A delay is not a denial by Mastin Kipp

 

 

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I remember the first time I heard someone say, "A delay is not a denial." I was kind of blown away. 

It was Michael Beckwith at an Agape service here in Los Angeles.

At the time I was going through some major questioning and also experiencing a lot of pain because I was reinventing myself from a music manager to what I do today.

There was that "in between" phase. The phase between where I was at the time and where I was going. It's a grey zone if you will. A cocoon phase.

And for a long time I thought that because my new dreams hadn't happened yet, that they were not going to happen. 

(This is a common limiting belief from the instant gratification generation.)

But when Michael said this, it penetrated all the way down to my Soul. And I knew he was right.

As I started to contemplate this idea, I started to realize that my heart was not running the show. It was my ego. Now I am not anti-ego. I just believe that our ego must be in the right place, as a servant of our heart. If the ego serves the heart, then everything is in the right order.

If the heart is the servant of the ego, then the tail is wagging the dog.

And at this point in my life, my ego was REALLY out front.

And I realized that it was pure arrogance thinking that things should go my way. My prayer at that time was certainly not "thy will be done". It was more like "my will be done".

And anyone who's walked a spiritual path for any amount of time knows that "my will be done" is a painful prayer.

I was so focused on ME that I was in hell. In fact, I don't think, "hell is other people" - I think that hell is when you only focus on YOURSELF.

I was missing all of the opportunities to serve. I was missing what I could give to the world. I was only focusing on what I couldn't control and what I didn't have, instead of what I could control and what I could do.

I was living in a totally different Uni-verse.

So, I finally experienced enough pain and had some great teachers who helped me get my mind and my heart right.

And after that, my focus went from ME to SERVING OTHERS.

And when I made that change, everything changed.

Tony Robbins said something SUPER powerful in his UPW event last weekend. He said, "Power flows to those that truly serve."

And I believe this now more than ever.

Service is the name of the game and if life isn't flowing the way that you want it to, are you perhaps too focused on you and not focused on serving?

And if you are serving and things aren't working out, is there a "hook" in your service? Are you doing it only so that you benefit?

Can you see that delays are not denials; they are simply an opportunity for you to learn how to serve at a deeper level and prepare to give your gift even more?

As always, the action happens over on the BLOG; head on over there and leave a comment on my blog "What if delays are not denials?" and join in the conversation! The TDL Community thrives in the comments and it's a GREAT place to get support! 

LOVE,

Mastin

How Ben Franklin Started with Nothing and Became Wealthy By Richard Saunders

How Ben Franklin Started with Nothing and Became Wealthy

By Richard Saunders

It's easy to get distracted by the newest and flashiest "business advice" from Silicon Valley or Fortune magazine. But in reality we should be looking to the proven past rather than today's uncertain business environment. Often the most practical information can be taken from a simple history lesson. Take today's lesson for example. You'll find incredible value in the origin story of Ben Franklin, America's founding father, and first millionaire.

Franklin was the youngest son of 17 children.  His father was a poor candle-maker.  He simply couldn't afford to supply his youngest son with opportunities early in life. Franklin decided that it was up to him to make his own way in the world. 

But things didn't come easy for young Ben. First, he spent five unhappy years toiling as a printing apprentice for his older brother, James.  Back in those days, printing was hard work. Franklin was responsible for managing and moving the printing press plates which was tedious and extremely heavy.

Not surprisingly, Ben wasn't happy with this arrangement.  His very own brother was so jealous of Ben's talents and intellect that he repressed and scolded Ben constantly.  In frustration and despair, Ben broke the law of the colonies and ran away from his apprenticeship.  

He had to bribe a ship captain to take him to Philadelphia and keep quiet about it.  He landed there with three shillings in his pocket and rags on his back.   But it was there that he established a printing shop of his own which in turn lead to him moving into other related industries, becoming an authority in the printing market.  

He then retired at 42.  And, as they say, the rest is history.  But how did he do it?  He used this simple "pre-tirement" secret to building wealth. 

What he discovered is not new, but it is hard for some to stomach. He understood that he was on his own, just like everyone is.  
Understanding this simple concept helped him build his robust and enjoyable "pre-tirement."  

You see, Franklin knew he was on his own, so he didn't invest his money in things he didn't understand.  When Franklin arrived in Philadelphia, the city was ravaged by the South Sea Bubble.  A group of speculators sold stock in a company and hyped it up.  The stock prices went soaring until people came to their senses.  Many folks lost piles of wealth and bankruptcies throughout the entire British Empire sky-rocketed.  Franklin saw this in Philadelphia and he vowed never to simply trust the financial judgment of others.  

