Warren Buffett has two simple rules when it comes to money:
Rule No. 1: Never Lose money.
Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1.
Well recently, I decided to adopt these rules and this is what happened in short order.
~ My passport was stolen,
~ My credit card was stolen,
~ Cash was stolen from me,
~ I discovered that a company I had been providing a service to was underpaying me, and
~ I discovered that another company that was providing a service was overcharging me.
In other words I was losing money like water draining from a leaky bucket.
The reason why I am sharing this with you is because you may have probably experienced something similar although it may not be related to money. And what I mean is this - often when we set an intention to improve an area of our life the universe will test us. We will probably experience resistance.
I think it is fair to say that I was being sorely tested. Now what happens is that in many cases we become overwhelmed and we give up our intention or goal. Things settle back down to how they were before - well not quite.
You see when we give up an intention or goal that would enable us to grow things can never quite go back to how they were. We start to decline instead. Rot sets in which soon starts to pervade everything we do.
The issues that I outlined above have literally taken hours of my time to resolve and some matters still have not been resolved. Was I frustrated at times? You bet! But I know that by dealing with these issues:
1. I am being taxed mentally because it takes a clear and level head to sort out matters like this,
2. My finances will improve so I will grow in a physical or material sense, and
3. I will also grow spiritually as my energy regarding money becomes clearer and my awareness expands.
So when you set goals or new intentions and suddenly find yourself beset by what appear to be obstacles stand firm and deal with these obstacles. These obstacles are sent to test you and teach you some of your greatest lessons.
Click the link above if you cannot see the YouTube video.
Yesterday, I watched "The Legend of Bagger Vance" starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron and directed by Robert Redford. I'd forgotten how much I liked this movie and what a great metaphor for life it is. After seeing this movie for the first time I immediately bought the book from which this movie is derived - "The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life" by Stephen Pressfield.
In this movie Rannulph Junah plays a troubled war-hero who has lost his golf swing. Then a golf tournament like no other is set on Krewe Island golf course off Savannah attracts two golfing legends - Bobby Jones and Walter Hagan for an epic thirty-six hole showdown. Rannulph Junah who showed great promise as a golfer before going to war is representing the home-side.
However, it is the mysterious caddie, Bagger Vance, played by Will Smith, which is pivotal in this golf tournament. To play at his best, Junah has to overcome his inner demons and find not just his golf swing but his authentic golf swing.
Bagger Vance is more than a caddie. He becomes Junah's coach and mentor. He guides Junah and allows him to make and learn from his mistakes. However, he is also there to provide guidance when Junah is ready and willing to listen.
It's hard allowing those we care about to make what we clearly see as mistakes but what we often fail to see that it's not about the mistake. It's about the lesson embedded in the mistake and, sometimes, the only way to learn the lesson is to make the mistake.
To achieve great success in life you also need to have great vision - an unobstructed view of what is you want to accomplish. You have to be able to see the field. When you can achieve this, the obstacles that you thought existed disappear and remaining "obstacles" become relatively easy to deal with because you will find that these obstacles exist mainly in your mind.
There is a beautiful moment in the movie where Bagger Vance teaches Junah how to see the field. He tells Junah that:
"There's a perfect shot in each and every one of us and all we got to do is get ourselves out of its way and let it choose us."
In other words, we are the ones who put up the greatest resistance to achieving our greatness. We each have a path - call it our destiny. It's a path that has been carved out for us but we wander this way and that, and allow ourselves to be distracted and conflicted by our very thoughts.
Our inner voice, the voice of truth then gets lost in all the noise. On those rare occasions it does break through we may be distrustful of this inner voice which has been with us all along but yet has become unfamiliar because of the lack of attention we have been paying it.
"You have to trust your inner knowing. If you have a clear mind...you won't have to search for direction. Direction will come to you." Phil Jackson
It's our inability to quieten the mind and listen to our authentic self who is trying to guide us that perhaps gives us the greatest challenge. When we are able to do this, when we get clear about our intention, when we believe in ourselves is when magic starts to happen in our lives. We start to consciously manifest the things we want as opposed to the things we don't want.
"The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom." James Allen
So you have to quieten the mind, quell the useless chatter to allow yourself to see things as undistorted. When you receive an inspired thought you have to learn to trust it and take INSPIRED ACTION. You have to learn that life is a game and that you just need to play it to the best of your ability.
To do so often means getting out of your own way so that your perfect 'shot' or your perfect path will be revealed to you. Your 'shot' may seem uncharacteristic look at Michael Johnson and his upright running style but as he said if he ran like everyone else he would have been back there with the pack instead of leading the field.
It may not be a well-trodden path. You may have to establish a path so that others can follow but it will be authentic and, like Rannulph Junah, you too may overcome your self-imposed limitations, even come from behind and lead the field.
Do you love your work or would one or more of the following statements be more applicable to you?
~ I am struggling to find job satisfaction.
~ I feel stressed and overwhelmed at work.
~ I don't feel as though I'm making progress at work.
~ I'm overlooked for promotions at work.
