Ambitiously Pursuing your Own Self-Direction by: Jim Rohn

What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you – in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.
Self-expression. Isn’t self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition. Positive self-direction says, “I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I’m accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part.” Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.
Direction determines destination. So here is a question you must ask yourself, “Are all the disciplines that I’m currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?” What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don’t ever want to do – kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don’t kid yourself – fingers crossed – hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you’re not even headed that way. You have to ask yourself often, Am I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don’t neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.
Is this the direction I want for my life?
Is this someone else’s direction?
Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?
Is this goal my parent’s, my spouse’s, my boss’, my children’s or is it Mine?
Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step further and ask, “What am I doing that is working or not working?” Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you – your self-direction. And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create the life you want to live!

Article by: Jim Rohn.

The Major Key to Your Better Future is You! By: Jim Rohn.

Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth. It’s really the open door to it all. In fact I’d like to have you memorize a most important phrase. Here it is, “The major key to your better future is YOU.”
Let me repeat that. “The major key to your better future is YOU.” Put that someplace you can see it everyday, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, at the office, anywhere where you can see it everyday. The major key to your better future is YOU. Try to remember that every day you live and think about it. The major key is YOU.
Now, there are many things that will help your better future. If you belong to a strong, dynamic and progressive company, that would help. If the company has good products, good services that you are proud of, that would certainly help. If there were good sales aids, that would help, good training would certainly help. If there is strong leadership that will certainly help. All of these things will help, and of course, if it doesn’t storm, that will help. If your car doesn’t break down, that will help. If the kids don’t get sick, that will help. If the neighbors stay half way civil, that will help. If your relatives don’t bug you, that will help. If it isn’t too cold, if it isn’t too hot, all those things will help your better future. And if prices don’t go much higher and if taxes don’t get much heavier, that will help. And if the economy stays stable, those things will all help. We could go on and on with the list; but remember this, the list of things that I’ve just covered and many more – all put together – play a minor role in your better future.
The major key to your better future is you. Lock your mind onto that. This is a super important point to remember. The major key is you. Mr. Shoaff always answered when asked, “How do you develop an above average income?” by saying “Simple, become an above average person. Work on you.” Mr. Shoaff would say, “Develop an above average handshake.” He would say, “A lot of people want to be successful, and they don’t even work on their handshake. As easy as that would be to start, they let it slide. They don’t understand.” Mr. Shoaff would say, “Develop an above average smile. Develop an above average excitement. Develop an above average dedication. Develop an above average interest in other people.” He would say, “To have more, become more.” Remember; work harder on yourself than you do on your job. For a long time in my life, I didn’t have this figured out.
Strangely enough, with two different people in the same company one may earn an extra $100 a month, and the other may earn a $1,000. What could possibly be the difference? If the products were the same, if the training was the same, if they both had the same literature, the same tools. If they both had the same teacher, the same compensation plan, if they both attended the same meetings, why would one person earn the $100 per month and the other person earn the $1000? Remember here is the difference…the difference is personal, inside, not outside, inside.
You see the real difference is inside you. In fact, the difference IS you. Someone once said, “The magic is not in the products. The magic is not in the literature. The magic is not in the film. There isn’t a magic meeting, but the magic that makes things better is inside you, and personal growth makes this magic work for you.
The magic is in believing. The magic is in daring. The magic is in trying. The real magic is in persevering. The magic is in accepting. It’s in working. The magic is in thinking. There is magic in a handshake. There is magic in a smile. There is magic in excitement and determination. There is real magic in compassion and caring and sharing. There is unusual magic in strong feeling and you see, all that comes from inside, not outside. So, the difference is inside you. The real difference is you. You are the major key to your better future.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

It Is a Challenge to Succeed-by Jim Rohn

It Is a Challenge to Succeed-by Jim Rohn

It is a challenge to succeed. If it were not, I’m sure more people would be successful, but for every person who is enjoying the fruit from the tree of success, many more are examining the roots. They are trying to figure it all out. They are mystified and perplexed by what seems to be some strange, complex and elusive secret that must be found if ever success is to be enjoyed. While most people spend most of their lives struggling to earn a living, a much smaller number seem to have everything going their way. Instead of just earning a living, the smaller group is busily engaged in designing and enjoying a fortune. Everything just seems to work out for them. While the much larger group sits in awe at how life can be so unfair, complicated and unjust.
“I am a nice person,” the man says to himself. “How come this other guy is happy and rich, and I’m always struggling?” He asks himself, “I am a good husband, a good father and a good worker. How come nothing seems to work out for me? Life just isn’t fair. I’m even smarter and willing to work harder than some of these other people who just seem to have everything going their way,” he says as he slumps into the sofa to watch another evening of television. But you see you’ve got to be more than a good person and a good worker. You’ve got to become a good planner, and a good dreamer. You’ve got to see the future finished in advance. You’ve got to put in the long hours and put up with the setbacks and the disappointments. You’ve got to learn to enjoy the process of disciplines and of putting yourself through the paces of doing the uncomfortable until it becomes comfortable. You’ve got to be prepared and willing to attack the challenges if you want the success because challenges are part of success. Now that may sound like a full menu of activities, but let me assure you that the process of going from average to fortune isn’t really all that difficult. Thinking about it is the difficult part. Anticipating all the effort and the changes and the disciplines is far worse in the mind than in reality. I can promise you that the challenges you’ll meet on the road to success are far less difficult to deal with than the struggles and the disappointments that come from being average. Confronting and overcoming challenges is an exhilarating experience. It does something to feed the soul and the mind. It makes you more than you were before. It strengthens the mental muscles and enables you to become better prepared for the next challenge.
I’ve often said that to have more, we must first become more, and to become more, we must begin the process of working harder on ourselves than we do on anything else. But in addition to gathering new knowledge, new skills and new experiences; it is also important to discover new emotions. It is how we feel about what we know that makes the biggest difference in how our lives turn out. How we feel about the chances we have and the choices we have determines the intensity of our effort. Whether we try or don’t try. Join or don’t join. Believe or don’t believe.
I’d like for you to discover some strong feelings about your life and about what you want to do with that life. You probably have much of the knowledge and a lot of the experience and perhaps most of the skills that it takes to become successful. What you may be lacking in are the strong feelings about what you want and what you want to do. You may be one of those who have become so involved in the process of earning a living that you’ve forgotten about the choices and the chances you have for designing your own life.
Let these strong feelings help you take a second look at your life and where you’re headed. After all, you’ve only got one life, at least on this planet. So why not make it an adventure in achievement? Why not discover what all you can do and what all you can have? Why not discover how many others you can help and in the process how that can help you?
Why not now take the Challenge to Succeed!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

The Qualities of Skillful Leadership-by: Jim Rohn

The Qualities of Skillful Leadership-by: Jim Rohn

If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills, and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. I call leadership the great challenge of life.
What’s important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here are some specifics:

1) Learn to be strong but not rude.
It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It’s not even a good substitute.

