I just finished reading a wonderful article by Jim Rohn "Reaping a Multiple Reward". As I finished this article I started reflecting on one of my rewards from seeds that I had sown and I would like to share it with you.

It started when I was 21, I just got married to my high school sweetheart and had been working for one of the largest privately owned developers in Tulsa. To me my life could not be better, great husband and great job. I worked hard and gave 110% to my employer and I quickly reaped rewards. I started moving up the corporate ladder. I started as an administrative assistant in HR, then to administrative assistant to the CFO, then moved on to a assistant manager in the marketing department. I love my corporate job. I had a burning desire to learn and was always up for new challenges. My burning desire was paying off... I was rewarded with great pay and lots of respect. They valued my opinions and viewed me as a go to person. I did what it took to get the job done.

At age 25, I gave birth to my first daughter and now with that motherly instinct I had the desire to be a stay at home mom and raise my baby girl. It seemed like everything was falling into place like I had always dreamed. As a few months passed, something keep telling me that I needed to go back to work. Three months later, I did just that. I returned to work and I was able to resume my prior position. Within a month, I had mastered self discipline and was able to balance my personal life and work....so I thought!

This is when my life began to unfold, my young marriage would soon be something of the past. Not because I went back to work, but because I realized that my husband did not have the same desire to raise a family. He did not want the commitment of raising a family. Spending all his free time with his so called friends became his desire. That is when I realized I must do something about it, this was not how I had pictured raising my daughter. After several months of trying to reconcile with my husband and trying to get him to come home to be with his family, I could see that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. I filed for a divorce when my daughter was 6-months old, I was scared and did not know how I was going to raise a baby by myself, but I knew in my heart that is what I needed to do.

I was now labeled as a single parent. I had all the responsibilites of a new home, car payment, utilities, cost of raising a baby on my own, but I had the self disciple and knew that I could do it!

I wanted to have life balance and be able to teach my daughter values, that if you have the burning desire and the passion you can do anything that you want. I instilled in her at an early age to follow your Dreams, never give up.

Now 23 years later, I know that the seeds that I sowed paid off. My daughter is 23, she graduated from UofA with a BS in Family Studies and Human Development and a minor in Business. She has moved to Dallas to follow her dream since she was a little girl... to be a DCC! She has stayed focused on her dream and has not let go. I do take credit for that... and she always tells me that I am her ROCK! I am a very proud parent!

I left the corporate world four-years ago to pursue my desire to work for myself. I have a successful online marketing company working from home. It wasn't easy at first working from home, I had to apply self discipline. I soon realized that just because I worked from home I could not treat my business as a hobby. In order to have success, you have to apply self discipline and treat it as a million dollar business. Self discipline is key to your success.

You see, I did not wait for things to deteriorate so drastically, before I imposed discipline in my life. I seen that things needed to change and I took that leap and made those changes. I am grateful that I did.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this short reflection of my life and how "reaping what you've sown" can have a large impact on your life.

With that being said I would like to leave you with a excerpt from Jim Rohn's "Reaping a Multiple Reward" article that inspired me.

For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. That's one of life's great arrangements. In fact, it's an extension of the Biblical law that says that if you sow well, you will reap well.

Here's a unique part of the Law of Sowing and Reaping. Not only does it suggest that we'll all reap what we've sown, it also suggests that we'll reap much more. Life is full of laws that both govern and explain behaviors, but this may well be the major law we need to understand: for every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards.

What a concept! If you render unique service, your reward will be multiplied. If you're fair and honest and patient with others, your reward will be multiplied. If you give more than you expect to receive, your reward is more than you expect. But remember: the key word here, as you might well imagine, is discipline.

Everything of value requires care, attention, and discipline. Our thoughts require discipline. We must consistently determine our inner boundaries and our codes of conduct, or our thoughts will be confused. And if our thoughts are confused, we will become hopelessly lost in the maze of life. Confused thoughts produce confused results.

