“There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth… not going all the way, and not starting.” ~Buddha

A little Birthday Cake for Succcess.org!

Thank you!

It’s now been officially over a year. And, while the activity/posts have not had the frequency I would have liked, I’ve been pleased w/ the content. It’s fairly awe-inspiring to see how many people’s lives are and can be touched by a simple blog. Freaks me out a little to see people in Indonesia and Sweden (for instance) reading posts here. I think that is terrific! For the year we’ve averaged almost 10,000 unique visitors a month. Small by BIG blog standards but substantial nonetheless and the emails and comments are always encouraging and / or entertaining.

So, what is the great lesson I’ve learned after one year of blogging? First, I almost can’t believe I just said/typed that. I never could have foreseen blogging would be in my future or a book for that matter. So, having said, that the first lesson I guess is remain OPEN to all opportunities and possibilities. Second, START - do something - take action because you will learn something as a result of the attempt. You may even learn whatever it is isn’t what you want to do, but that is valuable. What tends to happen is that first action - the START leads you in unique and wonderful directions and opens new paths the would have never existed had you not just begun. Remember, he who hesitates is lost.

Thanks for the support!

~MWS

Time may be the ultimate illusion but in the final analysis it’s is all we have. Consider that without it there literally is nothing else, not within our perceivable, physical realm. And with it, seemingly all possibilities exist.

Yet how people “manage”  their time is ultimately what separates those who achieve their ideal future - their success, and those who don’t. On the most basic level, “success” becomes a derivative of time management. But, the question is; do high achievers really “manage” their time or do they do something else? Do they regard time differently?

PERCEPTION & RELATIVITY

“Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. Now THAT’S relativity.” - Einstein

Not only is time relative - it’s illusive. Consider, time IS abundant AND scarce. Fleeting AND stands still. In many ways it represents a very pure form of energy. Simply put, TIME IS A RIVER. A force that flows from the moment we are born into this time-constrained world/existence until we return to whence we came. Between those two moments in time (the dash) is the subtext for all of creativity and life. It’s the subtext for all science, physical formulas reality and individual achievement.

So, the next question ought to be; if we all have the same 24 hours each day, why do some people achieve 10 and 100 times the results and productivity? Well, besides technique and process (management), I’d humbly suggest to you it’s simply HOW high-achievers regard their time.

THE ONLY RAW MATERIAL WE ALL HAVE

One viewpoint I like a lot is shared by Brian Tracy. He has a brilliant analogy for time and people. He suggests that each person ought to view themselves as a FACTORY.  Yes, each new day we all receive a fresh shipment of 24 hours to run through our factory. An opportunity to produce real value each and every day. What your factory produces - what you give and what you achieve in your lifetime (your value) is determined by how you use these 24 hours each day, everyday.

Another viewpoint is this - TIME IS A RIVER and rather than “managing” it we ought to CHANNEL it. We ought to direct it toward our ambitions, interests and endeavors. We should not fight it, feel stressed by it or resist it. We should welcome its force with non-resistance. Recognizing that time is most powerful - well, over time, we should embrace its longevity and strength by employing persistence and patience.

“He that have patience can have what he will.” - Benjamin Franklin

“If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Moving be like water.” - Bruce Lee

Now that The 3 C’s of SUCCCESS is selling on Amazon; honest, quality reviews are requested and welcomed. Even if you’ve only downloaded and read the FREE version, (yes, there are a few of you) please consider taking a few minutes to share a review. Feedback is the breakfast of champions as Ken Blanchard likes to say.

It’s been remarkable to watch the book go from a sales rank (about two weeks ago) of #1,879,087 in sales all the way up to the X00,000’s! The 3 C’s isn’t being distributed through any big publishing house. To date, there has been no concerted marketing effort - this is essentially a grass-roots effort, sold through a micro publisher.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, with some very modest early success in sales, we’ve decided that it made a great deal of sense to reward the two non-profits who were largely responsible for the inspiration of the work; Big Brothers Big Sisters and Junior Achievement.

Proceeds to the tune of $1 per book will go to each non-profit. My direct experience volunteering and working with these fine agencies the last 10 and 5 years respectively helped to inspire the book and we want to make certain their fantastic missions and visions are realized to support and inspire our great country’s youth.

thanks so much for the continued support. ***Just added, check out this youtube video i found clearly demonstrating the power of positive role models! INCREDIBLE!

enjoy

~mws

Brilliant. astounding, outstanding and remarkable

There aren’t enough superlatives for MAN ON WIRE!

Things have been a little busy lately - and wanting to get to this “review’ / post since I saw this movie well over a month ago! Man on Wire is incredibly entertaining movie and not just for the never-to-be-repeated, remarkable feat itself (tight-rope, in this case wire-walking from one World Trade Center tower to the other) but, also, for its direction, production, and original footage.

