Day 24 - Growth Without Resistance?

"The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear. It is the storm within that endangers him, not the storm without." 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I was reading The Complete Sermons of Ralph Waldo Emerson this morning and came across the quote above. It made me think of body building. (LOL ... Stick with me on this ... my mind works in mysterious ways ;-)

I believe that many times, the obstacles, challenges and "dangers" we face are sent (or at least allowed) by God because they strengthen and grow us. They make us into the person that we need to become in order to achieve the goal or gain the blessing that we have prayed for or set our intentions on.


Legitimate danger aside, to pray for the removal of the obstacles and challenges then, can often be counterproductive. Much like a body builder who sets his or her goals to have a certain size muscle or to be able to lift a certain amount of weight, but doesn't want to encounter any resistance or challenge to achieve it. That simply doesn't work.


Now I'm not suggesting that the achievement of all goals has to be difficult or challenging... just as normal growth in nature occurs through proper nutrition, removal of negative influences and the passage of time.


But, I've never seen a bodybuilder who naturally just grew that way. No, they purposed themselves for it and they overcame the challenges and obstacles (skepticism, sickness, tiredness, soreness and even injuries) to achieve their goals.


So, if you and I want anything more than average growth ... if we want to develop spiritually, personally, professionally or physically beyond the norm, perhaps we should anticipate that there will be 'dangers' and challenges along the way. And, instead of praying that they be removed, we should pray for the courage and strength to move forward despite the storms and to learn and grow as much as we can through each experience so we don't have to repeat the lesson.


What do YOU think? Did that make any sense or have I just not had enough coffee this morning?

About This Chart: For those who haven't been following, I created this daily chart for the purpose of communicating and tracking some of my more important goals - publicly. You can read about it in THIS EARLIER POST.

Time to Adjust the Sails

I'm back from North Carolina with the family... totally charged up and ready to plough through the rest of 2008 with a joyful fury!  ;-)

During my two weeks away, and the subsequent few days I've been home, I've noticed a dramatic shift in the mood of even my most optimistic friends and a generally dour outlook from strangers I've met. Between the erratic economic indicators, some very real issues in the banking/mortgage sector and the culmination of an almost endless multi-year campaign by the media to assure us that we're heading into economic crisis, it appears that the mass psychosis has taken hold. So now, what has been conceived in the minds of the masses is actually manifesting in very real situations. Even those of us who haven't had to sell real estate or stocks feel the pinch at the gas station and grocery store and many businesses are getting into survival mode.

If you're feeling a bit anxious about the economy and how it will effect you, I'll offer these simple thoughts.

1st - Remember - our journey in business and in life is NOT a like a train on a track. I've never seen a business fully execute according to plan. They often hit or surpass their goals, but seldom, if ever, in the neat and tidy way they were envisioned in the plan. No, our journey is much more like an oceanic sailing adventure. 

We determine the destination we are wanting to reach and the timeframe in which we want to reach it. We chart the course and we set sail. Then, all bets are off. Winds change direction and storms unexpectedly roll in. Our job is simply to control our own responses and adjust the sails and steer the ship to compensate for the outside forces that come our way. As the Bible puts it .. "In his heart a man plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps."

In a time of shifting economic conditions, it's time for us to remember that we have no control over the outside forces. So, we can either waste our time cursing the winds or we can adjust to take advantage of them in a way that we perhaps hadn't thought of before.

The Chinese symbol for Danger is the same as the one for Opportunity. You will only be able to recognize and take advantage of the current opportunities that are emerging if you are asking yourself quality questions like "Who is making money now that might not have been a few months ago?" and "What can I do right now to profit while others are living in fear?" In a time of dramatic shift, those who keep their heads on straight and their focus on their goals, will adjust the sails instead of dropping anchor. They will use the same force that grounds other vessels to propel further and faster along their course of success.

2nd - Don't lose your joy and zest for life! The Bible says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." So, no joy, no strength to overcome ... to be buoyant and rise above situations.

Even if you've taken a big hit, put it all in perspective and remember what and who you value ... what really makes your life rich and rewarding. Money most definitely makes life easier, but nothing and no one can take away the true richness and rewards that reside in the heart of someone who is "living out loud" the way God has wired them to be and according to the values that they have in their hearts.

Times like these offer a fresh start. They cause us to get out our maps and dust off our compasses and evaluate where we're at and make the adjustments necessary to stay on course, or in many cases, get back on course... in all areas of our lives ... spiritual, relational and professional.

If you're one that perhaps has drifted way off course take heart. Thank God for the threatening storms that made you take notice. Be at peace with where you're at (it is what it is and you can't change it) and use the knowledge you've gained from experiences that landed you where you are to propel you forward.

I'll end with a few You Tube music videos. For me, music can touch my heart and lift and direct my spirits in a way that mere words cannot. So, hopefully, these clips will resonate with you as well.

This one is by Point of Grace - great song to remember to play full out!

Here's Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield to remind you that you are writing your story every day and you can make it what you want it to be.

Finally, Vivere (Dare to Live) by Andrea Bocelli and Laura Pausini



Hope you enjoy them and experience renewal.

Be buoyant and get excited about what lies ahead.  I believe in you!