~ I don't feel appreciated at work.
~ I feel like a square peg in a round hole.
~ I want to change my job but am uncertain how to proceed.
~ I want to change my career but I have doubts - I'm afraid.
~ I lack motivation at work and so am not performing as well as I should and this adds to my frustration.
~ I hate my job but I need the money.
With respect to the latter point, Bob Proctor always says that you don't work for satisfaction and earn money from multiple streams of income. Elbert Hubbard has a similar point of view:
"We work to become, not to acquire."
Yet so many people are utterly miserable at work and are stuck in a job simply because they need money.
If you identified with any of the above statements then let's at least explore how you can gain more satisfaction from your work. It's great to feel totally energised at work, to look forward to going to work everyday, to feel appreciated, to receive pay that reflects the work that you have carried out…
I'll be interviewing Dion Johnson from "Unlocking Potentials" and grilling her on this subject.
You can sign up for the call by clicking the link below:
WIN BIG at Work Do sign up for the call even if you cannot make the live event because then you'll be able to access the recording after the event and it will also make you eligible for any bonus gifts in relation to this call.
Once you register for this interview you can also submit a question for Dion regarding any specific challenges you may be facing at work and how you can increase your job satisfaction.
This success secret - "eat a live frog" - you will have undoubtedly heard about before though perhaps not expressed in this way. This is one of Brian Tracy's expressions and I love the visual imagery that eating a frog conjures up.
Frog's legs may be a delicacy in some parts of the world but one which I'm happy to forgo. So what exactly is this frog thing and success?
Eating a live frog is your biggest task. It is often the task that you hate or fear doing. And, even if your feelings are not so extreme you certainly experience a measure of discomfort just from thinking about doing this particular task.
Yet, when you do get around to doing it you'll often find that this task that you've been dreading doing so much was not so bad after all. Unfortunately, because you procrastinated you may find that opportunities available to you had you acted without hesitation, are no longer available to you. Your reluctance to eat your live frog will have an adverse impact on the level of success you will achieve.
As Brian Tracy says:
"The primary difference between a successful person and a failure comes down to a very simple thing. Successful people have the discipline to get up and get started on their most important task and they stay with it until it is done. Unsuccessful people don't have the discipline to do that so they always have to be supervised and managed by people who will make them do it…and of course pay them much less because supervision costs money.
"Whereas there are only about 2% of people in our society who can plan their day, pick the most important task and work solely on that until it is finished. And, these people are the highest earners, most successful, fastest promoted and highest paid."
If you are an employee, look around your workplace and you will see that this is generally true. If you are an entrepreneur or an aspiring entrepreneur then examine case studies of other entrepreneurs and you will see that this is the maxim by which they live their lives and conduct their business. This is what makes them a success. To quote Brian Tracy again:
"The bottom line is that successful people do more important things. They do them more often and they get better and better at them."
So starting today, eat a live frog. It gets easier each time you do it and you could grow to like this 'exotic' meal.
I'd love to hear your comments and discover what your "live frog" is. What are some of the things you habitually put off doing.
Please click the link above if you cannot see the YouTube video.
There's a well-known saying that there are more questions than answers. However, this simply is not true. Applying the Law of Polarity if we come up with a question then its opposite must exist - The Answer.
And "The Answer: Your Guide to Achieving Financial Freedom and Living an Extraordinary Life" is the title of a new book by one of my mentors John Assaraf and Murray Smith. In it you will discover answers to some of the questions you have been asking and have not yet found the solution to.
You can download extracts from book by clicking the links below. The extract from Chapter 14, Reaching Your Ideal Customer, is a great supplement to my recent interview with networking expert, Hal Coleman. (If you have listened to this interview yet you can do so by clicking the following link - Successful Networking Secrets).
So if you're looking for more answers to growing your business and increasing client acquisition right click the link to download a copy of this book extract. It contains some very practical advice that if applied could help you to save money while increasing your revenue and, in today's tough and competitive climate, this is vital to the success of your business.
This new book has received critical acclaim from the likes of Stephen Pierce, Stephen Covey, Jack Canfield, Ken Blanchard, Mark Victor Hansen, Dr Michael Beckwith and many others. If these great thought leaders can found this book to be of immense value I'm sure that, upon reading this book you too will find tools and strategies, which when applied have the ability to transform your life and or business.
In reality, it's not a question of whether or not this book contains the answer to achieving financial freedom and living an extraordinary life. Until someone reads this book and applies the principles taught within the book and is still unable to achieve financial freedom then this book does indeed contain the answer.
You can find out all the details about "The Answer" and an amazing competition the "Million Dollar Business Makeover" by clicking the link below:
Click the link above if you cannot see the YouTube video.
The Indiana Jones films are great adventure films and I couldn't resist watching "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" last night. However, while the films are fun to watch there are many lessons to be learnt about goal achievement as well.
1. Indiana follows his passion
Indiana is passionate about archaeology and this is what drives him. Those who have achieved great success all believe vehemently in the importance of following your passion and doing what you love. It is only by doing this that you will continue to have the motivation to persevere in spite of enormous odds.