In fact, the South Sea Bubble was scarily similar to the Tech Bubble.  But too few learned their lesson from it.  

Ben Franklin didn't invest in the "hottest" stock or the most popular bonds, instead he built his wealth rapidly by investing in what he knew and understood.  

He knew printing very well.  So as soon as he saved enough, he opened his own printing shop.  Then, from printing, he invested his money in publishing his own newspaper.  

After the newspaper was gushing profits, Franklin turned to the most popular style of books of the day:  Almanacs.  Hence, he started printing Poor Richard's Almanack.

His newspaper and books brought him fame and he used his connections to secure a contract to print the colony's paper-money.  

After that he won the contract to print official documents including court papers and royal proclamations.  

All of his business and investing was tied to printing and publishing.  Unlike most wealthy colonists, he didn't follow the "hot stocks" that traded in Paris and London.  Instead, he invested in what he knew.  And he knew printing.  

After he printed and published as much as he could in Philadelphia, Franklin opened printing franchises in the other colonies.  He would provide capital and expertise, and younger printers would supply the sweat equity.  

After he began opening up franchises, then he used his wealth and connections to become the Postmaster. This allowed him to get his newspapers out faster than the competitors and helped him build his core printing business.  

Finally, he used his newspapers to sell his various inventions like bifocals and the Franklin stove. 

What should you take from this?  

Understand that when you're trying to build wealth, don't stray too far from the expert knowledge you've already acquired.  Invest in what you know.  

Don't simply buy mutual funds or equities your financial planner tells you to invest in.  Now you might be saying, "but he's an expert and I should trust his expertise."  Whatever you gain by consulting his increased knowledge, you lose by not learning how to do it yourself.

That's why you should build wealth by investing in things you know and understand.  Also, that means you'll know more about those investments than any advisor does anyway.  

Here's how you can apply Franklin's wealth-building strategy:
Think about the business you're in.  You know your industry well.  You go to trade shows, you read industry publications and you've got a network of contacts that share the gossip with you.  

Use that information to analyze investment opportunities in that space and capitalize on the unfair advantage your superior knowledge brings.  

Along with that, you should look for weak spots in your industry.  Think about what major problems aren't getting solved.  Think about the problems your company and its competitors face.  Can you build your own small side company to solve those problems?  
Or can you form a consultancy that helps companies solve those problems?  

If so, you can quickly create a low-risk business that will ensure you'll be able to retire with lots of cash flowing in.  

Don't listen to anybody who tells you that you need an "expert" to help you build the retirement of your dreams.  Nobody will manage your wealth with more care and attention than you. 

Warren Buffett learned this lesson.  It's the key to his investment wealth.  He calls it the "circle of competence."  And that circle helped him make a fortune by investing in what he knew and understood: insurance stocks.  

Here's what Buffett said about it: 

"There's a whole bunch of things I don't know a thing about. I just stay away from those. I stay within what I call my circle of competence."

Buffett understood Ben Franklin's "pre-tirement" secret.  And it made him a fortune.  Odds are you won't become as wealthy as Buffett, but you can certainly use it to build a healthy and wealthy retirement.

If you only get one thing from this article, remember Ben Franklin's secret:  you're on your own.  

My Law of Attraction Story By Craig Ballantyne

My Law of Attraction Story

By Craig Ballantyne

The first time a friend told me about "The Secret," I knew it was bunk. “That’s not how success stories become successful,” I thought. But I gave it a chance and watched the movie – or at least tried. I’m certain I didn’t get through the entire DVD.

You don’t sit in a chair and attract money into your life. Sure, sometimes checks will show up in your mailbox. But 99 times out of 100 you did something to earn that money in the past. You didn’t magically attract it.

It takes more than thinking about things to get what you want in life. I know, I know, this is starting out as a real downer. But hold on, it gets better.

Just when you think I can’t get more negative on the Law of Attraction, I had a dream that reminded me of my very own true life Law of Attraction experience, and I was reminded that I needed to share this story with you.

Perhaps you’ve heard some of the history on how I came to be the editor of EarlytoRise.com. I’ve mentioned bits and pieces of it in videos, other articles, while speaking at seminars, and in issues of Financial Independence Monthly. But I’ve never told the full story in one place, and yet for some reason, that’s exactly what I did in my dream on Friday night.

