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For the past year and a half or so, I have been discovering Brian Tracy and his many books on self-development.  Much of Brian’s focus is on selling, but even if you don’t consider yourself to be in the category of salesman, you owe it to yourself to read some of Brian’s books.  “Many Miles to Go” is a true story about a sojourn that Brian and two of his mates made when he was young, from the western coast of Canada, they headed east, across the North American continent, over the Atlantic, down through Europe and ending with a perilous trip through the Sahara desert to the tip of the dark continent in the country of South Africa.  Brian ties the trip to many lessons that he learned about himself, people and business.  Brian has books that cover self-development topics from time management, to money management, to business management and everything else in between.  I highly recommend any of his books if you are working to develop yourself to your full potential.

One of the more interesting discoveries that I have encountered in the past ten years of my research into self development is the importance of spirituality.  It is amazing how many experts in the field of self development have all reached the same conclusion about how important faith, spirituality and karma are to your ability to develop yourself to your full potential.  And I must say that after several years of field research and using myself as a “ginnie pig”, I have seen the remarkable results first hand.  There was a time in the not too distant pass, that I was the center of my own universe.  Every action that I undertook was designed to benefit me first and everyone else second.  The results from this type of thinking was not very good.  I struggled financially, career-wise and in several other areas.  I finally decided to try and turn things around for myself by educating myself through reading books about selling.  It was through my reading that I soon discovered there was a common theme running throughout most of the books that I was reading.  That common theme was “karma”.  You reap what you sow.  Having tried just about everything else I could to increase my income and make a better life for myself, I figured I had nothing to lose, so why not try giving this “karma” thing a try.  It was the most amazing transformation of results within an unbelievable time frame.  You really do reap what you sow.  I could talk about it for hours and you could chose to believe it or not.  But the best way to see if it really works is to put it to use for yourself and see what your results are.  Have faith.  If you’re in sales, have faith that you can be the best in your field.  Put others first.  Work hard and study hard.  When things don’t go your way, as they inevitably won’t sometimes, just remember that you grow best through adversity and have faith that there is a reason that things go bad sometimes and try to find the lesson in these things.  Life first has to get better in your mind before it can get better in your world.

I’ve heard it said time and time again, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”.  Well, yesterday was a perfect example.  Yesterday I attended my very first motivational seminar.  It was called “Get Motivated” and was produced by Tamera Lowe.  Up until yesterday, I really had never heard of Tamera or her “Get Motivated” seminars, but after attending, it is readily apparent that these seminars are well produced, professionally run and highly organized.  The list of speakers included, but was not limited to Colin Powell, Suzy Orman, Zig Ziglar, Robert Schuller and Rudy Gullianni.  The event was an amazing series of informative topics and speeches, but what impacted me most was the effect that I was left with.  Recently, I have been wrestling with certain decisions about where to invest my spare money and my spare time.  I have a small nest egg that I have been wondering what I should do with and given the current economic climate, I couldn’t make up my mind.  It’s like God was reading my mind, because this seminar was the answer to my prayers.  Not only was it educational, but additionally, it opened my eyes to further opportunities that await someone with enough initiative to only take the first move and grab the bulls by the horns.  I signed up for two week-end classes, one about learning to use some software tools to help with investing in the stock market and the other about setting up an online web site and online store.  Both offer possibilities for potentially additional income, but even more exciting to me, is that both offer possibilities for additional education in two areas that I have a dramatic interest in. 

I am currently in the midst of reading three books by Brian Tracy and coincidentally enough, one of his suggestions in the books is to invest in yourself.  If you’ve followed my blog at all in the past, you’ll know that I have always been an advocate of continually education.  So that’s why I’m excited.  I am embarking on a couple of new fronts and as a result, I continue to control my future. 

Don’t wait till a seminar like “Get Motivated” comes to your town, seek them out.  Look them up, find out if they are coming to your town, or if not, find out if any are coming close to your town.  Then buy a ticket to as many as you can afford and then some.  If you have to take off from work to attend, then do it.  That’s what I intend to do from now on.  It’s a habit that you can not afford to begin.  If you don’t invest in your future, who will?

