Thank You for fighting for our Freedom!
I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.
By Cherri Walston
The biggest obstacle to success for some people is the fear of failing. Failure is only a negative event when you allow it to become an obstacle to your success.
One year ago, I grasped the concept of failure when I decided to explore a new and different approach in my business. My first attempt bombed! The second attempt was slightly better, but I still don’t get the results I was hoping for. These attempts along with constant tweaks in the process showed me a new way of looking at failing that I’d never recognized in my past failures.
Here’s what I discovered in the process: Failing was a natural process for me to collect data and knowledge; so I could try it again. The quality and quantity of that data and knowledge was tied to my success. The faster I was willing to accumulate the data/knowledge, the quicker I could weed out dead ends and create the results I was looking for. The fastest way for me to increase my success cycle was to eliminate the fear by assessing my mistakes and implement a brand new action.
Don’t be afraid to try new things in your personal and professional life. The more you fail, the faster you learn and grow. The word (failure) conjures up negative energy, concepts and images for some people. Let’s say you tried something and the results weren’t favorable. Instead of giving up, use this opportunity to evaluate the experience. This is the time to step back and observe, tweak, plan and take action again. And it’s the easiest way to at look fear straight in the eyes; that’s what it takes to increase your success rate.
We also have to be aware of how our ego might be getting in the way of fear of failure. Is your fear of failure tied to your status, finances or position? And, are you more concerned with what others might think?
Life itself is failure-based. We wouldn’t be where we are and who we are if it wasn’t for our own experiences and mistakes.
So, fail forward. It’s the quickest way to shortening your success cycle.
- by Don Yaeger
In the discussion about chasing greatness, there really is a starting point. Anyone who is in the pursuit of a champion’s life has to know their “Why.” No one has ever sustained Greatness without a strong sense of why they were driven to it.
Week in and week out, I will tell you some great stories from the world of sports. Consider this a second or third generation sports story. I tell these stories from some of the greatest athletes and coaches, not to just talk sports, but to give you insight into their Greatness so that you can apply it to your Chase. The first generation of this story is me sharing stories about Greatness on a radio show. The second generation of this story is Joey Richey taking the initiative, drive, and creativity to make those stories work for his clients. The third generation of this story is the man who found Joey’s teachings in a rather inauspicious place. Last week, Joey sent me an email I asked for permission to share. Here is the e-mail I received that spawned this particular blog:
Don,
I spoke to you several years ago after hearing you on the Paul Finebaum radio show. I’m sure you don’t remember, but I am the blind guy who was trying to get you to speak to some of the young people I work with here in Birmingham. I really enjoy your “Moments of Greatness.” I share them with many of my clients and co-workers.Recently, I borrowed the 16 characteristics of Greatness and tailored them into a workbook, which I use to motivate and inspire my clients. I always give you credit and direct my clients to your website.
As a young man, I always wanted to be a coach. Blindness prevented me from fully achieving this goal, however I had a 25-year career as a Fitness Specialist and Personal Trainer. I was able to help many athletes and just ordinary people achieve their fitness goals. I taught many of your principles to my clients before I ever heard of you. I love your writing, I am a BIG fan.
I now work as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. I help people with vision impairments and those who are blind to get the training and tools they need to lead full and productive lives. The ultimate goal is employment. I tell people all the time, “I am finally a coach.” That’s how I approach things. I am the coach, my clients are the players and life is the game. Blindness is just an obstacle. My job is to motivate, teach, train, prepare and lead my clients to success.
Last year I identified six of my clients who, for lack of a better word, were my “screw-ups.” They were all young men between 18 and 25. They were not participating in their program. They weren’t communicating with me. They were sitting at home with their mothers not doing anything. I called them all into my office for a meeting. This is when I used the workbook, “Playbook to Success.” I spent about four hours with this group of young men going over the “16 Characteristics of Greatness” with my own spin on things as they relate to Blindness. I included a worksheet for them to record their goal, values, action plan, etc. I had some mixed responses to this workshop. There was lots of discussion. I was pleased that the young men were so open to talk. One of the guys was very negative, but he did participate, for him this was good. I think they liked talking to one another.
It has been about a year since that meeting, I’d like to give you an update. Three of the young men are working. One of them has gotten his GED and is looking for work. One is in college and doing great. One is still home with mom, however it’s not the negative one. The negative one is the fellow who got his GED. Five out of six isn’t bad, but this is not the end of the story.