It is only by following your passion that you will have the energy and drive to keep going even though the journey towards your goal may be an arduous one and at times you may become weak.
"The key that unlocks energy is desire. It's also the key to a long and interesting life. If we expect to create any drive, any real force within ourselves, we have to get excited." Earl Nightingale
2. Indiana has very clear values
Indiana's values made it easy for him for him to make decisions and take action. Great goal achievers are great decision-makers and they take action. Too often people do not achieve the level of success they desire because they spend too much time deciding what to do and too little time actually doing anything.
True some things require careful deliberation but in many cases, especially when it comes to the day-to-day activities that will help you to make progress towards your goal you have to learn how to quickly weigh up a situation and make the best decision there and then on how to move forwards.
Having clear values and clearly defined goals will go a long way in helping you to make those timely decisions.
"Your only purpose in life is to make choices. Once the choice is made, the whole universe moves to bring into fruition that which you chose."
3. Indiana confronts his fears
One of the endearing qualities about Indiana is that he is very human. He too has his fears, for instance, he hates snakes. Yet he does not let his fears stand in the way of achieving his goal.
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." Ambrose Redmoon
When you set yourself challenging goals, at some point you will come up against something that you fear. The trouble is what you fear may not be tangible. It may be a limiting or negative belief such as the fear of failure or the fear of success.
However, limiting or negative beliefs can stop you dead in your tracks if you do not develop techniques and strategies to clear yourself of these limiting and negative beliefs. The good thing is that the more you practice these clearing techniques the easier it will become to overcome your fears.
"When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all. We all need some form of deeply rooted, powerful motivation - it empowers us to overcome obstacles so we can live our dreams." Les Brown
But back to "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" - my favourite bit in the movie is Indiana Jones' "leap of faith". There's just something about that scene. It is such a great visual representation of what we all must go through to achieve anything of significance.
Indiana has to cross a huge chasm in order to reach his goal - the Holy Grail and yet there is seemingly no way across the chasm. He murmurs to himself,
"It's impossible. Nobody can jump this."
And then the realisation dawns on him that he needs to take a "leap of faith". Earlier in the film his father thought he that his son had died as he fell over a cliff and he bemoaned that the fact that he had not told him anything. Now as he lay grievously injured it was almost as if there was a telepathic connection between father and son. He murmurs,
"You must believe, boy. You must believe."
Indiana takes a deep breath and steps into the void. Instead of falling he finds his feet firmly planted on a bridge - narrow - but a solid bridge nonetheless that spans the width of the seemingly bottomless chasm.
You have to trust and believe in the unknown and the unseen. When you set a goal it first exists only exists in your mind's eye but this is perhaps the most important step in your goal achievement process.
"Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe." St Augustine
The philosopher, William James also said that there is a law in psychology that if you form a picture in your mind of what you would like to be and hold that picture there long enough, you will achieve what you are thinking. The challenge is to hold onto your vision, to keep your faith.
One of my mentors, Dr Topher Morrison, favourite sayings is to make life a magnificent adventure. I'm sure Indiana Jones would agree. So as you go about your tasks today be bold, be adventurous and remember:
"Take a chance! All life is a chance. The person who goes the furthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare." Dale Carnegie
Listen to "The Law of Attraction and What They Didn't Tell You in "The Secret" by clicking the AudioPlayer below.
Click HERE for an AudioPostcard™ of this article that you can easily share with a friend.
Following "The Secret" many individuals have a much clearer understanding of the Law of Attraction and how to consciously use this Universal Law to attract to them the things they desire. However, many individuals are more frustrated than ever because they are still not achieving their goals.
The problem with the movie "The Secret" is that, for some, it was too simplistic. Yet, even the most complex things are essentially simple in nature - that is their inherent beauty. And the truth "The Secret" contains everything you fundamentally need to know to successfully apply the Law of Attraction to achieve your goals and dreams.
Still, if you fall into the category where you're saying to yourself "The Law of Attraction just isn't working for me" then I have something that will help you to start manifesting the life you desire.
I've a special 86min 36s audio interview for you which you can download by clicking the link below:
It's an amazing interview between Harrison Klein and Lynda Dyer(from The Secret). For those who don't know Lynda she is an NLP practitioner, international trainer, author and one of the 58 people chosen to be interviewed for "The Secret".
In this audio interview, you'll discover the truth about "Limiting Beliefs" and you'll also "see" exactly how to banish them from your life so you can experience more clarity, happiness, and peace of mind.This gift has certainly helped me and so I sincerely hope it will help you too.
Please share this with a colleague, friend or family member - someone you know who would also appreciate this gift.
For those of you who are more visual, you can also get a free 25 minute video from Lynda Dyer called:
So go now and download the audio and video and then set aside some quiet time when you can 'digest' their content and then start to put the lessons you learn into ACTION and create the results you desire. Here's your download link again.
The secret to achieving your goals is commitment - something which is straightforward but not always easy to do.
Writing down your goals is one act and demonstration of commitment. You are clearly saying to yourself and the universe, "This is what I want".