I happened to see this movie (wifee’s recommendation) just before the Academy Awards (no surprise it won for best documentary).  The story features Phillipe Petit and his mission to realize his life’s dream of walking a tight rope between the two world trade towers. The brilliance from a production standpoint is the reenactment is interspersed with some fantastic original footage.  But, what makes the movie truly so powerful and riveting is the UNDERLYING THEME.

We are all walking a tight rope.

The difference is easy to see though isn’t it? Some people embrace the ‘experience’ and go out of their way to, as Phillipe says, “live on the edge” and then, there is the majority - the vast majority, that cower from the edge. They seek the center, they seek “security”.

If you’ve seen my prior post on SECURITY and CERTAINTY you know my thoughts on the topic. So having said that, I wanted to call out the 9 significant take-aways, essentially, reaffirming the techniques and lessons of Philipe’s brilliant story. Reverse engineering, once again, to the rescue.

1: Desire, Dream & Visualize: Phillipe actually realized his goal the day he was in his doctor’s office waiting for his appointment. While there, he was flipping through a magazine and noticed a feature story on the world trade center - it was still the early 70’s, the towers where not even completely built! However, he knew upon seeing the vision of the towers this was his destiny. He was sucked into the event at that moment several years earlier by the VISION - the dream and his desire quickly compelled him to tear a page right out of the magazine featuring the towers.

2: Practice: Phillipe was the consummate pro - addicted to practicing his craft.There is original footage showing how often he practiced and under what circumstances - blindfolded, with people shaking the cable, etc. His daily ritual involved practice. His tight rope walking skills were masterful because of fundamental practice.

3: Plan and Strategize: To pull of something of this magnitude required considerable planning which involved a schedule; scoping the job, gaining access to the towers. A plan to get the cable from one tower to the next and of course a strategy for  “game day”.
3.a - Flexibility: With every plan you must remain FLEXIBLE. Literally, the man was a cat. One flexible dude. but this refers to his flexibility in planning, of bending but not braking. More things went wrong than right — before the plan came together.

4:  TEAMWORK: Phillipe had to enlist nearly a dozen accomplices to this “CRIME”. A few friends pulled out at the last minute - fearful they may be held accountable for the death of a friend! Without the other brave and willing friends his dream isn’t realized. TEAMWORK.

5: BELIEVE: In the man’s own words… “Impossible! Great, let’s get to work!”

6: Passion: Passion powers people through obstacles. It’s stated in The 3 C’s of Succcess a few times. Nothing worth pursuing is going to be easy. What differentiates those who succeed more often than not is passion! Passion gets you to COMPLETION (the 3rd C). Lack of passion gets you somewhere else.

7: “Death is very Close”:  Often times far closer than any of us want to imagine. So, this can either terrify you or MOTIVATE you. Phillipe was motivated by death on the front (of the event) and back end (during the event).  And, his point is you are never more  ALIVE then “when death is very close” . There are many who will attest to that.

8: FOCUS: To execute such an act took laser-like focus. Guess how many times he looked down? What are you focusing on? Right now, quick question, are you focusing on the opportunities before you or the obstacles? Can you craft the obstacles to become opportunities?

9: Fun & Flare: Perhaps this is why the cops waited around to drag his ass to the looney bin. He didn’t just tight rope walk between the towers - he turned it into a PERFORMANCE. Phillipe bowed, saluted, SMILED and then decided to take a CAT nap (gives new meaning to the term) on the wire! He danced on the wire for over 40 minutes. Seriously, he executed the impossible with remarkable poise. He enjoyed the process and put on a show nearly 2000 feet above crowds and a lot of cement! Yes, I said he LAID DOWN on the wire!!?

Now that is beautiful. Scoreboard.

Success is the peace of mind which is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing that you made the effort to become the best at what you are capable of becoming.”

~ John Wooden

Whether you like basketball or even know what a basketball is — chances are you will love this man! At 98, John Wooden is still regarded a quick wit and sage to many players, coaches and friends seek his friendship and counsel. To give you a little flavor, this from the same article referenced above.

“When asked about the keys to successful aging, Coach was quick to respond: stay busy, stay active, enjoy every day like it is your masterpiece, have some variety and try to learn something new every day,” Castel said. “One of Coach’s famous quotes, ‘When I am through learning, then I am through,’ illustrates his lifelong commitment to learning.

“Make everyday your masterpiece!?” I almost let the brilliance of that comment escape me. It sounds too cliché, right? “Make everyday your masterpiece.” Wow! That is super powerful. If I could only possess that type of presence, that type of awareness - to make each encounter, each moment of each day a masterpiece. In order for each day to be a masterpiece, each moment would have to be a masterpiece. By definition that is what a masterpiece is right? All pieces/component parts masterfully interwoven to produce magnificence? I ask you, just what affect would that have on my life’s outcome?
And, “Lifelong commitment to learning.” Sound familiar? Based on the above statements, I think it’s obvious why I’ve taken some time to spotlight the “Wizard of Westwood”. Certainly, a site like this, dedicated to success philosophy is going to harmonize with so many of coach’s philosophies.