Remember the law: "For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards." Learn the discipline of writing a card or a letter to a friend. Learn the discipline of paying your bills on time, arriving to appointments on time, or using your time more effectively. Learn the discipline of paying attention, or paying your taxes or paying yourself. Learn the discipline of having regular meetings with your associates, or your spouse, or your child, or your parent. Learn the discipline of learning all you can learn, of teaching all you can teach, of reading all you can read.

For each discipline, multiple rewards. For each book, new knowledge. For each success, new ambition. For each challenge, new understanding. For each failure, new determination. Life is like that. Even the bad experiences of life provide their own special contribution. But a word of caution here for those who neglect the need for care and attention to life's disciplines: everything has its price. Everything affects everything else. Neglect discipline, and there will be a price to pay. All things of value can be taken for granted with the passing of time.

That's what we call the Law of Familiarity. Without the discipline of paying constant, daily attention, we take things for granted. Be serious. Life's not a practice session.

The most valuable form of discipline is the one that you impose upon yourself. Don't wait for things to deteriorate so drastically that someone else must impose discipline in your life. Wouldn't that be tragic? How could you possibly explain the fact that someone else thought more of you than you thought of yourself? That they forced you to get up early and get out into the marketplace when you would have been content to let success go to someone else who cared more about themselves.

Your life, my life, the life of each one of us is going to serve as either a warning or an example. A warning of the consequences of neglect, self-pity, lack of direction and ambition... or an example of talent put to use, of discipline self-imposed, and of objectives clearly perceived and intensely pursued.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

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Treat your body like a temple, not a woodshed. Make sure the outside of you is a good reflection of the inside of you.~Jim Rohn

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment." ~Jim Rohn

"Some people have learned to earn well, but they haven't learned to live well." ~Jim Rohn

Influence/Association
by Jim Rohn

There are two parts to influence: First, influence is powerful; and second, influence is subtle. You wouldn't let someone push you off course, but you might let someone nudge you off course and not even realize it.

We need a variety of input and influence and voices. You cannot get all the answers to life and business from one person or from one source.

Attitude is greatly shaped by influence and association.

Don't spend most of your time on the voices that don't count. Tune out the shallow voices so that you will have more time to tune in the valuable ones.

"No" puts distance between you and the wrong influence.

You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me?  What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?

Don't join an easy crowd; you won't grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high.

Some people you can afford to spend a few minutes with, but not a few hours.

Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will continue to have a significant effect on your life long after they have departed.

___________

Since reading this short article by Jim Rohn... I realized that I had adopted this philosophy a few years ago. It was a process that was a first hard, because I had to disassociate myself from friends in my life that I loved. I still love them, but I don't spend large amounts of time with them. It has changed my attitude and my outlook on life.

I suggest if you have individuals in your life that are negative and naysayers - you should start detaching yourself from them. You will be amazed at your attitude and outlook!

Remember, Attitude is Everything!

article by Jim Rohn

Why You Must Read Biographies by Ron White

"Don't worry boy, it will be alright. I've took this road you are walkin' down. I've been in your shoes. It is just somethin' that you have got to go through. I had this same talk with my dad."

Those were the words I heard from my dad at the age of twelve, when my heart had flushed my eyes with tears because the life of my dog was flickering out. Through the years I have taken walks down the same road with my dad and I've heard different versions of the same speech when business was tough, friendships ended or I wasn't feeling my best.

Sometimes it is nice to know that what you are going through isn't an experience unique to you. There is comfort in knowing that others have been there and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Often, when you are in the midst of the tunnel – the only thing that catches your focus is despair, discouragement and depression. Yet, it can turn your day around when someone ventures into the tunnel – walks with you and grabs your hand to say, “I've been here…hang in there. I turned out alright and you will as well.’

Unfortunately, we don't all have someone who will tread into the tunnel and walk beside with encouragement. This is why it is so important to read biographies! A biography is a unique way to have a successful person walk beside you as you examine the story of their life.  You will often be surprised that the most successful people of all time experience the same struggles as you.