Plus, the simple act of writing down your goals vastly increases the chances you will actually achieve those goals? Yet, relatively few people actually write down their goals.
So what stops people from writing down their goals and, in some cases, from even speaking their goals out loud?
The answer is FEAR.
In many cases they are afraid that they will not be able to achieve what they have said they wanted and so they prefer to yearn in secret.
Eventually, even that desire fades away as they slip into a mundane and routine existence.
They were right. They didn't achieve their goals. The goal was impossible to achieve. Or was it?
While it's true that writing down your goals helps you to achieve them, it is by no means a guarantee. When people fail to achieve their goals it is often because they were not absolutely committed to achieving those goals.
Without that absolute commitment then your goals are nothing more than empty promises and false hopes. There will be no actual plan of action to achieve your goals.
However, when you truly commit yourself to achieving your goals you redefine the meaning of impossible.
"All things are possible until they are proved impossible - and even the impossible may only be so, as of now." Pearl S. Buck
Here's an example that demonstrates what it means to be absolutely committed to achieving a goal.
In 2000, Robert Allen accepted a challenge to raise $24,000 on the Internet in 24 hours. Nowadays, that would be small change to the top Internet marketers but it remains, nonetheless, a respectable challenge; even daunting for some.
This is how Robert Allen went about it. His first step was to contact his marketing and Internet mentors and this is how he presented his challenge to his mentors:
"Suppose you have a goal to make $24,000 in 24 hours using the Internet. Suppose it’s more than a goal - suppose, your life is on the line. If you succeed, you get to live. If you fail, you face the firing squad."
Do you think these mentors were committed to come up with a solution? You bet they were.
The result was that Robert Allen made $94,532.44 in 24hours and it didn't stop there, the money kept pouring in.
Remember the following if you have set yourself a tough goal to achieve:
"If you make the unconditional commitment to reach your most important goals, if the strength of your decision is sufficient, you will find the way and the power to achieve your goals." Robert Conklin
However, there is one other secret ingredient to achieving your goals. It is desire. You have to truly want your goal. Without desire you will not be motivated to achieve your goal.
You have to have a burning passion for it otherwise you will never commit to achieving it.
"Desire is the key to motivation, but its determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." Mario Andretti
What goal will you irrevocably commit to achieving?
As James Womack said:
"Commitment unlocks the doors of imagination, allows vision, and gives us the "right stuff" to turn our dreams into reality."
For more expert tips on how to strengthen your commitment and turn your dreams into reality simply send an email to Goal Achiever.
In today's DTAlpha Talkback, Stephen Pierce asked the question:
"What is your number?"
His message is perhaps not what you might think it is. It is one about the value of persistence where your number is the number of times you will attempt something until you make it a success.
The trouble is that many people do not know their number because, when face with initial failure they simply give up.
"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail." Napoleon Hill
One of the case studies Stephen presents is that of the product WD-40 where "WD" stands for Water Displacement.
The number 40 represents the number of attempts it took its inventors to get the product right.
It's a great example of the value of persistence in achieving your goals. However, throughout history there are numerous other famous examples of how individuals have persisted against enormous odds until they have achieved success.
I highlight a few examples in my article "Fail Your Way to Success" which you can refer to be clicking the link below:
In Stephen's TalkBack he also mentions Levi's 501 jeans. In this case the 501 does not represent the number of times that the inventors tried to create this iconistic product. Yet, this number still relates to persistence as I shall explain.
The number 501 actually refers to the brand of denim that the jeans was made from. It was called 501 - hence, Levi 501 jeans.
However, what is significant here is that this material was known for its durability. The definition of durability as given by BrainyQuote.com is as follows:
"The state or quality of being durable; the power of uninterrupted or long continuance in any condition; the power of resisting agents or influences which tend to cause changes, decay, or dissolution; lastingness."
Synonyms include lastingness, enduringness and strength.
These are the qualities you need when pursuing your goals and dreams.
And there is more...
There comes a point in all ours lives when we want to create something that is enduring like the Levi 501 jeans - something that stands the test of time. There comes a point in our lives when we have a burning desire to create our legacy.
For some it may be children, for others it may be buildings, companies, art, music, literature. One is not necessarily more important than the other. We all have our unique purpose in life whch means we have the opportunity to create our own unique legacy.
At Atlanta International Airport there is a permanent exhibition of sculpture from Zimbabwe - rather appropriate as in the local Shona language "Zimbabwe" means "stone houses". I decided to walk to my departure gate rather than take the train otherwise I would have missed the wonderful collection on display in the Transportation Mall.
The sculptures are large and intricately carved. I paused by one of the pieces where a fellow passenger was making copious notes. We expressed our mutual admiration for the artwork. He remarked that exhibition in some ways reflected the high death rate that currently afflicts parts of Africa.
He pointed out that some of the artists had died young. There was a sculpture behind us that was created by an artist who died a few years ago. He was in his thirties. I reflected on this and then remarked that his spirit lived on through his work.
So the question is what will be your legacy?
What will you leave behind?