All the Best,

Thom

Reaching New Summits of Success

Out of the hundreds of clients that I've worked with as a legacy architectTM and marketing coach, I have to say, there are only a handful that I can remember who have been truly consistent in their personal and business growth. They are the types like my friend Christopher Guerriero, one of the experts on the Extreme Business Makeovers 2008 training team, who continually discover and practice daily habits and seemingly small distinctions which pay off in huge dividends over time. I love them and can appreciate them for what they do, but I have a really hard time identifying with them. I'm just not naturally wired that way.

It may be because the majority of my clients have been typical creative, passionate and somewhat scattered entrepreneur types, but in my experience, most growth is not so methodically planned and consistently executed. It's more like an alternating pattern of growth spurts and plateaus. From my experience, most growth takes a catalyst to inspire it and help us change our actions so we can change our outcomes.

These catalysts can vary greatly from individual to individual, but they can pretty much be grouped in one of these three categories: negative, positive and planned events.

The negative catalyst is characterized by taking new direction and action to avoid an undesirable outcome. For instance, someone starts working out and eating better because they are diagnosed with high blood pressure ... a man agrees to marriage counseling when his wife threatens to leave ... a business owner will revamp their marketing because sales keep eroding. While this is by far the most prevalent catalyst for growth, it is also the least effective at maximizing one's potential as it doesn't bring one from success summit to success summit. Instead, the one who seeks growth in order to avoid the negatives merely avoids the valleys, but too often makes their base camp at the foot of the mountain.

The positive catalyst is characterized by taking new direction and action due to a positive event of sorts. This would be the bride or groom who starts shedding unwanted pounds in anticipation of their wedding day... the couple who start going to church to inspire new spiritual depth because they've just had their first child ... the business owner who improves the product line for the company's twentieth anniversary in business. While the positive catalysts can, at times, be effective, it is difficult, in situations when the positive events pass, to maintain the same level of motivation and momentum.

In working with entrepreneurs, I have found that the catalysts which tend to produce the most consistent and long-lasting results are planned events. With this catalyst, an individual may not know the path they need to take, but they have a destination in mind and periodically they evaluate where they are with where they would like to be. When they come up short in any area, they seek out information and take quick, decisive action to get to a new level. This is like the fit individual who may have hit a plateau and hires a personal trainer to have a full day session help them change their workouts and eating plans, or attending a fitness retreat. In business, this could be hiring a coach or consultant for an intense planning day or attending a seminar.

Out of all the possible planned event catalysts, I like attending seminars. Here's why:

1) Even though I prefer to be rather hermit-like and just read a book or watch seminar videos on DVDs, there's enormous energy and power that comes from being at a live event. The information is more dynamic in that the specific information I need to apply personally seems to leap out at me. When I read a book, I feel like I need to apply it all and often come away with a mile long to-do list that never gets done. There is also a great deal of energy, motivation and perspective that comes from the other attendees. I find myself learning from their situations and feeling a certain amount of camaraderie and accountability for making new changes.

2) It's an automatically "NOW" kind of a setting. Unlike a book or DVD which could easily be set aside for another day, week or month, a seminar is date specific. The line in the sand is drawn and by participating you are deciding that you will not be the same person leaving that event as you were going to it.

3) Seminars are incredibly cost-effective. You will wind up investing a very small fraction of what you would typically have paid to have the speaker(s) consult with you individually. You can literally walk away with a world-class education for less than the cost of a typical vacation.

4) Of course, there is also the X-Factor of seminars. We may participate with our particular agenda for growth, but our "Creator" often has something even better in mind. I can't even remember the last seminar or conference I attended where I didn't walk away with a new relationship that ended up being a source of referrals, a joint venture partner or other such person of increase. While I definitely walk away with the growth that I was seeking, the financial increase that has come from this X-Factor has often added 10%, 20%, even 40% to my bottom line - quickly and with zero effort on my part.

There are many other reasons to attend seminars and conferences, but suffice it to say, I recommend that everyone plan to participate in two or more annually to keep your self-development muscles growing.

My only word of caution is to concentrate on seminars that impart unchanging principles and that focus on application, not just information. Short-term tactics come and go and can be easily learned, as needed, through books. True principles are timeless and often need a seminar or other planned event setting to be successfully applied. By focusing on developing principle based skills and character traits, you will continually climb from summit to summit in your personal success journey.

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Hey ... just 16 days till Extreme Business Makeovers 2008. I hope to see you there!

All the Best,
Thom

Learning Entrepreneurship from a Billionaire!

How Many BILLIONAIRE Entrepreneurs Have You Been Able to Meet AND Learn From IN-PERSON?

(Note: Click above for Audio - The sound is clearer after first 40 seconds)

Bill Bartmann, who Inc. Magazine describes as "The Billionaire Nobody Knows," is one of the incredible experts who will be teaching us at Extreme Business Makeovers 2008!

Bill didn't take one million or even one hundred thousand and make his Billions. In fact, he and his wife Kathy borrowed $13,000 and grew it into a company that produced over $1 Billion in annual revenues. He's going to share with each of us how to navigate the waters of entrepreneurship to maximize our individual strengths and become the most successful entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs that we can be!

Describing himself as the "poster boy for failure," Bill is very down-to-earth and teaches in a way that we can all relate and apply.

Check out the brief, 10 minute preview call I conducted with Bill. (The sound quality leaves much to be desired, but you can certainly hear Bill's heart and experience loud and clear).