2) Learn to be kind but not weak.
We must not mistake kindness for weakness. Kindness isn’t weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell somebody the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.

3) Learn to be bold but not a bully.
It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you’ve got to walk in front of your group. You’ve got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble.

4) You’ve got to learn to be humble, but not timid.
You can’t get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. Humility is almost a God-like word. A sense of awe. A sense of wonder. An awareness of the human soul and spirit. An understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we’re part of the stars. So humility is a virtue; but timidity is a disease. Timidity is an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem.

5) Be proud but not arrogant.
It takes pride to win the day. It takes pride to build your ambition. It takes pride in community. It takes pride in cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is being proud without being arrogant. In fact I believe the worst kind of arrogance is arrogance from ignorance. It’s when you don’t know that you don’t know. Now that kind of arrogance is intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that’s just too much to take.

6) Develop humor without folly.
That’s important for a leader. In leadership, we learn that it’s okay to be witty, but not silly. It’s okay to be fun, but not foolish.

Lastly, deal in realities. Deal in truth.
Save yourself the agony. Just accept life like it is. Life is unique. Some people call it tragic, but I’d like to think it’s unique. The whole drama of life is unique. It’s fascinating. And I’ve found that the skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. But the fundamental skills of leadership can be adapted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community, and at home.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Ending Procrastination Ending Procrastination- by: Jim Rohn

Ending Procrastination Ending Procrastination- by: Jim Rohn

Perseverance is about as important to achievement as gasoline is to driving a car. Sure, there will be times when you feel like you’re spinning your wheels, but you’ll always get out of the rut with genuine perseverance. Without it, you won’t even be able to start your engine.

The opposite of perseverance is procrastination. Perseverance means you never quit. Procrastination usually means you never get started, although the inability to finish something is also a form of procrastination.

Ask people why they procrastinate and you’ll often hear something like this, I’m a perfectionist. Everything has to be just right before I can get down to work. No distractions, not too much noise, no telephone calls interrupting me, and of course I have to be feeling well physically, too. I can’t work when I have a headache.” The other end of procrastination – being unable to finish – also has a perfectionist explanation: “I’m just never satisfied. I’m my own harshest critic. If all the i’s aren’t dotted and all the t’s aren’t crossed, I just can’t consider that I’m done. That’s just the way I am, and I’ll probably never change.”

Do you see what’s going on here? A fault is being turned into a virtue. The perfectionist is saying that his standards are just too high for this world. This fault-into-virtue syndrome is a common defense when people are called upon to discuss their weaknesses, but in the end it’s just a very pious kind of excuse making. It certainly doesn’t have anything to do with what’s really behind procrastination.

Remember, the basis of procrastination could be fear of failure. That’s what perfectionism really is, once you take a hard look at it. What’s the difference whether you’re afraid of being less than perfect or afraid of anything else? You’re still paralyzed by fear. What’s the difference whether you never start or never finish? You’re still stuck. You’re still going nowhere. You’re still overwhelmed by whatever task is before you. You´re still allowing yourself to be dominated by a negative vision of the future in which you see yourself being criticized, laughed at, punished, or ridden out of town on a rail. Of course, this negative vision of the future is really a mechanism that allows you to do nothing. It’s a very convenient mental tool.

I’m going to tell you how to overcome procrastination. I’m going to show you how to turn procrastination into perseverance, and if you do what I suggest, the process will be virtually painless. It involves using two very powerful principles that foster productivity and perseverance instead of passivity and procrastination.

The first principle is: break it down.

No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, whether it’s writing a book, climbing a mountain, or painting a house the key to achievement is your ability to break down the task into manageable pieces and knock them off one at one time. Focus on accomplishing what’s right in front of you at this moment. Ignore what’s off in the distance someplace. Substitute real-time positive thinking for negative future visualization. That’s the first all- important technique for bringing an end to procrastination.

Suppose I were to ask you if you could write a four hundred-page novel. If you’re like most people, that would sound like an impossible task. But suppose I ask you a different question. Suppose I ask if you can write a page and a quarter a day for one year. Do you think you could do it? Now the task is starting to seem more manageable. We’re breaking down the four-hundred-page book into bite-size pieces. Even so, I suspect many people would still find the prospect intimidating. Do you know why? Writing a page and a quarter may not seem so bad, but you’re being asked to look ahead one whole year. When people start to do look that far ahead, many of them automatically go into a negative mode. So let me formulate the idea of writing a book in yet another way. Let me break it down even more.

Suppose I was to ask you: can you fill up a page and a quarter with words-not for a year, not for a month, not even for a week, but just today? Don’t look any further ahead than that. I believe most people would confidently declare that they could accomplish that. Of course, these would be the same people who feel totally incapable of writing a whole book.

If I said the same thing to those people tomorrow – if I told them, I don’t want you to look back, and I don’t want you to look ahead, I just want you to fill up a page and a quarter this very day – do you think they could do it?

One day at a time. We’ve all heard that phrase. That’s what we’re doing here. We’re breaking down the time required for a major task into one-day segments, and we’re breaking down the work involved in writing a four hundred-page book into page-and-a-quarter increments.

Keep this up for one year, and you’ll write the book. Discipline yourself to look neither forward nor backward, and you can accomplish things you never thought you could possibly do. And it all begins with those three words: break it down.

My second technique for defeating procrastination is also only three words long. The three words are: write it down.
We know how important writing is to goal setting. The writing you’ll do for beating procrastination is very similar. Instead of focusing on the future, however, you’re now going to be writing about the present just as you experience it every day. Instead of describing the things you want to do or the places you want to go, you’re going to describe what you actually do with your time, and you’re going to keep a written record of the places you actually go.