How will you be remembered?
And remember, that to create a great legacy will require great persistence on your part and what you create will also need to have the ability to persist.
And remember too that persistence is a numbers game and, in the end, it's not the number of times that you fail in your quest thatis important. It is that one time you succeed.
A Humorous Look at the "Durability" of Levi 501 Jeans
Click the link below if you cannot see the YouTube video above.
To celebrate a decade of super goal scoring Nike and Damiani Editore recently published an illustrated autobiography of Ronaldo doing what he loves most about football – goal scoring.
The book is titled "Ronaldo: Ten Years of Goals" and only 500 copies were printed.
Sport magazine recently interviewed Ronaldo about their ten favourite goals out of the 300+ goals that Ronaldo has scored throughout his career. I'm not a football fan but as I read Ronaldo's commentary about the goals selected I could see that there was a definite correlation between Ronaldo's goal scoring and the secrets to goal achievement.
Allow me to illustrate with a few examples:
Goal 057 Brazil 1-0 Turkey World Cup, June 2002
"A toe-poke, like in a five-a-side kick-about. Who says they're rubbish? Sometimes that is the way you have to score them."
Are you a perfectionist? Are you the type of person who doesn't like to start project until conditions are absolutely perfect? Or perhaps you can't sign-off a project because it's not perfect.
Mike Litman, bestselling author of "Conversations with Millionaires" advises,
"You don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going."
When he published his first book it was full of errors but he got his message out there. Later on he went back and amended it.
Matt Bacak, also admits that his first book was riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. He said he was inundated with emails from people pointing out all the mistakes.
Was he mortified? Hardly – he simply forwarded the emails to the person responsible for editing the revised edition.
Am I saying that you shouldn't strive to give of your best at all times. No, I'm saying that while a "toe poke" may not do justice to your refined skills, if that's all you can manage at the time and it gets the job done then give it toe poke.
Goal 081 Man Utd 4-3 Real Madrid Champions League, April 2003
"The best of the three I scored that night. A hat-trick at Old Trafford, the whole ground on its feet – an atmosphere like that cannot fail to inspire you."
When you are going after a goal you need a team of supporters - people who will cheer you and motivate you to give of your very best. Just before Joe Calzaghe fought Bernard Hopkins in La Vegas he expressed that he hoped that enough of his fans would travel to Las Vegas to help make him feel at home.
In reality thousands of Welsh supporters flocked to Las Vegas to give Joe their encouragement. It was a tough fight, won by a split decision but it was Joe Calzaghe who walked away victorious and with 45 straight wins to his name.
WARNING! There are those will pour scorn on your dreams, goals and ambitions. Give them a wide berth.
Some of these individuals may even be friends and family members. In many cases, it will be because they have their own fears to contend with.
Whatever the reason you have to decide how much you really want to achieve your goal and then do whatever is necessary to preserve your dream as you strive towards it. You may not have to totally exclude these naysayers from your life but you will need to determine the level of contact you have with these individuals who, left unchecked, can leave your dream in tatters.
Goal 102 Real Madrid 3-0 Athletic Bilbao La Liga, November 2003
"I felt like I had a magnet in my boots. For a while, they stood by clueless, but then by the time they had made their minds up to move, I'd already let fly."
When you clearly define what you want and maintain your focus on your goal then what you desire will be drawn towards you like a magnet and you towards your goal.
This is the Law of Attraction at work.
In addition, those who are excellent goal achievers are also excellent decision makers. They are able to rapidly read the field, assimilate the data and instinctively make decisions and act upon them while others are still busy reading the field.
"Intuitive decision-making and mastering this profession are one in the same."
So how do you sharpen your decision-making skills so that you can accelerate towards your goals? In a single word - PRACTICE.
You have to learn to trust your gut and intuition and have the confidence to take ACTION. Even if you don't get the desired result you will at least get feedback which will help to inform your next decision.
Remember, as Anthony Robbins said:
"It's in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped."
Ronaldo says that for him -
"A goal is a moment of excitement - it gives you goosebumps, helps you to forget…at least for a few moments. A goal is happiness: mine sure, but mostly my team's and the fans'.
"A goal is also fun. When I realize I no longer enjoy scoring, or admit to myself that I can't cut it any more, that's when I know it's time to give up the game.
"That moment hasn't arrived yet. I think of all the goals I still want to score: different types of goals, important ones if I can - all the better if they are good goals too."
I hope that you too feel the same about scoring your goals.
Proceeds from the sales from Ronaldo's book will go towards the United Nations Development Programme (UNNP) in Brazil and Guinea Bissau.
For more information about this book and to view the sketches that feature in this book please visit www.nikemercurial98.com.
This weekend I shared with you a story about Bill Bartmann – the man whose life and fortunes have been like a roller coaster. He recently uploaded the video displayed above where he talks very movingly and very candidly about the true meaning of a promise and how he used that promise overcome tremendous odds and achieve a particular goal that undoubtedly changed his life.
However, this video is more than just promises. It's about perseverance, commitment and making an irrevocable decision.