After that, GET REGISTERED for Extreme Business Makeovers 2008 by visiting http://www.ExtremeBusinessMakeovers.com and click to reserve your seat. Something Special: for my readers only, if you enter the word SUCCESS in the Coupon Code box at the Check Out, it will automatically deduct $100 from the advanced ticket price!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly at thom@burg.com.

I look forward to seeing you in Orlando!

All the Best,

Thom

Heralding The Age of Authenticity

Okay... starting AFTER this post, expect less lengthy articles like this and much more commentary and questions concerning the things we all deal with every day as entrepreneurs, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, children, etc... I've got a renewed vision to see this blog be more spontaneous and a dialogue versus monologues from me. That having been said, here's an article that explains the origins of this renewed vision ...

_________________________________________
Heralding The Age of Authenticity
by Thom Scott

Recently, I was blessed with the opportunity to be part of the phenomenal Strategic Profits "Live" Conference. My hats off to Rich Schefren and his team who did a fantastic job of designing and hosting the event, as well as assembling a top-shelf team of experts including my original marketing mentor, Jay Abraham (www.abraham.com), as well as my new friend and Web 2.0 master, Gary Vaynerchuk (www.winelibrary.com).

During the entire 7 days of intense training, whether the topic was leadership, product launches, direct mail or personal branding, one theme rang supreme ... "Growing Beyond Me-Too."

Of course, this was tremendous validation of my "Marketing From The Heart" System which actually leads my clients through the process of becoming authentic and attractive. It was also validation of The Law of Authenticity as expressed by my business partner, Bob Burg and his co-author, John David Mann in their national bestseller, The Go-Giver.

As with any true principle, The Law of Authenticity has ALWAYS been effective. However, the fact that it is included in The Go-Giver as well as my "Marketing From The Heart" System and that every speaker at this conference addressed it is, I believe, indicative of an emerging trend in business. I'll call it, "The Age of Authenticity."

The more I have studied this theory of mine, the more I see past examples of "packaged" and somewhat inauthentic messages that were made possible by one-way media. Even the first generation of businesses on the web utilized static, brochure-like web pages that enabled small, start-up companies to appear as big and impressive as established mid-to-large size concerns. In fact, many rushed to establish a presence on the web in order to take advantage of that “benefit.”

However, 2 changes have occurred that I believe are putting an end to the "Age of Packaging" and ushering in "The Age of Authenticity." The first is that we have become collectively sick and tired of over-hyped advertising. We're weary of people who are different before and after the sale. In short, we're weary of inauthenticity. From politics to television to the business arena, we have begun to see that reality (or at least messages closer to reality) sell better than their overly-packaged counterparts.

Why did this shift in thinking occur? Well, as my dad used to say, "nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising." Not that all of the products or services were bad ... but by and large they simply didn't deliver on the "magic bullet" messages that were used to sell them. And, even though these hype-filled approaches can still be very effective in the short-term, they inevitably leave clients feeling somewhat ambivalent.

(Parenthetically, many also have a product or service that truly is good and unique and they seek to add value, BUT mimicking others’ approaches, they haven't stood out from the competition. These true value-providers have become increasingly frustrated by their lack of market penetration. In their search to find a tactic that will work, they have stumbled upon a rare and powerful force in communications - the truth!)

The second big change that ushers in this new age of authenticity is the introduction of web 2.0 which facilitates and has popularized two-way communications on the internet. Ask any reality tv contestant... with the camera rolling 24/7, the real you is bound to show up at some point. The same is true on the web ... blogs, video podcasts and other popular mediums eventually betray their authors’ true selves if they are in any way inauthentic. Also, because of the wealth of available information and cool services like Google maps, it's no longer possible to "fake it till you make it," as anyone can quickly pull up an aerial view of my house, among other things, to verify whether or not I really have that Ferrari parked in front of my golf course mansion.

Okay, so we have this new "Age of Authenticity" thing happening. So what? What does it mean to us and how do we put the power of the Law of Authenticity to work for us? Glad you asked - since you may know that I am big on application! Well, believe it or not, so many of us have been conditioned, at a very early age, to become or act like something we're not in order to gain approval, that it often makes being truly authentic more difficult than wearing a "mask." Real authenticity takes the courage to willingly experience the polarization of relationships with those that love you and rejection from those who do not.

While the path to authenticity is often a progressive and evolving journey, one that takes my clients several weeks to navigate, I would advise that if you feel that this is something you need, you can begin your journey to true authenticity with the following questions:

Does the image that I portray to others really express who I am or the essence of my company? Do I like the people I am attracting as clients? Would I hang out with them if I didn't do business with them? Do I try to cover up my past mistakes and setbacks, or do I share these with others to reveal my inner motivations and help them grow through my experiences? Do I attempt to show great proficiency at every facet of my business or personal life, or do I clearly express my giftedness and challenges and seek to find others who can compensate for my weaknesses? How can I embrace the positive side of my quirks and allow others to see them? How can I live my life in such a way that when I am gone, I have left my thumbprint on the world and the lives of those in my sphere of influence? You get the idea.

While I tend to address topics like this through the lens of business, authenticity is obviously a message that reaches into every facet of our lives. It is vital to both our personal happiness and our success and something that I need to grapple with every morning as I face the man in the mirror.

In Defense of Optimism

"Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one
sees the stars."
-- Frederick Langbridge, A Cluster of Quiet Thoughts

If you've made a bad decision at work that wound up in a loss, will
you jump for joy and push for better results the next time or will
you be discouraged and find an excuse not to stick your neck out
and attempt big things again?