Yes, the “coach” is synonymous with “Success”. In fact, you’ll recall that in “The 3 C’s of Succcess” he is referenced for his storied commitment and direct study of success as well as his 14 year refinement of his “SUCCESS PYRAMID”.

Take notice! At a relatively young age the Coach started to ASK questions — he wanted to understand SUCCESS better. In fact, he cites a story where his math teacher forced the class to consider what success meant to them. (sound familiar?) It was a profound moment in young Wooden’s life and he never forgot it. What is Success? He wondered. As a young teacher he became disillusioned by seeing the pressures and expectations certain parents put on their kids if they didn’t receive an “A” or a “B”.

Those judgments he felt were hurtful, limiting and in some cases unfair. He thought long and hard about success and what it ought to be — what the definition should be. Sound familiar? (See 3 C’s).

So, he ultimately settled on this definition believing it provides everyone equal footing. In many ways his definition is attributed to this poem which he often cites…

At God’s footstool, to confess, 
A poor soul knelt and bowed his head.
”I failed,” he cried. The master said,
”Thou didst thy best. That is success.”

Widely regarded as the best college basketball coach of all time and recently named the “Coach of the Century” by ESPN. John Wooden had a knack for cutting to the core issue, focusing on fundamentals and expertly dealing with different and difficult players – their unique personalities, star egos and all the while forging character. In short, he was a remarkable coach. His methods earned his teams unparalleled success. In 70-71,71-72 his teams went a perfect 30-0, winning back to back NCAA championships. Only a few coaches have ever had one undefeated season. In fact, during a twelve year stretch, he won an astonishing ten national championships

Here are a few quick lessons I’ve learned from his many insights:

1. Ask questions and focus upon what you want to master.
He elected to ask questions and focus on success and therefore came to know success. If you become what you think about most of the time — what better concept to focus upon, contemplate and learn about then success? He spent 14 years. YES, 14 YEARS developing a success pyramid. How many DAYS have you thought about your definition of success and its component parts?
2. Life is a TEAM Sport.
Wooden embraced diversity and worked to find all players strengths.
3. Don’t treat everyone the same.
To COACH effectively you don’t treat everyone the same. Everyone responds differently. Some require encouragement and some require increased pressure and challenge. Same goes for management.
4. Concentrate on what you can control.
Coach would never let his team’s dwell on the opposition. They remained focused on what they could control — mainly…
5. Practice Fundamentals FIRST and LAST.
He was legendary for grinding even the best players on the basics. He knew they could do fancy dunks — but could they hit a clutch free throw or bank shot when it counted? Do you know what your fundamentals are?
6. Moderate and Simplify.
Wooden exemplified this on the court and off with his simple demeanor and tremendous humility.
7. Focus on effort not the result.
Knowing that practicing fundamentals takes time, he was concerned solely with effort and commitment, understanding that success is a bi-product of said constant effort.
8. Quality Leadership and management require teaching.
Effective teaching requires coaching. Effective coaching requires caring and caring requires listening! Even today, ex-players recall his impact because he cared and took the time to listen and teach.
9. Balance is everything. He said this often - balance in life and balance on the court. He put balance only second to LOVE. Balance is everything. “Be quick, but don’t hurry”. This, in essence, is balance; controlled action in all areas of life.
10. Love Rules.
See above. He used to say “the purpose of discipline isn’t to punish but to correct.” With love in his heart and by always seeking to measure intent and effort first, his players would quickly align with the teams goal — a national championship. They never feared or second guessed his intentions.

So, when you combine all his methods, it becomes fairly easy to see why he has been so successful on and off the basketball court.

Thank you Coach! All the best Sir! Thanks so much for your tremendous gifts — your thoughtful consideration and study of SUCCESS has no doubt made many a persons’ path more swift and assured. We are all likely to go farther faster because you have contributed so generously. We have indeed been fortunate to benefit from your wisdom.

Continued peace, health and happiness.

~MWS

Stanford Commencement Address 2005.
Mr. Steven Jobs; Monster-Entrepreneur, Apple & Pixar CEO, Super-Hero Extraordinaire

“Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” ~Kierkegaard

Every time I see this speech I’m awed by the number of gems Steve shares. I find it interesting to overlay these anecdotes against the backdrop of my personal experiences. His tales of opportunity, following his heart, continuous learning, failure, humility, and of course, mortality are both profound and inspiring.

However, I ask you, “How unique are they?” Just how rare are these “coincidences?”

The question I encourage you to ask is, “where are the parallels?” Surely you recognize you don’t have to be CEO of a couple fortune 500 companies to notice that, ultimately, the song remains the same; that these synchronistic events happen daily for everyone. The real question is not, “how rare is this?” But rather, “How aware am I to the events and all the possibilities?”

Think about it. One day Jobs is walking eight miles to eat at a Hare Krishna Temple - the next, he’s revolutionizing the computing industry. A slight exaggeration perhaps. However, the point is not to be lost, those were two very real “stations” in his life separated only by awareness, purity of intent and of course time.

