TonyBrownOnline

Ed Freeman

2009-04-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

You're an 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded, and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8 - 1, and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in.
You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you're not getting out. Your family is 1/2 way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.
Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter, and you look up to see an un-armed Huey, but it doesn't seem real, because no Medi-Vac markings are on it.
Ed Freeman is coming for you. He's not Medi-Vac, so it's not his job, but he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come.
He's coming anyway.
And he drops it in, and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 2 or 3 of you on board.
Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire, to the Doctors and Nurses.
And, he kept coming back.... 13 more times..... And took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out.
Medal of Honor Recipient, Ed Freeman, died last Wednesday at the age of 80, in Boise , ID ......May God rest his soul.....
I bet you didn't hear about this hero's
passing, but we sure were told a whole
bunch about some Hip-Hop Coward
beating the crap out of his "girlfriend"

Medal of Honor Winner
Ed Freeman!
Shame on the American Media

http://www.medalofhonor.com/EdWFreeman.htm

Rocks and Sand

2009-04-03T03:52:00.001-07:00

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in
front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large
empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks
about 2" in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them
into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course,
rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and
poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is
your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your
partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important
to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed.

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your
house, your car.

"The sand is everything else. The small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the
pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend
all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have
room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your
partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean
the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal.

"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set
your priorities. The rest is just sand."

A Message to Washington

2009-04-02T06:54:00.000-07:00

"The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes."
--Tony Blair

"It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don't get on the wrong track or try to do too much."
--Steve Jobs