In life, you are always filled with choices. You may opt to have a
pessimist's view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to
take the optimist's route and live a challenging and fulfilling
life.

In an increasingly cynical society, optimism has, in many circles,
become synonymous with naivety and foolishness. In fact, when I was
growing up, someone thought to be too happy and too optimistic
would be called a "Pollyanna."

Well, I think Pollyanna got a raw deal. What was her big crime? She
always looked for things she could be glad about in the midst of
seemigly bad situations. And, in the end, when she was confronted
with possibly being paralyzed for life, it was the entire town
(that her "glad game" had positively affected) that wound up
bringing that message of hope back to her so she could have the
courage to move on. Am I missing something? Is this a bad thing?

One of my favorite theater productions is Les Miserables. So, I was
amazed when one of my business associates told me they saw it
and felt it was terribly depressing. While he was looking at the
horrible plight of those in the show, I was focused on the
indomitable spirit that allowed some to experience bits of joy in
their plight and empowered others to rise above their plight in the
end. (Note: this is not a social commentary on the French
Revolution as I believe lobbing off heads of aristocracy to be
pretty nasty business and a bad reaction to an equally horrible
system of injustice.)

So, what difference does it make? Don't we need to look at
things "realistically?" Why bother to be optimistic?

Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale; to
academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success;
to popularity; to good health and even to long life and freedom
from trauma.

On the other hand, pessimism has been linked to growing rates of
depression. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits
younger people. The mean age of onset has gone from 30 to 15 ... no
longer a middle-aged homemaker's disorder but a teenager's
disorder, as well.

OPTIMISTS EXPECT THE BEST

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to
believe bad events will last longer than they usually do,
undermine everything they do and are their own fault.

The truth is optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of
this world. What differs is the way they explain their
misfortune... Exactly theopposite way. They tend to believe defeat
is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this
one case. And, if it truly was their fault, they're happy to know
so that they can make sure it won't happen again in the future.

Optimists tend to focus on the lessons within the 'problem' at
hand. They use 'positive re-framing.' In other words, they most
likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them
learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by bad situation, they
perceive it is a challenge and try harder.

They won't say "things will never get better," "If I failed
once, it will happen again" and "If I experience misfortune in
one part of my life, then it will happen in my whole life."

Because optimists look for opportunities in times of crisis, they
are able to capitalize on them. In doing so, they will either
lessen the negative impact of their crisis situation, or, they'll
somehow find the opportunity within it to grow and improve and
build something spectacular out of the same crisis that cripples
another. Whether it is a John Walsh of America's Most Wanted, or
direct marketing millionaire, Jeff Paul, living in the basement of
a family member's house because his business went bust, history is
filled with those who took tragedy and turned it into triumph.

PEOPLE RESPOND POSITIVELY TO OPTIMISTS

Optimists are proactive and less dependent on others for their
happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They
usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the
world can be contagious and influence those they are with.

In life, these people often win elections; get voted most congenial
and sought for advice.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, OPTIMISTS GET TOUGHER

Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective
well-being during times of stress than do people who are less
optimistic. In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to
stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoiding
dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit
trying when difficulties arise.

Optimists persevere. They don't just not give up easily - they are
also known for their patience; inching their way a step closer
to that goal or elusive dream.

OPTIMISTS ARE HEALTHIER AND LIVE LONGER

Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a
positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the body's
ability to fight disease.

Optimists' health is unusually good. They age well, much freer
than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age.
And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.

We are all raised with different patterns of behavior. Optimism may
not be your natural state. It isn't mine. That is why I keep
filling my mind with great teaching and lessons from positive and
proactive thinkers. I fill the wall of my office with verses,
quotes and thoughts to remind myself of who I am and how I want to
be. One of these quotes is from George Bernard Shaw. It says:

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the
unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to
himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable
man."

So why not be an unreasonable optimist today? And bring
progress to your own life and the lives of those around you.

Roadmaps for our journeys

"What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and
it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in
which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to
quit until he finds it."
-- Alexander Graham Bell
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Okay... I know. It's been forever since I wrote my last article. I am back in the saddle and will start posting at least once a week from now on. (I was recently at an intense workshop with Stephanie Frank -- www.TheAccidentalMillionaire.com and am working through all I learned to make sure that I schedule more time for the important and not just the urgent.

So, it's summer vacation time. If you're like my gang, with the logistics of 6 kids and all that
comes with them, you are likely long past the freespirited younger days when you could
take off accross the country with a bathing suit, two pairs of shorts, some deodorant, toothbrush and a wallet - not even knowing or caring where you are going. Nope... for most of us, vacations take some planning - sometimes, a lot of it!

In reflecting on our family vacations, I had some thoughts about the Life journey that
we all find ourselves on.

* A Roadmap for Your Life
-Thom Scott, Managing Partner, Burg-Scott Communications, Inc.

It may have taken me the first 40 years of my life to really
embrace, but "success" is more than economic gains, titles, and
degrees. To me, real success is about reaching the destination that
you have chosen... the one that you have been uniquely created for
- AND enjoying the journey along the way. As with any journey, in
order to successfully reach your destination, you will need to
create a personal plan (or roadmap) - just like most of us do for
our own family vacations - that defines the following details:
starting point, destination, vehicle, luggage, landmarks, and route.