You may never have to face challenges as severe that Bill Bartmann has faced in his life or you may face or even currently be facing challenges that are more severe. Yet, one thing is certain. You will face challenges in life and how you face up to those challenges will determine the quality of your life and what you achieve during your life.
Some people think that setting and achieving goals is all about the acquisition of the thing you are going after. They're wrong. Goal achievement is all about the person you become as you strive to achieve your goals.
Many people set goals and then give up on them with barely a fight. They lack persistence. Bob Proctor says that in such cases the goal was too "puny".
"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized." Daniel H Burnham
If your goals are puny then you surely will quit when you are faced with the first obstacle.
"A goal that is casually set and lightly taken is freely abandoned at the first obstacle." Zig Ziglar
In Bill Bartmann's case, he could either believe what the doctor had told him and remain a paraplegic for the rest of his life or he could defy what the doctor had said and create his own prognosis.
What was incredible in Bill Bartmann's case was that even although there was evidence that contradicted the doctor's original diagnosis, the doctor brutally tried to stamp out any hope of recovery in Bill's mind.
There are people in your life who will try to do the same when you tell them about your goals. They will ridicule you and belittle your dreams - if you let them.
Matt Bacak said that he decided that he would make a million dollars within six months he made one of the toughest decisions of his life. He temporarily decided to cut off all forms of communication with his mother. It was a drastic decision but he did what he had to do.
His mother was always the one who was saying that things were not possible. She was the naysayer. He knew that he had to believe in himself 100% if he was to achieve his goal within the time limit he set himself. There was no room for doubt. It was hard on both parent and child but he gave his mother one of her best Christmas presents ever when he announced that h had achieved his goal.
Do you have the strength, courage and conviction to eliminate toxic relationships from your life? Or will you let those individuals drag you down, keeping you within their comfort zone?
What kind of goals have you set yourself? Are you truly committed to them? Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve them? Teamwork and support are important when achieving your goals but do have the fortitude it takes to soldier on alone if needed? Bill had to wait until late at night to do his exercises to remain undetected.
Bill made a decision that he was going to walk out of his hospital at a time when he could move a muscle in his lower body. The word decision is derived from a Latin word meaning "to cut away". When Bill made his decision there was no turning back. It was more than a decision. He made a promise that he was going to walk out of that hospital.
And, it was through exercising his will power, that he was able to achieve his goal. Through his will he was able to command his body. Now there are scientific explanations to support what Bill Bartmann accomplished but the fact remains that:
~ He used his mind to think about what he wanted rather than what he didn't want,
~ His thoughts became fervent beliefs,
~ He used his thought to direct his will power, and
~ His used his will power to achieve the thing he dreamt about.
He fulfilled his promise and achieved his goal.
The question is what promise will you make for yourself? What goals are you ready to commit to?
Achieving billionaire status especially when you have been bankrupt requires a particular mindset - something that Bill Bartmann has definitely acquired.
He may have recently lost his billionaire status but achieving such status especially when you've been bankrupt demands a particular mindset - something that Bill Bartmann who has been called "The Billionaire Nobody Knows" has.
While his fortunes may have taken a dip one senses that he will bounce back for he has been down this road before. You see He has been a pauper, three times a millionaire, twice bankrupt as well as being a billionaire.
However, he would not have been able to build any of his fortunes in the first place if it had not been for one thing. This is the secret to his success and it is something that anyone striving for success needs.
To put things into perspective though, we need to go back in time to his upbringing. Bill Bartmann was one of eight children. His parents were uneducated and so could not command well-paying jobs. He describes having to move frequently and even, on occasion, being turned out of dwellings because they were deemed not fit for human habitation.
He has been homeless and was once part of a travelling carnival. He dropped out of high school, was a teenage alcoholic and a member of a teenage gang called known as the "Manor Boys".
He was also the smallest member weighing in at just 98lbs. This didn't stop him from picking fights with the 'big' boys. In some ways it's a trait that has stuck with him - not so much picking fights - but there's audaciousness to many of his business ventures.
He truly understands the concept of risk and reward. A big risk can result in a huge pay-off, but if it backfires it can leave a large dent in your pocket and bank balance. Clearly, Bill Bartmann has experienced both extremes.
It just shows that it's not your circumstances that make an individual wealthy. It's your mindset. He could lose everything today and tomorrow he would simply start to rebuild his wealth.
In an interview for Virtual Seminar Week, Alex Mandossian asked Bill Bartmann what was, in his view, the key to success. Bartmann replied that he could sum up the key to success to just one thing, something which he had identified at a young age.
"All the successful people I knew in life had high self-esteem and all the losers had low self-esteem."
There you have it. It sounds very simple and you may have even been disappointed at the response but it is also very profound.
You see, our self-image drives everything that we do and our self-image is inexorably linked to our self-esteem and self-confidence. Improve your self-esteem and improvements in your life will naturally follow.
Having high self-esteem is indeed the key to success.