As an avid golfer, I’ve noticed that I always enjoy my rounds more when my playing partner(s) and/or opponent(s) are at least as good as I am or better.  Playing with someone below my level of skill is not really as much fun as it is when I play with or against someone of equal or great ability.  It seems that my level of play always rises or falls to the level of the competition.  If the person(s) that I am playing with is playing well, then odds are that I’ll also play well.  But if the level of play is poor, I’ll somehow manage to also play equally as poor.  I’m sure that there are many factors for this, all of which are psychological, but one thing is certain; I have much more fun and enjoyment whenever I play against tougher competition because it makes me play better than when I play against weaker competition.

You can understand this phenomenon even more when you are a spectator.  Just ask yourself, would you rather watch a sporting event with 1) two weak teams 2) one weak team against a strong team or 3) two strong teams?  As an avid sports fan, I can tell you the best contests are those that pit two high caliber teams against each other.  That’s why championship games like the Superbowl always garner such high television viewership and ratings, because it’s in our nature to want to see the best vying against the best.

But yet, when it comes down to our own lives, we foster no such ambition.  In fact, we prefer that our lives be easy and with as few obstacles and challenges as possible.  We don’t want to face any adversity, as if life is supposed to be nothing but easy.  But life isn’t supposed to be easy, because life is a game and games are more fun when they challenge us.  The bigger the challenge, the more interesting the outcome.  So don’t let adversity, challenges and obstacles get you down.  Be a winner and don’t quit.  Find a way to muster the internal fortitude to rise to the challenge.  Focus your energies on coming out on top, someway, somehow.  In life, you only get to play one game, and the shot clock is ticking.

Life is alot like golf in many ways.  First of all, the average golfer has a hard time making par.  That’s because we haven’t invested the time and the effort required in order to play the game at our highest level.  The typical golfer is a week-end hobbyist with very little professional training and a non-existent practice routine.  You can same the same about how most of us approach our careers.  We would much rather go home and watch television or surf the internet every day than invest any time in improving ourselves. 

Another observance that I have about golf is that in order to play well, you have to be loose, rather than tight.  By staying loose and not getting too tense, something happens during the swing that allows you to access some inner part of you that just “feels” right.  For one thing, a slower swing makes it easier to keep your eye on the ball as you strike it, a requisite for ensuring solid and accurate contact.  And for another thing, being loose while hitting the ball makes for a really nice feeling.  You golfers know what I’m talking about.  It’s when you’re the most loose that you hit those balls that keep you coming back.  That’s the way golf is supposed to be played and that’s also the way that life is supposed to be played.  Why would you want to go through life stressed out and tensed?  By staying loose and having fun, both life and golf are much more enjoyable. 

And another thing.  A round of golf takes a while to get through.  Eighteen holes takes approximately four hours, and then there’s the time spent eating and drinking after the game at the nineteenth hole.  I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to spend that much time with someone, then it better be people that I enjoy being around.  AFter all, at the end of the round, much like at the end of your life, what score your shot, or how much money you made isn’t really what it’s all about, is it?  It’s about trying your hardest to be your best, taking your time, enjoying your self and being surrounded by people that you love, enjoy and have fun being around.  
        

Written any cards or letters lately?  If you’re like most people, then probably not.  I mean, what’s the point you ask?  E-mails and faxes and telephone calls are much faster and much easier, right?  Well, that is precisely the point.  The fact that sitting down and actually taking the time to write a letter to your customer or to a prospect or just to a friend for that matter is sort of a hassle makes it have the impact that it has. 

I mean, think about it.  When was the last time you received a hand written letter from someone?  How did it make you feel?  The thought process when you get a letter from someone forces you to think about the person that sent it and that fact, in and of itself makes it worth the effort of the sender.

The art of letter writing is a lost art.  It’s an art worth reviving.  Try it.  It only takes a few minutes.  Pick someone special that you like and send them a hand written letter.  Share your thoughts with them.  It’s an intimate way of connecting with some one in a way that they will find pleasantly surprising.  Once you get into the habit, it could become addictive.  If you’re lucky, you might even get a letter back.  But don’t count on it.

I am writing this message for my brother Noe.  If I have never told you this before Noe, I apologize that it took me this long.  As my big brother, I have always loved you and admired you tremendously.  You have been one of the most influential persons in my life.  Perhaps outside of Mom and Dad, you have influenced me more than any other person in the world. 

