“Ihavegreatnewsforthereader—TommyNewberryhaswrittenanincrediblebook!Andheisabsolutelyright:Whatyouthinkaboutyourselfdetermineswhoyouare;therefore,thinkstrategically.SuccessIsNotanAccidenthelpsusunderstandwhysuccesscanbeachievedbyanyperson,inanysituation,underanycircumstance,butneverbyaccident!Youshouldreadthisbookifyouaresettingbiggoalsforenhancingyourlifeandintentionallychartingthepathtomakethosebiggoalsareality.Let’simpactourworld!”DanT.Cathy,presidentandCOO,Chick-fil-A,Inc.

“TommyNewberryprovidesapowerfulapproachforattainingpersonalsuccessinalloflife’sarenas.ThephilosophyandmethodsoutlinedinSuccessIsNotanAccidentfocusonthedirectwaysindividualscanachievetheirGod-givenpotential.Tommyrepresentstheverybestinthecrowdedfieldoflifecoaching,andIhavebenefitedtremendouslyfromhiswork.”J.RexFuqua,presidentandCEO,FuquaCapitalCorporation

“Thisenjoyable,fast-movingbookisfullofgreatideasandinsightsanyonecanusetoenjoyabetterlife.”BrianTracy,authorofTheWaytoWealth

“Ifyouaretiredofrespondingtolifeandreadytostartcreatingit,thenIencourageyoutoreadthisbook.Successdoesn’thappenbyaccident.IthappensbymakingthedecisiontobethedriverofyourbusandchartingyourcoursetoadestinationcalledSuccess.Thankfully,TommyNewberryprovidesuswithamapthatwilltakeuswherewewanttogo.”JonGordon,authorofTheEnergyBus:10RulestoFuelYourLife,Work,andTeamwithPositiveEnergy

“SuccessIsNotanAccidentoverflowswithlife-changing,practicalwisdom.Ireallylikethestories,thesuccinctlistsofactionsteps,andthepowerfulprinciplesthattranslatepurposeintopracticalreality.Readthisbookandyou’llhavecrystal-clearstrategiesandtoolsforunlockingyourGod-givenpotential.”Dr.TimIrwin,corporatepsychologistandauthorofRunwiththeBullswithoutGettingTrampled

“Authenticsuccesshappensonlythroughfocusandintentionality.Ilearnedthis

truthfromTommyNewberry.Weallhavearesponsibilitytopushbeyondourcomfortzonesandmaximizeourpositiveinfluenceathome,atwork,andinthecommunity.ThisbookiseasytoreadandclearlyshowsyouhowtogetfromwhereyouaretodaytowhereGodwantsyoutobe.I’vebenefiteddirectlyfromworkingwithTommy,andyouwilltoowhenyoureadandapplythelessonsinSuccessIsNotanAccident.”Dr.VicPentz,seniorpastor,PeachtreePresbyterianChurch,Atlanta,Georgia

VisitTyndale’sexcitingWebsiteatwww.tyndale.comTYNDALEandTyndale’squilllogoareregisteredtrademarksofTyndaleHousePublishers,Inc.The1%Club,SuccessIsNotanAccident,andAmerica’sSuccessCoachareregisteredtrademarksofThe1%Club,Inc.Allrightsreserved.

SuccessIsNotanAccident:ChangeYourChoices,ChangeYourLife

Copyright©1999,2007byTommyNewberry.Allrightsreserved.

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Authorphotocopyright©2006byTedDomohowski.Allrightsreserved.

DesignedbyJenniferGhionzoliScripturequotationsmarkedNLTaretakenfromtheHolyBible,NewLivingTranslation,copyright©1996,2004.UsedbypermissionofTyndaleHousePublishers,Inc.,CarolStream,Illinois60188.Allrightsreserved.

ScripturequotationsmarkedNIVaretakenfromtheHOLYBIBLE,NEWINTERNATIONALVERSION®.NIV®.Copyright©1973,1978,1984byInternationalBibleSociety.UsedbypermissionofZondervan.Allrightsreserved.

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Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.

ISBN-13:978-1-4143-1311-5(sc:alk.paper)ISBN-10:1-4143-1311-X(sc:alk.paper)1.Success.2.Success—Religiousaspects—Christianity.I.Title.

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ThisbookislovinglydedicatedtoMomandDadand

mysisters,Cindy,Suzanne,Jenny,andBeth

TableofContents

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction

Lesson1:ChooseSuccess

Lesson2:ChooseWhoYouWanttoBecome

Lesson3:ChoosetoWriteDownCompellingGoals

Lesson4:ChoosetoInvestYourTimeWisely

Lesson5:ChoosetoGetOutofYourOwnWay

Lesson6:ChoosePositiveVisualization

Lesson7:ChooseaMaximumEnergyLifestyle

AfterwordAppendixAbouttheAuthorNotes

Acknowledgments

Writingabookisamonumentalproject.Althoughtheauthor’snameappearsonthecover,itrequiresateamofdedicatedpeoplebehindthescenestomaketheundertaking a success. As I’ve learned over the years, few significantaccomplishments can ever be completed alone, and this book is no exception.Though it would be virtually impossible to list all the people who haveinfluencedmeandcontributedtoSuccessIsNotanAccident,Iwanttorecognizeaspecialfewwhohelpedmakethisbookpossible.

First,ImustthankthemembersofThe1%Clubfortheirmanysuggestions,observations, and insights over the past fifteen years. I may hold the title ofcoach,butinrealityIamstillverymuchastudent.

Thankyou toDickParker,whohelpedmedevelop theoriginalversionofthisbook.Specialthankstomyagent,PamelaHarty,whobelievedinmeandinthis project and helpedmake it all happen. Thanks toCarol Traver andDaveLindstedt, from Tyndale, who caught the vision for this project and patientlyprovided productive feedback and sound advice. Thank you to my businesspartner, Steve Cesari, whose perspective and life experience added a newdimensiontothisupdatedversionofSuccessIsNotanAccident.

Thanks to my parents, whose unconditional love, encouragement, andaffirmationfreedmetochartmyowncourseandfollowmydream.Astheyearsgo by, my appreciation grows for the example they set and the wisdom theypasseddown.

Boundless thanks tomywife,Kristin,whonever letme forgethowmuchshe believed in me as I worked through the original manuscript, and morerecently,asIcompletedtheupdatesforthisbookandatthesametimefinishedmynextbook,The4:8Principle.

Foremost,IwanttothankGodformyspecialcombinationoftalents,gifts,andlifeexperiences,aswellasfortheinspirationandcreativitythatallowedthisbooktobecomeareality.

Introduction

Ifyouwanttotakeyourbusiness,yourmarriage,oryourentirelifefromgoodtogreat,SuccessIsNotanAccidentwillhelpyougetthere,perhapsfasterthanyouever dreamed possible. This book provides the launching pad you’ve beenlooking for.Whether you are seeking to grow your networth or rebuild yourself-worth,theseprinciplesandstrategieswillhelpyoudojustthat.HowcanIbesosure?

The seven lessons in this book represent the foundation curriculum that IhavebeenusinginmycoachingpracticeatThe1%Clubsince1991.Together,the seven lessons represent a complete system for managing your life moreeffectively.InthisupdatedandexpandedversionofSuccessIsNotanAccident,Ihavedistilledandincorporatedthemostvaluableinsightsfrommyclients,aswellasthelessonsIhavelearnedintheprocessofcoachingthem.Ifyoulike,thinkoftheselessonsasthesecretsofthetop1%ofsuccessfulpeople.They’renotreallysecrets,though.Theyjustappeartobesecretsbecausesofewpeoplepayattentiontotheseprinciplesorseriouslysetouttopracticethem.Whiletheprinciples are quite simple, the results you can expect to achieve are quiteremarkable!

Thebookyouholdinyourhandscontainstheabsolutebestideasforgettingfrom where you are now to where you really want to be in life. Just asprofessional and Olympic athletes have coaches, I want to be your successcoach, your trainer for life.My passion is to help you become a world-classhumanbeing,someonewhopullsoutallthestopsineachareaoflife.

SuccessIsNotanAccidentisnotabookaboutlivingthewaymostpeoplelive.Youdon’tneedabooktodothat;ithappensbydefault.Ifyouliveyourlifelikemostpeopledo,youwillgetwhatmostpeoplegetandsettleforwhattheysettlefor.Here’satasteofmostpeople’sexperience:

•Currently,49percentofmarriagesendindivorce.•Morethan80percentofpeopleworkingtodaywouldratherbeinanotherline

ofwork.•Morethan50percentofAmericansareoverweight.•OneoutofthreeAmericanswillgetcancer,andtwooutoffivewillsuffer

fromheartdisease.•Morethan60percentofAmericans,wholiveintherichest,mostabundant

civilizationinhistory,willretirewithlittleornosavingsandwillbecomedependentonso-calledentitlementsforsurvival.

Nooneplanstobecomemediocre.Rather,mediocrityistheresultofnoplanatall. Let me give you a simple but true formula: If you want to lead anextraordinarylife,findoutwhattheordinarydo—anddon’tdoit.

WhenIfirstwroteandself-publishedSuccessIsNotanAccidentin1999,IwascertainthattheprinciplesIwasteachingwouldbehelpfulandexceedinglypractical to any reader committed toputting them into regularpractice.At thetimeofmyinitialwriting,Ihadbeencoachingsuccessfulentrepreneursandtheirfamilies for more than six years. When I wasn’t coaching, I found myselfobsessedwithresearchingthelifestoriesofmenandwomenwhohadputthesetimelessprinciplesintoactionintheirownlives.IconsumedeverythingIcouldreadorlistentothatmighthelpmebetterunderstandwhatmakessomepeopleunusually happy and successful.On the personal side, I had beenmarried forthreeyearsandhadbeenadadforjusttwo.

Sinceitsinitialrelease,SuccessIsNotanAccidenthassoldmorethanonehundredthousandcopies,primarilythroughold-fashionedwordofmouth,andithas now been translated into three languages. For the most part, this hashappenedquietly,gradually,andvirtuallyunnoticed in theworldofbooksandself-improvement.This“best-keptsecret,”asmanyofmyclientsrefertoit,hasslipped under the radar and positively influenced thousands of lives with itssimple, direct, and no-nonsense approach to maximizing one’s full potential.Now,tenyearslater,Iaminmysixteenthyearofwhatiscommonlyreferredtoas life coaching, and I’m loving every minute of it. I just celebrated mythirteenthyearofmarriagetomywife,Kristin,andtogetherweareraisingthreeboys—elevenandnineyearsold,andeighteenmonths.Thechallengesoflifearemorefunthanever.Ifeelveryblessedindeed.

Ihave investedmyentireadult life instudyingand teaching thecausesofpeak performance. Since first writing this book, however, I have learned farmore than I have taught. In working with entrepreneurs, CEOs, and businessleadersinmorethanthirtydifferentindustries,aswellascoachinghundredsofhappycouplesfromnumerousbackgrounds,Ihavelearnedwhatittakestoturnaroundabusiness,amarriage,andalife.Ihavelearnedwhatittakestogetridofthemental,emotional,andphysicalclutterthatbogsdownmostpeopleandrobsthemofthelifesatisfactiontheycrave.Ihavelearnedwhatittakestoexperiencethefulfillment thatcomesfromlivinginsyncwithone’sGod-givenpurpose.I

havelearnedwhatittakestodouble,triple,orevenquadrupleyourincomeinaslittleastwoorthreeyears.Betteryet,Ihavelearnedwhatittakestoworklessandstillearnmore.Mostimportantly,though,I’velearnedthatsuccessismostdefinitelynotanaccident!Withanothertenyearsoffieldexperienceundermybelt, I am more convinced than ever that success is absolutely predictable.Successhappensforareason!

WhenyouincorporatetheprinciplesfromeachlessonofSuccessIsNotanAccident into your daily life, youwill begin to experience the same explosiveresultsmyclientshaverepeatedlyexperienced.Ihaveseenthishappenoverandover again, yet from time to time it still amazes me. I’ve seen the conceptsyou’re about to learn work for busy sales executives as well as stay-at-homemoms. I’ve seen the principles work in golf, baseball, martial arts, and otherathletic endeavors. I’ve seen them work for ambitious high-school students,those freshoutof college, and those earning six-or seven-figure incomes. I’veseenthesystemworkforbothmaleandfemaleclients.Ihaveseenitworkformysingleclientsaswellasmyclientswhoaremarriedwithkids.Icanassureyouthatthislife-managementsystemwillworkforyoutotheexactdegreethatyouapplyitsprinciplesconsistentlyinyourday-to-daylife.

Thisbook,inessence,containsaformulathathasbeenproventogeneratepositive, predictable results. I encourage you to blend my formula with yourpersonalitytocreateyourownuniquepersonal-successsystem.Iwantyoutoputyourownslantontheconceptsinthisbook,aslongasyoustrictlyabidebytheprinciples.Inotherwords,focusonthespiritofthelawratherthanjusttheletter.Whether your aspiration is to start your own business, earn straight A’s inschool, move into your dream home, get lean, run a marathon, become aschoolteacher, generatemillions in sales, put your faith into practice, or set abetter example for your kids—the principles are still the same. And theseprinciplesofeffectivelivingarenonnegotiable.Universalprinciplesworkinourliveswhetherwelikethem,understandthem,orevenknowaboutthem.Youcanbe confident that the principles taught in each lesson are built upon the firmfoundation of truth. They are not untested theories ormy particular opinions;instead, they are based on personal experience and extensive observation.Theconcepts that underlie this system are proven steps to both enjoying andsucceedinginthegameoflife.

I’veobservedthatwhenindividualsstrayfromtimelessprinciples,adversityofsomekindisneverfarbehind.Youcandiscernthisforyourselfwithchildrenandadultsalike.Unwaveringprinciplesgoverneachareaofourlives.Whenweattempt to bend, stretch, or otherwise pervert them, we set ourselves up forinescapablepainandregretsoonerorlater.Themostsuccessfulindividualswho

everlivedhaveresistedthenaturalhumantendencytomakeuptheirownlawsoflife.Likewise, ifyouwanttodevelopallyourpotential,youmustavoidthetrendy“principleoftheday”mentalitythathaspermeatedoursociety.TheBiblegives a clear promise for those who remember God’s universal principles:“Joyfularepeopleofintegrity,whofollowtheinstructionsoftheLORD”(Psalm119:1,NLT).

Thegoodnewsaboutuniversalprinciples is that theywillalwaysbe therefor you. No matter how often you abandon or slander them, they will stillwelcome you back, like the father of the Prodigal Son, with open arms.Naturally,youwillstillexperiencetherepercussionsofgettingofftrack,buttherightcoursewillbeonlyaprincipleortwoaway.

Theprinciplessupportingeachlessonin thisbookcanbecomparedto thefundamentals in baseball—moving the runner along, hitting the cutoff man,throwing strikes. The baseball team that adheres to the fundamentals mostconsistentlywinsmostconsistently.Itisreallynomystery.Evenatalent-packedteam of superstars will stop winning when they fail to execute the properfundamentals. By refocusing on the basics, individuals as well as teams canbreakoutofslumps.

Viewthelessonsinthisbookasyourplaybookforsuccessfulliving.Theydescribe the essentials for living a remarkable life. Putting them into practiceconsistently is theprerequisite fordesigninga lifeworth living.Thisplaybookalso includes a variety of drills and exercises that will sharpen yourunderstandingandapplication.

FortherestofSuccessIsNotanAccident,allowmetobeyourpersonallifecoach.AsI tellmyclients,myjobis tohelpyouget themostoutofyourself.Mygoalistohelpyoureachyourgoals.Throughouteachlessoninthisbook,Iwill challenge you to be the best you can be. I’ve tried to write with anunderlyingtoneofencouragementandaccountability.Sometimes,likeanygoodcoach, Imayappearbluntor evenharsh.Don’t take it personally. I justdon’twant to letyouoff thehook.Idonotwant toseeyoucheatyourselfandyourfamilyoutofthefruitsofyourfullpotential.

Throughout thisbook, Iwill giveyounew information,newperspectives,newstrategies,andnewskills. Iwillbreakdown thecomplex into thesimple.Each lesson includes practical and usable methods for improving yourperformance.Sometimes,though,Iwon’tbeteachingyouanythingnew;I’lljustberemindingyouofwhatyouneedtodoandexactlywhenyouneedtodoit.

Ihopeyouwillimplementtheentiresystemlaidoutinthisbook.Ifyoudo,itwillchangeyourlifeforever.Eachlessonisacomponentoftheentiresystem.Whileyouwillmakesignificantgainsbyapplyingonlyoneortwolessons,you

willamazeyourselfandothersifyouputthecompletesystemintoaction.Whenyoufullyintegratethesystemintoeveryareaofyourlife,youwillexperienceasurgeofconfidence,competence,andunparalleledoptimismforthefuture.Theresponsibility for implementing it, though, is all yours. I cannot do it for you,andyoucannothireanyoneelsetodoitforyou.Itiscompletelyuptoyou.

Finally, in writing this book, I hope to further my personal mission ofpositivelyimpactingpeople’slivesbyteachingthetimeless,provenprinciplesofsuccessfulliving.Idonotclaimtobesuperiorinanyway.Infact,youprobablyhavemany natural talents and past accomplishments that are greater thanmyown.Isimplyhaveaburningdesiretosharethetruthaboutsuccesswithothers.These truths existed long before I came into thisworld, and theywill survivelong after I amgone.Even though othersmay call you lucky, if you put intopracticetheprinciplesthatfollow,youneednotbesurprisedwhenyousucceed.Successisinyourhands.Theseedsofgreatnessliewithinusall.Itisonlywhenwestopbelievingthatabetterlifeispossiblethatwebegintosettleforless.

Please share your success stories with me by sending them towww.successisnotanaccident.com.Ilookforwardtohearingfromyou!

AbouttheFormatThe format of this book is designed specifically to help you understand andretain thematerial.Forexample,manyof thepagescontaindiagrams, call-outtext, and drawings that reinforce the principles you are learning. Also, theopeningpagetoeachlessonincludesarundownofthebenefitsyouwillreceiveby incorporating the principles that follow, and a closing page suggestsassignmentsthatwillhelpyouintegratethelessonsintoyourdailylife.

Thisbookwasintendednotjusttobereadbuttobeinternalized.Itwillgiveyou not only knowledge but also immediately usable strategies for living abalanced,significantlife.Asyouread,makenotesinthemargin,underlinekeypoints,andhighlightwhatyouwanttoremember.Rereadthepagesthatseemtobespeakingdirectlytoyou.Ialsoencourageyoutoteachwhatyoumostwanttolearn—nothingwillaccelerateyourprogressfaster!Whetheritisapeer,spouse,child, close friend, or business partner, find a receptivepersonwhomyou canregularlyinfluencewiththeideasfromSuccessIsNotanAccident.I’llpromptyoutodothisattheendofeachlesson.

With the encouragement ofTyndaleHousePublishers, I am thrilled to beintroducing this updated and expanded version ofSuccess IsNot anAccident.This book is written for you and for those like you, who look to God andthemselves as the solution to their problems and the path to an exceptional,meaningfullifehereonearth.

The strategies and insights on the pages that follow can be the differencebetweenanordinarylifeandanextraordinarylife.

Nowlet’sgetstarted.

Lesson1ChooseSuccess

Yoursuccessblessesothers!

Inthislesson,youwilllearnto•Clarifyyourconceptofsuccess•Acceptcompleteresponsibility•Eliminateexcusesforever•Becomeadoer,notafeeler•Developanabundancementality

Success isnotanaccident!This is,withoutadoubt, thesinglemost importantlessonyoumustgraspifyouwanttomaximizeyourfullpotentialandenjoyallthe fulfillment and success youwere designed to enjoy.Success occurs in thelivesof specificpeople for specific reasons. It is not something that randomlyhappens to you; it is something that youmake happen.This is exciting news!Whetheryouwant to strengthenyour family life, improveyourcareer,deepenyour faith, or take your physical energy to awhole new level, you can do it.RalphWaldoEmersonwrites,“Lethimlearnaprudenceofahigherstrain.Lethimlearnthateverythinginnature,evenmotesandfeathers,gobylawandnotbyluck,andthatwhathesowshereaps.”1

Thereisnomagic.Thisprocessisnotcomplexorsophisticated.Ifyouwillinvest the time to find out what other people have done to be successful,personallyandprofessionally,andthenbegindoingthesamethings,youtoowillachievesimilarresultsindueseason.Allyoureffortswillbeworthwhile!

HittheBull’s-Eye!Imaginetryingtothrowdartsatadartboardinaroomwithnolightson.Eveninthe dark, you would eventually hit the board, and if you continued for longenough,youwouldprobablyhit thebull’s-eye.But ifyouturnedonthelights,gatheredalargesupplyofdarts,gotsomecoaching,andinvestedampletimeinpracticing, you would significantly reduce the time it would take to hit the

dartboard. When you finally hit the bull’s-eye, many people would call youlucky.Butyouwouldn’tbelucky.Youwouldjusthavebeenwillingtodomorethingstoensurethatyouhitthebull’s-eye.

Thisbookwasdesignedtohelpyouidentifythefactorswithinyourcontrolthatwill increase the odds of your hitting the bull’s-eye in your own journeythroughlife.

What’sYourDream?Whenyouweregrowingup,didyoueverdreamofbeingaprofessionalathlete?Iwanted to be a baseball player. I can easily recall playing outWorld Seriesscenarios in thebackyardwithmyfriendsuntil itwas toodark tosee theball.ButwhatseparatesthekidswhodreamaboutplayingintheWorldSeriesfromthosewhoactuallygrowup towin thepennant?Sure, ithas todowith talent,ability,andabitofgoodtiming,butIalsobelieveithasagreatdealtodowithsheerdeterminationandworkethic.

IfyouhadseenhimplayingLittleLeague,youneverwouldhaveguessedthat Orel Hershiser would someday become one of the greatest pitchers inbaseballhistory.Butitwasattheageofeight,whilevisitingYankeeStadiuminNewYork, thatHershiser sethisgoal.“Itwaswhilewalking into thathistoricstadium on a crisp, windy night that I decided I wanted to be a big leaguebaseballplayer,”hesaid.2 It’sadreammany littleboyshavehad,but itwasagoalthatHershiserwouldprovetobeseriousaboutachieving.

StrikeOne,StrikeTwoAsa freshman inhighschool,Hershiserstarted todevelopaplan for reachinghisgoal.First,hewantedtomakethevarsitybaseballteam.Buthefellshortofhisgoal twice,anditwasnotuntilhis junioryear thatheearnedaspotonthevarsityteam.

Whenapplyingtocolleges,HershisersethissightsonplayingforBowlingGreen State University. But once again, things didn’t turn out the way heplanned.Whenitcametimetotryoutfortheteam,Hershiserwasacademicallyineligible.Withhiscollegeaspirationshittingrockbottom,heleftschool.Onthebus ride home, Hershiser made a critical decision: “The boy on the bus toMichiganwasnotthemanIwantedtobe.”3Hewouldnotbeaquitter.

HershiserreturnedtoBowlingGreenforthesummersessionandplayedforan amateur baseball team. In his junior year, he finally made the school’straveling team and became a starting pitcher.Nowhe hoped the scouts in thestandswouldnoticehim.

TheCallHershiser was noticed. In 1979, the Los Angeles Dodgers picked him in theseventeenthroundoftheamateurdraft.ButasaClassAplayer,hischancesofmakingittothemajorswereslim.Only4percentofthosedraftedevermakeitoutoftheminorleagues.It tookfourandahalfyearsofplayingintheminorsbeforeHershiserreceivedthecallhe’dbeenworkingtowardsincehewaseight.In1983,hewascalleduptothebigleagues.

NewGoalsAs amajor-league player, Hershiser continued to work hard at improving hisgame, and after five years in the majors, he set a new goal for himself: Hewantedtobetheyoungest,smartestmajor-leaguepitcherever.4

Hisnewgoalwasrealizedin1988.Afterrecoveringfromkneesurgeryandanemergencyappendectomy,Hershiserwentontohavetheseasonofalifetime.He broke Don Drysdale’s “unbreakable” record by pitching fifty-nineconsecutive scoreless innings. He was named Most Valuable Player of theNationalLeagueChampionshipSeriesandtheWorldSeries,andhereceivedaGoldGloveandtheCyYoungAward.

AftertheGameDuringtheexcitementofthe1988season,RobertFraley,Hershiser’sfriendandsportsrepresentative,toldhim,“You’reabouttomakealotofmoney.Butthatisnottruesuccess.Successwillbemeasuredattheendofyourcareer,notatthepeak.Whenyou’refinishedwithbaseball,ifyouloveGod,ifyou’restillinlovewithyourwife,ifyourchildrenknowwhoyouare,andifyourreputationisstillintact, then you’ll be successful.”5Hershiser adopted his friend’s definition ofsuccessandemphasizedit in interviews:“WhenI’mfinishedwithmybaseballcareer,mymostsuccessfulgoalisnottomaketheHallofFame,buttoseemyfamilyasuccessasaresultofmyinfluenceintheirlives.”6

InJune2000,Hershiserretiredfrombaseballwitharecordof204winsasapitcher, nineteen years as a faithful husband, and fifteen years as an involveddad.Heoncesaid,“I’mproofthatgreatthingscanhappentoordinarypeopleiftheyworkhardandnevergiveup.”7Andthatistherealityofsuccess.

WasOrelHershiserjustlucky?Idon’tthinkso!Considertheseotherheroeswhosucceeded:WasTigerWoodsjustlucky?

WasBillGatesjustlucky?

WasRogerClemensjustlucky?

WasCarrieUnderwoodjustlucky?

WasJ.K.Rowlingjustlucky?

WasRickWarrenjustlucky?

WasLanceArmstrongjustlucky?

WeretheimmigrantswhocametoAmericawithnothingbutdeterminationintheirpocketsbutwhobuiltafortunebyservingothersjustlucky?

AretheSuperBowlchampionseachyearjustlucky?

AreOlympicmedalistsjustlucky?

Successisnotanaccident,andit’snotbasedonluck.Thatstatementissimple,andit’sthetruth.Andthemomentyoufullyacceptit,yourlifeandthelivesofthoseyou lovewillneveragainbe the same.Success,however it’sdefined, isabsolutelypredictable.

GetClearonSuccessWhat does success mean to you? Answering this question is one of the firstassignmentsIgivemycoachingclientsinThe1%Club.Investingthetimeandefforttodefinesuccessinyourowntermsisoneofthemosthelpfulmentalandspiritual exercises you can undertake. If you are trying to accelerate yoursuccess, it onlymakes sense to first define the target,which inmany cases iselusiveandoftenmisunderstood.

What exactly does success mean to you? I’ve observed that most peoplefinditquitedifficulttodefine.Butifyoudon’thaveaclearpictureofsuccess,howcanyouhonestlypursueitorexpecttoachieveandthenenjoyit?Successhasbeendefinedmanywaysinliterature:•Successistheprogressiverealizationofaworthyideal.•SuccessistheaccomplishmentofGod’swillinyourlife.•Successismakingthemostofwhatyouhave.•Successiswhoyoubecome.•Successislivingyourlifeinyourownway.•Successisajourney.

Thesedefinitionsvary,but I suppose there is adoseof truth ineachone.Themostsuccessfulpeopleintheworldarethosewhohavetakenthetimetofigureoutexactlywhotheywanttobecomeandwhattheywanttoachieve.Thentheyinvestthehoursoftheirdaysinactivitiesconsistentwiththeseideals.

SuccessfulpeoplearethosewhohavelearnedhowtoconsistentlyapplyGod’slawsintheirlives.Theyascribetheirachievementstofocus,hardwork,strongrelationships,perseverance,andtheblessingofGod.Theunsuccessfulormediocre are thosewho have no obvious direction. These people tend to “gowiththeflow”ordrift inwhicheverdirectionthewindhappenstobeblowing.Theirlivesaredominatedbycircumstancesandoverflowingwithexcuses.Theyblame their underachievement on bad luck. Life, they claim, has dealt them abadhand,andtheychoosetofold.

AreYouSuccessful?How do you define success? That is the real question!Do you equate itwithwealth?Doyoubelieveyouaresuccessful ifyouhavea lotof friends,or is itsocial status thatmatters? Do you think you are a success if you own a nicehome, a car, or otherworthwhile possessions? If you’re active in your churchandtitheregularly,doesthatsignifysuccess?Doespowerbringsuccess,orwillaccomplishingthenextgoalonyourlistfinallyusherinsuccess?Maybesuccessis early retirement, or maybe it comes when all the kids have gone away tocollegeorhavemarriedandstartedtheirownfamilies.Whatexactlyissuccessto you? Before I push you any further, let me ask you a different but vitallyimportantquestion.

DoesGodEvenWantYoutoSucceed?Many people of faith wonder whether it’s wrong to pursue wealth or certaintypesofworldly success.Someeven feelguilty forwantingwhatothersdon’thave.Whataboutyou?DoyouthinkGodwantsyoutosucceed?Reallydigdeepandanswerthisquestion.

Here is my answer in the form of another question: Do you want yourchildrentobemediocre?

Ofcoursenot!Youwantyourkidstosucceed!Inparticular,youwantyourchildrentohaveapersonalrelationshipwithJesus,marrytherightperson,andpursuetheirpurposeinlifewithexcellence.Thatisaprettygoodstart,isn’tit?Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, refers to those big three parentingprioritiesasMaster,Mate,andMission.Ifyouleadyourkidstospiritualtruth,equip them to select the rightmarriagepartner, and encourage them topursueandlivetheirdream,thenyou’vecertainlyusedyourtimewisely.Inshort,you

wantyourchildrentobecomeeverythingtheywerecreatedtobecome.AndthatisexactlywhatGodwantsforyouaswell.

Doparentsencouragetheirchildrentostriveformediocrity?Doyouhopeyour son or daughter grows up and gets an average job, tolerates an averagemarriage, and then raises average kidswhoperpetuate that same cycle for thenext generation? I don’t believe God makes “average.” The dim light of anaverage life is somethingwe inflict on ourselves. Sometimeswemake thingsdifficult that shouldnot be difficult.We turn the simple into the complex andconfusenotonlyourselvesbutthepeoplearoundusaswell.Makenomistake:YourheavenlyFatherwantsyoutosucceed.

Weallhavethestandard,factory-installeddesiretoreachourfullpotential.Sometimes this longing is temporarily smothered by a lack of wisdom or asequenceofpoorchoices,but it isstill there,waiting tobeactivated.Considerhowwehopeandprayforgoodthingstohappeninthelivesofthosewelove.Considerhowwealwaysprayforourselvesandourcircumstancestoimprove,never todeteriorate.This isourbuilt-indrive for success,ourdrive to see thevarious aspectsofour life advance.Haveyoueverprayed foryour life to fallapart, a cherished relationship to end, or a dear friend to become ill? Iwouldhopenot!Youare,afterall,designedforsuccess.

YouAreFreedtoSucceed!Why do somany people strugglewith the idea of success? Is it because theyhardlyeverheartheirpastorpreachasermonaboutsuccess?UnlessthesermonisbasedonMatthew5–7,commonlyreferredtoastheSermonontheMount,inmostchurcheswerarelyhearteachingaboutbiblicalsuccess.IntheSermonontheMount,however,Jesusdistillsthespiritualprinciplesthatbothprecedeandpromotetruesuccess.Practicingtheseprinciplesfreesyoutomaximizeyourfullpotential and become everything God intended for you to become. After youfinishSuccessIsNotanAccident,IencourageyoutorereadtheSermonontheMount and contemplate how relevant and practical the sayings of Jesus reallyare. Unfortunately, these principles of success are often poorly presented ormisrepresentedinourdayandage,leadingsometoconcludethat“thatsuccessstuffjustdoesn’tsoundbiblical.”Forexample,arewesupposedtosetgoals,orare we to take no thought for tomorrow? Are we supposed to build ourconfidence,orhavenoconfidenceintheflesh?Shouldwestriveforgreatness,orshouldwebecontentinallcircumstances?Arewetoimproveourself-image,or should we deny ourselves? These apparent contradictions have paralyzedmany Christians from maximizing their potential. However, upon deepexamination, thenotionthatsuccess iswrongorevencontrarytobiblical truth

cannotbeseriouslydefended.Likemuchoftheenemy’shandiwork,thetaintingandshunningofsuccess

has been gradual and subtle. Put a negative spin on success, paint success asunbiblical,scareChristiansaway—thenChristianleadershipwillslowlydissolveinasocietyclearlyinneedofgodlydirection.Whatacleverscheme.

Successhasbeenhijackedfromtheverypeoplewhobelieveintheoriginalbook of success—the Bible. Over time, the concept of success has been sopolluted and distorted that bold, godly success appears to have atrophied. Itsinfluence is hardly felt.Manywell-intentioned believers appear to be runningfromthepotentialtheywereblessedwithatbirth.Asaresult,God-inspiredmenand women are having less and less effect on the America they built.Interestingly, over the last decade an entire movement and ministry hasattempted to rebrand true success with the word significance. Is this reallynecessary?Arewethatafraidofthewordsuccess?Inmymind,andinthemindsof my clients, authentic success requires significance. Significance doesn’tfollowsuccess.Itisthesumandsubstanceofsuccess.

WhileChristianshavesteppedback,thesecularworldhasbeensettingtheagenda through legislative bodies, school boards, and the politically correctestablishmentsthatregulatetheguidelinesbelieversandnonbelieversalikemustfollow.

APerfectSystemFortunately, all the confusion surrounding success need not exist at all. Godwants each and every one of us to succeed, provided that our definition ofsuccess is right.Godwantsus toreachourpotentialandcontribute to theworld in tremendous ways. Success in the general sense is God’s way ofsharing abundance. He uses your success to bless others while you benefityourself. Success is a multiplier, not a divider, as the media often tend torepresent. Authentic success spills over to benefit many more beyond theminoritywhoacceptedtheriskoffailure.Whenindividualsuccessispromoted,anentiresocietygetsrewarded.Whenyouactwithintegrity,yoursuccesswillnot harm others in the least. You and everyone else you know can becomesuccessful without anyone suffering harm, setbacks, or downturns. Only Godcouldauthorsuchaperfectsystem!

Successiscompletelyvoluntary.Youhavepermission.Youhavethegreenlight tosucceed.What is success foraChristian?Remember,obedience to therulesandteachingsoftheBibleisjusttheminimumdailyrequirement.Itisthestartingpoint, the foundational standard.True success, on theotherhand, ismaximumservice toGod.YourheavenlyFatherdesires that yoube fully, in

everysinglerespect, thepersonhecreatedyoutobe.Iencourageyoutoreachformorethanalifeofmereobedienceand“goodliving.”Instead,striveforanabundant life of success in the service of others. Are you getting out of lifeeverything that God intends for you? Can you stand to be blessed above andbeyond your wildest dreams? The Bible is full of those who are “more thanconquerors,”andnoneofusshouldbecontenttobemediocre.

Although you probably agree that maximum service to God is a greatdefinitionofsuccess, it’sadifficultconceptbywhichtoevaluateyourself.So,for the express purpose of this book, we’ll use the highly effective workingdefinitionoftruesuccessthatweuseinThe1%Club:Successisthedeliberate,measurablepursuitofprayerfullychosen,writtengoals.

Statedanotherway,youareasuccessonceyouhaveseriouslybegunyourexpedition to maximize your full potential. Success, then, is not a singledestination—and consequently, you can never completely arrive. Success is,instead, an intentional approach to life that ensures you are a faithfulsteward of your gifts and talents. This approach compels you to grow anddevelop. It forces you to desert your comfort zone, chisel your character, andchasethedreamthatGodhaspersonallyarrangedforyou.Betterstill,successisanapproachtolifethatiscompletelyunderyourcontrol.Itdoesnotdependontheoutercircumstancesofyourlifebutontheinnerconditionofyoursoul.Sowiththeabovedefinitioninmind,areyousuccessfulrightnow?

Didyouprayaboutyourgoalsbeforeyousetthem?

Haveyouputyourgoalsinwritingforaccountability?

Haveyoutakenmeasurableactiontowardyourgoals?

Adifferentwayofviewingsuccessisasanemotionweallwanttoexperienceconsistently. We may be successful in the eyes of others yet not feel sosuccessfulinsideourownskin.Orwemayfeelsuccessfulbutnotbeperceivedthat way by others. Most of us go through life borrowing someone else’sdefinition of success rather than coming up with our own! Through repeatedmediaexposure,wefinditeasytobeginusingculturalsuccessmarkers.

Fivecriteriatohelpcrystallizeyouruniquedefinitionofsuccess

1.Controllable

1.Controllable

Makeyourdefinitionwithinyourcontrol,notbasedonoutsidecircumstancesorotherpeople.

2.Measurable

Makeyourdefinitionquantifiablesothatyoucanholdyourselfaccountable.

3.Perpetual

Formulateyourdefinitionsothatyoucansatisfyitonadailybasis.

4.Personal

Chooseyourowndefinition;don’tborrowone.

5.PrincipleBased

Establishyourdefinitiononabsolutetruths,notonsubjective,timely,orsituationalvalues.

Areyouexperiencingsuccessrightnow?Ifyouarenot,takesometimeto

re-examine your concept of success.Where does your definition come from?Whosedefinitionareyouusing?Ifoundthatdistinguishingbetweenthewordsachievement, happiness, and successwas ahelpful exercise in formulatingmyown definition. Consider these three questions: Can you be a successwithoutachievinganything?

Canyoubeahighachieverwithoutbeingsuccessful?

Canyoubehappywithoutalsobeingasuccess?

Howdidyouanswerthesequestions?Ofcourse,youranswerdependsonhowyou define success. Is your definition challenging, attainable, and anchored in

biblical truth?Ordoyourequireallareasofyour life tobeperfectbeforeyouallowyourself toexperience theemotionofsuccess?Beaware thatacommontendency is to set an almost unreachable standard for success whilesimultaneouslycreatinga standard for failure that is easy tomeet.Asa result,youmayroutinelyfeelalotlesssuccessfulthanisnecessary.Whenyoucreateadefinitionofsuccessthatallowsyoutoexperiencetheemotionconsistently,youarealsodevelopinganawarenessofsuccess.Andthisheightenedconsciousnesstends to promote evenmore and greater success in the future. Success breedssuccess. The working definition I proposed earlier invites you to experiencesuccessonyourjourneytoyourfinaldestination.

Now it’s your turn. Take a moment and develop a first draft of yourpersonaldefinitionofsuccessbycompletingtheshortsentencebelow.Youcanexpecttoreviseitseveraltimesbeforeyougetitjustright.Yes,Ipromisethatitisokaytowriteinthisbook.

IexperiencesuccessinmylifewhenI(or,ifI)...

Onceyouhaveyourfresh,constructivedefinitionofsuccess,allowsometimetointernalizeitandreallybelieveinit.Youhavetobuyintoittogetitworkingforyou. Remember, success is the ongoing, proactive process of making God’sdesiresyourdesires,becomingtodayalittlemorelikethepersonheengineeredyoutobecome.Ibelieveyoushouldconsideryourselfasuccesstheinstantyoutakemeasurableactiontowardaprayerfullychosengoalthatyouhaveplacedinwriting.Asyouwilllearninlesson3,Godplusgoalsplusyouisanunbeatablecombination!

“Fair”IsaFantasyAnotherkeystepinstrivingforsuccessistogetoverexpectinglifetobefair.Alevelplayingfieldisaself-indulgentandunproductivefantasy.Inthisworld,itwill never happen, nor should it. Insisting on a level playing field disruptsyourattentionanddistractsyoufromyourultimateobjective.Instead,asahighperformer,youmustdealwiththerealityofthepresentsituation.Youneedto focuson reachingyourgoals rather thanon theobstacles that stand inyourway.Thischoiceleadstoaccomplishmentandprogress,anditleadsawayfromaggravation and alienation. Recognize that everyone has disadvantages,handicaps,weaknesses, andvariousother crosses to bear.Abigpart of life islearninghowto transformyourdisadvantages intoadvantages.Whiledirectingyourenergytoward“makingthingsfair”isoftencounterproductive,channelingyourspiritual,mental,andphysicalenergytowardachievingmeaningfulgoalsisaconstructiveinvestmentoftime.

Some people are naturally more intelligent than others. Some people aremore creative than others. Some are born into poverty, and some intowealth.Somereceivegreatloveandlittleelse,whilemanyothersaregiveneverythingbut love.Somepeople are consideredbetter looking thanothers.Somepeoplecan run faster, jumphigher,orhitabaseball farther thanothers.Somereceivethe best of educations and contribute little to theworld,while others get littleformal education yet leave a magnificent mark. Some have fast metabolismswhile othersmust exercise twice asmuch just to keep pace. Some people arepredisposedtomigrainesandsinusinfectionsandothersarenot...andsoon.Thisphenomenoniscalledlife.

Thetruthisthatlife,ifviewedasacardgame,dealsgoodhands,badhands,andaveragehands.Andwhicheverhandyou receive,youmustplay!Youcanwinwithanyhand,andyoucanlosewithanyhand.It’stotallyuptoyouhowyou play the game! Life is filled with champions who drew extremely poorhands and losers who drew terrific hands. In life, youwill never be dealt ahandthat,withGod’shelp,cannotbeturnedintoawinningone.Successisforyouandforanyonewillingtotaketheinitiativeandpaytheprice.Ifyouputintopracticetheprinciplesoutlinedineachlessonofthisbook,youwillbewellequippedtodowhateverittakestoturnyourhandintoawinner!Goforit!

Sow,ThenReapSuccessisaplannedoutcome,notanaccident.Successandmediocrityarebothabsolutely predictable because they follow the natural and immutable law ofsowingandreaping.Simplystated,ifyouwanttoreapmorerewards,youmustsow more service, contribution, and value. That is the no-nonsense formula.SomeofGod’sblessingshaveprerequisites!Successinlifeisnotbasedonneedbutonseed.Soyou’vegottobecomegoodateitherplantinginthespringtimeorbegginginthefall.

TheBible says, “Donot be deceived,God is notmocked; forwhatever aman sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7, NKJV). Unfortunately, manyAmericanshavebeenmisledintobelievingtheywillnotbeheldaccountablefortheirchoicesandthattheywillmiraculouslyharvestsomethingotherthanwhatthey planted. I call this the Big Lie. This dangerously popular distortionpromotes mediocrity and underachievement. Consider the effort and expenseAmericans undertake to cure diseases and social problemswhile they do verylittle, if anything, to avoid them. It ispopular today to treat the symptomof aproblem,but it is often considered insensitiveor intolerant to address the rootcauses.Asaresult,oursocietydeniesthateffectsreallydohavecauses.

Whenyoutrytogetsomethingfornothing,youbecomenothing.

The truth is this: There are no exceptions to the law of causality. It is

impartial and impersonal, and it comes to us in a particular order—first sow,then reap. ThisGod-given natural lawwas oldwhen the pyramidswere new.Likegravity,itworkstwenty-fourhoursaday,sevendaysaweek,everywhereintheworld,regardlessofwhetheranyonehasevertoldyouaboutitorwhetheryouconsiderit tobefair.It issimplyimpossibletoharvestsomethingthathasnot been sown, thoughmany squander their entire lives attempting to do justthis,onlytoendupfrustrated.

Successistheeffectgeneratedbyrightthinkingandrightactions.Successandfailurearenotaccidentsbutconsequences.Ifyouwanttoknowwhatyousowedinthepast,lookaroundyouandseewhatyouarereapingtoday.Youbeginyourclimbtowardyourfullpotentialasahumanbeingthemomentyouacceptthetruththatcauseandconsequenceareinseparable.

Themarkof a spirituallymature,mentally healthy individual is acceptingcompleteresponsibilityforone’slife.Whenyouaccepttotalresponsibility,yourecognize that you are the cause of all your choices, decisions, and actions.Whenyouareanchoredintherealityofresponsibility,youarefarmorelikelytoact in ways that will not later become causes of regret, frustration, orembarrassment.