Food for Thought

2009-03-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

~~~ The late Adrian Rogers

The Thread of a Dream

2009-02-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

When I was researching the history of the building of the Brooklyn Bridge as a major illustration for the ideas of success and motivation, I became engrossed with the story of how the first bridge was built over Niagara Falls. You see, to build a bridge over a giant gorge, first you have to get a line over the canyon, from one side to the other. Easier said than done at Niagara Falls.

The engineers couldn't cross the falls in a boat to take the line from one side to the other because the boat would go over the falls. And the airplane hadn't been invented yet. The distance was also way beyond the bow-and-arrow range, which had been a common method at the time of getting the first line across to build a bridge.

The designing engineer, Charles Ellet, pondered the question until he came up with a revolutionary idea. He decided that, while solvideterminationng the problem, he would also have some fun and generate some publicity for the project. Ellet sponsored a kite flying contest and offered five dollars to the first person who could fly a kite across the gorge and let it go low enough to the ground for someone to be able to grab the string. In 1849, five dollars was a prize similar to a small lottery today. The boy who won the prize relished his accomplishment until his death, nearly 80 years later.

It all began with an idea and one thin kite string. The kite string was used to pull a cord across, then a line, then a rope. Next came an iron-wire cable and then steel cables, until a structure strong enough to build a suspension bridge was in place.

I'm struck by how that string is like a single thought. The more vivid and clear the thought, and the more you come back to it, the stronger it becomes - like the string to the rope to a cable. Each time you rethink it, dwell on it, or layer it with other thoughts, you are strengthening the structure on which to build your idea, like building a bridge over Niagara Falls.

But unlike a kite, there is no string attached to how high and how far your goals may take you. They are limited only by the power of your imagination and the strength of your desire.

Denis Waitley

Denis Waitley is one of America's most respected authors, keynote lecturers and productivity consultants on high performance human achievement. Visit his website at www.deniswaitley.com

An Uncommon Way

2009-02-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

"When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way you will command the attention of the world."

George Washington Carver
1864-1943, Scientist

Bigger Than Your Troubles

2009-02-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

"If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life, and when it comes, hold your head high. Look it squarely in the eye, and say, "I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me."
-Ann Landers

Cherish Your Visions

2009-02-05T06:51:00.000-08:00

"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blue prints of your ultimate achievements."

Napoleon Hill
1883-1970, Author

Be a True Friend

2009-02-02T07:17:00.000-08:00

Horror gripped the heart of the World War 1 soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "no man's land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.
"You can go," said the lieutenant, "but I don't think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away." The lieutenant's advice didn't matter, and the soldier went anyway. Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder and bring him back to their company's trench. As the two of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, and then looked kindly at his friend.

"I told you it wouldn't be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead and you are mortally wounded." "It was worth it, though, sir," said the soldier. "What do you mean; worth it?" responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead" "YES, Sir" the private answered. "But it was worth it because when i got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, "JIM........, I KNEW YOU'D COME."

Many times in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not, really depends on how u look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in your life.."May each and every one of you be blessed with the company of TRUE FRIENDS." "A true friend is one who walks in, when the rest of the world walks out." War doesn't determine who's right. War only determines who's left.

Author Unknown

A Room With a View

2009-01-24T11:04:00.000-08:00

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue...
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all of the things you have that money can't buy.

Author Unknown

Attitude

2009-01-22T04:22:00.000-08:00

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."

Lewis L. Dunnington
Author

Shake It Off & Step Up

2009-01-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US! Remember that FORGIVENESS, FAITH, PRAYER, PRAISE and HOPE...are all excellent ways to "SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

- Author Unknown

Integrity

2009-01-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

"Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity."
--W. Clement Stone

"Integrity is the essence of everything successful."
--Richard Buckminster Fuller

True success can never come at the expense of even one ounce of your integrity. Doing the right thing frees up your mind from expending energy on guilt and rationalizing poor behavior. It allows you to feel good about what you have done regardless of the outcome, which in turn allows for better outcomes. It engenders good will among others too, which comes back to you both in positive tangible and intangible ways.

The Sack Lunches

2008-11-12T04:07:00.001-08:00

From: Ron Acker

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned
seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to
read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled
all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a
conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated
nearest to me. ' Chicago - to Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for two
weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Iraq '

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass
the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy
if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for
just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait
till we get to Chicago ' His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I
walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty
dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms
and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son
was a soldi er in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were
seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best -
beef or chicken?' 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She
turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a
dinner plate from first class. 'This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading
for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to
be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not
looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my
side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out
his hand, an said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Qu ickly unfastening my
seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he
said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought
me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was
embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A
man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand,
wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to
deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped
me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without
saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip
to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five
dollars. 'It will take you some time to re ach the base. It will be
about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer
for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our
country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so
little...

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check
Made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to
and including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people
in This country who no longer understand it.'

Pessimism: It's Mistaken Perspective

2008-10-17T03:42:00.000-07:00

I've heard there are people with such sunny dispositions that they never give way to sadness. The rumor is that they always make lemonade from their lemons. And the boast is that they can always win at cards - no matter the hand they get dealt. They always come out of tough times on the winning side, always cure their own illnesses with positive thinking, and are always loved by all who know them. Maybe there are such people. I doubt it.

Don't get me wrong! There is certainly value to looking for silver linings over getting lost in the dense fog of a dark cloud. In fact, if I had to choose between being a naive optimist and marching to the beat of the pessimist's drum, I would hope to be confused with Forrest Gump over Eeyore.

There is lots of pessimism in the air these days. There's pessimism over the Middle East and the economy. There is Eeyore-like melancholy over the state of world and national leadership. You name it. Somebody is there to tell us why things are worse than they've ever been - and destined soon to get worse still.

Maybe the pessimist lives under the delusion of Golden Age Syndrome. For most of my life, I have had to endure the lament of older people wishing for "the good old days" and "things as they used to be." I've always been skeptical of those people and have been inclined to suspect they have selective memory.

Now that I have lived a while, I'm trying to keep from using those phrases myself. Economics, politics, human relationships, religion - I seriously doubt there has ever been a time when all these things were just right.

Professor Walter Jackson Bate quotes a dejected Egyptian scribe who lived more than 2,000 years before Christ. The scribe commented on the limitations of language and wrote dejectedly of the fact that there were no fresh, new ways of saying things. On his view, "men of old" had created all the phrases that were possible for human language and had exhausted them by his time. Therefore all human expression had grown stale. Language was bankrupt.

As Professor Bate points out, this pessimistic requiem was sung over civilization before any of what we now take to be the world's greatest works of literature had been composed. Maybe the scribe was premature!

If all the pessimists across time had been correct in speaking of their generation going to the dogs, exhausting every creative option, or being abandoned by God, you and I would not be here to reflect on it.

Without either being naive or embracing Gump-ism, there is more value in facing the coming week with a positive, forward-looking spirit than wallowing in sadness over our loss of a perfection that never was.

Rubel Shelly

Rubel Shelly is a Preacher and Professor of Religion and Philosophy located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In addition to church and academic responsibilities, he has worked actively with such community projects as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, From Nashville With Love, Metro (Nashville) Public Schools, Faith Family Medical Clinic, and Operation Andrew Ministries. To learn more about Rubel please go to: www.RubelShelly.com

Will Rodgers' Secret

2008-07-03T00:58:00.000-07:00

A magic way to win more friendships that no one can resist; even hardened criminals can be won over this way.

"I never met a man I did not like," said Will Rogers. Many people thought this was just another funny Rogers' remark, but one time when I met him with Amon Carter, of Fort Worth, I asked him, "Surely you can't like everybody?"

I knew he must meet bores, cheats, fourflushers just like the rest of us do. How can he possibly like even them?

Will was famous as a funnyman; but he was also a wise philosopher and he could be most serious when he wanted.

"Of course I don't approve of all the things that people do," he said, "but there is some goodness and some cussedness in all of us."

He continued, "If you know a man well enough you can always find something good in him and you can always find something interesting about him. It is just a matter of what you are looking for!"

"But what about the narrow-minded people? What about gossips? The people who do petty, mean little things? Do you like them, too?" I persisted.

"I once read somewhere," he said, "where someone asked Abe Lincoln that same question - why he refused to get mad at the people who abused him, ridiculed him and tried to discredit him."

"Lincoln replied that people's actions spring from their character and that many factors beyond their control went into making up their character - where they were born, the people they had associated with, and a lot of other things."

"Therefore,' said Lincoln, 'you shouldn't become angry with a person who blocks your path any more than you would with a tree which the wind blew across the road.'"

Will Rogers had no more reason for hating a person who happened to have been unfortunate enough to have acquired a habit of gossip than he did for hating a person who was foolish enough to neglect his teeth.

He didn't like gossip. Few people do; and he didn't like pettiness. He looked upon them as foolish behavior rather than evil behavior.

I am convinced that Will Rogers really did like every person he ever met.

There is an interesting thing about liking people, and that is they in turn like you. If you must start a rumor about somebody start it by saying, "I sure like that person."

This gets back to them and they say, "Well, I always liked him, too."

Another funny thing about gossip is that if they tell you things about others, you can just bet they will tell others things about you.

While there is always a temptation to listen to gossip, just remember while you are on the listening end this time with this gossiper, the next time you will be on the receiving end when the gossiper gets elsewhere.

Beware of the Gossip!

Avoid the company of the gossip. Don't give them a chance to be with you, find something out about you, then carry that story into another circle.

I am convinced that this trait of his character was largely responsible for Will Rogers being the most universally liked person I have ever heard about.

Will Rogers liked everybody and everybody liked Will Rogers!

Elmer Wheeler
From How to Sell Yourself to Others

The law of Compensation

2008-06-25T03:13:00.001-07:00

Crowd out all inferior thoughts by superior thoughts, evil thoughts by good thoughts, ugly thoughts by beautiful thoughts, distressing thoughts by pleasant thoughts, and you will begin to overcome the growth of all negative and confused states of wrong and discord. In other words, learn to think constructively of all persons, all things, all events, and all circumstances. Appraise them from the ideal point of view. As you do this you will gradually transform your whole existence for the better. These are the means whereby you may steadily promote your welfare and advancement.
As you train yourself to mentally look for the good, you will move towards the good; and, as you form higher and larger conceptions of the good, these elements will begin to find expression in your words, acts, character, person, talents, powers, attainments, and achievements; that is, all things in your life will commence to improve as the direct result of your improved thinking.

This process does not imply, however, that you are to ignore the wrongs of life, the empty places, and the undeveloped states of being; but that you are to think right through and beyond them towards the hidden good or the principle within that is ever seeking a higher and fuller expression. You will, therefore, cease to condemn and to criticize in a destructive manner; instead you will seek to bring out the good in yourself and in others, and to discover and develop the greater possibilities everywhere.

Raymond Holliwell

The Parable of Brother Leo

2008-06-20T07:24:00.000-07:00

An old legend tells of a French monastery that was well-known throughout Europe because of the extraordinary leadership of a man known only as Brother Leo.

Several monks began a pilgrimage to visit Brother Leo to learn from him. Almost immediately, the monks began to bicker as to who should do various chores. On the third day they met another monk who was also going to the monastery.

This monk never complained or shirked a duty. Whenever the others would fight over a chore, he would gracefully volunteer to do it himself. By the last day, the other monks were following his example, and everyone worked together smoothly.

When they reached the monastery and asked to see Brother Leo, the man who greeted them laughed. "But our brother is among you!" pointing to the fellow who had joined them late in the trip.

Today, many people seek leadership positions not so much for what they can do for others, but for what the position can do for them: status, connections, perks, or future advantages. As a result, they do service primarily as an investment, a way to build an impressive résumé.

The parable about Brother Leo teaches another model of leadership, where leaders are more preoccupied with serving than being followed, with giving than getting, with doing than demanding. It's leadership based on example, not command. It's called servant leadership.

Can you imagine how much better things would be if more politicians, educators, and business executives saw themselves as servant leaders?

Michael Josephson
www.charactercounts.org

Going the Extra Mile

2008-03-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

An important principle of success in all walks of life and in all occupations is a willingness to GO THE EXTRA MILE; which means the rendering of more and better service than that for which one is paid, and giving it in a positive mental attitude.

Search wherever you will for a single sound argument against this principle, and you will not find it; nor will you find a single instance of enduring success which was not attained in part by its application.

The principle is not the creation of man. It is a part of Nature's handiwork, for it is obvious that every living creature below the intelligence of man is forced to apply the principle in order to survive.

We may disregard the principle if we choose, but we cannot do so and at the same time enjoy the fruits of enduring success.

Observe how Nature applies this principle in the production of food that grows from the soil, where the farmer is forced to GO THE EXTRA MILE by clearing the land, plowing it, and planting the seed at the right time of the year, for none of which he receives any pay in advance..

But, observe that if he does his work in harmony with Nature's laws, and performs the necessary amount of labor, Nature takes over the job where the farmer's labor ends, germinates the seed he plants and develops it into a crop of food.

And, observe thoughtfully this significant fact: For every grain of wheat or corn he plants in the soil Nature yields him perhaps a hundred grains, thus enabling him to benefit by the law of increasing returns.

Nature GOES THE EXTRA MILE by producing enough of everything for her needs, together with a surplus for emergencies and waste; for example, the fruit on the trees, the bloom from which the fruit is grown, frogs in the pond and fish in the seas.

Nature GOES THE EXTRA MILE by producing enough of every living thing to insure the perpetuation of the species, allowing for emergencies of every kind. If this were not true the species of all living things would soon vanish.

Some believe that the beasts of the jungle and the birds of the air live without labor, but thoughtful people know that this is not true. It is true that Nature provides the sources of supply of food for every living thing, but every creature must labor before it may partake of that food.

Thus we see that Nature discourages the habit which some have acquired of trying to get something for nothing.

The advantages of the habit of GOING THE EXTRA MILE are definite and understandable. Let us examine some of them and be convinced:

The habit brings the individual to the favorable attention of those who can and will provide opportunities for self-advancement. It tends to make one indispensable, in many different human relationships, and it therefore enables one to command more than average compensation for personal services.

It leads to mental growth and to physical skill and perfection in many forms of endeavor, thereby adding to one's earning capacity.

Napoleon Hill
From Master Key To Riches

Run Your Own Race

2008-02-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

Think back to a time in your life when you tried something new.

When I was a teenager I volunteered to work the water station at a 10k race. It was called the "Heaven Can Wait" 10k run and ironically, it was sponsored by the local cemetery.

My job was to pass out water to the runners. I remember being so excited to see all the different kinds of people who passed by and grabbed a cup of water. Some ran past, some walked past and a few wheeled past. I saw so many types of people doing it, I thought maybe I can do it too!

So the next year I signed up for the race and gave it a shot. Back then I didn't do much to prepare except jog around my neighborhood. I never tracked how far I jogged, or timed myself, I just ran around. I had no time goals for the race, no specialized training, no game plan, nothing. Needless to say that I prepare differently when I run races today, but back then my only goal was to finish.

On the day of the race, it was incredibly hot and humid. I remember struggling at about the 5th mile, thinking, "I must be crazy, why did I do this? What was I thinking? And at one point, I said, "I am never doing this again!"

Have you ever felt that way about something? You eagerly undertake a goal and in the midst of it comes a moment of struggle, and you realize it is much harder than you imagined it would be?

That first 10k race was quite an experience. I jogged, I walked, I jogged and I walked. At times, I didn't know if I could finish. Then came a defining moment.

At one point near the end, a 70 year old man ran past me, very very fast, and I felt embarrassed that I was 50+ years younger than he and I couldn't even keep up with him. I felt defeated for a second. But then I realized something. He was running his race and I was running mine.

He had different capacities, experience, training and goals for himself. I had mine. Remember my goal was merely to finish.

How often in life do we compare ourselves to others and feel disappointed in ourselves when we really shouldn't? After a minute, it hit me that this was a lesson I could draw from. I learned something about myself in that moment. I turned my embarrassment into inspiration.

I decided that I would not give up on running races, in fact, I would run even more races and I would learn how to train and prepare properly and one day I would be one of those 70 year olds who was still running. As I crossed the finish line, I was proud of my accomplishment.

I am so glad I didn't give up on running. Today it is an incredible source of joy in my life. I have run several races since then, 5ks, 10ks and I run purely for fun. I have studied running books, made friendships with other runners and I can report that I love it now more than ever.

In life we all have those moments where we compare ourselves to others. It's only natural. Don't allow those moments to disempower you. Turn them into motivation and let them inspire you. Use them to show you what is possible. Every struggle is rich with opportunity. You define your own race when you define your own goals.

With the proper preparation, coaching and conditioning, you can improve your results to achieve anything you want in life.

The impact of fitness and nutrition on my life has been remarkable. I can do things now that I could not even do in my 20's all because of coaching, proper nutrition and conditioning.

You decide your race and you decide your own pace. Rarely in life will your destiny be determined by one little race.

"Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you are capable." - Coach John Wooden

Life is a series of races. There are lessons in every race. There are life lessons to be learned every single day. If you don't win the race, but you get the lesson, and grow, you are truly a success.

Live Your Dreams.

Jill Koenig

Jill Koenig, the "Goal Guru" is one of America's Top Goal Strategist's. A best selling Author, Coach and Motivational Speaker, she is an expert on the subjects of Goal Setting, Time Management and Business Success. Her Goal in life is to help you unleash your untapped potential. Visit her website at: www.GoalGuru.com

Enjoy Yourself Everyday

2008-02-20T03:55:00.000-08:00

People are often puzzled by the idea of making life more enjoyable by changing their viewpoints. Let's examine it:

Suppose you are not feeling well one day, yet you accompany some friends on a leisurely drive through the beautiful countryside. Someone calls your attention to a lovely lake, but because of your illness, you cannot give it your attention or interest. Someone else remarks about a magnificent mountain in the distance, but you hardly hear him. You pass one lovely scene after another, yet they have no meaning to you. Because your illness has taken all your energy, you have none to spare in enjoying yourself. It is the same to your mind as if these natural beauties didn't exist at all. In your present ill state, they have neither existence nor attraction.

But the next day you recover. You feel fine. There is no inward attention to anything; you are outward bound once more. So again you go on a drive; you visit the very same places. But now, everything is completely different. You enjoy the lovely lake and magnificent mountain. You respond to them. You enjoy yourself.

How come? It was the very same scenery both times. But on the second trip you were different. You saw everything in an entirely new way. You had the inner freedom to see and appreciate your outer world. Like magic, your changed mental viewpoint changed the world for you.

It is difficult for people to grasp that the very same principle holds true elsewhere in life. Yet it is absolutely so. When we are inwardly ill at ease we do not really see things as they are; we see them as we are. And there is a world of difference - an actual world of difference - in the two viewpoints.

As we elevate our mental view points we also elevate our world. How is this accomplished? Enjoyment results from discard, not from acquisition. Discard of what? Of the very things we really want to lose - our acquired negative attitudes.

Enjoyment of life is not the presence of something outside ourselves; it is the absence of something within ourselves. Gloom is a state of inner blockage of your True Self; enjoyment is its release. Just as a balloon rises to greater heights by discarding weights, so do we ascend as we toss out negativities.

Vernon Howard
From Psycho-Pictography

Words Are Weapons

2008-02-20T03:52:00.000-08:00

With four young daughters, 14 and under, I frequently find myself correcting, disciplining, or simply protesting unnecessary and unkind comments certain to anger or wound a sister and evoke counterattacks that fill the air with nastiness.

Hoping to get them to think before they speak in the future, I often ask, “What did you expect to accomplish by that remark?” and “Did it make things better or worse?”

It disappoints and frustrates me that my children are so often unkind to one another and so quick to make foolish comments that have no constructive purpose. Yet it’s even more troublesome when adults engage in the same senseless behavior.

It may be a husband’s unfiltered remark about his wife’s weight or new wrinkles, a parents’ comment, “That’s why you have no friends” or ‘Why can’t you be more like your brother?” or an aunt’s unwanted advice, “If you want to get married, lose weight.”

Sometimes it’s the tone or timing of an otherwise proper statement that makes it sting. We have to remember that words are weapons, sometimes weapons of mass destruction.

Verbal assaulters may defend their unguided missiles with claimed innocence: “I didn’t mean it that way” when the real question is “How was the remark likely to be received?”

Another lame excuse is “I was just telling the truth” without considering whether that truth needed to be said. Honesty does not preclude tact.

We may not always be able to shield ourselves from the darts and arrows of inconsiderate or mean-spirited folks, but we can resolve to be more thoughtful in our own communications.

We can be more kind more consistently. We can follow the Golden Rule. Remember, character counts.

Michael Josephson
www.charactercounts.org

Bar Stool Economics

2008-02-06T12:46:00.000-08:00

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers, he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

'I only got a dollar out of the $20', declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10!'

'Yeah, that's right', exclaimed the fifth man. 'I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!'

'That's true!!' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!'

'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics, University of Georgia

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

The Wonder of It All

2008-02-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever spent time allowing your mind to wander and wonder?
Have you ever thought about how incredible it is that you can read and decipher these words and draw meaning from them? Have you ever contemplated in amazement how your body works, maintaining itself to a large degree without any help from you? Have you taken time to contemplate what causes your heart to beat and what turned the breakfast you had this morning into skin, fingernails, and hair? Have you ever taken just a few moments to simply stare at a beautiful flower and notice the incredible patterns and colors that not even the greatest artist could re-create? Have you ever looked up at the stars and planets at night and been in awe of the expansiveness of it all, perhaps even wondering if there might be some other being on some distant planet looking back at ours at the same time, wondering the same thing? Have you ever thought about what holds the planets and stars in place? Have you ever gazed into a newborn baby's eyes and seen the infinite presence of pure spirit looking back at you and been in awe of the fact that this being just came from the absolute essence, God? How can you or I do any of these things and not feel like an intricate and significant part of something far greater and grander than the "little me"?

I have done all these things, and I can tell you that, in part, it is what keeps me sane, grounded, and spiritually connected to God, life, and purpose when the world seems to be getting more and more crazy each day. This also includes those times when I tend to get too enmeshed in my own personal trauma dramas. Life is always manifesting purpose; all we need to do is think about the miracle of it all. So, the next time you feel as if you are getting caught up in the frenzy of the world or your personal life begins to look like a bad soap opera, take some time and consider some of the above questions. Give yourself the gift of a sacred moment in the now. With great and clear intention, contemplate and connect with the miracle of life, where God is always present. Celebrate your unity with God...and truly be in awe. The word "awe" is the root from which the word "awesome" comes...and that is what you really are. Not because I say so but because God is awesome, and what God is, so too, are you. It's just a matter of taking time to think about the wonder of it all.

Dennis Merritt Jones
From The Art of Being

Persistance

2008-02-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

I can remember a period in my life when I was unemployed and money was running short. I needed a job very badly and it seemed as if no one was hiring.

A very good friend of mine approached me one day with an offer. "I'm going to have to let this job go and I was wondering if you would like to take it over?"

"That would be great," I replied.

I went to speak with the manager and he said he could use me, but never gave me a start date. Really needing the job, I made it a point to go and check in with him every day. I knew he would eventually get tired of me and give me a starting period. Finally one day he said, "You can start Monday morning."

Come Monday morning, I showed up for work extra early. I was ready to do my best. When I went inside I was informed that I would be buffing the floors. My friend was there to show me how to operate the buffer.

"It's real easy," he said, running the machine very smoothly.

He handed it over to me and said, "Here, you give it a try."

I grabbed the handles with a "no problem" attitude and gave it some gas. To my surprise, the buffer whipped around in a big circle, running over my friend's brand new pair of boots, and sending him jumping up on a check-out counter.

Several times, I tried to run it again and failed. I really had to fight that thing to make it go.

"What am I going to do?" I thought to myself. "I finally found a job and I can't do it. Am I going to have to tell them I have to quit?"

After several rough days of buffing, I finally made up my mind that I was going to do this. For about a week, I struggled with the buffer, putting all my weight and strength into it. Eventually, I learned the trick was not to struggle with it at all, just go with the flow of it, and by the second week, I was showing off and running it with one hand.

A few months later, I thought back and wondered what would have happened if I had given up that first week. I certainly would not have had the newfound confidence or a paycheck. Sometime after that experience, I started a new job that required the use of a buffer. I even had to train others to use it, and I always got a kick out of seeing them run it for the first time. I knew, though, if they stuck with it, they would do just fine; they just needed a little encouragement and a lot of practice.

Michael Jordan said, "Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."

Kip Davis

Kip Davis is the city planner for a small rural town in Arkansas. He writes a weekly column for the town newspaper called "Positive Motivation For The Real World." Feel free to email Kip your reactions to: kip_davis27@hotmail.com

Positive Thinking

2008-01-29T14:28:00.000-08:00

“ By working with positive thinking, affirmations and other self improvement techniques you can change your reality by attracting the positive situations, circumstances and events that will help you achieve your goals. This is done by properly communicating with the power of your mind and subconscious mind.” Kareem Hajee
Positive thinking is a practice. You don’t just wait until things are terrible and think your way out of it. Each day you water the garden of your mind through affirmations and therefore develop a pattern for positive thinking. Most of us have a pattern for negative affirmations; but a simple habit of replacing them with positive thoughts can help you realize the life you crave.
Researchers studied 16 patients over a 30 year period to see if their attitudes helped in their recovery. “In each case the better the patient’s expectations about how they would do after surgery or some other health procedure , the better they did,” said author Donald Cole, of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto. Dr. Nancy Snyderman of Good Morning America stated “This mind-body connection that we have been toying with for the past couple of decades really does have hard science behind it.” Those that thought they would do well did, those that thought they would not didn’t.
If this process can help you through a surgical procedure don’t you think it can help with a daily routine?
Where do we begin? Well first off keep track of all of your thoughts for one day. Write down negative and positive thoughts for that day. At the end of the day total them up. If you have more negative thoughts than positive, you have created a negative attitude. That’s correct, you created it.
Let’s fix it. First we must get rid of all the negative thoughts possible. Look over your negative list and see if they are all really true. Is so and so really a jerk? Is that task that bad? If it is not really true throw it out. These things are only serving to make you feel bad.
Of those negatives that are true there will be some you have to deal with. Make sure you understand them. Is your job that bad, or do you just not like working. It is said, “find something you like to do and you will never have to work again”. Now I’m not suggesting that you quit your job, but if you really hate it, replace it.
Secondly we must concentrate on the positives. Every day and during each day take a minute to think about the things that are good in your life. I don’t make a lot of money raising cattle, it is not my main income source. However, on a crisp, clear day to stand in the middle of a pasture and watch the baby calves playing is a blessing. Whatever you enjoy give yourself credit for having it.
If you will simply go through this simple exercise of reducing the negatives and concentrating on the positives eventually the good will out number the bad. Once you have reached this point you have developed a positive attitude. A positive attitude will go a long way to obtaining what you desire.

Persistence

2008-01-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

There is no substitute for persistence! It cannot be supplanted by any other quality! Remember this in the beginning and it will hearten you when the going may seem difficult and slow.

Those who have cultivated the habit of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure. No matter how many times they are defeated, they finally arrive up near the top of the ladder. Sometimes it appears there is a hidden guide whose duty is to test people through all sorts of discouraging experiences. Those who pick themselves up after defeat and keep on trying arrive; and the world cries, "Bravo! I knew you could do it!" The hidden guide lets no one enjoy great achievement without passing the persistence test. Those who can't take it simply do not make the grade..

Those who can "take it" are bountifully rewarded for their persistence. They receive, as their compensation, whatever goal they are pursuing.

Napoleon Hill
Think & Grow Rich

Six Dollar Haircuts

2008-01-25T02:23:00.000-08:00

This is a true story about a third generation barber in a small community in the Mid-west. The shop had been handed down from his grandfather and developed not just a hair salon but more of a community center where the farmers and families would come in not only to get their hair done, but enjoy the coffee and donut bar and spend time with their neighbors sharing the news of their farms and families. This shop had grown to include 10 stylists who cut all the men's hair and all the women's hair in the community.

The owner’s son came home from graduate school over spring break, to find his father depressed and reclusive. Finally getting his father to share what the problem was, the father confided that there was a new, national chain that had been moving across the country, bringing in cheap hair salons into all of the different communities and driving everyone out of business. And so, even though the community had loved all of the work that he had done, the perms and the haircuts and the styles over the years, right down the street opened up this new shop. It offered six dollar haircuts. Person after person had left to go to the new low cost shop.

The father told his son, “There is absolutely NO way I can compete with $6.00 haircuts. So much of my clientele has now gone to the new shop that I have no choice but to close our shop. After three generations, we are going bankrupt. I can’t pay the stylists or the overhead anymore,” he despondently said with his hands covering his face so his son would not see the tears rolling out of his eyes.

The son said, "You know, this last semester I took a “science of success” program that was offered for extra credit in my marketing class. One thing I learned was something that Einstein said. He said that “The significant problems we face can never be solved at the level of thinking of the problem." So, Dad, we have to find another way to think about this. We've got to find another way to see this. Another one of the strategies I learned may help us.”

So the son left the room and brought back a notebook and a pen. He told the Dad about “Masterminding”, a strategy introduced in the 1930’s by Napoleon Hill who had been commissioned by Andrew Carnegie to study the patterns of extremely successful people.

“Here’s what we do. We let ourselves think of any idea that comes to mind and we write it down. No editing. We get a flow of ideas for 15-20 minutes and try to get as many as possible. No idea is off limits. Let’s go.”

The father said, “Well, the only idea I’ve got is….close the shop!” The son said, “Well, you’re right that IS an idea.” He wrote it down. Then the son said, “Ok, let’s keep going.” Before long the son and the father started getting a flow of ideas and writing down every one of them, even every crazy thing that came to mind. When they finished, one of the ideas absolutely jumped off the page and they looked at each other in astonishment and said, “This just might work!” The son left the next day to go back to college.

The father implemented the idea. Within 6 weeks, not only had his drop in clientele completely returned, but the number of customers was now 11% higher than ever in the history of the shop. Do you know what the idea was that turned sure failure into a new course of increasing success?

The idea was, “Place a BIG sign on top of the shop that read,

“WE FIX SIX DOLLAR HAIRCUTS!!”

This story has meant a great deal to me particularly when I am tempted to think that the problem is “out there” in the land of circumstances. Any time I think the problem is “out there”, THAT THOUGHT is the problem. As Einstein said, “The significant problems we face can not be solved at the level of the problem.” Learning to think in a new way brings Freedom and Power.

Mary Manin Morrissey

Mary Morrissey is a minister, teacher and author. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Education, a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology and a Doctorate of Humane Letters. Take a look at her latest collaboration with Bob Proctor here: http://www.insightoftheday.com/a.asp?bpap&[affid]&isp

Great Power

2008-01-23T05:38:00.001-08:00

"Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest."

Beatrix Potter
1866-1943, Author and Illustrator

Why were we created?

2008-01-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

"We were not created to be eaten by anxiety, but to walk erect, free, unafraid in a world where there is work to do, truth to seek, love to give and win."

Joseph Ford Newton
Author

Life Quotes

2008-01-19T00:40:00.000-08:00

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.

-Dale Carnegie

I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.

-Frank Lloyd Wright

The heights by great men reached and kept / Were not attained by sudden flight, / But they, while their companions slept, / Were toiling upward in the night.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The most essential factor is persistence - the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.

– James Whitcomb Riley

Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.

- Thomas Carlyle

Money grows on the tree of persistence.

- Japanese Proverb

My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.

- Hank Aaron

Nearly every man who develops an idea works at it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged.

- Thomas A. Edison

Never consider the possibility of failure; as long as you persist, you will be successful.

- Brian Tracy

Never, never, never, never give up.

- Winston Churchill

Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.

- Vincent Lombardi

Energy and persistence conquer all things.

- Benjamin Franklin

We are made to persist. That's how we find out who we are.

- Tobias Wolff

Self -fulfilling Prophecy

2008-01-18T04:40:00.000-08:00

Here is your Friday story,
Self-fulfilling Prophecy

Proverbs 23: 7 - “As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is.”

The batter hits the ball high in the air towards right field. It arcs majestically against the sky. It is going right towards Sammy. Everybody in the park knows that he’s going to drop it. Sammy knows that he’s going to drop it. He drops it.

This scene has been replayed time and time again on fields around the world. It doesn’t have to be a fielder; it sometime is a batter you know is going to strike out. It doesn’t even have to be baseball. It can be anything.

It’s called a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wasn’t familiar with this term until I took a psychology class in university. Basically it means that what you believe will usually happen.

If you believe you are going to flunk a test, you probably will. If you think the meal you are making for your new in-laws will be a disaster, it probably will. If you think you will be in a car accident, better call your insurance agent. In all these cases, your visualizing the worst-case scenario will greatly increase the possibility of them actually happening.

There are people in the world who sew the seeds of the self-fulfilling prophecy. They are the people who put their fears on you. For example, their fears that something might happen to you make you uneasy and possibly help the unfortunate event happen. They are usually the first ones to say, “I told you so.”

So what do you do? First, look at history. There were plenty of people who said humans would never fly, let alone walk on the moon. You have the choice to believe those thoughts. Also, you can replace those thoughts with positive ones. You don’t have to believe the nay-sayers. If self-fulfilling prophecy works with negative thoughts, it can also work with positive ones.

George Bernard Shaw said, "You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’ " What message are you playing in your mind?

When I started playing softball, I was like Sammy. I was hoping the batter wouldn’t hit the ball to me. Eventually those thoughts were replaced with positive ones and I was begging for the batter to hit it to me. Can you guess which thoughts allowed me to enjoy the game the most and perform the best?

When the game was on the line, Michael Jordan wanted the ball. He already saw the ball going in before he shot.

Pete Rose, who holds the record for the most hits in baseball, was asked how many times in a game he thought he was going to get a hit. He answer was, “Every time.” Did he get a hit every time? No, but his belief that he would greatly increased his success.

It’s the same with life. Put positive, happy thoughts in your mind and you will tend to be happy. If you are constantly worrying that something MIGHT happen, you will not lead a full life and probably not reach your potential. What does worrying do most of the time anyway? It usually prevents you from doing your best in a situation.

It comes down to the simple saying. If you think you can, you may be right. If you think you can’t, you are almost certainly right. Put another way, success comes in cans!

John Stevens

John Stevens is a freelance writer in St. Marys, Ontario. You can read more of his writing at his blog at http://johnnyvfanclub.blogspot.com or send John an email to: john.stevens@rogers.com

Your Thoughts

2008-01-16T04:06:00.000-08:00

"The Law of Attraction attracts to you everything you need according to the nature of your thought. Your environment and financial condition are the perfect reflection of your habitual thinking. Thought rules the world."

Dr. Joseph Edward Murphy
Surgeon

The Three P's

2008-01-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

Without purpose, passion and persistence, no amount of confidence, talent and ability will lead to success. This may seem unrelated, but if you want to take a look at an impressive display of all of the above please view the United States Marine Corp Drill Team at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90UPLLo6nY+

Max & Alex Weinzierl's Video

2007-12-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

I invite you to watch an entertaining & informative video produced by a couple of young gentlemen Max @Alex Weinzierl.

Please go to the link below, scroll down to Jack Weinzierl's Video and enjoy.

I promise you will not be disappointed.

http://www.strategicprofits.com/66-seconds-humorous/

Also, please digg them and maybe we can help two good guys win the contest.

Sincerely,
Tony Brown

Be Your Own Bank

2007-12-08T05:52:00.001-08:00

Be Your Own Bank
Written by: Trista Winnie

You probably don’t sit around calculating how much interest you pay to banks and other lenders each year, but chances are you have financed large purchases, such as homes, education, cars and major appliances.

The interest you pay to banks can add up
The interest paid on these items can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps more, in the course of a lifetime. People often have to decide how much money to allocate for their retirement and how much to paying down current debt.
But what if it were possible for people to save for retirement in a vehicle that allowed them to finance their life in a way that provided advantages over borrowing from a bank or lender?
That is exactly what R. Nelson Nash had in mind when he pioneered the Infinite Banking Concept. In essence, Infinite Banking, and other similar systems adapted from Nash’s original idea, involves paying into a whole life insurance policy with an insurance company that allows policy holders to take loans collateralized on their individual policies.
How it works
Infinite Banking and other individualized banking systems rely on participating whole life insurance policies, which build up equity and pay dividends. Policy holders pay premiums—which vary based on the amount of the death benefit chosen, along with other factors, such as the age and health of the policy holder—into a whole life insurance policy for a period of five to seven years and let the policy increase in value. This is known as the capitalization phase.
“Generally, we try to fund most of the money into it in the first five years,” Tom McDermott, president of Asset Protectors & Advisors Group, said. “The longer you can allow it to accumulate, obviously, the more you can pull out for retirement savings, the more you can pull out for larger items.”
After the capitalization phase, the policy becomes self-supporting; the returns on the policy at that point will be enough to cover the premiums. The annual dividends are based on how well the insurance company did that year. Insurance companies must invest the premiums received “in order to produce the benefits that are promised,” Nash wrote.
Through the use of a paid-up additions rider, policy holders benefit from having their dividends reinvested into their policy, thus increasing the value of their policy and subsequent death benefit.
Policy holders are able to borrow up to 100 percent of the cash value of their whole life policy at any time with no tax penalties. A policy holder “outranks every potential borrower in access to the money that must be lent,” Nash wrote.
With this structure in place, policy holders are able to essentially act as their own personal bankers. They can loan themselves money from their own life insurance policies, and the interest payments go back to their own accounts.

People who participate in individualized banking are able to borrow money from—and repay—themselves when financing major purchases, rather than relying on and paying interest to banks and other outside lenders.
“Your average American family is not saving money...at the same time, they’re spending approximately 34.5 cents on every dollar in interest to finance their lifestyle through banks and different finance companies,” David Kane, president of the benefits division at York International, said.
By depositing cash into a life insurance policy rather than using it for a major purchase, investors retain the ability to earn interest on that cash. Further, by borrowing from their own life insurance policy, they avoid having to spend that 34.5 cents per dollar on outside financing, and can instead pay that to their own policy.
The borrowed money can be used to finance any purchase, whether or not a lender would typically grant a loan for it. The policy holder, as banker, gets to set the loan requirements.
“You are totally and completely independent from all other sources of financing,” Rebecca Rice, owner of Rebecca Rice & Associates, said. “You have control of your own banking system and you’re able to control the amount of money that goes into your bank.”
Policy holders must make sure that they pay back any loans they take out. If they don’t, the system of growing the policy’s value will fail.
People who follow through on utilizing the insurance policy as a bank are able to supercharge the returns guaranteed by the policy while financing things they would have financed anyway. The difference is that all the interest payments go back to the policy, not to a bank or other lender.
“The Infinite Bank is really like a complete financial system. It will provide money for your lifestyle, for your retirement and for your heirs,” Kane said. “It works well in all phases of wealth.”
The advantages
Perhaps the most obvious advantage of individualized banking is that it offers life insurance coverage—something most people need anyway. Life insurance is a low risk investment; there are guaranteed returns, and life insurance companies are noted for their longevity.
There are also tax benefits. “In a properly structured life insurance program, if you borrow the money out of the policy, the proceeds are tax free,” McDermott said. “As long as you don’t lapse the policy, no taxes are due. When the death benefit is paid, it is paid income tax free, minus the withdrawals. We structure these programs so that the income stream is tax free through age 100 and the policy has a no lapse provision in it so as not to generate a taxable event.”

In addition to providing capital for borrowing, policies can also provide a stream of retirement income for policy holders. There are no age limits on policy withdrawals.
“This is the front of the wave for retirement planning,” McDermott said. “Setting up something like an Infinite Banking plan...allows you to save for retirement planning and [know] exactly what your tax exposure is going to be when you start pulling the money out. And if you pull it out correctly, you’re going to have zero tax exposure.”
Insurance policies are also safe from exposure to litigation and creditors. “Insurance policies are protected from...taxes, creditors, litigation, things like that,” Steve Sappington, co-founder and registered principal of TWM Group, LLC, said. “We have, for example, a lot of doctors who use this Infinite Banking Concept...because it shelters assets.”
In addition to being safe, individualized banking is flexible. Policy holders can borrow money and use it for purchases for which financing is usually hard to come by, such as foreign real estate. Policy holders can even become lenders themselves, borrowing money to lend it to other people in order to earn further interest.
People who use individualized banking can use their policy in a variety of ways without turning any money over to a bank or other lender at any time. “It’s really phenomenal,” Rice said.
The disadvantages
Still, it is by no means a perfect system. It typically takes several years for policies to grow to the point that the returns equal the costs of the premium, and for there to be a significant enough value in the policy to warrant borrowing from it.
The initial stages of individualized banking are analogous to starting a small business; there are a few years where money is spent before any money comes in. In addition, policy holders must be dedicated to building up the value of their policies.
“Just plan on really funding that policy well for seven years, then you’re going to be able to do some really nice things as a result from that,” Sappington said. He compared the initial stages to a jet taking off. A jet uses a lot of fuel to take off but becomes much more efficient after the initial surge of fuel use.