Ever since I can remember, I always wanted to be just like you.  As a kid, I loved hanging out with you and playing with you and I wanted to do everything that you did.  Your love and acceptance of me has always been a major blessing in my life.  From the time that I was just a child, till today, I can’t remember a time in my life, when faced with some adversity, that I didn’t ask myself “how would Noe handle this”?  You have always been a great role model and a hero to me.  I have grown to admire you in much that same way that I admire dad. 

You have always been a man of intergrity above all else, a tireless worker, an inspirational father, a dedicated husband and a consumate professional.  You have the most “can-do” attitude of just about anyone that I have ever known.  Much of what I have accomplished in my life is a direct result of the traits that I have learned both from dad and from you.

You have always been there for me when I was needy and you never asked for or expected anything in return.  And I know that I am not the only one that you have supported in this way. 

When you had your heart attack two years ago and you almost died, I wanted you to know that I loved you and would be there for you as much as I possibly could.  Once again, your strength and courage in the face of insurmountable odds was awe inspiring.  The first day or two after your heart attack, when your life hung in the balance, I honestly believed that your own medical staff didn’t think that you were going to make it.  But I KNEW you would.  I swear, Noe, I never had a even a shadow of a doubt in my mind that you would pull through.  The advantage that I had over your doctors was that I knew what a fighter you were.  They could only see your physical heart.  I knew that you had more heart than their crude instruments could measure.  And once again, you didn’t let me down.  Your tenacity continues to inspire me. 

I have no way of knowing what sort of residual effects that you are still dealing with, but I do know that you are still struggling with your recovery.  I know that your memory is still not completely recovered, and as a result, your confidence has been shaken.  My only message that I want to convey to you is that you have nothing to be ashamed of and you have nothing to fear.  You have stared death in the face and kicked it’s ass. 

There is not a person alive who doesn’t question their own abilities from time to time.  Though most won’t admit it, fear is a constant companion to us all and the fear of failure can bring on paralyzing consequences.  Nobody likes to fail, especially those who are not used to failing very often.  And if you don’t try, you can’t fail.  So maybe it’s just easier to not try anything at all than it is to try something that we don’t feel comfortable with and fail.  But I want to remind you that the only people that never fail are those that don’t do anything. 

Noe, I love you and I admire you and I have complete faith in you.  I know that no matter what the challenge, you have the ability and the internal fortitude to rise to the occasion.  Heck, you’re the only one I know that has two or three Emmy’s sitting on their mantel.  EMMY’s, Noe, EMMY’s.  That’s something to get excited about.  And you have God and your family and your friends behind you.  So I want you to promise me that you will wake up everyday and make every conceivable effort that you can to reach out to everyone that you know and let them know that you need a job, you want a job and you will do anything that you have to do to get a job and keep a job and help support your family. 

I am praying for you and know that you won’t let me down.  You never have before. 

Even the wealthiest can be brought down if they don’t use common sense.  Today it is being reported that Michael Jackson’s Never Land property is facing foreclosure.  If you are over the age of twenty, you probably remember a time when Michael Jackson had more money that Bill Gates.  

In fact, Jackson had so much money, I’m not so sure that his wealth didn’t contribute to his ultimate downfall.  He was so rich that he was able to build himself a wall of insulation that shielded him from the real world, until he ultimately lost touch  with reality and went off the deep end.  

The lesson here is that no matter who you are, you are never so wealthy and so superior that you are immune from the laws of common sense.  The same fan base that made Michael Jackson a wealthy man, are the same fans that can take it all away. 

So what is my point?  What does Michael Jackson’s downfall have to do with business? or You? Or anything for that matter.  Just this.  Michael Jackson got spoiled.  He thought he was invincable and that there would always be a demand for his products.  Not anymore. 

At one time Michael Jackson had more money that Paul McCartney, the former beatle.  In the 80’s, he outbid Paul and Yoko Ono for the rights to the Lennon/McCartney song library.  He grew excentric, to say the least, lost touch with his fan base, flaunted his picadillos, thumbed his nose at his critics and believed thought the rules didn’t apply to him.  He found out the hard way that we all have to play by the same rules.  Nothing last forever.  You cannot live on your past laurels for too long.  

The business lesson in this story is that Michael Jackson was a product, just like the products that you sell.  Michael Jackson was a brand, just like Nike and Microsoft.  And just like American automakers in the 80’s, IBM in the 90’s and American Airlines in the 2000’s, even the mightiest can hit rock bottom if they allow themselves to think that they are above the fray. 