When Bill Bartmann was growing up his self-esteem was low. He gives credit to his childhood sweetheart, Kathy, for opening his eyes to this fact. It is as Barbara D'Angelis says,
"Until you're aware of what you're doing you have no choice but to continue doing it."
Kathy once threatened to leave him. She had had enough but of what? You see, at the time Bartmann had no clue as to why she was so upset with him. So she spelled it out for him.
"I love you but I can't stand being around you when you keep putting yourself down."
It was a defining moment in his life. He said he would change. It wasn't easy but he persevered.
He took the GED (General Educational Development) exam and put himself through college and law school.
Kathy eventually became his wife and they've been married now for over 30 years.
Sure, Bill Bartmann has had his self-doubts, even bouts of depression - he wouldn't be human otherwise. However, when your self esteem is strong and when you are clear about your core values - the things you stand for and what you are unwilling to compromise on - then you bounce back from these lows.
And each time, you bounce back just a little bit higher.
The video above is an extract from Donny Deustch's show titled "Million Secrets". Click HERE if you cannot see the video.
It shows Dr Joe Vitale explaining the process of attractingwealth.
In this video it is easy to see how perhaps Dr Joe Vitale got his nickname "Mr Fire" for he is certainly fired up about this topic.
So that you can really digest his message here is a summary of Dr Joe Vitale's five-step process for attracting wealth.
1. Know What You Don't Want
This is perhaps the easiest step of all them all. Just ask anyone what they want and they'll usually start telling you what they don't want. People are very good at complaining about what they don't want but the problem with this is that you are putting energy into what you don't want and so you keep getting more of the same.
"If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." Maya Angelou
It's like having a restaurant that you visit on a regular basis. You hate certain dishes and you repeatedly bitch about those particular dishes yet when it's time to order you go right ahead and order those dishes because you haven't taken the time to figure out what you do like on the menu.
So identify what you don't want so that you can be clear on what you do want and focus your attention on these things.
2. Check Your Intentions
When you state your intentions you re-align your body and your mind to go in the direction of a new target.
Think of a radio. Turn it own and start turning the frequency dial. As you do this you will hear static, you may sometimes hear overlapping stations, and you will also hear voices and or music as clear as a bell.
This happens when we tune into the right frequency. The same thing happens with your thoughts. You can direct your thoughts so that they tune into the thoughts and ideas that will move you forwards in the direction of your goal.
With a radio, if I told you the frequency you could find a particular station then it would be a relatively easy thing for you to find that particular station by aligning the dial on your radio with that particular frequency.
Goal achievement operates in a similar manner. State your intentions but ensure that you are in complete harmony with your intentions or else you will not succeed.
"You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless." Caroline Myss, Author of "Entering The Castle"
3. Get Clear
Janet Attwood, author of "The Passion Test - The Effortless Path to Discovering Your Destiny" said that,
"When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life, and only to the extent you are clear."
The problem is as Dr Joe Vitale points out is that many people have counter beliefs and, to compound matters further, they don't even know that have them.
The result is that, until the "get clear" they will continue to unwittingly sabotage their efforts.
Most people don't know they have counter beliefs within themselves.
"Because you counter the majority of your thoughts with opposing thoughts, you believe that you are not powerful.
When you no longer split your flow of energy with contradictory thoughts, you will know your power." Abraham-Hicks
4. "Nevelize" Your Goal
These steps are getting progressively more challenging but it so important to follow them through. Are you beginning to see how if just one of these steps was not properly completed that it is unlikely for you to achieve your goals.
So for step four you need to use your imagination and feel what it would be like to already have what you want.
Now, I said that this is challenging but it also pleasurable. Just think of what you want, what you really want and then imagine you have it.
For instance, when I think of my dream home I visualise myself walking through my home and I take in the sights of what would be before me as I moved through the house. I can see the trees overhanging the back garden as I look out the kitchen window. I can feel the water flowing over my hands as I prepare some vegetables for a meal.
As I open the door leading to the patio and front garden I can hear the pool making little gurgling sounds and I can see the reflection of the sunlight sparkling on the water. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face as I turn my face skywards.
As I go back inside and up the stairs into my bedroom I notice how light and airy the room is. I open the door leading to the balcony and I can clearly hear the waves beating against the shore. As I walk out onto the balcony I can detect a slight tanginess in the air.
I could go and on but I'm sure you get the picture. You've got to get emotionally involved with what you desire. This will accelerate what you want towards you.
5. Let Go While Taking Inspired Action
Then, despite saying you've got to get emotionally involved with what you want, you've also got to let go of your attachment to the end result. If you are over-attached to the end result you are really expressing fear rather than your passion or desire for what you want.
Fear moves you away from your goals.
Fear can also paralyse you at a time when you critically need to take action to achieve your goals. Passion is like fuel so keep your passion alive. Feed your passion. It will keep you internally motivated or inspired to move in the direction of your goal.
When you erase fear a sense of calm takes over you and in that calmness you will receive directions telling you how to proceed step-by-step. Sometimes those steps may seem counterintuitive but it is your very voice of intuition that is reaching out to you and guiding you.
The thing is you have to learn how to trust that voice of intuition.
