United States and It's Fabulous 50

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The people that work at my Harley store are the coolest and nicest people around.  The feeling that they generate when I am in the store is overwhelming, to the point where if I had nothing to do...I'd want to just hang out up in Cartersville, GA and be with these neat people.

The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come and see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. Going and coming took most of a day - and I honestly did not have a free day until the following week.

"I will come next Tuesday," I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call. Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove the length of Route 91, continued on I-215, and finally turned onto Route 18 and began to drive up the mountain highway. The tops of the mountains were sheathed in clouds, and I had gone only a few miles when the road was completely covered with a wet, gray blanket of fog. I slowed to a crawl, my heart pounding. The road becomes narrow and winding toward the top of the mountain.

As I executed the hazardous turns at a snail's pace, I was praying to reach the turnoff at Blue Jay that would signify I had arrived. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren I said, "Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these darling children that I want to see bad enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears - and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"I was hoping you'd take me over to the garage to pick up my car. The mechanic just called, and they've finished repairing the engine," she answered.

"How far will we have to drive?" I asked cautiously.

"Just a few blocks,"Carolyn said cheerfully.

So we buckled up the children and went out to my car. "I'll drive," Carolyn offered. "I'm used to this." We got into the car, and she began driving.

In a few minutes I was aware that we were back on the Rim-of-the-World Road heading over the top of the mountain. "Where are we going?" I exclaimed, distressed to be back on the mountain road in the fog. "This isn't the way to the garage!"

"We're going to my garage the long way," Carolyn smiled, "by way of the daffodils."

"Carolyn, I said sternly, trying to sound as if I was still the mother and in charge of the situation, "please turn around. There is nothing in the world that I want to see enough to drive on this road in this weather."

"It's all right, Mother," She replied with a knowing grin. "I know what I'm doing. I promise, you will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

And so my sweet, darling daughter who had never given me a minute of difficulty in her whole life was suddenly in charge - and she was kidnapping me! I couldn't believe it. Like it or not, I was on the way to see some ridiculous daffodils - driving through the thick, gray silence of the mist-wrapped mountaintop at what I thought was risk to life and limb.

I muttered all the way. After about twenty minutes we turned onto a small gravel road that branched down into an oak-filled hollow on the side of the mountain. The fog had lifted a little, but the sky was lowering, gray and heavy with clouds.

We parked in a small parking lot adjoining a little stone church. From our vantage point at the top of the mountain we could see beyond us, in the mist, the crests of the San Bernardino range like the dark, humped backs of a herd of elephants. Far below us the fog-shrouded valleys, hills, and flatlands stretched away to the desert.

On the far side of the church I saw a pine-needle-covered path, with towering evergreens and manzanita bushes and an inconspicuous, lettered sign "Daffodil Garden."

We each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path as it wound through the trees. The mountain sloped away from the side of the path in irregular dips, folds, and valleys, like a deeply creased skirt.

Live oaks, mountain laurel, shrubs, and bushes clustered in the folds, and in the gray, drizzling air, the green foliage looked dark and monochromatic. I shivered. Then we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight, unexpectedly and completely splendid. It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over the mountain peak and slopes where it had run into every crevice and over every rise. Even in the mist-filled air, the mountainside was radiant, clothed in massive drifts and waterfalls of daffodils. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, saffron, and butter yellow.

Each different-colored variety (I learned later that there were more than thirty-five varieties of daffodils in the vast display) was planted as a group so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue.

In the center of this incredible and dazzling display of gold, a great cascade of purple grape hyacinth flowed down like a waterfall of blossoms framed in its own rock-lined basin, weaving through the brilliant daffodils. A charming path wound throughout the garden. There were several resting stations, paved with stone and furnished with Victorian wooden benches and great tubs of coral and carmine tulips. As though this were not magnificent enough, Mother Nature had to add her own grace note - above the daffodils, a bevy of western bluebirds flitted and darted, flashing their brilliance. These charming little birds are the color of sapphires with breasts of magenta red. As they dance in the air, their colors are truly like jewels above the blowing, glowing daffodils. The effect was spectacular.

It did not matter that the sun was not shining. The brilliance of the daffodils was like the glow of the brightest sunlit day. Words, wonderful as they are, simply cannot describe the incredible beauty of that flower-bedecked mountain top.

Five acres of flowers! (This too I discovered later when some of my questions were answered.) "But who has done this?" I asked Carolyn. I was overflowing with gratitude that she brought me - even against my will. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"Who?" I asked again, almost speechless with wonder, "And how, and why, and when?"

"It's just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in the midst of all that glory.