After the meeting was over, one of the young men threw his workbook in the trash on the way home. I had my business card on the workbook. The next thing I know I am receiving calls from a homeless man who found the workbook in the trash. He was inspired by the materials and he was reaching out to me for help. He called me several times over the next few months, he would never give me his name, but he called me almost every week to check-in. When we first started talking, he mentioned suicide several times. I was very concerned, but I had no way to locate him. He continued to call. I always took time to talk to him. He told me about steps he was taking to get help and look for work. The last time I talked to him, he was in an apartment, he had a job and he was registering for college classes. I never knew his name. He never shared his contact information. I guess, I’ll never know the end of the story, but I think our words touched him and maybe saved his life. Like I said, five out of six isn’t bad and we got a bonus. I hope you don’t mind me borrowing your words. I only do so to motivate and inspire other towards success. I hope someday we have the opportunity to meet. If you are ever in Birmingham, please look me up.
Thanks for your words,
Joey Richey
Wow! When I received this e-mail, I was speechless, which doesn’t happen often. But then I was also reminded, as well all need to be on occasion, of what my “Why” is.
It is not often that we get an opportunity to validate all that we each do daily, but when those moments come, it is important to soak them in and to thank others for bringing purpose home.
Joey and I had a great call Monday. The longer we talked, the more I appreciated his “Why.” As he said, when he watched the light bulb click on for each of these men, all his hard work made more sense.
Yes, this is still a blog about sports stories, but I thought you might want to see what happens after the buzzer sounds, the clock strikes zero, and the spotlights are dimmed. The beauty of these sports stories is they can truly be applied to real life. Just ask Joey Richey’s team.
Has there ever been a moment where your “Why” became crystal clear to you?
- by Jim Rohn
Human beings have the remarkable ability to turn nothing into something. They can turn weeds into gardens and pennies into fortunes.
Enterprise is better than ease.
Showing a profit means touching something and leaving it better than you found it.
Enterprise is the hope of our future.
Profits are better than wages. Wages make you a living; profits make you a fortune.
We all know a variety of ways to make a living. What’s even more fascinating is figuring out ways to make a fortune.
Kids ought to have two bicycles, one to ride and one to rent.
You may be wondering why I would call this article a Thankful Thanksgiving. Aren’t all Thanksgivings thankful? Unfortunately, no. As a person who has experienced more than 75 Thanksgivings, I recognize that being thankful is something that we have to work at, even on Thanksgiving.
If your home is like most, your Thanksgiving Day will be very busy, with either traveling to where you want to go or preparing your home to have others over for the day. Either way, that can be very hectic and emotionally trying, which doesn’t lend itself to preparing your heart to be reflective and thankful. In fact, Thanksgiving weekend is the most traveled weekend in America. Airports are full, and don’t always provide much room for contemplation of your good fortune.
This means all the more that if we want to be the kind of people who are characterized by thankfulness, then we must make sure that we focus on it, and not just on Thanksgiving Day, but at all times during the year.
Here are a few key words as well as some thoughts that are simple and practical to apply; something you can use right away in your quest to become more thankful:
Time. Set aside time regularly to be quiet, to reflect. We live in the fastest-paced time ever. From the moment we awake to the moment we collapse into bed, we have the opportunity to go at full speed and never slow down. If we schedule time every day in which we can be quiet and reflect, we will free our hearts and minds from the tyranny of the urgent and rushed.
Thought. Give thought to the many blessings that you have. Living in a consumer culture, most of us are fully aware of what we do not have and how we absolutely must have “it.” But how often do we reflect upon that which we already have? Take some time each day and think of one or two things you have that you may typically take for granted, and then take a moment and give thanks for those. In fact, I make it a part of my reflection time to review a list of things that I’m thankful for.
Generosity. Be generous toward those with less and not envious of those with more. We tend to look at others who may be wealthier than ourselves and think, “I sure wish I had what he does.” That kind of thinking breeds envy and jealousy rather than contentment. What can we do to break that cycle? I would suggest being generous to those who are less fortunate than yourself. Go to work at a food bank, and not just during the holidays—everybody works there then—but on a regular basis during the year. That will remind you of how good you really have it.
Ask. Ask a friend what they are thankful for. You will be amazed at the answers you receive and you will create a meaningful bond with your friends as you focus on this powerful question.
Acknowledge. Lastly, tell those you love how thankful you are for having them in your life. So many times we neglect to take the time to craft the words to express to those closest to us what their presence in our lives means to us. Take the opportunity of Thanksgiving Day to write them a note, or sometime during the day put your hand on their shoulder, look them in the eyes and tell them. Let them know what they mean to you, and in return you’ll begin to create the possibility of deeper, richer, more fulfilling relationships with those you love.
Of course, we should do what we can to make the most of the day we call Thanksgiving, but wouldn’t it be a shame if the only time we reflected on our blessings was that one Thursday in November? And the answer is, of course! So let’s do our best to be aware of the many great gifts that we have each and every day of the year. As we do so we will see our hearts soar and our minds more and more at peace as we regularly remember and remain aware of our good fortune.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jim Rohn
Have a Save and Blessed Thanksgiving Holiday!
There are three kinds of people in the world, the wills, the wont’s and the cant’s. The first accomplish everything; the second oppose everything; the third fail in everything.
