learn
In the 1980s, a multimillionaire businessman taught me a question that radically changed the quality of my life. So what is this magical question that can improve the quality of every relationship you are in, every product you produce, every service you deliver, every meeting you conduct, every class you teach and every transaction you enter into?

Here it is:

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the quality of our relationship during the last week?”

Here are a number of variations on the same question that have served me well over the years...

“On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate…

• our service?
• my teaching?
• our product?
• this class/seminar/workshop?
• this meeting?
• our date/vacation?
• our performance?
• this meal?
• my coaching/managing?
• this book/recording/show?
• my parenting/babysitting?

Any answer less than a 10 always gets this follow-up question:

“What would it take to make it a 10?”

This is where the *really* valuable information comes from. Knowing that a person is dissatisfied is not enough. Knowing in detail what will satisfy them gives you the information you need to do whatever it takes to create a winning product, service or relationship.

There Are Two Kinds of Feedback
There are two kinds of feedback you might encounter – negative and positive. We tend to prefer the positive – that is, results, money, praise, promotion, raise, awards, happiness, inner-peace, etc. It feels betters. It tells us we are on course and doing the right thing.

We tend not to like negative feedback – lack of results, little or no money, criticism, poor evaluations, complaints, unhappiness, inner conflict, pain, etc.

However, there is as much useful data in negative feedback as there is in positive feedback. It tells us that we are off course, headed in the wrong direction, doing the wrong thing. This is priceless information!

In fact, it’s so valuable that one of the most useful projects you could undertake is to change how you respond to negative feedback. I like to refer to negative feedback as information for “improvement opportunities.” Here is a place where I can get better.

Ask Yourself for Feedback
In addition to asking others for feedback, you need to ask yourself for feedback, too. More than any other source of feedback, your body will tell you whether or not you are on course or not. When you are relaxed and happy, your body is telling you that you are on track. When you are constantly exhausted, tense, in pain, unhappy and angry, then you are off track.

Take time to listen to what your body is saying to you. Take time to listen to your physical sensations and your feelings. They are sending you important messages. Are you listening?

Remember, Feedback Is Simply Information
You don’t have to take it personally. Just welcome it and use it.

For more on Using Feedback to Your Advantage, review Principle #19 in The Success Principles. It’s one of the most important principles you can apply.

© 2007 Jack Canfield
Are you "stuck" in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly "Ask Jack Canfield" Tele-Clinic! http://www.askjackcanfield.com/

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Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: http://www.freesuccessstrategies.com/

Saturday, January 26, 2008

The ABC's of Happiness

A--Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.

B--Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C--Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

D--Decide
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

E--Explore
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

F--Forgive
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

G--Grow
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

H--Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

I--Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

J--Journey
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

K--Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

L--Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

M--Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

N--Notice
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.

O--Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

P--Play
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.

Q--Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.

R--Relax
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

S--Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

T--Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

U--Use
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

V--Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

W--Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals. Every sunrise offers a second chance.

X--X-Ray
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

Y--Yield
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

Z--Zoom
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head. Let nothing interfere with your goals. Instead, focus on your abilities, your dreams, and a brighter tomorrow.

Monday, January 7, 2008

I Don't Want To!

My wife and I spent some time talking this evening about the things we want to accomplish this year. One of the major obstacles we both face, and maybe you are facing it to, is that we don't necessarily want to do all the little things that will bring us the results we want. It reminded me of something Mike Litman, a mentor of mine, taught me on his Greatness Held Hostage cd. What he taught me is:

"Successful people do the things they don't want to do!"

You may be facing a difficult or perhaps just an unattractive task that is standing in the way of you and your success. It could be working out every day and eating healthier foods. It may be cutting out unnecessary expenses and saving more money. It may be cultivating a more forgiving attitude and being kind to those who are unkind to you. You know what it is that you don't want to do. The question you really need to ask yourself is: "Do I want the results more than I not wanting to do this task?"

Look at your reasons why you want to accomplish your goals and resolutions. (You did write them down, right?) Are your reasons big enough to carry you past the seeming unpleasantness of doing this task? Is achieving the results important enough to you to do what you don't want to do?

It isn't always motivation that we need - sometimes it is just momentum. Give yourself a 30-day challenge. Perform this "unpleasant" task consistently for 30 days and then evaluate yourself at the end of that period. Is it still as unpleasant as when you started or are you starting to enjoy yourself? I think you will find, more often than not, that the task is not nearly so difficult or unpleasant as what you thought it would be when you started and you will be doing it on a daily basis with ease and great satisfaction. And, if you keep doing that task and either step it up a little more for the next 30 days or add another essential goal-achieving task to your daily regiment, you will be well on your way to achieving your goals and your dreams!

(To find out how to get your own copy of Mike Litman's Greatness Held Hostage cd or a copy of his book Conversations With Millionaires, visit http://www.mikelitman.com/.)

The First Step

Celebrate 2008!

The Millionaire Marathon Introduction

Blog Archive

Label Cloud

Favorite Blogs

Good Forums

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Friday, May 29, 2009

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Monday, May 25, 2009

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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Friday, May 22, 2009

Friday, May 1, 2009

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Friday, February 1, 2008

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Monday, January 7, 2008

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