We walked up to the house, my mind buzzing with questions. On the patio we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking" was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman, two hands, two feet, and very little brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

There it was. The Daffodil Principle.

For me that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than thirty-five years before, had begun - one bulb at a time - to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top. One bulb at a time.

There was no other way to do it. One bulb at a time. No shortcuts - simply loving the slow process of planting. Loving the work as it unfolded.

Loving an achievement that grew so slowly and that bloomed for only three weeks of each year. Still, just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, had changed the world.

This unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.

The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principle of celebration: learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time - often just one baby-step at a time - learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time.

When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.

"Carolyn," I said that morning on the top of the mountain as we left the haven of daffodils, our minds and hearts still bathed and bemused by the splendors we had seen, "it's as though that remarkable woman has needle-pointed the earth! Decorated it. Just think of it, she planted every single bulb for more than thirty years. One bulb at a time! And that's the only way this garden could be created. Every individual bulb had to be planted. There was no way of short-circuiting that process. Five acres of blooms. That magnificent cascade of hyacinth! All, just one bulb at a time."

The thought of it filled my mind. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the implications of what I had seen. "It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years. Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My wise daughter put the car into gear and summed up the message of the day in her direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said with the same knowing smile she had worn for most of the morning. Oh, profound wisdom!

It is pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays. The way to make learning a lesson a celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use tomorrow?"

Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards

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

If you have a burning desire to live the life of your dreams and work from home, please feel free to check out my new 'Stealth Marketing' system...a brand new concept.

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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

I was recently struck in the head with a renewed sense of awareness and focus, of the fact that I am responsible for everything in my Life.

The truth is that nobody forces you to think, feel, or behave a certain way.  While you may not be accepted by society or even punished if you don't follow certain rules, still nobody else can "make" you do or feel anything.  You are not a victim to people or circumstances.  This is not to say that you can control all situations, undoubtedly you cannot.  But you alone are responsible for your thoughts, emotions, and actions in relation to that situation.  

Do you really want to spend your life letting other people decide how you feel? Use your own mind; make your own decisions. Be responsible for your own life.

You must stop blaming someone else for your problems...take responsibility of your own actions.

Taking responsibility for choices, actions, and direction is so powerfully important. Without taking responsibility, you'll likely look at your life as a failure. People who take complete responsibility for their lives experience joy and in-control of their circumstances.

Three Steps on How to Take Responsibility for Your Own Life

The most important aspect of taking responsibility for your life is acknowledging that your life is your responsibility. No one but YOU can Live your LIFE. You are in charge. No matter how hard you try to blame others for the events of your life, each event is the result of the choices you have made and are making. Listen to the little voice in your head. Do you hear yourself taking responsibility or placing blame?

• Listen to the voice in your head. Eliminate blame; eliminate excuses. Stop shifting responsibility for your decisions to other.
• Listen to yourself when you speck. In your conversation, do you hear yourself blame others for things that dont' go exactly as you want? Do you find yourself pointing fingers at your coworkers or the way you were brought up, your parents' influence, the amount of money you make, or your spouse? Are you making excuses for goals that you have not achieved or deadlines that you've missed? Stop blaming others.
• If you receive constructive criticism from someone you respect, that you make excuses and blame others for your actions or the outcome, take the criticism seriously. Control your defensive reaction and deepen your understanding with the respected individual.

Remember, you control your actions, so therefore you can change the outcome.

Stop looking for it to change, and remember in order for it to change you must change it. It’s not it or them it’s you! If you do not like something or the outcome of your situation; do something about it….change it!

If you don’t like where you live do something about it!  If you don’t like where you work do something about it. If you don’t like the number in your savings account do something about it, don’t just blame someone or something. Anything that you don’t like you have the power to take responsibility for changing it.

Several years ago, I found myself in this situation…I didn’t like working long hours for someone else, while someone else was raising my children. So I did something about it. I had a choice to change my situation...I choose to work from home so that I could raise my own children. I am in control of my Life, I took 100% responsibility for my life. You can to, it’s your choice.

www. blog.sandirenteria.com

"If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day!" ~Brian Tracy

Can you believe graduation season is upon us! I have received two college graduation and three high school graduation announcements.

Where has time gone?

As I start to ponder about what gift I should give, I reflected back on my college days…what could I have used.  I heard someone say that we have a choice to take something that most people dread, and change it into a motivating factor.

The alarm clock….which this person called it the “Opportunity Clock”.