Enter Deepak
The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra, M.D. [excerpt]

We cannot even imagine the complex forces behind every event that occurs in our lives. There’s a conspiracy of coincidences that weaves the web of karma or destiny and creates an individual’s personal life mine, or yours. The only reason we don’t experience synchronicity in our daily lives is that we do not live from the level where it is happening. Usually we see only cause-and-effect relationships. This causes that, which causes this, which causes that — linear trajectories. Yet beneath the surface, something else is happening. Invisible to us is a whole web of connections. As it becomes apparent, we see how our intentions are woven into this web, which is much more context-bound, much more relational, much more holistic, much more nurturing than our surface experience.

Very often we fall into ruts in our lives; we maintain the same routines and act in the same manner predictably day after day after day. We set our minds on a certain course of action, and simply proceed. How can miracles happen if we march mindlessly, unthinking and unaware, through our lives? Coincidences are like road flares, calling our attention to something important in our lives, glimpses of what goes on beyond everyday distractions. We can choose to ignore those flares and hurry on, or we can pay attention to them and live out the miracle that is waiting for us.
(pages 125-126, The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire, by Deepak Chopra.

Enter YOU
How can you relate to each of the lessons shared within Job’s speech? Hopefully, these questions challenge you to draw your own conclusions, to connect your own dots and ultimately TRUST what IS.

I found this exercise invaluable in helping me to keep the faith and trust - even during some extremely difficult times with my businesses. His themes; “follow your heart”, “stay hungry-stay foolish” “love what you do” and “trust” remain paramount and I’m hopeful they will continue as guideposts for as long as I live.

So, here for your entertainment, are a handful of questions designed to FREE your mind and to hopefully foster your trust… of what IS. To acknowledge that whether you know it or not, you’ve already connected a few dots

Question #1. How has chance played a role in your very existence?
When you ponder this question you literally become free. I’m sure you recognize you had no responsibility in the matter of your existence. But, how often have you considered it? It was neither your effort nor your ego which placed you “here”.

Question #2: Identify your most favored current relationship. Then ask, “How is it that I know this person?” “What events precipitated this relationship?”
How did that relationship manifest? How did you meet this person? What circumstances and coincidences played a role in the creation of that relationship? How much effort or control did you have in directly creating that relationship?

Question #3: How are you currently following your heart?
Recall, Jobs dropped out of school but not for the sake of dropping out. It was his intent to protect his parents investment and savings and so he could “drop in” on the classes that interested him the most, like calligraphy.

Question #4: How has a recent set back or failure affected your present mindset?
What was Steve’s first impulse when was fired from the very company he created? Then, what was it that kept him around and set him on a course of action and why?

Question #5: Are you able to connect the dots now?
Can you see that be looking back you’ve been the beneficiary of some fantastic, seemingly unrelated events that have brought you to your current career path or introduced you to something you are very passionate about?

Question #6: What question did Steve ask himself every morning?
What question do you ask yourself every morning? What do you choose to focus on?

Question #7: What is life’s greatest invention - it’s greatest change agent?
How much time do you think you have? How much time do you really think you need in order to make your dreams come true? Do you NOT think that SynchroDestiny (as Deepak calls it) must play a part in that vision? Particularly when you consider the meeting of two strangers is statistically incalculable
.

Enjoy.
~mws

————
P.S: When I envisioned writing about Jobs this wasn’t the piece i had in mind. Far from it. I thought it’d be a post about the most brilliant execution of business strategy I’ve ever witnessed. Recall, his early days after being reinstated at the helm of Apple; his settlement with Microsoft to shore-up some badly needed cash then, secretly developing for the Intel platform and making the Apple OS open source. It was like watching Kasparov’s end-game. Simply brilliant. And, I haven’t even mentioned the iPod, iTunes or iPhone.

Mr. Jobs, Sir… thoughts and prayers to you and your family. We’re pulling for you and your speedy recovery.

btw: Thanks for making the world a far more creative and enjoyable place to live.

Cheers and God Bless.

~mws

“Youth is wasted on the young.”
~ George Bernard Shaw

With all the excitement about Michael Phelps in the media recently, I felt it was a good time to jump in, but not necessarily pile on. If, for some reason you haven’t heard, Phelps was photographed with his face half-way down a water pipe (bong), less than ideal if you’ve just brought back a record eight Gold medals for your country and you have endorsements that total into the multi-millions.

My take on this is fairly straightforward - one very stupid decision. Having said that, the general public has absolutely no idea how tightly wound this kid has been since a very young age. Just try to imagine the patience, discipline and focus he’s had to practice and endure for not just a few years, but the majority of his young life! He is only 23. And, while I absolutely think it was a grave mistake, I’m hopeful we all recognize he is a young man. Young people make mistakes and then hopefully learn from them.

Try to imagine you are 23 years old and on the cover of every magazine from TIME to PEOPLE - you’re a national celebrity, yet, you just want to relate to your peers WITHOUT all the hype. You want to fit-in and be like the others, without the celebrity. My guess is that was his desire in that social/party type atmosphere. Sure, the way he went about it was less than ideal, but his intentions were innocent. He certainly didn’t set out to let people down, tarnish the image of a country, or jeopardize endorsements or a swimming career.

Talent will get you to the top, but it’s character that will keep you there.”
~ John Wooden

To me, this is where his story actually becomes interesting. To see how he handles this adversity. My hope is he uses this to his advantage. He can undoubtedly use his celebrity, athleticism, endorsements AND even bad decisions and create something positive - perhaps educating kids about drug use and consequence (just throwing that out there).

Yes, the entire second chapter of “The 3 C’s of Succcess” is devoted to CHARACTER. This “event” simply underscores John Wooden’s classic quote and the incredible importance of character to attain life-long success.

I fully recognize we have to be accountable for our actions and I fully recognize to “whom much is given - much is expected.” It’s my belief however, that Michael understands this as well. He could not have come so far so fast without being of very sound character and incredibly disciplined. However, no one lives in a vacuum - this event helps to illustrate how dynamic and quickly life can change and why character and integrity require ‘right’ habits and actions on a daily basis.

The American public has always been very quick to build up its heroes and even quicker to tear them down. Can we really throw a lifetime of discipline, training and 14 gold medals away for one bad decision?

It’s a good thing Phelps has the shoulders of an Olympic swimmer; they will come in handy under the increased pressure and scrutiny that comes with being a national hero. All the best MP - I think you know where to take this from here.

Youth is indeed wasted on the young, and that is how it’s meant to be.

Peace.

~MWS

photo: mws, bali 06:  post: mitch w. steel

“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set.”

~ James Allen, As a Man Thinketh

I’ve written quite a bit about what I believe success to be, that is - CREATING YOUR IDEAL FUTURE. That definition to me describes simply and succinctly exactly what successful people do. It’s also the definition I’ve humbly offered readers of “The 3 C’s of Succcess”. The point being if you don’t know what your definition is or where you are heading, the likelihood of you reaching your intended target - your success, is near impossible! If you’ve missed that post click here or you can find it in the “The 3 C’s” eBook (to your left).

Having said that, it’s my great pleasure to turn Succcess.org readers on to Philosopher Notes, a tremendous service/product and website written and produced by my newfound buddy and kindred spirit (undoubtedly), Brian Johnson. Anyone who’s devoted so much time to reading and studying philosophy and personal growth- not just to improve himself, but to inspire others while providing tremendous value, is a HERO in my book (literally). Brian is a man intent on creating his his ideal future! And, my guess is he’d tell you he’s doing just that each and every day. You can find some background info about Brian here which shares where he’s at now; both physically and figuratively.

Brian is currently enjoying an ever-increasing sabbatical in Bali (the pictures above and below are actually from my semi-recent surf trip to Bali. A great friend had just sold his company and we needed to celebrate. However, that’s another story for another day). Back to Philosopher Notes, Brian’s on a mission to devour thousands of personal development titles - synthesize them into easily digestible bites (PDFs and MP3s). The premise of Philosopher Notes is essentially to produce Cliff Notes for personal development. BTW: This is a brilliant demonstration of synthetic imagination at work and an ingenious way to share rich nuggets of wisdom via concise and easy to understand PDFs and MP3s. His subscriber list is exploding, mostly through referrals and they are raving about the high quality of both his content and the production. Brian also adds his own unique personality and flavor to each message to make the lessons enjoyable and entertaining. He likes to refer to his efforts as “concentrated wisdom for your hero’s journey”.

“Try not to become a man of success, try rather, to become a man of value” ~Einstein

Brian truly gets it (in my humble opinion). You see, while he is not only in constant pursuit of creating his ideal future - he seeks FIRST to provide VALUE recognizing, as Einstein pointed out, that success can only be a bi-product, a RESULT of produced value! In the case of Philosopher Notes, Brian’s current offer is INCREDIBLE, to provide 100 best selling personal development titles for as little as $20! And, it’s his mission to give away his work product to 1 million subscribers!

I’m a HUGE fan of Brian’s work. His efforts align so well with our intentions here at Succcess.org to inspire readers throughout the world. To help them recognize their success isn’t simply some random HOPE but instead it’s their obligation! In fact, I’ve been so inspired by his work and his mission that I’ve offered to share a post about his efforts and in return he’s setup a FREEBIES link for Succcess.org readers. YOU CAN GET YOUR FREE TOP 25 Philosopher Notes HERE. I highly recommend you check out his very thoughtful and inspiring work. I’m certain that with these nuggets of wisdom (comprising hundreds of titles) he will help to accelerate your journey to realize the life you’ve imagined.

All the best. Enjoy!

~Mitch W. Steel

MWS surfing Ulu in Bali!

post: mitch w. steel

As we quickly approach 2009, it’s time to ask some quality questions. And, the best time to ask those questions is NOW. In fact, the only time to ask those questions is now.