Einstein was divorced, Lincolnbattled depression, Ronald Reagan had his heart broken by his first wife and Sam Walton went broke twice. Where did I learn these facts? From the biographies I read! Did it make me feel better because they had hard times? Yes and no. I never delight in someone else's pain. On the other hand, it is without question that Einstein, Lincoln, Reagan and Walton were monumental successes. It is refreshing and inspiring to read that they were also human and have walked down the same road that you and I have.

What an encouragement it was when my business was struggling a few years ago to read Sam Walton's biography and my eyes halted on the page where I read that at the exact age I was – at that time – that he was in an almost identical financial spot! I put the book down and a smile spread across my face. If you don't know who Sam Walton is, he started a small company called Wal-Mart a few years ago and it turned out okay.

Reading Sam Walton's biography was a neat way for me to get inspired and reminded that some pretty successful people have met discouragement head on and succeeded. In a sense, while reading that book, a message from the spirit of Sam Walton said, “Ron – I have been there. It is hard, but don't give up. The reward is worth it. Now press on.’ I did and I will be forever glad that I did.

Now, go to the bookstore and pick up a biography. By the way, if you are in a rough spot or experiencing some heartache…….. "Don't worry boy, it will be alright. I've took this road you are walkin' down. I've been in your shoes. It is just somethin' that you have got to go through. I had this same talk with my dad."

-- Ron White

__________________

How many times have you heard "Don't worry it will be alright"?

Last week I had this same conversation with my oldest daughter. She was trying out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader's (along with 870 other contestants) and didn't make the cut... when her number wasn't posted, all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around her and cry with her, because I knew that this was a huge step in her life and she wanted it more than anything.

But, as her Mom, I said those six little words... "Don't worry it will be alright", and reminded her that out of the five girls in her group, three of them were trying out for their second time. Statically, most have to tryout 2 or 3 times before making the DCC cheer team.

Her first reaction when we finally got to the car, was I'm not going to tryout again... but I keep reiterating that you did the best that you could and now know what to expect, and DON'T EVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!

The next day we talked about her experience and the wonderful friends that she made... and now she says she will try-out next year!

I am very proud of her, she is a strong person with a GREAT outlook on Life!

by Jim Rohn

We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you've read in the papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o'clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won't need to live in fear of it.

Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us.

Let me tell you about five of the other enemies we face from within. The first enemy that you've got to destroy before it destroys you is indifference. What a tragic disease this is. "Ho-hum, let it slide. I'll just drift along." Here's one problem with drifting: you can't drift your way to the top of the mountain.

The second enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a better future. Take a sword to this enemy.

The third enemy inside is doubt. Sure, there's room for healthy skepticism. You can't believe everything. But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worse of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it.

The fourth enemy within is worry. We've all got to worry some. Just don't let it conquer you. Instead, let it alarm you. Worry can be useful. If you step off the curb in New York City and a taxi is coming, you've got to worry. But you can't let worry loose like a mad dog that drives you into a small corner. Here's what you've got to do with your worries: drive them into a small corner. Whatever is out to get you, you've got to get it. Whatever is pushing on you, you've got to push back.

The fifth interior enemy is over-caution. It is the timid approach to life. Timidity is not a virtue; it's an illness. If you let it go, it'll conquer you. Timid people don't get promoted. They don't advance and grow and become powerful in the marketplace. You've got to avoid over-caution.

Do battle with the enemy. Do battle with your fears. Build your courage to fight what's holding you back, what's keeping you from your goals and dreams. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

It takes time to build a corporate work of art. It takes time to build a life. And it takes time to develop and grow. So give yourself, your enterprise, and your family the time they deserve and the time they require.

Americans are incredibly impatient. Someone once said that the shortest period of time in America is the time between when the light turns green and when you hear the first horn honk.

The twin killers of success are impatience and greed.

How long should you try? Until.

Some people plant in the spring and leave in the summer. If you've signed up for a season, see it through. You don't have to stay forever, but at least stay until you see it through.

 written by Jim Rohn

by Jim Rohn

Parents, leaders, employers, teachers and volunteers have you discovered one of the great positive mysteries of life? Here it is - All life seems to wish to reward its benefactor.