And that means, at least to me, that for some reason, it was meant for this story to be told to you today. Maybe there’s one reader out there that this is specifically for. Maybe that one person is waiting for this exact blueprint to go and change their lives and they’ll get great inspiration and wisdom from my journey. I don’t know, but I hope so, and I hope it helps you. The world works in mysterious ways. So here goes…

In my dream I was back in college at a frat house, and friends from all phases of my life were gathering for a big party. I sat at a table eating a plate of chicken wings and gourmet French fries (hey, it was just a dream). Suddenly one of my close friends and current business colleagues sat down across from me and started interrogating me about Early To Rise.

This friend, a hardcore direct marketer who judges all his business decisions on numbers alone, grabbed a few of my fries and asked a rapid-fire series of questions including, “So how much did you buy this Early to Rise business for? What were the monthly revenues? And how big was the email list?”

When I gave him the numbers, he was shocked.

“Seems like you overpaid,” he said incredulously.

I nodded.

“On the surface, it might seem this way,” I admitted. “But,” I added, “there’s more to it.” I then proceeded to explain to him how Early to Rise was truly the culmination of my life’s work and what I was born to do. It truly is my dream job.

You see, from the day that I read my very first issue of Early to Rise back in 2001, I knew that I wanted to be “just like Michael Masterson when I grew up." I wanted to show people the exact steps to success that seemed so clear and straightforward to me. I wanted to help solve people’s problems and transform their lives.

And so each day when ETR would show up in my inbox, I’d drop whatever else I was doing and devour the day’s wisdom and knowledge. On and on this went, year after year. Early to Rise helped me grow my own business using the advice received from my virtual mentors featured each day, including Masterson, Yanik Silver, Dan Kennedy, and more.

Then one day in 2005, I had an “A-ha” moment. “Why couldn’t I be writing for Early to Rise?” After all, for the previous five years I had been a regular contributor to Men’s Health magazine, Men’s Fitness magazine, and several other large fitness publications. And each day Early to Rise published a short health brief in their newsletter. It was the perfect fit.

But this required action, not just attraction or manifestation. I had to get up out of the recliner and go over to the computer and send an email.

I quickly tracked down the ETR health editor and made my case. Success! My first ETR “article” was published in November of 2005. For the next two years I not only had health briefs published each month, but I was given a few opportunities to contribute the main daily essay.

At the same time, I continued ‘manifesting’ my future, I suppose you could say. In March of 2006 I hired my first business coach, Tom V, to whom I will be eternally grateful for the technical assistance he provided in setting up my online business and creating my first product launch. He changed my life with his guidance.

But perhaps just as important, in the very first minute of our very first call, he also asked me a question that I believe opened up the universe to my lifelong dream.

“Craig,” Tom started, “what do you want your business to look like in five years?”

I replied with the most important answer I had ever given in my life, a reply more important than anything I ever said in my Master’s Degree defense, job interview, or anything other line of questioning.

My exact words were, “I want to have a business like Early to Rise.”

That was March 2006. It was the first time I had shared my vision with anyone. The words, and this dream, were now out there in the universe. Were they out attracting things for me? I don’t know. But I believe it was a watershed moment. Still, there was a long road – requiring plenty of action – to travel before it would all come together five years, three months, and seventeen days later.

Two years after working with Tom I met Matt Smith, now ETR’s Publisher, in one of Yanik Silver’s Mastermind groups. This would also turn out to be a huge turning point in my life, although nothing happened immediately or even for several years after we first met.

But Matt and I became quick friends through the Mastermind group and every six months or so we’d connect by email or at an event. As Matt later explained, “We always wanted to work together on some project, but there was just never a good fit.” After all, he was busy traveling the world and I was engrossed in building my Turbulence Training business.

Then in October of 2010 Matt and I joined Yanik – and special guest, Tim Ferriss – on one of Yanik’s crazy Maverick Business Adventure trips. It was a testosterone-laden weekend of driving and shooting in the Arizona desert with members of a real-life A-Team. On Monday morning, as we sat in the Tuscon airport on our journey back to reality, Matt asked me a similar question to the one that Tom, my business coach, had asked back in 2006.

I explained my grand vision to Matt. I was going to keep building Turbulence Training, but at the same time I was drawn to the idea of having something like ETR – where I could share a bigger and better message of Transformation and Life Change.

I want to point out at this time that I’ve been very lucky along the way, and one of the greatest strokes of luck in my life was to have known at a young age (around 16 years old) what I wanted to do ‘when I grew up.' For some reason, I’ve been fixated on helping people to change. To transform. To live a better life. It truly is what I was born to do.