In other words, you’re going to keep a diary of your activities. And you’re going to be surprised by the distractions, detours, and downright wastes of time you engage in during the course of a day. All of these get in the way of achieving your goals. For many people, it’s almost like they planned it that way, and maybe at some unconscious level they did. The great thing about keeping a time diary is that it brings all this out in the open. It forces you to see what you’re actually doing… and what you’re not doing.

The time diary doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Just buy a little spiral notebook that you can easily carry in your pocket. When you go to lunch, when you drive across town, when you go to the dry cleaners, when you spend some time shooting the breeze at the copying machine, make a quick note of the time you began the activity and the time it ends. Try to make this notation as soon as possible; if it’s inconvenient to do it immediately, you can do it later. But you should make an entry in your time diary at least once every thirty minutes, and you should keep this up for at least a week.

Break it down. Write it down. These two techniques are very straightforward. But don’t let that fool you: these are powerful and effective productivity techniques that allow you put an end to procrastination and help you get started to achieving your goals.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Napoleon Hill's Seven Steps to Self-Confidence … By: John Wood

Hill's Seven Steps to Self-Confidence:

1. I know that I have the ability to accomplish all that I undertake. I know that to succeed, I have only to establish this belief in myself and follow it with vigorous, aggressive action. I will establish it.(Note: It's important to make every day of your freelance career a success. Here, Hill is reinforcing the importance of believing in yourself.)
2. I realize that my thoughts eventually reproduce themselves in material form and substance and become real in the physical state. Therefore, I will concentrate upon the daily task of thinking of the person I intend to be and of drawing a mental picture of this person and of transforming this picture into reality.(Note: Here, Hill says to describe in detail your "chief aim" or the life work you have selected. For example, if you're a web writer, you might say, "My goal is to boost the profits of my clients by writing effective and persuasive web copy while offering them strategic marketing guidance.")
3. I am studying with the firm intention of mastering the fundamental principles through which I may attract to me the desirable things of life. Through this study, I am becoming more self-reliant and more cheerful. I am developing more sympathy for my fellow man, and I am becoming stronger, both mentally and physically. I am learning to smile that smile that plays upon the heart as well as on the lips.(Note: For writers, mastering our craft is an ongoing journey. That journey is a lot easier if you do so with a smile on your face.)
4. I am mastering and overpowering the habit of starting something that I do not finish. From this time forward, I will first plan all that I wish to do, making a clear mental picture of it, and then I will let nothing interfere with my plans until I have developed them into realities.(Note: A simple but sometimes hard lesson to follow: make plans and don't give up until you've accomplished your goal. For anyone who wants success in life, this is critical.)
5. I have clearly mapped out and planned the work that I intend to follow for the ensuing five years. I have set a price upon my services for each of the five years, a price that I intend to command through strict application of the principle of efficient, satisfactory service!(Note: What do you want to be doing five years from now? Will you be a web writer? Working on your third book? Coaching other writers? Plan out where you want to be and how much money you want to make over the next five or 10 years.)
6. I fully realize that genuine success will come only through strict application of the "Golden Rule" principles. I will, therefore, engage in no transaction which does not benefit alike all who participate in it. I will succeed by attracting to me the forces that I wish to use. I will induce others to serve me because of my willingness to serve them. I will gain the friendship of my fellow men because of my kindness and my willingness to be a friend. I will eliminate from my mind fear by developing in its place courage. I will eliminate skepticism by developing faith. I will eliminate hatred and cynicism by developing love for humanity.(Note: Treat others [clients, colleagues, fellow writers, and freelancers] as you want to be treated yourself.)
7. I will learn to stand upon my feet and express myself in clear, concise, and simple language, and to speak with force and enthusiasm, in a matter that will carry conviction. I will cause others to become interested in me, because I will first become interested in them. I will eliminate selfishness and develop in its place the spirit of service.
   (Note: Speak with clarity and enthusiasm when you talk to prospects, clients, and other copywriters. Ask questions and listen. Take a genuine interest in helping others.

Article by: John Wood.

Want a Better Holiday? Follow My Dad’s Advice.

Want a Better Holiday? Follow My Dad’s Advice.

Well, it’s the week before Christmas, and I suspect that you might be spending some of this time with family. I’ll be spending a lot of time with Margaret, our kids and grandkids in the days before Christmas. I’m so excited about the chance to connect and pour into the grandkids.

I consider myself incredibly blessed to have a family where we unconditionally love each other, but I recognize that not everyone experiences the same blessing. For many people, the holidays can be extra stressful because of the complicated relationships that come together over Christmas dinner. People are different, even in families that love each other, and conflict can arise over even the smallest things.

There’s lots of great advice out there about handling relational conflict over the holidays – from setting healthy boundaries to sharing feelings kindly but honestly. And it’s all valuable advice. Today, I’d like to share with you one behavior that my dad modeled in my family growing up, and that I’ve done my best to demonstrate in all my relationships ever since. It’s made the difference in my friendships, my marriage, and my parenting. Here is what my dad advised:

Always travel the high road

You see, in every interaction, there are three roads that we can take:

1.              The low road, where I’m out to get you,

2.              The middle road, where I’ll basically treat you as you treat me, and

3.              The high road, where I’ll treat you well regardless of how you treat me.

When I was younger, I watched my dad, time and time again, treat people well, no matter what. Often that meant he treated them much better than they treated him. As a young person, I sometimes wished that he would fight for himself more, that he would exercise his rights more. But he didn’t. Instead, he consistently traveled the high road in every relationship. He gave way. He let things go. He forgave. He loved people anyway.

I remember once hearing a man ask Dad his opinion of a man who had spoken badly about him.

“I think he’s a fine man,” Dad said.

In response the questioner said, “Well, he’s said a lot of terrible things about you! What do you say to that?”

I’ll never forget Dad’s response: “You asked me what I thought of him, not what he thought of me.”

I didn’t understand how valuable that habit modeled by Dad was as a young person, but now I see the wisdom of the high road. Here it is: When you treat people better than what they deserve, you don’t carry emotional baggage. Why? Because taking the high road allows you to let go and move on. Taking the high road involves acceptance and forgiveness. It means loving someone enough to treat them better than they might deserve.