When does an alarm go off? When something bad is happening! Well, waking up isn’t bad. Walking up is good! Infact, waking up is an opportunity. Each new day brings with it the opportunity to enjoy our families and other people. It enables us the opportunity to work hard, and earn a living that will enable us in turn to provide our families. (excerpt from C. Widener)

We get the opportunity each day to dream and achieve those dreams.

The conclusion is that I will get each of the new graduates an “Opportunity Clock”, with a short note, reminding them that they are 100% responsible for the choices in their life.

Follow your Dream…and Don’t Give Up! You may fall a few times, that’s OK…just get back up, dust yourself off, and try it again; until you Succeed!

I followed my dream, I always wanted to work for myself, be my own boss, work when I want, from where I want… it took me a few years, but then I got it! And I did something about it.

If you want to find out more about what I do, visit my website and be sure to fill in the box with your name and email address – I’ll even send you a FREE Marketing report.

It’s all in the outlook and attitude.

“The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.” ~Randy Pausch

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt

The myth of network marketing is that you have to sell products in order to make it work. Although there are many sales people in network marketing and there are people who sell it like it is a product, network marketing isn't about selling.

Network marketing is about building rapport with people and helping them resolve a problem. For many people a network marketing opportunity will help them get to financial freedom. For others it will help them make a comfortable living. If done well, an individual can be very successful.

Selling and Network Marketing

Many people would say that selling is the most important aspects of network marketing and in some cases this is true but there are two aspects of an opportunity that you must take a look at to see what you need to do.

On the one hand there is a product that can be sold. People can sell vitamins, travel, soap, natural drinks and more. These products are available for sale but most people do not sell them. Instead, they show people how their product can benefit them and can help them save money.

On the other hand there is a business opportunity. Many people try to make people jump into their business by pushing them to buy the beginning kit and getting involved. Those who are successful talk to people about the opportunity and wait for it to create a spark within the prospect.

Selling should have nothing to do with network marketing if you are able to build the rapport with people and present an opportunity that they can see as something they need.

I Don't Know Enough People

No one knows the many people who will be interested in a network marketing opportunity. If they did money would be made a lot faster. However, there are hundreds of ways to generate leads and the best ways tap into people who are all-day looking for an opportunity.

Lead generation is one of the many criticisms that people have with network marketing but it does not have to be difficult. There is a system that you can use that will generate more leads than you can imagine. This system allows you to talk to only people who are already looking for an opportunity so you do not have to sell anything.

The road to success, is not always a road. ~Mac Anderson

You are already "Successful"

Success is neither magical nor mysterious, neither impossible to achieve nor so distant as to feel unnatural. Instead success is the very natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals in every situation. Financial success is something you can achieve, because with a mindset of "I can do" it will become your natural expectation.

Success is 20% skills and 80% activity.

Success is inside of you! Apply your skills but concentrate on mastering the fundamentals by continually repeating them... over and over again.

Momentum is the Key to Your Success!

It's true that consistent activity will develop momentum. But be sure your activity is focused in a positive direction, because you can actually build positive or negative momentum based on your activity. Get busy, this will create the kind of energizing momentum that will build your business. Get distracted by people who don't believe in your dream, and you may suffer from negative momentum... and time is too short for that.

I can help you believe in, create and realize your personal dream...all through a constant plan of action that becomes the new way you approach your future. Be positive and consistent as you share your dream, and you'll create enormous momentum.

Show Your Joy as You Work Your Plan!

It takes consistent work and constant joy to travel down the path to success, and that's exactly how it should be. Working without having joy in what you do is pure drudgery. Pure joy without realizing that it often comes from hard work is immaturity. That's why it takes both in order to be successful.

You've often heard the saying "Set yourself on fire and people will come from miles away to see you burn". Well, that's what persistent work combined with true joy in your work is like...people see you as a person on fire with your dream that your hard work seems more like pure fun than anything else. Your attitude becomes contagious and influential as you make the most of your opportunity...and people always want to associate themselves with people that are alive with possibilities.

Remember that sucess is something you attract by the person you become.

Don't Let Distraction Get in Your Way!

The best way to reach the economic freedom you want...you must always keep your eyes on the right road. But even that road can twist and turn. You will face your own adversity or personal disappointments. Know that these are things that keep you striving for your goal - as long as you always keep your eyes on the right road!

You're not alone in having to deal with those issues, not by a long shot. But the road to your personal success is measured by the way you react to adversity and disappointment...and you don't have to let those issues become distractions that prevent you from reaching your dreams.

In reality, those issues only become distractoins when your eyes are not on your target, your goal. Time is your most precious commodity. You can always make more money but you can never make more time.Don't be distracted by the challenges you face, because all they do is steal valuable time from you.