That was what I shared with Matt, but alas, there wasn’t any big breakthrough made there in the airport. Matt just nodded knowingly as he often does when you tell him something of importance, and he filed the fact away to work on later as he always does. And with that, off we went on our separate ways.

Three months later we exchanged some Christmas greetings leading to a series of phone calls where we decided to work together on a project at www.InternetIndependence.com. It was small potatoes, but a start in the right direction.

Soon another six months had passed. Of course, each month passed with massive action taking towards my vision, but there lacked any big breakthroughs or concrete plan. Still, there was action, and that led to attraction. And finally, that’s when it finally all came together.

It was the afternoon of June 7th, 2011. I was out on the farm with the dog, dropping him off for my mother to dog-sit. That weekend I was off to New York City for the annual Atlas 400 meeting (a philosophical group of interesting individuals that Matt and I belong to).

But on that afternoon out on the farm, I received an email from Matt that read:

“If u could own part of and run ETR. Would you?“

It was random, so out of the blue that I didn’t know exactly what to think at first. I went ahead and answered, “Yes, of course.”

As it turned out, Matt, through his powerful network, had the chance to spend time with Mark Ford, the owner of ETR, at an exclusive meeting of a large publishing company. It came up in their conversation that Mark was ready to retire ETR, and he was thinking of shutting it down.

But Matt knew my dream.

Matt – a person I connected to through massive action, and a person that believed in my vision because of the massive action I had proven capable of taking on a relentless basis – was now in the position to deliver my ultimate dream into my life.

Matt expressed his (our) interest in taking control of ETR. Mark said he’d think about it.

But the story doesn’t end there.  Matt and I didn’t just retire to leather recliners and hope for the best.

There was more action to take.

Matt and I immediately changed our travel plans and flew to Florida to meet with Mark. We had to strike while the iron was hot and prove our interest was genuine. We had to plead our case, negotiate a deal, and earn a shot at my dream. And we did. We earned our chance. We were given our shot. And we know it’s turning out right.

Action was the catalyst. Action was the difference maker. Action was the answer.

Attraction is just the sexier way of saying it.

So what does this mean?

Well, if you – and only you – only vaguely know what you want out of life, then you need to change that immediately.

First things first, you need to create a vision for your life. Once you have that, you need to connect with and share your vision with positive people – and believe me, despite all the negativity in the world, there are many positive people still out there in the world. Trust me, they exist, and they want to help you.

Once you have your vision, and after you have shared it with the right people, then you have to get to work – painstakingly difficult, but rewarding work – and you must take a relentless approach to it. There will be days when you work till you feel like your eyes will start bleeding, but you must, as Frank McKinney advises, “take the lunch pail approach” to your legacy.

Work, work, work, work, work. Never quit. And then work some more. Sacrifice. Accept that this is necessary to truly achieve what you want. It’s not easy but it is worth it.

Each day you must be taking action in congruence with your vision and continuously connecting with more positive like-minded people that will help you attract exactly what you want into your life.

This goes for finding the right life partner, the right career, the right solution for your health and fitness, and the exact business and lifestyle that you’ve dreamed about for your entire life.

This is what it really takes.

Rhonda Byrne didn’t sit in a chair and think about making a movie called "The Secret." She got off her duff and worked like the Dickens to create it.

Tim Ferriss didn’t work four hours per week to get his book, "The Four Hour Work Week," to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

And I didn’t just tell a couple of friends that I wanted to run Early to Rise and then wait for them to hand me the keys to the shop.

Rhonda, Tim, and I have all put in our time down in the salt mines of success. And if you join us, you can have exactly what you want in life, too.

Back in my dream, as I finished my story, my friend finished the last of my French fries, and as he turned away he said, “You made a good decision.“

He’s right.

I paid the right price for success. I made the right deal.

And you can too.

It’s now 4:07 a.m. I suppose that I could go back to bed and dream and wish and hope that the Law Of Attraction brings me success. Or I can take a quick break and get back to work – knowing that the Law of Action will bring me the results I want.

I think you know the decision I’ll make.

How To Eliminate 4 Areas Of Miscommunication by Dani Johnson

How To Eliminate 4 Areas Of Miscommunication

You've probably heard "communication is key" before. And it's true. Effective communication is absolutely essential to every relationship in your life, whether it's in business, at work, or in your family. Today I want to focus on just one of these areas:Communication in the workplace.

If you work with other people, there's a good chance you have experienced both good and bad communication. The benefits of great communication are endless. Good, clear, and honoring communication allows you to get more done in less time and it helps to cultivate a culture of respect.

On the other hand, a lack of communication (or poor communication) leads to stress, frustration, misunderstandings, dishonor, and it impacts the company's bottom line.

I want to point out a few different aspects of communication that are often forgotten or could use some improvement. As you read today, I don't want you to think, "Oh, I never have that problem," or"I'm a great communicator!" You may be a great communicator. But there is always room for improvement. As your communication skills increase, so will your income. So I want you to look for ways you can improve in your communication today.

• Tone of voice. You've heard, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it." Your tone of voice communicates either honor or disrespect. It communicates confidence or fear. Sometimes we don't even realize the way we speak to others. So today, really pay attention to how you speak and how you respond to others. Are you honoring your superiors? Are you honoring thos who are 'below you' in the company?


• Nonverbal communication. 93% of communication is nonverbal. If you are sitting back, not smiling, with your arms crossed, your body language says, "I'm not interested in what you have to say. I don't want to be here. I don't want to listen to you." If you are smiling, sitting forward, and getting involved in the conversation, it promotes good communication. The other person is more receptive, and it really pulls you into the conversation.


• Clarify! Don't assume you understand exactly what someone means. The phrase, "So what I hear you saying is..." will help you make sure you understand what the other person is saying. It causes you to listen carefully, and because you are recapping the conversation. If you don't understand something, simply say, "Can you clarify that for me?" or"What do you mean by that?"


• Follow up. Always follow up! Follow up is a key part of communication that, unfortunately, many people never do. But it's as simple as sending an email to follow a conversation. This includes giving updates on your progress on projects or assignments you're working on. When you follow up with your boss, managers, and co-workers, it keeps everyone in the loop and keeps them updated on the progress and it eliminates the need for them to track you down to find out where you are or what you're doing. When the lines of communication are open within a team, productivity soars and it becomes a harmoneous work environment.

Here's the thing  Communication is one of the most important skills you use every single day. When you have poor communication skills, your success is severely limited. However, when you focus on constantly improving your communication skills, your success will continue to grow.

So today, I want you to find where you can improve your skills. If today's letter highlighted any areas you feel could use some work, then don't wait. You can start working on those things immediately. Remember, what you focus on, you get good at.Wherever there is intensifying focus, you get more results. So if you see that your communication skills are lacking, really focus on improving them, and you will see results!

Here's why it's TOTALLY spiritual just to VENT!‏ by Mastin Kipp of thedailylove.com

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I live a very unique life in that the majority of people that I hang out with are on some kind of spiritual path. It would be a path of yoga or meditation, or A Course In Miracles or MSIA, Christianity, Buddhism, The Landmark Forum, life coaching, 12-Step; you name a spiritual path and I most likely have a friend who is on it. It's totally rad to be surrounded by so many amazing and diverse folks.

They are all growing, all Loving and all about getting back to LOVE.

BUT - there is one little thing I'm feeling inspired to write about today. Sometimes when you live in a world like this, we tend to have almost our own language. It's not like a normal dialog. In every day conversation we are talking about limiting beliefs, your growing edge, your inner child, connecting to Source/God, meditation, projections, integrity and other things of this sort.

And I LOVE this stuff because it's who I am, but sometimes - I just gotta VENT.

And I'm noticing this trend that in a lot of circles, that's not OK, because it seems "negative" or "unspiritual" to vent. But COME ON PEOPLE, we are all human and it's just nice to be heard sometimes without needing to formulate the perfect sentence that matches your personal growth dogma!

I think one of the most powerful things we as human beings can do is to listen. And listen without judgment or the need to fix. To accept as PERFECT wherever someone is in the moment and not try to "fix" them with our spiritual tool kit.

A lot of my friends are coaches and sometimes I'm just trying to vent to them and they immediately go into "coach" mode, instead of just listening as a friend. YES, I KNOW I have limiting beliefs. I KNOW that what happens is because I'm triggered by some event. I KNOW I have to take responsibility for my life. And you know what... sometimes I just gotta be human and vent.

It's vital that we keep growing and support ourselves by surrounding ourselves with people who will lift us up. AND - at the same time, the journey is also about fully stepping into and accepting our human nature - without trying to FIX anything.

I REALLY believe that two of the most powerful tools we have are self-acceptance AND being seen/heard in a way that meets us right where we are. THEN - after that's happened - if the person is READY and WILLING, step into problem solving.

So - here's an idea if you are having this issue. Instead of just starting to vent - PREFACE your friend or partner and say, "I need to vent for a minute. Can you hear me out?" This PREPS them to be able to be READY to receive and meet your need of venting without trying to coach you. Then, afterwards once you feel like you've been heard, feel free to say, "OK, now I'm open to feedback."