There is another reason why we need to have a certain detachment regarding the outcome of what we are striving towards. As Sandra Ann Taylor, author of "Quantum Success" explains:
"Sometimes the Universe doesn't give us exactly what we want when we want it, because there's actually something better down the road."
Dr Joe Vitale his friend and colleague Mark Ryan hosted a powerful teleseminar recently on the subject of AttractingWealth. You can listen to the interview by clicking the link below.
Oprah's Big Give Star, Cameron Johnson, know what he wants in life and this is a key factor to the level of success he has achieved in his life.
He is just 23 years old and already he has:
~ Founded and sold more than a dozen profitable businesses, ~ Been featured in more than 250 media outlets worldwide including CNN, Newsweek, Business Week and New York Time, and ~ Served as a consultant to several Fortune 500 companies.
In January 2007 his first book - "You Call the Shots: Succeed your Way - And Live the Life You Want - With the 19 Essential Secrets of Entrepreneurship" was released by Simon & Schuster and is available in stores worldwide.
A second factor in his success story is that he definitely goes after what he wants. He takes ACTION.
At age seven his parents took him to New York. They had arranged for the family to stay at the Trump Plaza which had been featured in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York starring Macaulay Culkin. Donald Trump also had a cameo in the movie.
Cameron simply addressed the letter to Donald Trump, The Plaza Hotel, New York. He didn't receive a response.
However, when the Johnson family checked into the Plaza the receptionist leaned over the counter to peer down at the young boy standing besides his parents and much to their surprise said:
"You must be Cameron."
You see Cameron hadn't told his parents that he had written to Donald Trump. And, yes, Donald Trump had received his letter.
The result was that the Johnson's got to actually stay in the suite that was used for the Home Alone 2 movie and Donald Trump also arranged several gifts and special privileges for Cameron and his parents.
Can you imagine the excitement that seven year old Cameron must have felt that weekend, the memories of which Cameron has shared with hundreds of people throughout the world through his speeches, presentations, TV appearances and his book?
Donald Trump actually called in person to welcome the Johnson's to the Plaza and to ensure that all was well. And with the gift basket that accompanied the suite was one of Donald Trump's business cards, signed by the man himself.
He also arranged for Cameron to have a tour of the FAO Schwartz toy store before it officially opened. The toys tore had a department that allowed young people to have their "business cards" printed. So naturally, Cameron had a set of business cards printed and used one to write a thank you note to Donald Trump to which he added:
"Look out! I intend on being the next Donald Trump."
Fast forward to the present day. Do you not think that Donald Trump, despite all his personal accomplishments, can't help but feel extremely proud of Cameron, what he has accomplished and the small role he has played in Cameron's life to date?
"Cameron Johnson wrote me a letter when he was eight years old. I didn't write back to him, but I responded with a surprise for him when he visited New York City. Thirteen years later, he's given me a surprise - he's written a terrific book! No matter what your age, you will enjoy and learn from Cameron's book about his accomplishments thus far. I'm sure there will be more to come." Donald J. Trump
Donald Trump demonstrates the value and importance of going the extra mile for your clients.
Cameron will be speaking at Mark Victor Hansen's upcoming Mega Business event, 16-17 May in Irvine, CA. It is an event that, sadly, I won't be attending as there is a limit to the number of seminars that I can travel to but I was fortunate to hear Cameron speak during his first visit to London.
He was speaking at Christopher Howard's Ultimate Business Success event. I found him to be very charming and personable with an appeal that spans all ages. His presentation was highly entertaining and very educational and so it would be worth attending this event just to hear Cameron alone speak. However, Mark Victor Hansen also has other heavyweight speakers lined up.
The impressive line-up of speakers includes:
~ Bill Bartmann - the leading authority on entrepreneurship in America and is a Billionaire Business Coach. ~ Christine Comaford Lynch - a former Microsoft employee who now heads Mighty Ventures. She is also author of the bestselling "Rules for Renegades: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality". ~ Clinton Swaine - the Founder of Frontier Trainings, an organization that uses powerful games to deliver interactive, highly impactful business training. ~ Marshall Sylver - an expert in sub-conscious reprogramming and an expert in interpersonal communication. ~ Dave Lakhani - a "Business Acceleration Strategist" and author of "Persuasion - the Art of Getting What You Want". ~ Steve Linder - a Maser Practitioner and Trainer of NLP and a Performance Trainer with the Anthony Robbins companies.
Mark Victor Hansen, the co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul™ will be the host for the event and sharing his views on what it takes to build a successful social enterprise.
Also, because of Mark's desire to encourage entrepreneurship in young people he has a special offer for teenagers. Effectively, teenagers will just have to pay for their accommodation and meals.
Click HERE for an AudioPostcard to listen to Mark interview Cameron.
"If you're not passionate about what you're doing now you'll never be a success at it. So you might as well start following your passion." Cameron Johnson
FREE Download
You can download a FREE chapter of Cameron's latest book from the link below:
Warren Buffett has two simple rules when it comes to money:
" by Stephen Pressfield.