Keep Your Eyes on The Road!

Make This Your Best Day Every!

Practice Makes Perfect!

Every day is a new opportunity to drive further on your road to success. Remember, there is no speed limit on your road to economic freedom. You determine how far and wide you'll go every day. The speed of your success will be determined by you actions on a daily basis. And that means every day counts!

You can do nothing about yesterday and the only way to improve tomorrow is by what you do today. Constant improvement and personal success comes from the recognition of this little secret. Foucus on the fundamentals.

Practice the small but priceless disciplines that when added up over time result in great success. Learn more about the daily practices and action steps you can take to help you go further down the path of success. Today is the day to make the most of the positive actions that will bring you Success!

A Journey of a Thousnad Miles Starts with a Single Step...Keep Going!

You Did Your Absolute Best!

Dedication is The Key to Your Success!

The road to Success is an exciting road, one that is taking you to the economic freedom most people just dream about. It's a thrilling ride to success you can achieve not just of yourself, but for everyone you know. Now ask yourself...Have I made the best use of my time so far on the road to Success?

Remember, you can do nothing about yesterday but learn from it, and the only way to improve tomorrow is by what you do right NOW! Set your next GOALS based on the most important fundamental you know. Simple activities can lead to financial independence if you commit to it as your primary action plan. That is a very small discipline...but one that when practiced over time can create fortunes!

Your Drive to Success Begins Today... Enjoy the Ride!

It won't surprise you to learn that I'm not a proponent of the victim mentality. I believe strongly that the life you and I are living right now is the life we've created. It's based on the decisions and the choices we've made over the years. We're simply living with the consequences of those choices.

Peter Drucker said: "The best way to get the future we want is to create it." If you're genuinely interested in improving your current circumstances, start thinking of what you'll have to do to get the results you want. The reality is you're in charge of what you say and what you think. You decide what goes into your mind by the choices of what you watch, what you read and the people you associate with.

In order to be successful, or to improve performance and productivity in any area of life, all you need to do is act in ways that produce more of what you want. Life gives feedback. All we have to do is pay attention.

Don't like your work environment?

What did you do to create it?

What can you do to change it?

Not happy with your current physical condition?

What did you do to create it?

What can you do to change it?

Not happy with your relationship with ________ ?

What did you do to create it?

What can you do to change it?

Success and failure both leave clues. We can play the blame game all day long or we can accept the fact that the common denominator in our success or failure is US! Don't like your current reality? Pick up a mirror and meet the one person who can change it.

If your ready to change your future, you just may want to join us! Click here to find out more.

Success and Failure.

We often think of them as opposites,
but they're really not.
They're companions -
the Hero and the Sidekick.

~Laurence Shames

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 Brian Tracy

Decide How to React
It is not what happens to you that counts. It is how you react to what happens to you, especially when you have unexpected problems of any kind.

Here are four things you can do to assure that your attitude is the very best it can be, under all circumstances.

Focus on the Future
First, whatever challenges you face, focus on the future rather than on the past. Instead of worrying about who did what and who is to blame, focus on where you want to be and what you want to do. Get a clear mental image of your ideal successful future, and then take whatever action you can to begin moving in that direction. Get your mind, your thoughts, and your mental images on the future.

Think About the Future
Second, whenever you’re faced with a difficulty, focus on the solution rather than on the problem. Think and talk about the ideal solution to the obstacle or setback, rather than wasting time rehashing and reflecting on the problem.

Solutions are inherently positive, whereas problems are inherently negative. The instant that you begin thinking in terms of solutions, you become a positive and constructive human being.

Look for the Good
Third, assume that something good is hidden within each difficulty or challenge. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, a major proponent of positive thinking, once said, “Whenever God wants to give us a gift, he wraps it up in a problem." The bigger the gift you have coming, the bigger the problem you will receive. But the wonderful thing is that if you look for the gift, you will always find it.

Seek the Valuable Lesson
Fourth, assume that whatever situation you are facing at the moment is exactly the right situation you need to ultimately be successful. This situation has been sent to you to help you learn something, to help you become better, to help you expand and grow.

Decide to Be Positive
A Positive Mental Attitude is indispensable to your success. You can be as positive as you want to be if you will simply think about the future, focus on the solution and look for the good. If you do what other successful people do, if you use your mind to exert mental control over the situation, you will be positive and cheerful most of the time. And you will reap the benefits enjoyed by all successful people.

Action Exercises
Here are three steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action:

First, become solution-oriented with every difficulty you face. Make a habit of looking for the answers to your questions, the solutions to your problems.