Starting Point: Who you are

You can't get where you want to go, without knowing where you are.
The starting point on your Roadmap For Life is who you are right
now. Most people when asked to introduce themselves would say, "Hi,
I'm John. I'm an electrician," or some such similar statement. That
does not tell you about who John is; it only tells you his present
occupation. To gain insights about yourself, you need to look
closely at your beliefs, values, and principles aside from your
economic, professional, cultural, and civil status. Moreover, you
can also reflect on your experiences to give you insights on your
good AND not-so-good traits, skills, knowledge, strengths, and
weaknesses. Upon introspection, John may realize that he is highly
motivated, generous, service-oriented, but impatient. His
inclination is in making things work correctly. Furthermore, he
believes that life must serve a purpose.

Note: If you are like many who have a hard time identifying their
strengths, try finding them in your weaknesses/challenges.
Oftentimes, a weakness is a strength that's being used the wrong
way, or for the wrong reasons. For instance, a parent who easily
slips into scolding and yelling often possesses the seeds of great
leadership. They are decisive and goal-oriented. The skills just
need to be developed. Someone who struggles with shyness is often
very good at cultivating deep, quality relationships versus a
plethora of acquaintances. You get the idea.

Destination: A vision of who you want to be

One of the amazing things about the way we humans are created is
that we don't have to settle for who or where we are in life. We
can become who and what we desire. So,who do want to be? What do
you want to spend your time doing? What do you want to have? Who do
you want to help? this is your vision. Knowing yourself (where your
starting point is) will help you develop a clearer idea of who you
want to be; and the things you want to change whether they are
attitudes, habits, or points of view. If you hardly know yourself,
then your vision and targets for the future will also be unclear.
Your destination should cover all the aspects of your being: the
physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Continuing John,
after he defines his beliefs, values, and principles in life, he
may decide that he wants to have a life dedicated to creating a
legacy for his children.

Vehicle: Your Mission

A vehicle is the means by which you can reach your destination. It
can be analogized to your mission in life. Your mission is a
natural extension of your vision for your life. For instance, we
see that John has decided that he wants to have a life dedicated to
creating a legacy for his children. He may choose to accomplish
this by raising them to be responsible members of society,
developing a business that is a financial asset long after he is
gone and by being a consistent example of a great husband and
father as well as a "servant leader" of others.

Luggage (not to be confused with baggage): Your knowledge, skills,
and attitudes

Clothing, food, drinks, medicines, and other travelling necessities
are often packed for physical trips that we embark upon. Applying
this concept to the Roadmap For Your Life, you also bring with you
certain knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These determine your
competence and help you in attaining your vision. Given such, there
is a need for you to assess what knowledge, skills, and attitudes
you have at present and what you need to gain along the way. This
two-fold assessment will give you insights on your landmarks or
measures of success. John may have realized that he needed to gain
professional knowledge and skills to transform his current
self-employed situation (most often trading time for dollars) into
a true walk-away business that can be an asset for his kids. He may
have also determined that he needed to learn better coaching and
persuasion skills in order to have greater influence in his kids'
lives.

Landmarks and Routes: Breaking your trip down into sections.

Living in Central Florida, if I want to travel to Georgia, I can
get in my car and power on through without stopping in order to
arrive at my destination within a few hours. However, if I'm going
to drive to Los Angeles, I will need to break my trip down into
manageable daily sections. Landmarks (sub-goals) confirm if you are
on the right track and if your pace will be able to deliver you to
your destination in the period of time that you desire. Your routes
are the specific tasks that you perform every day that are either
moving you closer to your landmarks and destination, or further
away. Thus, in planning out the Roadmap For Your Life, you will
also need to have landmarks and a route.

Your landmarks (subgoals) must be specific, measurable, attainable,
realistic, and time bound. I cannot realistically drive to Los
Angeles in 30 straight hours. At just over 2,500 miles, it will
take 36 hours in driving time alone, not including pit stops and
sleep. Likewise, it may not be realistic to set a landmark of
earning a master's degree and a doctorate degree within a period of
three years, since the standard number of years to complete a
master's degree is two years.

There are many different routes which can be chosen to reach any
given destination. The key is to choose routes that fit your
lifestyle and personality so that you can truly enjoy the journey
rather than "gritting your teeth" and being miserable till you
finally get to where you want to be.

Anticipate Turns, Detours, and Potholes

This one is very difficult for me and may seem counterintuitive for
those of us who try to think positively. It is important that you
"expect the best, but plan for the worst." I've learned, with much
trial and error and self-inflicted pain, that despite all my plans
and route mapping, detours, delays and potholes happen. I can
either fight them (and wind up in a ditch at the side of the road
that I want to take), or I can follow the detour signs - as long as
I see that I'm still progessing on the journey to my destiny.

In the Bible, Proverbs 16:9 tells us, "In his heart, a man plans
his way [read "route"], but the Lord determines his steps." Of
course, we often want the quickest, most direct route to our
destination. But, more often than not, our route will be more
circuitous and bring us on some detours that we would rather not
take. In those moments, we can choose to be grateful for the route
that is there and examine the sights and learn from the experiences
that come with the perceived inconveniences. Or, we can curse the
road and all the drivers around us, slam on the brakes, or attempt
to drive past guard rails and warning signs to get to the road that
we believe (often falsely) is best for us. Peace and progress or
strife and struggling ... the choice is ours.