If you become the benefactor, you will receive these incredible rewards. If you are the benefactor to the garden, the flowers seem to bloom and say, "Look at me. Look how bright and beautiful I am because you took care of me. I wish to reward you by being beautiful, lovely, spectacular."

Your own children, if you become their benefactor, they want to reward you with their progress. I taught my daughters how to swim. And my daughters would say, as they were about to dive, "Daddy, daddy watch, watch, look, look, watch" as if to say; 'look what you have created here, you've spent the time with me and now look at me. This is the payoff. ‘Watch me dive." I was their benefactor.

I have found that all life wishes to respond to the benefactor. The ones who give their time, give their effort, give their patience, give their ideas, the benefit of their experience. Whatever has benefited from that, wishes to respond. The crop wishes to grow. The child wishes to show you how much progress they've made.

And remember that whatever you move towards tends to move towards you. Just as when you move toward education, and education starts to seek you out. Or when you move toward progress and progress seems to want to now embrace you. You will find that, just as predictably, as you move towards helping those in your care they will wish to repay you with their own success and accomplishments.

~Jim Rohn

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful fathers out there. I enjoyed reading this short story by one of my favorite motivation speakers "Jim Rohn". I hope you enjoy it too.

"Invest in your family and they'll invest in you. Inspire them and they'll inspire you. With your inner circle take care of the details. When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every morning with the farmers. Little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho. So Papa would go there and have breakfast and I'd call him just to give him a special day. Now if I was in Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night, but it only took five minutes, ten minutes. So I'd call Papa and they'd bring him the phone. I'd say, 'Papa I'm in Israel.' He'd say, 'Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?' He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear - my son's calling me from Israel. I'd say, 'Papa last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean.' He'd say, 'Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean.' Now everybody knows the story. It only took 5 - 10 minutes, but what a special day for my father, age 93." -- Jim Rohn

by Jim Rohn

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.

We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.

All disciplines affect each other. Mistakenly the man says, "This is the only area where I let down." Not true. Every let down affects the rest. Not to think so is naive.

Discipline is the foundation upon which all success is built. Lack of discipline inevitably leads to failure.

Discipline has within it the potential for creating future miracles.

The best time to set up a new discipline is when the idea is strong.

One discipline always leads to another discipline.

Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.

You don't have to change that much for it to make a great deal of difference. A few simple disciplines can have a major impact on how your life works out in the next 90 days, let alone in the next 12 months or the next 3 years.

The least lack of discipline starts to erode our self-esteem.

I took a Leap of Faith and it PAID off last night, see for yourself. Click Here

"Showing a profit means touching something and leaving it better than you found it." -- Jim Rohn

by Jim Rohn
(Excerpted from The Power of Ambition series)

What is the origin of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find true ambition and that is within you – in every thought, in every movement, in every motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are, your own self-expression.

Self-expression. Isn't self-expression really self-direction? How you think, how you move, how you motivate yourself. Ambition is a result of self-direction and self-direction is one of the six key principles necessary for building ambition. Positive self-direction says, "I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I'm accumulating knowledge and experiences and feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part." Because you know where you want to go, you have already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper. And you constantly see yourself in the place you want to be, going in the direction you want to go.

Direction determines destination. So here is a question you must ask yourself, "Are all the disciplines that I'm currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?" What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Because here is what you don't ever want to do - kid yourself. Kid your neighbor, kid me and kid the marketplace, but don't kid yourself - fingers crossed - hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you're not even headed that way. You have to ask yourself often, Am I? Am I doing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go? Don't neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination.

Is this the direction I want for my life?
Is this someone else's direction?
Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?
Is this goal my parent's, my spouse's, my boss', my children's or is it Mine?

Ask yourself these questions and then debate them. After you have answered these questions within yourself, then take it one step further and ask, "What am I doing that is working or not working?" Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you - your self-direction. And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, to do what you want to do, to create the life you want to live!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com Copyright © Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.

"Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune." ~Jim Rohn

 by Jim Rohn
(Excerpted from Week Six of the Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan)

One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life, and the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: We can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to pursue those dreams and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful! And that is what we will discuss in detail this week: How to dream dreams and establish goals to get those dreams.

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.

So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Let's take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel Great and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to this point that we experience what Our dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish - remember, you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backwards. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.

Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family's life into congruence with what you want it to be.

Jim Rohn

This Week's Jumpstart

An early Happy 4th of July wish to all of my U.S. readers! And for those around the world, I wish you freedom. When you look up the word freedom in the dictionary, you'll find many definitions, but the one I like best says: The capacity to exercise choice; free will.

What's your definition of freedom? Time freedom, financial freedom? Isn't it interesting, though, that in order for you to experience or gain freedom you must sacrifice something? Perhaps I should frame it another way, with other words -- discipline or choice. Jim Rohn says discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. So let me ask you... What results have you accomplished and are you satisfied with your results?

If so, congratulations! If not, what simple disciplines or "choices" can you make that will make a world of difference in your accomplishments?

That's something to think about this week. But don't just stop at thinking! Act! You have the ability and the skills to create more freedom for whatever it is you want in your life!

-- Denis Waitley

"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd." ~ James Crook

Great Commentary:
I love quotes that are counter-intuitive because many times "counter-intuitive" is what works best in this world. This is especially true in leadership. If you think about it, there are only two options in life: Go with the crowd or against it. Those who will lead in this life must often start against the crowd and lead forcefully until the crowd sees the results and changes their direction. If you just go with the crowd, you are just part of the crowd. Even if you are going with the crowd but out in front of the crowd, that doesn't mean you are leading. It just means you are faster than the rest of the crowd! That means you're just better at being average - and that isn't what you want your life to be!

Action Point:
Think about your life. Are you going with the crowd or against it? Are you willing to lead by turning your back on the crowd? Take a step today to differentiate yourself from the crowd - and begin your journey toward success and leadership!

Quality of life, in America today, is often measured by the amount of money you make. Success is defined by the kind of car you drive. By the neighborhood you live in. By the toys you own. After all, he who dies with the most toys wins. True or false?

Life was difficult before remote controls and automatic door locks. Skiing was so boring before the new shape skis hit the market. Fishing without a carbon-fiber rod was next to impossible. And the best part of life today is that big-screen plasma HDTV, the one with the universal remote that controls everything. It's the best escape devised yet from an otherwise dull evening.

In contrast, the people of the remote Himalayan country of Bhutan were recently rated as having the poorest quality of life of all but one other country in the world --- after all, their average annual per capita income is only $500. Ironically, however, when you visit the country, there are no beggars, only beautiful, snow-capped peaks, virgin forests, and clean air. The crime rate is extremely low, no one is in a hurry, and there is a strong sense of community. You might almost think that instead of depending on their belongings to entertain them, they've learned to enhance their lives by building relationships with each other.

Be careful to avoid the trap of, "the more you buy, the more you need". Because oftentimes then the more we think we need, the more unhappy we are with what we have. So this year, before buying those new golf clubs, stop and think. Will that $1,000 bring you more happiness through a bag of irons, compared to a few days off with your family, or as a donation to an organization, or a person who is trying to make a difference. It's your choice. It's how you measure it.

So this week count your blessings instead of your possessions. Spend more time with those you love, instead of spending more money on things you lack.

-- Denis Waitley

"Very few of us are authorities on the truth. About the closest that any of us can get is what we hope is the truth or what we think is the truth. That's why the best approach to truth is probably to say, "It seems to me...." ~Jim Rohn

by Jim Rohn

People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking and my ideas. They found that easy not to. I found it easy to attend the classes and the seminars, and to get around other successful people. They said it probably really wouldn't matter. If I had to sum it up, I would say what I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. Six years later, I'm a millionaire and they are all still blaming the economy, the government, and company policies, yet they neglected to do the basic, easy things.

In fact, the primary reason most people are not doing as well as they could and should, can be summed up in a single word: neglect.