Whatarethelikelyconsequencesofeachoftheseactions?

•jumpingoffabuilding•doingaerobicexercisedaily•watchingtwoormorehoursofTVeveryday•readingforonehoureachday•sittinginthesunwithoutsunscreen•investing10percentofyourincome•usingillicitdrugs•eatingadietofwholegrainsandfreshfruitsandvegetables•eatingfriedfoods•runninginfrontofaspeedingtruck•robbingabank

•lyingtoyourbestfriend•studyinghardinschool•smoking•writingdowngoals•drinkingexcessivealcohol•drinkingjustalittle

alcohol•drinkingnoalcohol•studyingparenting•readingabookonmarriage•touchingahotstove•studyingsuccessfulpeople•praying

•purchasingdepreciatingassets•spendingbeyondyourmeans•wakingupat5a.m.

•wakingupat7a.m.Remember,whenyoumakeachoice,youalsochoosethe

consequencesofthatchoice.

EverythingCountsLifeoffersallofusaspecialdealindefinitely.Witheverychoice,wereceiveatleastonefreeconsequence.Everythingyoudoorfailtodocounts.Everyactionhas a consequence, even if it isn’t immediate.At thismoment, you are eitherbecomingmorelikethepersonGodwantsyoutobecome,oryouarenot!Thereisnoneutrality.

Anumberofyears ago Iwaswatchingabaseball gameonTV.Thebaserunner,DeionSanders, attempted to steal second base but cameup about twofeet short from the bag as he slid. He immediately sprang to his feet andbacktrackedtowardfirstbase.Secondslater,whenitbecameinevitable thathewasgoingtobetaggedout,Sandersputhishandstogetherinthefootballtime-outsign.Heyelled,“Time-out,time-out!”—tonoavail,buttolaughterfromthefielderandtheumpire.Sanderswastaggedout.Thatisthewaylifeis.Whetheryou’re running the bases or pursuing your goals, there are no time-outs. Thesooneryoulearnandapplythislesson,thebetter.

Nobody can stop the ticking clock. If you try to call time-out, you willalways be tagged out.What you do Friday night counts, just as what you doSundaymorningorThursdayafternooncounts.Anextraordinary life issimplytheaccumulationofthousandsofefforts,oftenunseenbyothers,thatleadtotheaccomplishment of worthwhile goals. You are rich with choice, and yourchoicesrevealwhoyoureallyare.Morethananyothersinglefactor,youarewhere you are today because of the choices you have made. You’ve madedecisionsaboutwhat to learnandwhatnot to learn.Youhavemadedecisionsabout who to spend your time with. You’ve made decisions to believe somethingsandnottobelieveothers.You’vemade,orwillhavetomake,decisionsaboutwhomyouwill date,whomyouwillmarry, andwhether youwill havechildren. You’ve chosen to persevere or chosen to give up. You’ve madedecisions on whether or not you will drink, smoke, or use drugs. You havechosen what you will eat or not eat. You’ve decided either to write downexcitinggoalsforyourlifeorjusttowingit.Youhavemadedecisionstogiveintofearaswellasdecisionstopressoninthefaceoffear.Youhavedecidedto

bethebestandatothertimesdecidedtoactlikealltherest.Considerforamomentallthedecisionsyou’vemadeinthelastthreeyears

oreveninjustthelasttwelvemonths.Thesechoicesaremadedaily,hourly,andminute byminute. Imagine havingmade a different choice in some key area.Howmight your professional life be different? Howmight your marriage bedifferent? How might your health and energy be different? Give this somethoughtfulreflection.Howmightyourlifebedifferenttodaywithahandfulofdifferentchoices?

Let me encourage you to do something differently now:Make today theturningpoint.Whether it’syourcareeroryourhome life,your fitnessoryourfaith, you can start making wiser decisions and taking different steps today.Sooner than you may think possible, you will find yourself in a much betterplacethanwhereyouarerightnow.

Myfathertaughtmethattheonlyhelpinghandyou’reevergoingtobeabletorelyonisattheendofyoursleeve.

—J.C.Watts

What’sYourExcuse?I believe the slogan of the Paralympics says it all: “What’s your excuse?”Questionsareoftenthebestteachersbecausetheypromptustothinkthroughanissue.Whenwe’retoldsomething,we’relikelytosmilepolitelyandthenletourthoughts drift to another subject. Questions can be captivating because we’reconditioned to answer them. So ask yourself, “What is my excuse?” Whatimagesdoes this question evoke inyourmind?As I askmyself, “What ismyexcuse?”mymindracestotheaspectsofmylifethataren’tquiteasIwantthemtobe.ThequestionremindsmeoftheexcusesI’vegivenothersandthoseI’vesilently toldmyself. Itmakesme laugh a little atmyself and remindsme thatwhileIwasmakingexcuses,othersjustlikemeweremakingprogress.

I remember the first time I heard the classic excuse “My dog ate myhomework”fromathird-gradeclassmatewhodidn’tevenhaveadog.Theentireclass,includingtheteacher,brokeoutinlaughter.Idon’trememberwhethertheexcuse was effective, but I do remember the laughter and the embarrassed

expressiononmyclassmate’sface.Lookingback,Irealizehowappropriatethelaughter was. Excuses should be laughed at, not dignified. Excuses andresponsibilitycannotcoexist.It’sveryeasytosay,“I’mnotresponsible,”andsohard tosay,“Iamresponsible.” If there isanything inyour life that isnot thewayyouwant it tobe,youandonlyyouare responsible for changing it.Youmust believe that it is up to you to create solutions to the challenges of life.Whether theyarebigor small,you’re still responsible.Each timeyougiveanexcuse, you diminish your respect, your credibility, and your integrity. Eachtime you make an excuse, you reinforce your propensity to make even moreexcuses in the future, and excuse making becomes a habit. The irresponsiblepersonbelieves finding the solutions to theproblemsof life is someone else’sdepartment.

Whenever you act irresponsibly and feel the need tomake excuses, yourbraingoes intooverdrive,attempting torationalizeyour lackofresults.Unlessyoumakeacommitmenttothechoiceofexcuse-freeliving,youwillalwaysbeabletofindexcuses.

TheExcuse-FreeZoneCommit tomakingyourhome,car,andofficeexcuse-freezones. Ifasituationarisesinwhichpreviouslyyouwouldhavemadeanexcuse,substitutethewords,“Iamresponsible.”Lookonlytoyourselfforthecauseofyourproblems.Ifyouarenothappywithanaspectofyourlife,acceptthatyouareresponsibleforit.Eitheryoupassivelyallowedittohappenoryouactivelycreatedit.Thisisnotaninvitationtobeatuponyourselfbutanencouragementtoseethetruthofhowandwhyyougot towhereyouare.Onlywhenyouacknowledge the truthcanyoubefreedtobuildafuturethatisfarmoreattractivethanthepast.

Whenever something doesn’t work out the way you hoped, claimresponsibilityandaskyourself,“WhatcouldIhavedonetoavoidtheproblem?”Imagineopeningyourrefrigeratorandtakingouttheorangejuice.Followingtheinstructionsonthelabel,youbegintoshakethecartonvigorously—onlytohavethecapflyoffandorange juicespewalloveryou, thecounters, thefloor,andeven a little on the ceiling. At this point, you have two options: 1. You canimmediately blame the numskullwhodidn’t screwon the cap after he used itanddemandthathehelpyoucleanup,or...

2.Youcanremindyourself,“Thismesscouldhavebeenavoidedaltogetherif Ihadonlychecked thecapbefore I startedshaking thecarton.Ofcourse, itwouldhavebeenniceifthepreviouspersonhadsecuredthecap,butthepowertopreventthissituationwasinmyhands.”

Takingresponsibilityforyourlifeislikebeingagood,defensivedriver.If

yourcaristotaledinanaccident,youcan’ttakemuchcomfortfromthefactthatyouhadthegreenlight.Blamingtheotherdriverwon’thelpmucheither;itwillonly defer your attention fromwhat you need to learn. The question thatwillresonate in your mind is, “What could I have done to prevent this?” Stayempowered and in control by analyzing all unpleasant situations from theperspectiveofwhatyoucandotoavoidtheirrecurrenceinthefuture.

Excuses are contagious, self-defeating bad habits. Where you find onepersonmaking an excuse, you’ll find others infectedwith “excusitis” aswell.You don’t like to hear excuses fromother people, and they don’t like to hearyours either! Stop excuses before they start by creating an environmentconducive to success.Make it easy for yourself and others you depend on tosucceedbyanticipatingandeliminatingallexcusesinadvance.Thisisthetruemeasureofhowintenselyyoudesireyourgoal.

TheExcuseExploder

Wheneveryouthinkofanexcuse,askyourselfiftherehaseverbeenanyoneinsimilarcircumstanceswhosucceededinspiteofthem.Whenyoumovebeyondthewhiningandjustifying,you’llfindthattheanswerisalmostalwaysyes.Somebodysomewherehasusuallyhaditfarworsethanyouandstillsucceeded.Andthemomentyouwantagoalmorethanyouwantanexcuse,youcansucceedaswell.Refusetoappointyourselfavictim.Victimsdon’thavetotakeaction;they’retoobusydwellingoninjusticeandbeingbitter.Remember,youwillalwaysbeabletocomeupwithaneloquentexcuse,butnoexcusehasashelflifeofmorethantwenty-fourhours.

The only thingmore damaging to your success thanmaking an excuse is

makingthesameexcusetwice.Remember,thereisneverenoughroomforbothbutsandbrilliance.Youmustmakethechoice.DoIwantmy“Yeah,but,”ordoIwantmygoal?

FeelersandDoersTheworld canbedivided into twokindsof people: feelers anddoers.Feelerstakeinitiativeonlywhentheyfeellikedoingso.Inotherwords,theyfeeltheirway into action. If something makes sense at the moment, is convenient, isjustified,orisjusteasy,thentheydoit.Iftheydon’tfeellikedoingsomething

thatwilladvancetheirgoals,theywon’tdoit.Ifafeelerfeelslikeexercising,hewill.Ifhedoesn’tfeellikeexercising,hewon’t.Ifafeelerfeelslikedoingherdailydevotions,shewill.Butifshefeelslikesleepingininstead,shewillsleeplate.Ifafeelerfeels likenurturinghismarriagerelationship,hewill.Ifnot,hewon’t.Hisdecision-makingabilityiswiredtohisshort-termemotionalappetite.Heisaprisonerofthedesireforinstantgratification,andhewillsufferthelong-term consequences of this short-term perspective. Feeling-driven thinking, aspopular as it is in our culture today, is shallow thinking. It signals weakcharacter, lack of conviction, and spiritual immaturity. Fortunately, feeling-driventhinkingisjustanunproductivehabitthatcanbechanged.

Doers,ontheotherhand,acttheirwayintofeeling.Afterdeterminingwhatneedstobedonebasedontheirgoals,doerstakeaction.Theyjustdoit.Iftheydon’t feel like taking action, they consider that emotion a distraction and takeactioninspiteofit.Theyrefusetolettheircravingforshort-termcomfortdivertthemfromtheirlong-termgoalandtheblessingsthatgoalongwithit.

Highachieversaremotivatedbypleasurableoutcomes.Underachieversaremotivatedbypleasurablemethods.

You become a doer by making a deliberate decision to do so. You

become a feeler by default, by neglecting to consider this aspect of yourcharacteratall.Intheabsenceofadecisiontodootherwise,weareallpronetogiving in to the worst side of human nature. We are all likely to engage inactionsthatproduceonlyimmediatepayback.

The alternative to a life restricted by our feelings is an unlimited lifecharacterized by deliberate and decisive action. The antidote to a safe life ofcomfort andmediocrity is a bold life of character and courage.You can trainyourselftolivealifeofactionbyshiftingyourthinkingfromshort-termtolong-term.Thismeansyoumustconsiderthelong-termramificationsofeveryactionyoutake.Ask,“Ifthisactweretoturnintoahabitforme,wouldthatbeinmybestlong-terminterests?”Iftheanswerisno,thendon’tdoit.Whenfacedwithan important decision, ask yourself, “In light ofwhere I’ve been,where I amtoday,andwhoIintendtobecomeinthefuture,whatisthewisethingtodointhis situation?” Even simpler, you could ask, “What’s my goal, and will thisclearlymoveme in the direction ofmy goal?”Or, “Howmight this decision

affect me twenty years from now?” Another question is, “How might thisdecision affect me one thousand years from now?” That one should get youthinking!Remember,feelingscomeandgo,butconsequenceslastforever.

The quality of our decisions is determined first and foremost by ourperspective, or frame of reference. If our time horizon is long, then we willlikely reap the effects of wise choices. If our horizon is short, then we willinevitably suffer the negative consequences that correspond with short-termthinking.

AbundanceorSurvival?Youcanwalk up to the oceanof abundancewith a thimble or a tanker truck.Unfortunately,mostpeoplechoose the thimble,neverknowing that there isanalternative. Remind yourself that God is the infinite source and ultimateproviderofallgoodthings.OurheavenlyFatherhaspouredan inexhaustiblesupplyofabundanceontothisearth,readyforustomultiplyitevenfurtherifwearewilling to take the initiative.Mostpeopledonotseize the initiativesimplybecause theyhave learned to think in termsof survival rather than in termsofplenty.Thisattitudeisoftenreferredtoasascarcitymentalityandisinherentlypessimistic.Peoplewithascarcitymind-setareexcessivelyawareofwhattheydonotwantinlifeandhesitantaboutwhattheydowant.Theyhavelongmentallistsofwhythingscan’tbedoneandwhyitisofnousetoeventry.“Whysetagoalwhenyoucannotpossiblyachieveit?”isatypicalresponseofthesedeficitthinkers.A scarcity or povertymentality sends one into survivalmode,wherejustgettingbybecomesthegoaland,consequently,theceiling.Ofcourse,thosesufferingfromthisstagnantoutlookareseldomawareofit.

An abundance consciousness, on the other hand, is anchored in faith,possibilities, andhuge thinking. In this state,we concentrate onhowandwhythingscanbedone.Anabundancethinkerdwellsontheopportunitiesthatexistnow as well as those that should exist. An abundance mentality precedes allextraordinaryaccomplishment,andit isyourbirthright.Getawayfromwhatisrealisticandconsidertheseeminglyimpossiblepossibilities.Stopaskingwhatagood goal would be and start asking God what your most magnificent goalshouldandcouldbe.

TheBillofResponsibilitiesI.Youhavetheresponsibilitytoaskonlyforopportunity.II.Youhavetheresponsibilitytoseekandfindyourtrueplaceinlife.III.Youhavetheresponsibilitytowritedowncompellinggoalsforyour

life.IV.Youhavetheresponsibilitytoinvestyourminutesandhourswisely.V.Youhavetheresponsibilitytovisualizetheattainmentofyourgoalsin

rich,vividdetail.VI.Youhavetheresponsibilitytotalkyourselfintosuccess.VII.Youhavetheresponsibilitytochooseahigh-energylifestyle.VIII.Youhavetheresponsibilitytodevelopeveryareaofyourlifetoits

maximum.IX.Youhavetheresponsibilitytoprovidemorevalueandcontributionif

youdesiremorerewards.X.Youhavetheresponsibilitytopersistuntilyousucceed.

Nomatterhowprosperousyourmind-setis,itcanbeevenmoreprosperous.

Remember, your success blesses others. As you increase the quality andquantity of your service to others, your rewards increase as a naturalconsequence.Asyoubecomemoreabundantinyourthinking,youbecomelikeaformerlycolor-blindchildinafabulousgarden,suddenlyabletoseetherichimages thathavebeen thereall along.Youcan tune in to scarcity,oryoucantuneintoabundance.Again,itisyourchoice.Whenyoutakeresponsibilityforyour actions, accept that life isn’t fair, get rid of excuses, becomeadoer, anddevelop an abundance mentality, you will break down many of the barrierskeepingyoufromtruesuccess.YouwillbewellonthewaytomaximizingthepotentialthatGodhasgivenyou.

Lesson1QuestionsforReflection

Whatdoessuccessmeantoyou?Areyousuccessfulnow?Doyoufeelsuccessful?Howdoyoudefinetruesuccess?

Whatismediocrity?Whatexamplesofithaveyouwitnessedrecently?Howdoyoupreventmediocrityfromattackingyou,yourfamily,oryourbusiness?

Whatmessagesaboutsuccessarepromotedinourculturethroughthemedia,politicalleaders,churches,schoolcurricula,andsoforth,andhowdotheyshapeyourthinking?

Whoinyourlifewouldmostbenefitifyouraisedyourstandardsanddemanded

farmorefromyourself?

Describeyourlifeandpassionstenyearsago.Whatwasyourfocus?Whatwereyourchallenges?Whatwereyourhopesanddreams?

*Whomcanyou influencewith the ideas fromthis lesson in thenext forty-eighthours?

Lesson1Assignments

1|Writeoutyourpersonaldefinitionsofsuccessandmediocrity.2|Drawalinedownthecenterofapieceofpaper.Ontheleft-handside,

writedowneverythinginyourlifethatyoucancontrol,eitherpartiallyorcompletely.Labelthiscolumn“GodandMe.”Intheright-handcolumn,writedownthoseaspectsofyourlifeoverwhichyouhaveabsolutelynocontrol.Youcanlabelthiscolumn“LetGod.”

3|Writeouttenofyourstrengthsorpositivetraits.4|Writeouttenofyourpastaccomplishments,bigorsmall.5|Writeouttenofyourgreatestblessingstodate.6|Writeouttenblessingsyouexpecttobegratefulfornineyearsfrom

now.7|Describeyouridealdaynineyearsinthefuture.Beginwiththe

momentyouwakeupandfollowthroughuntilyoudriftofftosleep,andincludeasmanyemotion-provokingdetailsaspossible.

Lesson2ChooseWhoYouWanttoBecome

Ifyouwantyourpurposeinlifetobecomeamagnificentobsession,youmustdevelopandconstantlyreviewyour

personalmissionstatement.

Inthislesson,youwilllearnto•Recognizeyourtrueidentity•Choosewhoyouwanttobecome•Cultivatethepassionofpersonalmission•Livemorehonestly,freely,andintuitively•Craftaninspiringpersonalmissionstatement•Alignyourgoalswithyourpurpose

Now that you have a working definition of success and understand that Godwantsyoutosucceed,Iwantyoutogetonfireabouttheprospectofmaximizingyourpotential.Getpassionate!YouwerecreatedintheimageandlikenessofGodtodowise,wonderful,andgrandthingswiththelimitedtimeyouhavehereonearth.Sowhynotdaretodomagnificentthingswith,through,andforGod?Afterall,howdoesthinkingsmallservetheworld?Accepttheburdenandblessing of success.Do you really believe that all the vast plans ofGod havealreadybeenaccomplished?Havethegreatestlivesalreadybeenlived?Havethegreatest marriages already happened? Have the best books and songs alreadybeen written? Have the best inventions already been created? Have the bestsermons already been delivered? Are the greatest high-tech breakthroughsbehindus?Havetheultimatemedicaladvancesalreadyoccurred?Havethemostcreativebusinessesalreadybeenlaunched?Thebestofeverythingmay,infact,beyettocome.Todayortomorrowmayverywellbethemostelectrifyingdayofhistory.

Inthislesson,Iamgoingtochallengeyoutoconsiderandclarifyyourlife’spurpose.WewillalsodiscussuncoveringwhatIcallyourGeniusandtheroleitplays in helping you understand your purpose. Even more important, your

Geniushelpsyou liveeachdaywithagreatersenseofmission,withagreatersense of enthusiasm, and with a real hunger to make a significant, positivedifferencewithyourlife.

WhoAreYouNow?Youare abeautiful,wonderful childofGod!This is the truth,whetherornotyou know it or believe it. Pause for a moment andmarvel at what this mustmean.Think about yourself as a childofGod, oneof the family, a kidof theKing.You are an originalmasterpiece.YourDNAproves it. There has neverbeenanyonejustlikeyou,andthereneverwillbeanyonejustlikeyou.Godhasnotmade anyone else out of better clay than he hasmade you. It’s critical torememberyourtrueidentity.WhenyouperceiveyourselfasachildofGod,youwill not see restrictions on the amount of impact you can have in thisworld.Howyou seeyourselfon the inside sets theceiling forwhatGodcandowithyou on the outside. Your life here on earth is your special, unrepeatableopportunitytomagnifythegreatnessGodhasplacedwithinyou.

WhoAreYouBecoming?Beforeyouchooseyourgoals,itiswisetofirstchoosewhoyouwanttobecome.ThismeansdecidinginadvancehowyoubelieveGodwantsyoutochange.Ashumanbeings,weneedasenseofpurposeinourlivesasmuchasweneedfood,water,andoxygen.Thissenseofpurposeprovidesmeaningandsignificance.Itmakesusfeelusefulandisaconstantreminderthatourlifematters.Whenyouhave a deep sense of purpose or mission, you live from the inside out. Thismeanswhoyouaretriggerswhatyoudo.Yourouterlifeaccuratelyreflectsyourvalues, priorities, and principles. You begin living more authentically, morefreely,andmoreintuitively.Whenyoutapintothewellspringofyourpersonalmission, you become more creative, energetic, and passionate. You becometotallyabsorbed in thepursuitofyourgoals, likeachildatplay,becauseyourgoalsareinsyncwithwhatyouareallabout.

Todaywilltakeitsplaceasasingletileinthemosaicofourfinishedlives—toeitheraddtoitsbeautyandharmonyordetractfromitinanundedicated,purposelesslife.

—EarlNightingale

Withoutadeepsenseofpurpose,lifeisdevoidoftruesignificanceorlong-

term meaning. This type of existence is characterized by going through themotions,cynicism,pessimism,apathy,andultimatelya lifeofmediocrity. It islivingperpetuallyinsurvivalmode.It’salifethatconstantlyneedstobefilledupwiththingsfromtheoutside—busyness,distractions,andcontinuousactivity.

YouhavenogreaterresponsibilitythantodeterminewhatGodputyouhereon earth to accomplish. Why do you exist? Generally, everyone shares thecommon purposes of learning, growing, and contributing, butwhat about youspecifically?HowdoyoubelieveGodwantstheworldtobedifferentbecauseofyourparticularlife?

YourTruePlaceYoumaynothaveuncoveredityet,butthereisundoubtedlyananswertothatquestion. It is worth searching for, because the answer reveals your purpose.Andinthispurposeyoumustfindyourtrueplace,orwhatweinThe1%Clubcall your Genius.Your true place is your unique path to glorifying God.Whenyouarriveinyour trueplace,youwillknowit.Youwillfeelasenseofdestinyaswhatyoumostlovetodomergeswithwhatyoudobest.Thisiswhereyouwill spendyour life inyourownway,making thedifference that you areuniquelyequippedtomake.Themoreyouexperienceyourtrueplace,themoreyouwill be drawn to it. The tinge of dissatisfaction,which perhaps only youknewexisted,willdisappear.Youwillenjoy invigoratingsurgesofself-worth,astherewillnolongerbeaneedtocompareyourselfwithanyoneelse.Youwillbehealthier,moreprosperous,andfullofjoy.

While each of us hasmany areaswherewe can dowell, there is but oneGenius.Godhadoneparticularthinginmindwhenhemadeyou.

What’sYourDream?Youmightinitiallyrecognizethisoneparticularthingasyourultimatevisionordream. For some, this dream will shake the entire world. For others, it willsoothejustonetinyhome.Ineithercase,theworldwillbeleftabetterplace.

Sooneror later,weareallconfrontedwith thequestionofwhetherweareliving on purpose—whether or notwe are heeding our call and following ourultimatevision.Nomatterhowfaryoumayhavestrayedfromyourtrueplace,youcanalwaysfinditagain.Yourtrueplaceisalwayswaitingforyoubecausenoonebutyoucan fill it.That’sagreat thought!So takecomfort inknowingthat every experience you have ever had, nomatter how seemingly unrelated,canbeusedtoyouradvantageinyourtrueplacewhenyoufinallyfindit.Andyouwillfindit...ifyouwillwholeheartedlylookforit.

Dowhatyoulove,andyou’llstopbeingyourownworstenemy.

Are you now serving God by becoming each day a little more like the

person he wants you to become? Your purpose is not something to achieve;rather, it issomething tobesatisfiedandquenched.Sowhoareyoubecominghere on earth? Throughout your life, you will be changing constantly andbecoming someone new, either slightly or extensively different from thepreviousversionofyourself.Witheachchange,youwilleithermovecloser toyourtrueplaceormovefurtheraway.

For most people, change just happens. Change is considered an externalevent thatoccurs randomlyandhaphazardly.Mostpeopleallow themselves tobemolded and thrown off course by their circumstances. But as JamesAllenwrites inhisbookAsaManThinketh,“Circumstancedoesnotmakeaman, itrevealshim.”8Thisisacriticalprincipleofhumannature.

OurPrivateThoughtsOur circumstances are just a reflection of what is going on inside our secretworld of thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. What we think about most willultimatelyberevealedforeveryonetosee.Inotherwords,ourprivatethoughtsdon’tstayprivateforvery long.Humanbeingsarereally“humanbecomings.”Aswebegintorenewourthinking,ourworldchangeswithus.Aswebecomebetter, our livesbecomebetter.Theprerequisite for changingcircumstances isthatyoumustfirstchangeyourself.Tohaveitanyotherwayislikepretendingthe tail can wag the dog. Living on purpose requires deliberately deciding inadvance how you are going to growmore like the person God wants you tobecome.Thisdecisionrequiresthatyougetintouchwithyourcoredesires.Itisthese high-intensity desires, sometimes called theDNAof success, that revealwhat roleGodmadeyou to fill.Later in this lesson, I’ll sharesomeclues thatwillhelpyouidentifyyourGenius.

IbelievethatGod’swillforyouissomethingwonderfulandglorious—farbetterthananythingyoucouldeverdesignforyourself.Sodon’tconformtotheaveragelife.Fightoffthispullofmediocrityandstandout!Beunconventional.Beanoriginal.Refusetoletyourselfbeacommoncopy.Acceptthatyouhavebeencustom-madebyGodtoserveanexclusivefunctioninthisworld,evenif

thatroleandaplantofulfillitarenotyetcleartoyou.Thisisyourtrueplace—andit’suptoyoutofindit.Therearenoextrahumanbeings.Godhasaplanandaplaceforeveryone,andthatincludesyou.

IsEveryoneDoingIt?So ifGod’swill is socompelling,why isn’teveryonedoing it?Afterworkingwith thousandsofambitiousclientsover the lastsixteenyearsandundertakingan enormous amount of personal research, I’ve developed some strongconclusionsabouthowourtalents,ourmission,andGod’swillareintertwined:•Godhasaparticularobjectiveforyourlife.I’vetouchedabitonthisalready.•Thisobjective(orpurposeforyourlife)coincideswithyourgiftsandtalents

andahostofotherheavenlyfactors.•Yourareasofinterest—theactivitiesandpursuitsthatyoufindmostenjoyable

andattractive—arethebestindicatorsofstrongtalentandgiftedness.

When you engage in activities that demand your special talent, your brainreleaseschemicalsthattriggersatisfactionasanincentiveforyoutocontinueinthis area. It is a positive reinforcement mechanism that is all part of God’sperfect design. These talents then get converted into strengths and eventuallyintoGeniusifwesustainthecourselongenough.

Our unique conglomeration of character, talents, life experiences, andpersonality merge and spark a dream within each of us. The more often weengageinourstrengths,themorecrystallizedourultimatevisionbecomes.

WiththisGod-givendreamimprintedonourminds,webecomeintrinsicallymotivated, needing less and less prodding from the outside. We becomeinwardlydirected,andself-disciplinecomesvirtuallywithouteffort.

Thiswholeprocessiscountercultural.InsteadofcompetingtomaxouttheirGod-given potential,most people in our society compete to keep upwith oneanother.Theyareinthewrongrace.Philosophically,theytendtodesirecomfortmore than character. Strategically, they often find themselves in the wrongcareer. Tactically, they’ve resigned themselves to simply enjoying theirevenings, weekends, and vacations, with no long-term goals. Most peopleunderperform because they were sloppy in choosing the right race forthemselvesinthefirstplace.Withthreekids,asecondhome,andtwentyyearsspentintheircurrentfield,manypeoplefeeltrapped.

The dreamGod plants in your heart, in yourDNA,will not come tofruitionbyaccident.Naturally,thereisaprice.Inanutshell,thepricerequiresthatyousurrendertheconceptsofsafety,security,andcomfortinexchangeforthe higher rewards of living the life God gave you and leaving your

unmistakable mark on the world. You must grant yourself a promotion andescape fromyourpersonal comfort zone ifyouwant tobecome thedifferencemakerthatyouweredesignedtobecome.Jump,andthenetwillappear!

All along the path, you will face resistance—institutional, cultural,relational, financial, andmental. This is simply part of the dream game. Youmustpresson in the faceofall thepressure toconform.Youmust takeactionthatleavesnodoubtyouarecommittedtoyourultimatevision—andyoumustdo thisbeforeyouhave themoney,beforeyouhave the confidence, andevenbefore you have the blessing of those closest to you. You must first commitunconditionally, then the planwill come and the resourceswill emerge.Onlyafteryougiveupallthoughtofretreatwillyoubecomeanunstoppableforce.

PersistentlyaskGodthesethreequestions:WhoamI?WhyamIhere?Wheredoyouwantmetogo?AskGodtorevealhiswillforyouthroughyourdesires.

ExcellenceIsInevitable!Nowlet’smovealittledeeperintotheconceptofGenius,andinparticular,howitappliestoyourwork.YourareaofGeniusisthespecificpointwherewhatyouenjoydoingmostintersectswithwhatyoudobest.Thisiswhereyouarecapableofmakingthegreatestcontributionintheworld.ExcellenceisinevitableonceyoufindthisGenius.

Howdoyou findyourGenius?First,determinewhatyounaturallyenjoy.Askyourselfwhatyou’ddoalldaylongifmoneywerenotafactor.Onlywhenyoureallylovewhatyoudoasmuchasacherishedhobbywillyouhavewhatittakestogeneratetremendousresults.AGeniusissomeonewhobelievesintheideasthatGodsendsandthentakesaction.

WhatisGodwhisperinginyourear?Whatdoyousecretlywanttodowithyour life? Exercise the courage to honestly identify where you have beenuniquely blessed—where you have special talents and abilities. If you don’tknow,prayaboutit.Askyourspouse.Askyourfriends.Butseekitout.Ibelieveyou have the ability to become outstanding in at least one thing if you areselectiveand ifyou throwyourwholeheart intobecoming thebest.Youmustgive up all hope of becoming excellent—and enjoying the abundantopportunities thatcomewith it—ifyoucan’t loseyourselfwithenthusiasmforwhatyoudo.Astheoldsayinggoes,“Dowhatyoulove—lovewhatyoudo.”StartthankingGodit’sMonday!

GeniusIsasGeniusDoesIhavebeenemphasizingtheconceptofGenius,whichistheabilitytofocuson

your unique strength to the exclusion of all else. This is accomplished byidentifying your Genius and then over a period of years eliminating all thoseactivities that interfere with it or oppose it. The concept of Genius is closelyalignedwithtwomajorprinciplesofpeakpersonalperformance:•TheStrengthPrinciple, which is that by focusing on your strengths, you ultimately renderyourweaknesses irrelevant • The 80/20 Principle,which is that 80 percent ofyour results come from only 20 percent of your inputs Let’s examine this bymore closely defining your Genius. We’re not talking about Einstein genius;we’re talkingabout entrepreneurialorperformancegenius.Sometimes I call itForrest Gump genius, meaning it’s a way of acting. To paraphrase Forrest’smother,“GeniusisasGeniusdoes.”YourGeniusisasetofrelatedactivitiesthatcollectivelyproducesuperiorrewardsinthemarketplace.Whetheryou’reastarathlete,apastor,abusinessleader,anFBIagent,anentrepreneur,astay-at-homeparent,orateacher,youhaveamarketplace—agroupofpeopleyouarechargedwithserving.WhenyouoperateinyourGenius,youproduceoutstandingresults.Best of all, these outcomes are generated with a disproportionately small butextremelycalculatedinvestmentoftimeandeffort.

YourGenius iswhere you aremost fully leveraged.You can achieve farmorewithlesstime,effort,andenergy.Inmanyfields, thismeansyouwillbeabletoworklessandearnevenmorebysignificantlyincreasingthedollarvalueofeachhourofyourtime.Forothers,youwillsimplybemuchmoreproductive.ByoperatingwithinyourGenius,youcandolessbutbecomemuchmore.YourGeniusiswhereyou’recapableofmakingthegreatestdifferenceintheworld.

AlmosteveryonehasexperiencedbriefglimpsesofGenius,yetonlyasmallminorityhave capitalizedon their latentpotential and transformed it into theirdaily operating system. Here are seven clues that will help you identify yourGenius.

Passion.YourareaofGeniuswillalwaysbecharacterizedbyenthusiasm,intense interest, and pure fun. This passion will be difficult to turn off, evenwhenyou’reaway fromwork.You’llhaveboundlessenergy;working inyourarea ofGeniuswill energize youphysically,mentally, and emotionally.Whenyou do experience fatigue, it will be accompanied by a powerful sense ofsatisfaction.

RapidandContinuousLearning.InyourareaofGenius,you’llnoticethatlearning new information takes little time.New concepts are easily visualizedandquicklyintegratedintoyourexistingknowledgebase.Justasimportant,thelearningprocessisfun,andnever-endingimprovementcomesnaturally.

StrongMemory. Your area of Genius is characterized by a vivid, clear,almost perfect memory. Facts, figures, dates, names, conversations, and key

pointsrelatedtoyourGeniusactivitiesareeffortlesslyrecalledwhenneeded.Flow. When you’re operating in your Genius, you’ll tend to get totally

immersed inwhatyou’redoing.World-class athletes sometimes refer tobeing“in thezone”when they’re totallyabsorbed in thepresentmomentandable toshutouteverythingelse.

UsingIntuition.InyourGenius,you’llnaturallytapintoandbeinclinedtofollowyourintuitivehunches,andmostimportantly,youwillberight.Expecttoexperience a strong, instinctual knowing that helps you make quick, positivedecisionstomoveyoutowardyourgoal.

Absence of Burnout. By operating in your Genius, you will insulateyourselffromburnout.Sinceyou’llbedoingwhatyoudobestandmostlovetodo,youwillgetmoredoneinlesstimeandbehappier,healthier,andmuchmorebalanced. Burnout is the mental, emotional, and physical consequence ofoverwork inanareaofweaknessornon-Genius.Burnout is thebreaking-pointresultofaccumulatedresistancetonon-Geniusactivity.

Yearning.Whenyouexperienceadeepdesirethatjustwon’tgoaway,it’sastrongsignthatyoumaybeapproachingyourGenius.Severalsummersago,oneofmysonskeptholdingaballunderneaththewaterinthehottub.Whenhereleased it, itwould shoot like a rocket to the surface and up into the air.Heseemed togetakickoutof thisprocess,especiallywhen theball smackedhisdadintheface.Nomatterhowdeepheheldtheballorhowoftenherepeatedthis exercise, the ball still shot up to the surface. And this is exactly how ayearningworks.Nomatterhowoftenorhowdeeplyyou try tobury it, itwillkeep emerging until you do something about it.YourGenius is longing to bereleasedonceandforall.

The“Wing-It”Factor.Haveyoueverattemptedsomething,completed itwithverylittleeffortorpreparation,andthenreceivedtremendousfeedbackandpraise?Thismeansyou“winged it” andgot awaywith it.This canbeagreatcluetoyourGenius.Ifyouhavethetalenttowingitandgetgreatresults,howwellcouldyoudowithalittlemorepreparation?Howwellcouldyoudowithalot more practice? One of the biggest performance mistakes people make iscontinuingtowingitbecausetheycan,ratherthaninvestingtheeffortandtimetomakeittothetoponepercent.Wheredoyoustillwingit?It’sworththinkingabout.

YourPersonalMissionStatementIn thisnextsegment, Iwant tocoachyouthroughtheprocessofcreatingyourpersonalmissionstatement.IwillsharewithyouanexerciseIassigntomy1%

Clubclientsastheydeveloptheirpersonalmissions,andIwillgiveyouasimplerecipethatwillhelpyougeneratethefirstdraft.

A personal mission statement is a written articulation of your God-givenpotential—as God sees it. It expresses your unique purpose for living. Yourpersonal mission statement encourages you to change in a deliberate,preconceiveddirection.Theprocessofconstructingthestatementforcesyoutothink seriously about the vital areas of your life and to clarify your long-termdirection. Creating a personal mission statement requires reflection,introspection, and considerable mental effort. For this reason, it is not anexercisethatisappealingtoeveryone.

APowerfulExerciseAmissionstatementisawritten,present-tensearticulationofexactlywhattypeof person you believe God wants you to become.More importantly, it stateswhatyouarewillingtododifferentlyinthepresenttobecomethatpersoninthefuture.Agoodmissionstatementclarifieswhatisallowableinyourlife.Ithelpsyousay“yes”totherightthingsand“noway”tothewrongthings.Itremindsyouofwhatistrueandfalse.Itisabridgefromintentiontoaction,anoutwardsign that you have accepted complete responsibility for your life. Here’s asample to get your creative juices flowing:

MyMission

MymissionistosetanexcellentexamplebymassivelycontributingandservingotherswhileIamcontinuouslylearning,growing,andimprovingmyself,alltothegloryofGod.IamachildofGod.IobeyGod’scommandmentsandreapthenaturalbenefits.IconfidentlyclaimthegloriousandwonderfulpromisesthatmyheavenlyFatherhasmadetome.IamgratefultoGodforeachnewdayandtheopportunitytobeginanew...

Iexperienceandenjoyperfecthealth!Developingmyfullpotentialandlivingconsistentlywithmyvaluesisnotpossiblewithoutbeinginexcellentphysicalcondition.Mydietisfilledwithlife-enhancingfoods.Iexerciseaerobically,takethenecessarytimetorelax,sleep,andpracticedeepbreathing.Ihavetrainedmymindtofocusonmygoalsand...

Iamaloving,loyal,andfunmarriagepartner.Itakesufficientandmeaningfultimewithmyspouse,helpingandencouraginghimorherintheareasofspiritual,mental,social,professional,andfinancial

growth...Iamaloving,wise,andfunparent.Idevelopstrongfamilyunity.I

takeallthetrainingandeducationinchildrearingIcangetsothatIamalwaysimprovingasaparent.Iunderstandthatmyactionsandhabitsasaparentspeakmuchlouderthanmywords...

Iamamasterofmyprofession.Ilookforandfindopportunities,alwaysmakingthingshappen.Myclientstrustme,appreciateme,andseekmycounselwithouthesitation.Iplanmytimewiselyeachyear,eachquarter,eachweek,andeverymorning—andthenIworkmyplan.Ilovemycareer,anditsrichrewardsareablessingtomyfamily...

Iamasuper-learningmachine!Iamcommittedtoconstantpersonalandprofessionaldevelopment.Ilearnfromthosewhohavegonebeforemeand...

Iamasuper-learningmachine!Iamcommittedtoconstantpersonalandprofessionaldevelopment.Ilearnfromthosewhohavegonebeforemeand...

Tostudysomeadditionalsamplemissionstatements,pleasevisitwww.1percentclub.com/missionstatements.

When you have completed yourmission statement, youwill have a clear

pictureofthepersonyouhopetobecome,whichdramaticallyincreasestheoddsthat youwill actually become that person.Yourmission statementwill be theunifying element aroundwhich you organize the rest of your life.And if youwant your mission in life to become a magnificent obsession, you have toconstantlyremindyourselfofthatmission.Ifyoureviewyourmissionstatementregularly,itwillholdyouaccountabletochangingandimprovinginadeliberate,preconceiveddirection.AsyoutraveldownthepathofdiscoveringyourGeniusand finding your life’s purpose, always remember that your success blessesothers!

Lesson2QuestionsforReflection

Ifmoneywerenotaconsideration—ifyouweretakencareoffinanciallyandcoulduseyourdaysanywayyouwantedto—howwouldyouspendmostofyourtime?

Whatisthemostimportantpieceofcareeradviceyouwouldpassontoyourchild?

Inwhataspectsofyourlifedootherpeopletendtobemostimpressedwithyourperformance?

Whatwerefourspecificactivitiesyouloveddoingwhenyouweretenyearsold?

Whatrecurringactivitiescauseyoutofeeldistractedor“offpurpose”?

*Whomcanyou influencewith the ideas fromthis lesson in thenext forty-eighthours?

ThePersonalMissionStatementWorksheet1.Whatthreequalitieswouldyoumostliketohaveassociatedwithyour

reputation?2.Whatthreeactivitiesdoyoufindmostenjoyable?3.Whatthreeactivitiesaremostimportanttoyou?4.Whatthreethingswouldyouliketochangeaboutlifeifyouhadno

restrictionsorlimitations?5.Whatsixthingsdoyouwantinlifemorethananythingelse?Be

limitlessinyourthinking.6.Whoarethepeopleyouadmiremostandwhy?7.Ofallthepeopleyouadmiremost,whatonequalitydotheyallhavein

common?8.Whatwouldyoubewillingtodieforifyouhadto?9.Whydoyougotoworkinthemorning?10.Whatareyourfourmostimportantrolesinlife(friend,salesperson,

entrepreneur,student,uncle,husband,mother,etc.)?11.Whatqualitieswouldyouliketobeknownforineachoftheseroles?

(Forexamples,seepages48-49.)12.Whatevidencewouldproveyouhavethosequalities?13.Whichthreemetaphorsaccuratelydescribeyouroutlookonlife?

Why?•Lifeisagame.•Lifeisabowlofcherries.

•Lifeisthepits.•Lifeisatest.•Lifeisacompetition.•Lifeisagift.•Lifeisadance.•Lifeislikeamovie.•Lifeisacycleofseasons.•Lifeisastruggle.•Lifeislikeaschool.•Lifeisachallenge.•Lifeisasprint.•Lifeisamarathon.•Lifeisagamble.14.Whatwouldyouliketoseewrittenonyourtombstone?15.Ifyoucoulewriteyourowneulogy,whatwouldyouwantittosay?

ThePersonalMissionStatementOutline

1.Statementofpurpose(onesentence,intwenty-fivewordsorless):Mymissionisto...

OnyourPersonalMissionStatementWorksheet,youidentifiedfourroles(seequestions10-12).Answerthefollowingquestionsforeachrole:

2.RoleA

a.Qualities/Description(1-2sentences)Iam...b.Evidence,Actions,Responsibilities(1-2sentences)I...

3.RoleB

a.Qualities/Description(1-2sentences)

b.Evidence,Actions,Responsibilities(1-2sentences)

4.RoleC

a.Qualities/Description(1-2sentences)b.Evidence,Actions,Responsibilities(1-2sentences)

5.RoleD

a.Qualities/Description(1-2sentences)b.Evidence,Actions,Responsibilities(1-2sentences)

6.SummaryandConclusion(3-5sentences)Mypersonalphilosophyoflifeandsuccess(seelesson1)

Lesson2Assignment

Usingtheoutlineprovided,composethefirstdraftofyourpersonalmissionstatement.Makesureitiswritteninpresenttenseasifitweretruetoday.

IdealQualities•accepting•dynamic•exceptional•confident•daring•intuitive•motivated•gentle•humble•quick•responsive•patient•precise•unique•charismatic•sincere•predictable•assertive•exemplary•understanding•achieving•efficient•neat•congenial•decisive•kind•responsible•genuine•humorous•rational•charming•passionate•smart•expressive

•skillful•thoughtful•attentive•openminded•conscientious•active•empathetic•reflective•goaldirected•dedicated•peaceful•cheerful•knowledgeable•imaginative•realistic•fairminded•resultsoriented•productive•considerate•optimistic•unpretentious•tolerant•attractive•sociable•goodnatured•adept•encouraging•stimulating•perceptive•dependable•logical•clean•spirituallysound•independent•receptive•focused•consistent•professional•unstoppable

•objective•graceful•trusting•authoritative•romantic•persistent•adventurous•energetic•strong•spontaneous•determined•likable•coachable•cooperative•insightful•reassuring•forgiving•happy•proficient•vibrant•organized•personable•trustworthy•beautiful•self-aware•sexy•affectionate•enterprising•sympathetic•courageous•direct•loving•committed•helpful•intelligent•reliable•friendly

•persuasive•prominent•vigorous•orderly•supportive•truthful•bold•self-confident•creative•agreeable•entertaining•talented•honest•disciplined•loyal•poised•compassionate•innovative•remarkable•fun•prudent•warm•original•unbeatable•brave•sensitive•ambitious•enthusiastic•teachable•distinctive•masterful•competent•introspective•resourceful•funloving•punctual•wise•outgoing

•unbreakable•caring•serious•articulate•steady

Lesson3ChoosetoWriteDownCompellingGoals

Theveryactofwritingdownandsettingmagnificentgoalsunlocksyourcreativepowers,andtheactofwriting

yourgoalsiscompletelyunderyourcontrol.

Inthislesson,youwilllearnto•Motivateyourselftostickwithgoalsetting•Understandthatrealgoalsarewrittengoals•Learnasimplegoal-settingprocess•Developclarityaboutyourfuture•Beabletosharegoalswithsomeoneyoulove•Manageyourgoalseffectively

Do you consider yourself an avid gambler? Most likely you do not, or youprobablywouldn’tbereadingabooktitledSuccessIsNotanAccident.Butifatthismoment you don’t have specificmeasurable goals written down for eacharea of your life, and a plan for their accomplishment, then the odds are thatsuccessforyouwillbeanaccident.Causeandeffectinyourlifewillbeunclear.Your futurewillbeunpredictable, andyourcapacity tohavean impacton theworldwithyourunique talentsandgiftswillbeseverelydiminished.Youwillpassively accept a life by default rather than assertively choosing a life bydesign.Thisapproachisnotforyou.

IntentionalLivingAspeoplehavesharedtheirsuccessstorieswithme,I’vefoundthateverystoryhas one thing in common: a goal. One of my favorite stories belongs toUniversityofGeorgiabaseballcoachDavidPerno,probablybecauseithastodowith twoofmy favorite things: baseball andcoaching.On July21, 2001, twoweeksafterhisthirty-fourthbirthday,Davidbecametheyoungestheadbaseballcoach in theSoutheastConference.9But that’snot themost impressivepartofthestory.

ChangingFieldsOddlyenough,whenyoutalktoDavidabouthisearlygoals,hedoesn’tmentionbaseball. Instead, he recalls his days playing football at Clarke Central HighSchoolinAthens,Georgia.ItwasDavid’sfootballcoach,BillyHenderson,whointroducedhimtogoalsetting.Hendersonnotonlytaughttheboysonhisteamabout winning—David’s teamwon the state championship—he also talked tothemabouttheimportanceofhavingavision,dreamingbig,andsettinggoals.

OneofthefirstgoalsDavidsetforhimselfwastoplayDivisionIfootballorbaseball in college. It turnedout that hewould reachhis goal by receiving anathleticscholarshiptotheUniversityofGeorgia,whereasafreshmanhewouldplay left field for the school’s baseball team.And in 1990,Davidwould be amemberoftheteamwhentheywonthenationalchampionship.

ATurnofEventsDue to an injury inhis first season,David couldno longerplay at hishighestlevel.Surgeryhadslowedhimdown.Soafter thechampionship,David turnedhissightstocoaching.

During his senior year of college, David started writing down short-termgoals. Two years later, as an assistant coach at Marshall University in WestVirginia,Davidbeganfocusingonwhathewantedlong-term.

“Iknewwhat Iwanted todobecause I’dhad the tasteof it. Iknew that Iwantedtocoachbaseball,butIalsoknewIdidn’twanttostayinWestVirginiatoolong.IwantedtoreturntotheSouth. . . .Ihadtofigurethisthingoutandplotmyplan.AndIlaiditoutonpaperandputitinmywallet.”10

ReachingtheGoalGettingmarried, having a child, and becoming the head baseball coach at theUniversityofGeorgiabyagethirty-five—thesewerethethreegoalsonDavid’slist.“IknewthefirstthingIhadtodowasmovebacktoGeorgia,whetheritwascoaching high school, college, junior college, wherever. I had to get back inGeorgia,makesomecontacts,anddoagreatjob.”11

DavidbecameanassistantcoachtoRobertSappatMiddleGeorgiaJuniorCollege.OneyearlaterhemovedtotheUniversityofGeorgiawhenSappwasoffered the jobofheadcoach there.Davidstayedat theUniversityofGeorgiaevenafterSappwasreplacedbyRonPolk,thewinningestcoachinSoutheasternConferencehistory.12UnderthedirectionofPolkandDavid,theGeorgiateamwon the Southeastern Conference in 2001 and played in the College WorldSeries.

Attheendofthe2001season,PolkreturnedtoMississippiState,wherehe

hadcoachedfrom1976to1997.13ThiswastheopportunityDavidhadworkedfor.HehadmarriedMelaneyChastainin1997,andtheirdaughterwasbornin1999,sowithonlyonegoalleftonhisoriginallist,Davidthrewawaythepieceofpaperhehadcarriedinhiswalletforsevenyears.Itwastimetowritedownsomenewgoals.

“Isetthisgoal,andIhadlookedatthisgoalformanyyears.Ievaluatedit,andthirty-fivewasthecutoff.Iwasreadytowalkaway.Isaid,‘Youknow,it’sgoingtoworkeitherway.IfIdon’tgetitnow,thenhey,Icameupshort.I’vegot tomake somenewgoals and find away tomake themhappen. If it doeshappen,youknowitwasmeanttobe.’”14

Davidgot thejobasheadcoachat theUniversityofGeorgia.Buthedoeshavesomenewgoals.“NowI’mtryingtogetalittlebitofbalance,andIhavespiritual, family, and health goals in addition tomy career goals.And I thinkwritingthemdownisthedrivingforce.That’swhatgetsmeupeverymorningbecausethere’ssomuchtobedone,somuchtoaccomplish.Andthere’snothingbetterthancheckingoffeverythingyou’vedoneattheendoftheday.”15

Bywriting down his goals, David set the course for his success. And hecontinues towrite out newgoals because he understands that success is not aonetime shot. After five seasons as head baseball coach of the University ofGeorgia,DavidhasledtheBulldogstotheCollegeWorldSeriestwice,attaineda record of 183 wins and 126 losses, and has been honored as BaseballAmerica’sCoachoftheYear.

Whatwillyourcourselooklike?Willyougetreadyforextremesuccessorjusthopetoavoidfailure?

This lessonwill reinforceyourneed tosetcompellinggoals, showingyouhow written goals and your mind are partners in your success. You will bemotivated to dowhat is necessary to become the type of person youwant tobecome. I’ll explainwhymostAmericans still don’t set goals and showwhatyou cando to avoid slipping into this trapofmediocrity.Understanding theseconceptswillprevent frustrationandunnecessary trialanderror.Next I’llgiveyou the eight characteristics of effectivegoals andhelpyou apply them to setyourself freefromthe limitations thatholdyouback.Then thefoundationwillbeset,andyou’llbereadytobeginyourgoal-settingworkshop,whereI’llguideyou step-by-step through the actual goal-setting process. Once you learn thisprocess, you’ll be able to adjust it, customize it, andmold it so that you canapplyittoachieveeverygoalyoudesire.Finally,I’llintroduceyoutoasimplesystemformanagingyourlong-andshort-rangegoals.

Remember,goal setting is themaster skill of all lifelong success,yet it ispracticed by less than 3 percent of the population.Only about one percent of

peoplearefullygoaldirected,meaningthattheyhavecommittedtodoingonlythosethingsthathelpthemaccomplishapredeterminedgoal.Fortunately,goalsetting and becoming goal directed are skills just like driving a car, skiing,cooking, operating a computer, and selling. And like those skills, there is nolimit to how good you can become if you are willing to practice and arecommittedtobecominganexpert.

When you become goal directed, this expertise spills over into all othercompartments of your life, drawing out your full potential in each area. Goalsettingisacriticalskill.Eventhosewhoaregenuinelyproficientatsettinggoalscan dramatically increase their productivity by upgrading, refining, andperfectingtheirgoal-achievingskills.Tostaysharpatanyskill,youmustkeepanopenmindtonewwaysofdoingthings.Youmustnotbecomecomplacent.Keepinmindthat there isnothingmoredangerous toyourfuturesuccess thanassumingthatyou’regoodatacriticalskillwhenyourknowledgeisrudimentaryatbest.Youmustnotthinkgood;youmustthinkbetter.Ifthissoundslikeyourattitude, and you are serious about achieving greater personal and financialsuccess, then the ideas in this lesson can help you progress further and fasterthanperhapsyoueverthoughtpossible.

Investingthetimeandbrainpowertosetmeaningfulgoalsineachareaof your life will produce internal, permanent motivation. You’ll becomeinnerdirected rather thanouterdirectedorotherdirected.Youwillexperienceaninvigoratingsenseofcontroloveryourlife.You’llbedriventobecomemorecompetentwitheachpassingday.Distractionswillnolongerbeachallengeforyoubecauseyourcourseisset.

Planning and reviewing your goals will provide you with an intense,laserlikefocus.Youwillconcentrateonthevitalfewinsteadofthetrivialmany.Ateveryminuteofeveryday,youwillknowexactlywhereyouneedtobeandwhat you need to be doing. This enhanced effectiveness will excite you andgeneratetheenthusiasmnecessarytobecomeapeakperformer.

Youwillnoticeyourselfgettingupearlierandstayingup later,andyou’llstillhaveboundlessenergy.Asyouconcentratemoreandmoreonyourgoals,you’llthinklessandlessaboutyourproblemsandworries.Yourenergieswillbedirected towardworthwhile tasks, andyou’ll refuse to participate in senseless,escapist activities that only deplete your energy, distract you fromyour goals,anddelayyouraccomplishments.Goalsprovideyouwithclarityofoutcome,which is the prerequisite for becoming an outstanding decision maker.Whenyou know specificallywhere you are going, it’s rather simple to assessopportunities and determine which ones are consistent with your objectives.Constantly remind yourself that every opportunity or activity is moving you

eitherclosertotheaccomplishmentofyourgoalsorfurtheraway.Theclockisalwaysticking.Nothingisneutral,andeverysinglethingyoudo—orfailtodo—counts!

While therearemany important ingredients in the recipeofsuccess,goalsaremostimportant.Withoutadoubt,theabilitytosetandachievegoalswilldomoretoimprovethequalityofyourlifethananyothersingleprocessyoucouldeverlearn.Whetherweknowitornot,weallhavegoals.Thechallengeisthatthemajorityofthepopulationhastinygoalswithlittleifanymotivationalvalue.Themassestendtothinksmall.Eventhosewhohavesethighgoalscangetsucha tremendous boost by mastering goal-setting principles that their lives willneveragainbethesame.Mostcould-besuperachieverschoosetowingit.Asaresult,theyfailtodevelopandmultiplythepotentialtheywerebornwith.

Here’stheProof

Atthebeginningofanaddresstoanaudienceof150employeesattheirannualcompanyretreat,Iaskedeveryonetostandup.ThenIaskedeveryonewhodidnothavegoalstositdown.Ahandfulofpeoplesat.Ithenaskedeveryonewhodidnothavewrittengoalstositdown.Unfortunately,butnotsurprisingly,allbutabouttwentypeoplesat.Next,Iaskedthoseremainingtositdownunlesstheyhadwrittengoalsformorethanjusttheircareerorfinanciallife.Thateliminatedanothertwelve,leavingonlyeightof150peoplewhohadwrittengoalstargetingmorethanfinancesorcareer.Iaskedtheremainingeighttositdownunlesstheyhadawrittenplanthataccompaniedtheirgoals.Thatquestionfilteredoutfivemore,leavingthreeof150whohadwrittengoalsandaplaninmorethanjustthefinancialarea.Iaskedtheremainingthree(allseniormanagement,includingthecompanypresident)tositdownunlesstheyreviewedtheirgoalsonadailybasis.Onlyonepersonremainedstanding(avicepresidentofsales).

Onlyonein150hadwrittengoalsinmoreareasthanjustfinancial,hadaplanforaccomplishingthem,andreviewedthegoalsdaily.ThisisconsistentlywhatI’vefoundovertheyearsasI’vesurveyedtheattendeesinmypublicevents.Invariably,lessthan3percenthavewrittengoals,andeventhosewhohavewrittendowntheirgoalshaveoftendonesoonlyregardingfinancesorcareer.

Youmayhaveheardofthe1953studyofYalegraduates.The

subjectswereperiodicallyinterviewedandfollowedbyresearchersformorethantwentyyears.Eventuallythegraduateswereagaininterviewed,tested,andsurveyed.Resultsshowedthat3percentoftheYalegraduatesearnedmoremoneythanalltheother97percentputtogether!Theonlydifferencebetweenthemwasthetop3percenthadwrittengoalsandaplanofactionforthosegoals,whichtheyrevieweddaily.

HarvardUniversitylaterdidastudyofbusiness-schoolgraduatesfromtheclassof1979.Theyfoundthat,otherthanto“enjoythemselves,”84percentoftheclasshadnogoalsatall.Thirteenpercenthadgoalsandplansbuthadnotwrittenthemdown.Only3percentoftheHarvardclasshadwrittengoalsaccompaniedbyaplanofaction.In1989,theclasswasresurveyed.Theresultsshowedthatthe13percentwhoatleasthadmentalgoalswereearningtwiceasmuchasthe84percentwithnogoals.However,the3percentwhohadwrittendowntheirgoalsanddraftedaplanofactionwereearningtentimesasmuchastheother97percentcombined!

Thepointisclear:Havingwrittengoalswillmakeyoumoresuccessful,andhavingwritten,well-plannedgoalsthatyoureviewdailywillmakeyousupersuccessful.

Let’s face it:We’veall slackedoff at somepoint.Wehaveall settled for

lessthanwecouldhavehadoraccomplished.Sonow,thisminute,let’screateaturning point! Together let’s commit to raising our standards. Remember,everythingcounts!

TheImportanceofGoalSettingLearningtosetgoalsandcraftingplansfortheiraccomplishmentwillhavemoreofapositiveimpactonyourlifethananythingelseyoucouldpossiblydo.Asthesayinggoes, “If youdon’t knowwhereyou aregoing, any roadwill takeyouthere.”Goalsserveaspointsonaroadmap,detailinghowtoachievesuccessina logical sequence.While this sounds so obvious, the unfortunate truth is thatmostpeopletakeitforgranted.TheyhaveonlyavagueideaofwherepointAis,andno clue at all about pointB.Most people spendmore timeplanning theirsummervacationsandtheirweddingsthantheydoplanningtheirlivesandtheirmarriages.Mostpeoplemajorinminorthings.Theygetcaughtupinthethingsthatkeepthembusybutcontributeverylittletotheoverallqualityoftheirlives.

Keepinmindthatbiggoalsgeneratelotsofmotivationandenergy,whilesmallgoals produce little motivation. Pursuing your goals should be fun andinteresting,likeacherishedhobby.Inotherwords,youneedtodesigngoalsthatreallyinspireyou—thataresointeresting,motivating,andstimulatingthatyou’llgetupby5a.m.andstayupburningthemidnightoil.

Whatisthemostmagnificentgoalyoucanpursueinthenextthreeyears?

Intelligence, education, hard work, and good connections are useful, but

without goals, you tend to drift like a rudderless ship from project to project,neverharnessingyourfullpotential.Withoutgoals,youcangetbyandevendowellaccordingtosociety’sstandards,butyouwillnevercomeclosetorealizingyouruniquegifts.Withoutgoals,youwilllikelycompareandmeasureyourselfagainstothersratherthanagainstyourownGod-givenpotential.

Manyhavecalledgoal setting themaster skillof successbecause it is theessential ingredientforsuccessful living.Without it,youcannevercomeclosetolivingyourlifetoitsfullest.Withit,youcanlearnandmasteranythingelseyou desire. But you can’t become an expert at setting goals through just oneexposure to a CD or by attending a seminar. Mastery doesn’t come withoutdeliberate, repetitive practice and a constant desire for never-endingadvancementandimprovement.

Theprimarybenefitofmasteringtheskillofgoalsettingisthatyoubegintotakepersonalcontrolofyourlife.TheoverwhelmingmajorityofAmericansare so caught up in the urgent activities of daily living that they seem to besprinting in a dense fog. They are running hard but going nowhere.They’veconfusedactivitywithaccomplishment.

Withoutgoals,onedoesnotlive;onesimplyexists,drifting.Yourlifeandyourfuturewillbedeterminedbywhatcomesalongandattractsyourattention.DenisWaitleywrites, “The reasonmost people don’t reach their goals is thatthey don’t define them, learn about them, or ever seriously consider them asbelievableorachievable.Winnerscantellyouwheretheyaregoing,whattheyplantodoalongtheway,andwhowillbesharingtheadventurewiththem.1617

Those without clearly defined goals are continually tempted by everyfashionable trendsocietyservesup.Mediocrity isbestdefinedas failing toset

biggoalsforyourlifeandneglectingtolivethelifeGodgaveyou.Ifwedon’troutinelysetchallenginggoals,wecanbecomesatisfiedwithsurprisinglylittle.It’seasytodescendgraduallyintocomplacencyandstartacceptinglessthanthebestforyourselfandyourfamily.Mediocritybreedsmediocrity.Ifyoudon’thaveadefinitepurpose,you’ll invariablydrift inwhicheverdirection thewindhappens tobeblowing. Insteadofbeingassertiveandproactivewithyour life,you’ll simply react to theworldaroundyouandbecome,asmostdo, the self-inducedvictimofcircumstances.

Ontheotherhand,withdefinitegoals,youpsychologicallyshieldyourselffrombeing influencedby fads andother popular distractions.Youmaynoticethese crazes and trends and even listen to some of them, but the existence ofyour definite,written goalswill quickly steer you back to your predeterminedpath.

Top10ReasonstoEstablishWrittenGoalsforYourLife

10.Writtengoalsstrengthenyourcharacterbypromotingalong-termperspective.

9.Writtengoalsallowyoutoleadyourlifeasopposedtosimplymanagingit.

8.Writtengoalsprovideinternal,permanent,andconsistentmotivation.7.Writtengoalshelpyoustayfocused—toconcentrateonwhat’smost

important.6.Writtengoalsenhanceyourdecision-makingability.5.Writtengoalssimultaneouslyrequireandbuildself-confidence.4.Writtengoalshelpyoucreatethefutureinadvance.3.Writtengoalshelpyoutocontrolchanges—toadjustyoursails,towork

withthewindratherthanagainstit.2.Writtengoalsheightenyourawarenessofopportunitiesthatare

consistentwithyourgoals.1.Andfinally,themostimportantbenefitofsettingeffectivegoalsisthe

personyoubecomeasaresultofthepursuit!

People who experience long-term, consistent success avoid reaching into

toomanybaskets.Theydeliberatelyconcentrateonasinglepurposethatpermitsthemtobetheirabsolutebest.Withgoals,you’llexperiencedailycontentment

because each day you will move closer to the things most important to you.You’ll be able to chart your progress and be inspired bywhat you’ve alreadydone. As a result, you’ll gain momentum, and your successes will begin tosnowballasyourconfidencegrowsandyourambitionsexpand.Peoplewithoutwrittengoalsdon’thaveasenseofwheretheyare.Likedrivingonanunmarkedhighwayonacloudyday,theydon’tknowifthey’regoingnorth,south,east,orwest.Theyhavefewmechanismsforconstructivefeedbackandaccountability.By contrast, the positive pressure created by setting clearly defined goalsactivates your inborn creativity and allows your unique talents to rise to thesurface.

You were created and blessed with unlimited potential and the ability tomakeyourlifeamasterpiece.Theleastyoucandoissetchallenging,specificgoals that will force you to stretch and increase your contribution to thelivesofothers.

Adoptanextended,long-termperspective.Youexcelinlifetotheextentthatyouapplyalong-termperspectiveinmakingyourmostimportantdecisions.

I hope I’ve sold or resold you on the importance of goals and the impact

theycanhaveonyou,yourfamily,yourcareer,andyourfuture.Iwantyounotonly toknowaboutgoalsbut to livegoals!Youcanfunctionatyourbestasahumanbeingonlywhenyouareactivelypursuingasetofmeaningfulgoals.

PsychologicalBlockstoGoalSettingWith all these benefits, why don’t more people set goals? What are thepsychologicalblocksthattrickmostpeopleintojustwingingitthroughlife?Thenextfewpageswillexplaintheseblocksandshowyouwhymanypeoplefailsothatyoucanbealerttothesetendenciesinyourselfandothers.Iwillexplainthehumancharacteristicsthatleadtounderachievement,frustration,andmediocrityso you can consciously try to counteract them. If your objective is to developandmaximizeyourvirtues,oryoursuccessfulqualities,it’sveryimportantthatyoualsounderstandyourvices,ortheareasthatmayholdyouback.

WhyPeopleDon’tSetGoalsThe number one reason people don’t set goals is that they have not yet

acceptedpersonalresponsibilityfortheirlives.AlbertSchweitzersaid,“Manmust cease attributing his problems to his environment and learn again toexercisehiswill—hispersonalresponsibility.”Thestartingpointofallpersonalsuccess is theacceptanceof100percent responsibility foryour life.Untilyouhaveclaimedtotalandunconditionalresponsibilityforeverythingthathappensinyourlife,you’llneverbeseriousaboutgoalsetting.Irresponsiblepeoplearelikealeafblowinginthewindwithzerohopeofsteeringitselfinameaningfuldirection.“Quéserá,será!Whateverwillbe,willbe.”istheirconstantrefrain.They reason that because some events are out of their control (such as stock-marketfluctuations,theweather,orthedeathoflovedones),allthingsmustbeoutoftheircontrol.Ifthingsareoutoftheircontrol,thenwhyshouldtheyevenbothertryingtocontrolthem?Afterall,it’sawholeloteasiertoputtheblamefor a mediocre life on someone else’s shoulders. Remember this point: AsEmersonputit,“Noonecancheatyououtofultimatesuccessbutyourself.”Wehaveallbeenblessedwithfreedomofchoice,andwewillgonowhereuntilandunless we accept unqualified responsibility for our lives. We covered this inlesson 1. Keep inmind that prizes do not go to thosewho have been treatedfairlybuttothosewhohavematurelyacceptedresponsibility.

Obstaclesaretherawmaterialsofgreataccomplishments.

Another reason people don’t set goals is fear of criticism, which often

developsduringchildhood.Parents, teachers,andotheradultsoftendiscourageusinadvertentlybypointingoutallthereasonswhywecan’tachieveaparticulargoal.Theirintentionsareusuallygood.Theydon’twantustogetourhopesupandthenbedisappointed.Buttheendresultisthatwestopcreatingcompellinggoalsanddreamsforourfuturesbecausewedon’twanttoexperiencethepainofhaving them squashed. Each time an authority figure reacts negatively to achild’sexpresseddesire,thechildbecomesincreasinglymorehesitanttoexpressthose desires or goals. By the timewe become adults, the hesitancy to desiresomethinghasbecomeareluctancetosetgoals,oratleastgoalsthatareoutofthe ordinary. (And those are the most fun!) It is difficult to become goaldirectedinaworldthatiscenteredonlimitations.Ourpeersoftenlaughatuswhen we talk about doing or becoming something they can’t imagine for

themselves.Theymaybelittleyourdesiretostartyourownbusiness,getintoacareer you truly love, become wealthy, or really commit to growing in yourfaith. Since nobody likes to be ridiculed, we learn to shut up and keep ourdreams to ourselves, eventually forgetting what we wanted or even why weembracedthosedreams.Welearntoplayitsafe,togoalong,andtonotrocktheboat. Unfortunately, this attitude of conformity and underachievement istransportedintoadulthood,wherewecontinuetosellourselvesshort.

Athirdreasonwhypeopledonotsetgoals is that theysimplydon’tknowhow.Evenifyouearnanadvanceddegreeinoursociety,you’veprobablyneverhadanyformal instructiononhowtoset,manage,andachievepersonalgoals.VirtuallynoneofmyMBAclientshaveeverhadasinglecourseongoalsetting.This is a serious void because goal setting is themaster subject, the skill thatmakesallothersubjectsusefulandpractical.HerbertSpencerwrites,“Thegreataimofeducationisnotknowledge,butaction.”Atleastitshouldbe.Rememberthattoknowbutnotactistotrulynotknow.Tothinkyouknowsomethingbutnotreallyknowitisaprescriptionforunderachievement.

I’ve invested countless hours researching the concept of goal setting. I’vedevoted most of my adult life to teaching individuals, couples, kids, andorganizationshowtosetgoalseffectively.Evenso,Ilearnsomethingormakeanewdistinctionaboutgoalsnearlyeveryday.That’swhy it stillamazesme tohaveothersclaimtheyknowitallalready.

A fourth reason people don’t set goals is that they don’t realize theimportanceofgoals. Ifyougrewup inahomewheregoalsettingandsuccesswerenot topicsofconversationaround thedinner table, thensimple ignorancemaybeholdingyouback.Ifyournetworkoffriendsandacquaintancesdonothaveclearlywrittengoals,thenitwillbenaturalforyoutoignoreyoursaswell.Becarefulwhoyouspendyourtimewith,foryouwillinevitablystarttothinkandactjustlikethem.

Afifthreasonpeopledon’tsetgoalsiswhatIcallthecurseofearlysuccess.Manyindividualsexperiencesuccessearlyintheirlives,thenbecomesmugandstopgrowingandimproving.Theymaydowellincollege,getaprominentfirstjob,ormaybeevenreceivearapidpromotion.Theirearlysuccessgivesthemafalsesenseofsecurity.Thosewhofallpreytothiscurseareoftenpointedintheright direction but never do anything other than coast. This is a route ofcompromise.Doyouknowpeoplewho aremaking a decent living or earninggoodmoneybutnotdoingawholelotmorewiththeirlives?Whenaskedabouttheir goals, thesepeoplegiveyoua surprised stare and then reply that they’re“ontherighttrack.”“Settle,settle,settle”istheirthemesong.

Asixthreasonpeoplefailtosetgoals—andperhapsthemostcommon—is

fear of failure.Many people are afraid to set goals because they fear that bysettingagoal,theyandotherswillbeabletodeterminewhetherornottheyhavesucceeded.Thisisanespeciallyimportantpointbecausethosewhofearfailureare other-and outer-directed individuals. They are afraid of what others maythink of them, and they are afraid of what they may think of themselves.Winners follow their inner voice rather than the outer voices of the masses.Peoplewhosufferfromthefearoffailureharborthesubconsciousthought,IfIdon’t try, I can’t fail. Of course, this is nonsense—a convenient cop-out.Winnersknowthattheonlytruefailureisfailingtotry.Failingtosetwrittengoalsisthepreciseequivalentofnottrying.

Whenyouchoosetowritedowncompellinggoals,youaresimultaneouslychoosingacompellingfuture.Excitinggoalsforeshadowanexcitingfuture.

Parentsmaypromote fearof failure in theirchildrenbymaking their love

andpraiseconditionalonspecificaccomplishments.Whenachildbelievesthataparent’slovedependsonachievements,heorsheoftenbecomesparalyzedwithfear and unable to set challenging goals. The child findsmore comfort in nottrying than in risking failure. Conversely, the child who experiencesunconditionalloveislikelytobeassertive,ambitious,emotionallyhealthy,andeagertoexpresshimselforherselfthroughavarietyofpursuits.

Keep in mind that fear, while common, is a totally unnatural andunnecessarystateofmind.TheBiblesays,“Godhasnotgivenusaspiritoffear,but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV).Psychologistssaythatnewbornshavetwofears:thefearofloudnoisesandthefearoffalling.Forthemostpart, though,wegrowoutofthesefears.Laterwelearnaseriesofotherfearsthatare,forthemostpart,irrational.Thesefearsareunproductive and inconsistent with the abundant and joy-filled life we werecreatedtoexperience.

Andfinally,aseventhreasonpeopledon’tsetgoalsisfearofsuccess.Thismaysoundstrange,butnonethelessit’sapredominantreasonwhymanypeoplefail to set goals. They are raisedwith the belief that it is somehowwrong orsinfultopursueourdesiresortoexceedaverageperformance.Therefore,manypeople strive to be just like everyone else, sometimes even appearing toapologize for their accomplishments.They fear standingoutorbeingdifferent

foranyreason,evenifitmeanssacrificingtheirsuccess.Wouldn’titmakemoresensetoemulatethepeakperformersratherthantheunderachievers?Don’twehave enough of the average already? The Bible is clear that God lovesexcellence.TheapostlePaulwrites,“Whateveryoudo,workatitwithallyourheart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23, NIV). InEcclesiastes9:10,Solomonwrites,“Whateveryourhandfindstodo,doitwithallyourmight”(NIV).

SevenReasonsPeopleDon’tSetGoals

Theyhavenotyetacceptedpersonalresponsibilityfortheirlives.Theyfearcriticism.Theydon’tknowhow.Theydon’trealizetheimportanceofgoals.Theyexperiencedthecurseofearlysuccess.Theyfearfailure.Theyfearsuccess.

A variation of the fear of success is the fear of failure at the next level.

Somepeopleareafraidthatiftheysucceed,theywillfeelpressuretorepeattheirsuccess.Toavoidhavingtoliveuptothisnewstandard,theyprocrastinateandnevergiveit theirbest,hopingthattheir lackofcompetenceandconfidenceatthecurrentlevelwillremainasecret.Thistypeoffearoftenmanifestsitselfassubconscious, self-sabotaging behavior and is just as common in the businessworldasinpersonalrelationships.

EightRulesforHighlyEffectiveGoalsWhenyoufolloweachof the followingeight rules,youcanexpect todevelopyour full potential and join the top one percent of high achieving men andwomen. Many skeptics and underachievers have haphazardly attempted goalsetting without following these rules and failed as a result—erroneouslyconcludingthatgoalsettingdoesnotwork,atleastnotforthem.Goalsworkforanyonewhoissubject tothelawofgravity—that is,everyone.Toensureyoursuccess,followthesesimpleguidelinesfaithfully,andtheresultswillspeakforthemselves.

1.Highlyeffectivegoalsarewritten!

Puttingthingsinwritingisbyfarthemostimportantstepingoalsetting.Wishesandfantasiesare transformedintogoals throughtheactofwriting themdown.By putting your goals on paper, you make them concrete, tangible, andphysically real. Many studies have shown that people who write down theirgoalsaretentimesmorelikelytoachievethemthanthosewhohaveonlymentalgoals. Similar research shows that people with written goals earn ten to onehundred times more than equally gifted individuals who neglect to put theirgoals in writing.Writing down your goals helps you to crystallize yourthinking and gives you a physical device for focusing your attention. Itstimulates your brain’s reticular activating system, which is the mechanismwithinyourbrainthatcontrolsyourawareness.Whenyouaremoreconsciousofyourgoals,youwillnoticethepeople,resources,information,andopportunitiesthatwillhelpyouachievethem.

Notknowinghowyouaregoingtoaccomplishagoalisneveravalidexcusefornotsettingthegoal.Firstwritethegoaldown.Thenworktofigureouthowtoreachit.

Writtengoalsalsocreatea scorecard thatyoucan laterevaluateand learn

from. They help youmeasure your success and progress in life. Having yourgoals on paper also increases your self-confidence.Being able to see that youaccomplishedsomethingyoudecidedinadvancewillgiveyouapowerfulsenseofself-worthandwillencourageyoutosetmorechallenginggoalsinthefuture.Your successes will begin to snowball! Writing goals on paper forms anaccountability contract with yourself, which automatically strengthens yourcharacterandboostsyourself-confidence.Remember,inoursocietyweassignahighervalue towrittenagreements thanoral agreements.Theysimplyholdupbetter.Somakeyourgoalswrittencontractswithyourself!Whenpeopletellmetheydon’tneedtowritetheirgoalsdownbecausetheyhavethemintheirmind,Iknowtheyarereallycoppingoutandeventuallywillmissout.

2.Highlyeffectivegoalsarestatedinpresenttense.Iencourageyoutostateeachgoalasifitsaccomplishmentwerealreadyafact.Forexample,“Iearn$125,000thisyear”or“Ilowermygolfhandicapto10byJune 25.”Writing goals like this allows you to recruit yourmind to help youreachyourgoals.Anobviousdiscrepancybetweenwhereyou’d like tobeand

whereyouarecurrentlycreateswhatiscalledstructuraltensionordissonanceinyourmind. There’s a gap between reality and your vision for the future, andsinceyourmindhatestensionofanykind,itimmediatelybeginstoalertyoutoallsortsofpeople,resources,andbreakthroughsthatcanhelppushyoutowardagoal. In essence, yourmind creates a new field of sight. Stating a goal in thepresenttensecommunicatesthatgoaltoyourbraininthemosteffectiveformat,allowing you to visualize the goal clearly and to believe that it is possible. Itsignifies toyourconsciousandsubconsciousmind thatyouarenotwhereyouwanttobe.

Ifyoudon’thavespecificgoalswrittendownforyourlife,youarementallymalnourished.Yourmindwasdesignedtobefedwithgoalsjustasyourbodywas

designedtobefedwithfoodandwater.

Refuse to state your goal as “I will do this” or “I will accomplish that.”

WhenyouusethephraseIwill,youmentallypushyourachievementsomewhereoff into the vague, distant future. There is less pressure to come up withstrategies to achieve your goal and to take immediate action. Using “I will”promotes procrastination, and of course we want to put that off as long aspossible!

3.Highlyeffectivegoalsarestatedpositively.Oneexampleofapositivegoalis“Ieathealthy,nutritiousfoods”insteadof“Inolongereatjunkfood.”It’simportanttoavoidstating,writing,ortalkingaboutyour goals in a negativeway.Why?Becausewe think in pictures.Words aresimplysymbolsforthoughtsandideas.Everytimeyouwriteorsayaword,youevoke a vision in your mind. And you can’t evoke a vision of not doingsomething.Youmaysay,“Idon’teat junkfood,”butyoursubconsciousmindonlyprocesses,“Ieatjunkfood.”Itsimplyomitsthe“not”andshowsyouthe“Ieat junk food” vision. If you say, “I am not fat,” your brain simply sees,understands,andgoestoworkon“Iamfat.”Ifyousay,“Iamnothittingtheballintothewater,”allyourmindgoestoworkonis,“Iamhittingtheballintothewater.”(Nowthatyouknowthis,youcanwreakhavocwithyourgolffriendsbyremindingthemofthewaterjustastheyareabouttotaketheirshot.Andthey’llusuallyrespond,“I’mnotgoingtohititintothewater.”Butthereverseisoften

exactlywhat theydo!)Remember,youwillalwaysactconsistentlywiththedominantpicturesyouallowtooccupyyourmind.Youmuststateyourgoalinapositivewaysothatyourmindwillunderstanditaccuratelyandgotoworkonit.Thereasonmostpeoplestategoalsinnegativetermsisthattheyaremuchmore aware of what they don’t want than what they do want. But whateveryou’remost aware of iswhat you experience. If you’re aware of nice people,you’llstarttobumpintomorenicepeople.Ifyou’reawareofyourgoals,you’llreachmoreofyourgoals.Ifyou’reconsciousofwaystoserveothers,you’llfindthoseopportunities.Andalongtheway,alotofpeoplewillcallyoulucky.

4.Highlyeffectivegoalsareconsistentwithyourpersonalmissionstatement.Yourgoalsshouldcauseyoutogrowmorelikethepersonyouwerecreatedtobecome.Theyshouldbepersonallymeaningful toyou.Manypeoplemake themistakeofsettinggoalsthataremeaningfultosomeoneelseorthatwillpleasesomeoneelsebutthatevokenopassionintheirownlives.Thebestwaytokeepyourcommitmenttoreachagoalistounderstandwhyyouarestrivingforit.It’sthewhy,orthelinktoyourvalues,thatkeepsyoumotivated.

Whenyouestablishandwholeheartedlypursuegoalsthatareconsistentwithyourhighestvalues,yougrowmorelikethepersonyouwerecreatedtobecome,thereby

satisfyingandfulfillingyourpurpose.

Effectivegoalsarebestestablishedafteryouthoroughlythinkthroughyour

values and compose your personalmission statement.Values are those thingsthat aremost important toyou.They includepeople, things, virtues, concepts,beliefs,andfeelings.Togethertheyconstituteyourindividualphilosophyoflife,oryourpersonalvision.Goalsareintendedtohelpyouexperienceyouruniquepurposeinlife.Troubleariseswhenwesetgoalswithoutfirstclarifyingwhatwestand for andwhowewant tobecomeashumanbeings.Weoften accept andadoptothers’valuesbecausewe’veneverinvestedthementalefforttodeterminewhat’strulyimportanttous.Whenwesetgoalsthatarenotinharmonywithourpersonalvalues,wemaystillendupbeinghighachievers,buttheachievementwillbeaccompaniedbyafeelingofemptiness,afeelingof“Isthisit?Isthisallthere is?” Most unhappiness and negative stress come from proclaiminginternally that something or someone is most important to us but then acting

basedondifferentpriorities.Consider thesequestions:AmIdesigningmy lifearoundprinciple-basedvalues?

WhoamIbecomingbypursuingthisgoal?

Willaccomplishingthisgoaladdtomypeaceofmind?

Makesure thateachofyourgoals isconnected toaparticularvalueor role inlife. There should be a deep and obvious connection between your goals andyourpersonalmissionstatement.Infact,pursuingyourgoalsshouldforceyoutobecomemorelikethepersondescribedinyourpersonalmissionstatement.Forexample, if part of yourmission statement emphasizes investingquantity timewith your children, avoid setting a community service goal that will likelyrequireyoutospendmanyeveningsawayfromhome.Thatwillcontradictyourvalue of family time. In another season of life, community service may be acompletelyappropriategoal.

5.Highlyeffectivegoalsarespecificandmeasurable.Theremustbenofuzzinessorambiguitywhatsoeverinyourstatedgoals.Eachgoalmustbemeasurablesothatyouorsomeoneelsecanevaluateyourprogressobjectivelyanddetermineexactlywhenyouhaveachievedthegoal—orifanewcourseofactionshouldbetaken.Themorespecificyourgoalis,themoreclearyouwillbeaboutwhatstepsyoumusttaketoachieveit,andthemorefocusedyou will be.The more you are focused on your goal, the more you’ll beaware of the people, ideas, and resources around you that can help youreachyourgoal.A clear direction also tends to increaseyourmotivation andenthusiasm.Itspursyoutotakeaction.

Ofteninmycoachingsessionsclientsask,“Howspecificdomygoalsneedtobe?”Ialwaysanswer,“Canyoubemorespecific?”Ifitispossibletobemorespecific,thenyoushouldbe.Keepaskingyourself:“HowcanIdefinethisgoalmore clearly? How can I make it more precise?” Goals like “I want to behappy,”“Iwanttohaveabettermarriage,”or“Iwanttoearnlotsofmoneyandbe rich”don’tcut it.Theyoffernounambiguousgoal to shoot for.Nothing ismeasurable.There is little or nopurpose, andnothingmuchgets done.Vagueandhazyobjectivesproducedilutedresults!You’llfindthatyourcreativitywillincrease as you more clearly define your goal. Creativity demands pressure.Beingconcreteandveryspecificprovidesthispressure.

6.Highlyeffectivegoalsaretimebound.

Deadlines put positive pressure on you to take action. Without concretedeadlines, it’s just humannature to keepputting things off. Strangely enough,wetendtoprocrastinateongoalsthataremostvaluabletoourlong-termpeaceofmind.Wekeeppostponingthoseactionsthatcanreallyincreasethequalityofourlives!Weoftengetstuckinarut,inthedeadlyconfinesofthecomfortzone.Comfort is often confusedwith success, and complacency is the result.Toavoid thiscomplacency,make sureyourgoalsare timeboundwith reasonabledeadlines for accomplishment. It’s very important that the time you allow isreasonable!It’sbeensaidthatthereisnosuchthingasanunrealisticgoal,justanunrealistictimeframeinwhichtoaccomplishit.Learnfromeachexperienceyouhavewithgoal setting so that youbecomeprogressivelymore accurate atdeterminingdeadlines.

7.Highlyeffectivegoalsarereasonableandchallenging.Goals shouldcauseyou to stretch,grow,andgetoutofyourcomfortzone. Inorder to fully develop your potential, you must be willing to experiencediscomfort. It’s often been suggested that people set goals with a fifty-fiftyprobability of success.Youwant to set goals that are achievable but that alsobuildcharacterbyexercisingyourself-disciplineandperseverance.

Inorder for your subconsciousmind tobuy intoyourgoal, thegoalmusthave some degree of believability. For example, imagine you’re driving afifteen-year-old Chevy, but you’ve always had this thing for a Rolls-Royce.ThinkaboutstoppingatatrafficlightinyourChevyandhavingaRollspullupalongside you.Would seeing thatRollsmotivate you to take action—to drivestraight to aRolls-Royce dealer?Would it cause you towant to really stretchyourself? Would it be a powerful inspiration? Most likely it would not. Thereason? The gap between where you are now—driving the old Chevy—andwhereyouwanttogo—drivingaRolls-Royce—issimplybeyondbelievability.Your mind just wouldn’t accept the idea that you could own a Rolls-Royce,becauseithasnoconsistentpriorexperiencesorbeliefsonwhichtobasesuchanidea.Thatdoesn’tmeanthere’snohopeforyou.Rather,itmeansthatyouneedtosetsomeintermediategoalsthatwillactasstepping-stonestograduallyraiseyourbeliefs and self-concept to thatof someonedrivingaRolls.For instance,youcouldfirstsetagoalfordrivingalow-endluxurycar,andthensetanothergoal for driving a top-of-the-line Mercedes. Ultimately, you could drivewhatevertypeofcaryoudesired.

Yourtalent,skill,andcreativitywillrisetomeetthelevelofgoalyousetforyourself.Sothinkhuge!

Here’sanonmonetaryexampleofthesameidea.Imagineyou’vebeenthirty

pounds overweight for most of your adult life. Even though you’ve workedreallyhardtolosetheexcessfat,andyou’vehadagoaltogetbacktoyourhighschoolweight, it just hasn’t happened yet.Think about being in your car at atrafficlightwhenanextremelyfitjoggerpassesby.Wouldseeingthatobviouslyleanandfitathletemotivateyoutoincreaseyourexerciseroutineanddrasticallyimproveyourdiet?Woulditcauseyoutowanttostretchyourself?Woulditbeapowerful inspiration?Most likely it would not, for the same reason seeing aRolls-Roycedoesn’tmotivatetheChevyowner.Thegapbetweenwhereyouarenow(overweightandoutofshape)andwhereyouwant togo(becominglean,strong,andfit)issimplybeyondbelievability.Yourmindjustwouldnotaccepttheideathatyoucouldbetrimandhealthy,becauseithasnorecentorconsistentpriorexperiencesorbeliefs.Thisdoesnotmeanthere’snohopeforyou.Rather,itmeans thatyouneed toset some intermediategoals thatwillactassteppingstonestograduallyraiseyourbeliefsandself-concepttothatofsomeonewhoisingreatphysicalcondition.For instance,youcouldfirstsetagoal todroponebeltnotchordresssize,andthensetanothergoaltolosetenpounds.Ultimately,youcouldbeasleanandhealthyasyoudesired.

Thepointistogetyourmindworkingwithyou,notagainstyou.Thewaytoaccomplish this is to setgoals thatpush the envelope, thatare just slightlyoutsidewhatyoucurrentlybelieveaboutyourself.Goals like these activateyour natural creativity, supplying you with insights for achievement thatotherwise would not have occurred to you. By contrast, goals that areunreasonable(atleastatthispointinyourdevelopment)lockupyourcreativityand tend to act as de-motivators. As you become more of an expert at goalsetting,asyourconfidencegrows,you’ll seehowsimple it is to incrementallystrengthen your belief in yourself by setting and then achieving progressivelymore-challenging goals.Youmay set goals that have only a 20 or 30 percentchance of success, but that’s better than setting your goals too low. If you’regoingtomakeamistake,erronthesideofaimingtoohigh.

8.Highlyeffectivegoalsarethoroughlyplanned.You should have tangible action steps for each of your goals. You need to

compile the details, make a plan, write out all the activities, prioritize them,organizethem,andrewritethemasoftenasnecessarytomakeyourplanperfect.Reviseit,improveit,plan,andthinkonpaper.It’salsoagoodideatoconsiderdevelopingseveralbackupplans,justasagoodgeneralwoulddo.Exerciseyourmindbyanticipatingvariouscontingenciesanddecidinghowyouwouldrespondswiftly andeffectively.Allgreat leaders train themselves tobegreatplanners.Forsmallergoals,developingaplanwillbeaquickexercise.Forhugegoals,theplanningprocessmayrequireseveralhoursorevenseveraldays.

HighlyEffectiveGoalsAre•Written

•Statedinthepresenttense•Statedpositively•Timebound

•Challengingandreasonable•Specificandmeasurable

•Consistentwithyourpersonalmissionstatement•Thoroughlyplanned

TheGoal-SettingWorkshopI’mgoingtosharewithyouapowerful,practical,andeffectivegoalformula.Ifyouwillfollowthismethod,andifyouwillexercisetheself-disciplinetoputitintopracticeonaregularbasis,yourresultswillbephenomenal.

Step#1:BrainstormYourDreamsTakeoutapadofpaperandapenorpencil—or,ifyouprefer,sitdownatyourcomputer or pull out your PDA. Find a quiet place where you will not bedisturbed forat least thirtyminutes.At the topofablanksheetofpaperwrite“The Next Thirty Years.” Now begin to brainstorm about anything andeverything you have ever wanted to be, do, or have. This is often called

unlimitedwishingordreaming,andit’sthefirsttangiblestepinbecominggoaldirected.

QuestionstoHelpYouStartYourBrainstormingSession

Remember,nolimits!

•Whatdoyouwanttohave?•Whatdoyouwanttobe?•Whodoyouwanttobecome?•Whatextraordinarythingswouldyouliketodo?•Whatkindofimpactdoyouwanttohaveonyourprofession?•Ifyouwereabsolutelyunafraid,whatwouldyoutrytodo?•Howcouldyouturnoneofyourhobbiesintoabusiness?•Wheredoyouwanttogo?Whodoyouwanttogowith?•Whatwouldyoulikethequalityofyourmarriagetobe?•Spiritually,areyouheadedintherightdirection?•Whatdoyouwanttosharewithothers?•Whatcharitiesdoyouwanttosupport?•Howmuchmoneydoyouwanttodonateinyourlifetime?•HowcouldyoubetterexploityourGeniustoserveandbenefitothers?•Wouldyouliketoskydiveorscubadive?Whatotheractivitieswould

youliketotry?•Wouldyouliketohaveapersonaltrainer?Howaboutapersonal

successcoach?•Whatexperiencesdoyouwanttohavewithyourchildrenbeforethey

gotocollege?aftercollege?•Arethereanyfamouspeopleyouwouldliketomeet?Who?•Wouldyouliketobecomefamous?Byexcellingatwhat?•Howmuchpassiondoyouwanttohaveinyourmarriage?•Wouldyouliketobecomeamillionarie?Howaboutabillionaire?•Doyouwanttoworkforsomeoneelsetherestofyourlife?•Whatwouldyoulikeyournetworthtobewhenyouretire?Atwhatage

wouldyouliketoretire?•Whatnewthingswouldyouliketolearn?•Howinvolvedcouldyoubewithyourchildrenandgrandchildren?

•Wouldyouliketoconquerthefearofpublicspeaking?•Whatcharactertraitswouldyouliketodevelop?•Whatsillythingswouldyouliketodo?•Ifyouhadunlimitedtime,talent,finances,knowledge,self-confidence,

andsupportfromyourfamily,howwouldyourlifechange?•Whatwouldyouliketowitnesstakingplaceinyourlifetime?•Whatonegreatthingwouldyoudaretoattemptifyouabsolutelyknew

youcouldnotfail?

Creating this list requiresno resourcesother thana small amountof time,

somementaleffort,andafewsheetsofpaper.Anditwillprovidethefoundationfor amore successful, exciting, and fulfilling life. It stimulates your creativityandwillhelpyounoticeopportunities.Asyou’rebrainstorming, it’s importantnottoimposeanylimitations—realorimagined—suchasmoney,age,sex,race,family,children,education,connections,oranythingelse.Becarefulof lettinglimitsturnintoexcusesthateventuallyspoilyouropportunitiesforgettingmoreoutoflife.Aswelearnedinlesson1,nomatterhowbigyourfavoriteexcuseis,somebody somewhere has had it far worse and still succeeded in spite of allperceiveddisadvantages.Limitshavepoweroveryouandyourfutureonlytothedegreethatyouletthem.

Suspend all judgment on whether you can achieve what you want orwhetheryouareworthyofit.Justwriteitdown!

Thereisnolimit,otherthanthepowerofyourimagination,tothenumberofdesiresyoucanincludeonyourpersonalwishlist.Thekeytothisexerciseistowritedowneverythingyoucanimaginewithoutlettingyourmindstop.Thinkofyourwishlistasagrandscriptforthemovieofyourlife!Youare,afterall,thewriter,producer,director,andstar.Youcantakeyourmovieinanydirectionyouchoose,andyoucanfillthescriptwithasmuchpassion,adventure,joy,andpositive experiences as you can imagine or desire. Remember that what youwritedownisyourpreviewoflife’scomingattractions.

Youwillfindthatmerelycompletingthissimplebrainstormingprocesswillproducearenewedsenseofenthusiasmforyourfuture.Youwillexperienceaninnerexcitement,asurgeofvitality,andpositiveanticipation.

Onceyou’vewrittendowneverythingyou could ever possiblywant, lookoveryour listandmakesureyouhavesomechallengingfinancialgoals.Makesureyouhavegoals foryourmarriageandotherkey relationships.Howaboutgoalsasaparent?Doyouhave fitnessgoals?Are thereanynewhealthhabitsyoucoulddevelop?Whataboutyourpersonalgrowth?Whatnewthingsdoyou

wanttolearn?Howmanybooksdoyouwanttoreadnextyear?Didyouwritedownanyspiritualgoals?Thistimenextyear,wheredoyouwanttobeinyourfaith?Ifyouwanttomakeithappen,you’dbetterwriteitdown.

Think about the many areas of your life: faith, family, health, energy,relationships, career, finances, andpersonaldevelopment.Make sureyouhavegoals for each area where you want to experience growth. To lead a fullysatisfyinglife,youneedabalanceofgoals.So,whateveritis,writeitdown.

Onceyou’vewrittendownyourgoals,taketimetoconsiderthemcarefullyinprayer.AskGod togiveyouwisdomaboutwhichgoals topursue.Hemaybring ideas toyourmind that aren’t alreadyonyour list, orhemay showyouthatsomeofyourdreamsarenotinlinewithhisbestforyou.Aspeopleoffaith,weshouldseekGod’sblessingandapproval.Afterall,“UnlesstheLORDbuildsthehouse,itsbuilderslaborinvain”(Psalm127:1,NIV).

Writeitdown,andthenmakeithappen!At least once a year, revise and review your list. Many of my 1% Club

clientshavefoundthisexercisesorefreshingandstimulatingthattheypracticeittwoorthreetimesayear.Tryitforyourselfandsee.

Step#2:CreateYourIdealLifestyleProperplanningrequiresthatyoulookintothedistantfutureandcreateavividmentalimageofthelifeyou’dliketobeleading.Thiswillbecomeyourpersonalvision for the future.Thenumber of years youproject canvarydependingonyourexperiencewithgoalsandyourcurrentcomfortlevel.Someofmyclientsgoasfaroutasthirtyyears;othersgoninetotwenty-one.Thepointistobeasclear as possible about the vital details of the life and lifestyle you’d like toenjoy in the future. The reason for looking so far ahead is that, eventually,you’re going to end up there. To make sure your actions and choices todaymatchupwiththelifeyouwanttomorrow,youmustbeginwiththeendresultinmind.Youhave toknowwhereyou’reheaded.Youcannot liveeffectively ifyou have only short-term goals. It takes a long-term vision and long-rangegoalstorevealthemostappropriateshort-termgoals.Solookatyourlifeasanintegrated whole. Approach life with the big picture in mind, and mentallyprojectyourselfintothefuture.Tryforatleastnineyears.

Usingtheideasgeneratedfromyourbrainstorminstepone,writeatwo-orthree-paragraphdescriptionofyourideallifestyle.Abullet-pointlistisfine,too.Writeinthepresenttense,asifwhatyou’redescribingwerealreadytrue.

Be sure to include details about your health, marriage, faith, majoraccomplishments, things you’re grateful for, hobbies, energy level, net worth,amountof free time, peaceofmind, and anything elseyou can thinkof.Now

makeanoteof themostobviousmilestonesyouneed to seealong theway inorder to experience the life you have just described. You can view thesebenchmarksasthesubgoalsthatneedtobemetbeforeyourlong-termvisioncanbecomeareality.

Step#3:TaketheThree-YearLeapNow that you have some ideas about your future, let’s tackle themidterm bycreating clear, specific, measurable, achievable, and, most important, writtenthree-yeargoals and their correspondingplans for accomplishment. I’ve foundthatthreeyearsistheperfectamountoftimetomanageanddoreallybigthingswith your life. It’s the ideal length of time to visualize your life beingsignificantly different.Three years is long enough to achieve somegiganticgoalsbutnotsofaroutthattheylosetheirmotivationalpull.Yourthree-yeargoals, stretching from today to three years out, are intended to be subgoals ormilestonesonthewaytoyourlong-termvision.Makesuretheyareinalignmentby asking, “Will accomplishing these goals lead me to my vision?” If so,howexactly?Double-checkyourself by asking, “Doespursuingmy three-yeargoalsrepresentthebestroutetomylong-termvision?”Afterall,yourvisionofthefutureshoulddetermineyourthree-yeargoals.

Onceyouhaveestablishedthatyourthree-yeargoalswillcarryyoutoyourvision,it’stimetoconvinceyourselfwhythesegoalsaresoimportant.

TheGoal-AchievmentFormula

Step#4:ConvinceYourselfNext,listalloftherewardsofaccomplishingyourgoals.What’sinitforyou?

Whydoyouwanttoachievethesegoals?Keepinmindthatthemoreandbetterreasons you have, the more motivated you will be. Each goal will presenttangiblerewardsandintangiblebenefits.Thinkabouttheemotionsyou’llenjoyasa resultofachievingeachgoal, and thinkabout thematerial rewardsyou’llreceive.Write themdown.Exaggerate a littlebit.Themorepowerfulyoucanmake this purpose—your “why”—the better. Make sure you have enoughreasonsforaccomplishingyourgoals;ifyouhaveenough,youcanaccomplishanything.Keepinmindthatreasonsprecedeanswers.Firstdeterminethewhat.Nextfigureoutthewhy,andthenthehow!Whenyouknowwhatyouwantandwhenyouwantit,youcanalwaysfindawaytomakeithappen.

Step#5:PlanonPaperPlanning is the hallmark of the mature, responsible, and self-reliant humanbeing.Infact,almosteveryfailurecanbetracedbacktolackofproperplanning.

Greatleaderspossesstremendouslong-termclarityaboutwhatthey’retryingtoaccomplishbothpersonallyandintheircareers.Andit’sthislong-termperspectivethatbuildscharacter,wisdom,andself-discipline.Long-termthinkingisthehallmarkofhigh-performanceliving,yetit’softenneglectedinfavorofthetreadmillofurgent

activitiesofthemoment.

Planning is thedeliberate act of pulling the future into thepresent soyou

can do something about the future right now.Youmust change your habitsand other behaviors now to reap rewards in the future. If you want yourfuture to be different, you must make things different in the present.Thingsdon’timprovebythemselves!Youmustdosomethingdifferenttobringaboutthenewresultsyouareseeking.

Many people don’t understand what planning is. They interpret the wordplanning as simply transferring into their calendarmiscellaneousappointmentsand to-dos from thebacksideof envelopes, cocktail napkins, andPost-it noteswithoutanyregardtolong-termgoalsorapersonalmission.

Planning reallymeans evaluating your life in light ofwhere you’ve been,where you are now, and where you intend to go. You must be willing toquestion howwell you’vemanaged your life until now. Effective planningallowsyoutoavoidlifemanagementbycrisis.Crisesdivertyourattentionfromthe vital people and activities in your life and are nearly always a result of

inadequateplanning.Systematic,long-term,yearly,quarterly,monthly,weekly,anddailyplanningisabsolutelycriticaltoyoursuccess.Remindyourselfthatallsuccessfulpeopleplanonpaper.Unsuccessfulpeoplesimply“can’tseemtofindthetime.”

Beawarethatplansarerarely100percentaccurate.However,youmustnotfallintothetrapofthinking,“Well,sinceIcannothaveaperfectplan...sinceIcannoteliminateallinterruptions.. .sinceIcannoteliminateallurgencies.. .whybother toeliminateanyof them?”That’scrooked logicandacop-out forfailingtotry.Letgoofanytendenciesyouhavetowardmisplacedperfectionismand focus instead on the strategic planning thatwill take your life to a higherlevel. Invest considerable time in your plan. Keep in mind that you will berewriting,revising,andimprovingyourplanasyouprogresstowardyourgoals.

Thestartingpointof three-yearplanning is toenvisionyourselfalready inpossession of your three-year goals and then work back to the present. Thismeans that youmustmentally project yourself into the future to the time andplacewhereeachgoalwillbeareality.Fromthisvantagepoint,lookbacktothepresentandcriticallyassessthestepsyoumusttaketoreachthegoal.This“backfromthefuture”exercisesharpensyourperceptionandsolidifiesyourstrategy.It develops the habit of outcome-based thinking, or results orientation.This ishelpfulforyourshort-termgoalsaswellasyourmajorlifetimegoals.Constantlyfeedyourmindavividpictureoftheendresultyou’restrivingfor.Thendevelopyourplanbyworkingfromtheaccomplishmentofagoalbacktothepresent.

Yourthree-yeargoalsshouldbe,inessence,actionstepsorsubgoalsleadinguptoyourlong-termvision.It’seasytotalkaboutwhatwewant,but thehardpartisputtingplansonpaper,wheretheyactuallymeansomething.

So from the perspective of having accomplished your three-year goals,begintoworkyourwaybacktotoday.Considerwhatmustbeaccomplishedbytheendofyear twoand thenby theendofyearone.At thispoint, theendofyearone, youhave a set of one-yeargoals.To translate this into action, thinkaboutwhatyouneedtoaccomplishinthefourthquarter.Whatdoyouneedtoaccomplish by the third quarter? the second quarter? And finally, in the firstquarter?This is thebasicconceptof strategicplanning.Asyoucansee,we’recountingbackwardintimefromamidrangegoaltoanimmediateplanofaction.We’vegonefromthreeyearsdowntheroadandbacktrackedto theendof thecurrent year and so on, to the third, second, and first quarters—creating achronological list of stepping-stones that will ultimately result in theaccomplishmentofyourthree-yeargoals.

Step#6:ListAvailableResources

Next,writedownalltheresourcesavailabletoyoutohelpyoureachyourthree-yeargoals.Whoorwhatcouldassistyou?Whatbooks,CDs,mentors,coaches,seminars, information, technology, or other resources could you employ toaccomplish your goals? Identify the organizations and groupswithwhich youmightneedtocreatestrategicalliances.

Step#7:ListPotentialObstaclesNowthatyou’vewrittendownallthepotentialresources,takeamomenttothinkaboutwhatcouldpreventyoufromreachingyourgoals.Doyouhaveanyhabits,attitudes, or beliefs that may hinder your progress? How will you personallyneed to change and grow before this goal can be reached?What about yourfinances?Whataboutundevelopedskills?Haveyoumastered thevital skilloftime management?What else could keep you from reaching this goal?Whatmightgowrong?

Envisionyourselfhavingaccomplishedyourgoals.Standonthemountaintopandlookdownatwhereyouhavebeen.Observewhatyouhaveachievedtoreachyourgoal.Whatwasthelaststepyoutook?Writethatdown.Thenext-to-laststep?Writethattoo.Retraceyourstepsbackdownthemountain,writingalltheway.Thewords

youwritewillbecomeyourlandmarksasyouclimbthemountaininrealityandachieveyourgoals.

List all the possible obstacles you may encounter. Think of this as

contingency preparation or crisis-anticipation planning, and include anythingthatmayhinderyouinreachingagoal.Thismayseempessimistic,butobstaclesaren’tnecessarilynegative.Itdependsonhowyouinterpretthemandwhatyoudowiththem.Ifyouwritedowntheobstaclesandtakeagoodlookateachone,you often findmany don’t even exist. And other obstacles that loom huge inyourmindtendtoshrinkwhenthey’rewrittenonpaper.

Obstaclesbuildyourgoal-achievingmuscles.Theyholdtherawmaterialsof exciting opportunities. Any major or worthwhile goal has barriers. If itdoesn’t,it’snotevenreallyagoal—it’ssimplybusyworkandwon’tbringmanyrewards.

Step#8:IdentifyWaystoOvercomeObstaclesThenextstep is to listsomesolutions tohelpyouovercome theobstaclesyou

justwrotedown.Lookateachobstacleasaproblemwaitingtobesolved,andapproacheachoneassumingthatyoualreadyhaveagoodsolution.Thoughwemaynot realize it,we frequentlycomeface-to-facewith theexactobstacleweneed at just the right time to sharpen us where we need it the most. Allchallenges, ifdealtwithdirectlyandswiftly,willmakeusstronger,better,andwiser.

Challengesandsetbacksare intended to teachussomething.Theyprepareustoperformmoreeffectivelyatthenextlevel.Justasit’snecessarytobench-press 150 pounds before you try 200 pounds, it’s also necessary to overcomeobstaclesalongthepathtoyourgoals.Andthemoreambitiousyouare,themorechallengeswillbethrownyourway.Again,manytimesgreatopportunitiesarisewhen you encounter obstacles, and these opportunities becomemore apparentwhen youmaintain a positive, resourceful attitude andwhen you take time toanalyze the situation in a relaxed state of mind. To paraphrase Booker T.Washington, success is notmeasured somuchbyour accomplishments in lifebutbywhatwehadtoovercomeintheprocess.Keepinmindthatwearegoal-striving organisms.We’re engineered to solve problems, andwe function bestandarehappiestwhenwe’removingtowardagoal.

Remember,yourninety-daymilestonesleadtotheaccomplishmentofyourthree-yeargoals.

FollowingThroughaftertheWorkshopToimplementandcoordinateaconcretesystemforkeepingupwithyourgoal-directed activities, use three lists: First, maintain a quarterly strategy list ofeverythingyoumustdotoaccomplisheachofyourninety-daymilestones.Fromthat,selectthemostimportantitemstocreateyourweeklyobjectivesorweeklymaster list.Next, plan each day fromyourweekly list.As a result, youmovefromalong,quarterlystrategylisttoaweeklymasterlisttoafewmanageableitemsforeachday—allleadingyoutowardyourthree-yearvision.

Dearbrothersandsisters,whentroublescomeyourway,consideritanopportunityforgreatjoy.Foryouknowthatwhenyourfaithistested,yourendurancehasa

chancetogrow.—James1:2-3,NLT

Lesson3QuestionsforReflection

Inwhatareasofyourlifehaveyougrownthemostoverthepasttenyears?

Inwhatareasofyourlifehaveyougrowntheleastinthepasttenyears?

Whydoyouthinkgoalsaren’temphasizedmoreinschoolorchurch?

Whatcouldbethebenefitsofintroducingyourkidstogoalsettingearlyinlife?

Howdoyouenvisionthatamarriagecouldbestrengthenedthroughgoalsetting?

*Whomcanyou influencewith the ideas fromthis lesson in thenext forty-eighthours?

Lesson3Assignments

1|Brainstorm150goalsforthenextthirtyyearsofyourlife,andwritethemdown.

2|Choosefivegoalstofocusonforthenextthreeyears.Makesureyouhaveawell-balancedsetofgoals.

3|Usingthe“backfromthefuture”technique,planonpaperhowyouwillaccomplishyourgoals.

4|Beginthepowerfulhabitofrewritingyourtopfivegoalseachmorning.

Lesson4ChoosetoInvestYourTimeWisely

Youcan’tmakemoretime,onlybetterchoices.

Inthislesson,youwilllearnto•Minimizewastedtime•Worksmarter•Reducestress•Stayorganized•Experienceinnerpeace•Putintopracticetwenty-onetime-savers

The pages that follow provide powerful, usable, and highly effective time-managementstrategiesthathavehadadramaticeffectonthelivesofmyclientsinThe1%Club,aswellasforcountlessotherhighlysuccessfulindividuals.

Insomeinstances,youwillbeable to implement these ideas immediately.Atothertimes,youmaynotyetbeinapositiontoputthesetacticsintopractice.Fortunately,youcanapproachthefollowingideaslikeyouwouldanenormousdinnerbuffet.Justasyouwouldnot—oratleastshouldnot—eateverythingonthebuffet, it’sneithernecessarynor recommended thatyou try toapplyeverysingletacticwediscussin thischapter.I’dlikeyoutoconcentrateonthemost“nutritious”andmostoverlookedportionoftimemanagement,whichiswhatIcall Vital Time. These are the activities that are often squeezed out of yourschedulebytheaddictiveurgencyofdailyliving.It’sbeensaidthatallbehavioris an expression of one’s character. When you begin putting some of theserecommendationsintopractice,itwillfreeyoutoengageinVitalTime,whichinturn allowsyou to expresswhoyouare andwhatyoubelieve in.Remember,theintentoftimemanagementistoenhancethequalityandbalanceofyourlife,notsimplytospeeditup!

If you want to minimize wasted time, work smarter, maximize yourproductivecapabilities,andexperiencemoreVitalTime, thenthis lessonisforyou.Ifyouwanttoworklessbutearnevenmore,thislessonisforyou.Thesepagescontainpracticalideasandtechniques.

Eachstrategypresentedhasbeenfield-testedandproventobeworkableinthechallengingarenaofmodern living. In fact,manyof the techniquesyou’reabout to learn I put into practice to complete this book. After finishing thisproject,which required countless hours of research,writing, editing, and evenmoreediting(andwhichhadtobedonearoundmypreviouscommitmentsandalreadyfullschedule),I’mmoreconvincedthaneverofthevalidityoftheideasI’m about to sharewith you. They are evidence ofmy personal triumph overprocrastinationandtheotherrealandimagineddiversionsthatholdmostpeopleback.Byconsistentlyanddiligentlyapplyingtheseprinciples,you’llhavemoretimeforyourself,yourfamily,andyourfriends.

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Communicatetoeveryemployeewhatfiveminutesofwastedtimemeansonacompany-wideyearlyscale.Relatethosenumberstoprofitsandsalaries.

Withtheotherchaptersinthisbook,Irecommendthatyoureadfromstart

tofinish,capturingthefullscopeoftheprinciplesI’vepresented,answeringthequestions, andcompleting theassignments. In thischapter, I encourageyou tobrowse, reviewing the bold headers and selecting the sections that seemmostrelevant and important to you given where you are in life right now andespecially in light of where you want to be in the future. This chapter waswrittennot just toequipyoubutalso tochallengeyou to raise thebar inyourown life.Though youmay not be able to put every recommendation (such asdelegation) into practice, there is something (such as overcomingprocrastination) in this chapter for everyone, and that includes you. As youprogress through the upcoming pages, continually ask yourself, “How could Iusethisprinciple?Howcouldthisworkformerightnow?HowcouldIbecomeamoreeffectivestewardofmytime?”

WhatIsTime?Time is a unique resource—invisible, unalterable, and unstoppable. Everyonehas the same amount of time. You and Imust live on 86,400 seconds, 1,440minutes, or 24 hours each day. That’s 168 hours a week, approximately 720

hours per month, 8,640 hours per year, 177,800 hours over the next twentyyears,andabout691,200hoursinalifetimeifapersonlivestobeeighty.Andeachsegmentoftimewereceivemustbespentinstantly.

Beforewego any further, letmepoint out that humannature is thegreatarchrival of personal effectiveness. I routinely conduct time-managementworkshopsandseminars for largeandsmallorganizations inawidevarietyofindustries. Inevitably, nomatterwhomy audience happens to be, I hear thesesamecries:•“Butoursituationisunique.”•“Ourbusinessissuchthatit’simpossibletoproperlyplan,delegate,organize,

holdeffectivemeetings,orotherwisepracticesolid,proven,time-managementhabits.”

•“Thatwon’tworkforusbecause...”

Nonsense!Letmetranslatewhatthesenaysayersreallymean:“Duetothenatureof our particular business, we’re forced to operate inefficiently.” Think aboutthatforasecond.“Duetothenatureofourparticularbusiness,we’reforcedtooperateinefficiently.”Doesn’tthatsoundabitcrazy?

Thecommonthreadtothesecommentsisnoneotherthanhumannature.Allhumanbeingshaveanaturalinclinationtoresistchange,andnothingisquiteaschallenging as changing a bad or self-defeating habit.Wewant our lives andbusinesses to improve, but sometimes not quite enough thatwe arewilling tochange.Butrememberthis:Ifanyareaofyourlifeistogetbetter,youmustgetbetter.Thismeansyoumustbewillingtoreplacesloppyhabitswiththehabitsofsuccessandpeakperformance.Aristotleremindedusthousandsofyearsagothat “We arewhatwe repeatedly do.”And if you’re committed to repeatedlyapplyingtheprinciplesinthislesson,youwillbeamazedbythedifference!

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Considerfindingaconvenienthideawaywhereyoucanisolateyourself.Itcanbeinthebuildingyouworkin,athome,closetoyourhome,oreveninyourcar,parkedin

aquietplace.

Don’tfallintothetrapofthinkingthatyourtimeconstraintsareuniqueand

unmanageable. It doesn’t matter where or how you’re currently living. You

mightliveintheprojectsorinamansiononthehilloranywhereinbetween,butone thing remains constant: No matter who you are, your progress andsuccess in lifewilldepend,more thananyother factor,onhowyou investthe twenty-four hours you’re blessed with each day. In fact, contrary topopularbelief, it’snot just themost talented,gifted,well-educated,affluent,oradvantaged people who achieve outstanding results in life. Nor is it themostintelligent,thehardestworking,orthemostcreative.Successinlifecomesfromonething:decidingexactlywhatyouwant toaccomplishandthendeliberatelychoosingtoinvesttheminutesandhoursofyourlifedoingonlythosethingsthatmove you in the direction of your goals. This lesson will give you the streetsmartstodojustthat.

VitalTimeisthequantityoftimeyouinvestinprinciple-based,goal-directedactivities.

Ifyou’rewillingtoseizetheinitiative,youcanlearntimemanagementjust

likeyoucanlearntouseacomputer,playasport,oranyotherskillyoudesiretomaster.Themoreambitiousyouare,thebetteryoumustbeatsqueezingeverylastbitofusefulnessoutofeveryminuteatyourdisposal.Ifyoudon’tmakethemost out of an hour or even a minute, you’ll never get a second chance.Remember,whetherornotyouwant to admit it,manypeople are evenbusierthanyouare,buttheyaccomplishmorehourtohour,daytoday.Theyobviouslydon’thavemoretime.Theyjustputtheirtimetogreateradvantage.Andyoucandothataswell!

YourSelf-ImageAffectstheWayYouManageTimeTocreateVitalTime,youmustunderstandhowyourinternalpictureofyourselfaffects your ability tomake the best use of your life.Your self-image affectshowwellyouspendyourtimebecausewhenyoubelieveyoucanmanageyourtimewell, you feel in control rather than as though you’re simply reacting toexternal pressures.You have the ability to organize the events of your life sotheymakesense.Thefirststeptobecomingsomeoneincontrol,someonewhoisanoutstandingmanagerofhisorhertime,istoexploreandimproveyourself-image.

Formed primarily from your environment, your self-image is thesubconsciousmechanismresponsibleforguidingyourbehavior.Wealwaysactconsistently with the image we have of ourselves. If you see yourself assomeonewho is overly busywith far toomany things to do, someonewho isdisorganizedorworkingtoohard,thenyourattempttomasteryourtimewillbeinvain.Yourweakself-imagehandcuffsyourabilitiesandhampersyoureffortsat controllingyour time. In fact, youcannot expect tobehavedifferently fromyourself-imageprogramminganymorethanyoucanexpecttoputachocolatecakeintheovenandanhourlatertakeoutanapplepie.Yougetoutonlywhatyouputin.

Yourself-imageregulatesyourbehaviorjustlikeathermostatcontrolstheroomtemperature.Itdetermineshowyouuseyourtime,knowledge,skills,andexperiences.And far toooften,wedon’tquestion thevalidityofour self-image.Wesimplybehaveasifitweretrue.

Thekey tobecominganoutstanding timemanager is tostart thinkingandspeakingofyourselfasanoutstandingtimemanager.Forexample, ifsomeoneasksyouaboutyourday,youmightsay,“Todayis thebestdayI’veeverhad.I’vemanagedmy timeperfectly today. Idon’thave time to tellyouanymorenowbecauseI’vegotthingstodo.”Vocalize,verbalize,andthenactualize.

Changing your terminology changes your self-image.Changing your self-imagechangesyourattitude.Andchangingyourattitudechangesyouractions.Ioften like to say, “Attitude outranks facts.” To develop the right attitude, askyourself,“Howwould Iact if Iwerealreadyanexcellent timemanager?HowwouldIactifIwerethemosteffectivetimemanagerintheworld?”

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Duringbreaksintheworkdayorwhenyouarecomingandgoing,usethestairs.It’sagreatwaytomaximizeyourtimeandburnextracalories.

Imaginethatsomeoneofferedyoufiftythousanddollarstoplaythepartof

anexcellent timemanager inamovie.Whataresomeof thethingsyouwoulddo?Well,youwouldsitupstraight;you’dhaveyourdeskorganized.Youwouldmove quickly.You’dwork on one thing at a time andwork from a list.You

wouldcheckyoure-mailproactivelyandonschedule.You’danticipateandplanforinterruptions.AsHamletsays,“Assumeavirtue,ifyouhaveitnot.”18Ifyoustart acting like an excellent timemanager, really pretending you’re already amodelofpersonaleffectiveness,thehabitswilllockinlikeavise.Soonyouwillbecomeanexcellenttimemanagerinreality.

TheTimeofYourLifeThereisalwaysenoughtimetoachievewhatGodwantsyoutoaccomplish.Thatadvicewas drilled intome early inmy life. It’s a bit blunt, but it expresses agreat truth. There is never enough time to do everything, but there is enoughtimetodotherightthings.Determiningwhatthefewrightthingsarecanbeabitchallenging,especiallywhenweare surroundedbyanavalancheof short-termculturaltrendsandsuggestions.Thenoiseofmodernsocietycansubtlydistractanddiverteventhemostcommittedamongus.Oneofthemostcuriousaspectsofhumannatureisthatwewillfailtofindtimetoproactivelysetclearpriorities,yet we will squander even more time reactively dealing with the inevitablemesses created by such neglect. Are you living deliberately right now? Thatquestioniswhattimemanagementisallabout.

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Measureyourtimeinsmallincrements,suchasfifteenminutes.Attorneysdoit,afterall.Itcreatesawareness,speed,andmomentum.

Aswetouchedon in lesson1,you tend tomakewisedecisionswhenyou

take into account the longest timehorizon.Whenyou consider anopportunityandask,“Iwonderhowthiswillaffectmeinthenexttenyears,twentyyears,oreven longer,” you tend to be very satisfiedwith your decisions. On the otherhand,yourbiggestregretsoftenoriginatewhenyoufactorinonlyashortspanoftime,suchasayear,month,week,oreventhenextfifteenminutes.Reflectforamomentonthechoicesyou’dlovetobuyback,ifyoucould,thatwerefacilitatedbyashort-timeperspective.Breachesofintegrityarecloseneighborswithshort-term thinking. Rarely will character break down when the long-termconsequencesaresufficientlyweighed.Afterchoosingalong-termperspective,

it’s critical to surround yourselfwith other individualswho share your strongcommitmenttothesamepriorities.Overtime,andsometimesratherquickly,wetakeonthevalues,habits,andattitudesofthepeoplewithwhomwespendmostof our time. If your friends and coworkers compromise on matters that areimportant to you, it’s only a matter of time before you become similarlyinfluenced.Withwhomare you investingmost of your time . . . and are theymovingyouinthedirectionofyourfullpotential?

“IDidn’tHaveTime”

Ithasbeensaidthatfoursimplewordscharacterizemediocritymostaccurately:“Ididn’thavetime.”Neitheryounoranyoneelsecouldhaveamoredamagingexcuseconcerningsuccess.Whenyoutellsomeonethatyoudidn’thavetime,yousimplyreinforcetheirperceptionofyouassomeonewhocan’tbereliedontogetthejobdone.Andwhenyoutellyourselfthatyoudidn’thaveenoughtime,youundermineyourinnercredibilityandfortifyaself-imageofunderachievementandirresponsibility.

Weallknowwheregoodintentionsarelikelytotakeus.Thereisacertain,

well-traveled road that is pavedwith them.Pleasant intentions andother goodthoughtsareonlyastartingpoint,acommencement,nota finish line.Besides,mostofusentertainworthwhileintentions.That’snottheproblem.Thequestioniswhether or not you have altered theway you use your time to fulfill thoseintentions.Howhaveyoupositionedyourselftokeepyourpromisesandhonoryour commitments?Have you set yourself up for likely success, or have youweakenedyourprobabilityof living inalignmentwithwhat’smost important?Takeamomenttoscanyourlifeanddetermineyourpriorities.Whatarethetopfive priorities in your life and how are they ordered? Do you put your workbeforeyourhealth?Doyouputyourkidsbeforeyourmarriage?DoyouallowbusynesstocrowdouttimewithGod?Doyouaskyourselfquestionslikethisonafrequentbasis?Whatarethelong-termconsequencesofplacingyourprioritiesinthewrongorder?

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Ifyouhaveaseparatesetofkeysforeachsetoflocks,you’relikelytoendupattherightlockwiththewrongkeys!Prepareacompletesetofallyourimportantkeys,andthenmakeasmanyduplicatesetsasnecessary.Then,nomatterwhichsetyoupickup,youwillneverbelockedoutofyourhome,yourofice,orthecaryouchooseto

drive.Alwaysleaveyourkeysinthesamespotsoyoucanfindthemquickly.

ThePowerof15Whatcouldyoudotoenhanceyourlifeifyouhadanextrafifteenminuteseachday?Youmightwant to read somethingupliftingormaybe reviewyourmostimportant goals. You might want to stretch your lower back or take a quickwalk.Maybeyou’dturnthisextrafifteenminutesintoprayerorjournalingtime.Perhapsthisbonustimecouldbeusedtochipawayatanoverwhelmingclutterprojector tobetterplan thenextday.Youmightplayaquickgamewithyourkidsorwriteanotetoaspecialfriend.Ifyougiveitsomethought,justfifteenminutes a day can change your life. I’m confident you can find this “extra”fifteenminutessomewhereinyourday.Considercuttingfifteenminutesofdailytelevisionornewspapertimeandreallocatingittoahigherpriorityactivity.Orconsider waking up just fifteen minutes earlier or staying up fifteen minuteslater. Possibly you could shave fifteenminutes off your lunch routine. If youlookforthisextrafifteenminutes,you’llfindit.Ichallengeyoutore-budgetjustfifteenminutesaday,sevendaysaweek, toanactivityofhighervalue.Threemonths from now, those fifteen extra minutes will accumulate to 22.5 bonushours.Andthreeyearsfromnow,thosefifteenshortminuteswilladduptomorethan eleven extra twenty-four-hour days, or thirty extra nine-hour days.Fortunately, you already have these extra days, but how will you choose toinvestthem?It’sworththinkingaboutbecauseitisthetimeofyourlife!

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Compilecommonlysoughtmaterialsintobindersordigitalfiles,orcreatedigitalshortcutstothem.You’llavoidsortingthroughfilestoretrievetheanswersto

frequentlyaskedquestions.

TenRecommendationsNomatterwhereyouare in lifeorwhat restrictionsyouhaveonhowyouuseyourtime,thefollowingtenrecommendationswillhelpyouliveon-purposeandmakethemostofthetwenty-fourhoursyoureceiveeachday.

1|Knowyourlifegoals.Wecoveredthisinlesson3,butitisworthpointingoutthatnothingwastesmoretimethannothavingasetofcleargoalsforyourlife,fortheyear,fortheweek,andfortheday.

2|Makeapriority“todo”listeacheveningforthefollowingday.You’llsleepbetter,wakeupwithmoreenthusiasm,andbeabetterstewardofyourtimealldaylong.

3|Wakeupearly,beforethetimewhenyourobligationsandresponsibilitieskickin.Organizeyourbedtimeandwake-uptimesothatyouhaveatleastfifteentothirtyminutestoyourselfbeforeyouhavetogetdressed,dealwiththekids,orleaveforwork.Amorningbuffertimeputsyou,notfreneticcircumstances,inchargeofyourday.

4|Returnasmanyofyourphonecallsande-mailsaspossibleatoneortwopredeterminedtimesduringtheday.Thiswillsavemostpeoplefromtwentytothirtyminutesadaythatwouldordinarilybewasted.We’lldiscussthisfromabusinessstandpointalittlelaterinthechapter.

5|Batchorgroupasmanyofyourdailyorweeklyerrandsaspossiblesothattimeisnotlostbysimpleinefficiency.

6|Thinkofyourrelationshipsaspreciousinvestments.I’veobservedinmycoachingexperiencethatnothingcancompetewiththeregretcausedbylookingbackandrealizing,“I’vespentwaytoomuchtimewiththewrongpeople.”InlightofGod’spurposeforyourlife,areyouinvestingenoughtimewiththerightrelationships?

7|Avoidthequick-fixmind-setatallcosts!Instead,doitrightthefirsttime.Ifyoudon’thavetimetodoitinexcellentfashionthefirsttime,whenwillyouhavetimetodoitover?Takingshortcutssavestimetoday,butitcostsevenmoretimeinthefuture.

8|Thoughtfullyprunesomethinginyourlifeeachyear,ormaybeeveneveryquarter.Abandonasquicklyandpolitelyaspossible

thoseobligations,projects,habits,andcommitmentsthatyou’vecometorealizenolongerserveyourGod-givenpurpose.Bigorsmall,whatcouldyouletgooftodayandneverevenmiss?

9|Insulateyourselfsufficientlyfromdistractions.Youwillbefarmoreeffectiveasamom,dad,husband,wife,orbusinesspartnerifyouroutinelyhavesomespaceormarginwhereyoucanquietlythinkandproactivelytakecareofyourselfwithoutbeinginterruptedbyothers.Then,scheduletimedailyorweeklytodealwiththeimportantpeople,projects,andprioritiesinyourlife.

10|Constantlyremindyourselfthattimeequalslife!Vieweachhourofthedayasagift.Stayawareofyourtimelikeaworld-classathletewatcheshisorherdiet.Quicklyevaluateeachdayinlessthantwominutesbyasking,“Whatwentwelltoday?Whatdidn’tgoverywell?WhatwillIdodifferentlytomorrow?”

Remember, your ability to manage your time affects your marriage, yourparenting,yourfitness,andyourpotentialforinfluenceinthemarketplace.

VitalTimeTacticsThefollowingtentacticswillhelpyoumanageyourworkresponsibilitiesmoreefficiently.Asa result,youwillbeable toenjoymoreVitalTime. In fact, theaim of this entire chapter is to help you createmoreVital Time, atwork andespecially at home. In my life, for example, I am continuously striving toincrease the time I invest with my top clients, the time I invest creating anddeliveringcontent,andthetimeIinvestthinkingstrategicallyaboutmycoachingpractice.At home,myVital Time includes quiet time eachmorning, physicalexercise,uninterruptedtimewithmywife,andquantitytimewithmythreesons.Whataboutyou?WhatdoyouconsideryourVitalTime?

VitalTimeTactic#1:OvercomeProcrastinationYoumustwin the battle against procrastination to rise above the average andcreateVitalTime.Ifbeatingprocrastinationwerenotoneofyourobjectives,youprobablywouldnotbereadingthisbook.Peakperformanceandprocrastinationare simply incompatible. It is certainly accurate that “tomorrow” can only befoundinthecalendaroffools.

SevenWaystoProcrastinateEffectivelyAParody

1.Justwish,hope,anddream.There’sreallynoneedtosetclear,specificgoalsandthenrollupyoursleevesandgettowork.

2.Alwaysworkonwhat’sfunandeasy—CandBtasks—ratherthandoingApriorities—thethingsthatareoftenhardbutnecessary.Don’tlow-prioritytasksbuildmomentum?

3.Stayinyourcareerevenifyoufindyourselfunhappy,stuck,andunabletogrow.Youcanalwayslookforwardtotheeveningsandweekends.

4.Alwaysdelaydifficultworkifyou’retired!Usefatiguestrategicallytoescapethoseuncomfortabletasks.

5.Ifyoufearsomethingiswrongwithyouphysically,don’tseeadoctor.Thatwayyoucanavoiddealingwiththerealityofapossibleillness.It’smucheasiertowaituntilyou’rereallysick.

6.Tomorrowisalwaysagooddaytostartsomethingimportant,suchasexercisingordieting.Nextweekisevenbetter.

7.Takeabreakfromallprojectswhenyouhitthe90percentcompletionmark.Thatwayyou’llalwyashavethemtocomebackto.

Procrastination, which means delaying higher-priority tasks in favor of

lower-priority ones, is responsible for more frustration, stress, andunderachievement thananyother single factor. It is theartofkeepingupwithyesterday and avoiding today. Procrastination causes emotional anguish,devastates personal relationships, wrecks any attempt at effectiveness, andpromotes physical andmental exhaustion. Procrastination is all about excuses,andyouknowaswellas Ido that theexcusesyouhave todayare theexcusesyouwill have tomorrow.Today’s excuses arebut the ancestors to tomorrow’sexcusesandthepredecessorstofuturemediocrity.

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Scheduleyourmostdifficulttasksduringyourmostproductivetimeoftheday.

SohowcanyoudefeatprocrastinationandstartcreatingVitalTime?Most

oftenthehardestpartofgettingstartedisgettingstarted.Onceyou’reinvolved,you’veovercomethehighesthurdle.Andyoudon’talwayshavetostartat thebeginning.Ifthefirststepseemshardortoolarge,startwithanotherpartoftheproject. Or set a minigoal, such as working at something for fifteenminutes,whether it’s reading, exercising, or awork project.Often after fifteenminutesyou’llwanttocontinue.Youmayevencompletetheentiretask.Iusedakitchentimer, set for fifteenminutes, togetme in thehabitofdaily reading. Iusuallyendedupreadingmuchlonger,andthathabit isnowingrainedasapartofmydailyroutine.Breaklargejobsdownintosmallpiecesordailydoables.Asthesayinggoes,“Howdoyoueatanelephant?Piecebypiece,onebiteatatime.”

Developasenseofurgency,a“do itnow”attitude,abias foraction.Anduseafasttempo.Thefasteryouare,themoreproductiveyou’llbe.Believeitornot,you’llgetlessfatiguedwalkingfast,doingthingsfast,andgettingoutandmovingthanyouwillifyou’retrudgingaround.

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Ifyoumakeanappointmentwellinadvance,callthedaybeforetoconfirm,askingforaresponseonlyifplanshavechanged.Thisisprofessional,anditsavestimeand

embarrassment.

Learntomakedecisionsquicklyaswell.Successfulpeopletakelittletime

tomakeadecisionandalongtimetochangeadecisiononceithasbeenmade.Gooddecisionmakinginvolvesanticipatingwhattheoptionsareandassessingtheplusesandminusesofeachone.Developasystemthatyouuseconsistentlywhenmaking decisions.Get input from good decisionmakers and learn fromthem.Andremember,it’sbettertomakeabaddecisionthantomakenodecisionat all.Makingnodecisionproduces stagnationand triggers feelingsof failure,confusion, andworry. It’s been said that even thebest plans fall flat if you’reconsumedbyindecisionandmakenomovetoputaplanintoaction.Beadoer,notawisherorahoper.

Ifyourlifeistogetbetter,youhavetodosomethingconstructivetomakeitbetter.There’snothingmoreconstructivethaneliminatingprocrastinationfromyourlife.

SevenValidReasonstoProcrastinateAParody

1.Mostobviously,puttingthingsoffallowsyoutoescapefromunpleasantactivities.Thesecouldbethingsthatyou’reafraidtodoorsimplythingsthatyoudon’tenjoydoing.

2.Ifyouwaitforthingstogetbetter,youcanstillblametheworldforyourunhappiness.Enoughofthatpersonalresponsibilitystuff.

3.Youcansubtlymanipulateotherstodothejob.Ifyouputitofflongenough,somebodyelseeventuallymayhavetostepinanddoitforyou.

4.Youcanavoidtheincreasedresponsibilitythatgoeswithsuccess.Ifyoudoajobwellandontime,otherswillonlyexpectyoutodoitagain.This,ofcourse,isgrosslyunfair.

5.Ifyoudon’tfeellikedoingthejobnow,youcanplantodoitlater.Somecallthislaziness,butthey’rerude.

6.Youcanclaimperfectionistimmunity.Becauseyou’resoconscientious,otherswillunderstandifyounevergetstarted.

7.Ifyou’renotsure,wait.Thisisagoodruleofthumb.Adifficult,overwhelming,orinsurmountabletaskshouldalwaysbedelayeduntilyou’reabsolutelyreadyandwellrested.

VitalTimeTactic#2:OrganizeYourWorkSpaceYoumust have a strategically organizedwork space.You can practice all theothertime-managementprinciples,butifyouremaindisorganized,you’regoingto severely restrict the effectivenessof theotherprinciplesyoupractice.Mostdisorganizationcomesfromindecision—forexample,notbeingabletodecideifapieceofpaperorsomeotherinformationisimportant,andifitis,whattodowithit.Thisismanifestedinthehabitofpickingupthesamethingsthreeorfourtimes, having a constantly overstuffed in-box, and having multiple stacks ofpapers, periodicals, and files lying around the office. If your office is typical,roughly three-quartersof the items inyour filesshouldbedeletedorplaced inthetrash.

Sucessfulpeoplehavesuccessfulhabits.Mediocrepeoplehavemediocrehabits.Anditallstartswithachoice.

On and around your work space, divide all objects into one of two

categories:toolsorsupplies.Toolsarereusableitemslikethestapler,telephone,tapeholder,scissors,andletteropeners.Suppliesareconsumableitemssuchasstaples, tape, correction fluid, paper clips, Post-it notes, and letterheads.Keeptoolsandsuppliesinaseparatestoragearea,suchasadrawer,onashelf,orincabinets.

Useanin-boxandout-box.Checktheboxesatleasttwicedailyatspecific,predetermined times. Appropriately file or act upon all incoming materialsimmediately.Tomaximizeyoureffectivenessandproductivity,avoidhandlingany itemmore thanonce.Another idea is tostandupasyousortyour in-box;you’llmovefasterandsaveevenmoretime.

Everytimesomethingcomestoyourdeskoryoure-mailin-box,ask,“Isitanaction?”Inotherwords,isitato-doitem?Istheresomespecificactionyoumust take,or is it a support, a reference,or some sortof information thatyoumayneed to access sometime later? If it’s somethingyoumayneed to accesslater,putitintheappropriatefilecategoryandthenalphabetizetheinformationinthatfile.Ifit’sanactionorto-do,placeitinoneofthreeactioncategories:•Theroutine to-dofiles if it’sarecurring,routine tasksuchas“toread,”“writeletters,”or“callback”•Thepriorityto-dofilesifit’sataskthatmustbeprioritized•Theticklerto-do

filesifthetaskneedstobecompletedonaspecificfuturedateIhandlemyincominge-mailsimilarlytothewayIhandlephysicalitems.Iusuallycheckmye-mailatdesignatedtimes,typicallysecondthinginthemorning,beforelunch,andbeforeIleavetheofficeintheearlyevening.Iskimthenewmessages,quicklyreplyingtoanythatIcanhandleinonehundredsecondsorlessandmovingtheresttooneofthreesubfolders.IfIneedtodraftasignificantreplyordosomethinginresponsetothee-mail,ImoveittotheActionfolder.IfIneedtoreviewsomething,ImoveittotheRead/Reviewfolder.IfIneedtowaitonaresponsefromsomeoneelse,ImovethemessagetothePendingfolder.Ialsomovee-mailsIhavesenttothePendingfolderifImustawaitareplyfromsomeone.Bydefault,allothere-mailsareeitherdeletedorsavedbymyassistanttoourreferenceorresearch

foldersonourcompanyserver.Manyofmy1%Clubclientshaveadoptedthissimplesystem.Youcansetupasystemlikethisforyourhomecomputeraswell.Iencourageyoutotrythisapproachormodifyitabitsoitworkswellforyou.E-mailcanbeabigtimewaster,somakesureyouhaveasystemthatmakesthispartofyourlifeeasier.Let’s come back to filing paper now. My best advice is to categorize

everything.Usehangingfiles,andconsidernotwastingtimebyplacingmanilafilefoldersinsidehangingfilefolders.Colorcodeyourhangingfilesbycategoryusingcoloredfiles,tabs,orboth.Thecategoryshouldbeindicatedbyacoloredtab at the far left, followed by staggered, coordinating tabs for the relatedsubjects and topics in each category. For example, “marketing” might be thecategory,“directmail”mightbe the subject, “catalog”mightbe the topic, andthenumber,title,oritemmightbethe“Summer2008issue”ofthecatalog.

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Respondtomailbytelephoneore-mailwhenyoucan.Ifpossible,delegatethistask.

Outline your color system in a word-processing document, and save it

digitallyforeasyreferenceintheeventthatyourassistant,anothercoworker,ora family member must access the files. For example, purple might be actionfiles;green,clientfiles;blue,researchandreference;yellow,administrative;andred,marketing.Documentthecolorchoices,andthencreateanindexoratableof contents listing the files in eachcategory.Update this index regularly.Thistakesalittletimeupfrontbutsavestimeinthelongrun.

Next,amessy,disorganizeddeskwillweighyoudown.Infact,accordingtowhatIcallthePrincipleofCorrespondence,yourouterlifeisamirrorimageofyourinnerlife.Everythingyousayanddo,includingyourleveloforganization,isareflectionoftherealyou!Ifyouconstantlyhaveaclutteredworkarea,it’sasign that you’ve got stress and turmoil going on inside that needs to be dealtwith.Thesimpleactofcleaningupyourworkareacanmakeyoufeelmoreincontrolofyourlifeandcanhelpyoubemoreeffective,moreefficient,andmoreoptimistic. Often as you go higher and higher in organizations, the desks getcleanerandcleaner.Andthat’snocoincidence.

Mostimportantly,thecleaneryourworkareaandthefewerthingsonyourdesk, themoreyouwillgetdone.Consider investing inahigh-qualityscannerandlosingmostofthepaper.Youcanapplythesameorganizingprinciplesandcategoriesdescribedabovetoyourcomputerfilesaswell.

VitalTimeTactic#3:HandleReadingMaterialMoreEfficientlyTobeeffectiveintoday’srapidlychangingsociety,youmuststayuponcurrenteventsanddevelopmentsinyourindustry.Followingarethreekeystohandlingreadingmaterial:

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#10

Developamastermindgroupofsuccess-mindedpeoplewhocanaccelerateyourprogresstowardyourgoals.

First,becomeaspeed-reader.Acourseinspeed-readingwillenableyouto

double or triple your reading speed almost instantly. Imore than doubledmyspeed in the first twohours.Online courses are available, aswell as seminarsandCDlearningsystems.CoursesinPhotoReadingandacceleratedlearningareprovenapproachesyoumayalsowanttoinvestigate.Theremarkableresultsyougetfrompracticingthesesimplemethodswillsurpriseyou.

Anotherwaytoaccelerateyourreadingistogostraighttoabook’stableofcontents, decide which chapter is most important to you, and then read thatchapter ormark it for future reference.Youmay find that thematerial is notevenworthreading,whichofcourseshortenstheallottedtimeconsiderably.

For business information, read only top-priority articles in magazines,publications,journals,newsletters,andsoon.Again,readthetableofcontents,pick the itemsthatareof themost interest toyou,goright to those items, tearoutthepages,andputthepagesinyour“toread”file.Thenthrowtherestofthemagazine away. I recommend that you always take that filewith you to readduring what I call transition time—when you’re waiting for an appointment,standinginline,ortraveling.Trainyourselftoreadonlywhat’smostimportanttoyou,nothingelse.Ifyou’refortunateenoughtohaveanassistant,ideallyyouwanttogothroughthetableofcontents,circlewhat’sofinteresttoyou,andaskyourassistanttotearoutthepages,puttheminafile,andshovethemintoyour

handsonthewayoutoftheoffice.Also,wheneveryou’rereadingorreviewingcorrespondence, stand up! Your mind will stay more focused and alert, andyou’llgetdonemuchfaster.

You may want to take advantage of services that provide a synopsis oroverview of various books and articles. Written and audio summaries areavailable,aswellaspodcasts. I’vemadeuseof theseformanyyearsnowandhavecutoutfourorfivehoursofreadingeachweek.

VitalTimeTactic#4:HandleEverythingOnceandOnlyOnceSingle handlingmeans that once you start a top-priority task, you staywith ituntilit’s100percentcomplete.Perseverewithoutdiversionordistraction.Don’tpick up the same task, the same piece of paper, or even the same phone calltwice.Pickitup,swarmalloverit,takecareofit,thenbringittoacloseandgoontothenextone.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#11

Becauseyouabsorbthehabitsofthoseyouspendtimewith,associateonlywithtime-consciouspeople.Stayawayfromnegativepeople.

Become a “monomaniac,” as Peter Drucker called it. Learn to focus

intenselyonjustone thingata timebecause themoreyoutakeon, thegreaterthechancethatyou’lllosesomeofyoureffectiveness.Thisistruenotonlyforaparticular task but in all areas of your life. Research shows that greataccomplishments require single-minded concentration. Review great successstories,andyou’llseewhatImean!

VitalTimeTactic#5:DelegateDelegationistheonlywayyoucancarveoutenoughVitalTimetopursuethosethingsthataremeaningful toyou.Withoutdelegation,youwillendupwithsomanyresponsibilitiesthatyoucan’tdowhatmattersmost.Remember,focusonwhat you do best! As an entrepreneur, an executive, or amanager, youmustdelegate everything you possibly can to have enough time to complete yourhighest payback tasks.Delegate, and you’ll free yourself frommundane tasksthatdon’tmoveyouclosertoyourgoals.

The first step is to knowwhen todelegate.Ageneral rule of thumb is, ifsomeoneelsecandothejobfaster,better,ormoreeconomicallythanyoucan,askthemtodoit!Directincreasingamountsoftimetothoseaspectsofyourbusinessforwhichyouhavethemostpassionandwhereyouexcel.This istheprescriptionforexceptionalsuccessnomatterwhatyoudo.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#12

Keepold-fashionedthree-by-five-inchindexcardsoraminidigitalrecorderwithyouallthetimeforcapturinggreatideasanddictatingcorrespondence.IuseadictationservicethatIcanspeed-dialfrommymobilephoneandthenreceivetranscriptions

bye-mail.

It’s been said that activities that don’t directly advance your goals and

dreams are simply routine maintenance. And routine maintenance—whilecriticaltothefunctioningofahouse,acar,oranypieceofmachinery—canbeperformedbyanyonewhohas thenecessaryskills. Inotherwords,bya repairpersonorahandyman,orsomeoneotherthanyourself.Unlessyourgoalistobea maid, butler, home-improvement expert, or auto mechanic, you may besacrificinghundredsofhoursperyearonactivitiesthatarenotinalignmentwithyourvaluesnorcontributedirectlytotheaccomplishmentofasingleobjective,goal,ordream.

Youcan’t begoal directed andmaintenancedirected at the same time, soyoumustmake a choice.However, if routine home andyardmaintenance areenjoyable for you, then by all means do those tasks! These activities can beeffectivestressreducersandcanalsogiveyouasenseofaccomplishment.Butifthey’renotyourideaofagoodtime,delegatethem.

Thepointhere is thatyoucanmakethedecisionwhentohiresomeonetotakecareofthechoresyouconsidermundanemaintenance.Whatyouchoosetodelegatemaybeverydifferentfromwhatyourneighbororcoworkerchoosestodelegate.Theimportantthingisthatyoudelegatethoseactivitiesthatdrainyourenergyandobscureyourfocus.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#13

Callaheadore-maillunchorderstoavoidwaitinginlinefortake-outorders.

It’s important to decide not onlywhen to delegate butwhat to delegate.

Giving subordinates jobs that neither you nor anyone else wants to do isn’tdelegating,it’sassigning.Andalthoughit’snecessaryattimes,itdoesn’tnourishothers’ egos, encourage them togrow,or enable them toassume thedecision-making role that can help to free more of your time. So learn to delegatechallengingandrewardingtasksaswell.

Thenext important step is to know towhom to delegate.My advice is tochoosethebestpeopleavailable,nomatterthecost.Thebestpeoplewillmakeyousuccessful.Theyalsocutdownonthenumberoftimesyouareinterruptedbecause theyknowhow tohandlechallenges themselves.Thesooneryoustoptheinterruptionsintheoffice,thesooneryou’llbelivingyourlifeyourway,onyour terms, and fulfilling your goals. Remember that someone is always outtherewiththepassionandknackforwhatyouhopetoavoiddoing.Yourjobistoattractandrecruitthem.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#14

Avoidtheherd.Dothingswhennobodyelsedoesthem.Checkoutofyourhotelattimeswhenotherpeoplearen’t.Dineoutbeforecrowdsarrive.Scheduleflightsfor

nonpeakhours.Driveduringnonpeakhours.

Knowingwhentodelegate,towhomtodelegate,andhowtodelegatewill

comemorenaturallywithpractice.YoucanrestassureditwillputyouwellonyourwaytoclaimingandenjoyingVitalTime.

VitalTimeTactic#6:ControlYourPhoneCallsControlthephone,oritwillcontrolyouandlimityourlevelofaccomplishment.Don’t be afraid to ignore it completely if you’re engaged in a vital activity.Voice-mail systems are cost effective and efficient at handling messages. Ifyou’refortunateenoughtohaveanassistant,haveyourcallsscreenedandgetaspecific call-back time when the caller will be in the office. When you call

someone,leaveacall-backtimeaswell.Stopphonetag.Refusetobeaslavetothephone.

MinimizeTelephoneMediocrity

1.Beforeyoucall,jotdownthepointsyouwanttocover.2.Bepreparedtocutofftheconversationquicklybyacknowledginghow

busyyouknowtheotherpersonis.3.Doeasy,mindlessjobswhileonthephone,suchassigninglettersor

organizingyourdesk.4.Whenpossible,checkyourmessagesandreturnallnecessarycallsat

thesametime.Limitphoneusagetoacoupleofspecificperiodsduringtheday.You’llimmediatelybecomeawareoftheextratimeandmentalenergythisfreesup.

5.Practicethephone-managementGoldenRule:Whenyoucallsomeoneelse,valuetheirtimebyasking,“Isthisagoodtime?”Don’tassumetheyhavetimetotalktoyou,andneverinterruptsimplybecauseyouwanttochat!

Another way to control the phone is to become the caller instead of the

callee.Researchindicatesthatunplannedphonecallslastfivetosevenminuteslonger than planned calls. If youmake or receive twelve unplanned calls in aday, you might be wasting an hour. I have all my incoming calls carefullyscreened.Thatdoesoccasionallyirritatesomepeople,whichwarnsmethattheoffendedpartymightbethetypeofpersonwhocanaffordtowastetime.Inmyoffice,undernocircumstancesarecallsputthroughtomeunlessthecallerfullyidentifiesherselforhimselfandthereasonsforcalling.Mystaffalsoencouragescallerstoe-mailabriefintroductorynotebeforetryingtoreachmeonthephone.Oftenaphonecallisnotneededatall.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#15

Ifyou’rehavingtroublemakingcontactwithsomeoneforthefirsttimeonthe

telephone,considerfaxingore-mailingyourmessage.

VitalTimeTactic#7:ManageInterruptionsYoumust become exceptionally skilled at handling interruptions because theytendtobethenumber-onetimewasterinbusiness.Remember,interruptionsareusually people—peoplewhowant to refocus your attention fromwhat you’redoingnowtosomethingelse.Somepeoplejustdon’trealizethey’recuttingintoyour time or disturbing your thought process, while others ramble onindefinitely,apparentlybelieving they’regettingpaidby theword.Theyneverseem to run out of inconsequential things to say. Sometimes, though, peoplegenuinelyneedsomethingfromusthat isapriority to them.Howcanwetreatthemwith respectwhile stillprotectingour time?Hereare somestrategies fordealingwithinterruptions.

Adopt a controlled open-door policy, inwhich people have access to youbutbyappointmentonly. Ifyou’reamanager,developyour staffby requiringthem,beforetheybringyouaproblem,todefinetheproblemclearlyinwriting,suggest threepossiblesolutions,andthenchoosethebestsolutionof thethree.Oftenthey’lldeterminethere’snoneedtointerrupt.Andiftheydointerrupt,thelengthofdisruptionwillbeshortened.Nooneshouldbeabletowalkintoyourofficewithoutagoodreason.

Youcouldalsodesignatespecifictimesforinterruptionsandothertimesforno interruptions. Put aDoNotDisturb sign on your closed door during theseuninterruptibleperiods,ormoveyourworktoaconferenceroomorotherquietlocation.Make itabsolutelyclear thatunless there’sadeath in the familyorafireinthebuilding,you’renottobedisturbed.Duringperiodswhenyouallowinterruptions,engage in routineoroperational tasks thatcanbeeasily returnedto,notcreativework.

ManageInterruptions

Whensomebodyunexpectedlydropsin,considerstandingupandbeginning

toleave.Say,“I’monmywayout,”andholdthemeetingrightinyourdoorway.Thengototherestroom,downthehall,orwhatever,andthengetbacktowork.

Meetunexpectedvisitorsinthereceptionareaorlobbyandremainstandingifpossible.Meetcoworkers in theiroffice rather thanyourssoyoucangetupandleavemoreeasilywhenyoufeeltheconversationisover.

Settimelimitsatthebeginningofthediscussion.Ifyouhaveanunexpectedguest, say, “I’veonlygot sevenminutes, then Ihaveaphoneappointment [orsome other pressing business].” Using an unusual time frame commandsattentionandrespect.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#16

Batchyourerrands.Doerrandsononesideofthestreetfirst,thenontheothersideonyourwayback.

Discouragedrop-invisitorsbyturningyourdeskawayfromthedoor.This

eliminates eye contact with people walking by, which some interpret as aninvitationforinterruption.Ifsomeonedoesdropin,savetimebywritingabriefnotetoremindyourselfwhereyouleftoff.

Anxiousbodylanguageshortensinterruptions.Lookatyourwatch,starttoshufflepapers,lookforsomethinginyourdesk,orwhateveryoucanthinkof,andthehintwillbereceived.Iknowsomepeoplewhoalwayshaveamundanetask that they ask drop-in visitors to help them with. The more tedious, thebetter.Again,they’llgetthemessage.

If your assistant and staff are your most frequent interruptions, scheduleregular blocks of time to meet and cover all problems and questions in onesession.

CalculatetheValueofanHour

Tocalculatethedollarvalueofanhourofyourtime,divideyourannualincomebythenumberofhoursyouworkeachyear.

Onehourisworth:$__________Iwantonehourtobeworth:$__________

Finally, remember that your time is valuable. Suppose, for example, that

youwanttoearn$100,000thisyear.Thattranslatesintoapproximately$50anhour,orabout83centseachminute.Keepthisfreshinyourmind—mostpeoplewho interrupt othershaveno clue as to the value of eachminute of theirtimeoryours!

VitalTimeTactic#8:GroupSimilarTasksDo similar things together. Everything we do is subject to what is called thelearning curve.Whenwe do a series of five to ten similar tasks, the learningcurve reduces the amount of time needed to complete each item by about 80percent.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#17

Ifyoutravelalot,keepafileinyourcarfullofdirectionstoplacesyoumightreturnto.

Forinstance,inrunningmybusiness,it’smuchmoreproductiveformeto

setasidecertaindaysforclienttraining,otherdaysforproductdevelopment,andotherdaysforreviewingresearch,rather thandoinga littlebithereanda littlebitthere,havingtomentallywarmuptoeachtypeofactivityeachtime.Batchyourphonecallsandcorrespondenceaswell.Dothemallatonce,andyoucanaddaboutanhourtoyourday.

VitalTimeTactic#9:BlockOutChunksofTime

Youwouldn’tbelievethefeedbackIgetfromentrepreneursandotherleadersonthe impact of time blocking.Themore important your work becomes, themoreimportantitisforyoutodevelopblocksoftimewhereyoucanworkon serious projects without distraction. Avoid mixing creative tasks withfunctional or administrative tasks. In fact, it’s impossible to maximize yourpersonaleffectivenessifyoutrytoblendoperational tasks—suchasansweringthephone,draftingcorrespondence, returninge-mails, andholdingmeetings—withcreativeprojects—suchasplanning,craftingaproposal,ordesigninganewmarketing campaign. You need blocks of time—minimum blocks of two orpreferablythreehours,onaregularbasis. It takesabout thirty tosixtyminutes

foryourmindtogetacclimatedtocreativetasks.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#18

Avoid“bargainitis,”whichistheinflammationofthepovertygland.Bargainitisissimplythepracticeoffalseeconomy.Don’tallowcosttobeyouronlycriterion.

Smartbuyersknowthattheconceptof“penny-wiseandpound-foolish”advocatedbyBenFranklinstillholdstrue.

Here are several recommendations for scheduling quiet, unbroken time.

Eachwilldramaticallyincreaseyoureffectivenessandproducethewellspringofcreativeideasthatcomefromuninterruptedthought.

First,startoffinthemorningwhenyouarefreshestandmostalert.Jointhefive o’clock club and get up at 5 a.m.Work on important lifetime priorities,goals, and devotions early in the morning. Almost all great leaders are earlyrisers.Afterworkingonpersonaldevelopment,youcandevotetherestofyourearly-morningtimetoprofessionalprojects.Thiswayyou’vehadninetyminutesofuninterruptedtimebeforeyou’veevengonetotheoffice.Oryoucangetintotheofficeanhourormoreearlierthananyoneelse.Butevenifyouarriveattheoffice at the usual time, you’ve already accomplished ninety minutes ofuninterruptedwork.

Lunchisanotherexcellentoptionfor timeblocking.Fromnoonto1p.m.,mutethetelephone.Whileeveryoneelseisgone,youcanworkuninterruptedformorethananhour,clearingupe-mailortacklingchunksofmajorprojects.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#19

Experimentwithtippinginadvance.Rememberwhattipstandsfor:“toinsureperformance(orpromptness).”Ifyou’reatanicerestaurantandinahurry,simplytellthepersonwhoseatsyouthatyou’repressedfortimeandaskhimifhecanspeedthingsupinthekitchen.Thenslipabillintohishandandrepeatthesamemaneuverwhentheservercomes.Also,tipgenerouslyatanyrestuarantyou

frequent.It’saninvestment.

Blockoffasettimeeveryday.Forinstance,fromtena.m.tonoon,putaDo

NotDisturbsignontheoutsideofyourofficedoor,andfortwohours,takenointerruptions.Ifyoudothesamethingbetweentwoandfourp.m.,you’llgetinasolid twohours in themorningand theafternoon.Theexact timesyoudo thisdon’treallymatter.Justdoit!

Don’t overlook travel as an opportunity for time blocking. One hour offlyingfirstclass,forexample,canbetheequivalentofaboutthreehoursofworkinanofficeenvironment,becausetherearen’tanyinterruptions.Thefirst-classcabin is also an excellent venue for connecting with other success-mindedindividuals.Itverylikelycouldbeworththeextrainvestment.

VitalTimeTactics

1.Overcomeprocrastination2.Organizeyourworkspace3.Handlereadingmaterialefficiently4.Handleeverythingonceandonly

once5.Delegate6.Controlyourphonecalls7.Manageinterruptions8.Batchsimilartasks9.Blockoutchunksoftime

10.Runmasterfulmeetings

InThe1%Club,wehaveaconceptcalledTheDayBlockSystem,through

whichweteachentrepreneurshowtoblockoutentiredays—andinsomecases,evenweeks—asa focusing tool.For example,wedivideeachweek into threetypesofdays.ThefirsttypeiscalledaRejuvenationDayandisreservedforrestand recreation. The second type of day is called a SuperFocusDay,which isusedexclusivelyfordealingwithyourtopthreehighest-paybackactivities.Thethird type of day, called PrepDays, are used to handle clutter projects and toorganize yourself so that you can be free of low-payback activitieswhen youhaveaSuperFocusDayontheschedule.AsmembersofThe1%Clubgraduallymasterthisuniqueapproach, theyexperiencegreaterproductivityasaresultof

eliminating recurring distractions and continually shifting back and forthbetweendifferentmentalgears.

VitalTimeTactic#10:RunMasterfulMeetingsHowdoyourmeetingsmeasureup?Aretheyaninvestmentorawasteoftime?Herearesixessentialguidelinesforeffectivemeetings.

Knowthepurpose. Is thegoal to solveaproblem, to trainemployees, toshare information, or to plan a project? Be able to define the purpose of themeetinginlessthantwenty-fivewords!

Is the meeting absolutely necessary? Or is there another way toaccomplish the same result? Who must attend? What is the worst thing thatcould happen if themeetingwere not held at all?Mostmeetings are big timewasters, so view allmeetings as investments that should reap large dividends.Multiply thehourlywagesofmeetingattendeesby thenumberofhoursof themeetingtodeterminethetruecostoftheget-together.

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#20

Createchecklistsforrecurringactivitieslikehomemaintenance,carmaintenance,housecleaning,vacationplanning,andgroceryshopping.Youwon’thavetorethink

themeachtimetheneedarises.

Developawrittenagenda.E-mailacopyofmeetingtopicstoparticipants

in advance of the meeting. List the items in order of importance to theorganization.Beginthemeetingwithaone-sentencestatementofpurpose,thengiveaspecificadjournmenttime.

Prepare!Prepareforthemeetingasifitwereaclientpresentation.Alwaysdoyourhomework,andneverwasteattendees’timewithtasksordialoguethatcouldbehandledelsewhere.

Lead the meeting effectively. Keep the meeting on track and state theoutcomeofeachpointdiscussed.Closeeachpointbeforemovingon,anddon’tskip around. Assign all tasks and deadlines, including taking and distributingmeetingminutes or notes.Determine how each taskwill be implemented andcontrolled. Be absolutely clear on what is to be done and why, and haveemployeesrestatethetask,thedeadline,andthepurposetomakesureeveryone

understands what’s going on. Above all, make decisions. Meetings withoutdecisionsareworthless.

Get out fast. If you are no longer necessary for the completion of themeeting,leave.Trytogetitemsaffectingyoudiscussedfirst,andthenleaveandget back towork! Leaders should give their people permission to depart aftertheircontributionhasbeenmade.

We all have just twenty-four hours each day to achieve our goals and tobecomethepersonwearecapableofbecoming.AsIsaidatthebeginningofthislesson, nomatterwhoyou are, your progress andultimate success in lifewilldependmoreonwhatyoudowiththetwenty-fourhoursyou’regiveneachdaythan on any other single factor. You can invest your time wisely or you canwaste it foolishly.You can createVitalTimeor you can let it slip away.Thechoice,asalways,isyours.It’scompletelyuptoyou!

Rapid-FireTime-Saver#21

Dothingsrightthefirsttime.Ifyoudon’thavetimetodoitrightthefirsttime,whenwillyouhavetimetoredoit?

Remember, each of us has massive room for improvement and

advancement. Your output can be more than increased—it can be multipliedrepeatedly.Infact,Ibelieveyouhaveanobligationtomaximizeeverydropofyourpotential.Andwhenyou’ve risen to thisnextpeakof supereffectiveness,you’llfindithardtobelieveyouusedtoliveanyotherway!

Lesson4QuestionsforReflection

Whatisoneareawhereyouneedtotakeactionbuthavebeenprocrastinating?

Whatimpactcouldyourtime-managementskillshaveonthequalityofyourhomelife?Whatareyourchildrenlearningfromobservinghowyouuseyourtime?

Howmuchmarginorunscheduledtimedoyouneedonadaily,weekly,and

monthlybasistooperateatyourpeak?

Inwhatwayshastechnologyinfluencedhowyouinvestorspendyourtime(Internet,e-mail,mobilephones,iPods,etc.)?

Whatarethekeyactivitiesthattendtocreatethebiggestdifferenceinyourfamilylife?atwork?Whichactivitiesshoulddefinitelybepruned?

*Whomcanyou influencewith the ideas fromthis lesson in thenext forty-eighthours?

Lesson4Assignments

1|Determinehowmuchyourtimeiscurrentlyworth(seechartonpage119).

2|Determinehowmuchyourtimeshouldbeworthtocreatethelifestyleyoudesire.

3|Makealistofyourthreehighestpaybackactivities,bothpersonallyandprofessionally.

4|Keepalogofhowyouspendyourtimeforthenexttwoweeks.(Usefifteen-minuteincrements.)5|Basedonthislesson,brainstormalistoftwentyspecificwaysyoucanimproveyourpersonaltimemanagement.

Lesson5ChoosetoGetOutofYourOwnWay

Whateveryoudirectyourmindtothinkaboutwillultimatelyberevealedforeveryonetosee.

Inthislesson,youwilllearnto•Usethelanguageofsuccess•Flushunwanteddialogueoutofyourmind•Controlyouremotions•Buildbeliefsthatmakesuccessinevitable•Getoutofyourownway•Reprogramyourselfforextraordinaryaccomplishment

Amongthemostpowerfulinfluencesonyourcharacter,personality,andattitudeiswhatyousay toyourselfandbelieve.Duringeverysinglemomentofeveryday,youare talkingyourself either intooroutof success.By talkingyourselfintosuccess,ImeantalkingyourselfintobeingthechampionGoddesignedyouto become. Remember our discussion in lesson 2 about findingGod’s uniquepurposeforyourlife.Witheverythoughtthatracesthroughyourmind,youareconstantly redefining yourself and your future.Your inner dialogue, or self-talk,canandmustbeeffectivelyharnessedifyouaretomaximizeyourfullpotential. Harnessing your self-talk doesn’t require magic, just a deliberateefforttoalignyourthoughtlifewithGod’sbestplansforyourlife.It’strainingyourmind via yourmouth.Matthew 12:34 says, “Out of the overflow of theheartthemouthspeaks”(NIV).Yourwordsandmentalimagesreflectwhatyoubelieveinyourheart—andifyouchangethosewordsandimages,youwillalsochangeyourheart.

BreakingOutoftheCubeHe’sbeenonthecoverofNewsweekandFortune,appearedasthespokespersonforamultimillion-dollarcompany,andtwobookswrittenabouthimhaverankednumberoneon theNewYorkTimesbest-sellers list.No, I’mnot talkingabout

JackWelchorBillGates;I’mreferringtoDilbert,thepopularcartooncharactercreatedbyScottAdams,whohumorouslyremindseverydayofficeworkersthattheyarenotaloneintheirfrustration.

Adams hasmade a career of drawing out the humor in the typical officeworker’s life. His nationally syndicated comic strip appears in two thousandnewspapersinsixty-fivecountries,makingitoneofthemoresuccessfulcomicstrips in history.19 Each year, devoted fans support theDilbertmerchandisingempirebybuyingbooks,mousepads,coffeemugs,andcalendars.

SohowdidAdamsbreakoutofhisroutineengineeringjobatPacificBelltobecomeasuccessfulcartoonist?Heusedaprocesscalledaffirmations,whichhelearnedfromafriendwhohadreadabookonthesubject.Shehadtrieditoutforherselfandhadsuccess,andAdamsfiguredhehadnothingtolose.Theprocessconsistedofvisualizingwhathewantedandthenwritingdownthatgoalfifteentimesinarow,eachday,untilheobtainedthethinghe’dvisualized.20Basically,hetalkedhimselfintobeingsuccessful.

OutsideHelpAlthoughAdamshadbeensuccessfulinschool,graduatingfromhighschoolasvaledictorian and receiving a bachelor of arts in economics from HartwickCollege,hehadlittleknowledgeabouthisdesiredprofession.Hewantedtobeacartoonist,buthehadnoideahowtogetstarted.

In 1986, Adams took a significant step toward reaching his goal bycontacting Jack Cassady, the host of a PBS special on cartoonists. CassadyansweredAdams’s questions and encouraged him to submit hiswork.Adamssent his cartoons to a few publications for their consideration and promptlyreceived rejection letters. He said, “Discouraged, I putmy art supplies in thecloset and decided to forget about cartooning.”21 But a year and a half later,Adams received another letter fromCassady. The cartoonist eggedAdams onandtoldhimnottogetdiscouraged.Cassadyassuredhimthathisworkwasverygood.ThatprovidedthemotivationAdamsneededtotryagain.

HelpingHimselfAdams had been using his affirmations process in a number of areas. Aftergraduatingfromcollege,hewanted to receiveanMBAfromtheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeley;however,hehadnotscoredhighenoughontheentranceexamtobeaccepted.Withhisnewsystemforpositivethinking,hetriedagain:Hevisualizedhisgoalofscoringintheninety-fourthpercentile,wrotethegoaldownfifteentimeseachday,andpreparedfortheGMATwithstudyguidesandpractice exams. When he received his results from the test, he could hardly

believehiseyes.Hehadscored in theninety-fourthpercentile.22And in1986,AdamsgraduatedfromtheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleywithanMBA.

Now on his second try at submitting cartoons to various publications, hetookthesamesuccessstepsbywritingoutfifteentimeseachday,“Iwillbecomeasyndicatedcartoonist.”23Itwasahugegoalforanunknownartist.Maybeonein ten thousand cartoonists actually gets published.ButAdams knewwhat hewanted,andhewentforit.Heputtogetherapolishedpresentationofhisworkand sent it to syndicators. Two years later,Dilbert was published. And now,almosttwentyyearslater,itisstillreadbymillionsofpeopleeachdayastheyfliptothecomicsorbusinesssectionoftheirnewspapers.

WhatIsSelf-Talk?Self-talk is most simply defined as what you say or think to yourself, eithersilentlyoraloud.Silentself-talk iscommonlyreferred toasyour thoughts,butit’sactuallyasilentconversationthatyouholdintheprivacyofyourownmind.Youarethinkingallthetime,dayandnight.Infact,psychologistsestimatethattheaveragepersonhasbetweentwentythousandandsixtythousandthoughtsperday. Every thought either moves you toward your goals and the person youintend tobecomeormovesyouaway.No thoughts areneutral.Every thoughtcounts.Unfortunately,approximately90percentofthethoughtsyouhavetodayare repeats from yesterday and the day before, which is why effectingpermanent, positive improvement in your life tends to be such an uphillchallenge.Thehumanmindlovesthestatusquo,andifnottrainedotherwise,itwill feed you a constant repetition of old ideas. Those old thoughts, like anautomaticpilot,willsteeryourlifeinthesamedirectionithasalwaysgone.

Herearesomecommonexamplesofwhatpeoplespeakout loudorsaytothemselvessilently.

HowtoTalkYourselfOutofSuccess

•Icanneverrememberhisname.•Ijustalwaysseemtodipintomysavings.•Ilostmytrainofthought.•Icanneversaythatright.•Youcan’tteachanolddognewtricks.•Youcan’thaveyourcakeandeatittoo.•Iknowmylimitations.

•I’mjustthisway.•I’mlosingmymind.•Thatmakesmesick.•Justmyluck.•That’soutofmypricerange.Ican’taffordit.•Idon’thaveenoughtime.•TheonesIlikedon’tlikeme,andtheoneswholikeme—well,there’s

alwayssomethingwrongwiththem.•That’stoorichformyblood.•IfIhadmoney,I’djustworryaboutlosingit.•I’mlivingproofofMurphy’sLaw.•I’llneverunderstandthosetypesofthings.•EverythingIeatgoesstraighttomywaist.•NobodywantstopaymewhatI’mworth.•Iusedtohavesomuchenergy.•Mymetabolismisslowingdown.•Ifsuchandsuchhappens,I’mgoingtobesoomad.

Payattentiontoalmostanyconversationforabouteightortenminutes,and

you’llhearthetoxictalk—thewhining,complaining,blaming,condemning,andjustifying. You’ll hear people passionately arguing in favor of their mostcherished limitations, and you’ll also hear them knocking, sometimes subtly,thosewhohaveovercome thosesame limitationsanddonefarmorewith theirlives. Some insist that they’re not being negative, just realistic; they’re givingyouanhonestdescriptionofhowtheir livesarerightnow.Thereality isthatwhereyou’vebeenandwhatyou’vedonematterfarlessthanwhereyou’regoing. But if you persist in thinking and talking about current or priorperformance, thenwhereyou’vebeen,whereyouare,andwhereyou’regoingwill all beone and the same.Thisholds true foryourgolf game,your career,yourmarriage,andalltheotherareasofyourlife.

AsKingSolomonpatitseveralthousandyearsago,“As[aman]thinksinhisheart,soishe.”

—Proverbs23:7,NKJV

BecomeaVisionaryThepurposeof this lesson is tohelpyoubecomeavisionarywithyour life—someone who can sense things as they could be rather than just as they are,someonewhoacknowledgesthesunwhenonlycloudsarevisible.Thisisavitalskill in short supply, andwhenyoumaster it, youcancreateopportunities foryourselfandforothersthatmostpeoplewon’tevenacceptasapossibility.

Consider some part of your life that you’d like to improve. It could be apersonalquality,ahabit,anattitude,afinancialproblem,achallengewithyourweight, or any other area of dissatisfaction. Since this area is below yourstandards, imagineyourself tobedowninahole,farbeneathyourpotential. Itdoesn’tmatter somuch how you got in the hole—just that you’re aware thatyou’reinthehole.Togetout,you’regoingtohavetothinkup,lookup,speakup, and ultimately climb up. Remember this as the first rule of holes: Ifyou’re in one, stop digging.Most people have difficulty climbing out of theholesintheirlivessimplybecausetheyfocusmoreonthehole(whichrepresentstheircurrentcircumstance)thanonwheretheywanttoclimb(whichisthegoalorsolution).Theyareboggeddownintherealityoftoday,andasaresult,they’llkeepgettingmoreofwhattheyalreadyhave.

Youmustmaketheshiftfromreactivethinkingtoproactivethinking.Youmuststopworkingforyourmindandinsteadenlistyourmindtoworkforyou.Remember,yourself-talk tends toworkagainstyouunlessyouareawareof itanduseittofurtheryourmission,goals,andambitions.

For therestof this lesson, Iwilluse thewordself-talk to refer topositiveself-talk. Positive self-talk involves thoughts you intentionally choose tothinkbecause of the results theywill produce in your life. It is a positive,assertive, present-tense description of a goal or other desired condition. Itdescribesyourcharacterandlifestyleasitwillbewhenyouhavefulfilledyourpotentialandachievedyourgoals.

Weallhaveingrainedbeliefsaboutourselvesandourcapabilities.Abeliefisacollectionofsubconscious thoughts thatrepresentwhatyouconsider tobetheabsolutetruthaboutanygivensituationinyourlife.Beliefsprovideafeelingof absolute certainty. Your beliefs are literally hardwired, primarily throughrepetition, intoneuralpathways inyourbrain. Incomingdata fromyoursensestravelsalongthesepathwaysonitswaytointerpretationinthebrain.Thismeansthat prior to the brain’s interpretation, incoming data is filtered through yourbeliefs.Realityis,therefore,notfixedbutismanipulatedbyourbeliefs.Self-talkrepresentsspecificmentalenergythatisreceivedbythebrain,thendownloaded

intoneurologicaltracksandprocessedtocreatetheactionswetake.Wearenot consciously aware ofmost of ourbeliefs becausewehave

beenlivingwiththemforsolong.Asaresult,beliefsarelikeassumedtruthsthatneednotbequestioned.Andifweneverchallengeabelief,itstickswithusforever,becominganever-strongerconviction.

Typically,peoplewilldojustaboutanythingtokeepabeliefintact,evenifit is damagingor self-defeating.Since replacing a limiting or erroneous beliefrequiresacombinationofcuriosity,humility,andcourage,it’sarareoccurrence.Many limiting beliefs also exonerate us from taking action and pursuingopportunities,fromleavingourcomfortzoneortakingongreaterresponsibility.Stillotherlimitingbeliefsprovideuswithconvenientalibisfordoinglesswork.

WhatIsReality?It’s important to remember thatwhatwe perceive as reality is not necessarilytrueatall,butonlyourpersonalversionofreality.Wegetonlyaneditedlookattheworldaroundus.Thisisbecauseourbeliefs,forbetterorforworse,actas filters, screening out any evidence that doesn’t support them. We screenreality throughour senses,our language,our inborn tendencies, andespeciallythroughgeneralizationswemakerelativetoourpersonalexperiences.Itisinthisfourth category of screening where we can make a substantial impact withpositive self-talk. The beliefs that make up your self-concept come from thegeneralizations,many of them self-defeating, you havemade throughout yourlife.Inanumberofdifferentways,wetendtoclingtoourlimitingbeliefs,likeachildclingstoasecurityblanket,evenwhenthereisevidencetothecontrary.

Thereasonourunconsciousgoestosomuchtroubletomaintainourbeliefsis that human beings have a subconscious tendency to continue doing whatthey’vealwaysdone,toremainconsistentwithwhatthey’vesaidanddoneinthepast. Any attempt to change current habits of thought or action triggers thehomeostaticimpulse,whichmakesyoufeeluneasyanduncomfortable.Sincethehumanbrainseekscomfortandpleasureandtriestoavoidandmoveawayfromdiscomfortandpain,yournaturaltendencywillbetogobacktotheoldwaysofdoingthings.Whilethistendencyiscommon,itmustbeovercomeifyouaretocome alive and unlock your full potential. You must be willing to beuncomfortable or uneasy if youwant the rewards of higher levels of personaleffectiveness.

HowWeClingtoLimitingBeliefs

1.Wemakelifechoicesthatharmonizewithourbeliefs.Weunconsciouslychoosesituationsandpeoplethatfitourpreconceptions,whileweavoidthosepeopleandsituationsthatmightweakenorcontradictourbeliefs.Ouremotions,bodylanguage,andfacialexpressionsalsoattractsituationsthatmatchupwithourbeliefs.

2.Wepracticeselectiveattentionorinattentiondependingonthecircumstance.Ourmindstuneintophenomenathatconfirmourbeliefswhileavoiding,ignoring,ordeletinganythingthatcouldweakenthebelief.Weselectivelyremembereventsthatfitourbeliefsandselectivelyforgetthosethatdonot.

3.Weautomaticallydistort,mold,orexaggerateevidencetoreasonablyfitourbeliefs.

4.Asalast-ditcheffort,wemayalsorationalizecontradictoryevidencetouploadabelief.Oftenthisinvolvesmisinterpretingsomeone’smotivesorclaiminganulteriormotive.

TheMentalPrinciplesTo fully benefit from self-talk, you should understand the seven mentalprinciplesthatsupportit.Principlesbydefinitionaretimeless.Theyareineffectforeveryone,everywhere,twenty-fourhoursaday.Justasphysicallawsdonotdiscriminate, neither do the following mental laws: 1. Cause and effect. Foreverysingleeffectinyourlife,thereisacauseorgroupofcauses.Ifyouwanttoproduceaspecific result inyour life,youmust tracebackfromthat resultandidentifythecause.Themostimportantapplicationofthisprincipleis thatyourthoughtsarecausesandyourcircumstancesareeffects.Inotherwords,causationis mental. Nothing happens by accident. Just because a cause cannot bedetermineddoesnotmeanthereisnocause.However,manypeopleattributetheeffectsintheirlives—theresultstheyachieve—toeithergoodorbadluck.Theydo this foroneof three reasons: (1) if it’sbad luck, to relieve themselvesofasenseofresponsibility,whichdeflectsattentionfromthetruesource;(2) if it’sgoodluck,toappearmodestorhumble;or(3)becausetheyareignorantofthetruecause.

Successfulmenandwomentraintheirmindstothinkonlyaboutwhattheywanttohappenintheirlives.

2. Belief. The principle of belief says that whatever you believe about

yourself long enough and deeply enough becomes true for you. According toyour beliefs is it done unto you. Whatever you tell yourself repeatedly withfeeling, you eventually come to believe. You do not believewhat you see somuchasyouseewhatyouhavealreadydecided tobelieve.For themostpart,your beliefs produce your life experiences, not the other way around.Throughoutchildhood,youdevelopedbeliefsasaresultofyourmostdominantexposures.Forexample,youlearnedbeliefsfromyourparents,teachers,friends,andthemedia,aswellasfromyourowninterpretationsofyourlifeexperiences.Asyou’vemovedthroughlife,butespeciallyduringchildhood,you’veacquiredahostofbeliefsthatareeitherpartiallyorcompletelyfalse.ManysuchlimitingbeliefsareindirectcontradictiontowhattheBiblesaysispossibleforyou.And,onceabeliefislockedin,youtendtonoticeonlythosethingsthatreinforcethatyourbeliefistrue.Thisselectiveperceptionallowsyoutoexperienceyourownpersonalversionofreality.

3.Subconsciousactivity.Anyemotionallychargedthoughtor idea that isrepeatedlyheldinyourconsciousmindisinterpretedbyyoursubconsciousmindasacommand.Youholdathoughtinyourmindwhenyoudwellonit,mullitover, and consistently talk about it. Since the subconscious mind cannotdistinguishbetween truthandfantasy, itacceptsverbal inputwithout regard topresentreality.Ineffect,thesubconsciousisaperfectservant.Italwaysagreeswithandcomplieswithwhattheconsciousmindtellsit.Itbecomeslikeaparrot,repeatingandreplayingthecommandsyou’vegivenit.Yourjobistoconvincethe subconscious that theconditionyoudesirealreadyexists.Onceyoudothat,yoursubconsciousthenarousesyourawarenesstotheopportunitiesaroundyouthatareconsistentwithyourgoals.Youwillattractintoyourlifetheideas,events,andcircumstancesthatharmonizewithyourmostdominantself-talk.

Whateveryoudirectyourmindtothinkaboutwillultimatelyberevealedforeveryonetosee.

4.Substitution.Theconsciousmindcanholdonlyone thoughtata time,

either positive or negative.Thismeans you are always free to choose a betterthought than your current thought. Ask yourself, “How’s my thinking beenworking—inmymarriage,mycareer,myfaith,myhealth,andsoforth?”Ifyourcurrentthinkingisnotleadingtotheresultsyoudesire,itisuptoyoutochangeyour thoughts.Butbeaware thatyoucannoteliminatea thoughtdirectly.Youcandosoonlybysubstitutinganotheroneforit.IfIsaytoyou,“Don’tthinkofanorangeelephant,”you,ofcourse,immediatelythinkofit.Ifyousay,“Irefuseto thinkofanorangeelephant,” thenyou’re still thinkingabout it. If someonetellsyounottoworry,youwillcontinuetoworrybecauseyoucan’tconcentrateonthereverseofsomething.It’snotpossible.ButifIgiveyousomethingelsespecifictothinkabout,thenthenewthoughtdisplacesthecurrentthought.Youcangetridofthatorangeelephantbythinkingofabigwhitehorse.Thisistheprincipleofsubstitution.Thoughtsofworryarereplacedwiththoughtsoffaithand confidence.Thoughts of boldness replace thoughts of fear.You can exertcontrol over your thinking and, by extension, your life by replacing anynegative,counterproductivethoughtswithpositive,empoweringthoughts.

5.Mentalequivalency.Thisprinciplestates thatbeforephysicalcreation,theremustfirstbementalcreation.Justasanartistmusthaveavisionofwhatsheispaintingbeforeherbrushtouchesthecanvas,youtoomustclearlyseetheendresultofwhatyouarestriving tocreate inyour life. Improvement inyourcircumstances is alwaysprecededby improvement inyourmental pictures, byimprovement in the dominant images that occupy yourmind.Thismeans thatyoumustdevelopavividmentalpictureofanygoalyouhopetoachieveinadvance of its actual accomplishment. Before you can have something newanddifferentinyourlife,beforeyoucanhavesomethingnewanddifferentontheoutside,youmustbecomenewanddifferentontheinside,orinthewayyouthink.Anarchitectmustcultivatethementalversionofthehomeheisdesigningbeforehedevelopstheactualblueprint.Responsibleparentsmustenvisiontheirchildrentodayasthesuccessfuladultstheyintendforthemtobecome.Aplacekickermustfirstkickaforty-five-yardfieldgoalinhisheadbeforeheactuallykicksitwithhisfoot.Youmustbewillingtoletgooftheoldyoutomakeroomforthenewyou.Youmustbewillingtoshakeyourselffreeofyouroldpictures,ofyouroldwaysofthinkinganddoing,ifyoutrulydesireanewandimprovedlifeexperience.Positiveself-talkstrengthensyourupgradedmentalequivalent,causingittobecomeapowerfulmagneticforce,attractingintoyourlifeexactlywhatyouneedtoreachyourgoals.

6.Concentration.Theprincipleof concentration states thatwhateveryoufocusongrowsandexpands.Youwill be effective to thedegree thatyoucanconcentrate single-mindedly on only one thing and stick with it until it’scomplete.Ifyoudwellonyourpositiveexperiences,yourblessings,yourgoals,andallthepeoplewholoveyou,thenyouwillattractevenmoreblessings,evenmore love, and even more accomplishments. The more you emphasize yourgood health, the healthier you feel. The more you dwell on your spouse’spositive qualities, the stronger your relationship will become. This works forgoodorforbad,sobecarefulwhereyouplaceyourmentalpriorities.Whateveryoustopthinkingaboutorturnyourattentionawayfromtendstofalloutofyourlife.Sorefusetoentertain thoughtsofdoubt,fear,orworry.Seeifyoucangotwenty-fourhourswith thoughtsonlyof joy,abundance,praise,andoptimism.Seeifyoucangoanentiredaywithoutahintoffear,criticism,ornegativityofanykindinyourthoughtsandconversations.

The apostle Paul describes this principle in Philippians 4:8: “Fix yourthoughts onwhat is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, andadmirable.Thinkaboutthingsthatareexcellentandworthyofpraise”(NLT).

You can build any virtue into your mentality by dwelling on that virtueeverysingleday.Sochoosetothinkaboutgoodthings!Formoreinsights intothis maxim and for specific strategies on increasing your joy quotient, IencourageyoutopickupacopyofmybookThe4:8Principle.

7. Relaxation. Trying too hard mentally actually becomescounterproductive. Too much mental effort eventually tends to defeat itself.Withaphysical task, theharderyouwork, the fasteryouprogress.Theharderyouworkatdiggingahole in theground, the sooneryou’ll haveaditch.Theharderyouhammeranail,thefasteritpenetratesatwo-by-four.Butwhenyoutrytoforcethingsmentally—orpress,asitisreferredtobyathletes—yourmindfreezesupandstopsworkingcreatively.Thisgenerallyproducesmoreofwhatyoudon’twant.Your subconsciousabsorbspositive self-talk fastestwhenyouare relaxed and unhurried.Thoughts ofworry, fear, anxiety, and doubt are allsigns of a mental tug-of-war that must be eliminated. But wrestling with anunwanted thought just injects it withmore power. Instead, calmly and gentlyreplaceitwithapositiveorconstructiveidea,andthenegativethoughtwillfadeaway.Practiceblendingyourself-talkwithacalmsenseofpositiveexpectancy,thefeelingandknowing thatGod is incontrolofeverything.AsRomans8:28says,“WeknowthatinallthingsGodworksforthegoodofthosewholovehim,whohavebeencalledaccordingtohispurpose”(NIV).RememberthatGodisalwayscommittedtoyourwell-being.

7MentalPrinciples

1.CauseandEffect2.Belief3.SubconsciousActivity4.Substitution5.MentalEquivalency6.

Concentration

7.Relaxation

TheP.E.P.P.FormulaEffective self-talk iscreatedbyusing theP.E.P.P. formula:positivelyphrased,emotionprovoking,presenttense,andpersonal.

Usespecific,precise,positivelyphrased languageinyourself-talk.Say,“Iamreadingforonehoureveryevening”ratherthan,“IamnolongerwastingmyeveningswatchingTV.”Insteadofaffirming,“Iamnoteatingicecream,”say,“Iameatingonlynutrient-dense,high-energyfoods.”Sinceyourmindthinksinpictures, it has troubleprocessing a negatively statedgoal. It’s difficult, if notimpossible, foryourmind to create apictureofyourselfnot doing something.Statingself-talkpositivelyalsoshiftsyourawarenessfromwhatyoudon’twanttowhatyoudowant.

Next,yourself-talkshouldbeemotionprovoking,causingyoutofeelsomeof the emotions evenbefore the experience.Themore feelingyou interminglewith your self-talk, themore quickly it impacts the subconscious. Experimentwithusingboldwordsthatarefunandpassionate.Usewordsyouhaven’tusedmuchbefore.Breaktheverbalrut.Also,tryaddingfeelingwordssuchaseasily,joyfully,radically,effortlessly,boldly,infinitely,orgratefullyintoyourself-talkstatements.

Next,yourself-talkshouldalwaysbeinthepresenttense.Thesubconsciousmind,wherepermanentchangebecomesrooted,doesnotrecognizethepastorthe future. It operates only in the here and now.You can effect subconsciouschange best by communicating in the language your subconscious mindunderstands: the present tense. The theory of cognitive dissonance states thatwhen you hold two psychologically inconsistent thoughts, you experiencedissonance,orasenseoftensionandinharmoniousfeelings.Thesubconscious,in an attempt to reduce the discomfort of the conflicting messages, does

everything it can to create the most recently imposed suggestion or self-talk.Repetition of a specific self-talk statement narrows the gap betweenconflictingconsciousandsubconsciousbeliefs.Withpersistentrepetition,oldneurologicalgroovesareerasedandreplaced,ineffectcreatingupgradedmentalsoftware. Your subconscious computer then supplies you with the words,actions, instincts, mannerisms, body language, creativity, emotions, and otherresponses consistent with the most dominant mental images imprinted on thebrain.

Initially, usingpresent tense can feel abit uncomfortablebecauseyou arespeakingaboutthefutureasifit’salreadyhere.Sincethisisnotthewaymostofuslearnedtocommunicate,it’sboundtofeelstrange.Justacceptthatthisishowyourmindworks.Whenyouaffirmyourgoalsanddreamsasifthey’realreadyattained,youmaketheshiftfrombeingboggeddowntobeingavisionary.ThemostpowerfulwordsintheEnglishlanguagearethosethatcomeafterthewordsIam.

The last P is for personal. Self-talk that you design yourself—that ispersonal to your circumstances, your character, and your goals—is mosteffective.You’ll experience the strongest connection to the self-talk you havecomposedyourself.However,whenyoubegin,it’softenhelpfultoborrowself-talkfromothersources,andthenedit topersonalizeit.Anyself-talkrepeatedoften enoughwill be internalized andbecomepart of youruniquementalmakeup.

FormulatingYourOwnSelf-Talk24Because everything you think or say should lead to the fulfillment of yourpurposeandtheaccomplishmentofyourgoals,youmustregularlyreviewyourpersonal mission statement and identify your most important life goals. Inaddition,youshouldbeclearwhythosegoalsareimportanttoyouandhowyouaregoing toaccomplish them—theactionplan!Sobeforeattempting tocreateyourownself-talk, invest the timeandmentaleffort,asdiscussed in lessons2and3,toclarifythewhat,thewhy,andthehow.Afteryouhavedeterminedtheresultsyou’restrivingfor,imagineyouhavealreadyachievedthoseresults.Seeyourself as already in possession of yourmost important goals.Think “as if,”andexperiencethesatisfactionandsenseofaccomplishment.Nowaskyourselfthis key question: “If I had already accomplished these goals, what would IbelieveaboutmyselfthatIdon’tnowtrulybelieve?”Makealistofwhatcomesto your mind. What would you believe about yourself, your abilities, yourmental resilience, your personal habits, and your potential? What would youbelieve about your lifestyle?What would you believe about your finances inparticularortheeconomyingeneral?Whatwouldyoubelieveabouttheworld?

Finally,whatwouldyoubelieveaboutyourparticularfuture?Answeringthesequestionsisaproactivewaytodevelopthemind-setofthe

personyoumustbecomeifyouwanttoreachyourgoals.Beforeyoucanhave,youmustdo;butbeforeyoucando,youmustfirstbecome.Andifyoudon’tlaythe foundation of becoming the right person, then whatever you achieve willcertainlyslipaway.Itwillnot—infact,itcannot—bepermanent.

Letmeshareanothertechniqueforclarifyingyourbeliefs:Thinkofoneofthemostcompellinggoalsyouwanttoachieveinthenextthreeyears.Developaclearpictureofitinyourmind.Nowanswerthissimplebutprofoundquestion:Whydon’tyouhaveitalready?Ifyourgoalistobefinanciallyindependentandthat’s very important to you, then why aren’t you already financiallyindependent? Why haven’t you already accomplished this goal? Whateveranswersyoucomeupwith,whether theyare logical, factual,ormathematical,andwhether they are exaggerations, distortions, fears, or other excuses of theimagination, theyare still real as far asaccomplishingyourgoal is concerned.Every answer you come upwith represents a limited belief or a blind spot inyourmentalequivalent.Self-talkhelpsyoushoreupyourmentalequivalent.Itgives you the ability to create and fortify beliefs that support the person youwanttobecomeandthegoalsyouwanttoachieve.

Youcanturnanyofyouranswerstoyouradvantagebypracticingpositiveoppositetherapy,whichactivatestheprincipleofsubstitution.

Positive opposite therapy provides you with the mental nourishment thatmust come before achieving goals. If you dwell on positive beliefs aboutyourself, they will take root and multiply into strong convictions, which willoverride old negative beliefs. You can best deploy your mental energies byfocusingonwhereyouwant togo rather thanwhereyouareorwhereyou’vebeen. Remember, you can and do—either intentionally or haphazardly—determine what you believe. What you choose to believe about yourself iscompletelyuptoyou.Theimportantquestionisthis:Whatshouldyoubelieve?In light of who you intend to become during your lifetime, what must youbelieve today in order to achieve the right results tomorrow? We know thatbeliefs come first and results come second. So what should you believe? Anaccurateanswertothisquestionrequiresthatyoufirstdevelopcompleteclarityaboutyourfuture.Thecleareryourvisionforthefutureis,theeasieritwillbetodeterminewhatyoumustfirstbelieveinordertogetthere.

Ifbecomingfinanciallyindependentisyourgoal,thenyouranswerstothequestion“Whyhaven’tyou

already...?”maysoundsomethinglikethis:

•I’mtooyoungtobefinanciallyindependent.•Ididn’tstartplanningsoonenough.•Idon’tdeserveityet.•Ineedtogetintoanotherfield.•I’mnotupongoodinvestmentstrategies.•Mygoalsweren’tsethighenough.•Ithinkittakesaboutthirtyyearstogetrich.•Istillwastetoomuchtimeonpaperwork.•I’vegottoomanyfamilyexpensesrightnow.•Taxesaretoohigh.•Interestratesaretoolow.•Andsoon...

ThePersonYouMustBecomeWhen formulatingyour self-talk, consider the thingsyouwillneed inorder tomeet your goals: certain skills, habits, knowledge, and attitude; particularvirtues;differentqualities;andspecificbeliefsystems.Askyourself,“WhatsortofpersondoIneedtobebeforeIcanachievethesegoals?”

Composing your own self-talk forces you to look at accomplishing yourgoalsfromallangles.Askyourself,“WhatskillsdoIneedtodevelop?”Then,when you’ve determined those skills, turn them into a self-talk statement. Forexample, to develop communication skills, constantly affirm, “I communicateeffectively; I listen well, and I ask good questions.” Do the same thing withhabits. Determine the habits you need to develop—the things you need to doregularlytobecomethepersonyou’vedescribedandtoreachthegoalsyouwanttoachieve—and thenaffirm thatyoualreadyhave thathabit.Similarly, affirmthatyoualreadyhavetheknowledgeyouneed,andaffirmthatyoualreadyhavethe qualities, characteristics, virtues, and attitudes in place. Think as if you’realreadythepersonyouwanttobecome.

Asyouare formulatingyour self-talk statements, try touse thewordnoweither at thebeginningornear the end: “I amnowachievinggoals faster thanever before.” “I accept myself completely right now.” Also, experiment withusingactionwordssuchasdoing,achieving,satisfying,winning,accumulating,creating, finding, helping, loving. Using action words in your self-talkstatementshelpsyoutoimagineyourselfalreadyinpossessionofthegoal.

Simplycreateself-talkstatementsthatareclosetotheoppositeofthelimitingbelief.Forexample:

•“I’mtooyoungtobefinanciallyindependent”becomes“Iamtheperfectagetoenjoyfinancialindependence.”

•“Istillwastetoomuchtimeonpaperwork”becomes“Ifocusonnew-businessgenerationanddelegateeverythingelse.”

•“Idon’tdeserveityet”becomes“Iamreadyforandworthyoffinancialindependencerightnow.”

Themajorityofyourself-talkstatementsshouldstartwiththewordIormy.

Ihavealsofoundthataddingoneofthefollowingphrasesisparticularlyhelpfulinformingpositiveaffirmations:expect...amreadyfor...amprepared...amopento...accept...receive...love...amcomfortablewith...allow...amworthyof...amwilling...deserve...

Decidewhatyouwanttocreateinyourlife,andthenplugthesekeywordsintoyourself-talkstatements.Relentlesslyrepeatthatyouexpecttoreachyourgoal—thatyou’rereadyforit,preparedforit,opentoit;thatyouacceptitintoyourlife; that you now receive it; and that you’re comfortable with it. Repeatedlyaffirmthatyouareworthyofyourgoal,thatyouloveit,thatyoudeserveit,andfinally, that you arewilling to dowhatever it takes to reach it. The nature ofthese authoritative commands reduces the psychological resistance to changeand helps prevent a retreat into your comfort zone. So bombard yourselfwiththoughts like these. Drive them into your mind so that they penetrate thesubconscious.Toreceiveafreesetofself-talkcardstohelpyouaccelerateyour

progress,pleasevisitwww.successisnotanaccident.com.

StrengthenYourMindRemember,much of life is simply an exercise in strengthening yourmind.Aflabbymindallowsacontinuousstreamofthoughtsswirlingatahundredmilesper hour, never channeled in a single direction for any length of time. Yourevery thought or word triggers an image. Then, like a computer’s operatinginstructions, those images act on you. So make the inner shift from takingcommands to giving commands, to becoming a deliberate and purposefulthinker.Likeanythingelse,withpractice,winningself-talkwillbecomeareflex.You’llbegintoconsistentlyamazeyourselfandothers.

SilentTalkThereareseveralwaystouseself-talk.Thefirstissilenttalk,ortakingcontrolof the thoughts that occupy your mind. Simply repeat specific self-talkstatementstoyourselfoverandover.Thinkwhatyouwanttothinkabout.Thisservesseveralpurposes:First,itkeepsyoufocusedonyourgoals—onwhatyoudesire versus what you fear. Second, silent talk trains your mind to thinkpurposefullyinsteadofrandomly.Youbecomeaproactivethinkerratherthanareactivethinker.Thesesilentconversationsthengraduallybecomeyourhabitualthinkingpattern.Whatbeganasachallengingattempttoimproveyourthinkingbecomesaneffortless andhighlyproductivementalhabit.The thirdbenefit ofsilent talk is that it interrupts and blocks out stale, self-defeating thinkingthroughtheprincipleofsubstitution.

Manypeoplesaythingstothemselvesthattheywouldnever,eversaytoarespectedfriend.Bearespectedfriendtoyourself.Beanourishingfriendtoyourself.

VerbalizationVerbalization,oraudibleself-talk,serves thesamepurposeassilent talkbut isconsiderably more persuasive and powerful. Anything you say aloud withpassionandconvictionhastwicetheimpactofwhatyousayquietlytoyourself.This is because you’re involving more of your brain by using more of yoursenses.Themoresensesyouinvolve,thefasteryourself-talkisinternalizedandabsorbedbyyoursubconscious.Andthefasteryouinternalize the instructions,

the faster you improve. By hearing yourself speak the thought, you completewhatpsycholinguistscallthelanguageloop.Thiscreatesadoublereinforcementbecauseyourearshearyourvoicegivingtheorder.Sorepeatyourself-talklikeyou reallymean it.Go for volume, if that stirs upmore sensation; shout yourself-talk.Remember,youareinchargeofdeliveringoperatinginstructionstoyoursubconscious.Ifyoudon’tdoit,someoneelsewill.Youcancountonit.Dowhatyouhavetodotogetthemessageacross.Themostimportantpersonforyoutoimpressisyourself.Andifyouconvinceyourself,youcanconvincetheworld.

If you’re just getting started with audible self-talk, you may want toexperimentwith it privately at first. If youdrive solo towork in themorning,youhaveawonderfulopportunitytoshoutyourself-talkaloud.You’llgetyourdayoff toapowerfulstartandavoidthevenomofmostmorningradioshows.Youmightevenbreakthemonotonyofthemorningcommuteandbringasmiletothefaceofotherdriverswhospotyouchattingwithyourself.Verbalizinginthe shower is another easyway to prepare for a fantastic day.Even singyourself-talk. Just make up songs that affirm the reality you want to create.Everybodyhasagoodvoiceintheshower.

MirrorTalkIfyouarewillingtofeelalittleuncomfortableatfirst,youwillfindthatmirrortalkgeneratesanintenseemotionalreaction.Thewaytodoitisthis:Chooseonespecific self-talk command topractice.Thengo stand confidently and erect infront of a mirror, preferably a full-length mirror, andmake good eye contactwithyourself.It’sbeensaidthattheeyesarethewindowtothesoul,andafteryoutrythismethod,you’llrealizejustwhatthatmeans.Lookdeeplyintoyoureyes and repeat your self-talk aloud,with asmuch feeling as possible. Reciteyoursingle,specificcommandfiftytoonehundredtimes,andresisttheurgetobreakeyecontact.

This technique often produces an invigorating emotional reaction,particularly when the self-talk concerns your self-esteem and self-worth.However,manypeoplefindthatasurgeofsubconsciousnegativityrisestothesurface.Thisisokay—infact,it’svitallyimportant,becauseuncoveringlimitingand destructive beliefs is the first step to eliminating them. If you doubt theeffectiveness of thismethod, try it just before you go to sleep, affirmingwithenthusiasm, “I am alert with boundless energy! I am alert with boundlessenergy!”whilelookingintoyoureyesinfrontofamirror.Thenseeifyoucandriftrighttosleep.You’llquicklybecomeabeliever!

PartnerTalkInpartnertalk,youprovideyourspouseoratrustedfriendwithasetofself-talkstatementsphrasedinthesecondperson.Forexample,yourpartnermightaffirmto you: “You are lean,muscular, and confident.You believe in yourself.Youearn$100,000inannualincome.”Yourpartnerspeaksaffirmationstoyou,andyou accept each affirmation by responding, “Yes, I am” or “Yes, I do, thankyou.”Thenswitchrolesanddothesameforyourpartner.Remember,whatotherpeoplesaytoyoustronglyinfluencesyourself-image.Permanentimprovementon theoutsidecomesonlyafteryou improveyour self-image.Andwhenusedintentionally, suggestions from others can powerfully override old scripts andreinforcenew,positivehabitsofthoughtandbehavior.

A more casual variation of this method is to make an agreement with afriendoryourspouse thateach timeyouseeor speak toeachother,heor shewill affirm that you already have a particular quality or have alreadyaccomplishedaspecificgoal.Sinceyoursubconsciousmindprocessespositiveassertivestatementsaboutyoufromothersasiftheywerefact,thereisnolimittotheprogressyoucanmake.Repeatedsuggestionsfromotherstendtocarryalot of weight. In The 1% Club, we greet one another with a genuine“congratulations”insteadoftheconventional“hello.”

Self-Conversation

Self-conversation is an advanced form of subconscious programming thatrequirespeople toholddownbothendsofadialogue.Self-conversationworkswell because it most closely resembles the continuous, unconscious innerdialoguewe havewith ourselves.This typically consists of repeated question-and-answer sessions that are often stimulated by our environmental exposuresand circumstances. In other words, our inner dialogue tends to be a random,reactive dialogue rather than a purposeful one. The question-answer format isourbrain’swayofevaluatingourexperiences.

To practice self-conversation, write down a series of important questionsconcerningyourcharacterandyourgoals,alongwiththecorrespondinganswersto each of the questions. The aim of this exercise is to crystallize the mostperfect response to each of the questions. How would you like to be able toanswereachone?Aneasywaytoorganizeyourself-conversationistousenotecards.Takesixtotennotecardsandwriteaquestionononesideandtheanswerontheother.Readthequestionsandcorrespondinganswersseveraltimesaday,either silently or aloud. Repeated use of this technique trains your mind toentertain only empowering inner dialogues—conversations that lead you inpositive directions.You get in the habit of asking better questions and givingbetteranswers.Youcontroltheinnerdialogueratherthanitcontrollingyou.

Here’s one example of a question: “Good morning. How are you doingtoday?”Theansweryouwriteisuptoyou,butitmightgosomethinglikethis:“I’mterrificthismorning.Igotjusttherightamountofsleep,andI’mraringtogo.I’mclearaboutmygoalsandwhatImustdotoreachthem.Iexpectthebestofmyselfandotherstoday,andthat’sexactlywhatI’mgoingtoget.”

Your note cards should include a mix of specific goal-related questionsalongwith general attitude-or character-type questions. The answers you givearereally justself-talk inresponsetoaparticularquestion.Thismethodworksbecause the question tends to make your subconscious more receptive to theanswer. It conditions the soil, so to speak.Thismethod is fun and effective ifyoucanmovebeyond the initial feelingsof sillinessorembarrassment.You’llrapidlybegintonoticeasubtlechangeinyouroutlook,habits,andwhatyousaywhenyou talk toyourself.Forextraeffect,haveyourspouseoraccountabilitypartneraskyouoneormorequestionsfromyournotecards.

Whateveryouemphasizeconsciouslygetsimpressedsubconsciously.

WrittenSelf-TalkWritten self-talk is the consistent practice ofwriting and rewriting your goalsand supportive self-talk statements. Rewriting your self-talk is a psychoneuralmuscularactivitythathelpsalignyoursubconsciousbeliefswithyourconsciousgoals. Each time you rewrite your self-talk, it becomes clearer andmore real.Writing involves thinkingof adesiredoutcome,printing it onpaper, and thenreviewingitwhenfinished.It forcesyouto integrateseveralsenses towardthesameresult,whichhelpsyouinternalizetheself-talk.Yourwritten,present-tensedescription activates your reticular cortex, the portion of your brain thatdetermineswhatyouareawareof.Eachtimeyourewriteyourself-talk,youbecome increasinglymorealert to thewisdom, ideas, information,people,andotherresourcesthatcanhelpyouachieveyourgoals.Rewritingfivetoten of these thoughts or affirmations on a regular basis causes your mind tointerpret them as having much more significance than your other twentythousand to sixty thousand thoughts per day. As a result, your awarenessconcerning those self-talk commands will be heightened. You becomehypersensitive to what moves you toward your goal and what does not.Whateveryouemphasizeconsciouslygetsimpressedsubconsciously.Whateveryouexpressbecomesimpressed.

Since you think in pictures, be sure to print your self-talk in bold blockletters.Thisgivesyourbrainadistinct image toabsorb. Italso takes longer toprint,forcingyoutobestill,concentrate,andthinkmoredeeplyaboutthepersonyouwanttobecomeandthegoalsyouintendtoachieve.Simultaneouslywritingandreadingyourself-talkaffectsyouataverydeeplevel—likeadoubleshotofenergybutwithoutcaffeine.

Written self-talk is effective anytime, but especially first thing in themorningandrightbeforeyougo to sleep.During these twoperiods (withinapproximately fifteenminutesafterwakingand fifteenminutesprior to fallingasleep), your brain-wave activity slows down and puts you in a highlysuggestive or programmable state. Written self-talk channels your attentiontowardwhat’smostimportantandawayfromwhat’sleastimportant.Itdoesn’thave to take any more than four to eight minutes, and you will find it’s aninspiringandrefreshingwaytostartandendeachday.Feelfreetoreviseyourself-talkasyougoifyouthinkofbetterwaystoexpressit.

Rewriting your goals on a regular basis may also help you uncover anyconflicting beliefs you have about a particular goal.Constantly rewriting yourgoalstendstobecomeapositiveaddictionifyourgoalsarerightforyou.Onthe

other hand, if a goal is not right for you, you may develop an aversion toconstantlyrewritingit,almostlikeabodyrejectsanincompatibleorgan.Thisisavaluablecluethatyoumightbeonthewrongpath,anditmaysaveyoumonthsorevenyearsoffrustratedeffort.

Self-ScriptSelf-script involves recording your personal self-talk onto an audio recorder.Listening to yourself repeatedly give positive commands is an easy way toreprogram yourself. To make your own self-script, choose ten to twelvepositively phrased statements that support your goals. Remember the P.E.P.P.formula:Makeyour self-scriptpositive, emotionprovoking,present tense, andpersonal.Youcanconcentrateononeareaoflifeforall thestatements,oryoucandividethemamongdifferentareas.Iprefertospecializebyconcentratingononeareaperrecordingoratleastpertrack.Onceyou’vedecidedontheself-talkstatements,you’llneedadigitalrecorderandaCDplayertoprovidebackgroundmusic.Classicalmusic tends toworkbest, helpingyou to relax and absorb asyoulisten,butanytypeofrelaxinginstrumentalmusicwilldo.Readyourself-talkintotherecorderasthemusicplaysinthebackground.Repeateachofyourstatements three to five timesbeforemoving to thenextone.Also, it’sagoodidea toalternatebetweenastrongandcommandingvoice,arelaxedstatement,andawhisper.

Thefirstroundofself-talkshouldalwayscontainpresent-tense,first-personstatements.Keeprepeatingthecycleofself-talktotheendoftherecording.Youmay alsowant to repeat the cycle in the second person as if someone else isaffirmingyou.Forexample:“Youaregoaldirected.”Listentoyournewscriptas often as possible. Remember, it’s not important that you always pay closeattention.Ifyoucanhearit,youwillbegainingabenefit.Youmayalsowanttorecord a present-tense description of your ideal day, your personal missionstatement,oranyimportantupcomingeventyou’llbeinvolvedin.

QuestionSuggestionThe last self-talk method is what I call question suggestion, an indirect andsubtletechniqueforprogrammingyoursubconsciousmind.Questionsuggestionisthedeliberateprocessofaskingyourselfspecificquestionsthatpresupposetheconditionsandcircumstancesyoudesire.Tohelpyoubetterunderstand,letmefirst give you some common examples of negative suggestive questions:Whycan’tIeverlosethatlastfivepounds?

WhyamIalwayssotiredwhenIwakeup?

HowcomeIkeepgettingdistracted?

HowdidIgettobesoklutzy?

WhydoIalwaysdipintomysavings?

WhyamInevergiventhecreditIdeserve?

WhydoIalwayssellmyselfshort?

What makes the above questions negative and self-limiting is that they arestructured in a way that actually assumes, or takes for granted, the unwantedcondition. If you ask, “How did I get to be so klutzy?” you’re first of allassumingthatyouare,infact,aklutzratherthanjustsomebodywhointhepasthasoccasionallyactedklutzy.Second,you’recommandingyoursubconscioustomanufacture evidence that supports your assumption. In other words, you aresetting in motion a disappointing self-fulfilling prophecy. Remember, yoursubconscious obediently complies with the directives you or others give it.Watchout for thepresumptivequestionsof thoseyou liveandworkwith.Aretheirquestionshelpingorhurtingyou?

BringOuttheBestQuestion suggestion helps you take conscious control of the questions yourepeatedlyaskyourself.Yourthinkingcanbeonlyasgoodasthequestionsyouask, so ask those that direct your attention to thebest things in your life.Askquestionsthatchallengeyourcreativityandpotential.Askpossibilityquestions.Askquestionsthatbringoutthebestinyou.Herearesomeexamples:Aren’tIfortunatetobesohealthy?

Aren’tIfortunatetohavetonsofenergy?

HowcanIbeevenmoreproductivetodayandenjoytheprocess?

Whatmighthappenthisweekthatwouldbringmetotalpleasureandsatisfaction?

IwonderhowmanylivesIwillpositivelyimpacttoday?

Isn’titgreatthatI’malwaysintherightplaceattherighttime?

The above questions are empowering because they assume a positive, desiredcondition or outcome.When I ask, “Aren’t I fortunate to be so healthy?” thesuggestion is, “I am already very healthy.” That’s how the brain interprets it.WhenIask,“Isn’titgreatthatI’malwaysintherightplaceattherighttime?”Iamreallyprogrammingmyselftobeintherightplaceattherighttime.WhenIask,“Aren’t I fortunate tohave tonsofenergy?” Iamaffirming that I alreadyhavealotofenergy.

You’llfindthatquestionsimmediatelychangewhatyou’refocusingonandconsequentlychangeyourfeelingsandyourlevelofcreativity,excitement,andmotivation.

Aren’tyoufortunatetobereadingthislesson?

FifteenPracticalInsightsHerearefifteenkeyideasor insights thatwillhelpyoutalkyourself intoevenmoresuccessandgetthemostoutofthislesson.

1|Alwaysusethewordwhenratherthanifinsituationswhereyouaretalkingaboutsomethingyouwanttohappen.Say,“WhenIclosethatsale”or“WhenIlosethatweight...”

2|Takecontrolofyourexplanatorystyle—thatis,thewayyouinterpretpastevents.Putapositivetwistonthings—orspinthemtoyourbenefit,astheysayinpolitics—bylookingbackandreinterpretinganyseeminglynegativesituationandmentallydownplayingitssignificance.Thisreducestheeffectthepasthasonyourfuture.

3|Watchoutformediaprogramming,theconstantsuggestiveinfluencefromradio,television,newspaper,magazines,andbillboards.ItisestimatedthattheaverageAmericanisexposedtomorethanfifteenhundredadvertisingmessageseachday.Ifyouthinklikethemassesthink,you’llgetwhatthemassesget.Let’snotgothere.

4|Neverletanyonesayanythingtoyouoraboutyouinyourpresencethatyoudon’tsincerelywanttohappen.Bealertwheneversomeonestartsasentencewiththewordyouindailyconversations.Yourinteractionswithothersplayamajorroleinwhatyoubelievetobetrueaboutyourself.Sometimesit’sminor.Sometimesit’smajor.Buteverythingcounts!Beespeciallycognizantofoldfriendswhocontinuetospeakofyouasthepersonyouusedtobebutnolongerwantto

be.Thoughyoucan’tcontrolwhatotherssaytoyou,youcanincreasetheamountoftimeyouinvestwithpeoplewhoarepositiveandencouraging.Forclosefriendsandfamily,beboldandaskthemtoverballysupportyoureffortstogrowandimprove.

5|Indealingwithotherpeople,particularlythoseyouliveorworkwith,nevercharacterizethemintheirpresenceassomethingyoudon’twantthemtobe.Youwilljustreinforcetheirtendencytobethatway.Ifyouwantpeopletobeontimemoreoften,theveryworstthingyoucandoistoshoutatthemorlookthemintheeyeandsay,“You’realwayslate!”Avoidthistemptation,oryou’llkeepgettingmoreofthesame.

6|Wheneveryoucatchyourselfthinkingsomethingnegativeorself-defeating,saythewordcancel,next,ordeflect.Thensayorthinkwhatyoureallywanttobelieve.Thistechniqueinterruptsandweakenslimitingpatternsofthought.

7|Byalwaysdoingwhatyousay,youstrengthenyourcharacterandliterallyprogramyourselftocreatetherealitydictatedbyyourwords.Soresolvetokeepeverysingleagreementyoumakewithyourself,andyourself-talkwillbecomeevenmorepowerful.Inotherwords,walkyourtalk.

8|Refusetoclaimortakepossessionofanythingthatyoudon’twantinyourlifestyle.Forexample,don’tsay“mycold,”“myheadache,”“mybadback,”“mydebt,”or“mypricerange.”Instead,attachyourselfmentallyandverballytowhatyoudowant,suchaspeaceofmind,joy,strongrelationships,abundance,andgoodhealth.

9|Nomatterhowcommonitmaybe,refusetogetcorneredintoconversationsinvolvingskepticism,cynicism,doubt,fear,worry,orgossip.Self-talkiscontagious.Don’tletotherscontaminateyourself-talkwiththeirnegativityandtoxicenergy.Talktoyourselfandothersonlyaboutthingsyouwanttoexperience.

10|Mostpeopleroutinelysaythingstooraboutthemselvesthattheywouldneversaytoarespectedfriend.Refusetoacknowledgeanythoughtsthatopposewhoyoureallywanttobe.Makethispromise:Bearespectedandnourishingfriendtoyourself!

11|Leavethepastinthepast.Ifitbecomesnecessarytodiscussahabit,tendency,orqualitythatyou’drathernothave,alwaystalkaboutitasifit’slonggone—asifit’shistoryratherthanacurrent,

ongoingproblem.Usethephrases“upuntilnow,”“inthepast,”or“Iusedtobe”toframeanyconstructiveself-criticism.Becarefulnottopullthepastintothefuturebymakinggeneralizationsaboutpriorbehavior.

12|Choosethewordsofchampions.Replace“I’lltryto”with“Iwill.”Replace“Ididn’thavetime”with“Ichosenottomaketimeforthat.”Replace“It’snotmyfault”with“Iacceptresponsibility.”Replace“Youmakemeupset”with“Ifeelupsetwhen...”Youalwayshavethechoice.Youcanbeahelplessvictim,oryoucanbeapowerfulhumanbeingwhomakesanimpactontheworld.

13|Watchoutforotherswhotransplanttheirpastexperiencestoyou,oftenloweringyourexpectationsandineffectcausingyoutoclenchup,preparingfortheworst.Thisisparticularlytrueconcerninglife’scommonexperiencessuchasschoolexams,dating,marriage,pregnancyandchildbirth,raisingchildren,finances,andgettingolder.Learnfromothers’experience,butalwaysassumeit’sgoingtobealotbetterforyouthanitwasforthem.Remember,whatyouexpectwithconfidencetendstomaterialize.Sobealerttothesortofmasshypnotismthatgoesoninoursociety.

14|Everycellinyourbody“listensin”toyourthinkingandinterpretseachthoughtasacommand.Ifyouwanttoknowwhatyourself-talkwaslikethreeyearsago,justlookatyourselfandyourlifetoday.Whatthemindharbors,thebodyexpresses.

15|Puttingintopracticeevenjustafewsuggestionsfromthislessonwillgenerateavisibleandmeasurableimprovementinyourlife.Don’tworryaboutmistakes.Shrugthemoffandstayfocusedondoingbettertomorrow.Remember,itisattheverymomentthatyouthinkyourself-talkisnotworkingthatyouneedtouseitthemost.Fillupeverysparemomentwithathoughtofthepersonyouwanttobe.

YouAreChanging!Finally, remember this:At thisverymoment,youarechanging!Nobodystaysthe same for any length of time.You are continually changing in the specificdirectionthatyourthoughtsandgoalsleadyou.Youarewhatyouareandwhereyou are because of the dominating thoughts youhave allowed to occupyyourmind. Your surroundings are nothing more than the outworking of yourthoughts.There is onlyone thing in theworld that youhave complete control

over,and that isyour thinking. Ifyoudon’tdeliberatelygiveyourselfpositivedirections,yourmindandyourbodywill continue toactupondirections fromanywhere and everywhere, like a vacuum sucking up dirt. There’s no realargumentonthispoint.It’seasiertodonothingandjusttakelifeasitcomestoyou.Butyouhaveachoice:Youcanbeprogrammedbyyourfearsanddoubts,byenviouspeersandfair-weatherfriends,bythefloodofbadnewsandnegativeheadlines—or you can chart your own course and let others follow. It’scompletelyuptoyou.

Doyounowhave the intensityofpurpose, the tenacity, todisciplineyourmind to stay fixed on what you want? If you do, your mind will becometransformedwithconfidenceandboldness.Using the toolofpositive self-talk,you can eliminate negative thought patterns and replace them with positivebeliefsandexpectations.Usingself-talk,youcanmaketheinternaladjustmentsthatmustprecedeallexternalchanges.Youcangetmuchmoreoutoflifethanmostpeopleeverlookfor.Youarementallytough!AndIknowyoucandoit!

Lesson5QuestionsforReflection

Whichofyourbeliefsaboutyourselfarenotusefulandcouldbelimitingyourfullpotential?

Inlightofwhoyouintendtobecome,howshouldyouimproveyourself-talk?

Whatcapturesyourattentionimmediatelybeforefallingasleepatnightanduponawakeninginthemorning?

Whatdoyoutendtothinkaboutmostwhenyouarenotthinkingaboutyourgoals?

WhatdoestheBibleteachregardingthepitfallsofanundisciplinedmind?ConsiderProverbs4:23,27:19;Matthew12:36-37;Romans12:2;2Corinthians10:5;Philippians4:8;James1:8.

*Whomcanyou influencewith the ideas fromthis lesson in thenext forty-eighthours?

Lesson5Assignments

1|Makealistofwhatyouwouldbelieveaboutyourself,yourpotential,andtheworldifyouhadalreadyachievedyourmostimportantgoal.

2|Onseparatenotecards,neatlywriteatleasttenself-talkstatements(affirmations)foreachofyourtopfivethree-yeargoals.

3|ReadaloudtheFifteenPracticalInsightsonpages159–162.

Lesson6ChoosePositiveVisualization

Positiveresultsfollowpositivementalpictures.

Inthislesson,youwilllearnto•Disciplineyourmind•Sharpenyourconcentrationability•Reinforcecommitmenttogoals•Increasedesire•Buildproductivebeliefs•Reducestress•Accelerateyourprogress

Asubconsciousprogrammingtechniqueevenmorepowerfulthanpositiveself-talk is positive visualization—mentally picturing events or outcomes in yourmindbefore theyoccur in physical reality.Visualization is basedon the sameprinciples as self-talk, but it is considerably more effective because it goesdirectlytothesource:thecollectionofsubconsciousmentalpicturesthatoccupyyourmind. Self-talk triggers the development of newmental images,whereasvisualization directly imprints the new pictures. Self-talk and visualizationcomplement each other. Visualization intensifies your self-talk, and self-talkreinforces your visualization.Both techniques promote the accomplishment ofyourgoalsandshouldbeusedintandemonaconsistentbasis.

It’s important to note that visualization is a skill that can be learned andmastered. Everyone has the ability to visualize.Aswith all other skills, somepeople find visualization naturally easier, almost intuitive, while others mustpractice often to experience the benefits.You can demonstrate your ability tovisualizejustbythinkingofhowmanywindowsthereareinyourlivingroomorrecallingthesmelloffreshlybakedchocolate-chipcookies.Visualizationrefersnot just tovisual imagesbutalso tohearing, touch, taste,smell,andemotionalsensations.

IvisualizedwhereIwantedtobe,whatkindofplayerIwantedtobecome.IknewexactlywhereIwantedtogo,andIfocusedongettingthere.

—MichaelJordan

Ithasbeensaidthatthepicturesyoucreateinyourheadturnintothereality

you hold in your hand. That’s why it is crucial that you not allow thevisualizationprocess tobe arbitrary.Theprimary aimof this lesson is tohelpyoumaketheshiftfromrandom,reactivevisualizationstodeliberate,proactivevisualizations that support who you want to become and what you want toaccomplish.

Fortherestofthislesson,Iwillteachyouexactlywhatvisualizationmeansand how itworks.We’ll discuss variations of visualization aswell as how toenhance your visualization skills to help you maximize your performance ineveryareaoflife.

Your subconscious mind is responsible for your long-term success,failure, ormediocrity. It is responsible for generating and coordinating yourthoughts, feelings, words, and actions. This is good news because you areresponsibleforthesubconsciousmindandwhetheritisprogrammedforsuccess.Onceagain,youareincharge.Youhaveyetanotheropportunitytotakecontrolof the direction of your life if—and this is a big if—you are willing to beextraordinarilypickyaboutwhichthoughtsoccupyyourmind.Whileyoucannotalways control what you are exposed to and the thoughts these exposuresstimulate, you can control what you choose to dwell upon. The thoughts youharbormostoften impactyour life themost.The thoughts that setupcamp inyourmind have themost influence, not those thatmerely drop in for a quickvisit.

Fortunately,yoursubconsciousmindisnotamaster,butanever-readyandwilling servant. It will bring into your life whatever you sincerely ask. Thesubconscious is not discriminating.Like fertile soil, your subconscious willaccommodatewhateverseedsyouchoosetoplant. It’s justashappy tohelpyouastohurtyou.Itiscontenttobringyouhealthorsicknessandfatigue.Itishappy to bring you either abundance or lack. Your mind works on theinstructions it is given.These instructions can come from its owner—you—orthey can come fromwhatever influences you expose yourself to on a regularbasis. It is up to you to give your subconscious mind instructions that willproducealifethatwillmakeyoucontagiouslyhappyandfullyalive.

Aninstructiontoyoursubconsciouscanbedefinedasanycontinuouslyheldconsciousthought.Itisnottheinfrequentmentalpicturesthatexerttremendousinfluence,but themostdominantones.The images thatyouconsciouslyandrepeatedlyfocusonbecomeabsorbedintothesubconsciousmind,likewaterintoasponge.Atthispointtheprogressismadeorthedamageisdone.

Successfulmenandwomentraintheirmindstothinkaboutwhattheywanttohavehappenintheirlives.Theythinkaboutthetypeofpersontheywanttobecome. They think about their goals and dreams. They think about theprinciplesandvirtues theymostadmire.They thinkabout thepeople they likeand the situations they hope to experience. By contrast, the unsuccessful ormediocre lack mental discipline. Their thoughts drift from the circumstancestheyhopetoavoidto thepeople theydislikeandthewidevarietyof injusticesthat seem to surround them. They’re quick to dismiss themselves as beingunlucky and even quicker to dismiss the successful as being extremely lucky.Themediocrebathe themselves in all the reasonswhy theycan’thave the lifetheyreallywant,andloandbehold,theyendupbeingright.

WhatIf?

Whatifyouvisualized(onehundredtimes)pushingawayadessertaftertakingonlyonebite.Doyouthinkyou’dbemorelikelytodothatinrealcircumstances?

Whatifyouvisualized(onehundredtimes)deliveringyournextpresentationcomfortablyandexcellently.Doyouthinkthatwouldhaveapositiveimpactonyourresults?

Whatifyouvisualized(onehundredtimes)thephysicalconditionyouhopetobeinwhenyouturnsixty.Doyouthinkthatwouldhaveanyeffectonthelifestylehabitsyouchoosetoday?

Whatifyouvisualized(onehundredtimes)risingeasilyandeffortlesslyat5a.m.feelingcompletelyrefreshedandrejuvenated.Doyoubelievethatwouldimproveyoureffectivenessinthemorning?

Your subconscious mind is incapable of distinguishing between an

actual event andone that is only imagined.ThisGod-givendynamic of thehuman brain allows you, through repeated visualizations, to convince your

subconscious mind that a desired goal has already been accomplished. Onceyourmindbelievessomethingtobetrue,itautomaticallyadjustsyourthoughts,words, emotions, and behaviors to be consistent with your visualization. Avisualization is a by-product of an electrical and chemical process within thebrain.Becauseyourvisualimagesarecomposedofelectromagneticenergythatconsists of matter, they are, in effect, real. As a result, your mind and bodyinterpret them as reality and respond to them as though they were actuallyhappening. For example, during mental rehearsals of their events, Olympicathletes often experience physiological changes—increased heart rate,respiration, perspiration, or even involuntary muscle movements—as if theywere participating in the real event. Best of all, according to Stanfordneurosurgeon and psychologist Dr. Karl Pribram, electromagnetically chargedvisualimagesproduceamagneticfieldthatattractsbacktothevisualizerthosethingsheorshevividlyimaginesandsenses.Thisphenomenonenablesyoutoattractintoyourlifetheverypeople,resources,andcircumstancesnecessarytotranslateyourgoalintoconcretereality.

TwoTypesofVisualizationYou can visualize twoprimary aspects of a goal.One is the specific outcomeitself;theotheristheprocessorseriesofstepsyoumusttaketogetthere.Itisimportant to practice both, but if you have to choose, practice outcomevisualization.Therealizationoftheactualgoalcountsthemost,notnecessarilyhowyougetthere.

Inoutcomevisualization,yourehearsetheachievementofyourgoalinrichsensorydetail.Youshouldfocusontheexactmoment thatrepresentsattainingthe goal. Outcome visualization keeps you excited and motivated, especiallyduring the inevitableglitches,delays,or temporarydisappointments.Themoreyoureyeisonthegoal,themorefocusedanddeterminedyouwillbe.

In process visualization, you mentally preview the steps necessary toaccomplishyourgoal.World-classathletesinvestthetimenotonlytoenvisionthedesiredendresultbutalso toseehowtheywant toget there.Themoreanathletepracticesmentally,thebetterhisorherperformancebecomes.Themindactuallytrainsthebodytoperformjustasitdidinthementalrehearsal.Sincethemindistheonlyplacewhereyoucanpracticeperfectly,itbehoovesyoutoworkout there often. The more you see yourself performing effectively, the morecomfortable, confident, and relaxed you will feel in the actual event, and thebetteryouwillperform.Thissenseoffamiliaritybreedsexcellentresults.

TwoTypesofVisualization

Outcome:Focusontheexactmomentthatrepresentsattainmentofyourgoal.

Process:Mentallypreviewthestepsoractionsnecessarytoreachyourgoal.

TheSevenComponentsofSuccessfulVisualizationEnhancinganyofthesevencomponentsofeffectivevisualizationwillexpeditethe physical manifestation of the visualized image—in other words, will helpyourealizeyourgoalmorequickly.

1.Relaxation.Howrelaxedyouarewhenyoupicturesomething thatyouwanttooccurplaysamajorroleinhowfastthedesiredmentalimagebecomesrootedinthesubconscious.Andithastoberootedinthesubconsciousbeforeitbecomesareality.Tension,anxiety,andworrytendtohamperconcentrationandblock the formation of your goals. Before you visualize a goal, take thenecessarytimetogetdeeplyrelaxed.Itisveryimportantnottofeelrushedortofeelthatthereissomethingelsemorevaluableyoushouldbedoing.

2.Frequency.Themorefrequentlyyouvisualizeagoal,themorethatgoalwill tend to influence thewayyou think, talk, feel, and act.Youwill becomemore likely to engage in activities that move you toward your goal andprogressivelylessinclinedtodothingsthatslowyourprogress.Thebenefitsofevery act of visualization accumulate like a giant snowball, generatingmomentum.Themorecommittedyouaretocontinuallypreviewingyourgoalsonyour“personalvideoscreen”—thatis,yourmind—themorequicklyyouwillexperiencetangibleresults.

3. Clarity. The clearer you are about any goal you hope to achieve, themore motivated you will be to accomplish it. Likewise, when you distinctlyimagineaccomplishingyourgoal,your enthusiasm,desire, andcreativity soar.For example, imagine discussing with your spouse the characteristics of yourfuturedreamhome.Envisiondiscussingonlythesize,style,location,numberofbedrooms,andprice.While that isagoodstart, imagine thedifference inyourexcitement andmotivation tomove in when you start considering the specialfeaturesthatappealtoyouindividuallyandasacouple.Theneighborhood,themaster bedroom design, the exercise room, the finished hardwood floors, theautomatic hot-water dispenser, the big closet in the garage, and the deck

overlooking the garden andpool are all important details that add life to yourpicture. Considering all the possibilities and envisioning how you willpersonalizethehouseintoahomehelpcompletethementalequivalent.

Add as much detail to your visualization as possible. Make it graphic,colorful, and vividly rich. The existence of small details makes your mentalpictures seem authentic. The more skilled you become at preciselyduplicatinginyourheadwhatyouwanttoseeinyourlife,themorerapidlyyouwillreachyourgoals.Theinabilitytoseedetailsinyourvisualizationisastrongcluethatyouarenotmakingtheprogressyouarecapableof.

4.Duration.The longer you canholdon to a crisp, clear pictureof yourgoal,thesoonerandmorelikelyitistoappear.Eachtimeyouvisualize,attempttoholdthepicturealittlelongerthanthetimebefore.Refusetoletfear,worry,distractions, or anyother typeof resistance cut short the lengthof each act ofvisualizationoryourcommitmenttopersevere.Allformsofrealandimaginedresistancebegintodissolvethelongeryouholdaconcretementalimageofthegoalyoudesire.Themoreyoupracticevisualization,thestrongeryourabilitytoconcentratebecomes.Withpractice,youwillbeabletolockoutallextraneousthoughtsthatdilutethefocusofyourmentalmovie.

5.Emotion.Themoreemotionalintensityyoucangeneratewhilepicturingyourgoals,thefasternewmentalcommandsareacceptedbyyoursubconsciousmind.When you visualize, concentrate on manufacturing the precise feelingsthatwouldaccompanytheaccomplishmentofyourgoal.Thenamplify,orevenexaggerate,thosefeelingsoverandoveruntiltheyareinternalized.Toproducepositive, forceful emotional states, remind yourself of the many wonderfulbenefits you will receive when your goal is reached.Mentally celebrate inadvance by pretending your goal has already been accomplished. Drenchyourselfinthefeelingsofsatisfaction,gratitude,andinnerpeaceyouwouldfeelif you actually reachedyourgoal.Take in all the sensationsof the experienceyouareimagining.

6.Perspective.Thisreferstothepointofviewyoutakewhilevisualizing.Theperspectivefromwhichyourmentalpictureoriginatesinfluencesitsoverallstrength,clarity,andintensity.If,asyouvisualize,youarelookingthroughyourowneyesat theaccomplishmentofyourgoal,youare fullyassociated inyourmind. This means you are the player. You are seeing from a participant’sperspective.Youareinthegameandexperiencealltherelevantsensations.Thisassociatedperspective superchargesyour central nervous systemwithpassion,excitement,andexhilaration.

The other perspective is calleddisassociation.When your visualization isdisassociated,youarewatchingyourselfthroughtheeyesofaspectator.Itislike

watching yourself in a homemovie. Imagine sitting at a traffic light, lookingover at the car next to you, and noticing that the driver is you. This is thedisassociated, or detached, point of view. While most people have a naturaltendencytovisualizeinoneofthetwoperspectives—associatedordisassociated—eitherperspectivecanbemasteredwithpatienceandpractice.

Thedisassociatedperspectiveisahelpfulmentaltechniqueforacoupleofreasons: First,when practiced, it allows you to see yourselfmore objectively,similar towatchingyourselfonvideo toevaluateyourperformance. It isofteneasier to spot flaws and other opportunities for improvement from a distance.That’s why great athletes, speakers, and entertainers often review theirperformances on film. Second, this perspective is useful for minimizing theemotional impactofapriororupcomingevent,when that isdesired.Considerthata spectatorofaWorldSeriesgameor theSuperBowldoesn’texperiencethe same intensity of emotions as the players, though he or she can be veryinvolved.

Theassociated,orfullyengagedperspective,shouldbeusedwhenyouwanttoboosttheexcitement,motivation,andenergyofyourmentalimagebybeinginthegame,seeingitthroughyourowneyes.

ThePerspectiveWhileVisualizing

7.Scripting.Itiscrucialtohaveawrittenscriptthatdetailseveryaspectof

yourvisualization.Yourscriptneednotbelong,butitshouldcontainallthekeyaspectsoftheimaginedeventwithasmanydetailsaspossible.Again,thedetailsbring authenticity to your imagination. Describing your visualization inwritingwill force you to crystallize your thinking. If there are any gaps inyourmentalpicture,theywillbecomeapparentasyoutrytotranslateyourvisualstory into the written word. I have found with my 1% Club clients that avisualization script often provides the tangible tool that encourages consistentuseofanotherwisenebulousexercise.Veryfewpeoplearedisciplinedenoughtocreateandimplementavisualizationexerciseregularlywithoutsomesortofprompter.Thepresenceof thescript tendstomakeyoumuchmoreinclinedtopractice visualization.And themore you practice, the better you get.A good,reasonable scriptwill probably be about one to one and a half typed, double-spacedpages.All essential details should be included,without any extraneous

wordsorphrases.

TheSevenComponentsofEffectiveVisualization

Here are some ideas tohelpyoupullyourvisualization script together: a.

Stateyourspecificgoalintheformofanaffirmation.Herearesomeexamples:

Ieffortlesslyachievemyidealbodyfatpercentageofeighteen!Ijoyfullyearnonehundredthousanddollarsormorethisyear!IreadtheBiblefromcovertocoverbyDecember31!WegratefullymoveintoourdreamhomebyMarch30!IsafelysummitMountRainierbyJuly31!IeasilyachievestraightA’sthissemester!ItakemywifeonasurpriseweekendtripbyJune30!

b. Consider why reaching this goal is important to you. What are thebenefits? Include specific and nonspecific benefits as well as tangible andintangiblebenefits.

c.Imaginetheexactmomentyouaccomplishthisgoalorfulfillyourdream.Whateventwouldmostrepresentthisaccomplishment?Ideasincludereachingamountain summit, taking a romantic getaway, launching a new business, abaptism, awedding reception, a birth, a family trip, a graduation ceremony, atraining certification, a housewarming, an athletic achievement, an awardsdinner,anadventureortravel,orabusinessmeeting.

In1990,actorandcomedianJimCarreywrotehimselfacheckfortenmilliondollars.Hewrote“foractingservicesrendered”onthecheckandpostdateditThanksgiving

1995.Hecarriedthecheckinhiswallet,lookingatitdailyuntilhesignedaten-million-dollarcontracttostarinTheMask2—almostayearaheadofhistargetdate.

d. If this were happening right now, how would you feel? Step into that

moment. Pretend you are there right now. What emotions would be mostdominant? Perhaps passion, contentment, happiness, excitement, relief,optimism,fulfillment,orconfidence.

e. Who is with you and supporting your accomplishment? This could befamily, coach, business partner, boss, personal assistant, banker, investor,mentor,friends.

f.What do you see around you that is evidence of your accomplishment?Ideas includeincredibleviews,newcar,newpool,churchaltar, tellerwindow,reporters, signed contract, finished drawings, stained-glass windows, TVcameras,photographs.

g.Whatareyoudoing?Dancing,depositing,straining,crawling,describing,calling,cheering,toasting,jumping,hugging,smiling,signing,giving,praying.

h. Sounds. What do you hear? Clapping, laughter, triumphant yells, thewind,silence,toasts,congratulations,music,chatter,whispers,oceanwaves,“Iloveyou,”“I’mproudofyou!”

i.Senseofsmell.Whatscentsstandout?Chocolate-chipcookies,freshink,newcar,saltyair,herperfume,garlic,sweet-smellingflowers,hiscologne,otheruniquescents.

j.Touch.Whatareyouholding,sittingon,orleaningagainst?Handshakes,hugs, pats, palm trees, sand, rocks, keyboard, envelope, clothing, pens, fancyglasses,comfortablefurniture.

k.Taste. What do you taste? Champagne, cheese, shrimp cocktail, energybar, pure water, fresh fruit, filet mignon, brownies, chocolate-chip ice cream,peppermintmouthwash,sweat,Gatorade.

l. What words or phrases capture this experience? Success, joy,exhilaration,yes,gratitude,fullyalive,satisfaction,contribution.

m.Whichofyourvaluesaremostreflectedbywhatyousee?Service,faithin God, wealth, relationships, commitment, family, integrity, adventure, duty,risk,goalsetting,stewardship.

All these ideas andquestionswill help youwrite a compelling script for yourvisualization.

Whenmywife,Kristin,decidedshewasreadytobeamother(aboutsixmonthsbeforeweofficiallybegantryingtoconceive),shefoundanewspaperphotographofamanwhocloselyresembledme(althoughnotquiteashandsome!)holdingabeautifulbaby.Kristinpinnedthepictureuponaminibulletinboardinoursharedwalk-incloset.Dayafterday,withbarelyanyeffortorintention,webothgotaglimpseofthepicture.Diditwork?Well,ofcoursewebothhadtodoourpart,butconceptiondidoccurwithinthefirstmonth!Istillshowthisphotographtomanyofmyclients.

VisualTriggers

In addition to mentally rehearsing your goals, it is also effective to surroundyourself with visual representations of those goals. Having these visualreminders in your environment is an effortless way to stay focused andmotivated. Constantly be on the lookout for Web sites, photographs, quotes,headlines, sketches, and other items that remind you of your goals. Theremindersdonothavetofityouraspirationsexactly;theyjustneedtosymbolizeyour goals. Of course, if you can find exact pictures, those work best. Forexample,ifyourgoalistobeleanandmuscularbyreachingyouridealweight,findapictureofyourselfwhenyouwereleanandputitontherefrigeratordoor.Ifyoucannotfindtherightpictureofyourself,simplycutoutapicturefromafitnessmagazine of someonewho has the look you’re shooting for. Keep thepictureanywhereyouwillseeitoften.Inaweight-losssituation,therefrigeratortends to work best. One of my clients took a slightly different approach toimproving her health by placing photos of healthy gourmet meals on herrefrigerator.

Herearesomeotherexamples:Ifyourgoalistoearn$100,000byDecember31,yourvisualizationdevice

mightbeapictureofalargestackof$100bills,thenumbers$100,000writtenoutandcoloredin,orsimplyaphotographofsomethingyouwillbuywhenyouearnthemoney.

IfyourgoalistotraveltoNewZealand,thenyourvisualizationtriggerwilllikely be pictures ofNewZealand from a travel brochure ormagazine, alongwiththedatesyouplantobethere.

IfyourgoalistoreadtheBiblefromcovertocoverinthenextthreeyears,your visualization device might be a digital photograph of yourself sitting inyourstudywithyourBibleandaclockinthebackgroundthatreads5a.m.(Andmaybeatallmugofhotcoffeeortea!)TryaGoalMap!Agoalmapisa largevisual reminderofagoalorgroupofgoalsyouwant toaccomplish. To create your goal map, attach pictures, photos, sketches,headlines,orothervisualstimulatorstoaposterorbulletinboard.Alternatively,ifyouaresoinclined,youcouldpulltogetherabeautifulversiononyourhomecomputer.(Ifyouneedhelp,justaskanearbychild!)Ifyou’restilldoingittheold-fashioned way, print your goal in bold, block letters in the center of theboard,usingseveraldifferentcolorsofink.Thenpasteorpinpicturesaroundthestatement of your goal. Magazines, brochures, catalogs, and newspapers aregood sources to get you started. Some goalmaps I’ve seen are very neat andlogically organized,while others aremore like a collage. Experiment and seewhichapproachworksbestforyou.Iencourageyoutointersperseaffirmationsorquotationswithyourpictures.

I’veusedsomevariationofagoalmapforyears,andattheveryleast,ithaskept me more motivated, inspired, and enthusiastic. At one point, I had aseparategoalmap(Iuseabulletinboard)foreachareaofmylifehunguponthewalls of my exercise room. Visualizing and exercising is a wonderfulcombination.(Bytheway,eachofthegoalsrepresentedonthosegoalmapshasnowbeenaccomplished.) Ifyoudon’thavemuchroomtodevote toyourgoalmap,thentryhangingituponthebackofaclosetdoororslidingitunderyourbedandpullingitouteverynightforreviewbeforeyougotosleep.Ifyoutakethedigitalroutewiththisproject,yourgoalmapcouldbetransformedintoyourscreen saver. By flooding your mind with a constant stream of successimages,youdisplaceoldself-defeatingdoubts,fears,andinsecurities.

I’veencouragedanumberofmyclientstocreateandregularlyreviewidealfinancialstatementsthatrepresentwheretheywanttobefinanciallynine,eighteen,andthirty-sixyearsdowntheroad.Themoney-mangementsoftwarepackagesavailabletodaymakethisparticularlyeasy.Tryputtingtogetheryouridealnetworthstatementfornineoreighteeenyearsfromnow.Lookatitoften.

CreateaFutureScrapbookAvariationofthegoalmapisafuturescrapbook.Itservesthesamepurposeandcanbemoreprivateandconvenient.Makeyourfuturescrapbookapreviewofyourlife’scomingattractions.Fillitwithpictures,quotations,affirmations,andany mementos that symbolize the course you want your life to take. Thescrapbookshouldbe thevisualstoryofyour future life.Togetstarted,simplycollectpicturesandotheritems,asyouwouldforagoalmap,andpastethemtosheets of paper or card stock.Then insert them into a three-ring binder. (Youmightconsiderlaminatingthepagesfirst.)Aphotoalbumoraphotoprogramonyourcomputercouldservethesamepurpose.Thereisvirtuallynolimitonthedifferentapproachestoputtingtogetherafuturescrapbook!Justbecreativeandreviewitoften,especiallyrightbeforebedtimeandimmediatelyuponarisinginthemorning.

Themorevisualcuesyoucanplacearoundyou,themoreoftenyouwillbetriggered to think about your goals and the less youwill be tempted to think

aboutwhatyoudon’twant.Also, theveryactof searching for theappropriatepicturesandremindersofsuccesswillstimulateyourreticularactivatingsystem,whichinturnwillhelpyoubemorealerttothepeopleandresourcesnecessarytotransformyourdreamsintorealities.Iencourageyoutochooseafewofthesevisualizationtechniquesandcommittopracticingthemoverthenextthirtydays.You’llbeamazedatthedifferenceitmakes!

Lesson6QuestionsforReflection

Describetheeffortsyouhavepreviouslymadetodisciplineyourmind.Weretheysuccessful?Whyorwhynot?

Whyisitmorecommontodwellonyourcurrentrealityinsteadofenvisioningsomethingfarbetter?

Inyourexperience,doyouuseyourmemoryoryourimaginationmorefrequently?Whichmightbemoreeffectiveinencouragingyoutoreachyourgoals?

Whyareworld-classathletesandentertainerstheprimarypractitionersofmentaltrainingtechniques?Whatcanwelearnfromthem?

Whichofyourgoalsaresodemandingthatyoufeelcompelledtopracticevisualizationandmentalrehearsal?

*Whomcanyou influencewith the ideas fromthis lesson in thenext forty-eighthours?

Lesson6Assignments

1|Completeavisualizationscriptforoneofyourtopfivethree-yeargoals.

2|Investtentofifteenminutesadayinreadingthescriptandimaginingthatyourgoalisalreadyareality.

3|Collectvisualreminders(pictures,quotes,sketches,etc.)foreachofyourtopfivegoalsandplacethemwhereyouwillseethemdaily.

Lesson7ChooseaMaximumEnergyLifestyle

Neglectisasilentkiller.

Inthislesson,youwilllearnto•Makehealth-producingchoices•Developapositivementalattitude•Controlstress•Exerciseeffectively•Eatforenergy•Sleepforsuccess•Relaxandrejuvenate

Boundlessenergy isnotanaccident. Individualswhoexperienceacontinuous,revitalizing flowofenergymakedifferent choices than thosewhoconsistentlyoperatefromanenergydeficit.Youcanincreaseyourreturnonenergyandyourreturn on life by becoming highly sensitive to the lifestyle choices youmake.Remember,yourlevelofenergyequalsyourlevelofhealth.Ifyouareshortonenergy,youareshortonlife.Everyareaofyourlifewillbecompromisedbyadepleted supply of energy.More than any other factor, a lack of energy willcauseyoutounderachieveandunderperform.AsVinceLombardi,thelegendaryGreenBayPackerscoach, said, “Fatiguedoesmakecowardsofusall.”Whenyouarerundown,drained,orotherwiseoutofbalance,yourchoicessuffer.Youbecome more oriented around the short term; you think more about what isexpedientthanwhatisinyourlong-termbestinterests.Youactdefensivelyandreactively.

Goddesignedyourbodyintricately.Whenyoumanageitwisely—byeatingright, avoiding harmful substances, getting enough sleep, and exercisingregularly—you will have better health and more energy. But, as the book ofIsaiah explains, theultimate sourceof energy isGod. “Thosewho trust in theLORDwillfindnewstrength.Theywillsoarhighonwingslikeeagles.Theywillrunandnotgrowweary.Theywillwalkandnotfaint”(Isaiah40:31,NLT).

Abundantlevelsofenergyaretheindispensableprerequisitefor individual

achievement,success,andpeaceofmind.Fortunately,becomingahigh-energy,high-outputhumanbeingneednotbeagamble.Thecausesofvigorousenergyhave been thoroughly researched and well documented. Superior levels ofvitality come naturally from implementing the causes of maximum energyoutlinedintherestofthislesson.

TopTenEnergyLeaks

10.Alcohol.Alcoholisanextremecarbohydrateandcontainsalotofcalories.It’salsoadepressant,adiuretic,increasesappetite,slowsmetabolism,andcandamagetheorgans.

9.Caffeine.Don’tpanic;youcanstillhaveyourcoffeeaslongasyoulimityourselftoacuportwoperday.Caffeineisadiuretic.Italsostimulatesthepancreastoproduceinsulin,ahormonethatregulatesbloodsugar.Whentoomuchinsulinisreleasedatonce,thebody’sblood-sugarlevelplungesrapidly,resultingincravings.

8.Irregularsleep,whethertoomuchortoolittle.Aimforbetweensevenandnineandahalfhoursofqualitysleepeachnight.Gotobedandwakeupatconsistenttimeseachday.

7.Ineffectiveexercise.Whetheryouexerciseinconsistentlyornotatall,you’renotgivingyourbodytheworkoutitneeds.Anotherpitfallforsomepeopleisoverexercisingandundereating.Findtherightbalance.

6.Eatingjustthreetimesperday.Forgettheoldparadigmofthreelargemeals.Eatingsmalleramountsfiveorsixtimesadaypreventsbinging,stabilizesbloodsugar,andcranksupyourmetabolism.

5.Skippingbreakfast.Breakfastisthemoststrategicmealoftheday,andskippingitisdevastatingtoyourenergyfortherestoftheday.Fromanenergystandpoint,youcannotrecoverifyoublowoffbreakfast.

4.Boredom.Thisistheoppositeofpassionandcanoccurwhenyoufeelinarutinyourcareer,yourmarriage,oryourfaith.Ifyou’refellingbored,lookforacreativenewapproach.

3.Overeating.Largemealsoverburdenyourdigestivesystem,stealingenergyfromgoal-directedactivity.Evenovereatinghealthyfoodscausesexcessinsulinproduction,encouragingfatstorageandleavingyoufeelingsluggish.

2.Dehydration.Yourbodyismorethantwo-thirdswater,andyourbrainis85percentwater.Evenifyou’rejustonepercentdehydrated,yourenergyleveldropsoff.

1.Negativity.Harboringunhealthyemotionslikefear,anger,worry,andguilt—oranysortof“stinkingthinking”—willdrainyourenergy.Ifyou’regoingtopluganyoftheseleaks,plugthisonefirst.Beforeyoucanstrengthenyourbody,youmuststrengthenyourmind.Everythoughtandfeelinghasanenergyconsequence.

And,ofcourse,smoking,whichisoutrageouslyobviousandoffensivetoyourenergygoals.

SevenKeystoaHigh-EnergyLifestyle

1.Writedownagoalforhowlongyouwanttolivehealthfullyandproductively.Obviously,yourlifeisinGod’shands.However,youdohavecontrolovermanychoicesthatcansignificantlyaffectyourlifeexpectancyandoverallhealth.Withthat inmind,Iencourageyoutosetagoal to liveat least to theageofninety.Then begin to organize your lifestyle around health habits that are consistentwiththatgoal.Thebestwaytodothisistotakeasheetofpaperanddrawalinedown the center.On the left side,write downeverythingyou cando thatwillhelpyou live toat leastageninety.On the right-handside,writedownall thenegative habits or activities youmaybe tempted to engage in thatwould hurtyourchanceoflivingalonglife.Onceyoucompletethelist,begintoeliminateall thenegativehealthhabitsonebyone, andbegin introducingor reinforcingthepositivehealthhabits.

Everythingcanbetakenawayfromamanbutonething:thelastofthehumanfreedoms—tochooseone’sattitudeinanygivensetofcircumstances,tochoose

one’sownway.—ViktorFrankl

2.Developanultra-positiveattitude!Yourattitude is thehabitualwayyou think.Over the longhaul, thequalityofyourlifewillbedeterminedbythequalityofyourattitude.Amaximum-energylifestyle requires that you choose a positive mental attitude. This is notsomethingthathappenstoyou;itisadeliberatechoicethatultimatelybecomesahabit.Themorepositiveyouare,themoreenergyyouwillhave.Youbecomepositive by deciding in advance that you will always choose the mostresourcefulresponsetoanygivensetofcircumstances.Thismeansthatevenifyouarejustifiedtodootherwise,youwillalwaystakethehighroad,choosingtoactinamannerconsistentwiththegoalsyouwanttoreachandthepersonyouwanttobecome.

Difficult,tryingtimesrevealjusthowpositiveyoureallyare.Thinkaboutit.What’s the virtue in being positivewhenyou’re on a roll,when everything isclicking for you and going yourway?Your potential for business excellence,excellenceinyourmarriage,andexcellenceinyourfamilylifedemandsthatyoumastertheskillofstayingU.P.(ultra-positive)evenwhen—andespeciallywhen—everyoneelseisn’t.

Whenyou’reultra-positive,you’llbemorecreative,productive, energetic,attractive, and most importantly, receptive to God’s will. Here are seventeenpracticalstrategiestogetyoustarted.

Doyouexperiencetheseconsequencesofstress...yet?

a.MakethedecisiontostayU.P.Nothingofconsequencehappensuntilyoupromiseyourselfthatyou’llbecomethemostpositivepersonyouknow.Raiseyourstandards!Everythingelseflowsfrom this key decision to separate yourself from the 99 percent who blame,whine,gossip,andpredictdoomandgloom.Lifeisshort.Takeastand.

b.StartU.P.andendU.P.everyday.Oneofthesimplestwaystotransformyourattitudeistobeginandendeachdaywithwhatwe inThe 1%Club call PositiveMentalNutrition Feed yourmindwithinspirational,spiritual,and/ormotivationalideasfortentofifteenminutesimmediately upon awakening each morning and right before drifting to sleepeach evening. Asmentioned in lesson 5, during these two time periods, yourmind is extremely susceptible to programming, so make sure your inputs arepositive, healthy, and goal directed. Read, visualize, affirm, pray, and rewriteyourgoals!

c.Summarizeeachday’svictories,largeorsmall,inwriting.Thisonepracticealonecantransformyourattitudeandgeneratequantumleapsin self-confidence. Start logging your accomplishments each evening in anotebookorhardboundjournaloronyourcomputer.Whatapositivehabit!

Somethingsarewithinourcontrol,andsomethingsarenot.Itisonlyafteryouhavefaceduptothisfundamentalruleandlearnedtodistinguishbetweenwhatyoucanandcan’tcontrolthatinnertranquilityandoutereffectivenessbecomepossible.

—Epictetus

d.Increaseyourphysicalexercise.Another pillar of ultra-positive living is consistent, moderate exercise. Thisincludesaerobics toburn fat and improvehearthealth,weight training to toneandstrengthenyourmusclesandelevatemetabolism,andflexibilityexercisestostay loose and limber. Face the facts:When you’re in terrific shape and feelbetteraboutyourself,youfeelbetteraboutyourlife.You’repositionedtoliveuptoyourfullpotential.We’lldiscussthisinmoredetaillaterinthislesson.

e.Breakupthebigfour.Negative thinking leads to negative emotions, which in turn trigger morenegative thinking. The vicious cycle becomes engaged. The top four negativeemotions include fear, worry, blame, and guilt. These terrorize your potentialand immobilize your efforts toward becoming ultra-positive.When you beginexperiencingresultsyoudidn’twantorexpect, it’seasytogetscaredandstartthinkingmoreaboutpotentiallossesthanpotentialgains.Thismind-settriggers

worry,orwhatIcallreversegoalsetting,whereyouvividlyimaginewhatyoudon’twant.To transfer theburdenofworry,youwilloftenblamesomeoneorsomething outside of yourself.Alternatively, youmay exaggerate your role inthenegativeeventsandexperienceguilt.Considernegativeemotionstobeliesfrom the enemy.Dealwith themdirectlyby refusing to entertain the thoughtsthatfuelthem.Thisisapointverymuchworthreinforcing:Investyourtimeinthinkingaboutwhatyouwantinsteadofwhatyoudon’twant.

[Jesussaid,]“ThatiswhyItellyounottoworryabouteverydaylife—whetheryouhaveenoughfoodanddrink,orevenenoughclothestowear.Isn’tlifemorethanfood,andyourbodymorethanclothing?Lookatthebirds.Theydon’tplantor

harvestorstorefoodinbarns,foryourheavenlyFatherfeedsthem.Andaren’tyoufarmorevaluabletohimthantheyare?Canallyourworriesaddasinglemomentto

yourlife?”—Matthew6:25-27,NLT

f.Forgivesomeone,includingyourself,daily.Harboring grudges and hostility against anyone, including yourself, tends toattractmorecircumstancestobeupsetabout.Practiceforgivingsomebodyeveryday for realor imagined transgressions.Thebetteryoubecomeat forgiveness,themorepositiveyoucanbecomeasahumanbeing. Ifyouskip thisone, I’llforgiveyou.

g.Quarantinenegativityifyoucan’tdissolveit.Carve out a particular time and place to worry (worry time) and to complain(issuetime)eachweek.Thisisextremelyeffectivebecausethentherestofyourweek isn’t dilutedwith theminority of negative circumstances that can infectotherwise healthy days. When you cut the spontaneity out of negativity, youseverelyweakenit.

h.FocusonGod.He’sU.P.Remind yourself of everything you know to be true about God. God is all-powerful.Godislove.Godissovereign.Godisalwayswithus.Godisabsolutetruth.Godneverchanges.Andsoon.ThinkingaboutGodisgood!

i.Schedulefour-minutepositiveinjectionseverytwohours.

Think of these as positive pit stops. Review your goals or mission. Practiceaffirmation or visualization. Pray. Read the Bible. Relive a positive memory.Writeathank-youcardorsendane-mailofappreciationtosomeoneimportant.

j.SimplifyanddecluttertostayU.P.Complexity is negative. Simplicity is positive. Room by room, drawer bydrawer, trytossingoutonetinyitemofcluttereverydayforthirtyconsecutivedays.My1%Clubclientslovethisone,andsowillyou,becausedoingevenasmall taskwillhelpyoufeelmorepositive.Breakyour jumbo-sizedgoals intosubgoals and milestones, and then splinter them into even smaller pieces ifnecessary to spur you into action. Renegotiate or downsize existingcommitmentstolightenyourloadabitforthenextthirtydays.

k.Gettobedsixtyminutesearlyfortenstraightdays.Fatigue, especially chronic fatigue, invites negativity and cowardly thinking.Duringperiodsof intenseor prolonged stress, extra sleepwill helpyourbrainremainanallyinthewaragainstmediocrity.Cutsomethingoutoftheeveningschedule,anddrifttosleepwithvisionsofvictoriesdancinginyourhead.Yourbody,mind,andspiritwillthankyou.

l.Takeatwenty-four-hourmentalfast.Become ultra-positive one day at a time. You can rid your attitude of toxicthoughtsthroughthepracticeofmentalfasting.(MakesuretoreadmybookThe4:8 Principle if you want to master this unconventional and very powerfulmental technique.) During your fast, abstain from all complaining, criticizing,excuse-making,gossiping, andworryingwhatsoever!Startwith a sixty-minutefast,andgraduallybuilduptodiscipliningyourmindtorepelallnegativityforafullday.Focusonprogress.Repeatasnecessary.

m.StayU.P.andwatchyourfavoritefunnymovies.Laughterisfabulouslypositive.Researchindicatesthatpeoplewholaughmoreactuallyhavemorefun.Isthatsurprising?Considerbuildingyourowncomedylibrary on DVD. Watch often. You’ll stay healthier, more creative, and lessstressed—andthat’sagreatalternativetothemedicinecabinet.

n.Haveacounterattackplanready.Become hypersensitive to your thought life. Since you can be negative onlywhen you’re thinking negative thoughts, you can quickly become positive bythinking positive thoughts. I referred to this earlier when I explained theprinciple of substitution. The split second you notice any negative thought

running throughyourmind, replace it emphaticallywith something like “I amresponsible”or“I trustGod”or“Icando it.”Repeat, repeat, repeat!Bereadywith a positive comeback before the heat of the moment. Make negative,limitingthoughtsunwelcomeinyourmind.

o.Re-engageanoldhobbytostayU.P.Involveyourselfinapositiveactivitythatusedtobeimportanttoyoubutmayhave been squeezed out of your life due to other priorities. Thiswill be boththerapeuticandrejuvenating.Consideritagifttoyourself.

p.Intentionallycultivateultra-positivecompany.Thisoneismandatory.It’snexttoimpossibletobecomeorstayU.P.whenthepeople you live orworkwith are petty, negative thinkers.Nothing equals theinfluence of your habitual associations.Be purposeful aboutwhich people areclosetoyou.Asyoubecomemorepositive,youwillattractmorepositivepeopleinyourlife,andthat’sgood.

q.HelpsomeoneelsestayU.P.Donate yourmoney.Donate your time.Volunteer. Simply serve someone lessfortunateorcontributeyour talentsandgifts toaworthyorganization.Helpingthose who need help reduces self-centeredness and puts your own challengesintoamuchmorepositiveperspective.

ThekeytostayingU.P.istorememberthateverysituationcanbepositivewhenyouviewitasanopportunityforgrowthandself-mastery.

Nowlet’slookatthenextwaytodevelopahigh-energylifestyle.

3.Controlstress.Weexperiencenegative stresswhenwe feel out of control of the sequenceofeventsinourlives.It’slikebeinginafast-movingcarwithoutasteeringwheel.Weexperiencestresswhenweliveinconsistentlywithwhatwehaveidentifiedasmostimportanttous.Mostofall,weexperiencestresswhenwerecognizethatwearelivingfarbeneathourpotential.

The inability to deal effectively with stress has been linked to cancer,asthma,headaches,depression,cardiovasculardisease,thecommoncold,ulcers,hypertension, chronic fatigue, and immune-system suppression, to name but afewconditions.Mountingresearchindicatesnearly80percentofallillnesscanbelinkedatleastpartiallytopsychologicalstress.

Stressisasubjectivecondition.Whatcausessometogetstressed-outcausesothers togetexcitedandcreative.Somepeople thriveonchange,whileothersavoidchangeandthestressthatgoeswithitatallcosts.Bigthingscausestress

forsomewhiletheaccumulationoflittlethingsisstressfulforothers.Ask yourself this question: “Have I ever been stressed-outwhen Iwasn’t

thinkingstressfulthoughts?”Icanguaranteeyouhavenot. Itwouldbe impossible.Thebottom lineon

stress is this: The way you interpret your circumstances triggers a stressresponse.Themeaningyouplaceonacertaineventmakes it stressful,not theevent itself. Start paying closer attention to the way you habitually describemistakes and unpleasant situations to yourself and others. Finding a positiveangle on a negative situation goes a longway towardminimizing stress. Theveryactofsearchingforsomethinggoodredirectsyourattentionandkeepsyouinaproductive,resourcefulstate.

Remember, the way you think about something makes it stressful.Stress doesn’t really exist except to the degree to which you allow it. Yourthoughtscreateemotions,whichinturnmoldyourthinking.Yourthoughts,vianeurochemicals, electrical charges, and trillions of special receptors, influenceevery cell in your body. This is how conditions on the outside, negativelyinterpreted,produceharmfulphysiologicalchangesontheinside.

Unless you deliberately develop an effective, perpetual system for stressmanagement, you will undercut your performance and face greater risk ofdisease.

Herearesometipstogetyoustarted:

•Followalltheotherkeystoamaximum-energylifestyleoutlinedinthislesson.•Practicementaldiscipline.Choosewhatyouthinkabout.(Reviewlesson5.)•Makeapersonalstressinventory.Writedownallthecurrentstressorsinyour

lifeandonestepyoucouldtaketoalleviateeachone.Acceptingthatadifficultsituationisrealandclearlyidentifyingtherootproblemisanimportantstep.Properdiagnosisishalfthecure.

•Simplifyyourlife.Eliminateandconcentrate.Focusonthevitalfewthingsthatcontributethemosttoyouroveralllifesatisfaction.Takingontoomuchorspreadingyourselftoothininevitablyleadstoasenseofoverload.

4.Combineaerobic,strength,andflexibilityexercises.Ifyouwantmaximumlevelsofenergy,takeresponsibilityforbecomingamini-expertonexerciseandfitness.Subscribetothemostcrediblehealthandexercisemagazines,add informative fitness sites toyourWeb favorites, andbuildyourownlibrarywiththelatestbooks,DVDs,andotherresourcesrelatedtoenergyandwellness.

AerobicexerciseThe most important component of effective exercise is aerobic exercise.Aerobics,orcardiovascularendurance,referstothesustainedabilityoftheheart,lungs,andbloodtoperformoptimally.Throughconsistentaerobicconditioning,yourbodyimprovesthewayittakesin,transports,andusesoxygen.Thismeansyour heart and lungs will be stronger and more efficient at performing theirfunctions.Properaerobicexercisecausesyourbodytoburnfat,whileanaerobicexercise causes the body to burn glycogen and store fat. Many peopleunknowingly exercise anaerobically when they intend to exercise aerobically.Thisresultsin,amongotherthings,afrustratingretentionoffat.Theintensityofyourexerciseiswhatmakesitanaerobicoraerobic.