Second, seek for the valuable lesson in every adversity. Make a list of every idea or insight you can gain from every setback or difficulty.

Third, think on paper. Take some time to write out every detail of the problem, and then take the most logical next step to solve it.

-- Brian Tracy

So many people believe that success
is reaching a certain accomplishment
or attaining a certain status or
possessions. They believe that
the end result will be the reward
they are working towards.

The true gift, the reward, is the
journey.The path you are on is
your opportunity for true success
and fulfillment.

Often times people never receive the
reward because they are completely
unaware of it. Then they get to the
end and gain the accomplishment, status
or possession and they still feel
unfulfilled. The reason that happens
is because the real gift was who you
have been becoming on your journey.

Don't take your journey for granted or
be resentful about it. The journey,
the path you are on, can be so beautiful.
Stop, breathe, and be present in this moment.
In this moment feel absolute gratitude.

When you appreciate this moment in time and
focus on absolute gratitude, you will experience
your bliss. Move forward on your amazing journey
in a state of joy, gratitude and inner peace.

Pay attention to who you have become on your
journey and embrace your incredible transformations.

written by Ryan Pearson
Personal Empowerment Coach

I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.

I will push you onwards or drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed - you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people and, alas, of all failures, as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person. You may run me for a profit or run me for ruin - it makes not difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I am HABIT!

by Chris Widener

Sometimes success is found through the things that you don't do. Here are some ideas for what we shouldn't do.

Don't say "I can't." There are two words that we don't allow in the Widener household - I can't. The fact is that most of what we say that we can't do can actually be done, if only we put our mind to it. My mother taught me from an early age that if someone else had already done it, I could too. And if no one else had already done it, I could certainly be the first! Good advice!

Practical application: When you are up against a problem, and you are tempted to say "I can't," begin to think of all of those who have already done it. When you see how many already have, you'll be encouraged. For instance, if you want to write a book but think, "I can't get this published," you should take a trip to the local Barnes and Noble. Walk through and ask yourself if your book wouldn't be better than even just one of the books that is already been published and stocked. You will find yourself saying, "Surely I can!"

Don't give up. If you are going to achieve anything in life, you are going to get knocked down along the way. Those who succeed are those who get back up and forge ahead. My oldest child was in gymnastics and one day on the way to practice we were talking about determination. I am convinced that more often than not, success lies on the other side of the river hardship. Determination and a "don't give up" attitude will see us through the hard times and onto victory!

Practical application: The next time you feel like the wind has gone from your sails, and you feel like quitting, take awhile to rethink the situation. Remind yourself again why you started out in the first place. Remind yourself of how you will feel when you get there. Then, reassert yourself and set a goal of another month (or whatever time frame is needed). In one of my ventures, early on I was weary and felt like giving up. Instead, I kept telling myself, just show up for one more week. Good news - it worked!

Don't get discouraged. Discouragement is an attitude. Instead of going to the depths of the dumps, tell yourself you are going to do great. Choose to be courageous! One of the greatest powers we have been given as humans is the ability to choose our attitude. All people experience hard circumstances. Yet some say to themselves that they will learn from them and forge ahead a better person. These people, who do not allow themselves to get discouraged, are those who become successful.

Practical application: Find the most positive person you can and take them to lunch. Make sure they are someone who believes in you already. If nobody else, get your mother - she will always believe in you! When you get them out to lunch, tell them that you are discouraged and in need of some encouragement. If you have picked the right person, they will do the rest. Chances are, they will even do some follow-up calls with you. And by all means, pick up the tab for lunch.

Don't be a lone ranger. Anybody who has achieved greatness has done it with the help of many others who bought into the vision and pushed the cart. The most famous and accomplished achievers in the world all had a cast of others who helped them along. You may not be able to name Tony Stewart's pit crew, but they were there. Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has an awesome front line to protect him, but I can't name one of them. If the greats need others, then so do we. The sooner we realize that we need others, the quicker we will achieve our dreams.

Practical application: Sit down and write down the answers to the following questions: What partners do I already have? What ways are they already helping me? What ways could they help me? Who are potential partners who would make me better? What workers do I already have? What ways are they already helping me? What ways could they help me? How many more workers will I need to achieve my dreams? How will I go about gaining them?

Don't accept anything less than excellence. Good gets along, excellence succeeds. Have you ever heard anyone say of the greats "Yeah, they were pretty good." No! They were excellent! We should never, under any circumstances, accept less than excellence. We should constantly be striving to better ourselves, our situations, our relationships, and the people around us, helping them to become excellent.