It is not the lack of money - banks are full of money. It is not the lack of opportunity - America, and much of the free World, continues to offer the most unprecedented and abundant opportunities in the last six thousand years of recorded history. It is not the lack of books – libraries are full of books – and they are free! It is not the schools – the classrooms are full of good teachers. We have plenty of ministers, leaders, counselors and advisors.

Everything we would ever need to become rich and powerful and sophisticated is within our reach. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is simply neglect.

Neglect is like an infection. Left unchecked it will spread throughout our entire system of disciplines and eventually lead to a complete breakdown of a potentially joy-filled and prosperous human life.

Not doing the things we know we should do causes us to feel guilty and guilt leads to an erosion of self-confidence. As our self-confidence diminishes, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity diminishes, our results inevitably decline. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins the slow shift from positive to negative, our self-confidence diminishes even more... and on and on it goes.

So my suggestion is that when giving the choice of "easy to" and "easy not to" that you do not neglect to do the simple, basic, "easy"; but potentially life-changing activities and disciplines.

Everything you want in life is within your reach. And getting your every want is just a matter of taking charge. ~Jim Rohn

"We must learn to apply all that we know so that we can attract all that we want." —Jim Rohn

"Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune." ~Jim Rohn

This is a great short story and definetly an eye-opener. Have you started creating that lifestyle you and your loved ones deserve. Don't forget to treat them to a nice dinner, movie, or shopping spree. It wil make a difference, and that is my motto "make a difference every day". It should be yours too!

by Jim Rohn
(excerpted from The Day That Turns Your Life Around)

After having struggled for so long, it took a shift in attitude for my family and me when success started to happen. When I started making a little extra money at age 25, Schoaff taught me to also let it serve as a new inspiration for lifestyle. Take my family to dinner after I’d had two or three pretty good weeks and it looked like it was going to continue. I would say, “Today we get to order from only the left-hand side of the menu, we don’t have to look at the right-hand side”. Didn’t cost much, just a little extra. But you can’t believe the effect on the family, wow, that these are new days.

It’s called changing your life as well as changing your skills and earning more money. It’s best to invest some of that early money in lifestyle. Go to the movies. Take two vacations instead of one. Just some little extra things that now the family gets inspired by this new commitment to earning more and becoming more and learning more, taking some night classes, whatever you have to do. Now you make it more worthwhile for the family by thinking of lifestyle changes that now become very exciting. Go to the concerts. My parents said don’t miss anything. Don’t miss the play, the music, the songs, the performances, the movie—whatever is happening.

When I started making some extra money, I opened up an account for my wife and I called it the “No Questions Asked Account.” I said, “Here is the checkbook for a new account and it’s called no questions asked. I’ll just keep putting money in there and you spend it for whatever you wish.” It was life-changing. It wasn’t a fortune. But she didn’t have to ask for money anymore. I could sense that it was a little embarrassing at times when she had to ask me for money. I thought, that’s not good, so the first time I get a chance, here’s what I’m going to do. And sure enough, I did it. The “No Questions Asked Account.” You can’t believe what that did. It was absolutely amazing.

With that little extra money, work at creating lifestyle. Social friendships, church, community, country. All those things that make a composite of our overall life. Start furnishing that with new vigor, vitality, money, whatever it takes to expand your life into what I call the good life as well as economics.

And it doesn’t always take a lot of money. How much is a movie? Even for a person of modest means. $8 or $10? It might cost $60 million to make it and it only costs $8 to see it.

When I discovered those kinds of concepts at age 25 you can imagine it was hard for me to sleep nights that first year. I got so excited about changing everything. And one discipline leads to another. One change leads to another. Feeling good about yourself and starting to make the turn to do something you’ve never done before, then it starts to work, wow, and then you get excited about changing other areas of your life as well.

Now after you have made your fortune, the money and extravagance might not seem as big a deal. And fortunately you can then create even more powerful opportunities, in particular, opportunities for benevolence, philanthropy and giving.

Now I’m certainly not saying to focus only on external pleasures and rewards. Your relationships, health and spirituality are all of more consequence.

But in the beginning, when the rewards of your hard work begin paying off, make sure and treat yourself and those closest to you to a new world of lifestyle and celebrations.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn