Walkdan Toviran

PGK30,000 Reward For Missing Scientists In West New Britain Province PNG

2012-02-07T14:51:00.000-08:00

Dear friends and colleagues,

How’s it going?

I know! I know!

I’ve been gone too long.

Far too long you can say.

Anyway a big happy 2012 to you!

Last week the MV Rabaul Queen sunk in rough seas

Another year goes by and loved ones die without saying good bye.

Our hearts are afloat with them at sea at this time.

Wow!

What a weekend it was last week.

Port Moresby was hit with torrential rains.

The power pylon outside my place on Scratchley road was felled by strong winds on Thursday afternoon last week so we had no power over the weekend.

I took off to 4 Mile.

I’ve been there since last Saturday.

“There’s a natural mystic in the air” – Bob Marley

In the whole nation, in the whole wide world in fact, natural disasters are wrecking havoc on the daily lifestyle of humanity.

While the world is crumbling around us here is an important public announcement I received just awhile ago in my inbox.

The PNG Institute of Medical Research is offering a reward of K30,000 for reliable information on the whereabouts of its five staff who disappeared last year from West New Britain Province.

Please share this announcement as widely as possible with your friends, colleagues and staff and across the country.

Feel free to print and disseminate the post to whoever you think may be helpful.

Please share.

Any information should be relayed to Kimbe Police (983 5075) or PNG IMR (525 0943 / 532 2800).

Information will be treated confidentially.

Thank you very much for your assistance.

PNG Institute of Medical Research

Before I leave here is an interesting log about the torrential rains last week in Port Moresby by a fellow PNG blogger, Ricardo.

Stay safe now.

Cheers

Walkdan

What's Cooking Good Looking?

2011-11-12T21:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Madam I.T.

Hope you received this in good health.How is the weekend going for you?

Hey can you help me out here please?

Warning!

Ranting up ahead.

Well I got an issue and I need your ass down here at Konedobu IPA Office downtown Port Moresby.

I am doing compulsory OT on this glorious Sunday, the first day of the week.

One thing I would at least be grateful for is to be able to listen to my good music collection on my hard drive on my PC at my workstation while pushing paper any other day.

But I can’t because I have “no sound device” on my PC.

You know that I should be at home this beautiful Sunday afternoon having a nice BBQ under my mango tree but I am not because it's freaking compulsory that I be here.

Yeah well that’s my story laid out for you Ms. I.T. Lady.

I would kindly appreciate if you can rectify this for me at the earliest

I am starving right now.

Mmm!

Can you smell the sizzling hotdogs with the onion and garlic on the hot plate?

Anyway I got to go now

Kindest regards

Walkdan Toviran

Image Source: @walkdantoviran

Coming In The Wind

2011-10-18T23:14:00.000-07:00

Coming In The Wind
By Jimmy Drekore

You told me
You were coming
I didn't eat
I didn't sleep

I arrived

Before the rest
Looking into the skies
Waiting in my best
With joy in my eyes

I waited, waited and waited

My heart became empty
Like the skies ahead
My eyes became blurry
With no signs ahead

Tears slowly descended

When I heard you went down
In a ball of flame
I wanted to drown
Just the same

I refused

To hear
It must not be you
My biggest fear
Came true

You told me
You were coming
Yes mummy
You did

But I didn't know
You would come in the wind

Dedicated to the DWU students who lost their parents in the Airlines PNG
plane crash in Madang Province last week.

All You Want is Within Your Reach

2011-10-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

All You Want is Within Your Reach
By Chris Widener

If there is one thing that I believe with all my heart it is that you
can have any life you choose. You can live the life you have always
dreamed of.

We live in a period of unparalleled opportunity in human history. Think
about it: Just one hundred years ago, most people really only had five
or six options when it came to deciding what they would do with their
lives. For most, they didn't even have the knowledge that they could do
anything other than take over their father's farm when they turned
eighteen!

But today a person living in the western world (and many other areas of
the world as well) can choose to do virtually anything they want to! The
key is the word "choose."

You see, the world is within your reach. Any job you want can be yours
if you decide. All of the opportunities are there for the taking. The
question is whether or not you will take.

You say, "But Chris, you just don't understand. I'm 38 years old with
two kids and I have bills to pay. I make $28,000 a year. I can't just go
become a doctor and make big money!"

And I say, "Yes you can! If you decide to...If you will take action, you
can become a doctor or anything else you want to. We live in a day and
age when virtually anything is possible."

For the sake of highlighting this principle, let's look at the above
example. How would this person change careers? Simple. Here is the
process in specific action steps:

1. Find out from a medical school what classes you would need to take to
get in. Chances are your college major would need some rounding out or
if you didn't go to college, you would need to do so. Maximum time to do
this: 3 days.
2. Now, go to school. Maximum time to do this: 4 years.
3. Now, medical school and residency. Maximum time to do this: 6 years.
4. Begin practicing medicine.

At this point you would be 48 years old. That leaves you 17 years to
practice. Now, let's see the impact it has on your life:

1. You get to pursue your dream, making you and your family MUCH
happier.
2. You will make, on average, $100,000 more per year. The difference
here is manifold! If you stayed where you were, you would have earned
$28,000 a year for 27 years and would earn $756,000. If you left and
pursued your dream, you would earn $128,000 for 17 years (that's if you
took 10 years to make the transition; most would be less.) and your
earnings would be $2,176,000! This is a difference of $1,420,000! And
this doesn't even take into consideration the amounts you would earn on
investments with the difference in incomes.

So is it possible? Yes. Does it take time? Yes. Is it hard? Yes. Is it
scary? Yes, and that is why most people won't do it.

It isn't for lack of opportunity. It is usually because of one of the
following:

- Lack of vision
- Lack of tenacity
- Fear

The truth is that you can do anything you want to. Stop telling yourself
excuses! Go to battle against a lack of vision! Pick yourself up and get
tenacious! Look fear in the face and stand up to it! Your whole life
depends on it, my friend!

The choice is yours. Will you continue to limp along in life because you
don't have the courage to run for your dream? Will you continue to allow
the fear of poverty keep you from pursuing the riches, both materially
and emotionally, that lay within the vision you have of what your life
could be?

You CAN live the life you have always dreamed of. All you want is within
your reach. But to pick it up, you must first empty your hands of what
they already hold. Then you must reach for it, take a hold of it, and
possess it!

-- Chris Widener

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine

Wish Me Luck!

2011-09-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

I have an Economics final exam tomorrow (Friday).

The last exam for me for this semester and the sixth one so far in the IBS business diploma program.

I have two more units to take, next year second semester, before I get a diploma.

So I am currently reviewing my economics study notes.

My family are still in Vanimo town in the Sandaun Province.

I miss Moses and Joshua, my two boys and their mother too of course :)

Its been peaceful the last couple of months of this semester with family away.

I have had alot of time to plan out this idea that I have to create other sources of income stream or cash flow apart from my day job salary.

But that is a story for another time.

For now I just want to get this exam over with so I can start on this project.

Wishing you a pleasant final week of September.

Cheers Walkdan

Vanimo! A Surfer's Paradise

2011-09-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

A beautiful white sandy beach located in Vanimo town in the Sandaun Province of Papua New Guinea.

Vanimo is a beautiful town to visit and is frequented by surfing enthusiast because of its huge breaks.

My wife's from this province and her family leave on a block close by to the town of Vanimo right next to a beach like the one you see in the picture to your left.

She and the two boys, Moses and Joshua, are currently on location in Vanimo town.

I recently had a mobile chat with missus and she said the boys are having the time of their lives swimming every day at the beach.

I have not had time to go there but I plan to in the near future.

Probably travel across to Jayapura and fly across to Philippines and back again.

An adventure tour I have been considering to take up.

One thing I would love to do is surf the waves in Vanimo.

They say it has the best breaks for surfing in PNG.

The Best Things In Life Are For Free

2011-07-06T22:58:00.001-07:00

Hi there!

It is with great sadness that I announce the loss of my father in-law, the late Mr Vincent Bakare, who passed away on Sunday 26 June 2011 after a long illness.

Father Bakz as we normally call him, was a good simple man who loved is family, his work and his country. He is survived by 14 children and 20 grand children.

The late Bakare traveled with the family from Port Moresby to Vanimo town by air yesterday where they continued the journey by sea to Malol village in the Aitape district of Sandaun Province, his last resting place.

RIP Fada Bakz!

I was supposed to travel with the family to bury the old man in the village, but because second semester classes at the IBS have already commenced I stayed back. This is now the third week of classes.

Today's post is taken from an email I got from a colleague the other day.

Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate!

Hope you enjoy it.

The Best Things In Life Are For Free
By George Carlin

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don't share this, who cares?

George Carlin

The Little Golden Child From Sandaun

2011-06-16T17:12:00.001-07:00

View Full Album

My partner and I adopted our second child. A little golden child. Missus had just taken her late aunt’s body back home in the middle of last year and when she returned to the city she also brought back with her this little bundle of joy you see in the images above.

This golden child also happens to be her little nephew. His real parents reside in the small town of Vanimo situated in the West Sepik Province. Also known as Sandaun Province because it is last the province in PNG where the sun sets.

The town of Vanimo is situated not far from the PNG-Indonesian border. Vanimo town and its neighboring districts have become popular as a great surfing destinations with excellent breaks all year round.

My missus is from a coastal village called Malol in the Aitape district also in Sandaun Province. The village of Malol is more than 8 hours drive by road eastward out of Vanimo town.

We named the little boy Moses, after the Hebrew leader in the bible. Our first born son is named after Joshua also a Hebrew name from the bible. Moses means drawn from the water. While Joshua means the lord will save.

Many times folks walking by on the street would stare at Moses in wonder simply because of his bright orange hair and golden skin complexion.

Many have asked if we had dyed his hair. But we tell them that its all natural like the orange of the setting sun. Many neighbors have come to admire this little golden child. Some also refer to him as “whitey”.

Although Moses is now 2 years old he still has not started to talking comprehensively. What would you expect from a 2 year toddler right? His only words at this stage are “mama”, “daddy”, “dojo” his elder brother, Joshua and recently “No”. He still understands the tokples – mother tongue – and has a lot of catching up with English and Pidgin words. He is a smart little child and will nod his head to say “yes” and shakes it to say otherwise.

Surely our home and neighborhood has brightened up because of this little golden child from Sandaun.

It Is Never Too Late

2011-06-04T23:36:00.001-07:00

Happy weekend to you all.

It's been like more than 14 weeks of study, burning the midnight oil, for all the tests, and assignments.

The final exam this week was a relief to say the least.

I have got two weeks to wait for the results to come out.

School is out now for a month or so and I am back to my usual route to the office in the mornings.

A bit of back ground about the course I am taking at the IBS.

I am studying for my Diploma in Business (DIB) at the Institute of Business Studies a tertiary college in PNG that is affiliated with the Southern Cross University of Australia.

The IBS also offers an MBA program through its affiliation with the Deaken University.

The diploma program offered is the foundation in a career path that leads towards a bachelors degree.

After the diploma program, the next step in the career path is the associate degree and finally the bachelor degree program.

You can obtain a diploma with the IBS in a year and in three years get your bachelors degree majoring in accounting, marketing, information systems or information technology.

What I like best about the IBS is that you can obtain an international qualification right here at home which means you get to be close to your loved ones while you take up studies.

This year (2011) the IBS saw the highest number of student intake ever recorded as a result of clever marketing and recommendations from past students.

The average student per class this at the IBS was around 90 students compared to an average of 30 students per class in the previous years.

The IBS has a unit research centre to ensure that the curriculums they offer are up to date each year.

For those who are working you can always take up studies part time and complete your diploma in two years and in four years you can get your degree.

So far I have completed 4 units out of the 8 units in the diploma program and have 2 more semesters to complete before I can get my diploma.

To interested persons living in PNG or Port Moresby I would highly recommend studying at the IBS to further your academic education.

Image source: Ports.com

Burning The Midnight Oil

2011-05-04T10:58:00.001-07:00

Since taking up part-time studies at the IBS I have been staying up late to do my school work. I find it peaceful at these odd hours of the morning.

After midnight the streets are empty except for the occasional night riders speeding down the road. Outside my window dogs can also be heard rummaging through my next door neighbors garbage left beside the road for pick up the rubbish truck. The city is asleep and I am usually along with my thoughts at these early hours of the morning.

Currently I am working on a management assignment. Its a team work assignment and we are to address several questions based on a hypothetical case study. The assignment is due midnight next week Wednesday 11 May 2011.

However, I am not pleased with the effort of our team. As we have not had an official meeting to discuss the questions. This assignment is crucial if we are to pass the unit at and it is the last week. Crucial to me especially since the condition of my continued sponsorship is that I get C and above in all the 8 units I study under this diploma program.

I am not one to give up that easily so I have attempted most of the questions and will hunt down my my team this week to collaborate on a draft. This is now a crisis and since this is a management cost it must be managed at all costs. That also means burning the midnight oil to get it done.

Image source Midnightcomm

An Apple A Day

2011-04-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

Keeps the doctor away. So its been said and I am sure you know that but some folks still need reminding now and again just like little kids.

Did you know that eating healthy impacts your physical well being? This is especially true in the long run.

But common sense is somehow lost in our fast paced world of fast foods and instant cook meals.

The ultimate price you pay in the end is your own health. It is not a wonder that many people are dying today at a prime age.

The point is that unhealthy eating does you no good at all and only destroys your health in the end.

But the craving for rich food is so irresistible. Its so mmm! Yes I know.

By the way you may have realized that I have not updated my blog in a while.

Recently I have been focused with my studies while keeping my day job spending quality time with my two boys,Joshua 5 and Moses 2 and even make money part time in direct sales.

But I am hoping you are reading this in good health.

I will end this post here.

Oh hey before I forget. You can view the mobile version of my blog here http://goo.gl/J1015

Calidus Autogyro – My Personal Sky Ride

2011-02-24T00:31:00.001-08:00

The Calidus Autogyro designed and manufactured by Autogyro GmbH and launched in 2009 has got to be the ultimate personal joy ride machine by far I’d have to say.

Well may be you have your own tastes.

But for me this has got to be it, for now.

It is cheaper then conventional helicopters and ultra light planes.

It is practically safe to ride because of the principle behind how it is flies.

It does not need long run ways to take off or even land.

You can travel cross country with it and visit families in the rural country.

You could even take it home with you.

Just some of the benefits about it.

How cool is that? And that is why I love it.

I am from Papua New Guinea and it has one of the most rugged and mountainous terrain with untouched virgin jungles and forests in the world; making it of one the most difficult to travel practically by road.

So the only way to get around the country, ever since, is by air.

It is expensive but that is how this country was built; through aviation transport and services from the shores to the inlands and the highlands.

The only national airline carrier in PNG is Air Niugini and it has a monopoly on the airline industry in PNG.

There are other third-air line such as, MAF and Airlines PNG but Air Niugini has aerodromes in all the provinces of PNG.

Getting back to my personal choice for the ultimate joy ride machine, the Calidus Autogyro would make personal cross country movement a lot cheaper in PNG I reckon especially for those daring enough to take a ride in one of this sky “motorbikes” ;)

To fly a factory made autogyro such as the Calidus or the Gyro MTOSport you would require a gyrocopter pilot license.

By the way, I don’t know how to fly a conventional airplane or a chopper yet but I read you can fly a gyrocopter quite easily with about a minimum of 30 hours of practical flight training plus theory and exams.

Imagine what it would be like to go flying early in the mornings or late in the afternoons just before the sun rises or sets. The views would be just spectacular.

Have you flown an autogyro before? What was it like? It must have been a rush your first ride.

Be sure to tell me more about your adventure ride in an autogyro by leaving me a comment.

I got to go now.

Chat soon!

Action vs. Self-Delusion

2011-02-16T02:48:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite quotes from my mentor Jim Rohn is:

Profits are better than wages, wages make you are living but profits make you a fortune

The late Jim Rohn was a great philosopher who inspired and still inspires a lot of people to this day through his motivational teachings and philosophies on life.

I began posting articles from Jim Rohn's Weekly Ezine because I believe they are good source of inspiration if you have not read them yet or are not subscribed to his email newsletter.

That is why in this post I want to continue with Jim Rohn's philosophies on success. I hope you enjoy it but better still I hope it gives you the drive to get started and take action.

Action vs. Self-Delusion
By Jim Rohn

Knowledge fuelled by emotion equals action. Action is the ingredient that ensures results. Only action can cause reaction. Further, only positive action can cause positive reaction.

Action. The whole world loves to watch those who make things happen, and it rewards them for causing waves of productive enterprise.

I stress this because today I see many people who are really sold on affirmations. And yet there is a famous saying that "Faith without action serves no useful purpose." How true!

I have nothing against affirmations as a tool to create action. Repeated to reinforce a disciplined plan, affirmations can help create wonderful results. But there is also a very thin line between faith and folly. You see -affirmations without action can be the beginnings of self-delusion. And for your well-being there is little worse than self-delusion.

The man who dreams of wealth and yet walks daily toward certain financial disaster and the woman who wishes for happiness and yet thinks thoughts and commits acts that lead her toward certain despair are both victims of the false hope which affirmations without action can manufacture. Why? Because words soothe and, like a narcotic, they lull us into a state of complacency. Remember this: TO MAKE PROGRESS YOU MUST ACTUALLY GET STARTED!

The key is to take a step today. Whatever the project, start TODAY. Start clearing out a drawer of your newly organized desk ... today. Start setting your first goal... today. Start listening to motivational cassettes ... today. Start a sensible weight-reduction plan ... today. Start calling on one tough customer a day ... today. Start putting money in your new "investment for fortune" account ... today. Write a long-overdue letter ... today. ANYONE CAN! Even an uninspired person can start reading inspiring books.

Get some momentum going on your new commitment for the good life. See how many activities you can pile on your new commitment to the better life. Go all out! Break away from the downward pull of gravity. Start your thrusters going. Prove to yourself that the waiting is over and the hoping is past -- that faith and action have now taken charge.

It's a new day, a new beginning for your new life. With discipline you will be amazed at how much progress you'll be able to make. What have you got to lose except the guilt and fear of the past?

Now, I offer you this challenge: See how many things you can start and continue in this -- the first day of your new beginning.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine -http://www.jimrohn.com/

Tropical Cyclone Yasi Hits QLD Coast

2011-02-02T02:38:00.001-08:00

Tropical cyclone Yasi has reached the shores of North Queensland. I have family in Townsville. My sister and her family. My thoughts and pray go out them and to everyone in the regions affected by this cyclone. I pray they are all safe and come through this natural calamity in one piece.

Port Moresby, the city I reside in is just about an hour by air from Cairns. They say that this is the strongest cyclone ever experience in that part of the region.

Walking a New Road

2011-01-12T16:04:00.001-08:00

Walking a New Road
by Jim Rohn(excerpted from the Take Charge of Your Life 6-CD series)

Here is a good question to ask yourself. Ten years from now you will surely arrive. The question is, where? We don't want to kid ourselves about where. We don't want to kid ourselves about the road we're
walking.

At age 25, I had a day shortly after I met my mentor Mr. Shoaff called "do not kid myself anymore" day. I didn't want to be disillusioned anymore. Up until then, I had been using the crossed-finger theory. But
after meeting Mr. Shoaff, I finally decided that the crossed-finger theory was not going to get me what I wanted. That it wasn't where the treasure lies. That I was going to have to make sure which way I was
headed.

Then, with the help of Mr. Shoaff, I found with a few reading disciplines, and a few disciplines of mind, and a few disciplines of activity, that when exercised, can begin making all the difference in the world as to where you will arrive. Just a few changes. Sometimes we get the idea that we're doing about 10% and there's about 90% more that we need in order to make the difference for our fortune, but probably the opposite is true. We're doing enough things to have bought and shared in the good life so far. And maybe all we need is that extra 5% or 10% of intellectual change. Activity change. A refinement of discipline. A refinement of thought. And all we need is the ideas to make those simple changes and the equity starts gathering in one year, three years, five years, 10 years.

I have a good comment for you: Now's the time to fix the next 10 years. Now, you may have to come to grips with reality and with truth; that's what was good for me when I met Mr. Shoaff. I was 25 years old, he was 44 years old. And he brought me a wealth of experience and he started asking me the tough questions. "Big question", he said, "Are you reading the books that are going to take you where you want to go in the next 5 years?"

Excellent question. See, you want to make sure. I would assume for all of you, to get to where you want to be in the next 5 years, you are either reading the right books or you're not. You're either engaged in the disciplines or you're not. But, here's what we don't want to engage in: disillusion. Hoping without acting. Wishing without doing. The key is to take a look and say, "Where am I? What could I do to make
the changes to make sure that I can take more certain daily steps toward the treasure I want, the mental treasure, the personal treasure, the spiritual treasure, the financial treasure? I don't want to make any
more errors. Now's the time to adjust my daily program to take me where I want to go."

In lecturing for more than 40 years, I've gotten letters and personal testimonies of people that have done such remarkable things with just a few suggestions. And that is why seminars, tapes and books can be so
valuable. Here's a key idea for us all to remember: We could all use a little coaching. When you're playing the game, it's sometimes hard to see it all. But the key is to start right now making these changes to walk this new road. And here's what's exciting to me: just a few daily disciplines makes a great deal of difference in one year, three years, five years. And before you know it, you will be walking a brand new road.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine.

Read The Right Books

2010-12-22T23:22:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone

Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year to you and your family. I hope you received this in good health.

I know I have not been updating my blog consistently.

But I hope I can contribute meaningfully here from time to time.

I still maintain Jim Rohn to be one of the greatest mentors of our time where personal development is concerned.

Though he has passed on, his legacy still leaves on in our hearts and minds.

By the way this is my attempt at updating my blog.

Enjoy!

Read The Right Books
By Vic Johnson (excerpted from Day by Day with James Allen)

"People are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound." - As A Man Thinketh

We spend thousands of dollars a year for clothing, cosmetics and other items to change or improve our outward appearance but very little money or time to change our inward condition. Many people easily spend an hour a day brushing, flossing, bathing, and shaving the outside, but find every reason in the world not to spend even a few minutes a day improving the inside.

How do you apply what you learn from As A Man Thinketh? Since it is our thoughts that determine the life we will have, you must focus on doing those things that will change your thoughts, and nothing is more effective at changing your thoughts than reading the right books.

I first read As A Man Thinketh because of Charlie "Tremendous" Jones. I had attended a seminar where he spoke and he had a table set up at the seminar where, among other things, he offered a huge discount on a big bundle of various personal development and self-help books. I bought the big bundle because I'm a sucker for a "good deal." As it turned out, it was one of the best deals of my life, because several years later, when I finally got around to reading the little book, As A Man Thinketh literally changed my life.

Here is what Charlie Jones wrote in the Forward to the book that I purchased: "You are today the same you'll be in five years from now, except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read. The people you meet can't always be with you, but what you read in books can remain with you a lifetime. How often we hear of individuals who began a new era in their lives from the reading of a single book."

Why not start a new habit today? Spend just fifteen minutes every day before going to bed or upon rising, and read from a personal development book or biography of someone you admire. At the end of the year you will have read about 12 books – at the end of five years about 60 books!! Through your changed thoughts you will have become much more like the "vision you enthrone in your heart."

As English writer Aldous Huxley observed, "Every person who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply the ways in which he exists, to make his life full, significant, and interesting."

And that's worth thinking about.

Vic Johnson

Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine - http://www.jimrohn.com

Now I Did Not Expect That?

2010-05-31T06:51:00.001-07:00

We all have heard or read about the law of attraction. That everything that has happened in our life whether good or bad we attracted by the way we gave thoughts and feelings to it. Well recently I read up on Chris Hughes explaining about something that was kind of related to it. Its a scientific law called the law of resonance. An interesting read I must say. It made me understand a bit more about about my own life and the results I was attracting.

According to the law of resonance all matter in this universe including our thoughts and feelings is made up of vibrating energy. Now if that is the case, then our thoughts and feelings vibrate according to the way we feel and think and that our life unfolds or resonates exactly to the tune of that vibration created in our mind.

Maybe you have been in a certain predicament and you wondered how it turned up that way. Well may be this explains why. Everything in your life resonates consistently with the way you feel and think. Well not almost everything but you could say those things that were within your power of choice.

Lets just say you had a difference of opinion with a colleague, a friend or a family member. Prior to that you rehearse the argument vividly in your mind. A bad vive for a bad event. Its amazing to think that thoughts can manifest into reality just by giving enough energy and time to it.

Sounds hard to believe, I know. But think about this. Something bad happens and you wonder why it happened. You blame it on someone or on circumstances. What about when something good happens to you? Do you just think that it was a coincidence or pure luck or it was just inevitable? The point is you did at least give it some thought before what ever it was good or bad that happened, happened? “I wasn’t thinking, it just happened” is what many would say.

You will always get the feedback of your thinking and the feelings you give to that thinking. It can be good feedback or it can be a bad feedback. Either way it is your thinking and the feeling you associated with it that brings it about. Like Henry Ford said, if you think you can or if you think you can’t, either way you are right.

So to get the results you want, exactly the way you imagined it is simply a matter of changing your focus onto those things that you want in your life. Positive and pleasing things. This is more fun because it is a deliberately choice of your own imagination that bring about the desired results you want and not something that you don’t want. Try it out and see what happens.

Let It Be You

2010-05-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

Let It Be You
by Jim Rohn

Each and every day, there are people all around the country and world who are living their dreams. Millionaires are made every day. Families are experiencing tremendous relationships. People are becoming more and more healthy. Lifelong learners are growing intellectually and improving their chances for success.

The fact is, living the life of your dreams is possible. People prove that every day. Someone somewhere is going to get rich, get healthy and improve their life. My recommendation is this: Let it be you!

Have you ever wanted to make more money? Have you ever looked at someone who has money and wished it could be you? People think about getting wealthy all the time, when only a small percentage actually do. But any of the masses could. Someone is going to start a business. Someone is going to make a great investment. Someone is going to begin the journey to great wealth. So why not let it be you?

Someone is going to decide to improve their relationships. Someone is going to enjoy love with their family. Someone is going to schedule some meaningful time with their friends. So why not let it be you?

Someone is going to go back to school to improve their life. Someone is going to become a lifelong learner. Someone is going to set a goal to read a book or listen to a CD each week for the next year. So why not let it be you?

Someone is going to look in the mirror and see that they need to lose a little weight and make the decision to become healthy. Someone will run their first marathon. Someone will join an aerobics class and improve their health. Why not let it be you?

I think that by now you get the point: Everyday people are improving their lives. Whether you do or don’t doesn’t matter to those who do. They are going to do it, regardless. It is simply a matter of a decision being made. Let that person be you!

You may be asking, “OK, Jim, but how?’ Well, let’s cover the very simple actions.

The first and most important thing to do is to make a commitment to work on yourself. Are you going to improve or stay the same? No matter what you have achieved, you are at a certain point right now. What you have achieved in the past is fine, but it doesn’t make a difference for the future. The decision about what you will become is made each and every day. Each day, someone is making the decision to better himself. Let that person be you!

The second is to make a plan. Once you have decided to become better, you will have to have a plan. It doesn’t have to be a long, intricate plan. It can be simple. Save a dollar a day. Walk a mile a day. Read an article a day. It’s a simple plan with achievable goals. Someone is going to develop a plan that will take them into the future of their dreams. Let it be you!

The third is to begin to act. All of the great ideas, without action, become stale and useless. The key to turning dreams into reality is action. People who have great ideas are a dime a dozen. People who act on their dreams and ideas are the select few, but they are the ones who gain the health, wealth and wisdom that is available. Someone will act today. Let it be you.

My encouragement to you is to stop looking at others who live the good life, wishing that you were as well, and begin to commit to your improvement, develop a plan and act on it. Someone is going to. Let it be you!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine -
http://www.jimrohn.com

Your 2009 Pocket Hand Book

2009-02-05T16:23:00.000-08:00

A colleague forwarded this to me the other day.

Actually its a list of straight-to-the-point good advice. Simple and brief gems of life. Consider it a "pocket hand book" in those important aspects of life. Great to refer to it from time to time.

Health:

-Drink plenty of water.
-Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
-Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
-Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
-Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.
-Play more games.
-Read more books than you did in 2008.
-Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
-Sleep for 7 hours.
-Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

-Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
-Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
-Don't over do. Keep your limits.
-Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
-Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
-Dream more while you are awake.
-Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
-Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
-Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
-Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
-No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
-Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
-Smile and laugh more.
-You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

-Call your family often.
-Each day give something good to others.
-Forgive everyone for everything.
-Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
-Try to make at least three people smile each day.
-What other people think of you is none of your business.
-Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:

-Do the right thing!
-Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
-GOD heals everything.
-However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
-No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
-The best is yet to come.
-When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
-Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Accepting Responsibility

2009-01-18T19:17:00.000-08:00

Accepting Responsibility – a Story of Bill Russell
By Jim Rohn (Excerpted from Jim Rohn's Cultivating an Unshakable Character 6-CD program)

Most people dread accepting responsibility. That's just a fact of life, and we can see it in operation every day. Yes, we can see avoidance of responsibility all the time in both our personal and professional lives. And here's something else we can see just as often: we can see that most people aren't as successful as they wish they were. Do you see there is a connection between these two very common phenomena?

It's in your best interest to take responsibility for everything you do. But that's only the beginning. Many times it's even best to take responsibility for the mistakes of others, especially when you're in a managerial or leadership role.

During the years when professional basketball was just beginning to become really popular, Bill Russell, who played center for the Boston Celtics, was one of the greatest players in the pro league. He was especially known for his rebounding and his defensive skills.

But like a lot of very tall centers, Russell was never much of a free throw shooter. His free throw percentage was quite a bit below average in fact. But this low percentage didn't really give a clear picture of Russell's ability as an athlete. And in one game he gave a very convincing demonstration of this.

It was the final game of a championship series between Boston and the Los Angeles Lakers. With about twelve seconds left to play, the Lakers were behind by one point and Boston had the ball. It was obvious that the Lakers would have to foul one of Boston's players in order to get the ball back, and they chose to foul Bill Russell.

This was a perfectly logical choice since statistically Russell was the worst free throw shooter on the court at that moment. If he missed the shot, the Lakers would probably get the ball back and they'd still have enough time to try to win the game. But if Russell made his first free throw, the Lakers' chances would be seriously diminished. And if he made both shots, the game would essentially be over.

Bill Russell had a very peculiar style of shooting free throws. Today, no self-respecting basketball player anywhere in America would attempt it. Aside from the question of whether it's an effective way to shoot a basket, it just looked too ridiculous. Whenever he had to shoot a free throw, the six-foot-eleven Russell would start off holding the ball in both hands about waist high, then he'd squat down and as he straightened up he'd let go of the ball. It looked like he was trying to throw a bucket of dirt over a wall.

But regardless of how he looked, as soon as Bill Russell was fouled, he knew the Celtics were going to win the game. He was absolutely certain of it because, in a situation like this, statistics and percentages mean nothing. There was a much more important factor at work, something that no one has found a way to express in numbers and decimal points.

Simply put, Bill Russell was a player who wanted to take responsibility for the success or failure of his team. He wanted the weight on his shoulders in a situation like this. No possibility for excuses. No possibility of blaming anyone else if the game was lost. No second guessing. Bill Russell wanted the ball in his own hands and nobody else's. And, like magic, even if he'd missed every free throw he'd ever shot in his life before this, he knew he was going to make this one. And that is exactly what happened.

That is what virtually always happens when a man or woman accepts responsibility eagerly and with confidence. I've always felt that accepting responsibility is one of the highest forms of human maturity. A willingness to be accountable, to put yourself on the line, is really the defining characteristic of adulthood.

To your success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine - http://www.jimrohn.com/

Making Your Goals Count in 2009 - Part 2

2009-01-11T23:50:00.000-08:00

This is the second part of the goal setting article by Jim Rohn continuing from the last post.

Enjoy.

Personal Development - Making Your Goals Count in 2009
by Jim Rohn

Here are some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:

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

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

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

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

3. S.M.A.R.T. Goals. S.M.A.R.T. means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-sensitive.

I really like this acronym S.M.A.R.T., because we want to be smart when we set our goals. We want to intelligently decide what our goals will be so that we can actually accomplish them. We want to set the goals that our heart conceives, our minds believe and that our bodies will carry out. Let's take a closer look at each of the components of S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Specific: Goals are no place to waffle. They are no place to be vague. Ambiguous goals produce ambiguous results. Incomplete goals produce incomplete futures.

Measurable: Always set goals that are measurable. I would say "specifically measurable" to take into account our principle of being specific as well.

Attainable: One of the detrimental things that many people do - and they do it with good intentions - is to set goals that are so high they are unattainable.

Realistic: The root word of realistic is "real." A goal has to be something that we can reasonably make "real" or a "reality" in our lives. There are some goals that simply are not realistic. You have to be able to say, even if it is a tremendously stretching goal, that yes, indeed, it is entirely realistic -- that you could make it. You may even have to say that it will take x, y, and z to do it, but if those happen, then it can be done. This is in no way to say it shouldn't be a big goal, but it must be realistic.

Time: Every goal should have a time frame attached to it. I think that life itself is much more productive if there is a time frame connected to it. Could you imagine how much procrastination there would be on earth if people never died? We would never get "around to it." We could always put it off. One of the powerful aspects of a great goal is that it has an end, a time in which you are shooting to accomplish it. You start working on it because you know there is an end. As time goes by you work on it because you don't want to get behind. As it approaches, you work diligently because you want to meet the deadline. You may even have to break down a big goal into different parts of measurement and time frames. That is okay. Set smaller goals and work them out in their own time. A S.M.A.R.T. goal has a timeline.

4. Accountability (A contract with yourself or someone else). When someone knows what your goals are, they hold you accountable by asking you to "give an account" of where you are in the process of achieving that goal. Accountability puts some teeth into the process. If a goal is set and only one person knows it, does it really have any power? Many times, no. At the very least, it isn't as powerful as if you have one or more other people who can hold you accountable to your goal.

So: Evaluate/Reflect; Decide What You Want; Be S.M.A.R.T.; Have Accountability. When you put these 4 key pieces together, you are putting yourself in a position of power that will catapult you toward achieving your goals.

Let's Do Something Remarkable in 2009!

Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. To subscribe, go to http://jimrohn.com All contents Copyright © JimRohn.com except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide

Making Your Goals Count in 2009 - Part 1

2009-01-11T23:46:00.000-08:00

We all need personal development to succeed. But we also need good
mentors to guide us in our personal development.

I subscribe to Jim Rohn's Ezine. Jim Rohn's Ezine is a gold mine on
personal development information. The subscription is free. If have
not subscribed I suggest you do so heading to his website at
http://jimrohn.com/.

I am posting this article by him in two parts because it's quite long
however, it has some very good guidelines on goal setting.

Personal Development - Making Your Goals Count in 2009
by Jim Rohn

As we enter into this New Year we all tend to have a heightened sense of
the opportunities and possibilities that 2009 can bring. The need for
goal-setting becomes more obvious and clear. And the great thing about
goal-setting is you can keep it as simple or get as elaborate as you
would like. In fact, we have dedicated one month in the One-Year Success
Plan solely to the subject of goal-setting and have over 125-pages in
the One-Year Plan workbook of exercises on this subject. Space and time
won't allow that here, but below are some abbreviated points on
goal-setting for the New Year.

I've often said the major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes
of you to accomplish it. What it makes of you will always be the far
greater value than what you get. That is why goals are so powerful -
they are part of the fabric that makes up our lives. And goal-setting is
where we create our goals.

Goal-setting is powerful, partly because it provides focus. It shapes
our dreams. It gives us the ability to hone in on the exact actions we
need to perform to achieve everything we desire in life. Goals are GREAT
because they cause us to stretch and grow in ways that we never have
before. In order to reach our goals we must become better. We must
change and grow.

Also, goals provide long-term vision in our lives. We all need lots of
powerful, long-range goals to help us get past short-term obstacles.
Life is designed in such a way that we look long-term and live
short-term. We dream for the future and live in the present.
Unfortunately, the present can produce many difficult obstacles. But
fortunately, the more powerful our goals (because they are inspiring and
believable) the more we will be able to act on them in the short-term
and guarantee that they will actually come to pass!

So, let's take a closer look at the topic of goal-setting and see how we
can make it forceful as well as practical. What are the key aspects to
learn and remember when studying and writing our goals?

1. Evaluation and Reflection. The only way we can reasonably decide what
we want in the future and how we will get there is to first know where
we are right now and what our level of satisfaction is for where we are
in life. So first take some time and think through and write down your
current situation, then ask this question on each key point - is that
okay?

The purpose of evaluation is two-fold. First, it gives you an objective
way to look at your accomplishments and your pursuit of the vision you
have for your life. Secondly, it is to show you where you are so you can
determine where you need to go. In other words, it gives you a baseline
from which to work.

I would strongly encourage you to take a couple of hours this week to
evaluate and reflect. At the beginning of this month we encourage you to
see where you are and write it down so that as the months progress and
you continue a regular time of evaluation and reflection, you will see
just how much ground you will be gaining - and that will be exciting!

2. What are Your Dreams and Goals? These are the dreams and goals that
are born out of your own heart and mind. These are the goals that are
unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to
become. So second, make a list of all the things you desire for the
future.

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

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

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

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. To subscribe,
go to http://www.jimrohn.com/ All contents Copyright (c) JimRohn.com except
where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide

Multiple Skills for the 21st Century

2008-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

Multiple Skills for the 21st Century
by Jim Rohn

I believe that in the 21st Century it is so important to have multiple skills. But what I also find is that if you are already in sales, network marketing or have an entrepreneurial business (or plan to in the future); you can gain the needed skills for the future while you create your income now.

Here's my short list for on the job training, so that you can learn while you earn.
1) SALES
I began my journey with sales, which of course dynamically changed my life back at age 25. The first year I multiplied my income by five. I was raised in farm country. I knew how to milk cows, but it didn't pay well. But sales altered the course of my life, learning to present a valid product in the marketplace, talk about its virtues and get somebody to say "yes." And then give them good service.

2) RECRUITING
Then came recruiting, how to expand my business, build an organization. We have all heard the question, is it better to have one person selling a $1000 or have 100 people selling $10? If you ask me, I'll take the 100 at $10. Recruiting, the ability to multiply your efforts, once mastered, is one of life and leadership's greatest time management resources.

3) ORGANIZING
Then I learned organizing. Keeping your own schedule can be difficult at times, but now you are having to balance multiple tasks and people to get maximum results. But you will find that the payoff is massive once you have tapped into the synergy and momentum of group dynamics and teamwork.

4) PROMOTION
Next is promotion. First it's the spring campaign and then the fall campaign, and then it's this month's objective's campaign. You never know when it's going to click for someone to want or need to buy from you or be a part of what you are doing, so having the offer or the special or the contest going when they're ready can make all the difference.

5) RECOGNITION
Then it's the recognition. Some people work harder for recognition than they do for money. It's the chance to belong. Getting people to do something that ordinarily on their own, they wouldn't think of doing. They could, but they don't think of it. You come along with a little promotion for this month or this quarter and everything changes for them, and I found that paid big money.

6) COMMUNICATION
Then I learned communication. How to do the training, how to do the teaching, and probably the greatest gift of all is learning how to inspire with words. Inspire people to see themselves better than they are; all of those gifts, all of those skills. Being the voice that tells them they have made a wise decision and here's why. Now, I believe with just this little short list I've given you, you'll be equipped. We've all watched what has
happened the last 15 years. The guy had one skill - the company downsizes. His division is eliminated and since he only had one skill, now he is vulnerable. He's wandering around saying, "Oh my, the last few years I should have taken some classes that would have taught me a couple of more things and I wouldn't be here in this vulnerable position."

So my admonition -- learn some multiple skills, or should we say, back-up skills for the 21st Century and no better place to learn them than in what your already doing now.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. To subscribe, go to www.JimRohn.com. All contents Copyright © JimRohn.com except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide.

Seven Self-Motivators

2008-12-22T20:03:00.000-08:00

Seven Self-Motivators
by Brian Tracy (excerpted from the Success Mastery Academy)

Here are seven Self-Motivator reminders for you to review on a regular basis.

#1 - Get Serious. Make a decision to go all the way to the top. Up to now you've thought about it. Up to now, it's passed your mind. Many of you made the decision, and you've made up your mind to go all the way to the top, and your lives have taken off. It's the most extraordinary thing. Your life is one, like in the shadow going up the dark side of the hill until the moment you decide that "By gum, I'm gong to be the best at what I
do. I'm going to be in the top 10 percent." And suddenly you rose into the sunshine, and your life is forever after different - wonderful. Get serious. Don't fool around anymore.

#2 - Identify Your Limiting Step to Sales Success. What's your limiting step? What's the one skill area that's holding you back? What's the skill? What's the quality? What's the action? Ask other people. Find out what you need to become good at. Sometimes it may be only one skill. If you became really, really good on the telephone, you could maybe double your prospecting effectiveness and double your sales. If you became very, very good at getting the order at the end from qualified prospects, you could double your sales. If you became very, very good at managing your time to really, really manage your time well, you may be able to double your face time and double your income. Find out what's holding you back. What is the critical limiting step that's determining your success today?

#3 - Get Around the Right People. Who are the right people? The right people are the people in this room. Get around winners. Get around positive people. Get around people with goals and plans, people who are going somewhere with their lives and have high aspirations. Get around eagles. As Zig says, "You can't scratch with the turkeys if you want to fly with the eagles." And get away from negative people. Get away from toxic people that complain and whine and moan all the time. Who needs them? Life is too short.

#4 - Take Excellent Care of Your Health. Take excellent care of your physical health. That means good diet, good exercise. Everybody knows they should eat better foods, get regular exercise and especially lots of rest. That's very important. If you're going to work hard 5 days a week, go to bed early 5 days a week. Get a good night's sleep. Be fully rested, and tonight get really rested. You don't have to watch the Letterman Show...

#5 - Positive Visualization. See yourself as the very best in your field. Remember, all improvement in your life begins with an improvement in your mental pictures. Visualize yourself, see yourself as the best continually. You are the best. Isn't that right? So therefore, see yourself as the best.

#6 - Positive Self-Talk. Talk to yourself positively all the time. Control your inner dialogue. And what do you say to yourself? Say, "I'm the best." Say it. Say I'm the best. I like myself. I can do it. I love my work. Yes, that's how you talk to yourself. And the more you say it to yourself...someone may say, "Well, what if you say those things to yourself and you don't believe them. Isn't that lying to yourself?" No, that's not lying to yourself. It's telling the truth in advance. Because it doesn't matter where you're coming from - all that matters is where you're going. Talk to yourself the way you want to be, not the way you just happen to be at this moment. Remember, you may have gotten where you are today largely by accident. But where you're going in the future is purely by design.

#7 - Positive Action. Get going. Move fast. Develop a sense of urgency. A sense of urgency is the one thing that you can develop that will separate you from everyone else in your field. Develop a bias for action. When you get a good idea, do it now. Only 2% of people in our society have a bias for action. And if you're already in the top 10%, you can move yourself in the top 2% by resolving that whenever you have an idea or something, do it now. And the faster you move, the better you get. And the better you get, the more you like yourself. And the more you like yourself, the higher your self-esteem is. And the higher your self-esteem is, the greater your self-discipline. And the more you persist, then you ultimately become unstoppable. Remember, you're the best!

Brian Tracy

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. To subscribe, go to www.JimRohn.com. All contents Copyright © JimRohn.com except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide.

Change Begins With Choice

2008-12-20T20:00:00.001-08:00

Change Begins With Choice
by Jim Rohn

Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish; we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish; we can start a new activity. Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make.

But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with your very own power of choice.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

There's something to be said about getting back to the basics. Please review this special offer today - http://Basics.JimRohn.com

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