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Business, Contributors - Monday, March 8, 2010 11:00 - 4 Comments
Flip Flippen: Separate Great Leaders from Typical Leaders
There I sat, listening to a business friend who had not received the promotion that he had hoped and worked for. He was obviously disappointed and seriously considering a move to a different organization.
He made it clear that the person the board had chosen was not qualified to lead. In fact, my friend was positive that he should have been chosen and it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to consider what it would be like to work for the new president. This is a common event in the corporate world, and it is one of the most difficult situations to be in. Continue…
- Getting Over Fear and On with Your Life
Fear is something that cripples people and keeps them from pursuing and reaching their dreams. This does not have to be so! I truly believe that a person does not have to have fear in their life. I can honestly say that I do not have any fear in my life. Now, I am not [...]
- What Exactly Is My Metabolism, and How Can I Control It?
Many of my clients were initially overweight, not all, but most. In fact, more than 60 percent of my clients came to me so I can help them lose weight. The other 40 percent is a mixture of people who want to live longer, who want to look sexier, who want to add muscle to [...]
- Part 16: ACTION!
Review: INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
“I think there is something more important than believing: action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren’t enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision.” —W. Clement [...] - Part 15: How to WIN—Every Time!
Review: INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
As we head into the final stretch of this incredible journey, I want to offer you one final gift. It’s one of my greatest strategies for creating extraordinary success, and now–if you choose– it can be [...] - Happiness Is Yours for the Taking
Happiness. The pursuit of so many. In fact, we are known in America as those who live for “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
But so many seem without happiness. Why is this? Is happiness truly elusive, or do we simply not know how to take hold of it? It is my contention that happiness [...] - The Advantage of Being Quiet
I couldn’t believe he wouldn’t stop talking. I had been in his office for a full 45 minutes, and he had not stopped once to ask anyone else’s thoughts or to even get a response. Finally, the meeting came to a close and I had the fortunate or unfortunate opportunity to meet with him one [...]
- Part 14: S-T-R-E-T-C-H Yourself

Review:INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13If you are going to achieve goals you have never achieved before, you must be willing to do what you have never done before.
One of those things is to allow, no actually push, yourself to FAIL. And if you want to succeed big, you have to fail big. There is no way around it.
When I was only 20 years old, I got into residential real estate sales. It was the early ’90s, and the real estate market was as tough as it is right now. I knew nothing about the real estate business; I had no prior experience, clientele or even credibility—I wasn’t even old enough to drink! But in just 90 days, I was outselling (new listings and pending escrows) an entire office of 44 veteran agents—combined!
The strategy I am going to reveal to you made that possible and is one of my personal-achievement secret weapons. I now offer it to you…
When I went to my first real estate seminar, I asked the lecturer to lunch. I asked him for his best tip on being successful in real estate. His answer was, “Go fail—a lot.”
“What?!” I said. “I thought the whole idea of success was to avoid failure.” “Quite the opposite,” he said. Then he told me a quote from Tom Watson of IBM: “The key to success is massive failure.” He said, “Your goal is to out-fail your competition. Whoever can fail the most, the fastest and the biggest wins.”
I was still perplexed. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING
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- Part 13: Success Cycles

Review:INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8, 9, 10, 11, 12We are human. We cannot be 100 percent 100 percent of the time. We cannot improve every area of our life simultaneously. We cannot do everything at the same time. When we try is when we fail, burn out or blow up.
Nature works in cycles. As with the seasons, there is a time to learn, a time to produce, a time to harvest and a time to rest. Farmers, schoolchildren, and even professional athletes operate in seasons. That approach to life can help you excel, too.
I want to explain an advanced achievement strategy that will help you make greater progress toward your goals—faster. It’s a concept called: Working in Success Cycles.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you and I are going to race from Los Angeles to New York City. We both have planes. You have a 747, which travels at a cruising speed of 875 mph. I have a mere Learjet, which travels at 400 mph. Now, if I fly straight through, but you have to land and take off in the 10 states in between—taxiing, parking and going through your preflight checklist before taking off again—who is going to win? CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING
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- The Best Results ALWAYS Occur One Step Past Where Most People Give Up
I just got back from the gym about 30 minutes ago, and I wanted to share an important success “reminder” with you.
I’m not sure about you guys, but getting to the gym is a pain in the butt sometimes—but we all have to do things we don’t want to, right?
At the gym, I was doing [...] - Part 11: Building Your SUPPORT Systems

Review:INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8, 9, 10So you now have your well-designed goals—fantastic!
You also have your plan of action to achieve them—hooray!
You even have your achievement-management system set to keep you on track with that plan—bravo!
What could possibly get in your way now?
Actually, 6,692,030,277 things (the world’s current population), or at least those people whom you circulate with regularly.