A lot of people just can’t get from Point A to Point B because they’re loaded with emotional baggage. They carry grudges and disappointments and hurts. Everyday they’ve got to travel with that luggage, but they can’t travel far because it’s just such a great burden.

When you take the high road, you don’t have baggage, because you’ve chosen to let go of it. I know that I’ve lost money because of the high road. I’ve had rights that I could have declared and demanded but didn’t. There were times when I put up with poor treatment. That’s okay. I carry no grudges, have no scores to even, and I sleep well at night. I just have found that taking the high road is worth it.

What I learned is that when you hold a grudge, it’s actually holding you. It holds you down. While you’re holding that grudge, the person you’re holding it against could be out dancing. They could be out having a good time. They might be moving on, but you’re not. Taking the high road allows you to move on, even when others haven’t.

In the next week or so, you’ll probably be interacting with people you love, but who are very different from you. Conflict will come up. Old wounds may get “poked.” In those moments, that’s when you have a choice: Which of the three roads will you take? Do you respond to negative comments in kind, or do you choose to be kind?

I can tell you that my dad, who just turned 93, would tell you that taking the high road is worth it. It’s allowed him to “travel light” and go a lot farther in creating great relationships than many of us will ever dream of. Take the high road with the people around you, and you’ll have a lighter journey. It’s just might help you experience the best holiday you’ve ever had.

Article by: John C. Maxwell.

Look Out Below! Searching for a Better Way to Delegate

In the classic cartoon series created by Warner Bros., Wile E. Coyote is determined to catch the Road Runner and tirelessly chases after the fast-running, ground-bound bird. However, the coyote experiences a number of comical misfortunes that prevent him from cornering his prey. Perhaps the most common is that, just as the Road Runner finally appears within reach, a giant anvil inexplicably falls from the sky and flattens Wile E. Coyote.

When it comes to delegation, many employees identify with Wile E. Coyote. One moment they feel like they’re succeeding on the job, and then suddenly their supervisor drops a huge assignment on them, out of nowhere, offering little instruction on how to complete it. The experience leaves them disempowered, de-motivated, and defeated.

How can a leader make sure her people feel empowered to complete the work delegated to them rather than crushed under its weight?

Follow the Five-Step Equipping Process

To be a good delegator obviously requires more than shouting “Look out below!” and dumping a bundle of tasks on your team. People need to be equipped for the job. Always remember, the goal of delegation is not only to accomplish a project, but also to develop people into more capable leaders.

1. Tell people what you want them to do

When you delegate a task to your people, make a point to help them capture your vision for what the completed task will look like. In addition, explain the purpose of the project, and how it connects to the big picture.
2. Show them what good performance looks like

Telling is not the same as training; people need to be shown a demonstration in order to grasp how to complete a task.

3. Let them do it.

Listening is not the same as learning. People need interactive, hands-on experience to be equipped properly.

4. Observe their performance

As Ronald Reagan advised, “trust but verify.” Empower your people to excel, but don’t assume that delegation is done once you’ve trained someone on an assignment. You’re still responsible for its success. Monitor their performance and measure their progress, letting them know how they’re doing along the way and offering constructive feedback as needed.

5. Praise progress

What gets rewarded gets repeated. People quickly learn what gets applauded and what does not in your organization. Create an environment in your workplace that openly praises and rewards personal achievement.

Thought to Ponder

Zig Ziglar said, “The only thing worse than training employees and losing them, is not training them and keeping them.” Before you hand out your next project, make sure you’ve done your best to set your people up to succeed by empowering them to maximize their productivity and potential.

Article by: John C. Maxwell.

Jim Rohn: Your Philosophy

Rohn: Your Philosophy

“Your personal philosophy is the greatest determining factor in how your life works out.”

If you want to know how an Idaho farm boy can make it to Beverly Hills, then take the journey toward achievement by discovering the cornerstone for total and lasting success: building your philosophy. I was broke at 25 and a millionaire by 31. At 25, there was nothing in my bank and I needed to provide for my family. As I was considering what to do, I met John Earl Shoaff, a wealthy entrepreneur who became my employer for the next five years. He revolutionized my life and taught me the importance of developing my philosophy. It isn’t a complex or mystical process, but a principle that can make a difference in how your life turns out. As we go forward on this journey toward success, remember you need to keep looking for those few things that make the most difference in your life, and spend most of your time doing those things. Effective time management is the best-kept secret of the rich. While there are major puzzle pieces for success, without the first—developing a sound philosophy— the other pieces are of little value.
Set Your Sail
The winds of circumstance blow upon all of us. We all have experienced the winds of disappointment, despair and heartbreak, but why do people arrive at such different places at the end of the journey? Have we not all sailed upon the same sea?
The major difference isn’t circumstance; it’s the set of the sail, or the way we think.
In spite of our best efforts, we have moments when things just seem to fall apart. The rich and the poor have the same challenges that can lead to financial ruin and personal despair. It isn’t what happens to us that determines the quality of our lives, it’s what we do after we’ve set our sails and the wind decides to change direction. When winds change, we must change. We have to struggle to our feet and reset the sail in a manner that will steer us in the direction of our own deliberate choice. The set of the sail, how we think and how we respond, has a far greater capacity to destroy our lives than any challenges we face. How quickly we respond to adversity is far more important than adversity itself. The great challenge of life is to control the process of our own thinking.
Your personal philosophy is the greatest determining factor in how your life works out. – Jim Rohn

Learn From Success and Failure
The best way to establish a new and powerful personal philosophy is to objectively review the conclusions you’ve drawn about life. Any conclusion you’ve drawn that isn’t working for you could be working against you. The best way to counteract misinformation and wrong data is to input new and accurate information. Gather information from personal experience. If you’re doing something wrong, evaluate what you did wrong and change things.
Seek an objective, outside voice about how you are and what you’re doing. An objective opinion from someone you respect can lead you to early and accurate information about your decision-making process. Listen to the freshness of an outside voice—someone who can see the forest and isn’t lost in the trees.
Observe the successes and failures of other people. If people who failed were to give seminars, it would be helpful. You could see how people mess up and you wouldn’t do what they did. You could find out what poor people read and decide not to read it. Past failures and errors prompt us to amend current conduct so we don’t replicate the past.
Study from people who do well. Each of us should be in a constant search for people we admire and respect and whose behavior we can model. It’s far better to deliberately choose the people we will permit to influence us than to allow bad influences to affect us without our conscious choice.
Read All You Can
People from all walks of life who’ve had some of the most incredible experiences have taken the time to write of these experiences so we can be instructed and amend our philosophies. There are two books you need to read to build your philosophy: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason. The contributions of other people enable us to reset our sails based upon their experiences. Books offer treasures of information that can change our lives, fortunes, relationships, health and careers for the better.
Keep a Journal
A journal is a gathering place for all of our observations and discoveries about life. It’s our own handwritten transcript that captures our experiences, ideas, desires and conclusions about the people and the events that have touched our lives. The past, when properly documented, is one of the best guides for making good decisions. The very act of writing about our lives helps us think more objectively about our actions. Writing tends to slow down the fl ow of information and gives us time to analyze and ponder the experience. The intense scrutiny of journal writing can enable us to make refinements in our philosophy that are truly life-changing.
Spend more money on the inside of your head than the outside. – Jim Rohn
Jot down what you learn and be a buyer of empty books. It’s the small disciplines that lead to great accomplishments.
Observe and Listen
Pay attention during your day, watch what’s going on and become a good listener. Find a voice of value and stay for a while. Surround yourself with people you respect and admire. Find people whose personalities and achievements stimulate, fascinate and inspire you, and then strive to assimilate their best qualities. This is called the skill of selecting. Don’t waste your time on the silly and the shallow.
One of the major reasons people don’t do well is because they keep trying to get through the day while a more worthy cause is to get from the day. We must become sensitive enough to observe and ponder what is happening around us. Be alert. Be awake. Often the most extraordinary opportunities are hidden among seemingly insignifi – cant events.
Be a good listener. With so many voices vying for your attention, you need to develop the skill of selective listening and only dial into the radio station that appeals to you. If a voice is not leading to the achievement of your goals, exercise caution in how long you listen.
Be Disciplined
Every day is filled with dozens of personal crossroads, moments when we’re called upon to make a decision regarding minor as well as major questions. These decisions chart a path to a future destination. With careful mental preparation, we can make wise choices. The development of a sound philosophy prepares us for making sound decisions. When we eat healthy foods, we experience positive results in a short time. When we start exercising, we feel a new vitality almost immediately. When we begin reading, we experience a growing awareness and a new level of self-confidence. New disciplines practiced daily will produce exciting results. The magic of new disciplines causes us to amend our thinking.
Don’t Neglect
Neglect is the major reason people don’t have what they want. If you don’t take care of things in your life, neglect becomes a disease. If you neglect to do good things with your money, you probably neglect to do good things with your time. If you don’t know what’s going on with your health or your bank account, you could be at risk. Set up new disciplines to change your life. Don’t neglect.
Everything is within our reach if we will read books, use journals, practice the disciplines and wage a new and vigorous battle against neglect.
Build your philosophy. Commit yourself to a new journey and say, “I’m going to change my life.” Once you do, you’ll never look back.
– See more at: http://www.success.com/article/jim-rohn-your-philosophy#sthash.UYiO96GP.dpuf

5 Surefire Ways to Sharpen Your Skills By: John C. Mawell

5 Surefire Ways to Sharpen Your Skills By: John C. Mawell

Recently, another leader asked me about how he should go about sharpening his skills in the areas where he was naturally gifted. He had already done something that I consider really important: he had discovered his strengths. Now he was ready to focus his efforts at growth in those areas, so he could really improve where he could make an impact.

I gave his question some thought, and soon some specific ways to grow came to mind. Here are the thoughts I shared with him that day. To sharpen our skills in a strength area, we should seek to…

Gain Experience

When I was young and people would say I didn’t have enough experience, it frustrated me. I felt like saying, “But I’ve got energy and I’m working hard. That should be enough!” But I have to tell you, now that I’m on this side of life, I realize how valuable experience is.

Once you get some experience under your belt, it gives you both confidence and examples of what works and what doesn’t. Having dealt with a similar situation before really makes you confident that you can handle it this time. And it means you can tell others, “Look, here’s what I discovered when I experienced this.”

Even young David, before he took on Goliath, talked about how his experience had prepared him for the challenge. He told King Saul that he’d already taken on a lion and a bear, so he wasn’t afraid of a man. Having fought a lion and a bear before gave David confidence. And telling the king about it encouraged Saul to let him try to fight Goliath.

Get Feedback

These days the feedback I receive comes when I speak before groups, but feedback from any number of people can be really valuable.

I still remember several years ago, when I was talking about failure to an audience. In passing, I made the statement that we all need to learn how to fail forward. Suddenly, there was an audible gasp from the crowd. I immediately thought, “Oh my gosh, that phrase really connected.” And that literally was the seed for my eventual book Failing Forward.

Now how did I know that phrase would speak to people in a book? I had already gotten feedback. We all need to talk to others, whether in a large group or a small one, in order to get feedback about our strengths.

Write Down Your Thoughts

I believe nothing helps us to clearly see how well we’re thinking as much as writing things down. I’ve discovered that when I write a thought on paper and then examine it, I can think of all sorts of ways to improve it.

You see, when you speak, you can kind of gloss over an error in thinking, because five seconds later you’re on to another idea. But when you write something down, it just stares back at you. And here’s one important note: Don’t wait until something is good to write it down, or you’ll never write something down. Just get it on recorded, and then you’ll be able to make it good by revising it.

Participate in a Small Group of People

There are a lot of names for these kinds of groups: discussion groups, think tanks, masterminds, roundtables, or simply small groups. Sitting in a group discussing ideas is huge because it allows us to flesh out great thinking. That’s because as a group, we can all contribute to improving an idea. Throwing an idea out there with a group of sharp, like-minded individuals, usually yields an even better idea.

Study Available Resources

I still think back on a statement that I heard in my twenties from Earl Nightingale. He said that if you will spend one hour a day every day on a certain subject, within five years you will become an expert on that subject.

I believe he’s exactly right. Just one hour a day reading books and online resources on the subject in which you want to develop will help you grow a great deal. After awhile, the results compound, as you fine-tune what you’ve already learned.

I’ve always said that we should focus on growing in our areas of strength, more than in areas of weakness. Once you’ve figured out which way you’re naturally wired, work on gaining experience, getting feedback, participating in groups, and studying great resources. Your efforts in these areas will yield great dividends in your personal growth.

How to Convert a Positive Desire into its Physical Equivalent by Napoleon Hill

How does cosmic habitforce convert a positive emotion or desire created in the mind of man into its physical equivalent? It intensifies that emotion or desire until it induces the state of mind known as faith. In this state the mind becomes receptive to the inflow of Infinite Intelligence from whence are derived perfect plans to be followed by the individual for the attainment of his desired objective. These plans are always carried out by natural means.

Cosmic habitforce does not directly transmute desires for money into the coin of the realm, but it does activate the imagination to reveal to the individual a way to make the conversion through accepted procedure. This force works no miracles, makes no attempt to create something out of nothing. It helps, or rather — compels, the creator of a strong desire to carry his thoughts to completion through all possible and available natural media.

Often a person is awed by what appears to be coincidental combinations of favorable circumstances as he carries out his plans, but these strange and unexplained things happen in a perfectly natural way. Cosmic habitforce impacts a peculiar quality to your thought habits which gives you power to surmount all difficulties, remove all obstacles, overcome all resistances. Just what this power is, is a secret as profound as the secret which causes a seed of wheat to germinate, grow and reproduce itself, handing back to the farmer a hundredfold measure for his intelligent effort. You do not need to know how it works to follow the simple rules given to you for utilizing it in your affairs of life.

Source: PMA Science of Success. Educational Edition. The Napoleon Hill Foundation. 1961. Pgs. 492-493.

5 Surefire Ways to Sharpen Your Skills

5 Surefire Ways to Sharpen Your Skills

Recently, another leader asked me about how he should go about sharpening his skills in the areas where he was naturally gifted. He had already done something that I consider really important: he had discovered his strengths. Now he was ready to focus his efforts at growth in those areas, so he could really improve where he could make an impact.
I gave his question some thought, and soon some specific ways to grow came to mind. Here are the thoughts I shared with him that day. To sharpen our skills in a strength area, we should seek to…

Gain Experience

When I was young and people would say I didn’t have enough experience, it frustrated me. I felt like saying, “But I’ve got energy and I’m working hard. That should be enough!” But I have to tell you, now that I’m on this side of life, I realize how valuable experience is.
Once you get some experience under your belt, it gives you both confidence and examples of what works and what doesn’t. Having dealt with a similar situation before really makes you confident that you can handle it this time. And it means you can tell others, “Look, here’s what I discovered when I experienced this.”
Even young David, before he took on Goliath, talked about how his experience had prepared him for the challenge. He told King Saul that he’d already taken on a lion and a bear, so he wasn’t afraid of a man. Having fought a lion and a bear before gave David confidence. And telling the king about it encouraged Saul to let him try to fight Goliath.

Get Feedback

These days the feedback I receive comes when I speak before groups, but feedback from any number of people can be really valuable.
I still remember several years ago, when I was talking about failure to an audience. In passing, I made the statement that we all need to learn how to fail forward. Suddenly, there was an audible gasp from the crowd. I immediately thought, “Oh my gosh, that phrase really connected.” And that literally was the seed for my eventual book Failing Forward.
Now how did I know that phrase would speak to people in a book? I had already gotten feedback. We all need to talk to others, whether in a large group or a small one, in order to get feedback about our strengths.

Write Down YOur Thoughts

I believe nothing helps us to clearly see how well we’re thinking as much as writing things down. I’ve discovered that when I write a thought on paper and then examine it, I can think of all sorts of ways to improve it.
You see, when you speak, you can kind of gloss over an error in thinking, because five seconds later you’re on to another idea. But when you write something down, it just stares back at you. And here’s one important note: Don’t wait until something is good to write it down, or you’ll never write something down. Just get it on recorded, and then you’ll be able to make it good by revising it.

Participate in a Small Group of People

There are a lot of names for these kinds of groups: discussion groups, think tanks, masterminds, roundtables, or simply small groups. Sitting in a group discussing ideas is huge because it allows us to flesh out great thinking. That’s because as a group, we can all contribute to improving an idea. Throwing an idea out there with a group of sharp, like-minded individuals, usually yields an even better idea.

Study Available Resources

I still think back on a statement that I heard in my twenties from Earl Nightingale. He said that if you will spend one hour a day every day on a certain subject, within five years you will become an expert on that subject.
I believe he’s exactly right. Just one hour a day reading books and online resources on the subject in which you want to develop will help you grow a great deal. After awhile, the results compound, as you fine-tune what you’ve already learned.
I’ve always said that we should focus on growing in our areas of strength, more than in areas of weakness. Once you’ve figured out which way you’re naturally wired, work on gaining experience, getting feedback, participating in groups, and studying great resources. Your efforts in these areas will yield great dividends in your personal growth.
Article by: John C. Maxwell.

Why the Cheap Will Never Get Rich By: Robert Kiyosaki

Why the Cheap Will Never Get Rich

The other day a friend of mine approached me excitedly, saying, “I found the house of my dreams. It’s in foreclosure and the bank will sell it to me for a great price.”
“How good is the price?” I asked.
“Just before the real estate market crashed, the seller was asking $780,000 for the property. Today, I can buy it from the bank for $215,000. What do you think?” she asked.
“How would I know?” I replied. “All you’ve given me is the price.”
“Yes!” she squealed. “Now my husband and I can afford it.”
“Only cheap people buy on price,” I replied. “Just because something is cheap doesn’t mean it’s worth the cost.”
I then explained to her one of my most basic money principles: I buy value. I will pay more for value. If I don’t like the price, I simply pass. If the seller wants to sell, he will come back with a better price. I let him tell me what he will accept. I know some people love to haggle; personally, I don’t. If a person wants to sell, they will sell. If I feel what I am buying is of value, I’ll pay the price. Value rather than price has made me rich.
Against my advice, my friend sought financing for her “dream” home.
Fortunately, the bank turned her down. The house was on a busy street in a deteriorating neighborhood. The high school four blocks away was one of the most dangerous schools in the city. Her son and daughter would either have to go to private school or take karate lessons. She is now looking for a cheaper house to buy and has asked her father, who is retired, for help with the down payment. If her past is a crystal ball to her future, she will likely always be cheap and poor, even though she is a good, kind, educated, hard-working person.
My Point of View
What follows are some thoughts on why my friend will probably never get ahead financially — especially in this market.
1. She and her husband have college degrees but zero financial education. Even worse, neither plans to attend any investment classes. Choosing to remain financially uneducated has caused them to miss out on the greatest bull and bear markets in history. As my rich dad often said, “What you don’t know keeps you poor.”
2. She is too emotional. In the world of money and investing, you must learn to control your emotions. When you think about it, three of our biggest financial decisions in life are made at times of peak emotional excitement: deciding to get married, buying a home, and having kids.
My dad often said, “High emotions, low intelligence.” To be rich, you need to see the good and the bad, the short- and long-term consequences of your decisions. Obviously, this is easier said than done, but it’s key to building wealth.
3. She doesn’t know the difference between advice from rich people and advice from sales people. Most people get their financial advice from the latter — people who profit even if you lose. One reason why financial education is so important is because it helps you know the difference between good and bad advice.
As the current crisis demonstrates, our schools teach very little about money management. Millions of people are living in fear because they followed conventional wisdom: Go to school, get a job, work hard, save money, buy a house, get out of debt, and invest for the long term in a well-diversified portfolio of mutual funds. Many people who followed this financial prescription are not sleeping at night. They need a new plan. Had they sought out a little financial education, they might not be entangled in this mess.
A Thank You to Jon Stewart
Speaking of finance experts, I personally want to thank Jon Stewart of ‘The Daily Show’ for taking on Jim Cramer and CNBC. Jon Stewart did an incredible job of representing the millions of people all over the world who have lost their savings in the market. He was right in saying he thought it “disingenuous” to advise people to invest for the long term through their retirement plans while knowing full well that traders could steal Americans’ retirement money by trading in and out of the market. Most traders like Cramer realize that investing in mutual funds for the long term is financial suicide. Cramer should have spoken up, but we all know why CNBC won’t let him tell the truth. If he did, the station’s advertisers would leave.
While I applaud Cramer for going on ‘The Daily Show’ and facing the music, I’m afraid he was marginalized by Stewart — certainly outgunned — and he has lost his credibility. He may pay an even bigger price if the SEC decides to dig deeper.
Jim Cramer is a very smart man. I watch his show. I just do not follow his advice.
In closing, I will say what I have said for years: We need financial education in our schools. Without it, we cannot tell the good advice from the bad.
Article by: Robert Kiyosaki.

Cosmic Habitforce: The Law Which Fixes All Habits by Napoleon Hill

Cosmic Habitforce: The Law Which Fixes All Habits by Napoleon Hill

The purpose of the philosophy of individual achievement presented in this PMA Science of Success course is to enable you to develop and establish habits that lead to peace of mind, health and financial security, all of which are necessary for happiness. This lesson will explain the law by which you acquire habits, and how you can adapt yourself to this law with greatest benefit.

It will show you how you can set up the pattern of any habit you desire by applying the principles of this philosophy. And it will explain how cosmic habitforce takes over a habit you form and causes you to act upon this habit automatically.

Cosmic habitforce pertains to the entire universe, and is the law by which the equilibrium of the universe is maintained through established patterns, or habits. It is the law which forces every living creature, and every particle of matter, to come under the dominating influence of its environment, including the physical habits and thought habits of mankind.

Some Habits Fixed by Cosmic Habitforce

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork (Psalm 19, v. 1) sang David, the inspired psalmist. And indeed the heavens are one of the most obvious and most awesome testimonies to the presence and power of this law of cosmic habitforce.

The stars and planets operate with clock-like precision. They never collide, never get off their appointed course, but roll on eternally, as the result of a preconceived plan. Infinite Intelligence is behind that plan. If anyone doubts the existence of Infinite Intelligence, that person need only study the stars and planets, and the precision with which they are related to one another, to become convinced of Its existence.

Another outstanding marvel of creation is the human mind, which is capable of projecting itself into the heavens and predicting astronomical occurrences to the moment, many years in advance of the actual event.

Back of this there must be order. Nature and the universe are organized and ordered. This order, or reliability, of nature simplifies life. It is not necessary to understand all of the laws and order of the universe to make them effective in our lives. They operate whether or not they are known or understood.

But where there is order, there is predictable action and reaction. This is what we term cosmic habitforce. You can find the fundamental principles by which you can relate yourself favorably to the forces of the universe in these lessons. The same law which holds our earth in its orbit and relates it to all other planets in their orbits, both in time and space, relates human beings to one another in exact conformity with the nature of their own thoughts.

Source: PMA Science of Success. Educational Edition. The Napoleon Hill Foundation. 1961. Pgs. 489-490.

Article by: Napoleon Hill

10 Powerful Prosperity Lessons from Napoleon Hill

10 Powerful Prosperity Lessons from Napoleon Hill

1. The Imagination is Powerful

“All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination; Imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth.”

You need not sit around waiting for your big break.  In between your ears lie all the power you will ever need.  Are you using it?  Are you using the priceless gift of your imagination to create the life of your dreams?

Do you ponder on your visions both night and day?  Napoleon Hill said, “Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.”

2. Repetition of Thought is Required

“Any idea, plan, or purpose may be placed in the mind through repetition of thought.”

The best way to plant an idea into your mind is through repetition of thought.  The best way to create repetition of thought is to repeatedly say the thought you want planted in your mind.

You are the door keeper of your mind, don’t let the media plant thoughts into your mind, don’t let day time television plant thoughts into your mind, there’s no telling what that harvest will yield.  You take responsibility for your mind, and you plant the thoughts that you desire to see manifested, based on your dreams and desires.

3. Hard Work is Mandatory

“Big pay and little responsibility are circumstances seldom found together.”

Napoleon Hill said, “Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.”  Everybody wants something for nothing, but unfortunately life doesn’t work that way.  Great achievement requires great labor and great sacrifice.