Consistentandproperaerobicexercisehasthefollowingbenefits:

•improvesqualityofsleep•relievesstressandanxiety•burnsexcessfat•suppressesappetite•enhancesattitudeandmood•stabilizeschemicalbalance•heightensself-esteem

Each of the above benefits either directly or indirectly leads to high levels ofbothmentalandphysicalenergy.

Herearesometipsformaximizingthequalityofyouraerobicworkouts:Workoutaerobicallyfourtosixtimesaweekforatleastforty-fiveminutes.Usethetalktesttostaywithinyourtargetheartrateandgainthemaximum

fat-burning benefits. Your exercise intensity should allow you to work outsteadilywhilestillbeingabletotalkwithoutgaspingforbreath.Forevenbetterresults,investinaheart-ratemonitortotrackyourcardiovascularprogressmoreprecisely.

Use a calm, steady, enjoyable pace.Correct aerobic intensity is strenuousbutstillpleasurable.

Instead of stretching your cold muscles before exercising, spend three tofiveminuteswarmingupbydoinglight,easymotionsthatmimicyoursportoraerobicactivity.Thendosomestretching.

Also, take about fiveminutes to cool downgradually after yourworkout.Never stop exercising suddenly. Following your workout, keep moving at aprogressivelyslowerandslowerpace.Thiscooldownperiodallowsyourheartrateandbodysystemstoreturnsafelytotheirpre-exercisestate.

Vary your aerobic routine throughout the week, or at least fromweek toweek.Alternatingbetween several different aerobic activities develops amorebalanced state of fitness and prevents boredom,which ultimately leads to thesofaandtheremotecontrol.

Drinklotsofwaterbefore,during,andafteraerobicexercise.Purifiedwaterisbest,andresearchindicatesthatice-coldwateractivatesthemetabolismbetter,eventhoughroom-temperaturewaterentersthedigestivetrackfaster.Planaheadsothatamplewaterisconvenientandaccessible.

Wheneverpossible,blendyouraerobicworkoutwithamentalworkoutbylistening to inspirational music or self-development CDs, or visualizing yourgoal achievement. Try to think healthy, energetic, and empowering thoughtsbecause this will energize you and complement your physical workout. Astemptingastheymaybe,avoidnewschannelsandnewspapersasyouexercise.Iencourageyoutomakeyourworkoutscompletelypositiveexperiences.

BenefitsofConsistentAerobicExercise

1.Improvessleep2.Relievesstress3.Burnsfat4.Supressesappetite5.Enhancesattitude6.Stabilizeschemicalbalance7.Fortifiesimmunesystem

8.Heightensself-esteem

StrengthTrainingThe next component of effective exercise is strength training. Proper strengthtraining improves muscle tone, balance, coordination, and of course overallvibrancy.Includingstrengthtraining,orprogressiveresistancetraining,inyourworkoutregimenwillhelpyouburnextrafat,resistfatigue,andavoidnagginginjuries.Youwillalsolookandfeelbetter.

Muscle is theprimaryenergyburner inyourbody, so themore tonedyouare,themoreexcessbodyfatyouwillburninatwenty-four-hourperiod.With

lessfat,youwillbemoreenergetic.Andwithmorestrength,youwilldevelopmoreenduranceforworkandeverydaytasks,leavingyouwithadditionalenergyforotherenjoyablerelationships,projects,andactivities.

FlexibilityFlexibilityistheloneliestcomponentofintelligentexercisebecauseitisleftoutmost often. Proper stretching energizes the body and the mind. As my ChoiKwangDoinstructorrepeatedlytoldme,aflexiblebodyequalsaflexiblemind.Done properly, stretching reduces tension, promotes circulation, improvesposture and balance, increases range ofmotion, and helps prevent injuries. Inaddition, it is invigorating. In lightofall theobviousbenefits, it justmightbeworthaddingyoga,Pilates,orsome typeofmartialarts toyouroverall fitnessplan.Thesedisciplinesinvolvesignificantflexibilityandcorestability.

After stretching, you’ll be more active and productive. Here are someguidelinesforeffectivestretching:

Remember that before stretching you should do very lightmovement thatmimics your sport or exercise activity. This increases blood flow to yourmusclesandmakesthemsupple,limber,andpreparedforstretching.

Stay relaxed throughout all stretching exercises.This requires a deliberateeffortatfirst.Repeatedlytellyourselfthatyouarerelaxed,flexible,andresilient.

Slowlymove inandoutof each stretch.Avoidbouncing.A fewstretchesheldforaminuteortwoeachisfarmoreuseful thantenstretchesheldfortensecondseach.

Breathe slowly, deeply, and continuously. Holding your breath promotestenseness.

Goatyourownpace.Enjoyanddon’trush.

5.Eatformaximumenergy.Thefoodsyouchoosetoeatthroughoutthedayexertapowerfulimpactonyourlevel of physical,mental, and emotional energy. Fortunately, your nutrition iswithinyourcontrol!Whatyouallowtopassbetweenyourlipswillimpactyourhealthandwell-being,eitherpositivelyornegatively.Itisyourresponsibility,aswe teach in The 1% Club, to stay on top of the latest scientific researchconcerningthefoodsyoueatandtheirconnectiontoyourenergy,immunity,andlongevity.You cannot rely on this book alone, government recommendations,onenewstudy,oranyothersinglesourceofinformation.

Upgrading your nutritional philosophy and daily habits based on thepractical, test-driven suggestions in this lessonwill cause you to experience aquantumleapinyourhour-to-hourenergylevels.Thiswillquicklytranslateinto

morequality timewith thoseyou love and for theprojects andgoals that youfindmostmeaningful.

Itisworthmentioningherethatafteragethirty,itisvirtuallyimpossibletocompensateformediocrenutritionwithaggressiveexercise.Inotherwords,theolderyouget,theeasieritistoout-eatyourexerciseprogram.Thereallygoodnews,though,isthatjustafewsmallchangesinyourdietcancauseyoutowakeupyourmetabolismandexperienceasurgeofmentalandphysicalvitality.

Herearesomestepstohigh-energynutrition:a.Takethetimetoplanyourmeals.Plannedmealsaremuchmorelikely

toincludesmartnutritionalchoicesthatpromoteenergy,health,andwell-being.MostAmericans find themselves in such a constant rush thatwhat they eat isbasedonconvenience rather thannutrition.Planningmealsputsyouback incontrol. It is also likely to save you time andmoney at the grocery store andhelpyouavoid impulsebuys.Learn to readandunderstandfood labelsso thatyouknowwhatyou’rereallypayingfor.

b.Focusonbalancednutrition.Thefoodyoueat—specificallythequalityandthebalanceofproteins,fats,andcarbohydratesknownasmacronutrients—dictates your body’s biochemistry. Your biochemistry then regulatesmetabolism, energy, immunity against disease, performance, and ultimatelylongevity. The primary factor in achieving optimal health and fat-burning isstablebloodsugar.Andbalancednutrition is thekey tostabilizingyourbloodsugar. Balanced nutrition requires simply that you incorporate each of themacronutrientsintoeachmealorsnack.

Forexample,abalanceddinnercouldincludesalmonorchickenastheleanprotein, a spinach salad mixed with a variety of fresh vegetables as thecarbohydrate, with an olive-oil-based dressing as the essential fat. Add a tallglassof sparklingwaterwith a sliceof lemon, andyou’re set! It is really thatsimple, and youwill feel the difference immediately.A balanced lunch couldincludeaturkeyburgerastheleanprotein,asmallbowlofhomemadevegetablesoupalongwithhalfofawhole-wheatbunasthecarbohydrate,andanoptionalsliceofavocadoastheessentialfat.AbalancedbreakfastcouldincludeanEggBeaters omelet with Canadian bacon and 2 percent cheddar cheese as theprotein,asliceofwhole-wheattoastasthecarbohydrate,andasmallhandfulofrawalmondsastheessentialfat.Abalancedsnackcouldbeanapplewithafewrawcashewsor your favorite rawnuts.Another snack couldbe several celerysticksdippedinrawalmondbutterornonhydrogenatedpeanutbutter.

Of course, the options are virtually endless, and you will be much moresuccessfulwithadefiniteplan.

InThe1%Club,weteachourmemberstomakeapeak-performanceshake

withtheseingredients:

•lean,completewheyproteinisolate•low-glycemicfreshorfrozenfruit•anomega-orflax-oilblend

This shake tastes fantasticand isapowerfulway to startyourdayorenergizeyourselfinthemiddleoftheafternoon.Forourlatest1%Clubrecommendationsand a free copy of our shake recipes, please visitwww.successisnotanaccident.com.

Atoptimallevels,bloodsugarisyourbody’sprimarysourceofenergy.Itisthe gas that fuels your cells.Your cells and tissues needglucose, just as yourlungsneedair.Withoutit,youcouldn’tsurvive.Foryourbodytofunctionatitspeak,itmustkeepbloodsugarlevelsinbalance—neithertoohighnortoolow.Thisiscritical.Eithertoomuchortoolittlesugarprofoundlyaffectsyourhealth,energylevels,andmood.Onceyoudiscovertheperfectbalanceofleancompleteproteins,essentialfats,andlow-glycemiccarbohydratesforyourbody,youcanachievemaximumenergy,fatloss,andvibranthealth—fortherestofyourlife!

c. Eat frequent small meals and very light snacks. Large mealsoverburdenyourdigestivesystemandinterferewithabsorptionofnutrients.Bigmeals,especially thosehigh insaturatedfat, transfat,or refinedfoods, lead topostmeal lethargy and low performance. If you are serious about generatingmoreenergy,makeyourbreakfastthebiggestandmostnutritionallysoundmealof the day. When you enjoy breakfast within thirty or forty-five minutes ofrising,yourbodyandbrainwillfunctionbetterandyourenergylevelwillstaymore consistent into the evening. Eating a healthy breakfast also jump-startsyourmetabolismanddecreases the likelihoodof binge eating later in theday.Balancinghigh-fibercarbohydrateswithleancompleteproteinsandhealthyfatsforbreakfastsetstherightnutritionaltoneforaworld-classday.Lunchshouldbeslightlysmallerbutstillabalanceoftherightmacronutrients.Dinnershouldbe the lightest of your three mainmeals, while still following the balance ofcarbs,proteins,andfats.MostAmericansdothereverse—asmallbreakfastanda large dinner—whichmakes little sense from a physiological or performancestandpoint.Experimentwitha lightmidmorningandmidafternoon snack.Thiswillboostmentalperformanceandphysicalenduranceandwillcurbovereatingatdinner-time.Ifyoueatanearlysupper,abalancedlate-nightsnackwillhelpkeepyourbloodsugarstableandtendtoimprovethequalityofyoursleep.

d. Work in at least seven servings of fresh fruits and vegetablesthroughout your small meals, shakes, and snacks during the day. Fruits and

vegetablesarenaturallyhigh invitamins,minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and therecentlydiscoveredphytochemicalsthatprotectthebodyfromcelldamage.Gofor the most colorful combinations of fruits and vegetables, as this indicatesrichernutrientcontent.Alunchordinnersaladpackedwithlotsofyourfavoritevegetablesisaneasywaytoaccomplishthis.Also,makesureyouhaveplentyofwashedfreshfruitandveggiesonhandinyourkitchen.

e.Drastically reduce or eliminate sugar, salt, and refinedwhite flour.Collectively—anddeservedly—theseare referred to as the threewhitepoisonsbecausetheyofferlittleifanynutritionalvalueandareknowntocontributetoahostofhealthproblems.Thebodyhasnoneedforaddedsugar,yettheaverageAmericanconsumesnearly twohundredpoundsof simple sugar everyyear inthe form of desserts, breakfast pastries, soft drinks, candy, jams, syrups, andalcohol, just to name a few. In addition to hampering the fat-burning process,simplesugars—oftendisguisedascornsyrup,maltose,dextrose,dextrin,honey,ormolasses—reduceyourappetiteforhigh-nutritionfoodsandleaveyoufeelingeven more tired and sluggish after the initial pick-me-up wears off. This isprimarilytheresultofblood-sugarimbalances.

Thehumanbodyalsoneedslittleornoadditionalsalt,yetmanyproductsonsupermarketshelveshavesaltasaprimaryingredientbecauseofitspreservativevalue. Many people also pour excessive amounts of salt on their food evenbeforetastingit.Byrelyingonlyonthenaturalsaltsfoundinyourfood,you’llstart to enjoy a wider range of flavors that were previously neutralized withexcessive salt. In addition, you’ll maintain a healthy balance of sodium topotassium,whichhelpspreventcancer,heartdisease,highbloodpressure,andstrokes.

Bleachedorrefinedwhiteflour,thethirdwhitepoison,hasbeenstrippedofvirtuallyallvitamincontentandjustaboutallfiber.Itis,ineffect,nutritionallydead.Allwhite-flourproducts,whiterice,pasta,andcrackersshouldbereplacedwiththeirwhole-grainequivalentandenjoyedonlyinmoderation.Thoughmanywhite-flour products claim to be enriched with vitamins, just remind yourselfwhatmadethemwhite.

f.Drinklotsofwater.Two-thirdsofthecompositionofthehumanbodyiswater, andwater is involved in every function of the body. It helps transportnutrients andwasteproducts inandoutof cells. It’s required for alldigestive,absorptive,circulatory,andexcretoryfunctions,aswellasfortheutilizationofthe water-soluble vitamins. Water also helps us maintain proper bodytemperature. Additionally, water suppresses the appetite and helps the bodyeliminate stored fat. We often mistake thirst for hunger, and an unnecessaryintakeofcaloriesistheresult.Whenyoufeelhungrybutdon’tthinkyoushould

be,tryrapidlydrinkingseveralcoldglassesofwater.Ifyouwaittenminutesorso, often the food cravingwill pass.Quickly drinking several large glasses ofice-coldwaterisalsoaterrificenergybooster.Tryitandsee.

Todeterminehowmuchpurewateryouneedeachday,simplydivideyourbodyweightinpoundsbytwo.Thequotientistheminimumnumberofouncesofwateryouneedtoconsumeeachday.Forexample,ifyouweigh150pounds,yourbodyneedsatleastseventy-fiveouncesofwateroverthecourseoftheday.Ifyouexercisevigorouslyordrinkalcoholorcaffeine,youmayneedevenmorewater to ensure that your body haswhat it needs tomaintain peak health andvibrantenergy.

g. Supplement your diet with an all-natural, high-quality multiplevitamin andmineral formula. Even if you eat awell-balanced diet,managestresswell,andexerciseregularly,itisstillagoodideatoprotectyourselfwiththe nutritional insurance provided by a broad-spectrum vitamin, mineral, andantioxidant supplement. Be sure to check the expiration date on the bottle toensuremaximum freshness. I’m a strong believer in natural food supplementsandhavebeenusingasynergisticcombinationformanyyears.Iencourageyouto learn all you can about vitamins and supplements, andbeginworking themintoyouroverallhigh-energyfitnessstrategy.

StepstoHigh-EnergyNutrition

1.Planyourmeals.2.Eatlow-fatornonfatfoods

3.Eatbalancedmealsandsnacks

4.Eatsevenormoreservingsoffiber-richfreshfruitsandvegetablesdaily.

5.Limitthewhitepoisons:sugar,salt,bleachedflour.6.Drinklotsofwater.7.Supplementyourdietwithanall-natural,high-qualityvitaminand

mineralformula.

6.Sleepforsuccess.Sufficient, refreshing sleep is essential to a high-energy lifestyle. Your body

needs sleep to repair itself and function properly. As you sleep, you dream,allowing your subconscious to sort through unresolved psychological andemotional issues.Brainwaves slowdown, bloodpressure falls,muscles relax,the immunesystemisboosted,damaged tissuesandcellsare repaired,and thepituitary gland producesmore hormones.Without sufficient sleep, the body ismorelikelytobreakdown.

Howmuchsleepyouneeddependsonyouruniquemakeupaswellas theother lifestyle choices you make. Research indicates that individuals whoeffectivelydealwithstressandnegativeemotionsneedlesssleepthanthosewhoarestressed-outorworrychronically.Somepeoplefunctionbestwithonlyfivetosixhoursofsleepwhileothersmayneedasmuchastenhours.Onaverage,the most effective rest tends to come from seven to eight hours of sleep.Improvingthequalityofyoursleepcanusuallyreducethequantityofsleepyouneed.

Sleeping poorly night after night, or partial sleep deprivation, is a majorcauseofchroniclowenergy.Herearesometipsforachievingoptimumsleep:

a.Ariseat thesame timeeveryday.Don’t sleep inon theweekends,atleast not more than an hour. It confuses your body’s biological clock.Oversleepingreducesalertnessandenergyinmuchthesamewayasjetlag.Youreduce the amount of time you’re awake,making it tougher to fall asleep thenextnight.

b.Eat fordeepsleep.Avoidcaffeineproducts four to fivehoursprior tosleep. If you drink alcohol, finish not less than three to four hours beforebedtime. While alcohol immediately makes some people drowsy, it actuallyinterfereswithnormalbrain-wavepatternsofsleep,preventingdeep,revitalizingrest.Also, always eat a light eveningmeal.Thiswill prevent your body fromusing toomuchenergy fordigestionwhileyou’re trying togetdeep sleep.Asmentionedearlierinthislesson,ifyoueatanearlydinner,consideraverysmallbutbalancednighttime snack.This encouragesa smoother transition intodeepsleepwhilepreventingadropinbloodsugarduringthenightthatcoulddisturbyourrest.

c.Reservethebedroomforsleepandsexualrelationswithyourspouse.Your bedroom should be a comfortable, ultra-relaxing haven designed forpeacefully letting go of the day. Avoid intense discussions, brainstorming,snacking, TVwatching, financial planning and budgeting, and all workwhenyou’re in your bedroom. These types of activities promote excitement oragitation and work against a good night’s sleep. When you allow only twoactivitiesinyourbedroom,youconditionyourselfforsuccessfulsleep.

d.Developacalmingbedtimeroutine.Youmusthaveaworkablesystem

in place that helps you unwind and let go of the day. Applying relaxationtechniques; listening to classical music or nature sounds; or praying, recitingaffirmations, or reading inspirational material contributes to optimal sleep.Research also indicates that a hot bath or shower ormoderate exercisewithinthreehoursofbedtimecansignificantlydeepensleep.

e. Put together your to-do list early, preferably before entering yourbedroomandseveralhoursbeforegoing tobedorwhilestillatwork.Nothingencouragesinsomniamorethanwaitinguntilthemorningtowritedownallthatneedstobedone.Ifideasdocometoyouafterthelightsareout,thengoaheadandunload themontoyour listor intoadigital recorder. Itonlyweakensyoursleeptotrytorememberallthatneedstobedonethenextday.

f.Hidetheclock!Putyouralarmclockwhereitcanbeheardbutnotseen.Difficultysleepingisonlyexacerbatedbyhavingaclocktolookat,highlightinghowlateitis.Noonesleepswellundertimepressure.Also,avoidgettingjoltedawakewithablaringalarm.Howyouawakenandwhatyoudointhosefirstfewminutessetstheenergyandperformancetonefortherestoftheday.Experimentwithapositivemusicoraffirmationalarmwiththevolumesetjustloudenoughtonoticeit.Decideatnightwhatyouwantyourfirstthoughtofthenextdaytobe.Make it an inspiring thought, and repeat it to yourself as you drift off tosleep.Iwakeupeachmorningwiththefirstthoughtof“ThisisthedaytheLordhas made. [I] will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24, NLT). Anotherenergizing first thought could be, “I believe that something wonderful ishappening to me today!” You’ll be amazed as this thought races to yourconsciousnesswhenyou awake.Remember, you’re in chargeof your attitude.Don’tleaveittochance.

g. Identify your most comfortable sleeping temperature. Sixty-five toseventydegreestendstoworkbestformostpeople.Investinafirm,supportivemattressandarrangeforaverydark,quietbedroom.Dimlightandslightnoisecan damage the quality of your sleep, even if you neverwake up completely.Sleepingonyoursideinasemifetalpositionwithasupportiveneckpillowtendstoreducetossingandturning.

SevenTipsforBetterSleep

1.Ariseatthesametimeeveryday.2.Eatfordeepsleep.3.Reservethebedroomforsleepandsexualrelationswithyourspouse.4.Developacalmingbedtimeroutine.

5.Putyourto-dolisttogetherearly.6.Hidetheclock!7.Identifyyourmostcomfortablesleepingtemperature.

7.Restandrejuvenation.Inadditiontogettingpropersleep,youneedtoscheduleampletimetorevitalizeyourmind.Optimumcreativityandproductivityrequirementalrest.Thismeansthatyourbrain,likeyourbody,needssufficientrecoveryandrenewaltooperateat itspeak.Unlessyoubalanceperiodsof intensementalworkwithperiodsofdoingnothing, ormargin, you are likely to experience chronicmental fatigue.This begins with a feeling that you’re not accomplishing enough and usuallycoincides with periods of high stress or mental and physical exhaustion. Tocompensate for the lack of accomplishment, you put in more time and pushyourself even harder. Thismakes you evenmore tired and ineffective, whichleadstoputtinginevenmorehours,andsoon.Thequantityandespeciallythequality of your creative projects drop as your focus and judgment fade. Youmight believe that you are actually crunching out good work, but it’s just anillusion. In addition,mounting fatigue anda tense, overtired state tend to spilloverintoyourfamilylife,generatingmoreimpatienceandirritability.Noskillisas valuable to your overall creativity, vitality, and well-being as learning todisengage from the compulsion toward constant busyness. Here are tips forlettinggoandreplenishingyourmentalenergy:

a.Takefrequent,five-minutestressbreaksduringthedaytoredirectyourthinkingtosomethingfunandundemanding.Unpluggingfromtheday’scurrentactivityforjustseveralminutesatatimewillbesurprisinglyinvigorating.Herearesomeideas:

Visualizeavacation.ReviewBibleverses.Thinkaboutyourchildhood.Flipthroughacatalogorphotoalbum.

b. Take at least one twenty-four-hour period aweek when you do nointensementalorwork-relatedactivity.Researchindicatesthisismoreeffectivethanworkingstraightthrough.

c.Takeafour-dayvacationeveryninetydays.Completelyshutoffyourmental gears and refrain from doing any work. Remind yourself thatrejuvenation is not just a reward for high performance; it is a prerequisite as

well.Losetheguilt!d.Takeatleasttwoweeksofvacationeachyearduringwhichyoudono

workormentallydemandingactivity.Even ifyou really, really lovewhatyoudo, it is simply not possible to relax and work. Dabbling in light work on avacation defeats the rejuvenating process. Whenever possible, take the twoweeksconsecutively.Ifyouhavebeendrivingyourselfaggressively,itmaytakealmostaweekjusttounwind.Thesecondweekismosttherapeutic.

e.Declutteryourhome,car,andoffice.Havingstuffscatteredthroughoutyour physical surroundings adds to stress levels andmakes youoverwhelmed.Straightening up your environment can improve your sense of control andenthusiasm for life. Developing a systematic process of simplifying andstreamliningyourpossessionscanberefreshingandenergizing.

f. Consider massage to release pent-up tensions and benefit the mind,body,andemotions.Inadditiontoseeingaprofessionalmassagetherapist,learnself-massagetechniquessothatmassagecanbecomeaweeklyhabit.Anhouriswonderful,buttentofifteenminutesgetsthejobdone.

g.Recultivate the simple pleasures of life: conversation, family dinnersand walks, reading together, music, stars, sunset, poetry, gardening, photos,homemovies,journaling,andsolitude.

SevenTipsforReplenishingMentalEnergy

1.Takefrequentfive-minutestressbreaks.2.Takeonedayeveryweekawayfromallwork.3.Takeafour-dayvacationeveryquarter.4.Taketwoweeksofvacationannually.5.Declutteryourhome,car,andoffice.6.Getamassage.7.Recultivatesimplepleasures.

Think about it.Without your health, the pursuit of your goals can come to ascreechinghalt.Andwithoutenoughenergy,evenamodestgoalcanseemlikean insurmountable challenge. Now, though, you have plenty of ideas andstrategies for boosting your overall health and vitality. It ismy hope that youwillnowselectthesuggestionsfromthischapterthatresonatewithyouandstartputting them into practice immediately.When you do, youwill experience an

amazingincreaseinthelevelsofenergythatfuelyourmind,body,andspirit,asyoucontinuetofollowGod’spurposeandplanforyourlife.

SevenKeystoHighEnergy

1.Setagoalforhowlongyouwanttolive.2.Maintainapositiveattitude.3.Controlstress.4.Exerciseeffectively.5.Eatforenergy.6.Sleepforsuccess.7.Taketimeforrejuvenation.

Lesson7QuestionsforReflection

Whoarethethreehighest-energypeopleyouknow,andwhathabitsdotheypracticeconsistently?

Inwhatwayscouldyoubemoreofablessingtoyourfamilyifyouhadanextrafifty-fiveminutesofproductiveenergyeachday?

Whatexcusesdomostpeoplehavefornotexercising?Whyaretheseexcusesnotvalid?

WhatdidVinceLombardimeanwhenhesaid,“Fatiguedoesmakecowardsofusall”?Whatcouldthismeantoyouandyourfuture?

Whatwouldhavetohappenforyoutobecomethemostwell-educatedpersonyouknowintheareaofhealthandnutrition?

*Whomcanyou influencewith the ideas fromthis lesson in thenext forty-eighthours?

Lesson7Assignments

1|Setagoalforhowlongyoudesiretolivehealthfullyandproductively(determineyourageandtheyear).

2|Makealistofallthelifestylechoicesthatareconsistentwithlivingproductivelyandhealthfullyuntilyourtargetage.

3|Makealistofallthechoicesthatarenotconsistentwithlivingtoyourlife-spangoal.

4|Writeonanotecardthefollowingself-talkstatement:“Mydailychoicescreatemyperfecthealth.”Tapethisnotecardtoyourbathroommirror.

Afterword

TomorrowChangesToday!

Congratulations!Nowthatyou’vereachedtheendofSuccessIsNotanAccident,youareatthebeginning of a new chapter in your own life. Armed with the time-testedprinciplesandconceptsyou’vejustlearned,youarereadytotakeyourentirelifeto amuchhigher level and truly honor the potential youwere blessedwith atbirth.While thisquest is,nodoubt, a lifelongpursuit, itmust start todaywithjustoneperson—withyou—asyoutakeactionontheideasyouhavejustread.Bychangingyourchoices,youwillchangeyourlife.Yourfuture,however,doesnotimprovetomorrow.Ihaveobservedthattheunhappiestpeopleintheworldseemtotalkthemostaboutwhattheyintendtodotomorrow.Thismind-setisnotforyou!Yourfuturegetsbetternow.Tomorrowchangestoday!

IntheIntroduction,ImentionedthatSuccessIsNotanAccidentwaswrittento be internalized. Have you accomplished this yet? Once these ideas areinternalized, you own them. They become your ideas. They become secondnature.Theybecomepartofwhoyouare.Whenthisoccurs,youfindyourselfnaturally putting these principles into practice. You choose to succeed andbecomeagreaterblessingtoothers.Youchoosewhoyouintendtobecomeandthen youwrite down goals that will steer your life in that predetermined andpurposefuldirection.YouchoosetoinvestyourtimewiselysothatyouachievewhatGodwants you to achieve.You choose to get out of your ownway andbuild beliefs that make success inevitable. You choose positive visualizationbecauseyouknowthatpositiveresultsfollowpositivementalpictures.Finally,you choose a maximum energy lifestyle to ensure that you have the fuel ofachievement.Whendoyoumakethesechoices?Youmakethesechoicestoday.Tomorrowchangestoday!

Over theyears, I’ve receivedhundredsof lettersande-mails fromreadersallovertheglobewhohavereadSuccessIsNotanAccidentmultipletimes.Thisseems tobeanapproachworth imitating.These readers report tome that theytakeawayanewinsighteachtimetheyrereadthebook.Moreimportant,though,they report extraordinary improvements and results across each area of life.These types of breakthroughs for readers of Success Is Not an Accident arewidespread,andtheyarecertainlypossibleforyouaswell.Itrulyhopeyou’ve

learnedwhat you intended to learnwhen you first opened this book.As yourcoach, let me challenge you to take just a moment to evaluate yourunderstandingandapplicationofthesevenlessonsoutlinedinSuccessIsNotanAccidentwithaquickreviewbelow.Rateyourselfonascaleof1–10(with10beingthehighest):______Lesson1:ChooseSuccess.Doyoufullyunderstandtheconnectionbetweenyourchoicesandthelifeyouarelivingtoday?DoyoubelievethatGodwantsyoutosucceed?Inwhatwayshasyoursuccessalreadyblessed others? Have you written your personal definitions of success andmediocrity?

______Lesson2:ChooseWhoYouWanttoBecome.Haveyougivenmuchthoughttohowtheworldcouldbedifferentbecauseofyourparticularlife?Doyou believeGod had one specific thing inmindwhen hemade you?Do youhaveapersonalmissionstatementwritteninthepresenttenseasifitweretruetoday?

______ Lesson 3: Choose to Write Down Compelling Goals. Have youbrainstormed150lifegoalsinwriting?Whatareyourtopfivegoalsrightnow?Canyouclearlyandconciselyexplaintotheimportantpeopleinyourlifewhygoal-setting is essential to maximizing your full potential? Why do so manyresistsettinggoals?

______Lesson4:ChoosetoInvestYourTimeWisely.Doyousensethatyouarespendingor investingmostofyour time?Howfrequentlydoyouverbalizethephrase,“Ididn’thavetime”?Haveyoucalculatedthecostofmisusingjustfifteenminutes a dayover oneyear?Areyoukeeping a recordor time log tospecificallytrackhowyouuseyourtime?

______Lesson5:Choose toGetOutofYourOwnWay.Doyou talkmoreaboutwhatyouwantorwhatyoudonotwant?Areyouawareof“thefirstruleofholes”?Isyourself-talkinalignmentmostofthetimewiththepersonyouarestriving to become?Whatwould you believe about yourself,which you don’tbelievetoday,ifyouhadalreadyachievedyourmostimportantgoals?

______ Lesson 6: Choose Positive Visualization. Have you developed avisualization script for at least one of your most important goals? Can youexplainwhypositiveresults tend to followpositivementalpictures?Haveyoustartedtosurroundyourselfwithvisualremindersofyourgoals?Howdoimagesofvictoryandsuccesshelptamedoubts,fears,andinsecurities?

______Lesson7:ChooseaMaximum-EnergyLifestyle.Howlongwouldyoulike to livehealthfullyandproductively?Whatcurrent lifestylechoicesdonotsupportthatlongevitygoal?Haveyoualreadydevelopedaneffectivesystemformanagingstressinyourlife?Haveyoueverbeenstressedoutwithout thinkingstressful thoughts? What are your sources for trustworthy information abouthealthandnutrition?

How did you do? Did you isolate some strengths or weaknesses? Did youidentify some areas for further study? I imagine you’ve learned a lot, maybeevenmore than you originally anticipated.However, the reality is that simplylearningsomethingnewhasverylittleifanypracticalvalue.Itisonlywhenyoubegintomakebetterchoicesthatyourlifegetsbetter.Thingsdon’timprovebythemselves. It is only when you begin to think and then act differently thatworthwhileimprovementandpositivechangeoccurs.Youwereborn.Thatwasnotyourchoice.Andyouhavenochoiceaboutdying,either.Whatyoudointheinterim,though,iscompletelyuptoyou.

Thepresenceofathoughtful,writtenplanforeachofyourgoalsistheclearestevidence that you are a serious participant in your own life, that you aredeterminedtomakeadifference inbetweenthose twochoicesoverwhichyouhavenocontrol.Withacarefullycraftedplan,youdistinguishyourselffromthemassesthathopeandwishandevenprayformorejoy,passion,andsuccess,butnever do anything to help create it. Think back to lesson 3,Choose toWriteDownCompellingGoals.Didyouidentifythegoalsthatareimportanttoyou?

DoyouwanttostrengthenyourrelationshipwithGod?Showmeyourplan!

Doyouwanttogetleanerandhealthierinthenextyear?Showmeyourplan!

Doyouwanttoconnectatamuchdeeperlevelwithyourspouse?Showmeyourplan!

Doyouwanttolivealifefullofadventureandpassion?Showmeyourplan!

Doyouwanttoeliminateclutterandcomplexityinyourlife?Showmeyourplan!

Doyouwanttoexertmuchgreaterinfluencewithyourchildren?Showmeyourplan!

Doyouwanttoworklessandstillearnmore?Showmeyourplan!

Anextraordinary life is simply theaccumulationof thousandsofefforts,oftenunseen by others, that lead to the accomplishment of worthwhile goals.Regardless of your personal financial situation, remember that you are mostdefinitely richwithchoice.Andyourchoices revealwhoyou reallyare.Morethananyothersinglefactor,youarewhereyouaretodaybecauseofthechoicesyou havemade. To achieve things you have never achieved before, youmusttake action today that you’ve never taken before.Tomorrow changes today.Consider these examples from my coaching practice at The 1% Club. I’vewitnessednumerousclients•Worklessandearnevenmoreincome•Decidetohavea thirdorfourthchild•Repairandrenewdamagedfamilyrelationships•Discover their passion and change careers • Commit their life to Christ •Recommittoapreviouslytroubledmarriage•Leavetheministryandenterthebusiness world • Leave the business world and enter the ministry • Find andmarry thepersonof their dreams •Lose20,30, even40pounds andkeep theweight off • Enjoy the vacation of a lifetime • Run marathons and IronmanTriathlons•SummitsomeofthehighestpeaksaroundtheworldNoneoftheseachievements isanaccident.Eachof thesepersonalbreakthroughsis theresultof one thing. Making a different choice based on the principles explainedthroughoutthisbook.Thesechoicesarenotmadeinthefuture.Theyaremaderight now, in thepresentmoment.And,onlyyouhave thepower tomake thechoices that will accumulate into the fruits of an exciting, successful, andsatisfyinglife.

...Whatwillyoudo?

Tomorrowchangestoday.

Getstartednow.

Appendix

ThoughtTriggers

General1|Whatdoyouwanttodo,have,orbecome?2|Ifyouknewyoucouldn’tfail,whatgreatcausewouldyoupursue

wholeheartedly?3|WhatisyourGod-sizeddream?4|Whatisthemostsignificantchangeyou’dliketocreateinyourlife?5|Whomwouldyouliketomeetandhavelunchwith?6|Howcouldyousignificantlyincreaseyourserviceandcontributionto

others?7|What’sonyour“BeforeIDie”list?

Spiritual1|Whatareyourspiritualdisciplinesnow?Whatshouldtheybe?2|WouldyouliketoreadtheBiblefromcovertocover?3|WouldyouliketoteachaSundayschoolclass?4|AreyoulivingthelifeGodgaveyou?5|Who’sholdingyouaccountableinyourspiritualwalk?6|What’sstandingbetweenyouandacloserrelationshipwithGod?7|Whatwillhavetohappenforyoutoexperiencepeaceofmind?

Physical1|Howcouldyoubecomeabetterstewardofyourbody?2|Whatfoodsproducethemostenergyforyourothergoals?3|Howcouldyoutakebettercareofyourbrain?4|Howmanyhoursofphysical,mental,andemotionalenergydoyou

wanttohaveeachday?5|Howfitdoyouwanttobeatage75?6|Whatareyourfavoritetypesofphysicalexercise?7|Wouldyouliketohaveyourworkoutroominyourhouse?

Marital

1|Whatisthegoalofyourmarriage?2|Whatbooksoraudioprogramscouldincreaseyourwisdomabout

relationships?3|Howcouldyoureduceoreliminatestressinyourspouse’slife?4|Whatarethestrengthsofyourmarriage?Weaknesses?5|Whatromanticexperiencecouldyouenjoytogetherinthenextyear?6|Whatisthemostunconventionalthingyoucoulddototakeyour

marriagetothenextlevel?7|Whatareyourmostproductivehabitsasacouple?

Parental1|Whatisthegoalofyourparenting?2|Who,besidesyouandyourspouse,influencesyourchildrenona

regularbasis?Isthisokay?3|Whathabitswouldyouliketoseeingrainedinyourchildrenwhenthey

becomeadults?4|Howcouldyoubuildastrongerrelationshipwitheachofyourkids?5|Whatqualitiesareessentialforasuccessfulfamily?6|Whatisyourfamilycultureliketoday?Whatshoulditbelike?7|WhatdoyourchildrenlearnaboutGodfromyou?

Financial1|Doyouknowwhatyouneedtoknowaboutmanagingyourmoney?2|Whatwouldyoulikeyournetworthtobewhenyou’re50?60?70?

80?3|Howmuchmoneydoyouneedtoenjoyyourideallifestyle?4|Howmuchmoneywouldyouliketogiveawayinyourlifetime?5|Whatcauseswouldyouliketosupportfinancially?6|Whatfears,worries,orinsecuritiesdoyouhaveaboutwealth?7|Whatareyouteachingyourkidsaboutmoney?

Career1|Whatimpactdoyouwanttomakeonyourprofession,andhowwill

youmeasurethis?2|Whatdoyouneedtolearninordertorisehigherinyourfield?3|Whoismentoringyouinyourbusinesscareer?4|Whatothertypesofprofessionalopportunitieswouldyouliketo

explore?5|Wouldyouliketostartyourownbusiness?6|Howcouldyoucreateanincomesourcefromoneofyourhobbies?7|Areyoumoreinterestedinsecurityoropportunity?

PersonalDevelopment1|Howmuchofyourannualincomedoyoubudgetforpersonaland

professionaldevelopment?2|Whatarethenexttwelvebooksyouareplanningtoread?3|Whatcoursesorretreatsareyoucurrentlyregisteredfor?4|Howcouldyouusetimeinthecartolearnandstayinspired?5|Whattypesoflessonswouldyouliketotake?(cooking,computer,

flying,scubadiving,guitar,martialarts,dancing,hanggliding,etc.)6|Whatisthemostrecentpositivehabitthatyouhavedeveloped?

7|DoyoumeetwithaMastermindgroupeachweekormonth?

JustforFun1|Howcouldyouhavemorefunwiththeimportantpeopleinyourlife?2|Whatamenitieswouldyouliketobesurroundedwithathome?3|Whatupdateswouldyouliketoseeinyourwardrobe?4|Whatnewtechnologymightsimplifyyourlifeathome?5|Whatisyourdreamcar?6|Whathomechoreortaskwouldyouliketodelegate?7|Howwouldyouspenda$50,000bonuswithintwenty-fourhoursifyou

hadtospenditonyourself?

Travel1|Whatarefivesightsyouwouldliketoseeduringyourlifetime?2|Whatisyourdreamvacationwithyourspouse?3|Whatistheidealvacationforyourfamily?4|Whatcultureswouldyouliketoexperience?5|Howcouldyoutransformyournextvacationintoanunforgettable

memory?6|Whatwell-knownhotelswouldyouliketostayin?7|Whatmodesoftravelwouldyouliketoexperience?

Relationships1|HowstrongisyourrelationshipwithGodtoday?2|Howintentionalareyouinchoosingyourfriendships?3|Withwhomdoyouspendmostofyourfreetime?4|Whatareyourstrengthsasafriend?Howcoulddevelopthemfurther?5|Whichofyourfriendsisthemostpositiveinfluenceonyou?6|Describeyouridealmate.Howdoyouneedtochangetoattractyour

idealmate?7|Inlightofyourlong-termgoals,withwhomshouldyouinvestmore

time?

Adventures251|Whatwouldyoudowithanextrathreeweeksofvacationeachyear?2|Howcouldyougetoutofyourcomfortzoneandcomealive?3|Whatmountainswouldyouliketoclimb?4|Wouldyouliketorideinasubmarineorhotairballoon?5|Whatgreatsiteswouldyouliketophotograph?6|Whatadventurescouldyousharewithyourspouse?withyourkids?7|Whatfearscouldyoufaceandovercomeinthenextyear?

AbouttheAuthor

Tommy Newberry is the founder and head coach of The 1% Club, anorganization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and their families maximizetheir full potential.Asapioneer in the life-coaching field since1991,Tommyhasequippedbusiness leaders inmore than thirty industries towork less, earnmore,andenjoygreatersatisfactionwiththerightaccomplishments.

Tommy is the author of The 4:8 Principle, 366 Days of Wisdom &Inspiration, and numerous audio programs, including the best-selling seriesSuccessIsNotanAccident:SecretsoftheTop1%.Knownforhisblunt,highlypractical, and no-nonsense coaching style, Tommy has earned the title ofAmerica’s Success Coach. His passion for developing the whole person isclearlyevidentthroughouthisliveworkshops,keynotepresentations,books,andaudio courses. Tommy’s annual Couples Planning Retreat takes world-classplanning tools into the family realm,allowinghusbandsandwives todesignamorebalanced,simplified,andenrichinglifetogether.

An avid goal setter, Tommy has earned certification as an emergencymedicaltechnicianandPADIrescuediver,aswellasablackbeltintheKoreanmartial art ofChoiKwangDo.He lives inAtlantawith hiswife,Kristin, andtheir three boys. If you want to contact Tommy, please visitwww.tommynewberry.com.

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Notes

1ForaglimpseoftheexcitinglifetimegoalsoflegendaryachieverJohnGoddard,visitwww.1percentclub.com/goddard.

2RalphWaldoEmerson,“Prudence,”inEssays(1841).

3OrelHershiserwithJerryB.Jenkins,OutoftheBlue(Brentwood,Tenn.:Wolgemuth&Hyatt,1989),65.

4OrelHershiserwithRobertWolgemuth,BetweentheLines:NinePrinciplestoLiveBy(NewYork:WarnerBooks,2001),6.

5Ibid.,57.

6Ibid.,123.

7DavidL.Chancey,“WhyDoWeKeepDaddyAround,”TheCitizen,http://www.thecitizen.com/archive/main/archive-000618/fp-06.html,June18,2000.

8Hershiser,OutoftheBlue,3.

9JamesAllen,AsaManThinketh(NewYork:Putnam,1987),13.

10“GeorgiaBiographies:DavidPerno,BaseballHeadCoach,”http://www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46824&SPID=3589&DB_OEM_ID=8800&ATCLID=324031&Q_SEASON=2006,December21,2006.

11DavidPerno,interviewwithauthor,January30,2003.

12Ibid.

13“RonPolk—HeadBaseballCoach,”http://www.mstateathletics.com/index.php?

s=&url_channel_id=15&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=5279&change_well_id=2,December21,2006.

14Ibid.

15Perno,interviewwithauthor.

16Ibid.

17DenisWaitley,SeedsofGreatness:TheTenBest-KeptSecretsofTotalSuccess(NewYork:Pocket,1983),144.

18WilliamShakespeare,Hamlet,Act3,Scene4.

19“AboutScottAdams:BiographyofScottAdams2,”Dilbert.com,http://www.dilbert.com/comics/dilbert/news_and_history/html/biography2.html,January16,2003.

20ScottAdams,TheDilbertFuture:ThrivingonStupidityintheTwenty-firstCentury(NewYork:HarperBusiness,1997),246.

21AndrewShalit,“AKindWord,”ChickenSoupfortheSoulatWork:101StoriesofCourage,Compassion,andCreativityintheWorkplace(DeerfieldBeach,Fla.:HealthCommunications,1996),58.

22Adams,DilbertFuture,249.

23HenriettaAnneKlauser,“There’saVerySimpleWaytoAchieveYourGoals...JustWriteThemOut,”BottomLine,June1,2000,13.

24TorequestaFREEsetofsamplepositiveaffirmations,pleasevisitwww.1percentclub.com/selftalk

25ForaglimpseoftheexcitinglifetimegoalsoflegendaryachieverJohnGoddard,visitwww.1percentclub.com/goddard.