There is no right or wrong in creating the Roadmap For Your Life -
as long as it is all based on the real desires and uniqueness that
you were created with. The important thing is that you actually
create one - so that you can know, every day, that you are living a
life on purpose and always growing and moving towards your chosen
destination. Having a Roadmap for Your Life will ensure that your
daily choices (route selections) are heading in the right
direction. With greater clarity than you've ever had, you will
eliminate the hasty and spur-of-the-moment default decisions that
cause others to lose their way. You will confidently know that you
will arrive at your destination and you will be truly free to enjoy
the journey along the way.

Bring Your Business To The Next Level This Year

Whether your business is already successful, or perhaps you’re struggling a little – working too hard for your business, instead of having your business work hard for you, a new year is a great time to plan and make changes that will bring you to new levels of success.

Of course, there are a lot of people ready to tell you how to get your business past its present plateau. Your biggest challenge is trying to figure out which of the thousands of books, ebooks, seminars, and web sites you should be paying attention to.

In this present business culture of emotional selling, as well as short-term thinking, much of the information you seek will leave you with either fluffy motivational hype that makes you feel good but accomplishes little else, or gives you simple 1-2-3 tactics that may or may not work for your present situation, but do little to really help you tackle most future projects or challenges.

The bottom line is you walk away with a short-term solution at best. That's why my advice is to avoid the temptation of seeking tactics to solve just your immediately perceived needs and instead, focus on real entrepreneurial skill development. These are time-proven, principle-based skills that will help you attain a greater level of success now as well as in the future.

It doesn't matter if you're the owner of a small business, a “serial entrepreneur” with numerous businesses to your credit, or even a young person who wants to start off with a huge advantage over your peers. These highly-effective skills - which help you to decide what you want, create a plan to attain it, then overcome every conceivable obstacle along the way - are just about all you need to earn a mountain of money and gain true freedom that real entrepreneurship delivers.

In researching over 250 business owners, professors and notable experts on the subject, I compiled a list 27 distinct areas of business skills that were mentioned as important for maximum entrepreneurial success. However, there are 10 particular business and life skills that were noted by the vast majority of those I studied. These are the skill areas that, when developed by themselves, all produce solid gains in performance. However, when they are developed – even slightly – in combination with each other, the synergistic effect produces tremendous increases in success.

1. Vision and Perseverance – Much has been written about Vision, yet some of what has been said is so overly complicated and daunting that very few have actually taken the time to write out what the vision for their business really is.

For maximum business success, you simply have to hold in your mind a clear picture of what you want your business to become. This type of vision keeps the potter from making an ashtray when she was working on an urn. Likewise, it will ensure that you grow your business into one that gives you deep satisfaction and financial rewards, instead of one that taxes your time and energy. Having a clear vision will also help you to develop your will and responses to overcome any challenge and come back from any setback - stronger than ever.

2. Wealth Mindset and Attraction – Unfortunately, many still consider mindset and attraction principles to be a sort of spiritual “hocus pocus.” However, the more we study Quantum Physics and the power of the mind, the more society is beginning to recognize this as real science with a solid set of “how-to” principles. The more you get to know the mind that your Creator endowed you with and how it has been wired to work, the more you will be able to accomplish even your most lofty goals without striving and working around the clock to make things happen.

3. Business Systems – We all know that systems are important. They are key to your building a walk away business that is a real asset, as opposed to just having a high-paying job that you’ve given yourself. Through learning more about real ways to quickly and easily create systems for your business, even the most disorganized among us can put together a step-by-step system to transform our businesses from a “job” into a real profit machine.

4. Energy and Fitness – Typically overlooked by most entrepreneurs, including myself, having superior levels of energy and fitness can be an invaluable business asset. Not only will having peak energy levels enable you to stay healthier and accomplish more, but it also adds to your personal attractiveness and helps you to project a winning, top-notch, vibrant image.

5. Tax Reduction and Asset Protection – It has been reported that when asked what the #1 secret to his success was, Microsoft Founder, Bill Gates replied, “Having a working knowledge of the tax code.” Yet, how many of us are so focused on ways to make an extra 10% a year selling our “widgets,” when we ignorantly overpay larger amounts than that in personal income and corporate taxes. Unfortunately, with over 66,498 pages in the current US tax code, most well-meaning CPAs don’t even know about many of the completely legal and ethical methods that are designed into the laws to help businesses thrive and produce for our economy.

Learning how to properly structure your business will enable you to take home more money – even without an increase in business. It will also help you to become virtually bulletproof to today's deluge of frivolous and unmerited lawsuits.

6. Motivation – Anyone can go to a seminar or watch a show that leaves them feeling charged up and ready to tackle the world. However, this feeling often fades pretty quickly when the light of reality and normal day to day challenges hit. Learning how to tap into your personal passion and develop a method for self-motivation will infuse your business with a more consistent energy and enthusiasm and attract others to help in the process.


7. Leadership and Influence - To accomplish anything of significant size or value, you simply cannot go it alone. You'll go farther and faster if you surround yourself with great people who can help you succeed. From individuals or employees who support your efforts, to the management and legal experts who can help you make the best decisions and even those friends and colleagues who advise and motivate you -- your rise to the top requires a great team. Attracting and motivating a superior team requires developing superior leadership skills.

8. Networking and Referrals – These are, perhaps, two of the most misunderstood and misused words in business. Yet, networking and generating referrals can provide incredible gains to your business. Learning a tried-and-true system for cultivating a rich, never-ending supply of prospects and referrals can help you predictably deliver these gains, year after year, without increasing your advertising expenditures.

9. Marketing – Do you have a comprehensive strategy that consistently delivers new customers and profits again and again? If not, then this is the year you need to get beyond employing the same old mainstream advertising tactics and develop a real marketing “machine” to predictably deliver increases in sales – whenever you want them.

10. Entrepreneurship – There’s a big difference between selling your skills, talents or specialized knowledge and being a real entrepreneur – one who can consistently create profits from different ventures time after time. The truest of entrepreneurs have all learned how to recognize, evaluate and act on opportunities. When you learn these skills you will be able to build businesses to be assets that deliver passive profits or can be sold for huge gains. You’ll also have the freedom that comes with knowing you could start over and do it from scratch if you ever needed or wanted to.

Admittedly, a list of ten different entrepreneurial skill areas like this can be overwhelming to think about. There are several that I am personally working on improving right now.

Being created for growth, the learning and improvement will never end. That thought can be both empowering and exhausting at the same time. However, beginning by focusing initially on even 2 or 3 of these areas will quickly jump start the process and create the synergy to help you make huge rapid improvements in both your personal and professional life. So that when you look back on 2007, you’ll be amazed at what you managed to finally accomplished (perhaps even things that you’ve wanted to do for many years).

By concentrating first on these universally applied skills and principles versus short-sighted tactics like learning a specific type of investment strategy or a particular method of online or offline marketing, you will be equipping yourself for greater success in all your undertakings in 2007 and beyond!

Thom Scott (www.coachthom.com) is a co-Founder of The Success Mechanics. Their next Extreme Business Makeovers Seminar – featuring Fran Tarkenton - is being held in conjunction with the kickoff of EntrepreneurshipWeek USA on February 23 and 24 in Orlando, Florida. Visit http://www.thesuccessmechanics.com for complimentary audios and reports from The Success Mechanics team of experts.

Just 28 Days till The Success Mechanics' University of Freedom in Atlanta!!!

This is going to be an incredible event. I always get completely jazzed when I see people who've been trying hard for years to break through to the next level of effectiveness in their lives - finally get there, not because of additional effort, but because they learned a new skill or new way of thinking. I can't even tell you what an honor it is to have a part in helping people change their lives like that. This change has a never-ending effect on their families for generations to come and really helps me fulfill my mission for The Success Mechanics of Creating Legacies of Freedom!

Here's an article by Bob Proctor - one of The Success Mechanics "Faculty." I think you'll really enjoy it!

There is a very real possibility that everything you and I have been taught about how to earn money is so far from the truth that it’s almost comical. Earning money has nothing to do with age, formal education, gender or geography. It has nothing to do with past experience or your formal years of education or your level of intellect. There are individuals who are functionally illiterate who have become multimillionaires, while there are others who are absolutely brilliant and they are broke. Virtually anyone can be taught how to earn millions of dollars and yet the sad truth is that 97 out of every 100 people are born, live their entire lives, and die without ever learning how to earn money. To perpetuate this ridiculous problem, their ignorance is passed along from one generation to the next.

Our school system has been designed as an environment to enlighten young minds, to replace ignorance with understanding and ultimately improve the quality of life. And though our educational system has obviously been successful in many areas, it has woefully neglected one important subject, ''How to Earn Money.'' A lack of understanding in this area is the cause of numerous unwanted and unnecessary problems, since money is the medium of exchange that is used worldwide for other people’s products and services.

There has always been a small, select group, approximately 3% of our population, who clearly understand that prosperity consciousness is the primary cause of wealth and their prosperity consciousness, like ignorance, is also passed down from one generation to the next.

Let’s look at ''money.'' What is it? Money is a reward you receive for the service you render. The more valuable the service, the greater the reward. Thinking of ways we can be of greater service will not only help us earn more money, it will also enable us to grow intellectually and spiritually.

MONEY IS AN IDEA

The paper you fold and place in your purse or pocket is not money. It is paper with ink on it. It represents money, but it is not money. Money is an idea. The earning of money has nothing to do with the paper stuff, it has to do with consciousness.

To accumulate wealth, a person must become very comfortable with the idea of money. That may sound strange, however most people are not comfortable with the idea of money, which is why they do not have any. The cause of poverty is poverty consciousness. A poverty consciousness will cause a person to see, hear, think and feel ... lack and limitation.

The late Mike Todd said, ''Being broke is a temporary situation. Being poor is a mental state.''

He was correct. There are wealthy people who lose every cent they have through a series of mistakes in judgment, but that does not make them poor. They will have it all back in a short time because of their prosperity consciousness.

Many years ago, George Bernard Shaw expressed his thoughts on money. People have such strong views on both of these statements, I purposely use them in my seminars to cause the attendees to think.

1. It is the duty of every person to be rich.
2. It is a sin to be poor.

Before you reject these as being ridiculous, let’s analyze them. To fully understand what Shaw was saying, you must have an open mind. There is a law that states everything is moving, absolutely nothing rests. You are either moving ahead in life or going in reverse ... growing or dying ... creating or disintegrating, becoming richer or poorer.