But I will say this, in the long-term, the price of success is less than the price of failure, in the end it will cost you less to succeed.  If you suffer now, you can reign later.

Article by: Napoleon Hill.

Will Your Christmas Be About Getting…Or Giving?

Will Your Christmas Be About Getting…Or Giving?

Welcome to December, 2014! I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe it’s already here. In only a few short weeks, we’ll be celebrating Christmas, and then 2015 will be on its way.

One thing I enjoy doing around the holidays is preaching at my home church, Christ Fellowship, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. I preached just a few days ago on the weekend after Thanksgiving. And I’ll preach again the weekend after Christmas. My Christ Fellowship messages are always available to view at Christ Fellowship online. Or if you’re in south Florida for Christmas, you’re invited to join us in person, when I preach on December 27 and 28. I’d love to meet you.

I’m excited at the opportunity I’ll have in just a few days to preach somewhere else: the International Church of Las Vegas, in Nevada. I’ll be preaching there on December 7. Join me if you’re in Vegas! If you’re not, you can view the service online here.

Today, with Christmas on its way, I’ve been thinking about the concept of giving. This time of year can be so focused on getting — whether it’s a gift from Grandma or that great deal at the mall. But I really believe it’s more blessed to give than to receive. Some of my greatest personal fulfillment has come when I’ve given something I value to someone I love.

Are you thinking about giving this Christmas? Who can you help during this season? There are people who have less than you and could use your help — no matter how much you have. And even if you aren’t able to give financially, you can share an even more precious commodity: your time. Spend the afternoon with an elderly loved one. Do something for a local family. Volunteer with your church or with a charity. I’m sure if you’re creative, you can come up with something you can do for someone else. You have time to make it happen before December 25.

Don’t let this season be all about getting. Giving is the best way I know to express love for others. Never forget: this world, with one puny exception, is comprised of others. Let’s make it about them, not ourselves. On the day when we celebrate God’s gift of His Son to the world, let’s look for ways to give to the people in our world. You can make someone else’s holiday brighter, and at the same time brighten your own.

Article By: John C. Maxwell

A Heart Attacking

Recently I was on a plane from Paraguay to Guatemala with Jeff Williams. Jeff is not only a tremendous business leader from Vancouver, Canada, he is a significant strategist and supporter of EQUIP, our non-profit leadership organization. He also attends several John Maxwell Company leadership experiences each year. More than all of that, Jeff has become a great friend and role model for me in generosity. He is very generous with his time, talents and finances. Knowing I was going to write this blog post on generosity, I asked him to give me some insights. Wow! Did he ever!

Choose Gratitude

The first thing Jeff said to me is, “Gratitude is not an attitude; it is a condition of the heart. You have to determine if you heart is under attack or if your heart is attacking.” My takeaway from Jeff’s opening sentence was a heart check. I want my heart to be attacking my passion and my pursuits of adding value to others. I want to be in active mode and looking for opportunities of generosity rather than responding when those opportunities come to me.

See Everything as a Gift

Jeff went on to tell me that he sees everything as a gift. During times of great personal or professional struggle, Jeff has discovered the gift of the struggle because of a heart of gratitude. He then said something to me that challenged me, “When you have gratitude, you don’t believe that anyone owes you anything.” It is so easy to see that in others, but as I reflected on his words, I realized how easily I get disappointed when others don’t meet my expectations. I realized if I can embrace the idea that “Everything is a gift,” it will significantly increase my appreciation for others and the things that I have.

Gratitude Checkup

I asked Jeff to challenge us with questions we could use to gauge our gratitude level. I felt that his heart for others and giving to so many causes gave him the credibility to challenge us. Here are his questions:

1. Do you go into relationships seeking to give something, or to get something?
2. Do you have enough, or will there ever be enough for you?
3. Do your practice generosity or scarcity?
4. Do you watch your clock or do you focus on the project or person?

Jeff shared one more quote with me during our plane ride that struck me, knowing the generosity that Jeff had already exhibited with his time and money for our South America trip to even be possible. He said, “I have always heard that you need to give until it hurts. I want to work hard so that it doesn’t hurt to give A LOT!”
I hope in this great month of November and during this week of Thanksgiving you make the heart decision of Gratitude, that you see everything as a gift and that you constantly assess yourself on your gratefulness.
Please share something that you are grateful for in the comments below!
Article By: John C. Maxwell

Religion by: Napoleon Hill

A man’s religion should serve him as a protection against his fears and the opposition of life. A passive attitude toward religion, like a passive attitude toward any definite purpose, has no benefits. Many need spiritual food just as he needs a properly balanced diet of physical food, and religion is the greatest of all sources from which spiritual food may be obtained.

A man’s name on a church membership roll will avail him but little unless he belongs in his own heart and puts something into his religion besides mere passive belief in its soundness, and a dollar in the collection plate now and then. Religion demands doing, not just believing.

True religion gives one humility of heart, sympathy with the unfortunate and a willingness to go the extra mile. It leads to harmony in human relationships, and fosters the principle of the Golden Rule. It strips one of vanity, self-love, excessive ambition, and over-evaluation of material things. It leads inevitably to the attainment of a labor of love, one of the twelve riches of life.

The man who truly has religion proclaims his religion through his deeds. He lives his religion in his occupation, and it comes back to him greatly multiplied, in his pay envelope, in his peace of mind, and in the harmony he finds with his daily associates.

True religion fosters and develops a positive mental attitude and a willingness to live and let live. It leads to the development of creative vision and inspires self-discipline on a noble scale. It also serves as an inspiration for the attainment of whatever positions in life one may aspire to attain.

If yours is an active religion, you are applying it in all of your human relationships. You are applying it fairly and justly in all your dealings with others, regardless of their attitude toward you. And thus you have neither the desire nor the opportunity to waste any portion of your time in destructive effort, either by thought or by deed.

With this attitude toward religion you develop an immunity to all the evils of destructive thought which take possession of an idle mind. We see therefore that religion is something more than a ticket of safe conduct into the hereafter. It is also a passport to the better things of life here and now.

Source: PMA Science of Success. Educational Edition. The Napoleon Hill Foundation. 1961. Pgs. 471-472.

Article by: Napoleon Hill