home grown seeds of success

7/30/2019 Home Grown Seeds of Success

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iRobert A. Prentice

Home

Grown

SEEDS ofSUCCESS


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Home Grown Seeds of SuccessBy Robert A. Prent ice

Cover design by Vicki L. Prent ice

Published in the United States of America by:Professional Development Systems410 Wessington Stree t SouthWessington SD 57381

http://www.mratt itudespeaks.comhttp://www.prair iebeacon.comhttp://www.prair iebeaconradio.com1.605.458.25631.800.437.9715

Copyright 2008 by Robert A. Prent ice

All Rights Reser ved. Published 2008, May 2008 print ing.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retr ieval systemor transmit ted by any means, elect ronic, mechanical , photocopy, recording, orother wise, without expressed wri tten permission of the publisher. Permissionis granted for copies of pages to be made for use within your own family.


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Robert A. (Bob) Prenticeis an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker,a corporate trainer, a business and marketing consultant, an author,and publisher, who began his professional career 25 years ago.

On December 26, 1989, Professional Development Systems wasestablished in Rapid City, South Dakota. In 1998, Bob moved thebusiness to Wessington, South Dakota, so his family couldexperience the benefits of living in a rural community.

Since the birth of PDS, Bob has worked with hundreds of companiesand organizations nationwide, delivering highly motivational trainingsessions in Customer Service, Leadership, Sales, Team Building

and more. Literally thousands of people participate in Bobs trainingseminars each year.

A family man, Bob and Vicki, his wife of 29 years, have enjoyedthe privilege of raising three childrentwo sons and a daughtertoadulthood. They also have an 14 year old daughter.

My friends call me

Mr. Attitude

Robert A. (Bob) PrenticeOwner & Founder of

Professional Development Systems


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Attitude is Everything .............................. 2

Life is Full of Choices ................................. 4

Got Your BAG? ............................................. 6

These People ................................................ 8

An Attitude of Gratitude ....................... 10

E Words for Life .................................. 12

Take Action Now .................................... 14

Invest and Youll Be Rich ........................ 16

Success Comes from Failure .................. 18Stress Management Solutions ............ 20

Work Builds Character .......................... 22

Maximize Your Mondays ...................... 24

Think and Thank ..................................... 26

Passion of a Vision .................................. 28

Learn Something Every Day .................. 30Opportunity Knocking ........................... 32

Opportunity in Disguise .......................... 34

Are You Ready? ........................................ 36

Spirit of Tenacity .................................... 38

Live with Enthusiasm ............................. 40

Its Never Too Late ................................ 42

Attitudes of Excellence .......................... 44

Four Phases of Attitude ......................... 46

Mastering Change .................................. 48

Face Your Fears ........................................ 50

Table of Contents

Sharpening Your Axe .............................. 52

Dare to Dream Big Dreams ...................... 54

Focused Discipline .................................... 56

Check Up from the Neck Up ................... 58

Listening with Both Ears On ................. 60

A Time Management Tool that Works .. 62

A Goal Achieving Formula ........................ 64

Life Strategies ........................................... 66

5 Steps to Thinking Creat ive ly ............... 68Make Someones Day ................................ 70

What Goes Around Comes Around ........ 72

Shift Your Paradigm ................................ 74

Live in Day-Tight Compartments ........... 76

Expect the Best of Others ...................... 78

When Youre Green Youre Growing ........ 80

Mastering Priorities ................................ 82

Laughter is Like Sunshine ........................ 84

Taking a Risk .............................................. 86

Problems vs. Challenge s ............................ 88

Cherish the Simple .................................... 90

Joy in the Lit tle Things ............................ 92

Surefire Ways to Beat Discouragement .. 94

Empowered Decision Making .................. 96

Be a People Builder ..................................... 98

Hope is ContagiousPass i t On! ............. 100


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So, are you ready to be inspired? I wasnt.

I can recall the first day that I encountered him. On a day like any other, myfellow employees and I were summoned from our collective work areas and

asked to cram ourselves into a meager, congested auditorium. There we would

be forced to listen to some guy our managers hired to come and speak to us.

Oh yeah, cant wait, this is going to be awesome. So what youre telling me

is that I gotta kick back, waste an hour and a half of my day and watch some

crackpot chastise us for not having that Go get em spirit. Right, I cant wait to

see what this palooka looks like. The last thing I need is for some pumped up,

mindless guru egotist, jumpin for Jehoshaphat thinking hes a male cheerleaderwannabe and come tell me how to improve myself. Cant think of a better way

to spend an afternoon. So here we are, slaves to whatever this nincompoop

gushes, trying to put plastic smiles on our faces while this guy tries to cram his

little rays of sunshine into our heads. How lucky are we, us poor little town folk,

to have this guy come share his wisdom with us? I was ready to let the Human

Sedative do the proper thing which was put me to sleep for the next 90 minutes.

As we all shuffled our way into the auditorium, I began peering around the room

to try and spot the unfamiliar face in the bunch, for I knew that would be ourspeaker. As I looked around the room, all that I could see were mostly familiar

faces. However, one did look different, but he wasnt exotic. He was way too

modest looking to be our speaker. He couldnt be our speaker. He must be a new

hire.

As we all got situated in our chairs and anxiously awaited the seminar to get

over, I started to realize that the new hire guy was slowly meandering towards

the front of the room. That cant be!, I thought, Thats the speaker? For one,

the guy was far too modest, almost to the point of ordinary. Second, speakersin his field are supposed to be six foot, eight inch superhero look-a-likes with

supernatural powers and a kung fu grip. He was not that, either. Lastly, every

motivational speaker I could ever recall had a bright, shiny, ultra-sonic perma-

grin surgically impressed on their face - a grin so bright that a mere straight on

glimpse of them smiling would pulverize your retinas and place you in a zombie-

like trance. This guy showed no signs of that. What on Earth was going on here?

Forward


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What could this guy be selling?

One word: Attitude.

It came in the form of Bob Prentice.

Bob walked out onto the forefront and began to take hold of the crowd

immediately. He was ordinary, but then again, he wasnt. He invited the crowd

into a glimpse of what life used to be like for him, a life eerily familiar to most of

us. He spoke of what it used to be like for him to go to work. No joy was in his

workday. No passion. He was amongst the vast majority of us who walk into

our jobs everyday and either despise it or dismiss it as something we have to do.

He gave the accounts of his co-workers and their response to what it was like to

have to work with a malcontent, such as Bob. Bitter. Angry. Unmotivated. At this

time, he was no different than the rest of us. He was simply doing his job and

going to work.

Life had gotten so bad for Bob, one day he finally erupted. I use the term

erupted because no other word could express a complete lack of containment

of a combustible source. (Erupted, now there is a good E word.) In an area

rarely found but residing in each of us, Bob made a decision one day that would

change his life forever. He decided not to go to work the very next day, instead,

Bob opted to go to FUN. He told us how he went to work with a completely

overhauled mentality. He became a man unfazed, undaunted, and best of all,

unhinged. His attitude was going to dictate how his life was going to be. Lifewould be positive from that point on.

As Bob conveyed his revelation to my co-workers and myself, his expression

of joy from his decision was so intense, it was as though he was shot out of

a cannon. Immediately the raucous crowd became a bubbling cauldron of

jubilance about to boil over. Bob had taken the once dormant crowd and now

had it in a complete frenzy. He began to call upon the crowd for assistance and

within seconds an enormous cascade of E words were going off around the

room like firecrackers. E words like Excitement,Energetic, and Enthusiasticwere being shouted out by my fellow employees. The voices in the crowd were

yelling out these E words as though they had been stifled for ages. I had

worked with most these people for roughly four years and had never seen most

of them behaving in such a fashion. I had gone to work that day, and the fun

was what ensued. Bob expressed the importance of our dreams and how each

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of us need people who are important to us holding us accountable for those

dreams. He expressed the need for each of us to set goals and deadlines and

the necessity of being positive and diligent towards those goals. He showed

each of us has the capability within ourselves, provided we keep our nose to the

grindstone, to plow through obstacles standing in our way and to not succumb tonegative thought patterns. He showed us something real that day. He showed

us all that day what happens when Mr. Attitude speaks.

About a year ago, my wife and I moved and she took a job in retail. It was

her first job in sales and her first where she would receive commission for her

efforts. In the beginning, she loved it. The job was fun. Her co-workers were

supportive. She had a wonderful rapport with the customers and thoroughly

enjoyed what she did and for whom she worked. Then the Holiday season hit.

Suddenly, the demeanor of my wife began to change. She would come home,

some days crying, and explaining how many of her co-workers had changed

because they knew just how big their commission checks would be through the

holidays. Customers were being swarmed to and greed was getting in the way of

teamwork. I remember all my wife would repeat over and over is she wanted to

go to fun. After the holidays ended, my wife decided to resign her position and

begin to work for herself, designing artwork and shooting photography. The only

name that either one of us ever considered for assistance was Bob Prentice.

It has been two years since my wife and I first met Bob. He has since become

our mentor, both in business and in life. He has taken my wifes business and

is helping to create a vision for her work. He has devoted his time, spirit and

knowledge to try and better our approach towards people and life. Bob has

shown us the importance of selfless giving and how in doing so, it pays back in

measures one cant even imagine. Through early struggles and overwhelming

obstacles, Bob has been there teaching us ways to get past ourselves and

the self deprecating mindsets most of us have. His vision is tremendous. His

spirit is undeniable. His value to us is unmeasurable. Take the wisdom he has

and make it your own. At the very least, youll walk away feeling better about

yourself, your dreams and your potential. One thing is for certain, you do nothave to be quiet to hear Mr. Attitude speak.

Paul & Gerri Register

Sioux Falls, South Dakota


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I wish, first of all, to dedicate Home Grown to my parents,

Robert and Ramona Prentice, who planted the seeds of

working hard and persevering until the job was done in me.Thank you Mom and Dad for the great legacy you have given me.

Secondly, I dedicate this book to my wife and helpmeet,

Vicki, who has for thirty years traveled this journey with me,

and every step of the way has been a tremendous support

to me in whatever I have set out to do, personally and professionally.

Thanks for all you do, Vicki. I know that I could never have asked

for a better support system than the one I have in you.

Finally, I dedicate this book to my children and grandchildren

and all the future generations that come from my life.

I have always hoped to live a life as an encourager to others.

I pray that I have modeled healthy positive attitudes with a

strong commitment to a proper mental attitude on a daily basis.

You have been my motivation and inspiration.

I want to be a leader first at home, then in business.

Dedication & Thanks

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I was very fortunate to have been raised on a farm where Mom and Dad taught

us kids some awesome lifelong principles. Even though I did not realize at the

time just how fortunate I was, now I am able to look back in appreciation of all

that I learned growing up on the farmthings like

Nothing in life is free or easy

Get up and out of bed early every morning

Work and work hard

To harvest a crop, you must first plant

Pick weeds and pick the rocks

Keep the barn clean

The list could go on and on.

In those days, I always had lots of chores to do on the farm, but planting seeds is

still my favorite thing to do. Since I moved away from the farm many years ago,

I discovered a way to continue planting seeds. Instead of planting wheat and

corn seeds into the rich, fertile soil of the earth, I now plant what I call positive

seeds into the lives of others. I plant seeds of hope, seeds of love, seeds of

encouragement, seeds of wisdom, seeds of ideas, and of course, seeds of

success.

Sometimes, just like on the farm, the seeds have fallen on rocky ground, and

the result is little or no harvest. But many, many times the seeds have fallen on

the lives of people who were hungry for growth, for change, for a richer, fuller,

happier, and more productive life.

Today I am humbled by the thousands of clients, friends, and associates from

all over the nation, who have become an intimate part of my life just because

I chose to plant seeds of goodness into the lives of the people I meet. Let me

encourage you to do the same. The harvest is great. I see no signs of a droughtin healthy friendships and relationships for you if you choose to plant the positive

seeds, advocated in this book, into the lives of those that you touch today.

To Your Success!Bob Mr. Attitude Prentice

Introduction


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Attitude is Everything

99.9% of everything in life boils down to having the right kind of attitude. This

attitude I am referring to is what I callproper mental attitude. A proper mentalattitude is when you find some creative and innovative way to take a negative,and with the right attitude, turn this challenge into a positive. What is sowonderful about this is that anyone can learn the skills to do it! You only need tohave a want to.

One of the road blocks to having a proper mental attitude is negative thinking.It is very difficult to change any negative situation into a positive if we areconstantly thinking negative thoughts. We must learn to think the proper thoughtsif we want to cultivate a proper attitude. After all, often we can do nothing tochange or control a situation. But we can change and control our thoughts!

Choose today to have a proper mental attitude. Here are some of my favoriteaffirmations that get me thinking in the right way:

Success is an attitude, and I have an attitude for success!Every day, in every way, I get a little better!

Plan your work and work your plan!Proper planning prevents poor performance!

Lets get to the good news!

Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of i t every day,unt il at last it becomes so strong we cannot break it.

~Horace Greeley~

The greatest discover y of my generation is that mancan al ter his life simply by altering his att itude of mind.

~William James~

A great atti tude does much more than turn on the lights in our worlds;it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitousopportunit ies that were somehow absent before the change.

~Earl Nightingale~


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Home Grown Attitudes

Just remember that what you are going to be

tomorrow you are a lready becoming today.

If we kept a record of everything that has made us happywe would have a pleasure chest that would be our t reasure chest.

Optimism is a cheerful frame of mind that enables atea ke ttle to sing though in hot water up to its nose.

As flowers in the fields reach for the dew and sunshine,may we always reach for an opportunit y to grow.

Eagles come in all shapes and sizes, but you willrecognize them chiefly by their attitudes.

Affirmat ions I Wil l Use To Get Me Thinking Right

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Life is Full of Choices

It has been said that there are a thousand little choices in a day and all of themcount. In fact, each of us makes tens of thousands of choices in our lifetimechoices like:

Who you spend your time with How you comb your hair and how you dress What you feed your body and your mind How much or how little you smile How well you listen to others and how much you talk How fast you drive The amount of time you spend with your kids Whether or not you go to church Where you do your shopping How you react to circumstances beyond your control If you will be on time What you choose to think about How much patience you have in a given situation

The list could go on and on. How we handle these and other choices in our dayplays an unbelievably important role in how well we get through each day. Theyaffect how we treat others and how others treat us. They affect our productivityand how we feel about ourselves. They determine our success in life.

We all have a far greater control over our destinies than we may have everimagined. As we make conscious, active choices whenever the opportunitycomes, remembering that there is no life as complete as the life that is lived bychoice, we can be sure that our choices will create an important part of whathappens next.

As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can,by making the bes t choices, by making the most of the talents weve been given.

~Mary Lou Retton~

Ones philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choice sone makes ... and the choices we make are ult imately our responsibili ty.

~Eleanor Roosevelt~

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Got Your BAG?

We have all encountered rejection in life at one time or another, when sharing

our ideas, thoughts, or suggestions with others. This can be painful for us. Inorder to deal with this type of pain, I have discovered it is necessary to carry withme, everywhere I go, a special imaginary BAG. In this BAG which is really in mymind, are three things.

First and foremost, my BAG contains a list of the Blessings in my personal andprofessional life. These are the things for which I am most thankful.

Also in my BAG are myAccomplishments. This is a list of the things that I haveset out to achieve and have accomplished that make me feel good about who Iam as a person.

Thirdly, in my BAG, are my Goals. These are the dreams and the desires of myheart and my mindwhat you might call my passions.

Simply reminding myself of my Blessings, Accomplishments, and Goalsshifts any negative thinking I may have, into a more positive mind-set almostimmediately. Let me encourage you to begin today to make you own lists ofBlessings, Accomplishments, and Goals. Then you can carry your BAG with youwherever you go and youll be able to use it whenever you feel rejected.

Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are andhow much you have going for you, the smiles will return,

the sun wil l break out, the music wil l play,and you will finally be able to move forward the life that God

intended for you with grace, strength, courage, and confidence .~Og Mandino~

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement, in the thril l of creat ive effort.

~Franklin D. Roosevelt~

Energy multiplies when you set a desired goaland resolve to work toward that goal.

~David Joseph Schwartz~


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My Blessings____________________________________________________________

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My Goals____________________________________________________________

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My Achievements____________________________________________________________

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These People

These people

Are performance orientated;They work without grumbling and complaint,Take risks,Think for themselves,Can solve challenges,And love to sell and serve.

These peopleAre creative and innovative;They offer ideas for improvement,

Come to work in a timely manner,Are accountable for doing their best;Do what they are asked, encouraged or directed to doWhile trusting in their leaders.

These peopleAre assets to our families, business, and communities. . . . . .

And the remaining are liabilities.

Which ofthese people are you?

There is very lit tle difference in people, but that lit tle difference makes a bigdifference. The litt le difference is attit ude. The big difference is whether it is

posit ive or negat ive .~Clement Stone~

Be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy topermit the presence of trouble . Think well of yourself and procla im this fact to the

wor ldnot in loud words, bu t in great deeds.~Optimists Creed~


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Your attitude tells the world what you expect from life

and whether you will achieve it or not.

The pleasure you get from life is equal to the atti tude you put into it.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habi t.

Our live s are not determined by what happens to us, but how we react to whathappens; not by what life brings to us, but by the atti tude we bring to life.A positi ve att itude causes a chain react ion of posit ive thoughts, events, and

outcomes. It is a catalysta spark that creates ext raordinary resul ts.

My Plan to Be an Asset

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An Attitude of Gratitude

The other day, my wife announced that she wanted to go hunting with me. It

was a beautiful autumn day and she wanted to get out of the house to enjoy it.Of course, I was more than thrilled, figuring I could really show her why I lovehunting pheasants so much. Whats more, I thought, what an incredible wayto take her on a date! After walking through fields and sloughs, she informedme that she thought this was really a great way to clear your head and get someexercise, too. Instead of being tired, she felt totally invigorated. I knew what shemeant.

Yes, the birds are tougher to find this year, but I tell you this... I had the mostincredible day that day and I was filled with an attitude of gratitude! It was truly abeautiful day in every wayspending precious time with my wife, exercise, fresh

air, and to top it off, I got my limit, which was really like the frosting on the cake.You know, it really is taking time to notice and enjoy the simple things in life thatmake all the difference in living. Listening to the geese honking their way south,as the wind blows through the tall grasses, seeing that huge buck running fromthe slough, the sight of a pheasant rooster rising off the prairie, or breathing inthe fragrant scent of autumn, causes me to have an attitude of gratitude. Howabout you?

Let me encourage you to slow down and stop for just a minuteor maybe youneed to take a half a day or moreto take in the beauty of nature. What anawesome gift we have been given. Lets also thank the One who has given us

this gift. That too, only takes a minute or so. Be refreshed and be challenged tolive life to the fullest for none of us ever knows when our last breath will occur. Ichoose to live everyday with an Attitude of Gratitude. How about you?

By talking to yourself every hour of the day, you can direct yourself tothink thoughts of courage and happiness, thoughts of power and peace.By talking to yourself about the things that you have to be grateful for,

you can fil l your mind with thoughts that soar and sing.~Dale Carnegie~

As we express our grat itude, we must never forget thatthe highest appreciat ion is not to u tter words, bu t to l ive by them.

~John F. Kennedy~


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E Words for Life

E Words are words that begin with the letter E that a person, a family, a

community should strive for in successful daily living. The following are some ofmy favorite E words:

EncourageOffer others a word of encouragement and it will brighten their dayand sometime, when you least expect it and need it most, someone may giveyou a word of encouragement.

EveryoneFew of us can ever attain any measure of greatness all by ourselves,but with teamwork everyone achieves more.

EmpowerGiving a person knowledge, skill and attitude, and at the same time

lifting them up and instilling confidence and self worth in them, is what empowersthem to make right choices and decisions in life.

EnthusiasmLive life with that special spark of enthusiasm, and alwaysremember what Conrad Hilton of the Hilton Hotels once said: Enthusiasm is thelittle recognized secret of success.

EnergyWhenever youre feeling tired, worn out, and physically or mentallydrained, try to do one extra thing. This will often result in a burst of energy and asecond wind.

ExcellenceThis is not an act but a habit. Being excellent once will not besufficient; it must occur multiple times. A person should adopt excellence as away of life, viewing everything with an Attitude of Excellence!

ExcitedHow do you usually react when someone shares a personal dreamor accomplishment with you? Often the tendency is to pull people down, tobe a nay-sayer, or to criticize. Instead, GET EXCITED about the successes,accomplishments, dreams, goals, and aspirations of others!

Apply these E words in your life and reap rich results, and keep thinking ofmore to add to the list.

Flatter me and I may not believe you. Cri ticize me and I may not like you.Ignore me and I may not forgive you. Encourage me and I will not forget you.

~William Arthur Ward~


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Ideas are worthless unless followed by action.

The writ ten word can be erased; not so with the spoken word.

Success comes to those who have proceeded to do whatthe re st of us have a lways intended to do.

More E Words____________________________________________________________

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Take Action Now

Several years ago, I remember quite clearly that there was this little thing left

undone in my life. Since it was such a little thing I basically let it go, and timepassed. Suddenly this issue surfaced again, this time just a tad bit bigger ofa problem, and as before, I put it off. Time passed. A couple of months later,by the time it reared its ugly head again, it was a monster, and it ended upcosting me huge amounts of money and an incredible amount of time. It causedembarrassment and was a very painful experience for me. It also taught mesomethinga lesson that has lasted me many years now. (Sometimes I just haveto learn lessons the hard way, I guess.) This one I have learned well. Do not putthings off!

Today, my battle cry is TAKE ACTION NOW! Putting things off to the next day

is a bad habit that most of us have fallen into at one time or another. How aboutyou? Are you a procrastinator, putting off until tomorrow, things you should bedoing today? Heed these words and take action on something in your life thatyou have been putting off and begin to cultivate a new habit in your life.

I encourage you to make a list of all the projects that you have started but notfinishedall the to dos that have been hanging over your head, all those littlethings that have become hugeand prioritize them. Face up to those thingsyouve been putting off and admit that you have been procrastinating, and then,TAKE ACTION NOW!

Youll see that the battle is already half won! And what benefits youll reap-less negative stress, a feeling of being productive, a sense of pride, savingsof money, time, energy, and hassles, and probably an overwhelming desire totackle the next item on your list. Remember the Battle CryTAKE ACTION NOW!

In any moment of decis ion the bes t thing you can do is the right thing.The worst thing you can do is nothing.

~Theodore Roosevelt~

Even if youre on the right track, youll get run over if you just sit there.~Will Rogers~

You cant build a reputation on what you are going to do. ~Henry Ford~


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Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.

Courage is dar ing to take that first step, or a different path.It is the decision to place your dreams above your fears.

What makes men great is their abili ty to decide what is importantand then to focus their attent ion on it.

Some people succeed because they are destined to,but most people succeed because they are determined to.

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victor y.

My Plan to Take Act ion Now

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Invest and Youll Be Rich

We can choose to invest in a variety of things. For instance, we may invest our

money in the stock market, or we might buy gold, silver, real estate, mutualfunds, and the like, as an investment. Though investing usually makes us thinkof money, I definitely believe that the principle of investing applies to more in lifethan just the financial realm. In addition to money, we can also invest such thingsas our time, energy, skills, talents, and creative effort.

Most of us invest the resources we already have with the hope of getting agreater return on our investment sometime in the future. Again, I am not onlyspeaking about money, here. I have found that the process of investing my time,energy, money inpeople has profited me far more than mere money ever could.It has made me rich in relationship.

When you invest in the stock market, you might win. And then again, you mightlose. When you invest in a business, it may be profitable, but it may not be.However, whenever you invest in people, you cant lose. You can always beassured you have made a wise and sound investment.

It is my purpose and mission in life and business to contribute to the society inwhich I live by investing in people and building them in all key areas of personaland professional sales and leadership development, always doing my best to putpeople before money.

Each of us has a daily choice to make, whether we will invest more in peopleor things. I hope that today, you will decide in favor of investing in people andrelationships. Yes, I know that it will probably be quite challenging at times, butyour investment promises to bring about awesome rewards. As you invest moreand more into the lives of others, you will become rich in relationship.

The human contribut ion is the essentia l ingredient.It is only in the giv ing of oneself that we truly live .

~Ethel Percy Andrus~

When two sparks meet, they shine brighter together. Similarly, investing in thelives of others will brighten your life, letting all those around light up in its low.

I really urge you to pass on that spark and build into the lives of others.~Koh En Ting~


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Warriors and state smen try to improve the world by

stri ving for noble causes; but we can make our own corner of ita bet ter place simply by being kind to one another.

The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch,swing with, never say a word, and then walk away

feeling like that was the best conversation you ever had.

To handle yourself, use your head;to handle others, use your heart.

The way to be happy is to make others happy. Helping others isthe secre t of succe ss in business, in the arts, and in the home .

Ways I Plan to Invest in Relat ionships

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Success Comes from Failure

Though I hate to admit it, I failed the computer class I took in college. It would

seem the only thing I gained from that particular class was a major hatred forcomputers, and yet, today I would say I have successfully learned to use acomputer. In fact, I actually love computers so much that I could not imagine mylife without one.

It is also a fact that I have experienced failure in business, having once starteda business that did not go at all as I had anticipated. Today I own and managethree businesses and would consider myself a successful business man.

I know I have failed many times to be the husband and father I have wanted tobe. In spite of letting myself and my family down at times, I am still able to say

that I have successfully navigated through almost 30 years of marriage and morethan 27 years of parenting.

How can it be that I have failed in so many ways, and yet dare to call myself asuccess? I believe the answer, at least in part, is that wherever I have failed,I have made the choice to change my attitude rather than stay stuck in themuck of my failure. I know that wallowing in failure will never bring me success.Furthermore, I believe that Success is failure, turned inside out; in other words,success comes from failure.

Only one thing can start us on the road to changing failure into success, and that

is a major shift in ATTITUDE! This is not always a simple process and can bepainful, but what have you got to lose?

Stop for a moment and do a check up from the neck up. Jot down your answersto these questions:

What is my attitude?

Do I have an attitude for success?

What kind of attitude changes do I need to make now so I canachieve success?


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Am I willing to make the changes in attitude that success requires?

What will I do to make sure I keep the right attitude?

Make the decision to not live in the muck of failure. Choose, instead to have anattitude of success! Then tell yourself often, Success is an Attitude, and I havean Attitude for Success!


Successful and unsuccessfu l people do not vary great ly in their abilit ies.They vary in their desires to reach their potent ial.

~John Maxwell~

There are no secrets to success. It is the result ofpreparat ion, hard work, and learning from fai lure.

~Colin Powell~

The setbacks and hardships you endure actually help you in yourmarch for ward to succe ss. The world was buil t to develop your character.

~Nikita Koloff~

Success is not measured by what a man accomplishes, but by theopposition he has encountered and the courage with which

he has maintained the st ruggle against over whelming odds.~Charles Lindbergh~

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundationwi th the bricks others throw at him.

~Sidney Greenberg~


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The harder the conflict, the more glor ious the triumph. What we obtain toocheaply, we esteem too lightly; tis dearness only that gi ves every thing its value.

~Thomas Paine~


The happiest people dont necessari ly have the best of everything ,they just make the most of everything that comes along the way.

The cost of a thing is the amount of life that must be exchanged for it.

Life is like a mir ror. We get the best results when we smile at it.

Stress Principles I Plan to Implement

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Work Builds Character

The summer sun and winds burned my arms, face and back as I bent down

to pick yet another rock from its earthen home where it most likely had restedfor many generations. To this day, I can remember how hot, sweaty, and back-breaking that job of picking multitudes of rocks from the fields of our north centralMinnesota farm was for me as a teenager. It wasnt a job I necessarily wanted todo. I simply did it because my dad said to. I guess he thought it would build mycharacter. At the time, I couldnt see how that could be, and yet, because I knewmy dad, I continued to do what he had instructed me to do.

Years later I can fondly reflect on those days as being an incredible opportunityfor character building. Learning to obey, and honor my fathers requests, direc-tions and rules with a right attitude, were life changing for me.

Teaching me to work hard with a good attitude was the best thing my dad couldhave ever have done for me. I have taken the concept of hard work and sharedit with my children, and they, too, have come to understand the character build-ing benefits of working hard. Our children are all very hard workers who contrib-ute to society in a positive manner. I am so glad I succeeded in passing this onand now I hope to see it passed on to yet another generation, as I influence mygrandchildren.

Whatever work you do, it is absolutely vital to possess a strong work ethic.Being productive and able to produce positive results through your work, is a

key element of success and satisfaction in this life.I have heard it said, you build a backbone two ways when you work hardand itstrue. Theres not many things more satisfying and character building than know-ing you have put in a good days work. And when its done with the right attitude,you know youve become a better person.

The bes t preparat ion for tomorrow is to do todays work superbly well.~Sir William Osler~

I know the pr ice of success: dedication, hard work,and an unremitting devot ion to the things you want to see happen.

~Frank Lloyd Wright~


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Einsteins Three Rules of Work:

Out of Clutter find simplicity;From discord find harmony;

In the middle of difficulty lies opportuni ty.

The difference bet ween try and tr iumph is a little umph!

You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind.

The best way to appreciate you job is to imagine yourself without one .

All the so-called secrets of success will not work unless you do.

My Plan to Allow Work to Build My Character

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Maximize Your Mondays

Some people tend to slide into their week slowly and dont pick up their

productivity until about Tuesday or Wednesday. By Thursday afternoon they arewinding down for the coming weekend, and Friday, for all practical purposes, isnot much different than Monday was unproductive.How do I know this? Well, to be honest, thats how I used be. I dreaded Mondaysand looked forward to Fridays, and did as little as I could get by with in between.Obviously, thats not the most effective way to get things done, nor is it the wayto capture what good living is all about, and fortunately it didnt take me to long tofigure that out.

I now look forward to each new week and try to make each day in it count. The

best way Ive found to make that happen is to maximize my Mondays. What doI mean by this? Well, since you wont be very effective when Monday shows upif the only plan you have is just to get through the day, you need to think aboutMonday before Monday gets here.On Thursdays, I look ahead to the next Monday and take time to plan andschedule, thus building a solid foundation of effectiveness and productivity forthe week ahead. I make a list of projects and activities to engage in, the peopleIll talk to and appointments to keep, and in hardly any time at all, I havepre-arranged a Monday that has laid a solid foundation for my week.

Maybe youre one who hasnt looked forward to going to work on Mondays, andrealize you could benefit from my simple strategy. Go for it! Dont let anythinghold you back. Start planning for next Monday by Thursday of this week. Andremember that Monday (and every other day, too) is a day of fresh starts andnew beginnings, so its never too late to start maximizing your Mondays.

Once you have a clear picture of your prior it iesthat is, your value s,goals and high leverage act iv it iesorganize around them.

~Stephen Covey~

It is not enough to be busyso are the ants.The quest ion is this: What are we busy about?

~Henry David Thoreau~


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Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way,

ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.

For every minute spent organizing , an hour is earned.

Succe ss is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up!

The less one has to do, the less time one finds to do it in.~Lord Chesterfield~

Keeping Organized Rule #1:A place for everything and every thing in its place.

My Plan to Maximize My Mondays

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He who thanks but wi th the lips thanks in part;The full , the true thanksgi ving comes from the heart.

Be thankful for each new challenge,because it will build your strength and character.

Nothings so hard that you cant make it easier by the way you take it.

In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer,you must truly appreciate what you already have .

I Can Think and Thank When I Am ...

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Passion of a Vision

I remember a day a couple of years ago when there was a knock at our front

door. Standing there was an older gentleman, who right away announced, I amnot selling anything, running for any political office, or anything of the sort. Thishad my attention. He said he needed just twenty minutes.We invited this man, who introduced himself as Mel into our home and hebegan to tell us a story about the incredible history of South Dakota, and of thepeople who settled here, and some of their awesome inventions.

My wife and I were mildly intrigued and even amused with all Mels stories, sowe politely heard him out as he enthusiastically told us of how he has been goingfrom town to town, all across the state, to share his vision for building a Living

History Museum in Ft. Pierre. The thing that most caught my attention was Melspassion for his dreamso much so, that in fact to this day, every time I think ofthis mans vision it inspires me. I admire the gentleman for the risk he is takingand the energy he is expending, all for a cause that he, himself, may never liveto see become a reality. I caught his spirit of enthusiasm, and by the time he wasdone an hour later, I was volunteering my support.I share this story for a couple of reasonsfirst, I tend to agree that Mels vision,if carried out, would have a huge economic impact on our state. Secondly, Ifind myself hoping and praying that when I am Mels age I will have as strong apassion for something as he has. The fact that Mel has such vision at his age is

truly amazing to me!No matter what our age, we all need a visionsomething we can really getexcited about working forthat will propel us forward. We need a vision for ourfamily, our community, our state, and our nation. After all, the Bible does say.Without a vision the people will perish! (Proverbs 29:18)

Every age needs people who will redeem the time byliving with a vis ion of the things that are to be.

~Adlai E. Stevenson~

Some men see things the way they are and ask , Why?I dream things that never were and ask, Why not?.

~George Bernard Shaw~


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Dream what you want to dream;

Go where you want to go;Be what you want to be;Because you have only one life and only one chance

To do all the things you want in life .

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

Nothing is unrea list ic if you believe you can do it.

No dream is ever too small. No dream is ever too big.

I Have a Vision for . . .

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Learn Something Every Day

A big red F appeared on my report card for my 9th grade English class, and

my parents and teacher were nothappy with me. Actually, I was quite frustratedmyself. You see, I really detested English and Grammar. Whats more, I could notsee any value in learning that boring stuff and therefore didnt think I needed toapply myself. (Boy was I ever naive!)

Fortunately success often comes through failure, and today with all the writingand speaking that I do, there is no question in my mind that there is incrediblevalue in the power of possessing an attitude of life-long learning. Even though Iwasnt the best student in school, I was blessed to have teachers who influencedme profoundly and helped me to develop a real love for learning that has becomea life-long habit.

In pursuing my goals or dreams, I have found there are usually certain require-ments that must be met, and therefore I need to sharpen my axe along theway by improving and increasing my level of knowledge. My education, overthe years, has continued and learning has increased as I have researched hun-dreds of subjects (including grammar) of interest to me. Whenever I want toknow something, I set out to find a way to learn it. I absolutely love increasing myknowledge and learning new skills and never see myself stopping!

Let me encourage you to adopt this same attitude toward learning and set out tolearn something you have always wanted to learn. It may not be easy, but it will

be well worth it. Never allow past educational experiences, age or anything else,keep you from discovering the joy of learning something new every day of yourlife, and remember this quote by B. B. King: The beautiful thing about learning isnobody can take it away from you.

Learning is not attained by chance,it must be sought for with ardor and diligence .

~Abigail Adams~

Education is not filling a pai l, but lighting a fire.~William Butler Yeats~


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Opportunity Knocking

Recently, I was remembering some of the great road trips my daughter, Tasha

and I have taken over the years, and I was reminded of a particular time whenwe were traveling to Rapid City together. As we were getting caught up on eachothers lives we were discussing the reasons she was going to Rapid City in thefirst place. She was seizing an opportunity to help a family with some seriouschild care needs for the next three months or more. Tasha, a very skilled andtalented child care provider, reminded me that I had been the one who originallytaught her to not let opportunities pass her by in life. It is a fact that I have alwaysencouraged our children to answer the door whenever opportunity knocks-togather all the facts, think through the process and develop a plan, to take actionon these ideas and opportunities.

In order to more effectively seize opportunities in life, one must learn to watch,observe, be prepared, and plan to seize them. It is important to recognizethe opportunities when they come-the phone call asking you for help is anopportunity to serve others; a free evening becomes an opportunity to meet withfriends or catch up on your reading or have a family game night; a challenge atwork can be an opportunity to learn something new about yourself or others.

Be willing to take risks in life, though only after you have gathered all the factsavailable from all sources possible. In addition, I highly recommend that you talkover opportunities with someone you trust and respect, gathering their thoughts,ideas, and suggestions on the matter before making a final decision. It also helps

to get it down in black and white in front of you. Its amazing how you look atthings differently when you get them out of your head and down on paper.

In conclusion, let me challenge you to take the risk-dont hesitateand seize theopportunity. It just might make your day and someone elses also! And rememberthisBehold the turtle, he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out!

Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closingthat we see too late the one that is open.

~Alexander Graham Bell~

Opportunity is missed by most people because it isdressed in overal ls and looks like work .

~Thomas A. Edison~


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Small opportuni ties are often the beginning of great enterprise s.

Dont wait for your ship to come in. Swim out to it.

Every day is an opportunit y to make a new happy ending.

Many an opportunit y is lost because a man is out looking for four-leaf clovers.

My Plan to Seize Opportunities

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Opportunity in Disguise

It was a hot summer day several years ago when my car broke down in the

middle of nowhere. This, as you well know, is never a very pleasant experience.After hitching a ride into Wall, SD, I secured a tow truck. Now, as inconvenientas this was at the time, I knew I had a decision-making opportunity in front ofme. Either I could grumble and complain all the way into Rapid City or I couldshift my attitude and get to know the fellow driving the tow truck. Keep in mind, Iam very capable of grumbling and complaining. My son just reminded me of thisyesterday. (Thank you, Micah.)

I believe I made the right decision that day. I chose to get to know this persondriving the tow truck and my life was enhanced greatly. Ultimately, Tim, the towtruck driver, became not only a customer, but also a friend of mine. This almost

certainly would never have occurred if I had chosen to grumble and complainabout my car breaking down.

My telling you this story is to illustrate a point. Life is full of inconveniences,adversities, worries, and breakdowns (not just of cars, but of relationships aswell), and even though negative circumstances are often simply unavoidable, wedo have a choice how we will deal with those situations. In the future, whenevernegative and challenging things confront you, try to see each situation as anopportunity in disguise. May I also suggest that you make a commitment to takethe word problem out of your vocabulary, and in its place substitute the wordchallenge.

From here on out remind yourself I have no problems, only challenges andlook for, and seize the opportunity you find there. When facing a challenge, beencouraged by this quote:

The worst thing that happens to you may bethe best thing for you if you dont le t it ge t the best of you.

~Will Rogers~

Lifes challenges are not supposed to paralyze you;theyre supposed to help you discover who you are .

~Bernice Johnson Reagon~


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Two frogs fe ll into a bowl of cream.

One didnt panic; he relaxed and drowned.The other kicked and st ruggled so much thatthe cream turned to butter and he walked ou t.

When one door of happiness close s, another opens;But of ten we look so long at the closed door

that we do not see the one that has opened for us.

Success can be measured more by obstacles overcomewhen trying to reach success, than plateaus reached.

A gem cannot be polished without frict ion,nor a man perfected without tr ials.

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Are You Ready?Every day, you and I each have the opportunity to make numerous choices anddecisions. I have discovered that being ready for the opportunities that come my

way makes it easier for me to make wise choices and decisions. One of the manybenefits of being ready for opportunities is an increased sense of confidence.Feeling confident makes me more willing to step out and take a risk than I wouldbe if I wasnt ready. Of course it goes without saying, success is much more likelywhen I am well prepared.

So, how can one be ready for opportunities when they come? I believe theanswer to that question is simply this: You must have a plan. Weve all heard itsaid, Fail to plan, you plan to fail. This is so true. I would venture to say thathaving a plan in your headwhile it is better than no plan at allis not enough. Bywriting down and thinking out on paper your strategies and plans for the future,

you can see things from a whole different perspective. Planning helps you tosee where you are and visualize where you are going. Through planning you willbegin to enjoy the success you desire in life because you will be ready to makewise decisions when the opportunities come.

Are you ready for the future, for opportunities, for problems or challenges, or for amajor change in your life? The time to get ready is now! So as you grab that penand paper, keep this thought in mind:

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

Great minds must be ready not only to take opportunit ies, but to make them.~Charles Caleb Colton~

Act ion springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibili ty.~Dietrich Bonhoeffer~

It is bet ter to be prepared for an opportunit y and not have onethan to have an opportunity and not be prepared.

~Whitney Young, Jr.~


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The will to win means nothing withou t the will to prepare.

When we have nothing as our target we usually hit it wi th amazing accuracy.

A man surprised is half beaten.

Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.

My Plan to Get Ready Now

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Spirit of Tenacity

Stick to it! . . . Never, never quit! . . .When the goin gets tough, the tough get

goin! . . . Persistence pays! . . . These are phrases I have heard my entire life.Over the years, I have often reflected back on the first couple of year after westarted our training business. Those were the days when the power and lightcompany shut off our lights because I couldnt afford to pay the bill, that ourfamily now so fondly refers to as the Dark Ages.

I remember back then it was challenging enough just to put food on the table,and it was during those difficult days, when I felt most like giving up, and goingout to get a real job that I made a decision. I decided that no matter what, I wasnot going to let the tough times beat me. Somehow I wouldsucceed!

I was a hard worker, but I learned that I needed to work smarter, too. I had myplans, but found that if I was to succeed, I needed a written plan so I would beready to make the most of opportunities that come my way. I also learned ahaving a written plan also served to make me more determined than ever tosucceed. Its what I call a Spirit of Tenacitythat quality of holding fast to yourdreams, goals and desires, being unwilling to quit or let go or give up, no matterwhat.

My plans were the catalyst I needed to achieve my dreams, and as I began tovisualize success in my minds eye, it became a reality. I know it has been mywritten plans that have helped me to hang in there, reminding me why I was

doing what I was doing, and keeping me from giving in to the temptation to quitduring the difficult times.

I encourage you to let your dreams take you far, and when the going gets rough,roll up your sleeves, grab a pencil, and start planning. This is a powerful tool tohelp you to be tenacious in life, whatever you set out to do. And remember: If youare to succeed, you must press on. You must possess a Spirit of Tenacity.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer.Always remember, you have within you the st rength, the pat ience,and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

~Harriet Tubman~


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Postage stamps are get ting more expensi ve, but at least they have one attr ibute

that most of us could emulate: they stick to one thing until they ge t there.

Life is like riding a bicycle. You dont fal l off unle ss you stop pedaling.

The race is not always to the swif tbut to those who keep running.

Nothing is impossible; there are ways to everything ,and if we had sufficient will , we should always have sufficient means.It is of ten merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible .

The difference between a successful person and other is not a lack of strength,not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of tenaci ty.

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Live with Enthusiasm

Approaching life with a spark of enthusiasm is one of the most natural things I do.

Please, allow me to explain. A lot of people I know get out of bed in the morningand exclaim, with a grumble, Oh, I have to go to work today! You wont catchme saying that, though, because years ago I decided that I was going to treateach new day as a blessing. From that point on, I have approached every dayas if I was going to FUN and have purposed to really enjoy the work I have to dowith a spark of enthusiasm and a belief that I have the power to overcome eachchallenge and obstacle I face with a positive attitude. Armed with enthusiasm, Iam confident that I will be able to find creative ways to take the negatives andturn them into positives.

Whenever I have something I must do, that I really dont want to do, I simply

choose to take action instead of putting it off. You see, taking action buildsenthusiasm, and in the process, you find that you can accomplish the task athand much easier then when you are dragging your feet.

Living life with an enthusiastic smile, and sharing this joy and happiness withothers is like giving a gift to everyone you meet, and it makes you feel reallygood. Positive people attract more positive experiences to their lives, and ofcourse this is the real benefit of making the decision to live life with enthusiasm.You can change yourself; you can even change others; you can have a positiveimpact on your family, your community, and your workoops, I meanFUN place!The rewards of living enthusiastically are incredible!

Enthusiasm is the little recognized secret of success.~Conrad Hilton~

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.~Charles Schwab~

Enthus iasm is se lf-confidence in action .~Franklin Field~

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.~Ralph Waldo Emerson~


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The pleasure you get from your life is equal to the atti tude you put into it.

The worst bankrupt in the world is the man who has lost his enthusiasm.Let him lose everything but enthusiasm and he will come through again to success.

Keep your enthusiasms, and forget your birthdays!This is the next best thing to discovering the fountain of youth.

Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic!

Enthusiasm is contagious! So is any other atti tude you may have.

My Plan to Live With Enthusiasm

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Its Never Too Late

I am reminded that achieving a short-term goal is like winning a game, but

achieving a long-term goal is like winning the tournament. Are you setting yourgoals down in black and white? We should be establishing a daily habit of gettingour goals out of our heads and down on paper, because it will help us see thingsfrom a different perspective. I am constantly looking for ways to reach a highergoal-achieving ratio. This is such a simple solution to greater success.

It is never too late to get into the habit of putting your goals down on paper.Establishing specific timetables, and deadlines really causes us to have someserious motivation. A little self-imposed pressuremotivations that will propel ustowards our dreams and desires each day we are aliveis good for us.

Take the time today to get your goals down. Share them with some who canreally hold you accountable to the result. Go to someone who will be tough onyousomeone who will really hold your feet to the fire. Please do not put this off.There is no reason to live in the shouldve or couldve. Grasp life with a gustotoday and do not let go. Jump up and down and shake it all about if you have to.I am serious. It is never too late to live the life you dream about. Make it a reality.True joy comes from living life with a passion.

Caution: Do not let anyone steal your dreams. There are people on this planetwho are DREAM THIEVES. They want to pull you back into their bucket of muck.

Strive to achieve your hearts desire. It truly is never too late to live the life thatyou are dreaming about. How about starting today?

The reason most people never reach their goals is that they dont define them,or ever ser iously consider them as believable or achievable.

Winners can tell you where they are going , what they plan to do along the way,and who will be sharing the adventure with them.

~Denis Waitley ~

Our plans miscarry because they have no aim.When a man does not know what harbor he is making for,

no wind is the right wind.~Seneca~


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In life, as in foo tba ll, you wont get very far

unless you know where the goalposts are.

Create mental pictures of your goa ls,then work to make those picture s become real ities.

Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered,you wi ll never grow.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beaut y of their dreams.

One Long-Term Goal I Have Is . . .

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A Short-Term Goal To Reaching My Goal Is . . .

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Attitudes of Excellence

As I was growing up, my Dad would often times remind me that any job worth

doing was worth doing to the very best of my ability. I believe this basic, yet verysound principle has been the foundation of a very productive lifeone of the manyAttitudes of Excellence that has been woven into the very fiber of my being overthe years. Let me share a few more Attitudes of Excellence with you.

Excellence is working hard, even when you really dont feel like it. Excellence is overcoming difficult obstacles, challenges, androadblocks, with enthusiasm. Excellence is picking yourself up by the bootstraps, one more timethan you have been knocked down. Excellence is taking responsibility whenever you make a mistake or

error in judgment. Excellence is having an incredible reputation of integrity and honesty. Excellence is doing what you tell people you will do, always following

through on your commitments. Excellence is loving your neighbor and being more caring towardothers and not just thinking about yourself.

Excellence is not something you can achieve all at once. As with so many otherthings in life, it is a process that goes on for the rest of our lives. But having an

Attitude of Excellencethat is, making a conscientious decision to be excellent inall you think, do, and sayis where it starts.

Make a commitment today to having an Attitude of Excellence in everything,because excellence only happens when you care enough to do and be your verybest!

The secret of joy in work is contained in one wordexce llence.To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.

~Pearl Buck~

We are what we repeatedly do. Excel lence, then, is not an act, but a habit.~Aristotle~

Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.~John W. Gardner~


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Every job is a self-port rait of the person who did it.Autograph your work with excellence.

The difference bet ween ordinary and ext raordinary is the litt le ext ra.

Att itude is a litt le thing that makes a BIG difference.

The happy man is the one who can enjoy the scenery when he has to take a detour.

Things seem to work out bes t for thosewho make the best of the way things turn out.

Excellence is not an act; it is a habit.

My Plan to Be More Excellent

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Four Phases of Attitude

Every time I make a commitment to do something, I go through four phases of

attitude. At first, I am really EXCITED about the commitment I have made, butthe excitement often lasts for only a short while. It may take three minutes, threehours, three weeks, three months, or maybe even three years, but at some pointI move into the second phase of attitude, which is FRUSTRATION.

While in the frustration phase, I go through a whole range of emotionsshock(Wow, this is tough; I didnt know it would be like this); denial (This cantbe happening to me orIts not my fault things arent going well); fear(Whatwill people think? or What if I fail?); anger(How could you do this to me!!);justification(I need to find something or someone else to get excited about).

Its at this point that I move into the third phase of attitude and start LOOKINGaround for something new to which I can commit. Why? Because I dont liketo blame myself for failure; I need to feel good about myself. Some people Iknow never get to the fourth phase of attitude; they keep looking until they findsomething new to get excited about, thus starting the cycle all over again andending up right back in frustration and pretty soon theyre lookingagain.

Ive found that moving on to the fourth phase of attitude RECOMMITMENT, isthe key to success. I ask myself these two questions: What do I want from thiscommitment?and Why is this important to me?A new and stronger attitudeemerges out of the frustration and actually becomes a more positive commitment

than before. The next time you find yourself grappling with your attitude, askyourself these two questions and see what happens.

Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to,when al l they need is one reason why they can.

~Willis Whitney~

Do not spoil what you have by des iring what you have not; remember that what

you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.~Epicurus~

Always bear in mind that your own reso lut ion to succeedis more important than any other one thing.

~Abraham Lincoln~


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Commitment in the face of conflict produces character.

Theres a difference between interest and commitment. When youreinterested in doing something , you do it only when circumstances permit.When youre commit ted to something , you accept no excuses, only resul ts.

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.Watch your words, for they become act ions.Watch your actions, for they become habi ts.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

Anyone can give up; its the easies t thing in the world to do.But to hold it together when everyone else would understand

if you fell apartthats true strength.

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Mastering Change

One thing that we can absolutely count on in this life is change. Our planet is

changing, our nation is changing, our town is changing. Change is everywhere.Change is a constant. Change is inevitable. And, believe it or not, change isnecessary. To quote Bruce Barton, Keep changing; when you are throughchanging, you are through. This powerful statement has impacted me for manyyears and challenged me to live life with an attitude of embracing, accepting, andwelcoming change.

We humans tend to resist change for a variety of reasons, mostly involving fearfear of the unknown, fear of moving out of our comfort zones, fear of failure, fearof what others may think, fear of experiencing hurt and pain, etc.

When facing change in life we need to be of courage. We need to prepareourselves mentally and physically for change. We need to face our fears inregard to change and hit change head on. We need to put our energies, not inresisting change, but in masteringa new result.

Whenever change occurs it sets up a whole new set of rules, standards andprocesses that can present great opportunities for those who are prepared forchange. Opportunities for healthier relationships, greater economic benefits,ease and comfort, increased security, peace, joy and success, can occur whenwe masterthe change taking place in our lives.

You must welcome change as the rule but not as your ruler.~Denis Waitley~

To stand sti ll is to lose . To move is to gain . To change is to grow.~Gene E. Megiveron~

Life is change . Growth is opt ional. Choose wise ly.~Karen Kaiser Clark~

There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.~Winston Churchill~


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Any dead fish can float downstream. It takes a live one to swim against it.

Blessed are the flex ible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

In times of change, there is no incent ive so great,and no medicine so powerful as hope for a bet ter tomorrow.

People who wait for change to occur on the outside before they committo making changes on the inside wil l never make any changes at all .

New information causes change.

My Plan to Master Change

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Face Your Fears

Do you struggle with fear in your life? Do you want to be free from the fears

that plague you? If you are like most people, the answer to these questions is aresounding YES! But beyond that, most people dont really know how to get rid offear in their lives.

In order to ever be able to overcome fearto really face your fears and dealwith themyou must understand what fear is. Fear is a negative emotion havingtremendous control over us, that can range from experiencing apprehension, tobeing overly anxious, to feeling down-right terrified of someone or something.The truth about a lot of our fears is that they very rarely come true. Simply put,fear is very often:

False Evidence Appearing Real

In order to truly face your fear, you must get intimate with itreally get to knowit. Identify the basis of your fear; is it based on the truth, a lie, a feeling, or apast experience? Then remind yourself that fear is causing your mind to work inreverse, so the sooner you can get your mind moving in a more forward (that is

positive) direction, the better.

Be willing to take a risk and face your fear by hitting it head-on. For instance, ifyou are afrai

home grown seeds of success

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