Remember, questions help to control your intention, attention and direction. They help to manifest guidance and answers. Establishing and achieving a BIG goal is NO different then establishing and achieving a small goal. There is absolutely no difference.

A determining factor in every case is belief. Do you believe you will achieve the goal? As Buddha stated several millennia ago, “He who believes he is able, is able”. If you don’t believe you are able, see this post.

The following 9 questions are critical to ensure you are not only on the right path but ensure you have the wherewithal to achieve your BIG dream goal.

1) If I could achieve just ONE BIG goal by December 2009, what would it be?
I want to ____________________ (run a marathon, complete an Ironman, visit Africa, write a book, learn Spanish, learn to play the guitar).
From experience, the most effective way I’ve found to do this is to create a list of several large goals and then determine which one gets you most excited by the thought and VISION of its accomplishment.
It might look like this; (rate each one, scale 1-5)

Drive across the country, 3
Visit Yosemite with the family, 4
Skydive, 3
Sail to Hawaii, 4
Complete an Ironman, 5
Learn to play guitar, 3
Write a book, 5
Visit the Pyramids, 4

Recognize that for purposes of this post the goal is to identify and complete just ONE goal. Of course this can be used for multiple goals however, I highly recommend the first time you apply this formula; to prove its value to you simply FOCUS on just ONE big, dream goal

2) Get motivated; ask, “WHY must I achieve this?”
By asking WHY you’ll ensure the goal aligns with your true nature and will undoubtedly ignite your spirit therefore supplying the requisite will power needed to overcome all the obstacles that are likely to show up along the way.

When the ‘WHY’ is strong enough you’ll figure out the HOW along the way. What will achieving this goal do for you? Is it to have a great life experience, learn something new, make more money or acquire a new skill? Then, next to your list write the WHY. It might look like this but hopefully, you’ll list in even greater detail all the reasons why the achievement of the goal is important and so fulfilling.

Drive across the country, 3 – Experience this great country
Visit Yosemite with the family, 3 - Quality family experience
Skydive, 3- Great life experience
Sail to Hawaii, 4 - Great Life experience
Complete an Ironman, 5 - Improved health habits and great life experience
Learn to play guitar, 3 - artistic and creative outlet
Write a book, 5 - Enhance creativity and personal expression
Visit the Pyramids, 4 - Great life experience

3) Visualize: What will the outcome look, feel, smell and taste like?
For instance, if the goal is to learn a new language; use your imagination and visualize yourself speaking the language in restaurant or visiting the country and talking to the local folk. Imagine and sense that you already have the skill or have already achieved the goal. How incredible does that feel? Now that’s motivation!

Another motivational trick is to apply imaging. This is what worked so well for me. It was shared by Tony Robbins in his “Personal Power” course. I have reviewed this in my book, “The 3 C’s of Succcess”, and it’s called the “Rocking chair test.” You imagine you’re already 90 years old. You are kicking back in your rocking chair and your reflecting on the entirety of your life. And, for the most part, the opportunity has passed you by. The achievement of that BIG goal can NOT be accomplished. It’s too late - you blew it. Can you see yourself saying, “I can’t believe I never ________________”. How does that make you feel?

Well, when I performed this exercise I can’t explain the pain I felt when I realized I might leave this world never having attempted an Ironman triathlon. I knew I wasn’t getting any younger and this vision left me with a tremendous amount of regret. In fact there was so much motivation via regret that I immediately went to the Ironman website and enrolled in a ½ Ironman approximately 4 months out.

The ‘funniest’ part is I didn’t even own a bicycle and I’d never run a 5K, but I recognized this was something I had to do. Did I believe I could do it? Sure. Was I scared? You bet, although I’d prefer to say I was heavily concerned. I can tell you this, I recognized I wasn’t getting any younger and my opportunities were slipping away – the time to act was now! I kept saying to myself if not now, when? The entire story is in the book but the gist is – that motivation alone propelled me to take immediate action to sign up. Once I’d done that and paid the nearly $400 entry fee I was on the hook. I was fully committed and I had to figure out a game plan fast.

4) And, that leads us to your next question, “What’s my PLAN?”
Once you’ve identified the goal and have sufficient motivation the next logical step is to determine the plan. Yes, if you fail to plan you can plan on failing.

One of the best ways to orchestrate the plan is to review your time line and work backwards from the final accomplishment- the goal end date. Then identify the major milestones along the way moving backward. For instance, in my case for the Ironman (in September) I knew before I could even entertain a full Ironman I’d have to complete a ½ Ironman (approximately half-way along the goal time line) successfully. If it’s learning a new language your time line will require lessons and study and major milestones/objectives along the way. Work backwards from the final objective to have a realistic and achievable time line.

5) Do I have enough time?
Since we just talked about time lines, this is a necessary discussion you’ll need to have with yourself. About 90% of people just give up with the automated response, “I’d love to do it but I just don’t have the time”. If your excuse is money see #6. However, if your excuse is time and that is your automated response visit “The key 8 that separate”.