Practical application: First, evaluate. Is ______________ excellent? Second, determine what would qualify as excellent. It would be excellent when ____________ is true. Third, set a course, step-by-step, toward excellence.

Remember, when it comes to the above - Just don't do it!

-- Chris Widener

"No, that's what God gave you two arms for: To carry me!" -- My five-year-old daughter

Chris' Commentary:
Okay, the conversation before this: I was walking a short distance with my then five- and six-year-old daughters. The five-year-old was dragging behind and complaining that she was tired. She said, "Dad, will you carry me?" I replied, "Nope, that's what God gave you two legs for: So you can walk." Then came her amazingly quick retort: "No, that's what God gave you two arms for: To carry me!" The lessons you learn from little ones!

Action Point:
What did God give you your arms for today? Take some time to be sure to build something beautiful or carry someone along or defend someone weak. Wave hello, lift something up that needs to be lifted or give someone a hug. Use your arms to make yourself successful today. Use your arms to help someone else. That's what God gave them to you for!

The ladder of success may now be an elevator, but it's still self-service.

"Nobody notices what I do, until I don't do it.

A young couple paid a visit to Donald Wright's music store looking for the right piano for their new home. Wright directed them to a particular piano. After Wright explained in great detail the sound box construction, stringing scale, pin blocks, etc., the couple seemed satisfied with the piano's quality, but were still undecided about its styling.

As they were about to leave to look at more pianos elsewhere, Wright suggested that they take a couple of benches home to compare with the styling of their other furniture. They did, and came back later that same day to buy a piano. Since then, Wright has used this particular technique numerous times and with great success.

"You can't just sell products. You have to sell benefits and solutions."

We have taken a similar approach to our Easy Button Income, we give you all the benefits and solutions to make extra income easy, just a few hours a day.

by Dr. John C. Maxwell

When I was a kid, every once in a while my parents would back my brother, Larry, and I up to a doorframe, lay a ruler across our heads, and mark a line with a pencil to chart our growth. They would then write the date next to it. It was always exciting to see how much I'd grown since my last measurement.

If only measuring our effectiveness as a leader was so easy. Why is it so hard to get a clear picture of our own strengths and weaknesses?

Self evaluation means:

* Being willing to critique myself.

* Asking for and accepting honest feedback from those who can most accurately assess our leadership-those who follow us.

* Exercising self-discipline.

This last point is perhaps the hardest. I define self-control, in the beginning of life, as the choice of achieving what I really want by doing things I really don't want to do. Once this becomes a habit, discipline becomes the choice of achieving what I really want by doing the very things I now want to do! I really believe that a disciplined life becomes a joy – but only after we have worked hard to practice it.

All great leaders have understood that their number one responsibility is cultivating their own discipline and personal growth. Those who cannot lead themselves cannot lead others.

Here's what I call the START plan for becoming a disciplined leader.

* START ON YOURSELF - We'd all rather focus on changing everyone else to conform to us. The only problem with that is we end up with an organization full of people who reflect our weaknesses!

* START EARLY - I'm grateful for parents who taught me the value of a disciplined lifestyle early on.

* START SMALL - A simple plan will more likely bear fruit than anything elaborate will. Remember the value of small things, consistently practiced over time, in transforming a life.

* START NOW - The will to prepare is more important than the will to succeed. The dream to succeed, apart from the will to prepare, is simply wishful thinking.

* START ORGANIZED - Those who take time to organize have a special power. Organizational skills allow for the possibility of gaining stamina and momentum as your successes build. You gain a reputation as the person who always follows through.

Now that you've started down the road of self-evaluation, receiving constructive criticism, and self-discipline, you're ready to determine where you are as an effective leader.

-- Dr. John C. Maxwell

This is a blog post from a good friend of mine from Molalla Oregon.

Unemployment, in Oregon, has increased again. It is now at 12.3% - the highest level since records began. The current administration has spent trillions to rescue failing businesses and "stimulate the economy", yet money remains tight, foreclosures continue and employment continues to fall. The only segment of the economy which seems to be growing is government and the tax-payer supported market.

I urge that each and every American look at your own circumstance and ask yourself: Is anything in my life getting better, do I feel more financially secure, and am I more optimistic about where our country and the economy is heading?

If anyone can answer yes to ANY of these questions then perhaps it's time to put away the Prozac and protest banners so we can run into the streets and celebrate our victory over the "great recession"!

I, for one, cannot. I also agree with Ben Franklin: “God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” –Constitutional Convention of 1787

Perhaps it's time for praying - not preying.

Thank you Jim for allowing me to use this post. 

Take this system serious and learn how the top internet money makers earn their money.