In addition to building up their policies, policy holders must be dedicated to paying back loans, though there is certainly more flexibility involved, since policy holders are paying themselves back. If unforeseen circumstances arise, policy holders can change their repayment schedule as necessary, rather than worrying about foreclosure, repossession or damaged credit. However, failing to pay back loans will diminish the effectiveness and efficiency of the system.

People who want to use an individualized banking system will need someone familiar with it to help them set it up, and not all insurance brokers are aware of the system.
Those interested in individualized banking will need to do research to make informed decisions. Fees, commissions and the percentage of the premium that goes toward building the account’s value vary by company, and there are many ways to structure whole life policies.

The Millionaire Mindset

2007-02-18T05:34:00.001-08:00

The Millionaire Mindset

You could ask anyone if they want more money and their answer would be “yes”. Money enables an increase in the quality of our lives in many ways. Flexibility of lifestyle, choosing when and how hard you want to work, charitable gifts, or that new Porsche are best achieved by having more money.
So why don’t we have more money? Is it lack of desire, work ethics, skill, knowledge, luck, opportunity, effort? The difference is what and how we think. The difference is the Millionaire Mindset.
The Millionaire Mindset is critical in accomplishing prosperity whether in our personal or professional lives. All of the motivation, knowledge, and systems in the world will not get us there without the mindset of the prosperous.
Zig Ziglar wrote ”The most important tool you have in your arsenal is integrity. Where you start is not as important as where you finish”. Two important parts of the millionaire mindset.
Anthony Robbins states “Your potential is determined (or limited) by your self-belief. Most people have self-doubt around universal times”. Self-confidence is a major factor in the millionaire mindset.
Brian Tracy’s rules include “ I’ve found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck take more chances. Be more more active. Show up more often. & A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power”.The millionaire mindset includes these two key components.
“ We are indeed resolute in creating profits and better financial situations for hundreds or even thousands of Reps. But we are more resolute in doing business correctly, with God as our guide….” Tim Darnell, President & Founder, Advantage Conferences, LLC & The Millionaire Mindset Conference.
Russ Whitney states “ Your attitude toward money - how you think about it, make it and manage it- is a key part of developing the Millionaire Mindset and building wealth”.
Seven simple components of the mindset that creates millionaires:
1. Integrity
2. Sustained Unwavering Belief
3. Self Confidence
4. Showing up- Becoming more active
5. Clear vision
6. Definate plans
7. Doing what is right

The good news is these qualities are in all of us. Those that choose to bring them to the forefront enjoy the success. We all know the 80/20 principal. The 20% have chosen to live a life that is blessed and abundant. Don’t you deserve the mindset of a millionaire?

Mentoring

2007-02-18T05:32:00.001-08:00

Why Mentoring?

Why don’t you just learn how to play golf by reading a magazine? Why don’t you just go to the library to learn how to play golf? Why on earth would anybody pay Butch Harmon or Hank Haney $2,000 an hour, and often much more than that and spend multiple hours, day after day with them to learn one simple concept to improve their swing? Because their instruction has the corresponding value! In fact, their instruction translates into millions of dollars for some of their students. These professionals have the crucially important information that you can’t get from reading a magazine or going to the library, or for that matter doing it on your own. If you want to play better, you need a mentor, a mentor that has been there and done that.

The same thing is true in the business world. Most who think it is better to go to the library or do a Google search for millionaire insight will first of all, never go to the library, and second of all, they’ll be hugely disappointed from what they find from that reading. Real millionaire mentors are not necessarily professional speakers and authors. Virtually all published material about success are from professional speakers and authors. They made and will make their money by writing and speaking-selling their books. Audios, and DVD’s. Most are very good at their craft. But while their materials are entertaining, they are also quite similar, predictable, and provide only short term motivation. Mentoring is an ongoing process of insight and motivation.

What is valuable is to find real people who are actually in their fields, other industries, other endeavors that have made millions by offering value through their service and or tangible products. These people have become successful, not by going to the library, oh no. They became successful by struggling their buns off for years, and gaining experience that has not been recorded or published, other than on rare occasions. That experience is something you should know. Each person should pay a corresponding dollar amount for that value. Mentoring from very real millionaires not authors and speakers, but from the mouths of the people who lived their unique and amazing stories is priceless and could change your life.

Mentoring from someone who has gone bankrupt building their business, some multiple times is different. Their business was built by making mistake after mistake and yet they prevailed. Knowing their mistakes, their struggle, understanding what “tenaciously prevailed” really means along with the corresponding lessons that resulted from those real life experiences is of value.

Personal contact with millionaires alone is huge. Why do you think people join country clubs that cost $150,000? It’s not just the golf or tennis. They do it because contact with these people is of value. They know things, concepts, strategies, and people you don’t.

Mentoring is the lever that delivers the insight to dislodge the burden of mounting debt, small thinking, small income, insignificant pay raises, inflation, rare vacation time, little to no savings, the pain of unexpected expenses, and stagnant unfulfilling careers. Those who scoff at the concept of independence and much greater income potential will not win. They will either wake up to the importance of mentoring, change, business acumen, entrepreneurship, and the power of genuine faith, or they are doomed to repeat the same results they experienced last year.

Procrastination

2007-02-18T05:30:00.000-08:00

Procrastination

Procrastination (often linked to perfectionism) is the avoidance of an action or task. For the person procrastinating this may result in stress, a sense of guilt, the loss of productivity, the creation of crisis, and the chagrin of others for not fulfilling one’s responsibilities or commitments. While it is normal for individuals to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning. Chronic procrastination may be a sign of an underlying psychological or physiological disorder.

Key Reasons of Procrastination

Perfectionism-Avoiding getting into a situation that would reveal imperfection.
Fear of Failure- Nervous about other’s reaction.
Inability to Prioritize- Jumping from one task to the other instead of working on the most
To least important.
Inability to Make Decisions- You need to make the right decision, but you need to make a
Decision.
Distractions-Anything that is not work related.
Unpleasant- Anything unpleasant is more easily put off.
Complexity- Projects that are complex can feel overwhelming if not taken a bit at a time.

Outcome of Procrastination

When you put off something you need to do, then you get behind. When you get behind, you get depressed. When you get depressed, it reduces your energy. The farther you fall behind the more depressed you get. Procrastination leads to depression. Depression leads to procrastination.

Overcoming Procrastination

The first step in overcoming procrastination is knowing what you want. This is true in both your personal & professional life. If you have not decided what you want, it is easy to stray from one project or dream to the other.

The next step in overcoming procrastination is to take action. Most people know what they want, but are afraid to do what they know they need to do. Fear is the most common reason for procrastination. If you did not feel that failing would be more uncomfortable than not trying, why wouldn’t you do it?

Take that huge task and break it into little pieces. Organize those little pieces into an order of importance. Do the most important to least important project until all are done.
When you have completed this big task you gain self confidence.

Take that first step. Even if it is small, you have already started the project.

People that are successful in any endeavor are not necessarily lucky. They have overcome procrastination by looking at the results of a project, not the task of doing it.
If your focus is on the painful task of doing the project, rather than the benefits of it’s completion, you will likely procrastinate.

References
1. Procrastination.(http://wikipedia.org.)