This helps us be HUMAN and GROW at the same time!

So where in your life could you set this boundary with someone OR where in your life could you stop trying to fix someone and just LISTEN to them?

As always, the action happens over on the BLOG; head on over there and leave a comment on my blog "Here's why it's TOTALLY spiritual just to VENT! " and join in the conversation! The TDL Community thrives in the comments and it's a GREAT place to get support! 

Lots of LOVE,

Mastin

How to Find Good People By Craig Ballantyne

Believe it or not, there's an abundance of GOOD people out there who want to support you. While it might feel like you are always trying to go it alone, if you follow my formula for attracting good people into your life, you'll soon have an incredible network of social support.

Craig Ballantyne

"It's a lot easier to do good work when you have good words to say and work with good people." - Mark Harmon

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How to Find Good People

By Craig Ballantyne

This is one of the most important articles I could ever write for you.

Recently we had a discussion on my Facebook page about whether or not it was difficult to find good, positive, supportive people in your life.

Frankly, I don't believe it is hard if you are willing to stand up for what you believe in, live in a way that is congruent with your beliefs, and put some effort into looking.

Who you associate with makes all the difference in your life. I once heard the incredible speaker, Dr. Nido Qubein, describe the impact of your social network using the example of the Koi fish. "The Koi fish grows in proportion to its environment. If you keep it in a pail of water, it grows only 2 inches. But if you let loose in the wild it can grow up to 2 feet," Dr. Qubein explained. So are you like the Koi fish that has been kept in a pail? Is your environment and social network stifling your growth?

If you believe this to be so, then Dr. Qubein has a suggestion for you, "Make a list of the 10 people you spend the most time with and your top 5 goals and top 5 values. Compare the lists. Are the people you spend the most time with congruent with your values and goals? If not, you might be held back by this association."

You need to spend more time with positive people and in a positive environment. In the weight loss world, study after study have shown that when you spend time with others who have the same goals as you, and who are making progress towards these goals, that you too will have greater success.

To help you attract the right people and positive support into your social network, here is the EarlytoRise.com Ultimate Guide to Finding Good People in Your Life

Step 1) Identify what you value in people.

Step 2) Identify where this type of person spends time.

Step 3) Go there.

Whether it is a church, gym, beach, dance lessons, bootcamp fitness class, Chamber of Commerce meeting, local lectures, weekend seminars, weekly group meetings, or a positive Internet forum, you don't meet good people by watching TV...but good people ARE out there. Go forth and find them.

Let this quote give you some inspiration:

"When you take action, particularly bold action, the boundaries of what you believe to be possible (your belief system) expand. Which, in turn, gives you the capacity to consider new ideas, new possibilities, and new concepts that you previously thought to be impossible." - Robert Ringer

Listen, I'm a lucky man.

The people I know and surround myself with, from my best friends from high school to the most inspirational fitness experts in the world to amazing entrepreneurs from all around the world, are people that I've met because I've lived my life with purpose and clarity.

I will not settle for less. I will not live my life according to anyone else's expectations. I get ridiculed, called names, and criticized a lot, but it's not going to stop me from living the way that attracts the RIGHT people into my life.

The decision to do so has been the most important I've made.

That's why I'm surrounded by positive, high-energy people who are always trying to improve themselves, and who support me in my quest to be a better man.

There is my friend, Isabel De Los Rios, a woman who has shown hundreds of thousands of people how to eat better (at last check her site has over 208,000 members and over 7744 questions answered on her forum). And she did it by not settling for less and through living by example without fear of what others thought of her.

Another one of my great friends is Bedros Keuilian, who has overcome being a poor immigrant from Armenia, who didn't speak a lick of English in 1980, and who had to "dumpster dive" for expired food to help his family eat. He too lives by example.

Then there are all the men and women in my businesses, from my business partner Matt Smith who challenges me every day to defend my arguments (we have great debates) to my Marketing Director Amy who helps me run the ship here at Turbulence Training.

All of them inspire me, and all were attracted into my life by my decision to live by example.

You may have people resist you at first, but they will come around. Many of my best friends from high school resisted healthy living, but many of them now live even healthier than me (but not by much, and we make a great friendly competition out of it).

Live and lead by example. Attract the right people into your life, both in the 'real-world' and on the Internet. Take full responsibility for your social network.