Remember, everyone has the same 24 hours it’s how you allocate it! Those who are achieving remarkable goals manage their time better than others (period). If you cut out 1 hour of TV a day that’s equal to 365 hours a year. You tell me what that’s worth in terms of achieving a goal? In fact if we just take only 300 hours over the course of a year and multiply that by a low-average of $20/hr you’ve invested at least $6,000 dollars watching TV for the year. Hope you enjoyed it.

6) What expert resources are available to me?
What resources will you need? WHO has already done this? What costs are involved? For the Ironman I bought a book and kept it by the bed, read through it morning and night. Re-read it over and over. Surround yourself with the books that provide rich information about your goal. Just having the images and reading about the process makes the accomplishment much more tangible. If necessary find teachers, trainers, and any related resource. Books are inexpensive and there is plenty information available on the Internet for free!

Be careful not to use money as an excuse. Even if it’s a trip to Africa. There are hundreds of techniques and tricks for travel to anywhere on a limited budget. Money can only be a limiter if you allow it. Refuse to allow it. Be creative and find a way. Chances are excellent someone has already achieved your goal and would like to share their experience with you and of course the great benefit is you’ll learn from their many mistakes. SEEK EXPERTISE after you’ve developed your plan and time line.

7) Can I really do this?
“Whether you think you can or you can’t you are right” H. Ford
The real question isn’t CAN I – it’s WILL I? Ask yourself, “Am I fully committed to achieving this?” “Do I have the will?” Yes, your desire will be constantly challenged along the way – time will run short; life will intervene and become overwhelming. Obstacles are assured! This is where your WILL must provide the overpowering energy. “Where there is a will – there is a way”. This is why identifying your specific WHY – the reason you must achieve the goal and rating its importance is so important. When the goal must be achieved it WILL be achieved.

8 ) What’s my next action?
Get moving and keep moving! Remember, the longest journey begins with a single step. Don’t become preoccupied or overwhelmed by the big-ness of it all. Focus on the next action only and remain assured that is enough. If I want to drive a few hundred miles at night I can only see about 30 feet in front of me the entire way but I’ll still get there if I follow the plan and stay on course. Also, if you can do your next step or action quickly in two minutes (see “Getting Things Done” by Robert Allen) DO IT. This could be a phone call to arrange a trip, an email to request a lesson, etc. Complete the small items to create and maintain momentum.

9) Who should I tell?
Ideally, nobody. However, chances are that if you are married you’ll be enlisting the aid of your spouse. I recognize this goes contrary to the majority (not all) of personal development coaches who suggest by sharing your goal you’ll gain leverage by not wanting to fail them. However, the flip side of that is by telling people you’re essentially bragging in advance and wasting valuable energy. I go into more detail in “The 3 C’s” however, what I can tell you here is it was invaluable in my experience to remain quiet about my goal – maintain the necessary energy required and maintain focus. Believe me, all I wanted to do was share and tell people about my intention to complete an Ironman. However, it was far more rewarding to actually COMPLETE the Ironman and then share the experience if the topic came up.

Last but not least, this isn’t a question but a method. Be sure to track your daily progress in a personal journal or log book. If you saw the video above Melissa mentions this by saying “you don’t have to run a marathon tomorrow, you just have to make those daily small changes.” It helps greatly t record all your small changes/accomplishments and milestones along the way. Do celebrate even the smallest of victories. This is very important! It could be that you just ran 5 miles for the first time and your BIG goal is to complete a marathon. You are doubting your ability since the 5 miles was extremely difficult. Don’t let your mind get ahead of you – congratulate yourself on the progress at hand. Just think, one month ago you couldn’t run two miles. Take the time to congratulate yourself and enjoy the accomplishment of even the smallest victory!

What BIG goal will you achieve this year? Consider what Melissa was able to do! She used only 3 very simple techniques. Can you name those? If not, go back and listen to her speak once again. She shares three key ingredients that changed everything for her! Truly, you’re only limited by your imagination.

If this post has provided any value I’d be greatly honored if you shared the post/site with others via the ‘tellafriend’ link below. Think how stoked you’d be for your loved ones if you helped them to achieve their BIG goal!

Feel free to share your BIG goals in the comments below (by nature these are essentially anonymous). I’d like to see who can identify the BIG THREE Melissa shares as well. Also, do keep me updated on your progress. Wishing you a fantastic 2009! All the best!

Cheers

~MWS

“Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four Cs. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.” ~ Walt Disney

post by: Mitch W. Steel

Walter Elias Disney. Now there was a man who deserved a “Sir” before his name if ever there was one. A legend. Certainly, an incredible SUCCESS by anyone’s definition. You would be hard pressed to find a man who’s vision and inspiration has positively touched more lives. At this very moment, kids are skipping around and smiling the grandest of smiles because of his vision; to create “the happiest place on earth”, Disneyland.

