Part of YourMENTAL/GOALS

The Big Five for LifeP r e v e n t d e a d l y ‘ M a d H o w ’ d i s e a s e .

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ceby John Strelecky

WHEN YOU ARE ON AN AFRICAN SAFARI, YOUquickly learn about the African Big Five:

rhinoceros, elephant, water buffalo, leopard,and lion. You learn about them because every-one is always talking about them. People areconstantly asking each other, “Have you seenthe Big Five? How many of the Big Five didyou see? Where were the Big Five? Whichones did you see?”

The Big Five becomes amantra of sorts by whichpeople gauge the successof their safari experience. Ifthey see all five of the BigFive, they consider theirsafari experience to beincredible. If they see fourof the Big Five, they arehappy; and if they only seeone of the Big Five, theyare upset.

From that safari experi-ence, I came up with TheBig Five for Life—five thingsthat you want to do, see, orexperience in your life, so that if you do, see,or experience them, you will consider your lifeto be a success, however you define success.These are things that on your deathbed, youcan look back over your life and say, “No mat-ter what I did or didn’t get to, my life is a suc-cess because I got to my Big Five for Life.”

The Big Five for Life are very personal.This isn’t about what your boss, parents, sib-lings, or colleagues think is success. This isabout how you view success.

For some people, the Big Five for Life itemsare one-time events such as climbing Mt.

DAVID MCCULLOUGHWhy History? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3JAMES R. FISHER, JR.I’m Happiest When Working . . . . . .4TAYLOR HARTMAN100% Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . .5GEORGE L. MORRISEYYour Personal Mission . . . . . . . . . . .6VAL WALDECKCoping with Life’s Storms . . . . . . . .6WOLF J. RINKEBuild Lasting Relationships . . . . . . .7HARVEY MACKAYWork Smart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

SUSAN JACKSON AND MIHALY CSIKSZENTMIHALYIFocus on the Present . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

NINA HAMUncovering Your Success Footprint . . .8

NIDO QUBEINGear Up for Success . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

DACIA CHARLESWORTHValue of an Education . . . . . . . . . . .10

DENIS WAITLEYFrom Motivation to Motive-action . . .10

MICHAEL BRADER-ARAJEWhy Give Back? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

DALLIN H. OAKSWhere Will It Lead? . . . . . . . . . . . .12STEVEN B. SMITHGet Out of Debt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13FRANK ARMSTRONG IIIStrategy vs. Outcome . . . . . . . . . . .14ANN MAROSYGoal Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14CARMEN MARIANOYou Are a Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15KAY PORTERLog Your Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16JOHN CLEMENTSHalf a Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Kilimanjaro. Number one on my Big Five forLife list is to have a loving relationship with mywife because I envision our marriage going onforever. Others on my list are more the one-time event types, like trying to make the U.S.Olympic team in ping pong.

When I share The Big Five for Life conceptwith people, I give them time to write downtheir Big Five for Life. However, I only give

them as much time to writetheir Big Five items as ittakes for me to write mine.Then I tell them to stopwriting and ask how manyBig Five items they came upwith: five, four, three, two,or one? On average, mostpeople can only think of oneor two items.

What a shame! It’s areflection of our culture. Welearn lots of valuable thingsin school, like reading, writ-ing, math, and science—alluseful subjects. But in my 20

years of formal education, I never had one per-son ask me for even one thing that I reallywanted to do, see, or experience in my life sothat I could say my life was a success.

So, we grow up, living our lives withoutknowing what the five things are that we reallywant to do, see, or experience so that our liveswill be successful, however we define success.The danger is that if you don’t know what thefive things are that you really want to do, see, orexperience in your life so that your life is a suc-cess, however you define success, then you like-ly will not get to do, see, or experience them.

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Since I find that most people don’t knowwhat they need to go do, see or experience, Iwant to share with you a method that willaccelerate your progress toward the goal ofidentifying your Big Five for Life. Thismethod has the potential to drasticallychange your life. It may feel awkward atfirst. But if you want success in your life,however you define success, isn’t that worthan occasional awkward moment?

Here is the method. When you meet peo-ple who you don’t know, you probablyshake the person’s hand, look him in theeye, and say, “Hello, my name is John, niceto meet you.” He then responds, “Hi, John,I’m Chris. Nice to meet you too.”

Now, what is the next question you ask?The next question is, “What do you do?”

I find this interesting, since 80 to 90 per-cent of people do not like what they do fora living! And yet, right after we meet, shakehands, make eye contact, and exchangenames with a stranger, wethen ask about what 80 to90 percent of us don’t enjoy.We feel compelled to askpeople about their work,even though we really don’twant to hear about it, andthey feel compelled to tellus, even though they’drather not talk about it.

So, the next time you meetpeople, introduce yourself and ask themwhat their Big Five for Life are. Then ask ifyou might help them fulfill these goals.

Goodbye idle chatter and useless smalltalk. Get ready for some deep discussions.

On one occasion, I had just explainedthis concept to a class, and a student askedme, “What do you do if the person thinksyou’re a freak?”

I thought it was a great question becauseit raised a common fear people have—look-ing foolish in front of others. I said, “If theperson you are talking to hears the questionand then asks you to explain it, and afteryou explain it they still think you are afreak, then you should just walk away. Doyou really want to waste your evening talk-ing to someone who has no interest in talk-ing about, or getting assistance with, thefive things that define whether their life issuccessful or not?”

To me, this Big Five concept is the bestscreening mechanism for identifying peopleworth talking to, and those to avoid. Onebenefit of this method is that it dramaticallyspeeds up your progress toward identifyingand achieving your Big Five for Life. Whenyou explain to the person what the Big Fivefor Life concept is, and they tell you whattheir Big Five for Life are, they’ll then askyou what your Big Five for Life are andhow they can help you achieve them.

At that point, you will be tapping into

P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e2

their entire network of friends, co-workers,classmates, family, and future people theymeet. How is that possible? Because peoplelove the idea of helping someone elseachieve their dreams. If they know someonewho can help you, they will do it. If monthsafterward they meet someone who can helpyou, they will call you and make the connec-tion for you. People do this all the time forjob-related things. And they are much moremotivated to do it when they can help youfulfill one of your Big Five for Life.

Using this method of introduction is afantastic way to avoid a common affliction.Most people have a good grasp on wherethey are in life. Once they have taken thetime to figure out their Big Five for Life, theyhave a good grasp on where they want toget to in life. So, they know where they are,and they know where they want to go.What’s the question they need to ask?

If you answered “How do they get there?”you suffer from the sameaffliction. I call it Mad Howdisease. Mad How is verydebilitating, because as youstruggle to figure out how toget from where you are towhere you want to go, youface obstacles, roadblocks,and learning curves. Usually,after the second or thirdobstacle on the way to your

destination, you get discouraged and giveup. You become a Mad How disease casualty.

When you know where you are, and youknow where you want to go, the questionyou need to ask is not how?. The question iswho?. You see, no matter what is on your BigFive for Life list, I can guarantee you thatsome person, at some point, has done, seen,or experienced whatever you want to do,see, or experience. All you have to do is findthem, or someone who knows about them,and ask what they did. Then you imitate it.

Now you may hear about what they didand decide it is illegal, immoral, or unethi-cal. What do you do then? Simple. You gofind someone else and ask them what theydid.

“Who?” will get you on the fast track toyour Big Five for Life.

We often make this game of life difficult. Itdoesn’t have to be. There is a way to play itwhere the game is fun, exciting, interesting,and enjoyable. Figuring out your Big Five forLife is an excellent place to start. After all,what better goal to shoot for than achievingsuccess in your life as you, and only you,define success. PE

John Strelecky is an inspirational speaker andbest-selling author of The Why Are You HereCafé. The Big Five for Life technique is featuredin a new software called Safe Paths for TrueWealth. www.whycafe.com, 407-342-4181

ACTION: Record your Big Five for Life.

P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 3

longed-for leader who will save the day? Ifwe’re looking for leadership, the placeto look is in the mirror.

We have to begin early with children.The earlier the better. We have to getback to basics. And let’s not be sobedazzled by the information revolu-tion, by all the glittering promise ofinformation highways. Information isn’tlearning. Information isn’t education.

We need better textbooks. We needmore and better biographies for begin-ning readers. Too much of what’s writ-ten as history for our children is con-

trived by committee. It’s an assembly,and it’s deadly. It reminds me of the oldpiano teacher’s lament, “I hear you playall the notes, but I hear no music.”

So why bother? “That’s history,” isthe expression now. That’s done with.

Why History?History shows us how to behave. His-

tory teaches, reinforces what we believein, what we stand for, and what we oughtto be willing to stand up for. History is—or should be—the bedrock of patriotism,not the chest-pounding kind of patrio-tism but the real thing, love of country.

At their core, the lessons of history arelargely lessons in appreciation. Every-thing we have, all our great institutions,hospitals, universities, libraries, cities, ourlaws, our music, art, poetry, our free-doms—everything is because somebodywent before us and did the hard work,provided the creative energy, providedthe money, and provided the belief. Dowe disregard that? At our peril.

by David McCullough

WE ARE RAISING A NEWgeneration who, to an

alarming degree, are histori-cally illiterate. The situation is seriousand sad. And it has been coming on fora long time, like a creeping disease, eat-ing away at the national memory. Whilethe clamorous popular culture races on,the past is slipping away, out of site andout of mind. We are losing our story,forgetting who we are, and what it hastaken to come this far.

Warning signals, in special reports,have been sounded for years, includingthe blunt conclusions of a new surveyby the Education Department: Thedecided majority, some 60 percent, ofthe nation’s high school seniors haven’teven the most basic understanding ofhistory. The statistical breakdowns onspecific examples are appalling.

But I speak also from experience. Ona winter morning on the campus of oneof our finest colleges, in a lively IvyLeague setting, I sat with a seminar ofsome 25 students, all seniors majoringin history, all honors students. “Howmany of you know who George Mar-shall was?” I asked. None. Not one.

At a large university in the Midwest,a young woman told me how glad shewas to have attended my lecture, be-cause until then, she explained, she hadnever realized that the original 13 colo-nies were all on the eastern seaboard.

Who’s to Blame? We are. Everywhere in the country,

there are grade school and high schoolteachers teaching history who have hadlittle or no history in their own educa-tion. Our school system, the schools weare responsible for, could rightly becharged with educational malpractice.

Can we expect some jolting nationalalarm to sound? Will there be some sen-sational event to shock us into a realiza-tion of the true nature of the situation?Probably not. But something must be done.

We can begin by asking a few fun-damental questions: Do we really careabout standards of performance any more?Are we ready to accept the reality that in agovernment of the people, it is not some

Why History?E m b r a c e t h e p a s t .

SOCIAL/HISTORY Indifference to history isn’t just igno-rant, it’s rude. It’s a form of ingratitude.

History encourages, as nothing elsedoes; gives us a sense of proportion aboutlife; and gives us a sense of our own brieftime on earth and how valuable that is.

What history teaches, it teaches main-ly by example. It inspires courage andtolerance. It encourages a sense ofhumor. It is an aid to navigation in per-ilous times. We are living now in an eraof momentous change, of huge transi-tions in all aspects of life—nationwideand worldwide—and this creates greatpressures and tensions. But historyshows that times of change are the timeswhen we are most likely to learn. Thisnation was founded on change. Weshould embrace the possibilities in theseexciting times and hold to a steadycourse, because we have a sense of navi-gation, a sense of what we’ve beenthrough in times past and who we are.

Think how tough our predecessorswere. Churchill in his great speech in thedarkest hours of the Second World War,when he crossed the Atlantic, remindedus, “We haven’t journeyed this farbecause we are made of sugar candy.”

Now, history isn’t just something youtake to be a better citizen. It does do that,and that in itself would be reasonenough to stress its importance. “Anynation that expects to be ignorant andfree,” Jefferson said, “expects what neverwas and never will be.” And if the gapbetween the educated and the uneducat-ed in America continues to grow as fastas or faster than the gap between the richand the poor, the gap between the edu-cated and the uneducated will be ofgreater consequence and the more seri-ous threat to our way of life.

History is an extension of life. It bothenlarges and intensifies the experience ofbeing alive. It’s like poetry and art. Ormusic. And it’s ours, to enjoy. If we denyour children that enjoyment, that adven-ture in the larger time among the greaterpart of the human experience, we arecheating them out of a full life.

There’s no secret to making historycome alive. Barbara Tuchman said itperfectly: “Tell stories.” The pull, theappeal is irresistible, because history isabout two of the greatest of all myster-ies—time and human nature. Howlucky we are to enjoy, in our work andin our lives, the possibilities, precision,reach, and glories of language. PE

David McCullough, historian, has won two PulitzerPrizes for his biographies John Adams and Truman. Thisarticle was adapted from his speech for the DistinguishedContribution to American Letters Award.www.DavidMcCullough.com

ACTION: Incorporate the past into your future.

tion to appreciate, not “out there” inthe hinterland, but “right here” andright now where we are and what weare trying to do.

2. We discover our usefulness. Oncewe are made aware of our special tal-ent, we can become full of ourselvesand try to coast on our good fortune.Latent talent is never enough. It mustbe worked. We should not use ouruniqueness against ourselves, butrather to enhance our usefulness byusing it wisely. When we use ourselveswisely, we find we are having the timeof our lives. We not only have to putthe best foot forward, we also have toput aside those things that are mostenticingly pleasant and self-escaping;things that provide instant gratification;things that can’t tolerate pain, embar-rassment, or inconvenience. We makewise choices to enhance our talent.

3. We develop a capacity for risktaking. In the risk taking, we will dis-cover that failure gives us an insightinto the dimensions of our talent aswell as its limitations. There is no suc-

cess without its complement of failure;no real insight into the person we arewithout inevitable surprise, disap-pointment, discouragement, and set-backs. It is in working through themthat we find our character and makeconnection with others.

4. We get outside our comfort zone.We begin to think outside the bias ofour precious beliefs, to explore territoryoutside known or familiar parameters,and to find resolution to things we pre-viously ignored, took for granted, orconsidered beyond our capability.

5. We stop equating usefulness withmoney. Once we discover our genuinestrengths, once we explore them to ouradvantage, and once we understandhow they might be of service to othersin meaningful ways, the next tempta-tion is to equate all this with money.Money is often the hidden desire for

by By James R. Fisher, Jr.

EACH ONE OF US HAS ATleast three things in

common: We are here to doa certain kind of work; to be useful inthe service to others; and to find plea-sure in discovering and using ourunique usefulness. This is the best for-mula for happiness.

We are born to some manner of usefulwork. An idle mind leads to a culture ofself-indulgence, and anxiety is a luxuryof a culture that has time on its hands.Some people look to avoid useful workat any price, failing to realize that mean-ingful work is the key to contentment.

Finding the work most suitable to usis not without its difficulties. To discov-er our unique gifts, someone else mayhave to tell us what they are. We may betoo insular in our construction to appre-ciate what may be obvious to others.They can put us on the road to experi-encing happiness in some kind of work.

Somebody will tell us, if we listen,what we do well, which relates to ourstrengths, and where we need help,which reveals our weaknesses. Theymay even provide guidance on how todevelop our strengths and control ourweaknesses. Coaches and mentors canbe anyone who has an interest in oursuccess in life.

After a fashion, we may come toapproximate our worth, but the clarityof our impact on others typically comesfrom others who represent the gauge ofour latent capability and our qualitativeinfluence respective to these aptitudes.

Seven Benefits of Useful WorkI see seven compelling benefits to

self-directed work.1. We stop looking to celebrities.

Many celebrities we look up to as hav-ing inestimable capabilities are actuallysystematic inventions. So, we won’tfind who we are by emulating tinseltalent any more than we will find oursole essence by trying to emulate ourfavorite heroes. They are likely notwhat they seem on the world stage, orsmall screen, or playing field. But weare real, and have real value—valuethat someone is trying to get our atten-

PROFESSIONAL/WORK

4 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

I’m Happiest When WorkingD o s o m e t h i n g u s e f u l .

prestige, status, respect, acceptance, andeven celebrity. If so, this represents themisguided drive to be appreciated morethan to appreciate our talent. Money,per se, is irrelevant in finding happinessin work. It can actually be the source ofunhappiness, trying to keep up withothers, and being the slave to a con-sumer mentality that never has enoughmoney, no matter how much money ismade. The question we must ask our-selves is this: What would I do if nobodyfound out?

6. We put our talents to good use tobenefit others. Some good friends ofmine gave up lucrative professionalcareers to start a home for young menwho were heading for trouble. In sodoing, they have reshaped these youngmen into productive citizens. Theirefforts continue to multiply exponential-ly as these young men graduate fromtop-flight universities, attain profession-al credentials, and then inspire otheryoung people to find and develop theirnascent talents in useful ways. It is notenough to have ideas, but to cultivate atalent for putting them into use in thebenefit of others.

7. We derive happiness from our self-less service. The greatest pleasure youderive in life is not in self-indulgence butin doing what interests you, what youare capable of doing, what gives you sat-isfaction in the doing, and in the endbenefits others. You may not become therichest man or woman in the world, butagain you may. Money is not the root ofall evil. It is the obsession with money.Get involved in something that is ofgreat interest to you, and you will not beobsessed with money. Money will comeas a byproduct of your effort. There willbe enough of it to meet your needs.People who are happy in their work arenot into the accouterments of wealth, orthe ostentatious display of wealth, oreven the idea of affluence as being adesired end, but rather in the employ-ment of their ability toward the useful-ness and benefit of others.

Whatever your age or stage in life,you can change your direction andreestablish yourself on this road togreater usefulness in the service of oth-ers. It may be a road less traveled, but itis the road that is designed for you. Apot of gold may not be at the end of therainbow, but something much moresubstantial is surely to be discoveredthere—happiness in your work! PE

James R. Fisher, Jr., Ph.D., is an OD psychologist andauthor of the Peripatetic Philosopher.TheDeltaGrpFL@cs.com

ACTION: Find joy in useful service.

P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 5

even identify the truth, let alone face it.We’ve become so accustomed to

fear-based thinking that it now servesas our native tongue. Do these excusessound familiar?

Victim: “I forgot.”100% Responsibility: “Why didn’t

you write it down?”Victim: “I didn’t have a pen;” or “I

did write it down, but I threw thepaper away;” or “You can’t seriouslyexpect me to remember the detailswhen I’ve got so much to do.”

100% Responsibility: “So, you did-n’t care enough about me to keep yourpromise. And based on your current

excuse, I can’t count on you to careabout me to keep your future promises.”

Or how about this scenario:Victim: “It’s not really anyone’s fault!”100% Responsibility: “How conve-

nient. Now neither of us are account-able for what happened, we have noresponsibility for resolving the prob-lem, and we’re noble because we arenicely letting each other off the hook.”

Victim: “Well, it’s just one of thosethings that happens, you know…”

100% Responsibility: “No I don’tknow how, nor do I want to be in arelationship where things just happenwithout cause or consequence.”

People get in their cars late for ameeting, jump on the freeway, and callahead on their cell phone indicatingthey will be late, as if this excuses themfor leaving late. They left their officelate, but somehow calling from a cellphone on the freeway excuses that!

Our current culture promotes blame,denial, and rationalization as our native

tongue. Far more people speak, under-stand and accept this way of thinkingthan 100% Responsibility. We have suc-cumbed to and accept excuse-makingover keeping our promises. Acceptingthis truth can move us to take the stepsto overcome it. Joining the 100%Responsibility Club is a great start.

Membership RequirementsMembership in the Club requires a

commitment to getting the desired re-sults, regardless of the consequence. Itrequires performance over excuses, re-solving problems over justifying mistakes.

You must first be willing to be wrongand admit it when you are wrong toothers. Second, you must be willing tomake right whatever you did wrong.

Membership dues are tough to paybecause we’ve spent a lifetime convinc-ing ourselves that being right is moreimportant than achieving the desiredresults. Whatever relationship you want,you can have, if you will take 100%Responsibility for getting it. You cannot,will not, must not, let any excuse, blame,or justification exist for explaining itaway. A lifetime of “being right” pro-duces weak people and limited transac-tions. A lifetime of taking 100%Responsibility for building legitimaterelationships makes strong leaders.

Club Motto. To be in the club, youmust recite the motto with conviction:“Iam 100% responsible for every relationshipin my life. I will do whatever is necessaryto achieve the desired results. This is not a50-50 proposition. It is not 100-100, bothequally and fully responsible in order forthe relationship to work. I am 100%responsible for creating what I get. And Iget exactly what I deserve.”

Membership rewards. By taking 100%responsibility for every relationship, weexpand our options for enhancing ourrelationships, creating high performance,and getting the desired results. Valueyourself enough to be wrong. Respectyourself enough to own the problem.Trust yourself enough to seek proactiveresolutions for solving problems andbuilding legitimate relationships.

Being 100% responsible frees you toact, create solutions, and win! As long asyou give any percentage of responsibili-ty away to someone else, they can holdyou hostage. If they don’t behave as youexpect them to, they own you. Step upand become 100% responsible for your-self and your relationships. PE

Taylor Hartman, Ph.D. is a business consultant, CEOof Hartman Communications, and author of The ColorCode: A New Way to See Yourself, Your Relationshipsand Life. www.colorcode.com, 866-4-MOTIVE

ACTION: Join the 100% responsibility club.

by Taylor Hartman

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIMEyou accepted full

responsibility for a prob-lem? When was the last time you heardanyone say, “That’s completely myfault. I am 100 percent responsible forwhat happened and will do whatever isnecessary to make it right!”

We have created a society of victimswith a cultural backdrop that actuallypromotes blame, denial, and rationaliza-tion rather than responsibility and own-ership. Today, if you smoke three packsof cigarettes a day for 40 years and dieof lung cancer, your family blames thetobacco company. If your child misbe-haves in school, you give him the labelADHD and medicate him. If yourneighbor crashes into a tree while dri-ving home after too many drinks at thebar, he blames the bartender.

When something goes wrong, it israre that someone steps forward to takeownership for creating the problem.Even more rare is the person who takes100 percent responsibility for creatingthe problem and accepts ownership forproviding a solution. Those individualswho pay their dues by exposing theirvulnerability (“It was my fault!”) andaccept ownership for resolving theproblem (“How can I make it right withyou?”) earn the privilege to becomemembers of the 100% ResponsibilityClub. This exclusive club holds itsmembers in strict adherence to princi-ples that far exceed social expectations.

The State of What IsUnfortunately many of us have been

raised in a victim society. We have beentaught by countless role models thatour problems are not our own doingand that we, in fact, have been wronged.For many reasons—misunderstood,abandoned, and neglected—we havespent more energy seeking strategiesfor getting off the hook rather than fac-ing the music when we make mistakes.

We have learned our lessons well. Weexcuse and devalue ourselves, ratherthan value ourselves by stepping up toour problems and finding viable solu-tions. Denying ownership weakens usuntil we no longer have the strength to

100% ResponsibilityT a k e o w n e r s h i p o f r e l a t i o n s h i p s .

CHARACTER/RESPONSIBILITY

tify certain factors which your ownmyopia keeps you from seeing. Themission statement you produce will notnecessarily contain all of the answers tothese questions. But evaluation andreflection represent a primary benefit.

Living DocumentOnce you develop an initial draft of

your mission statement, circulate copiesto a few colleagues or others who canprovide you with some meaningfulfeedback. Letting it simmer for severaldays before putting it into its final formcan help identify other items that oughtto be included. You will not be com-pletely satisfied with your initial draftor even with the modified one. How-ever, adopt your mission statement asyour current perspective, knowing that

it can be reviewed and modified later. Once you are reasonably satisfied

with your mission statement, formallyreview it once a year or whenever youface a change. Post it where it can beseen by those who are impacted by it—and use it on the back of business cards,promotional literature, and proposals.

The purpose of your personal missionstatement is to clarify, for yourself andothers, your direction, your sense of pur-pose, your commitment, and your per-sonal philosophy and values thatinfluence the way you live and work. PE

George Morrisey is president of the The MorriseyGroup. This article is adapted from his book CreatingYour Future (Berrett-Koehler). GMorrisey@aol.com,800-535-8202, 321-452-7414, www.morrisey.com

ACTION: Write or revise your mission.

by George L. Morrisey

ASTATEMENT OF MISSION ISthe single most impor-

tant strategic document youcan have. It provides clear guidance forall significant decisions. A missionstatement describes the nature of thelife in which you expect to be involved.It also clarifies your personal values.

A mission statement is a dynamicdocument that provides four benefits:• It articulates the nature of your busi-

ness and your role within that business,thus providing a clear focus on whereyour energies should be directed. • It helps you decide what not to do to

keep you from investing time, energy,and resources in activities that are in-consistent with where you want to go. • It communicates your beliefs and

values. Taking a clear position onissues, relationships, commitment tofamily, and contribution to your profes-sion can help you focus your efforts.• It creates a professional image. Your

mission statement communicates clear-ly to others who may be in a position tosupport you that you are serious aboutyour life and work and are prepared toback up what you commit to do.

Develop Your Mission StatementSpend an hour or two and write

your answers to these questions: Whatbusiness or profession am I in personal-ly? What would I like to be in? Whatdo I really enjoy? What is my basic pur-pose in life? What are or should be myprincipal business functions and roles,present and future? What is unique ordistinctive about what I can bring tomy work? Who should be my cus-tomers, clients, or users? What are themarket segments, present and future, inwhich I am most effective? What aremy economic concerns? What are mysources of income? What are my per-sonal beliefs, values and priorities?What special considerations do I havein regard to my employer, associates,customers, professional associations,family, church, community, myself?You may modify these questions.

A personal coach may help you iden-

by Val Waldeck

HOW OFTEN WE CRY OUT,“I can’t take it!” when

the storms of life rise upand threaten to destroy us.

The Old Testament bookof Job tells us about a fami-ly who suffered terrible loss.Job came through with hisfaith intact as he triumphedover sin, sickness, and death.His wife fell apart emotion-ally and spiritually. Atti-tude made the difference.

Job was a rich man. Hehad a large family, a hugestaff and many possessions. He was alsoa generous man. He cared for the spiritu-al welfare of his children and prayed forthem daily. But in one day, Job lost hisstaff, with the exception of three men, hisbusiness, and all the capital he hadinvested in livestock. He was bankrupt.While he was trying to come to termswith his loss, he was informed that his10 beloved children had died in a terri-ble accident. Job also lost his health.

We can learn much from Job. 1. Job acknowledged God’s sover-

eignty. “The Lord gave, and the Lordhas taken away,” he said. Mrs. Job, onthe other hand, blamed God. “CurseGod and die,” she muttered angrily.

2. Job refused to allow the “root of

bitterness” to enter his heart. “Blessedbe the name of God,” he said. Mrs. Jobwas angry. She believed prosperity oradversity was heaven’s commentaryon life, and she could not understandhow God could be so unfair.

3. Job bowed down and worshipedGod. If the sovereign Lord had allowedthis, it was good enough for Job.

4. Job exercised his faith andbelieved God would make a way. Jobfirmly believed that God would standby him. Mrs. Job believed their condi-tion was permanent. She had no trust.

5. Job was prepared to learn fromhis trial. Job saw this as a learning

curve in his life, from thehand of the Great Teacher,and felt that the Lordknew what He wasdoing. That is genuinefaith. Mrs. Job kicked andscreamed all the way.

6. Job had a long-termview of life. No matterwhat happens in this life,its value lasts for a brief

moment in the light of eternity. 7. Job refused to be influenced by his

wife or his friends. His wife was nega-tive and his friends accused him of sin,but Job stood firm. He believed Godeven when things looked bleak.

In the end, God brought Job andhis wife safely through and restored tothem double of all they had lost.

When we stand firm in our faith, asJob did, we will find that we can “takeit” with God’s help. PE

Val Waldeck is an author, Bible teacher, and speakerand was recently awarded the prestigious “QuillAward” of the South African Writers’ Circle. Thisarticle is based on her book, When the Storms Come.val@valwaldeck.com, www.valwaldeck.com

ACTION: Keep a positive attitude

CHARACTER/MISSION

6 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

SPIRITUAL/ADVERSITY

Coping withLife’s Storms Learn a lesson from Job.

Your PersonalMission B u i l d y o u r f o u n d a t i o n .

Take Three StepsTo build lasting relationships, start

taking three steps:Step 1. Decide and perceive that the

other person is very valuable. Yourspouse is unique. There is not anotherperson like him or her. Hence, he orshe is literally “priceless.”

Step 2. Compile a MVP (most valu-able player) list. List all the things youvalue in your spouse (or anyone elseyou wish to form a strong relationship

with). Add to the list every time you dis-cover anything new.

Step 3. Tell your significant othershow much you value them. Focus yourmental energy on the positive attributesof your significant others, and then letthem know about it—catch peopledoing things right. If you are out oftown, send an e-mail. Before leaving forwork, leave him or her a note, andwhen coming home, bring a gift.

Replace negative perceptions withpositive ones, tell your spouse what youlove about him or her, and you willbuild loving relationships. PE

Wolf J. Rinke, Ph.D., CSP, is a motivational speaker,seminar leader, consultant, coach and author of MakeIt a Winning Life. www.WolfRinke.com, 800-828-9653,410-531-9280, WolfRinke@aol.com

ACTION: Modify your perceptions.

P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 7

by Wolf J. Rinke

WIFE TO HUSBAND OFover 20 years: “Why

don’t you tell me you loveme any more?” Husband: “I told you Ilove you the day we got married. Ifthere’s ever a change I’ll let you know.”

That is not the way to stay happilymarried. According to Dr. GarySmalley, four “germs” cause more than90 percent of all marriages grief.

Germ 1. Belittle your spouse. Letyour significant other know that youare better than he/she is. Communicatethis with your actions, words, anddeeds. This is the big relationshipbuster. Every time you belittle some-one, you tell them that you suffer fromlow self-esteem. People with high self-esteem routinely make other peoplelook better than themselves.

Germ 2. Look for the negatives.Focus your mental energies on yourspouse’s weaknesses. And since allhuman beings have weaknesses, youare bound to find many. Once you findthese weaknesses, your selective per-ception will continue to confirm them.At the same time, you will begin totreat positive perceptions as excep-tions. So, you will confirm bad stuffand disconfirm the good stuff.

Germ 3. Withdraw from an argu-ment. Withdrawal is destructivebecause it stops any negotiation or dis-cussion. Although it is a good strategyfor cooling off, it represents a lose-losestrategy unless one party picks up thepieces at a later time. If you let argu-ments fester, they become divisive.

Germ 4. Escalate an argument. Agood way to get into a real fight is tofight fire with fire. This “eye for aneye” approach requires you to getdown to the other person’s level andensures that the meanest, nastiest, andmost obnoxious party wins by decimat-ing both parties’ sense of self-worth.The longer you do it, the harder it willbe to repair the damage.

Destructive as these four relationshipgerms may seem, one strategy can sin-gle-handedly overcome all four—selec-tively focus on the good stuff, what isright about your significant other, andlet him or her know about it.

Build Lasting RelationshipsCatch people doing something right—and praise them.

SOCIAL/MARRIAGE

by Harvey Mackay

I’M THE LAST PERSON WHOwould tell you not to work

hard. I’m also the first toremind you that working hard must alsobe tempered by working smart, or youmight just be wasting youreffort. There is a reasonwhy we were born withboth muscles and brains.

Consider the story oftwo men in a tree-cuttingcontest. Both are strongand determined to win theprize. One is hardworkingand ambitious, choppingdown every tree in hispath at a fast pace, whilethe other methodically paces himself.The go-getter works all day, skippinghis lunch and expecting his effort to berewarded. His opponent, however,takes an hour-long lunch, then resumeshis steady pace. In the end, the eagerbeaver is dismayed to lose.

Thinking he deserved to win afterhis hard work, he approaches his oppo-nent and says, “I don’t understand. Iworked longer and harder than you,and went hungry to get ahead. Youtook a break, and yet you won. It does-n’t seem fair. Where did I go wrong?”

And the winner says, “During mylunch break, I was sharpening my ax.”

Hard work will always pay off; smart

work will pay better. Remember back incollege, there were the kids who studiedall day and all night, but still struggledto pass exams? Then there were the kidswho studied hard but also found timefor a game, and still aced every test.

Was the second group just more bril-liant? Maybe, but my money’s on theway they had learned how to study. Ifthey were smart, they applied thosesame principles after graduation: workhard, but work smart.

That’s a lesson that can be learned byeven young children. A little girl visitinga watermelon farm asked the farmer

how much a large water-melon cost. “Three dollars,”he told her.

“But I only have 30cents,” the little girl said.

The farmer pointed to asmall watermelon and said,“That one is 30 cents.”

“Oh good,” she said,“Leave it on the vine. I’ll beback in a month to get it.”Knowing how to analyze a

situation and how to execute an actionplan will put you ahead of the game.The combination of hard work and smartwork is the formula for success.

Think about what needs to be done,and then think again about the bestway to accomplish it—not necessarilythe way you’ve always done it, or thefastest way, and certainly not the hard-est way. Never make your work harderthan it has to be. PE

Harvey Mackay is the founder of the Mackay envelopecompany, and the author of We Got Fired! And It’sThe Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us.www.mackay.com

Action: Work hard and smart.

PROFESSIONAL/STRATEGY

Work SmartU s e y o u r h e a d .

they are doing so. And if they let emo-tions interfere with evaluation, thegame is as good as lost. Focusing onwhat happened or what could orshould have been will neither changethe past nor help the present. It is tak-ing a road that leads nowhere. The pastcannot be brought back, but the presentcan suffer as a consequence of trying.

The Future: a road under construc-tion. Just as the past is not the place foryour mind to be, neither is the future.Thinking ahead prevents paying fullattention to the present and stands inthe way of experiencing it fully. Thefuture can’t be controlled; it is anemerging presence that unfolds as youremain centered in the present. Thefuture is a road under construction.

Wanting to win can be inspiring, espe-cially when you feel it is within yourgrasp. But the danger of focusing aheadto the outcome you anticipate is thatyou can easily lose what it is that youare striving for.

Concentrating on what is happeningin the present moment is where flowhappens. The challenge increases withthe length of the time you need to stayfocused. However, when you reallyenjoy the experience, you find it possibleto sustain unbroken attention for alonger time, almost effortlessly. PE

Susan Jackson and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi are coauthors of Flow in Sports. This article is adapted from their book and used with permission. 800-747-4457, www.humankinetics.com

ACTION: Focus on the present for flow.

by Susan Jacksonand MihalyCsikszentmihalyi

DOING WELL IN LIFE AND IN SPORT, PER-forming at your peak, requires your

undivided attention. If your mind startswandering, your body starts getting outof sync. Not only does your perfor-mance suffer but also the quality of yourexperience. You can’t enjoy what youdon’t notice. Every second that yourmind is distracted from the activity islost—you don’t experience it, you can’tsavor it, and you can’t recall it.

Undivided attention is hard to comeby. In everyday life, you are usually dis-tracted by external events or yourmind’s ruminations. It is hard to concen-trate when you must attend to dozens oftasks or when you keep thinking aboutwrongs suffered in the past. We all facethe challenge of focusing on the impor-tant issues, not getting sidetracked.

The Present: a road to flow. Flowdepends on a present-centered focus,where you are totally connected withthe activity, concentrating on the task athand. Unfortunately, our minds do noteasily stay in the moment. Our mentalability to take in large amounts of infor-mation makes it difficult to sustainattention on any one thing. Thoughtsabout the past or the future often clam-or for attention when you engage in anactivity. Yet learning to stay in the pre-sent is essential for experiencing flow.

The Past: a road to nowhere. Youcan fall prey to two what ifs: Whatmight have been and what should havehappened: the shot that almost went inor the deal that should have been made.

To benefit from feedback, you mustcorrect performance as it takes place,and that means paying attention towhy the last deal was missed. Tacticaladjustments require noticing the resultsof your past actions. Ideally, monitor-ing your performance should becomeso automatic that you don’t need tothink about it.

During a peak performance, athletesnotice, evaluate, and fine-tune perfor-mance without even being aware that

by Nina Ham

ARE YOU TIRED OF BEINGtold that success is

something to fit yourselfinto rather than something that arisesfrom within you? Unless you define suc-cess for yourself, it gets defined for you.

How success is defined is uniqueand intimately personal to each one ofus, as unique as a thumb-print or footprint. We oftenhave to strip away layers offamily expectations andmedia manipulation to findit. Many of us avoid “suc-cess” conversation becausewe assume that it “will leadme away from my truth.”

Abigail, an astutely self-reflective woman, was one of these. Iasked her some probing questions tohelp her identify what really matteredto her. There was a painful catch ofsurprise in her throat. “Oh! By my owndefinition, I am successful! I’ve alwaysfelt slightly ashamed. I thought Ishould be aiming for something else.”

Does it even matter what you thinksuccess is? Yes, it does. There’s the oldquip, “When you don’t know whereyou’re going, all roads will take youthere.” Having a vision of your desti-nation focuses your journey. It givesyou the basis for making choices,assessing your behavior, allocatingyour resources. This doesn’t mean that

reaching your destination is the onlymeasure of success. But reaching forwhat matters most to you, walking inyour own personal footprint of suc-cess, lends incentive, clarity, andgrounding to the journey.

If the idea of “success” has beenmore onerous and alienating thanclarifying and motivating for you, Iinvite you to respond to the followingquestions in your journal:• What’s my definition of success?

How did I arrive at that definition?Who and what have been influential? • What’s the balance of “doing” and

“being” in my definition of success? • Do any of these elements need to

be included in my success definition:creativity (the development or expres-

sion of it), competition(coming out on top andwinning recognition), giv-ing back, learning, growth.non-work-related achieve-ments, money? • What is prosperity for me? • What must money makepossible for me to feel suc-cessful?

• What legacy do I want to beremembered for?

Now complete the following sen-tence: “I know I’m successful when….”

To move from reflection to action,answer these questions: How doesmy definition of success match withhow I spend my time? What changesdo I need to make this month to movecloser to my definition of success?

Best wishes for a fulfilling journeytoward your success destination! PE

Nina Ham is a certified coach, licensed psychothera-pist and president of Success from the Inside Out.www.SuccessfromtheInsideOut.com, Nina@womenssuccesscoach.com

ACTION: Discover your success footprint.

MENTAL/FLOW

8 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

MENTAL/SUCCESS

Uncovering Your Success Footprint Must you make changes?

Focus onthe PresentIt’s where flow happens.

M o n t h 2 0 0 1 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 9

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need to be doing the right things—thethings that will help you achieve yourgoals. Build these tasks into yourschedule and monitor your progresstoward achieving them.

3. Success revolves around practicalsystems. Create and use simple sys-tems to produce desired results consis-tently. It’s the best way to avoid havingto reinvent the wheel every time youwant a ride. People who make little useof systems in their work are workingfar too hard to do things that shouldhappen automatically. Simplify andsystematize routine functions. Systemsshould be well designed, reviewed tomake sure they operate effectively, keptup to date, and facilitate achieving goals.

4. Success comes through consistentexecution. Your best-laid plans will notwork unless you make them work.Many people have elaborate plans butnever execute their plans. It is wastefulto design elaborate plans, then fail toimplement them. So, discipline yourselfto be proactive rather than reactive andto pay close attention to the four ele-ments of effective execution: 1) Alwaysknowing what to do and when to do it(urgent matters will always arise to fillany time that is not committed to moreimportant actions). The most importantquestion at any given moment is “Whatshould I do next?” Knowing what to donext is the best safeguard against wast-ed motion. 2) Having the knowledgeand skills to do it well. Find out whatthe most successful people do and fol-low their example. 3) Being motivatedand disciplined to do whatever it takesto get the job done. The key to self-disci-pline is desire. Make sure your planscall for you to be doing what you enjoymost and are best suited to do. If theydon’t, self-discipline is drudgery. 4) Be-ing consistent. The soul of execution istaking the appropriate actions consis-tently. If your plan does not produce theresults you desire, don’t just abandon orquit doing what you had planned.Come up with a new plan you canimplement consistently. Make sure yourhabits help you achieve your vision.

Master Key to SuccessThe master key to your professional

success is to act like you’re in business

for yourself. Develop business acumenand savvy. See that the people side ofyour business is even more vital to prof-its and ROI than the financial and tech-nical side. Human relation skills aremore vital now than ever. So, find cre-ative ways to show people that youcare. Become more astute in the waysyou manage every aspect of your prac-tice. Think through the long-term impli-cations of every action you take. Engagein long-range planning and goal-setting.Predict trends and develop strategies totake advantage of them. Make a seriouscommitment to market yourself. Dothings right and do the right things.Manage your time effectively andsharpen your negotiating skills. Andconstantly monitor your progress.

Being a successful professional todayis harder for five reasons:

1. The need for professional expertiseis greater than ever before. Our world ismore complex, and people are relying onexperts for more things they can’t do.

2. The supply of professionals is great-er than ever before. Many professions haveattracted so many new practitioners inrecent years that they are overloaded.

3. The cost and risk of doing businesshave skyrocketed. In most professions,liability insurance—as expensive as itis—is an absolute necessity.

4. You need a broader range of knowl-edge and skill. This is the era of the sec-ond opinion. Every recommendation wemake has to be backed by solid data andsound reasoning. And, what we learntoday may be obsolete tomorrow.

5. The marketplace is different. Thisis the age of consumerism. Our clientsare better educated, more sophisticated,and more value-conscious. They demandtangible and measurable results—not justinformation, and motivation. PE

Nido Qubein is a speaker and author on sales, commu-nication, and leadership. He is president of High PointUniversity, serves on several boards, and is chairmanof Great Harvest Bread Company. 336-889-3010,www.nidoqubein.com.

ACTION: Enjoy professional success.

by Nido Qubein

IHAVE DISCOVERED FOUR KEYSto professional success: 1. Success grows out of a

clear vision. A vision starts as an idea inyour mind or imagination and growsinto a dream—perhaps even an obses-sion. To provide such focus, your visionmust first be clear. Vague visions lead toconfused activities and lost motion. Statethe central, unique premise of yourvision in 20 words or less. The more spe-cific your vision is, the better yourchances of success are. Your vision mustalso be practical and workable. Find theright idea—the one that you can makework. Your vision must capture yourenthusiasm and enable you to inspireothers. You have to want it before youcan make it happen. Your vision must fityour skills, resources, and strengths; oth-erwise, you’ll chase the wrong dreams.Find the right niche for your uniqueskills and resources. Your vision must beadaptable enough to survive changesand new conditions. And, your visionmust be marketable. The perceivedvalue of an idea lies in its rarity—themore people there are who can do whatyou do, the less market value yourvision has. What gives you differentialadvantage? Express what you hope toachieve in a clear and specific vision.

2. Success results from a solid strat-egy. Even the greatest ideas are of littlevalue unless they are backed up by apractical and workable plan of action.Setting up a good strategic planrequires you to translate your visioninto measurable goals. Decide whatyou want to accomplish in five years(your long-range goals) and breakthose goals down into things you willachieve in the next six months or year(intermediate goals) and then the nextmonth (short-term goals). Break yourgoals down into achievable objectives.Dr. Robert Schuller says, “Yard by yard,life is hard; inch by inch, it’s a cinch.”Objectives add purpose and directionto your activities. Set up specific waysyou will achieve your objectives. Andthen choose tasks you must completeeach day to achieve your goals. Beyondworking hard to do things right, you

Gear Up for Success B e p r o a c t i v e i n y o u r p r o f e s s i o n .

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P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 9

PROFESSIONAL/PERFORMANCE

MENTAL/EDUCATIONFour Tenets to Live By

I offer you the following four tenetsfor you to live by:

1. Never forget the power of educa-tion. Bell Hooks, an English professor,explains how she viewed herself as astudent: “I entered the classroom withthe conviction that it was crucial for meand every other student to be an activeparticipant, not a passive consumer.Education connects the will to knowwith the will to become. Learning is aplace where paradise can be created.”

2. Seek out knowledge; not becauseyou have to, but because you want to.Voltaire once said, “Judge a man by hisquestions, rather than by his answers.”

3. Cultivate yourself as a person ofgood character, extreme intelligence,and as an excellent citizen. On July 1,1776, Robert Morris voted against theDeclaration of Independence becausehe wished to hold out for reconcilia-tion. On July 4, he declined to vote. On

August 2, however, he signed it, saying,“I am not a politician who runs testywhen my own plans are not adopted. Ithink it is the duty of a good citizen tofollow when he cannot lead.”

4. Support others in their desire tolearn by teaching and modeling.Gwendolyn Brooks, a noted poet, wrote,“We are each other’s harvest; we areeach other’s business; we are eachother’s magnitude and bond.” AlbertEinstein once said, “Physicists know thatthe distinction between past, present,and future is only a persistent illusion.”Break that illusion and let the pastbeliefs about education and citizenryinter-mingle with your present pursuitof scholarship and your future actions.

Be the torchbearer. Lead the way inthe classroom and community. PE

Dacia Charlesworth, Ph.D., is a professor at RobertMorris University. This article is adapted from herspeech to RMU students and is used with permission ofVital Speeches. Charlesworth@RMV.edu, 412-262-8282

ACTION: Continue your education.

by Dacia Charlesworth

THIS YEAR MARKS MY 10TH

anniversary as an educa-tor. When I first entered the

college classroom as a graduate teach-ing assistant, I was naïve. I began everyclass by asking students to tell me whythey were pursuing a college degree. Istopped doing this a few years agowhen I started getting the same answer:“To get a job and make money.”

I hope that you recognize yourobligation to succeed in ways that tran-scend grades. With scholarship comes aresponsibility to develop leadershipand a duty to perform service. Oneway for you to fulfill these obligationsis for you to understand the linkbetween education and citizenry.

Education, while still valued, wasonce prized above all else. During theRenaissance, citizens were expected tolive vita activa. In this “active life, “ citi-zens were expected to place the needsof their country first, then the needs ofother citizens, their family and friends,and finally their own needs. Contem-porary individualistic culture does notfacilitate vita activa.

Despite the historic link betweeneducation and citizenry, we have some-how lost sight of it. The current state ofhigher education worries me. Manystudents see no reason to take a class inarts and humanities, history, or intercul-tural communication. This trend makesme realize how we have failed toinform our students of their obligationsonce they leave our classrooms and col-leges. We have failed to persuade themthat a myopic education is a mistake.We have failed to teach them about thevalue of a degree—a value that tran-scends money, jobs, and careers.

When people in higher educationrefer to students as consumers, weencourage students to enter the class-room with a sense of entitlement andwatch them develop a sense of apathy.For if students see themselves as con-sumers, how can we be surprised whenthe only commodities they want aregrades and degrees, rather than knowl-edge and competency?

by Denis Waitley

TODAY YOU NEED A PER-sonal strategy for

achieving excellence. Youcan’t go to your place of business onautopilot. You are responsible for yoursuccess or failure. You mustbecome a lifelong learnerand leader. The power bro-kers are knowledge facilita-tors. Ignorance enslaves.

Two Action StepsThese are the new rules

in the game of life. Youmust take these actions tobe a leader and change master.

Action Step 1. Consider yourselfself-employed, but be a team player.You are the CEO of your future. Takingresponsibility for yourself means thatyou never equate your personal long-term interests with your employer’s.Resolve not to suffer the fate of thosewho lost their jobs and found theirskills obsolete. Protect yourself againstthat possibility by becoming proactiveinstead of reactive. Ask yourself: Howvulnerable am I? What trends must I

watch? What information must I gain?What knowledge do I lack?

Get some training. Update your skills.Make sure you have your own privatepension plan, since you are responsi-ble for your own financial security.

Entrusting the government or an em-ployer, other than yourself, with yourretirement income is like hiring a com-pulsive gambler as your accountant.

You’re the CEO of your daily lifewho must have the vision to set yourgoals and allocate your resources.

Action Step 2: Be flexible in the faceof daily surprises. We live in a time-starved, overstressed, violent society.Much of our over-reaction to what hap-

pens to us daily is a result ofour self-indulgent valuesystem, where we blameothers for our problems,look to others for our solu-tions, thirst for sensual grat-ification, and believe weshould have privilegeswithout responsibilities.This condition is manifested

in anger, crime, and violence.I have learned how to be flexible in

the face of daily surprises. I haven’tbeen angry for about 17 years. I’ve re-served my fear or anger for imminent-ly dangerous situations. I rarely get up-set with what people say, do, or don’tdo—unless it abuses someone. I’velearned not to sweat the small stuff. PE

Denis Waitley is a respected author, speaker, and pro-ductivity consultant. deniswaitley.jimrohn.com,hilary@jimrohn.com, 800-929-0434

ACTION: Take these two active steps.

Value of anEducationL i v e b y f o u r t e n e t s .

1 0 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

From Motivation to Motive-action Set goals, allocate resources.

MENTAL/MOTIVATION

enriching experience. Because it sets agood example for my kids. Because Ilearn from the people I work with.Because it gives me humility, puts thingsin perspective, keeps me grounded, andallows me to make a real contribution.

Philanthropy is not something I doout of a sense of civic duty, or to benefitmy business interests. I do it because itis personal, and I do it with passion. Ialso do it sometimes just because peopleask. I don’t give to organizations. I giveto people who I want to be around. Iwant to work with them, and for them.They inspire and challenge me, andthey are committed to their causes.

I don’t mean to imply I give only tofriends, or even only to people I know.Often, it’s the other way around—thepeople whose causes I support becomemy friends. I give to people in whom Isee a spark, a passion, an ability tomake their dreams a reality.

Contribute to CommunityWhat kind of community you want

to live in—a great one or a crummyone? A crummy com-munity is one wherethe prevailing ethos is“I got mine!” Peopleare only out forthemselves. A greatcommunity is onewhere people care fortheir neighbors, andeveryone has achance to succeed.

For those who feellike they don’t havemoney to give, Iwould remind youthat many times thosewith the least give themost—check out the

collection baskets of any church in alow-income area if you need proof ofthat! Wealth is not required. If you can’tgive money, give time.

But give wisely. Craft a personal mis-sion statement. If you know what youare shooting for, you’ll be more likely toachieve it. With a mission statement,you’ll find causes that stir your interest.Ask yourself what concerns you orexcites you most—and translate thatinto the causes you want to support.

I don’t care what you give to, justgive—you’ll find it to be immenselyrewarding. There is very little in life sosatisfying as giving back. PE

Michael Brader-Araje is a partner in truePilot. Thisarticle is adapted from his speech to the YoungEntrepreneurs Association and used with permission ofVital Speeches. www.truepilot.com

ACTION: Give to your favorite causes.

P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 1 1

SERVICE/GIVING

Why Give Back?G i v e w i t h a s e n s e o f m i s s i o n .

me, and I have a responsibility to dothat for the people who come after me.Of course, the biggest challenge in phil-anthropy is being effective. Bill Gateshas said that giving his money awayeffectively has been a much greaterchallenge than earning it.

It’s not simply handouts that make adifference. You’ve all heard the saying:day. Teach him to fish and—he’ll askyou to buy him a boat.

Cutting-edgethought in philanthropy says, if youteach that person to fish, and then lendhim the money to buy a boat, he’llcatch enough fish to pay you back withmoderate interest. Then you canlend profits to the cleaning womanwho wants to expandinto a cleaning service.She’ll also pay youback with interest,while creating jobs forothers and even send-ing her kids to col-lege—and it goes onfrom there.

I believe in venturephilanthropy andsocial entrepreneurshipthat is fueled by pas-sion, optimism, and adesire for success. Inphilanthropy, you’rebuilding social capital.The question is, howyou measure success? Just becausemany achievements can’t be measured,doesn’t mean they can’t make a differ-ence. How do you prove how manykids you’ve kept off drugs? How manyteen pregnancies you’ve prevented?How do you count how many mindsyou’ve changed, how many heartsyou’ve touched, how may peopleyou’ve empowered?

3. Personal reasons. I believe deeplythat it is in my best interest to help oth-ers. For example, every dime I giveaway to help other people in NorthCarolina makes this state a better placeto live for me, for my wife, our chil-dren, and our future grandchildren.

When I first began pondering thisquestion of Why give back?, I started topile up answers: Because I can. Becauseit’s the right thing to do. Because it’s an

by Michael Brader-Araje

PHILANTHROPY, CHARITY, GIV-ing back, or paying it for-

ward is tricky. Mark Twainonce attended a philanthropic lecture,and before he had heard anything hedecided to give $100 to the cause. Asthe speaker droned on, however, heslashed his contribution—first in half,and then to $10. When the speaker fin-ished and the basket was passed, Twainremoved a dollar for his trouble!

I admit that the “why give back?”question gives me pause, because I’venever been able to fully answer it.

I’ve always had a sense of responsi-bility to those around me, and believestrongly in sharing my good fortune.This idea was instilled early in me. Yousee, I attended a parochial high school,but did not enjoy my required religionclasses. So I worked out a deal to sub-stitute my religion classes with commu-nity service, spending every Saturdayat a nursing home. In a sense, philan-thropy became my religion.

Three Basic ReasonsSo, “Why give back?” I think the

arguments fall into three basic areas: 1. Public reasons. The best argument

to give is simply because it can be oneof the most effective methods of tack-ling the world’s problems. The moreenlightened attitudes with which weapproach a host of human issues—fromcivil rights to mental illness to alco-holism—usually began with the effortsof a group of concerned citizens actingtogether and raising money for theircause. Typically, such coming togetherimproves the relationships between dif-ferent groups of people who may nototherwise talk to each other.

Even if you don’t buy the basic do-gooder argument, you have to buy intothe more crass financial one. For exam-ple, helping teenagers function to thehighest of their abilities saves all of usmoney later when they are adults, byhelping them be self-sufficient andindependent instead of on welfare orinstitutionalized.

2. Business reasons. In business, I’vebenefited from the vision, foresight andgenerosity of those who came before

self, “Where will it lead?” An angrydeparture may result in divorce. So,retrace your steps and heal the wounds.• It is never a small thing to break a

promise. Where will it lead? It willweaken the moral fiber you will needfor larger challenges you will face. Youmay have to choose, for example,between plagiarism or cheating to get ahigher grade or relying on honest per-sonal efforts to get what you deserve. • Other choices—such as what you do

on Sundays, which movies and televi-sion programs you watch, which joboffer you accept, what you read, andhow you spend your time—all willprofit from asking, “Where will it lead?”

On the positiveside of that question,consider the benefitsof daily scripturestudy, personal andfamily prayer, andweekly familyevenings. Where doesthat lead? There isenormous spiritualand temporal protec-tion in these practices.

Sometimes thechoice is not betweentwo actions butbetween action andinaction. Should I speak up or remainsilent? Should I allow my loved ones topursue a course I know to be injuriousand let them learn by experience, orshould I intervene to save him or herfrom that experience? Again, it is usefulto ask, “Where will it lead?”

If you see threats creeping up onpeople or things you love, you can’tafford to be indifferent or quiet. Youmust sound appropriate warnings orjoin preventive efforts while there is stilltime. Even if you can’t prevent the out-come, you can remove yourself from thecrowd who, by failing to try to inter-vene, has complicity in the outcome.

Four ConcernsHere are four areas of concern: 1. The current overemphasis on rights

and underemphasis on responsibilities.Where will this lead? No society is sostrong that it can support continuedincreases in citizen rights while neglect-

ing to foster comparable increases in citi-zen responsibilities. We can’t raise ourpublic well-being by adding to ourinventory of individual rights. Currentlywe are increasing rights and weakeningresponsibilities, and it is leading ustoward moral and civic bankruptcy.

2. Diminished readership of newspa-pers and books. The circulation andreadership of daily newspapers isdeclining, even as our population isincreasing. More people are not readingthe news of the world or about theimportant issues of the day. They rely onwhat others tell them or on the soundbites of television news. Where will thislead? It is leading us to a less concerned,less thoughtful, and less informed citi-zenry, and that results in less responsiveand less responsible government.

3. What is being taught or not beingtaught in the schools that shapes thethinking and values of our children. Ifear that some of the values being taughtor not being taught to the young peoplein public schools, private schools, and

ministerial schools arevery different from thevalues that haveshaped this nation andits people. What arewe doing to registerour concerns with thevalues of some ofthose who teach ourfuture leaders? Failureto attend to this con-cern will lead us awayfrom civic virtue, civicresponsibility, andprosperity.

4. The destructionof trust in public figures and public offi-cials. Much of public discourse, mediacoverage, and entertainment consists ofcontent that destroys trust in those per-sons and offices that should function asmoral guides for society. We often seeauthority figures portrayed as scheming,dishonest, and unworthy of trust.Discredit authority figures—public offi-cials, teachers, ministers, or others—andwhere will it lead? It will encouragedoubts about the laws, rules, and princi-ples they administer, and lead to skepti-cism about or withdrawal from the tiesthat bind us together.

I suggest using this question Wherewill it lead? as a standard against whichwe can measure many decisions. PE

Dallin H. Oaks is a member of the Quorum of theTwelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This article is adapted with permission fromhis speech at Brigham Young University. 801-422-2299,speeches@byu.edu

ACTION: Ask, where will it lead?

by Dallin H. Oaks

THE DIRECTION IN WHICHyou are headed and the

choices you make along theroad of life are critically important,especially at the beginning of your jour-ney. Small errors in direction can causelarge tragedies in destination.

What seem to be only small devia-tions in direction or small detours canresult in huge differences in positiondown the road of life.

Consider the terrible consequences ofpartaking of anything that can be addic-tive such as tobacco, alcohol, or pornog-raphy. Where does this lead? It leads tothe destruction of family relationships—sometimes even to prison sentencesfor abusive behavior. Get mixed upwith this garbage and it will lead youto the landfill—the dumping ground ofyour dreams and destinies. The way toavoid being addicted is to avoid eventhe first step—refraining from all addic-tive substances and practices.

Potentially destructive deviationsoften seem so small that you may findit easy to justify “just this once.” Still, Iurge you to ask, “Where will it lead?” • Suppose you are home with your

children. A person you don’t want totalk to is calling on the phone or com-ing to the door. You are tempted tohave the children tell them you are nothome. “Where will it lead?” If you dothis, you show your children that youwill lie to gain an advantage. • By overindulging your children with

material goods and privileges, you risknot teaching them the values of hardwork, delayed gratification, honesty,and compassion. Where will this lead?You deprive your children of growth. • If you believe that your children can

do no wrong, you may defend themagainst any criticism, correction, orpainful experience from anyone outsidethe family circle. A low grade in schoolor a correction from a coach may callforth a storm of criticism as you defendyour child at all costs. Where will thislead? It will undercut your child’s re-spect for authority and learning.• When disagreements occur in mar-

riage and you are tempted to run awayfrom your spouse for a time, ask your-

1 2 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

Where Will It Lead?Consider where your act ions wil l take you.

SERVICE/LEADERSHIP

2. Check your monthly spendingaccount allocations. When you set upyour monthly spending plan, youshould create an envelope spendingaccount for each debt on your list. Eachmonth, make your debt payments fromthe spending accounts you have creat-ed. After you pay off the first debt, youneed to make an adjustment by addingthe monthly allocation for that debt tothe monthly allocation of the spendingaccount for the next priority debt. Thiswill be repeated each time a debt is paidoff. Before long, you will eliminate all ofyour consumer debt and will make larg-er mortgage payments.

Step 3. Accelerate your debt paymentwith monthly spending account trans-fers. Once you create a debt-eliminationplan, you can accelerate your debtrepayment by transferring savings fromyour spending accounts to your debtrepayment accounts. Many people cansave an additional 10 percent eachmonth by using an envelope system. Ifyou have a net monthly income of$5,000, the additional amount you cansave using the envelope system couldbe as much as $500. Imagine how quick-ly you can eliminate your consumerdebt if you add 10 percent of your netmonthly income to your debt payments.

How much money could you saveand invest if you were not paying inter-est? Perhaps several thousand dollarseach year. Invested properly, this addi-tional money may make a big differencein the lifestyle you choose later in life.Using an envelope system to implementthe debt roll-down principle will helpyou accomplish this objective.

With consumer debt at an all-timehigh, more people are looking for helpwith financial management, debt reduc-tion, and spending management. Andgiven the debt carried by the averagefamily, Financial Freedom is among thetop New Year’s Resolutions: increasedsavings, debt reduction, and increasedinvestments and retirement planning.

By following the steps outlined in theDebt Roll-Down method, you can movetoward eliminating all of your con-sumer debt. If you partner this withyour envelope budgeting system, youtoo can reach financial fitness, regard-less of your income level. The amountof money that you earn matters lessthan how you spend the money thatyou do earn. You simply have to spendless than you make consistently. PE

Steven B. Smith is the President and CEO of In2MCorporation and the author of Money for Life—Budgeting Success and Financial Fitness in Just 12-Weeks. www.in2m.com, jennifer.streiff@in2m.com

ACTION: Eliminate your consumer debt.

P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 1 3

recording transactions, and balancingseveral different accounts. In our nearcashless society, it’s harder than ever tokeep track of every purchase.

In Money for Life, I talk about elimi-nating debt using the Debt Roll-DownMethod. Start by determining the totalmonthly payment you can make towarddebt repayment. Each time you pay off adebt, you add the payment for that debtto the monthly payment for the next pri-ority debt. This will accelerate the rate atwhich this debt is paid. This process iscontinued until all debt has been elimi-nated. The key is to continue making thesame aggregate debt payment eachmonth. Following this debt-elimination

principle can assist you in eliminating allof your debt, including your mortgage,in as few as seven years.

There are two ways to prioritize debtrepayment: smallest-to-largest outstand-ing balance or highest-to-lowest interestrate. Since you will eliminate your debtfaster if you begin with the debt carry-ing the highest interest rate, you shouldprioritize your repayment based on theinterest rate—highest to lowest.

Three StepsYou can quickly set up your rapid re-

payment plan by following these steps.1. Create a list of all debt. The first

step is to create a list of all debt. This listshould include the name of the debt, thecurrent outstanding balance, theplanned monthly payment, and theinterest rate for each. Begin with thedebt having the highest interest rate andend with the debt having the lowest.

by Steven B. Smith

GETTING OUT OF DEBT IS Akey to becoming finan-

cially fit. In a society drivenby financial excess, reaching this goal isincreasingly difficult, but it can be donewith determination and the right tools.

In America, the average householddebt has grown to $18,700, with creditcards and auto loans combined. Thisincreasing debt load suggests that wecontinue to spend more than we make.Half of us fail to maintain householdbudgets. Four main reasons are cited: • I have a good idea what I can afford;

I don’t need to keep a budget. Manyfamilies spend about 10 percent moreeach month than they earn becausethey don’t know how much is spent, orhow much money is available. • Budgeting is too difficult, too time

consuming, or too confusing. Budgetingcan be all of the above if you lack theright tools or information. But with theright tools, budgeting (spending man-agement) can be easy and fast. The keyis using today’s technology to simplifythe process, not complicate it. • I start budgeting, but loose momen-

tum as the year goes on. One key tosuccessful spending management isconsistency. By using the right toolsand putting a plan in place, you canconsistently spend less than you earnand eliminate your debt. • It is too hard to stick to a set budget

with more than one person making pur-chases and using the accounts. Bud-geting can be difficult with multiplepeople spending from multiple accounts.However, by using an envelope budget-ing system, everyone can be involved increating a spending plan and know whatmoney is available to spend and howlong it has to last. Using an online appli-cation like Mvelopes® Personal makes iteasier. Your spending plan can be ac-cessed through a secure online connec-tion from any PC with Internet access.

To eliminate debt, you must consis-tently spend less than you make, notincur new debt, and make paymentstoward reducing your existing debt. Todo this, you need a spending plan orbudget. Maintaining a budget can be adaunting task—tracking purchases,

FINANCIAL/RISK

Get Out of Debt B e c o m e f i n a n c i a l l y f i t .

1 4 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

won. Am I a genius? My results areimpressive, but are you comfortablewith the strategy? Would you hire anadvisor that took such risks?

There is enough noise, variation,random drift, dumb luck, and termerror in the investment process thateven a brain-dead strategy will some-times produce superior results. Chasingthose results rather than putting theminto the context of a rational strategycan lead to disaster. Conversely, eventhe most brilliant strategy can’t guaran-tee continuous stellar results.

Implementing strategy demands along-term perspective and discipline. Themarket will not deliver our assumptionsyear after year just because we adopt areasonable strategy (or even a greatstrategy). But focusing on strategy is the

by Frank Armstrong III

I N V E S T I N G I S A N O I S Yprocess. Short term, you

can’t distinguish betweencause and effect. Long term, even withthe best planning, expect wide varia-tions in results. Investors must makedecisions in a climate of uncertainty.

Worse yet, investors are barragedwith conflicting advice, each clamoringfor attention, competing for scarceinvestment dollars, offering “proof” oftheir superiority, and holding outimages of simple and mystical solu-tions to complex problems.

As they wrestle with this dilemma,investors often confuse strategy withoutcome. That’s a serious mistake.

Investment strategy is forward look-ing. We develop a strategy because wewish to exert influence over an out-come and deal with uncertainties.

Investment strategies should bedeveloped from a sound foundation infinancial economics and investmentphilosophy. The strategy must be tai-lored to the unique needs of eachinvestor, considering his or her finan-cial position, time horizon, attitudetoward risk, and objectives. It mustconsider both opportunities for gainand ability to bear loss. The best strate-gy offers the highest probability of asuccessful outcome, limits the chancesof failure—however defined, and takesno more risk than necessary to achievean acceptable outcome.

We take a conservative approach. Asfiduciaries, responsible for other peo-ple’s money, we are not looking for astrategy that will deliver the highestpossible return without regard for risk.

Outcomes are only known after thefact. Investment outcomes are crystalclear. The results are there for the worldto see. It is simple to compare outcomesover time. This precision often givesthese outcomes additional weight inthe investor’s thought process.

The quality of the strategy can’t nec-essarily be inferred from the results, norcan we equate the best outcome with thebest strategy. For instance, suppose lastyear I took your family fortune to LasVegas, placed it on a red square and

Strategy vs.OutcomeDon’t confuse the two.

FINANCIAL/STRATEGY

by Ann Marosy

WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR-self up to the power

of setting financial goals,miracles can happen, especially whenyou follow five rules:

1. Create an annual goalchart. Divide your goalchart into six major areasof life: social relationships,professional work, finan-cial wellbeing, physical fit-ness, mental health, andspiritual or characterdevelopment. Set three orfour annual goals for each area.Transfer only three or four of them eachmonth to your calendar. So you mayhave about 30 goals for the year, butonly focus on a few each month.

2. Make your goal chart visual.Make your goal chart graphicallybeautiful, using pictures and photos ofthe things you want to achieve. Byusing creative visualization techniques,you draw to you the objects of yourgoals and imbed images in your mindof the goals that you want to manifest.Your unconscious mind is a brilliantand powerful resource designed todraw to you that which you wish.

3. List no more than six financialgoals. Prioritize your goals, make themmeasurable, and start working on oneor two at a time. Keep it simple. Do notoverwhelm yourself.

4. Break down your goals intosmaller action steps. For example, “Togenerate $40,000 per year income, Ineed 10 clients each week.”

5. When you achieve your top onegoal, cross it off the list and begin work-ing on another one. If you list too manygoals and start working on them all atonce, you may become so overwhelmedwith the process that you give up.

Sometimes you may achieve whatyou desire more easily by simply focus-ing on the actual outcome you want toachieve, rather than the physical item.

For example: you maywant a new car. How-ever, ask yourself: “Whydo I want a new car? Ismy existing car in badrepair? Am I havingtransportation problemsin my family and needanother car or differentcar to solve them?”

So, instead of asking for a new car,your ultimate objective may be:“Freedom from transportation prob-lems” or “Carefree, comfortable andenjoyable transportation.” Then waitand see what happens. You may get anew car, or you may solve your prob-lem with a better solution—one thatyou had not originally thought of.

My favorite quote on goal settingcomes from Jim Rohn: “There’s notelling what you can do when you getinspired by goals. There’s no tellingwhat you can do when you believe inthem. And there’s no telling what willhappen when you act upon them.” PE

Ann Marosy is an accountant, trainer, and creatorand author of The Money Program: How to Managethe 6 Stages of Wealth. www.moneta.com.au

ACTION: Make your goal chart (PE Plan).

FINANCIAL/GOALS

Goal SettingE x p e r i e n c e t h e m i r a c l e .

only rational route to success. Short-term outcomes contain so much noisethat they are almost useless as a guide.Whether short-term results are good orpoor, investors must look beyond themto create the best strategy to deal withtomorrow’s needs. The comparison ofoutcomes to strategy confuses luck withgenius and leads to chasing last year’swinners in the fruitless hope that tomor-row will be like yesterday. It rarely is.

Holding onto a defective or sub-opti-mal strategy that had a good outcome,or abandoning a good strategy with dis-appointing short-term results stacks theodds against success. PE

Frank Armstrong is the author of The Informed Invest-or, and founder of Investor Solutions, Inc.www.investorsolutions.com

ACTION: Devise an investment strategy.

GOALGETTERSBefore I was the CEO ofHewlett-Packard, I was adropout at UCLA. I studiedmedieval history and philoso-

phy in my undergraduate years, andsurprisingly, there wasn’t a greatdemand for those majors when I grad-uated. So, I decided to follow myfather into law and went to the UCLAlaw school. My time there was mostlydistinguished by the fact that studyinglaw gave me blinding headaches everyday. After four months, I left. Throughit all, my parents maintained faith,although after I ran around in Italy fora year right after dropping out, therewere moments of doubt. Now, if I canbecome the CEO of a Fortune 11 com-pany after dropping out of UCLA,there is no telling what you will beable to do. What’s more importantthan what you are capable of doing, iswhat you choose to do with it.

What is asked of you? I think it is touse the capabilities of this age touphold the character of this age; to usethe greatest tools the world has everseen—not just to entertain, but toinform, to inspire, to uplift, to empow-er, to use the knowledge that you havelearned to find new ways not only toconnect computers, but to connect peo-ple; to find authenticity in the real aspi-rations and experiences of real people,and to make all of us believe that wecan solve the challenges of this age andmake this world a better place.—Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard

In June 1962, Alcatraz pris-oners Frank Morris andbrothers John and ClarenceAnglin made a break for it.

Their jailbreak remains the only “unre-solved” case in the history of The Rock.The escape plan involved handmadedrills, guard uniforms, and imitationhuman heads to deter nighttime guards.The men took to the water using rain-coats as crude life vests and a makeshiftraft. The police turned up all the tools ofthe escape, but no sign of these men.

These three men overcame the feel-ing of hopelessness, accepting that des-perate times may require desperatemeasures and being methodical—accepting that every gain is a step inthe right direction. What must you doto be unstuck from what holds youdown or keeps you confined?—Keith Yamashita and Sandra Spataro,authors of Unstuck

You’ve yet to do your best work.by Carmen Mariano

THE WORLD ALWAYS ASKS FOR MORE.To be a star is to be asked for

more. The world has a short memory.The world will never stop asking formore from you. But that is okay—because you have more to give!

Perhaps you have done well, butyou have yet to do your best work orworked your hardest. How do Iknow? My sister, Natalie, told me so.Natalie is a doctor of medicine. Shereads medical journals. One articlesaid we have the capacity to learn over50 languages, think faster than theworld’s fastest computer, andmemorize every word in everybook in any college library.

Trust me: You’ve yet to doyour best. No matter howmuch you have done, you cando more. No matter how im-possible a task seems today, itwill be accomplished tomorrow. • In 1927, Charles Lindberg

flew alone for 33 hours fromNew York to Paris withoutradar, radio, parachute, automaticpilot, or sleep. He could see forwardonly by peering through a periscopemade from two pocket mirrors.• The English Channel is 22 miles

wide. Its waters are rough and cold.Most athletes who try to swim thechannel fail. In 1962, a 42-year-oldman from Argentina, AntonioAlbertondo, swam the Channel in 19hours. When he came ashore inFrance, his friends congratulated him.Antonio paused for a few minutes tosip a hot drink. Then he told hisfriends they had not seen anythingyet. With that, Antonio dove back intothe water and swam for 22 morehours, all the way back to England. • Mary Fasano’s parents pulled her

out of the eighth grade to work in acotton mill. Mary decided to go backto school 55 years later, and at age 71,she got her high school diploma. Then,she enrolled in Harvard University’sextension program and took onecourse at a time. Mary commuted 20miles to Cambridge weekly, everysemester, for 17 years! Last June, shegraduated from Harvard at age 89.

P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e 1 5

You Are a StarYou have two things in common with

Charles Lindberg, Antonio Albertondo,and Mary Fasano. You are a star, and youhave more to give, more to do, and moreto be. So don’t settle for mediocrity—oreven success—settle only for excellence.

Excellence is like my mother’sspaghetti sauce—those who have tastedit will never settle for less again.

Three RequisitesTo excel, you must believe in your-

self (confidence), never give in (persis-tence); and be positive (perspective):• Confidence. Believe in yourself.

Have faith in yourself. Be proud—notof yesterday but of today and of tomor-row. Because you are shining today,and you will shine tomorrow.• Persistence. “Never give in. Never

give in. Never give in.” Winston Chur-chill said that to the people of great Bri-tain in the darkest days of World WarII. Churchill knew what he was talking

about. It took him three years to getthrough the sixth grade because hehad trouble learning English. Buthe never gave up.

It took Leonardo Da Vinci10 years to paint the last sup-per. Michaelangelo spent sixyears lying on his back on ascaffold painting the SistineChapel ceiling.

Then there was a little girlfrom Tennessee who facedpoverty, obesity, a broken home,

and physical abuse. Today, Oprah isa multimillionaire.

When darkness and light meet, lightprevails. If you shine the light of yourfuture on the darkness of your past, thelight of your future will prevail—so doit. Shine, and shine, and shine again.Never give in. Have persistence.• Perspective. Perspective is how we

look at things. There is a positive and anegative way to look at everything. Ifyou want to achieve excellence, alwaysbe positive! Find happiness in all thatyou do! And where can you find happi-ness? Inside yourself. Smile from theinside—no matter what is happeningoutside. Make the world smile—makeyourself smile. Always. Be positive.

Don’t be so focused on the details,challenges and burdens of your life thatyou never notice its beauty, fragrance,and flowers. If you had a slow start,learn from that and have a fast future.

Remember how valuable you are.Keep shining. Be happy. Be positive. PE

Carmen Mariano is superintendent of Quincy PublicSchools. This article is adapted from her speech at thePlymouth, MA Correctional Facility. 617-984-8780

ACTION: Don’t settle for less than excellence.

PERSONAL COACH

and beliefs as you remember. You may remember that you were

thinking, “Well, here we go . . . let’shave fun . . . you know you’re ready.”Or, you may recall a little voice saying,“I don’t think I’ll ever be good enough.”

Next, read what you have writtendown , noticing the positive and nega-tive things. Remember what you weredoing when you were being positive,and let go of the negative things.

Keep a log during training for a com-petition. Afterward, read through yourlog and look for patterns. Ask yourselfthree questions: What were the positivethoughts and feelings I had and what didthey do for me? What were the negativethoughts, beliefs, and feelings I had andhow did they hinder me? Did I overcomethese negative thoughts? If so, how?

Begin analyzing each performance forsimilarities, differences, strengths, andweaknesses. Find out what you do inyour mind that helps you perform atyour peak. Become aware of the mentaland emotional beliefs, reactions, andwords that limit your performance.Become aware of the times you feel themost powerful and the times you feelpowerless, frustrated, and out of control.

From the entries in your log, you willfind the places you most need affirma-tions and visualizations to assist you inperforming at your peak. The patternsyou see also help you set your goals. PE

Kay Porter is the owner of Porter Performance Systemsand a sport psychology consultant. This article is adapt-ed from her book The Mental Athlete (Human Kinetics1-800-747-4457), www.theMentalAthlete.com

ACTION: Log and assess your thoughts.

by Kay Porter

JUST AS YOU KEEP TRACK OFyour physical training

and conditioning, so shouldyou keep track of your mental training.You have thought processes that benefitand support you in many ways, andyou also have beliefs and habits thatlimit you. You are likely unaware of whatthese are or of how they help or hinder.

Keep a written log to monitor yourthoughts and responses to competition.As you progress, you will gain morecontrol over your patterns of thoughtand your beliefs, and therefore morecontrol over your performance.

A mental training log is a diary thatyou write in after each significantworkout, event, or competition. It is anaccount of your emotional and intellec-tual process as you warm up, perform,and conclude your physical activity. Itcontains your inner thoughts and pic-tures, your fears and emotionalstrengths. Your mental training log tellsthe story of how you think, react,process, and support your physical per-formance and competence.

Your log is also a place to record allthe anger, frustration, and negativityyou might feel after a poor perfor-mance. You can use the log as a startingpoint for a new attitude, a way of let-ting go of your frustration, self-doubt,and blame so that you can start build-ing a more positive mental attitude.Your training log will help you useyour performance as a learning experi-ence—your first step toward excellence.

For example, suppose you enter acompetition. What is happening in yourmind? Is your coach talking to you, giv-ing you last-minute instructions? Do youhear the words? How do they make youfeel? Are you relaxed and smooth, or areyou tense and stiff? What is your reac-tion to your physical state of being?What is your inner voice saying? Whileyou are competing, focus on your perfor-mance. When you finish, become awareof the inner words, concepts, and feel-ings that guide you to do well or poorly.

Within 24 hours, write down thisawareness in a mental training log. Writeit down fully, from beginning to end,good and bad. Be as clear and honest asyou can, noting as many internal words

by John Clements

READING A NOVEL, Ifound one character say-

ing: “Call me a liar in public,would you? Why, I’ve half a mind to sueyou for slander!” I thought: If he’s thatupset, his whole mind should be engaged.

When I hear people say:“I’m in two minds whetherto take a vacation thismonth,” I think to myself:Then you probably don’twant to go at all, do you?

Why are folks so happyto remain in a half-heart-ed, split-brained, undecid-ed, uncommitted stateabout so many things?Why don’t they put 100percent mental effort into each task?

When you claim to have half a mindto do something, is it the half that willwrestle with the work; or the half thatfantasizes about a mythical future inwhich work is a fringe notion? Andwhen you claim to be in two mindswhether to launch a new enterprise, isone of those minds capable of address-ing the high-risk elements; or are bothyour minds tethered to the perceivedsafety of tiny risks for tiny gains?

Whenever I hear a person claiming tobe “in two minds” about a course ofaction, I know that neither of his half-minds will motivate him to action. Thecharming scatterbrain ChristopherRobin, used to sit half-way up the stairs;

and since he was neither at the bottomnor at the top, he didn’t consider him-self to be anywhere at all.

What has half a mind ever achievedfor anybody? • Did Sir Edmund Hillary wake up

one morning in 1959 and say to Ten-zing, his Sherpa guide, “I’ve half a mindto reach the summit of Everest today”? • Did Christopher Columbus seek pa-

tronage from the King of Spain in 1492with the words “I am in two minds, Sir,whether the world be round or flat; butI have half a mind to set sail anyway?”• Did Roger Bannister sit at the start-

ing blocks in 1954 andwhisper to his trainer, “I’lltry to run a mile in lessthan four minutes; but I’monly half-convinced it’shumanly possible”?

Attitude in ActionHalf measures are really

no measures at all. They’redoomed to failure.

In his letter to theCorinthians, Paul writes: “Do you notknow that in a race all runners com-pete, but only one receives the prize?So run that you may obtain it.”

Concentration (or consecration) is aprerequisite for success in any field.The Hebrew prayer Shema commands:“Thou shalt love the Lord thy Godwith all thy heart, and with all thysoul, and with all thy mind, and withall thy strength.” No half-measures! Notwo minds, or half minds, or half hearts.

Imagine what battles the you couldwin with a whole-hearted attitude. PE

John L. Clements is an author, international life andbusiness coach, and speaker in England. John@lifewisecoaching.org

ACTION: Work with all your mind.

MENTAL/PERFORMANCE

1 6 P e r s o n a l E x c e l l e n c e

MENTAL/MEASURES

Log Your IdeasBecome a mental athlete.

Half a Mind F a i l u r e i s a s s u r e d .