After all, you are responsible for your results in all areas of life. When you accept your results without casting blame and you learn from your mistakes so as to not make the same mistakes again, only then will you achieve what you want and have the right people in your life. That is how you must live and that is why you will succeed.

If what you are doing now is not working, then you must change. Don't rely on doing "normal" things to get extraordinary results, because it doesn't work that way. Normal and average behaviors only get you average results, and those just aren't very good these days.

Many of the great people in my life have found me and my newsletters because I put my mission out there. I was proud of it, and I don't care who disagrees with me. All that matters are the good people who are attracted to the mission of helping others.

Live by example and stay strong.

Frank Bettgers's "How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling" by Jim Morgan of http://morganj428.blogspot.com/

Frank Bettgers's "How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling"

One of my favorite books on selling has long been "How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling" by Frank Bettger. Frank was a professional baseball player who was fired from his first team because his manager thought he was lazy, when confronted Frank confessed he was hiding his own fear and anxiety by acting like the veterans who were less enthusiastic, without the credentials to do it. He resolved never to be called lazy again and did everything with enthusiasm rising all the way to the Big Leagues. After an injury he ended up selling insurance, and once again was letting fear overcome his enthusiasm and once again was failing. He had gone to the office to quit and clean out his desk when he got trapped into a sales meeting where he heard the company president say that anyone who will just get in front of 4-5 people every day cannot fail to succeed. Once again turning his career around to one of the most successful insurance men in America.

Anyone who is in the business of sales, or ever needs to help people make a decision, including parents trying to persuade their kids, this book will change your life.

How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling
Frank Bettger

Enthusiasm:
• Force yourself to act enthusiastic, and you’ll become enthusiastic. “Make a high and holy resolve that you will double the amount of enthusiasm that you have been putting into your work and into your life. If you carry out that resolve, you will probably double your income, and double your happiness.”
• To become enthusiastic, act enthusiastic.
• Good Morning Lord instead of Good Lord it’s morning.
• Talk faster; stand up when talking on the phone.
• Fake it until you make it.

It’s a Numbers Game, See the People:
• “After all, this business of selling narrows down to one thing, just one thing, seeing the people. Show me anyone of ordinary ability who will go out and earnestly tell his or her story to four of five people every day, and I will show you someone who just can’t help making good!”
Overcome Your Greatest Fear:
• If you want to overcome fear and rapidly develop courage and self-confidence, join a good course in public speaking, not just a lecture course. Join only a course where you make a talk at every meeting. When you lose your fear of speaking to an audience, you lose your fear of talking to individuals, no matter how big and important they are.
Get Organized:
• One of the greatest satisfactions in life comes from getting things done and knowing you have done them to the best of your ability. If you are having trouble getting yourself organized, if you want to increase your ability to think, and do things in the order of their importance, remember there is only one way: Take more time to think and do things in order of their importance. Set aside one day as self-organization day, or a definite period each week. The whole secret to freedom from anxiety over not having enough time lies not in working more hours, but in proper planning of those hours.
• Big Rocks First.
Help Enough People Get What They Want and You Will Get What You Want:
• The most important secret of salesmanship is to find out what the other fellow wants, then help find the best way to get it.
• There is only one way under Heaven to get anybody to do anything. Did you ever think of that? Yes, just one way. And that is by making the other person want to do it. Remember, there is no other way.
• When you show a man what he WANTS, he will move Heaven and Earth to get it.
• Help the other person recognize what he wants, and then help him decide how to get it.
• See things from the other person’s point of view and talk in terms of his wants, needs, and desires.
Analysis of the Basic Principles Used in Making That Sale:
• When you call the purpose of the call is to make an appointment.
• Be Prepared. If you were to speak in front of a huge audience how much would you prepare? Why not prepare before your appointment, today it is easier than ever. Look them up on Social Networking, learn about them. Know their business.
• What is the Key Issue? What is the major point of interest? Or what is their most vulnerable point? Where is their pain?
• Key Word Notes: Do not go into a phone call or meeting without notes or bullet points you want to cover, put them in a logical order, be brief and stay on point.
• Ask Questions: prepare a list of questions that will help you and your prospect to find their point of pain.
• Create Confidence: (A) Be an assistant buyer, in preparing for the interview, imagine yourself in their shoes; what would you want to hear. People do not like to be sold, they like to buy. (B) Praise your competition. Never knock a competitor or someone they are currently doing business.
How Asking Questions Increased the Effectiveness of Sales Interviews:
• They help you avoid arguments.
• Questions, rather than positive statements, can be the most effective means of making a sale, or winning people to your way of thinking.
• Inquire instead of attack.
• Helps you avoid talking too much.
• Enables you to help the other fellow recognizes what he wants. Then you can help him decide how to get it.
• Helps crystallize the other person’s thinking.
• Helps you find the most vulnerable point with to close the sale.
• Gives the other person a feeling of importance. When you show that you respect his opinion, he is more likely to respect yours.
• If you ask enough questions, your client will tell you how to close them.
Find the basic need, or the main point of interest. Then stick to it.
The Most Important Word In Selling:
• Why? Ask any of the greatest sales people on the planet, children.
How To Find The Hidden Objection:
• Biggest mistake most sales people make is to answer each objection. This just confirms you as a “slick, fast-talking” salesperson and causes them to hold on even tighter to their “real” reason.
• “A man generally has two reasons for doing a thing – one that sounds good, and a real one.”
• Two best things to draw them out is “Why?” and “In addition to that?”
• “Feel, Felt, Found” I know exactly how you feel; I felt the same way, let me tell you what I found.”
The Forgotten Art That Is Magic in Selling:
• Listening, be a good listener.
• Show the other person you are sincerely interested in what they are saying, give them all the eager attention and appreciation that everyone craves and is so hungry for, but seldom gets.
How to Create Confidence:
• Deserve Confidence.
• “The wisest and best salesman is always one who bluntly tells the truth. He looks his prospects in the eye and tells his story. That is always impressive. And if he does not sell the first time, he leaves a trail of trust behind. A customer, as a rule, cannot be fooled a second time by some shady or clever talk that does not square with the truth. Not the best talker wins the sale – but the most honest talker… there is something in the look of the eye, the arrangement of words, the spirit of a salesman that immediately compels trust or distrust… being bluntly honest is always safe and best. “ George Matthew Adams
• Know your business and keep on knowing your business.
• Praise Your Competitors.
• Never exaggerate what you can offer. It always comes back to bite you.
• Bring in your witnesses, third party testimonies are powerful.
How Can You Learn from Lincoln on how to Make Friends:
• “If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.” Lincoln
• Encourage people getting started in their careers. Help them see how they can be a success in life.
• Try to get someone to tell you what is their greatest ambition in life, help them raise their sights.
• If anyone has inspired you, or helped you in any way, don’t keep it a secret. Tell him about it.
• Ask a man: “How did you happen to get started in this business?”; Then, be a good listener.
Be More Welcome Everywhere You Go:
• Smile.
The Biggest Reason Why Sale People Lose Business:
• Talk too much. Be brief, don’t waste their time. Get to the point.
• Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
How to Overcome Fear of Approaching the Big Hitter:
• When you are scared admit it.
The Sale Before the Sale:
• Don’t try to throw the “hawser” throw the “heaving line, or monkey paw.”
How to Make Appointments:
• Alternate of Choice Close.
• Never ask when they are available.
• Winning images, even if your calendar is empty, make it “feel” full.
How to Make the Major Leagues:
• The best time to prepare a speech is immediately after you’ve made one. Likewise a sales talk, all the things you should have said, and should not have said, are fresh in your mind. Write them down immediately.
• Write your script out word for word. Keep on improving it. Read it and reread it until you know it. But don’t memorize it. Try it out on family, or co-workers.
Don’t Be Afraid To Fail:
• Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs. He struck out 1,330 times. He batted a career average of .343. So he only hit the ball less than 4 times out of 10 at bat.
• Just keep swinging.
Ben Franklin Secret of Success:
• Ben Franklin’s Autobiography.
• While Ben Franklin was still a small printer in Philadelphia and badly in debt he thought of himself as a simple man of ordinary ability. However, he believed that he could acquire the essential principles of successful living, if only he could find the right method. He developed a method so simple, yet so practical, anyone can use it.
• Franklin chose 13 subjects which he felt were necessary or desirable for him to acquire and try to master, and he gave a week’s strict attention to each subject successively. In this way, he was able to go through the entire list in 13 weeks, and repeat the process four times per year.
His list:
1. Temperance – Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. Silence – Speak not but what may benefit others of yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order- Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution – Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality- Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. Industry- Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity- Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice- Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation- Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness – Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. Tranquility- Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity- Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. Humility- Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Make your own, maybe:
1. Enthusiasm
2. Self-Organization
3. Think in terms of other’s interests.
4. Questions
5. Key Issues
6. Listening
7. Sincerity
8. Knowledge of my business
9. Appreciation and Praise
10. Smile and Happiness
11. Service and prospecting
12. Closing the sale
13. Remembering names and faces.