Whether you have failed at making money online or you are simply looking for a way to make an honest income from the internet this information is worth the time to check out.

As a former banker who went through a buyout I knew I deserved more from life.  I spend over a year using a marketing system that was simply not giving me the results I needed.  I have the mindset and the drive but I was being led down the wrong path.  Now I learned from some people that I trust how to take my time and energy and use it more effectly to make the money I desire to have an honest and ethical home business that produces results.

I share this information as a way to help others succeed in these difficult times.

http://crackingthecashflowcode.com/1957

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

 Are you looking for a work from home business opportunity?  Are you looking for any business opportunity?  If you bought a McDonalds franchise, what would you expect?  Do you think that you would have volunteers just show up and start working because you bought a McDonalds?  Would the vendors just deliver the products/food to your store and while they're at it, ring up the sales and prepare the food too?  You know better than that!!  Owning a McDonalds would be an incredible amount of work but the rewards would be plentiful as well.  Owning a McDonalds franchise would not come cheap, I have no idea what it would cost but I'm certain that you would have to sell more than a few Happy Meals to finance a franchise.  The McDonalds name sells itself, advertising is probably not that necessary (although they advertise a lot), everyone recognizes the McDonalds logo and they know what they're getting when they go there. 

     You are likely looking for a business that you can work from home, on your computer, on your own time and on your own schedule.  Obviously, you want to have a business that is ethical and profitable.  Do you expect that because you buy into a home based business that the profits are just going to pour in?  Come on, get real!!  Just like owning a McDonalds, a hardware store, a grocery store, gas station, etc, etc, etc!!!!  You will have to work!!  It's a business and you have to make your product/services available to the public and you have to make the public aware of your products/services.  Business 101!!!  You will have to work, it won't just happen.  We believe that no matter what you do, if you're the best at it, you will make money at it and probably a lot of it!!!!  The best athletes (professional), actors/actress', etc.  They all worked hard to get there and many of them make it look easy, but it only looks easy because they are so good at it.  They weren't always that good!! 

     We are not going to sit here and tell you that our business opportunity is easy, nothing worthwhile is easy.  It's as easy as a business opportunity can be, but it's not easy.  The Infinite Leverege System gives you multiple income streams and many tools to advertise and attract customers from where you are sitting right now.  It includes blogs, video email capability, video blog capability and other ways to reach out to people.  We offer a valuable, ethical product that can be sold repeatedly for high profit.  It costs a lot less that a McDonalds franchise and you won't be flipping burgers in July!!!

     What is it going to be?  Are you going to keep looking for that elusive business opportunity that you buy into and they just pay you because you bought in?  When you find it, let us know!!!  A wise person once said "if it was easy, everyone would be doing it". 

     Do you want to work or are you going to keep looking for that dream job where you get paid well to do nothing?  We would be honored to have you on our team of workers!  We will work together and succeed together.  That's the only option....SUCCESS!! 

     What are you going to do?  How are you going to make it happen?  If you are tired of thinking about your financial struggles and you are ready to take action, either enter your basic information for the free offer that is included on this page or click on the banner ad below.  Do you want to work.......Or not? 

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.

Written by guest Chris Widener

I was hired to do some training for a sales team from one of the largest companies in America. There were 16 people on this team. That year their sales (for the 16 of them) were close to 250 million - that's right, a quarter of a billion - dollars! Needless to say, it was an excellent and fascinating time. I decided to learn a little bit myself, so I watched them closely to see what kind of people they were and to see what common denominators they shared. Below is what I found. I think you will find the elements applicable to your own life.

The first thing I noticed about this successful sales team was that they had a sense of humor! They simply weren't a terribly serious bunch of people. Instead, they saw that life was to be enjoyed and that means they were able to laugh a little bit. Sure, there were varying levels in this but they all had a sense of humor. They were able to laugh at circumstances, and they were able to laugh at themselves. It was quite refreshing and a core element of their success, I'm sure.

The second thing I found out about this group was that they did not achieve their success through pedigree, but through hard work. They didn't come from families that gave them a free pass into the upper echelon of the corporate world and they didn't get a head start from upper crust universities. What got them to where they are now? Hard work! That's right, another example that if you put your mind to it, work hard and get in the right situation, you can achieve great things! These folks work long hours and are disciplined in the work they do. And it is paying off.

The third thing I noticed about this team is that they are learners. They were always engaged in the learning process. During my sessions they were engaged and listening. You could see their minds processing the information. They were asking questions and applying the material to their work and their lives. They wanted to improve in any way that they could. It was also interesting to watch them in their team meetings led by their sales manager. They were very interactive and were learning from one another. None of them was above learning from a peer.