This reminds me of the title for one of Connie Podesta’s books: Life Would Be Easy If It Weren’t for Other People. So true, so true.
Your associations are one of the most powerful influences (I will discuss the most powerful influence on Thursday) that determine whether you will stick to your goals or get forever derailed.
Dr. David McClelland of Harvard University concluded after 25 years of research that the choice of a negative “reference group” was in itself enough to condemn a person to failure and underachievement in life. Whoa! Scary, isn’t it?
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READINGCLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WORKSHEET #14)
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- Creating Safety in Your Organization
Did you know that when people feel safe, they perform better? Have you ever stopped to think that if you could help people feel safe with you, they would perform better for you? That does not mean that you lower your expectations or accept sub-par performance or that you start every meeting with Kumbaya.
You see, [...] - Video Update from Darren Hardy–End of Week 5
Here’s a summary of week five in our journey towards Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life where Ianswer your questions and give you a course update.I’ve also selected some of your questions and observations left in the comments sections along with some of my responses. I hope you find it helpful to peruse through the common questions and insights shared by others experiencing the process along with you.
- Part 10: Remain F-L-E-X-I-B-L-E
Review:INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 , 8, 9
Have you ever heard the adage, “I will accomplish this even if it kills me”? Well, in my early years of goal setting and achieving… I came pretty darn close to “crossing over” just to meet the goals I had set for myself! I also missed a lot of other opportunities along the way.I became so focused, so dogmatic about the goals I had set and my specific plans to achieve them that my blinders kept me from 1) seeing easier and faster routes to my destination, and 2) that some of the goals that were important earlier in the year or at the beginning of the decade were less important than I originally believed.
One of the greatest challenges to success is learning how to stay focused on your goals while remaining flexible enough to adapt to needed change.
Even though we have declared S.M.A.R.T. goals and designed a very specific strategic plan to achieve them, it is equally important to remain open and flexible along the way. If you look back at most of your defining moments, or the pivotal events that transformed your life, I bet most were unplanned and happened unexpectedly. Life is a mystery; you never know what might show up and you can’t be so myopic that you miss opportunities and solutions you couldn’t have even fathomed before.
Murphy’s Law and the T-shirt Philosophy
You know ol’ Murph right? The oh-too familiar friend who always seems to show up at your party at the most embarrassing and worst-possible times. Well Murphy lives to teach us this: If something can go wrong, it will. Don’t be too attached to the route you first charted, as you will undoubtedly be reevaluating and readjusting all along the way. Imagine CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
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- Part 9: Your Achievement Management System
You have your ambitious and appropriate goals that are based on your strengths and opportunities and have been whole-life balanced. You know who you want to become, who you want to serve and you have the strategic plan of action to achieve all your worthy goals.
Now it is time to create an execution system to implement your plan in the real world—your world.
Some of the best of intentions and greatest plans have failed because there wasn’t a system of execution to see them through. When it comes down to it, your new plans, your new actions, your new behavior, have to be implemented into your monthly, weekly and ultimately daily routine. A routine is something you do every day without fail… and eventually without thinking about it.
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TYPE IN PASSWORD: best10
- Confessions of a Fit Millionaire — Part 2
Take 12-Steps Toward Lifelong Success
Last week, we began our discussion about how to be a healthy millionaire. This week, I’m going to give you the exact formula. Enjoy!
Here’s the 12-step success formula many of my most successful clients follow faithfully:
1. Write out a top-five list daily, before going to bed. Make sure to include the top [...] - Video Update from Darren Hardy–End of Week 4
A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM DARREN HARDY:
Here’s a summary of week four in our journey towards Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life where Ianswer your questions and give you a course update.
I’ve also selected some of your questions and observations left in the comments sections along with some of my responses. I hope you find it helpful to peruse through the common questions and insights shared by others experiencing the process along with you. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE OF WORKSHEETS
TYPE IN PASSWORD: best10
- Part 8: Your Strategic Plan of Action
Review:INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
The difference between a dream or fantasy and a goal you will achieve is:
1) writing it down (what we have already done) and,
2) outlining a specific plan to achieve the goal (what we will do in this installment).Now it is time to formulate your strategic plan of action.
I explained early on in this series how goals work (you can review here). When you know what you are looking for, it gives your mind a ‘new set of eyes’ to see the world around you. You begin to notice the people, resources and even ideas needed for achieving your goal. But if your goal is defined only by an audacious and distant destination, your mind may be thrown off by elusiveness and ambiguity. It doesn’t know what to look for to help you get there.
The mind operates best with precise instructions. A three-digit lock has 18,333 potential combinations. When you have the specific three numbers in the right sequence, opening the lock is easy. If you don’t have the combination—or precise instructions—opening the lock is almost impossible. Making a specific and strategic plan of action provides the mind with the instructions it needs to get you to your desired destination.
Making a plan to accomplish your goals can be compared to planning a cross-country road trip. If you were going to travel across the country, say, from my hometown in San Diego to Manhattan, you would consider the following: CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
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TYPE IN PASSWORD: best10
- Let’s talk money.
Money and time. The two topics most people avoid are the ones we’re tackling head-on in our February issue. Most of us struggle with time and money at some point, whether it’s learning to manage our schedules, setting up a plan for retirement or just trying to get out of debt.
We at SUCCESS magazine believe [...]
- Part 7: GIVE what you WANT
Review:INTRO, GETTING READY & PARTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
On your journey to achieving your goals, this one shift in your mindset can radically change how the world around you responds to and receives you.
The process of goal-setting can make you very myopic and ME-focused. If we really want to get what we want, we have to remember one of the oldest success principles: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Or as Zig Ziglar puts it: “You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
What if that is true?
What if you knew for sure that everything you gave you would receive back tenfold? How much would you give? What would you give? How fast would you give it?What do you want? What attributes do you need to accomplish your goals?
Do you need more courage? Who can you encourage?
Do you need more strength? Who can you help strengthen?
Do you need more belief? Who can you believe in?
Do you need more confidence? Who can you instill confidence in?
Do you need more love? Who can you love?In the last installment we discovered CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
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- Confessions of a Fit Millionaire – Part 1
It’s a fact that you cannot have true abundance in ANY area of your life without first feeling immensely confident in yourself. The main determining factor in your confidence is how you feel about your body.
As many of you know, over the last 17 years, I’ve worked with several of today’s top Hollywood stars and [...] - Are You in It to Win It?
Have you ever heard, “It isn’t whether you win or lose; it is how you play the game”? I’m sure you have. But do you know who said it? Some guy who came in second place!
You see, I have a problem with that statement. It presupposes, or at least strongly suggests, that winning and playing [...] - Video Update from Darren Hardy–End of Week 3
Here’s a summary of week three in our journey towards Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life where I answer your questions and give you a course update.I’ve also selected some of your questions and observations left in the comments sections along with some of my responses. I hope you find it helpful to peruse through the common questions and insights shared by others experiencing the process along with you.
Please watch the video: CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEOIn case you missed any of the worksheet downloads: - Four Key Questions for Identifying Key Talent
We have some real superstars in our company. As company president, I hope I know who they are!
How do you find talent within your organization? We have a few questions we ask each of our success center directors each year.
First, we go through each employee in their team and ask, “Would you enthusiastically rehire this [...] - Part 6: The MAGIC Factor to Achieving Your Goals
Review: INTRO, GETTING READY & PARTS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Typically, the first thought that comes to mind after writing down a goal is, “What do I need to do to accomplish this?” That, unfortunately, is not the right question to ask.
Let me give you an example—When I was single and ready to find my wife and be married, I made a long list of the qualities of the perfect woman (for me). I filled up more than 40 pages describing my wife to be in great detail—her personality, character, key attributes, attitudes and philosophies about life, tastes, interests, even what kind of family she’d come from, culture, and of course physical makeup down to the texture of her hair, etc. I wrote in depth what our life would be like and what we’d do together.
I then had my goal and it was specific, measureable, attainable (I hoped!), relevant and time-sensitive. If I then asked, ‘What do I have to do to find and get this girl?,’ I might still be on that butterfly chase. Jim Rohn taught me, “Success is not something you pursue. What you pursue eludes you. Success is something you attract by the person you become. If you want to have more, you must become more.” So what I did was CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WORKSHEET 6
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WORKSHEET 5
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WORKSHEET 4
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD WORKSHEET 3
- Part 5 — The GRAND DESIGN!
Review: INTRO, GETTING READY & PARTS 1, 2, 3, 4
Ready to write (and right) your future?Ready to be bold, dream big and put it (your aspirations) on the line (literally)?Ready to proclaim your BHAGs (Big, Hairy and Audacious Goals)?
This is it. It’s time for the GRAND DESIGN.This is actually the easy part. You knew about goal-setting before this course—how to make a list of what you want to accomplish in the next one to 10 years.The difficult part has been the process we have gone through to get here—figuring out who you really are, assessing how you’ve done in life so far, and most important, what assets, strengths and opportunities you have to work with going forward. We’ll come to another big challenge later in the series when we work on figuring out how to take the dreams, ambitions and big goals from your Grand Design and develop the plan of action to achieve them. But right now we’re going to focus on developing your Grand Design. And as a result, you’ll identify the person, the accomplishments and the life you have always wanted to have. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE - Part 4: Your BALANCE Sheet
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Review: INTRO, GETTING READY & Parts 1, 2, & 3
In the previous installments, we inventoried your current assets, liabilities, strengths and weaknesses. We also looked at your potential opportunities and threats to your future. [...] - Part 3: Finding Your Unique Advantage
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Review: INTRO, WHY & HOW, PART 1 and PART 2
We’ve examined your life thus far and have looked into your future and established what direction you want your life to take from this point [...] - Video Update from Darren Hardy
A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM DARREN HARDY:
Here’s a summary of week one in our journey towards Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life.
Darren Hardy answers your questions and gives you a course update.
Please watch the video below:NOTE:In order to access the worksheets/documents, click on the links at the bottom of the e-mails you receive through [...]
- Why You Exist — Finding and Defining Your Major Purpose
Review: INTRO, HOW and WHY and INSTALLMENT #1
This is one of the most important installments of the process.
Here, we will delve into some of the great questions of our humanity and individual lives: Why are you here? What is your life’s purpose? What difference will you make? How will you be remembered? Who [...] - Review & Gratitude
Ahhhh, smell that?
That is the smell of rarified air.
Welcome to the top 3 percent!By choosing to participate in this program and go through this process, you have separated yourself from almost everyone else—or at least from the remaining 97 percent of the population that doesn’t give thoughtful contemplation to their life’s desires and chart a [...]
- It’s the last day of 2009. Find out why you didn’t meet the goals you set in January.
Got goals?
Millions of words have been written about goals. I’ve personally written thousands of them. Ninety-nine percent focus on “how-to” set and achieve them in one form or another. Books, articles, videos, seminars, online courses, and of course, classic classroom learning.
Everyone sets goals. Some people set them on their own, others have them set for [...] - We’re giving 2010 a kick-start.
Welcome to the first issue of SUCCESS for the year 2010! We are excited to have you with us as we kick-start a fantastic year of personal growth and achievement.
In our editorial planning meeting a few months ago, we started brainstorming ideas for this January issue. What we discovered was that, while we each have [...]
- Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life - WHY & HOW…
Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life:
Your Personal Strategic Plan for Achieving Lifelong Goals by Darren Hardy
Starting January, 5th 2010
Before we get started next week, I wanted to share with you a personal message about WHY I am doing this program… and why for FREE (I always like to know someone’s motivation)… and a [...] - The Life Changing Process of Goal Setting
Next week we start the process of Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life.
This program is jam-packed with information to help you unearth your greatest dreams, desires and inner potential.
You’ll learn how to accelerate your life faster, go farther and live grander than you ever dared imagine.
In fact, we have so much ground [...] - Be Your Own Santa Claus
In 1972, when I was studying sales and positive attitude, I watched a movie called “Challenge to America,” almost everyday.
It was a story told by the great Glenn W. Turner who wrote a letter to Santa Clause every year asking for everything his wealthy cousins received. Glenn was a poor farmer’s son who never got [...]
- The Art of Chitchat
I hate chitchat. Hate it.
I know I am probably (not probably, definitely am) an overly intense person. I want to be engaged in something that is meaningful and “on purpose” at all times—even when I am “off” and not working. To sit around and shoot-the-(well, you know) and talk about the weather, football scores or [...] - Designing the Best 10 Years of Your Life — Introduction
We are entering a brand new decade.
Think about where you were 10 years ago, when we began a new millennium, the year 2000. Seems like only yesterday, right?
Are you where you’d thought you’d be 10 years later, when you looked forward back then?
Are you leading the life you envisioned?
Do you have the income, lifestyle, [...] - Small Stocking-Stuffer Sales Tips (that Can Reap Big Rewards)
Follow-Up Calls that Get You Closer to Closing
- Evolving from Salesperson to Trusted Advisor
When I say the words trusted advisor, what words come to mind?
Relationship?
Helpful advice?
Strategic alliance?
Consultant?
Two questions:
Do you believe you are a trusted advisor?
Do your customers perceive you as a trusted advisor?
Before you begin this lesson, take a moment to list the accounts where you feel you’re a trusted advisor: list the people who rely on you [...] - What’s So Funny about Being Professional?
There’s an old sales adage that says, “If you can make em laugh, you can make em buy.” The reason its old and the reason its been around so long is that its true.
Humor and laughter are two key ingredients in building and gaining a customer relationship.
The challenge with humor is:
1. People don’t know how [...] - Go the Extra Mile
When I say “going the extra mile,” what do you think about? Hard work? Doing the unexpected? Other people? Someone special? You?
Where does the Extra Mile come from? How are Extra Mile stories created? What do they mean to companies and people? - Good, Better or Best?
Are you the best at what you do?
Everyone wants success, but very few achieve the success they dream about. I’m on my journey just like you. In the process of studying, I came to a realization about personal achievement: “going for the gold” is wrong.
Being the best you can be in order to earn [...] - Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (6 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (5 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (4 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (3 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (2 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Golden Gitomer Lessons from San Francisco: Bonus Videos on Image and Brand Building (1 of 6)
Jeffrey Gitomer was in San Francisco speaking at an event a few weeks ago and took the time to shoot some iconic (and just a little comic) footage in the “Golden State” to further illustrate his points on the importance of image and reputation when it comes to building both your personal and your business [...]
- Up Yours! (Your Image That Is) Pt. 2
This is a brand new way to look at (and build) your image, your brand, and your reputation.
Everyone wants to have a great image. Very few companies have one. Even fewer people have one. How’s yours?
Everyone wants to have a great brand. Very few companies have one. Even fewer people have one. How’s yours?
Everyone wants [...] - You are part of our family.
Ever wonder what it takes to get SUCCESS magazine into your hands each month? Well, welcome to the first edition of the Editor’s Blog, where I’ll be giving you a peek at what goes on behind the scenes and into each issue. Our editors, writers, copy editors, photographers, designers and production artists work hard to [...]
- How to Sell or Why They Buy
(download free Buying Motives e-book below)People don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy is my #1 (trademarked) rule of selling. It is an undeniable rule that on the surface seems relatively simplistic, but when you dig deeper, you’ll find the complexity lies in uncovering the MOTIVE of why people buy.
Uncovering buying motives goes against the strategy [...]
- Declaration of Windependence:
The SUCCESS Sales Challenge Begins!Register for the Success Sales Challenge with Jeffrey Gitomer here >>>
After is a self-defeating word. It robs you of the present, and resigns you to wait without taking any action.
You convince yourself that life will be better after something: After you get a new job, after you get a better job, after you get [...] - What Difference Do You Make?
It’s said you will only be remembered for one of two things: the problems you solve or the ones you create.
Abraham Lincoln made a difference that changed the world forever, but so did Hitler. Both men are equally remembered, but for which problems do you want to be remembered? The ones you solved or the [...] - Even the Most Fearsome are Fearful

Ever wonder what drives people to be mean, vicious, violent and cruel? Is it a lack of humanity, “bad genes” or the “the devil” at work? There is a simpler answer: FEAR. I saw the documentary Tyson this weekend. Mike Tyson was once the most feared human being on the planet. What was behind his ferociousness? His own inexorable fear.Tyson grew up on the meanest streets of Brooklyn, where he was robbed, bullied and humiliated by older boys. At the time, he was too scared to fight back, and as he later candidly admitted, “I’m afraid of being that way again.”When a thug gratuitously killed one of his pet pigeons, Tyson went wild and beat the kid up. Once he learned to fight, he was never going to let himself be “bullied” again, “because if anyone tried to humiliate me again, I would kill them.”The director of the film explained in an interview, “Fear was CONTINUED HERE
- The Five Laws of Personal Constraints
by Guest Blogger Flip FlippenThe Five Laws of Personal Constraints by Guest Blogger Flip Flippen
There’s a reason swimming with barbells isn’t an Olympic event.Yet most of us attempt something just as illogical—we strive to reach our potential without first getting rid of the traits that weigh us down.The greatest swimmer in the world couldn’t do much more than tread water unless he or she lets go of the barbells. It wouldn’t be the swimmer’s great abilities that determine the level of success but rather the weights that hold him down. In exactly the same way, things other than our talents, personality or academic achievements play a greater role in determining how far we go in our professional careers and personal relationships. In a recent article I wrote for SUCCESS magazine, I included a quiz for the readers that must be completed in 10 seconds or less. It was a simple question:
- FREE Audio Excerpts — Mark Sanborn
This is a continuation (listen to segment #1 here) to the additional audio experts we are releasing from our Mark Sanborn audio interview, originally recorded for our October issue of SUCCESS.
SEGMENT #2 – In this segment Mark discusses why you need to have passion and process in order to be successful. CLICK HERE
SEGMENT #3 –In this segment Mark explains why you need to think beyond your current experiences and influences if you want to achieve greatness. CLICK HERE
- Pinching from Across the Pond
I just returned from several glorious weeks of travel throughout Europe. Like all experiences, I want to observe and assess what I might learn, share and use to enhance my own life and further my insight. Below are a few lessons I gleaned from our jovial kin across the pond.
1. Service is a profession. In [...] - FREE Audio Excerpts: Dr. Rao & Mark Sanborn
This is a continuation (listen to segment #1 and #2 here) to the additional audio experts we are releasing from our Dr. Rao audio interview, originally recorded for our October issue of SUCCESS.
Dr. Rao was featured in our September issue and is the former professor who taught a personal-development course at both the Columbia University [...] - Become a Laughingstock
Have you heard the joke about… the guy who wanted to sell water (the stuff we were used to getting for free!) for more money than sodas or even beer? Or how about the one who wanted to start a new airline, the bloodbath of competition, during the dot-com crash? Then there is the one [...]
- FREE Audio Excerpts - Dr. Srikumar Rao
If you read SUCCESS (I hope you do!), you saw Dr. Rao featured in the pages of our September issue. The response was so great that we were compelled to bring him back and interview him live for everyone to hear on the CD inside of the October issue of SUCCESS.
Dr. Rao is the former [...] - Epilogue: Share the Strength
Why is it that some people change their bodies and others transform their lives? What is it that ignites life’s brilliance deep within?
Your FIT for SUCCESS journey has helped you cultivate your strength. You’ve come to know your greater capacity as you forged your body and mind strong. Now it’s your turn to share the [...] - Seasons of Strength
Get in Your Best Shape One Time Each Year,
and You’ll Be in Shape for LifeThe FIT for SUCCESS Challenge has been a finely tuned peak phase for transforming your body—a 90-day training camp providing rhythm, focus and structure, and a chance to get into your best shape of the year.
And like [...] - Finish Strong, Take 7
It’s almost time to step beyond the FIT for SUCCESS Challenge to discover how to stay strong—for the next 12 months and for life.
Next Monday I’ll share with you Seasons of Strength, a beyond-the-Challenge secret to creating an annual plan that will have you reaching new levels of fitness year after year, keeping you motivated, [...] - Dare to Dream Again
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” —Teddy Roosevelt
Do you remember when you were a child and no [...] - Don’t Mess With Texas!
Texas is my dog… my other dog.
Lucy was such an inspiration to everyone I thought I would introduce you to the teachings of my other dog, Tex (for short), he is our Jack Russell Terrorist (no, not a misspelling).
I went to buy a cowboy hat before going into the rodeo in the stockyards of Fort [...] - Feed Your Strength
It’s a common misconception that strength training leads to fuller, stronger muscles. While it’s true that training is the stimulus for growth, it’s actually the recovery and proper nourishment immediately following your training that fuel your muscles, energy and strength.
Intense training leaves your muscles screaming for vital nutrients necessary for rebuilding your body stronger. Yet, [...] - I Love Lucy
Lucy is my dog. I want to be more like Lucy.
My wife’s friend Marilyn stopped by with her friend Gayle. The visit was intended to be brief as they had been at the hospital nearby all day. Gayle’s husband has had a grueling battle with throat cancer for the past 18 months. Gayle had only [...] - Questions, Answers & an Exclusive New Challenging Exercise
The Final Sprint: Days 64 - 84
It’s the final sprint, the stretch run. You’re in the last 21 days of your FIT for SUCCESS Challenge. Perhaps you’re seeing and feeling results, or maybe you’re waiting for a breakthrough. Either way, it’s not uncommon to produce the most rewarding measurable results in the last few weeks [...] - MOTIVATION: From Discipline to Mastery In Training, In Life
What gets you to do something, let alone stick with it?
How do you move beyond discipline to find the joy of being fit and strong, staying engaged for the year ahead and beyond?
More so than any other factor, more than knowledge–even more than the perfect plan–your ability to create, sustain and renew motivation determines your [...] - Back to Boot Camp
Whenever you are going to make a major change and begin to undergo a different lifestyle, it is probably good to make a massive move in that direction. Think about it. As the old saying goes, “If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always got!” So [...]
- Pick a Fight
The phrase “life balance” is malarkey. Here is another one: “LOVE is all there is.” Ah, no, there is HATE too.
Everyone needs an enemy.Luke had Darth Vader.
Batman had the Joker.
David had Goliath.
Twenty-somethings rage against “The Man.”
Rush Limbaugh has the liberals.
Lance Armstrong has cancer.
Apple has Microsoft.
Rocky had Apollo [...] - The Transformation of Cardio Training:
What HIIT Can Do for Your Performance at the Gym, at Work and in Life
Whether it’s running the road, spinning in a gym or kicking it up to a rhythmic beat, when doing cardio, the arms and legs are in motion and sweat is pouring, which must mean calories are burning and fat is dissolving. [...] - The Space between the Notes: Words of Wisdom for Fitness, Work and Life
Multitasking has become so pervasive in our culture that even when people show up at the gym (or at work or everyday relationships), they bring their mental static with them—their minds are all over the place. Instead of focusing on training (or the task at hand or the conversation taking place), they’re thinking about what [...]
- Don’t Let Conflict Keep You from Success
Anytime you are making ground and moving toward success, there will inevitably be the opportunity for conflict. That is just a fact of life. You put two people or more in a group and there is potential for conflict—and conflict, improperly handled, can destroy your ability to continue on and achieve your goals.
This is true [...] - What a Day for Daydreams
In the 1850s, Ernest and Pierre lived their childhoods kicking rocks up and down the cobble stoned streets of Bar-le-Duc, France. Their father, a blacksmith, spent his days hammering away at carriage parts, with the clang against the anvil echoing through the cement walled town. Ernest and Pierre, carrying heavy bags and wooden crates of [...]
- Start Strong: Eating Breakfast Is a Recipe for Success
What if you went 12, 14 or even 16 hours without eating? You’d be starving, cranky, exhausted and unable to think straight, all while your metabolism slowed to conserve energy. To make matters worse, your body would be stockpiling as much fat as possible. More ready for hibernation than battle, the last thing you’d want [...]
- Courage That Changes Your Life
“The scars you acquire while exercising courage will never
make you feel inferior.” —D.A. Battista
“Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear
what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought not to be feared.” —David Ben-Gurion
“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” —Dorothy Bernard
Courage. It is a [...] - Why Train With Weights?
The 7 Wonders of Strength
1. Muscle Is the Engine of Youth
Biological aging and the loss of functional strength have less to do with your chronological age than they do with time spent training and engaging the body for physical growth and development.
Strength training is the most effective way to build muscle, thereby slowing [...] - If You Don’t Fall, You Aren’t Getting Better
No Pain, No Gain
My dad taught me to snow ski when I was 6 years old. By the time I was 8, I was skiing on my own. At the end of a full ski day, I eagerly announced, “Dad, I didn’t fall once all day!” My dad replied, “If you didn’t fall, you didn’t [...] - How Strict Must You Eat to Lose Weight?
With the Fourth of July holiday almost upon us, many of us will have food on our minds. It’s a great day for sharing delicious—if not necessarily nutritious—food with family and friends.
During a radio interview the other day, I received a question that is particularly relevant to this upcoming day of celebration. The question was, [...] - Don’t Stop Asking So Many Questions
A few years ago I took my boy on a trip that we make together every year. We left the house at 6 a.m. on Monday and got home at 9 p.m. on Thursday. That is just 87 hours. However, that is 84,293 questions!
I mean, 10-year-old kids can ask questions! They are question machines! It [...] - FIT Challenge Exercise Photos
You asked for it and Shawn listened!
Exercise photos and more at Shawn’s site MyStrengthForLife.com.
You will be able to click on a training day, say Monday, and a pop-up will open. Mouse over the images to go forward through the day’s exercises (two pictures for each exercise: start/finish, and midpoint accompanied by a description).
You will [...] - The Forgotten “Secrets” to Success
Over the next several posts, I’d like to help clear up some of the very dangerous illusions I think our current culture has created about what it takes to be successful.
Hollywood, commercialism and our own decadence has falsified our reality and is leading us into a form of self-destruction.
What Ever Happened to HARD WORK?
I interviewed [...] - A Strong Mind for a Strong Body
Can you focus? I mean really focus. Are you able to spend just two minutes without being distracted, free from the noise and constant chatter bouncing around in your head?
For just two minutes sit quietly and clear your mind of all activity—be free from any thought. Go ahead. Close your eyes. I’ll wait. Seriously, give it a try. The clock is ticking.
- Fatherrific!
In honor of this Sunday’s celebration of Father’s Day, I wanted to take a look at three very famous fathers.
Joe was a very good basketball player, known on the rugged Philadelphia playgrounds as “Jellybean Joe,” a 6-foot-9-inch forward who possessed the skills of a point guard. At one point in his professional basketball career, he [...] - You Lose One-out-of-Five for Being Too Aggressive
When I was in real estate there was this mega successful mortgage broker named Mari Mahoney. She did more business than any ten “successful” mortgage agents combined.I asked her how she did it; what was her key to success. She rapidly responded with, “I lose one out of five for being too aggressive, but I get the other four!”
This statement, this philosophy, this testimony changed my life.
- THE FAQ POST
I wanted to create a post that will continue to be added to with your questions and our answers! If you don’t see your question answered please check back again! We’re also working to respond individually as well.
June 16:
Question from Schoenburg
Are the nutrition guidelines for the 12 weeks after base camp different than the [...] - 5 Circles beats 3 Squares
Americans have, by and large, distorted the golden rule of three square meals a day beyond recognition.
We skip breakfast, eat quick lunches, slug down coffee or energy drinks, snack throughout the day to compensate for the poor start, and then consume more than half of our daily calories in one meal: dinner.
This is a perfect [...] - The Weekly Training Schedule
This week kick’s-off your Training Camp. For the next 12 weeks you follow the same weekly rhythm.
- Training vs. Exercise
Yet, Americans continue to pack on the pounds, and I believe I may have uncovered the cause. So I have a slightly different message to offer: Stop exercising!
- What to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Doing Anything
In all of my interactions with people, I’ve never found anyone, regardless of their level of success, who doesn’t sometimes find themselves simply not wanting to do the things that they need and want to do. It is a part of human nature that there will be times that, in spite of all that we [...]
- Forging Your Strength for Life
It’s time to begin the noble climb from out of the ordinary to the heights of extra-ordinary—an elevation few choose to pursue in their lifetimes.
Take the next six days to complete your preparation in Base Camp so that you’ll be rested and ready to enter your 12 weeks—only 84 days—of training.
- He’s an Idol, She’s an Idol, I’m an Idol…
This past Tuesday night, there was nothing on television. Typically, my Tuesdays, beginning in January and all through May, are filled with American Idol and the heartbreak, the laughter and the hours of dialing and texting votes for our favorite Idol. But just because a winner was crowned nearly a week ago, it doesn’t mean [...]
- Rest, Renew, Reboot
Would you climb Mount Everest without an acclimation period? Of course not.
The same way, you shouldn’t start a training program without a period of time to renew, reset and reboot your body to prepare for a rigorous and challenging transformation.
Many people get real geared up when I say the worst time to start a fitness [...] - My Magic 8-Ball
Do you remember that little toy many of us had when we were little that supposedly “answered” questions? It was a black eight ball with a window in it that would display a floating unit inside with pre-scripted answers to your questions. What’s funny is that there was a chance that a pre-scripted answer could be reasonably close to a real answer!
- Your Blueprint for Brilliance: Setting Your Vision and Goals
Together, an inspiring vision and clear goals serve as a blueprint for your lasting success—your choice to live a strong life, however you define it. It’s the life you’re most drawn to live, a brilliant future that pulls you forward each day with great force.
- Accelerate Your Abilities
In today’s fast-paced world, the wins usually go to those with exceptional skills and abilities. The old quote is true, “The race is not always won by the swift and the strong, but that is the way to bet.”
- The Shape of Your Life
Whether you’re tall, short, thin, curvy or stout—whatever shape you see in the mirror—the shape your life will likely take on is much the same as every other. It rises up, arcs over and slides back down.
If you were to graph the energy and vitality of your life, it would look like a cross section [...] - The Top Six Ways to Get Motivated
How can I maintain my motivation over the long term? This seems to be quite a common dilemma for many people, so I wanted to address it here. Here are some tips for staying motivated:
- Every Journey Begins with a Single GPS
There I was in California, in a tiny rental car, and every turn seemed more wrong than the last. I was running late. I should’ve called. And, now, calling would seem desperate and rude. I’m an “expert” on things like control, planning and achieving. So what sort of expert ignores the instructions given them on [...]
- Winning the Race of Life
The new issue of SUCCESS hits newsstand today! This issue features our cover story with Lance Armstrong on Winning the Race of Life. This issue also focuses on health, not in terms of diets, practices or plans that give short-term solutions, but on health as a philosophy, as an outlook on life.
Like your finances, health is one of those easy measures of how you are doing. It’s easy to see if you are continually building your savings, growing your wealth and securing your future, or if you are constantly overdrawn and becoming bankrupt from overindulgences and poor decisions and practices.
Just as you can look at your bank account and get a good measure of your financial health, you can also take a look in the mirror and get a good measure of your physical health. If you look at your physical health, you get a refl ection of what is going on in your head. Your mindset, your philosophy and your attitude are most often the forces behind your current state of physical health. Your philosophy and mindset are also what produce the health of your fi nances, your relationships and your business.
Think about this: Why do 95 percent of people who go on a diet end up gaining all the weight back? Here is why: READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE HERE: http://darrenhardy.success.com/2009/05/winning-the-race-of-life
- Your Greatest Resources
When people think about pursuing something, the first thing they normally do is look at their resources to determine whether or not it can be done, which is always a wise thing to do. But where most people fail in this process is, when they’re taking stock of their resources, taking stock of the wrong [...]
- FIT for SUCCESS: 90 Days to a New You
The FIT for SUCCESS Challenge is the gateway to transformation—true and lasting change—from the inside out. This is an opportunity to create a powerful transformation have a performance lifestyle, allowing you to effortlessly enjoy more clarity, more energy, more strength, more success and, ultimately, more freedom.
In the next 90 days, we’re going to cover a [...] - 7 Keys for Joyful Living!
If there were one thing I could wish for my family, friends and readers, it would be for them to experience joy in everything they do. Here are some thoughts for finding joy in your life.
Know your purpose. Nothing will bring you more joy than knowing why you are here. Not knowing brings sadness, wondering, [...] - Don’t Let Your Kids Inherit Your Bad Financial Habits
Six Financial Mistakes You Don’t Want Your Kids to Repeat
It is not the government, Wall Street or the greedy mortgage companies that are to blame for your financial crisis. The responsibility lies only with YOU. Let’s use this experience as a learning opportunity so the “sins of the father (and/or mother)” are not repeated on [...]
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