What seemingly everyone forgets is, much like our first HERO President Lincoln, his road to such heights was extremely difficult. He had a multitude of opportunities to quit. I found it hard to believe that Walt was told he had no talent when trying to submit his cartoons to a local paper as a young man. Imagine that, the creator of the iconic Mickey Mouse character! Also, later in his career, as an entrepreneur, he suffered multiple business failures and even a bankruptcy. Bet you didn’t know that.

There are no original ideas. There are only original people.
~Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

For Mr. Disney the road to great achievement and success was paved with many hard lessons. So, while Walt’s life was indeed a challenging one, he epitomized the winning formula for SUCCCESS (The 3 C’s kind). Creativity, Character and Completion.

I think you know where this is going…

Imagine both my surprise and, I guess, honor to come across Mr. Disney’s statement about “the FOUR C’s” which reveal in his words, “the secrets of making dreams come true” for ANY man.

I ran across his quote last week and nearly fell over… here it is again. Worth a second view.

“Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four Cs. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.” - Walt Disney,

You see, after I finally completed the manuscript for “The 3 C’s of Succcess” (that’s right, THREE C’s… not FOUR) just last July AND after years of research, study, teaching and writing of this formula/philosophy) I was utterly dumbfounded to have come across his quote.

Frankly, I wasn’t sure how I ought to respond to his quote. Does this suggest there are truly no original thoughts or ideas? Does this somehow make “The 3 C’s” invalid? Or, do Walt’s comments perhaps validate “The 3 C’s of Succcess” and its “blueprint” for success as Melvin Powers called it? Well, the uncanny similarity definitely forced the issue - I had to dig deeper.

TIME TO INVESTIGATE WALT’S FOUR C’s

Disney’s first C is CURIOSITY.
I can ONLY surmise by curiosity he MEANS or at the very least intended to mean CREATIVITY. Perhaps contained within curiosity? How can I be so bold as to presume that? Simple really. Has there EVER been a more creative soul then Walt? And, if Creativity is not in his remaining other 3 C’s (it isn’t) it must be here - in this one. Are you following this? Seriously, we’re comparing “Success Theory” here! If Walt is giving us, as he said, the secret to scale any mountain and realize any dream — he must mean curiosity equals, in some form, creativity since Disneyland is one of the purest forms of inspired CREATIVITY mankind has ever seen!

His second and third C’s; Courage and Confidence.
I ask you, my friend, are those both not CHARACTER traits? So, in the interest of economy and elegance could we not just agree to character as a second C? Simplicity in any formula ought to rein supreme. Perhaps he’s trying to be laser focused on just two specific character traits, you might suggest? Well, the challenge I have with that theory is what of the other REQUIRED character traits to realize true and enduring success? In fact, the very character traits Walt himself represented; tolerance and integrity to name just a couple. Do you think Walt wouldn’t tell you personally that those are also critical to scale any mountain or realize any dream? Can we really pull the other essential character traits out of any equation that equals success? I don’t think so. By identifying and labeling only two specific character traits, Walt is essentially excluding numerous others essential qualities and traits required for success. These are all detailed in “The 3 C’s” and truly can’t be overlooked. Again, I’d humbly suggest to you it’s easier and more eloquent to simplify the equation and, in this case, go broader with Character and therefore exclude none.

Walt’s fourth C, Constancy.
By constancy I believe we can safely surmise he means both the character trait of consistency as well as persistence. Additionally, it must follow that constancy implies a sort of completion and/or finality. In other words, by simply reverse engineering his marvelous creation, Disneyland - it undoubtedly required constancy of character as well as his ability to execute, to complete his vision, to finish the job. Yes, by pulling that ‘constancy’ thread a little further I would humbly suggest to you a perfect alignment with the final C within the 3 C formula - which is Completion! Since any project or job well done requires diligence and constancy to ultimately become complete.

Final thoughts…
In the final analysis I believe Walt’s quote is a fantastic sound bite and a wonderful outline to motivate and inspire any man to realize any dream. My guess is, it already has served that purpose. Having said that, and with all due respect, it is my guess also that he did not put years of effort into refining said outline or success philosophy. That is Just a guess. However, I want to be VERY clear, I am NOT questioning his success or his magnificent impact on humanity. See my legend comment - first paragraph! In fact, I’m not even questioning Walt’s philosophy. The fact is, upon further review, his 4 C’s align very well WITHIN the context of the 3 C’s.

Perhaps, what I am suggesting is that, having now just completed “The 3 C’s of SUCCCESS” I wish Walt and I could go throw a few beers and philosophize over our collective C’s. Of course, in my vision, he’d not only agree with The 3 C philosophy but he’d provide a wonderful testimonial for the book or write even write foreword. DARE TO DREAM.

Go ahead -give it to me! 4 C’s or 3 C’s? No C’s. Two B’s. 7 Z’s.
Talk2me.

Hopefully, I’ve not made you C sick.

All the best. Cheers!

~mws