Michael Jackson was born with a God given ability to sing, dance and innovate.  His voice was and undoubtably, still is, exquisite, and his dancing ability was fresh and creative.  His album “Thriller”, to my knowledge, is the best selling album of all time.  I’m sure Michael Jackson isn’t broke and if he lives to be 100 years old, will probably still die a very wealthy man.  But he may never make another significant impact in the musical arena again because he has allowed himself to become so delusional to believe that he could ignore his   fan base, which ultimately are his customers and do anything that he wants without having to suffer any negative consequences from his actions.

When was the last time that you sent one of your customers a hand written thank you note? If you’re like most typically salesmen, the answer is probably "never".  Hand written notes are a thing of the past.  Gone by the way side like carbon paper and manual type-writers.  It’s because hand written notes are so rare that they carry such impact.  Think about the last time you received a hand written note in the mail from someone.  Didn’t it make you stop and think about the thought that the sender put into that note?  I promise you, your competitors aren’t sending hand written thank you notes and that exactly why you should be doing it.

What do you want?  And why do you want it?  If you can answer those two questions, you have the key to unlocking your full potential.  Some of us want achievement, some of us want recognition, some of us want personal growth and some of us want professional development.  These are just some of the things that could be motivating us, among others.  Love and fear are two or the biggest motivating factors known to man.  The key is to find out what makes you tick. 

Living in a capitalist society, most of us have come to accept the notion that we are all motivated by money.  Well, as I’ve said before, money is a secondary motivator, but it’s not a primary motivator.  The things that money can buy might be a primary motivation in our lives, but in most cases, even nice cars and big houses aren’t really our primary motivators.  It’s the benefits that come with these nice things that we really and truly want.  If you can take a moment to stop and think about what really brings you happiness, then you will be a long way toward figuring out how to motivate yourself.  And once you are motivated, anything is possible.  Remember, discipline is the art of remembering what you want.  Because when you figure out what you really want, you’ll find a way to achieve it. 

What motivates you?  This could be one of the most important questions you could ever ask yourself.  It’s funny, but you know, until recently, I don’t think I ever considered this question myself.  But some interesting conversations happened when I did ask myself this question.  What DOES motivate me?  I never really thought about it, so when I did, it made me do some deep self-analysis. 

Motivation may be the most misunderstood subject known to man.  My guess is that most of us don’t really know what motivates us.  And if we don’t even think consciously about what we are motivated by, thinking about what motivates others is probably going to be the furthest thing from our minds.  And both of these oversights can stifle our career ascent.

Motivation is like fuel.  It’s what drives us.  And if motivation is fuel, then fear is unleaded fuel and love is super premium.  Most people just assume that most of what we do is driven by money.  But money is not a true motivator.  It’s the things that we can get in exchange for money that are the true motivating factors in our lives.  And most of the things that we acquire with money are a subset of the base set of motivators like love, fear, respect, self-fulfillment, pride, wanting to win or hating to lose, just to name a few.  For example, if you work hard because you want to make a lot of money so that you can buy that nice, new BMW convertible, the real question you should ask yourself is why do you want that car?  Sure it’s fun to drive with the top down and feel the wind blowing in your hair.  But wouldn’t riding a horse give you the same sensation?  The truth of the matter is that having that car would give your pride a big jolt and maybe even improve your status in the eyes or your friends, family and loved ones.  At least that might be your impression, anyway.    

After giving it some thought, I came to the conclusion that like everything else, motivation is generally an inherited factor.  That’s probably why most people have a hard time climbing out of the socio-economic class that they were born into.  If your father wasn’t motivated by having a big house, a new car, a yacht, and a second home in the country, odds are you probably won’t be motivated by those things either.  And even if you are, your drive and ambition are probably inherited traits also, so achieving those things won’t come easy.  Therefore, when you fail to achieve them, your instinct kicks in and tells you that it’s OK.  If your father didn’t need those things, then you don’t need those things either.  And maybe you don’t.  After all, everybody knows that happiness is much more important than money and of course, money can’t buy you happiness.  But that’s not my point.  What’s important is to understand that we are all motivated by different things.  And the more that we understand about what drives us, the easier it will be for us to fill our own tanks in order to help us to achieve the things that we really do want.     

And what’s even more important is that once we understand what motivates us, we begin to get a better understanding about what motivates others.  Motivating others is how you really get things done.  That’s how leaders are born.