There is another law to which people often refer in many different ways ... Karmic Law ... Sowing and Reaping ... Cause and Effect ... Action, Re-Action. How you refer to this law is of little importance relative to your understanding of how it works.

The thoughts, feelings, and actions that you express in life are seeds that you sow. The conditions, circumstances and things that come into your life are the harvest you reap as a RESULT of the seeds that you sow. For a moment, store this information in the back of your mind while we investigate the deeper understanding of the words SIN and MONEY.

Sin is ... transgression of the law. Violating the law is a sin and, in truth, the price of sin is death. That does not mean your heart will stop beating, but it does mean you will regress. I previously mentioned there is a law that states you will either create or disintegrate, you will grow or die. When you attempt to ''get'' without giving, you are trying to reap the harvest without sowing the seeds, and it will not work.

Now let’s look at ''money.'' What is it? Money is a reward you receive for the service you render; the more valuable the service, the greater the reward. Attempting to ''get'' money without providing service is also a violation of the law.

Shaw believed you and I are here to serve one another. Thinking of ways we can be of greater service will enable us to grow intellectually and spiritually. It is our duty to serve and money is a reward we receive for that service. If a person has received their money in an unlawful manner - by law, they must pay the price; you reap what you sow.

In light of the laws that govern our universe, what Shaw said is correct. However, if a person is not consciously thinking, Shaw’s statements would appear very callous, even ridiculous. Personally, I believe Shaw made those statements the way he did, to provoke people to think.

Quite simply, what Shaw was emphasizing was the importance of our own responsibility in the quest for abundance. Abundance is something we magnetize ourselves to ... we draw it into our lives ... in every aspect our lives. Business associates, friends, everything we want will come into our life by law, not luck. You are either attracting or repelling good. It is your own consciousness that ultimately determines your results.

''Money is in consciousness and it must be earned.'' If you want to improve your financial position in life, focus your attention on creating a higher level of prosperity consciousness. Begin by preparing a powerful, positive affirmation and fuel it with emotion. When you do this, you are depositing this creative energy in the treasury of your subconscious mind. And, by repeating this process over and over and over again every day, it will begin to alter your conditioning and mentally move you in the direction you want to go. Write it out, read it, feel it, and let it take hold of your mind.

How much money do you want? Saying you want more is not good enough. Five dollars is more. How much more? Decide on a figure. Be specific. You will not seriously want more money than you are capable of earning ... however, you would be wise to remember, you must earn it.

THERE ARE THREE INCOME EARNING STRATEGIES

Trading time for money – By far the worst of the three income earning strategies, it is employed by approximately 96% of our population – doctors, lawyers, accountants, laborers, etc. There is an inherent problem with this strategy – saturation. You run out of time. If a person accumulates any degree of wealth employing this strategy, it will be at the expense of a life. They compromise on the car they drive, the house they live in, the clothes they choose and the vacations they take. They rarely, if ever, get what they want.

Investing money to earn money – This strategy is used by approximately 3% of the population. The number is small for the obvious reason – very few people have any money to invest. Many people who effectively employ this strategy follow the advice of a trusted, knowledgeable advisor.

Leveraging yourself to earn money – This is where you multiply your time through the efforts of others by setting up Multiple Sources of Income (MSIs). This is, without question, the very best way to increase your income. Make a decision to have many sources of income; it’s the strategy that wealthy people have used dating clear back to the ancient Babylonians. Unfortunately, this strategy is only used by approximately 1% of our population, yet that 1% earns approximately 96% of all the money that is earned! You are only a decision away from membership.

Once you determine how much money you want to earn, write it down on a sheet of paper in large figures. Look at the number with the dollar sign beside it and tell yourself over and over again:

THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS AN EFFECT. IT REPRESENTS A REWARD THAT I WANT TO RECEIVE. WHAT SERVICE CAN I RENDER THAT WOULD BE DESERVING OF THAT REWARD?

Take the total figure and divide it into multiple parts. Let each part represent a source of income. Each source of income represents a separate reward that you would receive for a service you would render. Work on one source of income at a time; each one can become an exciting part of your life.

• Think of how you can do whatever you do – more effectively.
• Think of how you can improve the quality and quantity of service you render.
• Think of how you can help people in a greater way.

Money is a servant; the more you earn, the more you can help others.

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For 40 years, Bob Proctor has focused his entire agenda around helping people create lush lives of prosperity, rewarding relationships and spiritual awareness. Bob Proctor knows how to help you because he comes from a life of want and limitation himself. In 1960, he was a high-school dropout with a resume of dead-end jobs and a future clouded in debt. One book was placed in his hands - Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich - which planted the seed of hope in Bob's mind. In just months, and with further support from the works of Earl Nightingale, Bob's life literally spun on a dime. In a year, he was making more than $100,000, and soon topped the $1 million mark. Bob Proctor now travels the globe, teaching thousands of people how to believe in and act upon the greatness of their own minds.

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I'm obviously excited the Bob Proctor is going to be one of the "Faculty" at The Success Mechanics University of Freedom event in Atlanta. Not only is he one of my personal heroes, but I've seen how greatly his teachings effect those on all different levels of society - those who are struggling to make ends meet and those who have "success," but no real freedom!

I'll share about some of our other "faculty" members in future posts!
Meanwhile, you can check out the details at www.TheSuccessMechanics.com!