What did I see in these successful people? The same things that can make you a success as you apply the principles to your own life: A sense of humor, hard work, and a desire to learn at every turn.

Chris Widener  

"High character and low skills won't make you a success, but still makes you an appreciated person. Low character and high skills makes you a charlatan. High character and high skills will bring you all the success you can handle." ~Chris Widener

Chris' Commentary:
I don't always like quoting myself (perhaps I need a quote on humility?) but I accidentally said this in a speech I gave some time ago and I thought of how much truth there is in this statement. So much so, that I want to share it with you. Being a person of high character and low skills is okay, and people will respect you, which is good. You just won't achieve much. Low character and high skills will make people follow you or buy from you once - until they realize you have no character. The key to success is to have a high character and excellence in your skills. This two-pronged approach will make you a leader and enable you to soar high in life!

Action Point: Do you work a lot on your skills? Most people do. Take some time this week to work as much on your character as you do on your skills. This time you spend will return tenfold to you!

Yes Folks That's right,

Start by saying I love you, I love you, I love you ....................

If you spent your entire day and every day for a week repeating those 3 words over and over again in your mind your life will become more successful overnight.

Take a walk today for 15 minutes and say I love you to EVERY SINGLE PERSON YOU ENCOUNTER --- I can hear you now you are thinking the person that wrote this is absolutely bonkers ---------- Yea right -- I'm sure I am going to say I love You to everyone I encounter. ---

I will give you a break do it silently in your mind --- however just do it.

When you are at the grocery store checkout stand ---- Say I love you to the clerk

When you are at the gas station pumping gas --- silently look AT EVERYONE --- DON'T ELIMINATE ANYONE --- NO QUALIFYING --- silently say I Love You to everyone you see at the gas station.

When you are talking to someone on the phone ---- no matter who it is say I Love You over and over in your mind as you are listening.

This is your mantra for the next week -------------- I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU ................ non stop.

Say it to the birds, the bees, the dogs, the ants, the spiders and your food and water.

Of course to your family and friends -- the dearest ones in your life -- please do say it out loud.

Here's an experiment --- if you have an unruly child -- look them in the eye and softly say I Love You over and over and over again for at least a minute.   Or whisper it in their ear --- not just one or 2 times ----- at least 30

Leave nothing or no one out ------------ I GUARANTEE YOU THAT YOUR LIFE WILL BE MORE SUCCESSFUL BY THE END OF THE 7 DAYS!!!!

Your Mantra is I LOVE YOU --- to the person that cuts you off on the freeway, to the annoying dog across the street, to the rowdy kids down the block ---- say I love You, I love You, I love you ............... This goes for everyone of you

I don't care if you are a hardened criminal, a pompous twit, a street person or a self made millionaire with an attitude ................. if you want more of anything in life start spreading love.  

If you don't feel like you have any love to spread --- believe you me you do --- you are a love machine ---------- you are overflowing with love --- that is what our pristine self is made out of.  

Look at any brand new baby - a pristine new baby ----- every cell in their being is love and nothing has changed --- you are still that baby and you are still made out of love.  

It is a really a weird concept and believe me when I really contemplated love and what it is it was an incredibly mind expanding concept.

The first day of my epihany about love I did exactly what I described above and have been doing it ever since --- it has been quite a transformation for me.  

Take notice of how you are feeling right now; mentally, physically, emotionally, spirtually -------- Now go take a 15 minute walk and mentally say I Love You over and over again to everyone and everything you encounter and then take notice again at the end of the 15 minutes ------------ how's it going now?   Do this with focus and intention!

Say I love You to each and  every part of your body too; especially any aches or pains you pain have --- if your arthritis hurts --- say I Love You to your painful hands and fingers --- I Love You pain, I love You fingers, I love You toes, I Love You fat hips, I Love You bald head, I Love You zits, I love you fat knees, I love you flat chest, I love you pot belly ....................

You are only limited by your imagination ---- please do this for 7 days --- it is truly astonishing!

The first rule of success, and one that supersedes all others,
is to have energy.

It's important to know how to concentrate it.
Focus your energy on important matters
instead of frittering it away on meaningless things.

Nothing will add more power to your life
then concentrating all your energies
on a limited set of goals.

You must focus the full power of all you are
on what you have a burning desire to achieve
if you truly want to be successful.

Gather in your resources, rally all your faculties,
marshal all your energies, focus all your capacities
upon attaining your objectives.

You must be single minded, and drive for the things
you have decided upon.

The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus.