THE SUCCESS FORMULA

 

The only way to get what you really want, is to know what you really want.

And the only way to know what you really want, is to know yourself.

And the only way to know yourself, is to be yourself.

And the only way to be yourself, is to listen to your heart. 

In the long run, those who don’t eventually go WIITHIN often go WITHOUT.

 Every great success started with an idea. The difference between the successful people and the rest of the population is that the successful ones had a desire to make an idea into a reality. And they had the self-confidence to believe they could do it so they took action. Action combined with a burning desire (tenacity) will make dreams come true every time!

It may sound trite and I’m not trying to sound like some positive thinking guru and go BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! But there are certain undeniable truths that exist among the success stories we have all heard and read before, and it’s just impossible to succeed without these elements being present. 

Let’s start with the goal. This really is where it all begins, with a goal/wish. My goal was to start a business and once it started making money, I would quit my job. I hated having a boss and being told what to do and I always got bored with the job. I felt like I was wasting my time therefore my desire to make my goal come true intensified. Once I realized this desire, I began studying about starting a business, and trying to find a good business that I could run out of my home. 

After a bit of study and spending money on investigating several different business ideas, I settled on creating financial software programs and the rest is history. Within 3 years I realized my goal of starting a software company and within 12 years I along with some partners grew that business scratch into a group of companies with just under $4 million a year in revenue.  

The point is, there is a success formula here that begins with a goal/wish/idea, and continues with an unfulfilled desire, then a plan to make it happen and finally the tenacity to get through the trial and error to get to the success. The plan may change because rarely does the very first plan work. However, a variation of that plan might. Or maybe you’ll have to completely start over again once, twice, maybe ten times. The key ingredient is the belief that not only can you do it but that you must! There’s no substitute. 

You may doubt that you can do this, you may doubt your ability. You may feel that you do not have the knowledge to succeed right now, in fact you probably don’t. But you can get it! All you need to do is apply yourself. You can do it! 

You’ve heard it before, but you must really believe it to succeed. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO, IF YOU WANT TO DO IT BAD ENOUGH! You got to want it! If you have that burning desire you will succeed, no question about it!

The following quotes are meant to give you encouragement to pursue your dreams, whenever I am feeling disappointed and depressed about not making progress in my business ventures I read these quotes to give myself the motivation to keep trying.

· The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Focus and decide on what you want. 

· When you state your intentions, you begin to discover all the things  standing in the way of making it happen. Be clear on what you want. 

· The more we focus on what we want, the closer we get to it. What we pay attention to grows closer to us. 

· Success is a byproduct of thousands of decisions. The little choices we make daily may seem trivial but they hold the greatest potential for our future. Try to make the right choices.   

· It is not your action that makes things happen, it is your intent. You will know when you are ready when the next logical step is effortless. 

· The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think big goals and win big success. 

· The greatest way to move to a new position in life is to outgrow your current position. Your focus will make your dream a reality. 

· Many people stand on the edge of defeat and turn and walk away not knowing that one step ahead meant victory. 

· Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Keep believing in yourself and your abilities. 

· The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed. 

· Most people fail not because they lack the skills or aptitude to reach their goal, but because they simply did not believe that they could reach it.

· The way you think determines the way you act, the way you act decides the kind of future that unfolds before you. 

· The mind does not have the ability to act above its present level of understanding. If you want to achieve more, you have to open your mind to learn more. 

· Take an interest in your future, that‘s where you will spend the rest of your life. 

· If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise. 

· The directive to do anything needs to come from your heart or your gut, not your mind. When you follow that, you follow your divine path. 

· Life changes when you least expect it. Tomorrow is uncertain so seize the opportunities that you have been given and make the most of it. 

· Everything you want in life is just outside your comfort zone. 

· To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.  

· When God takes something from your grasp, he's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.  

· Roadblocks are put in your path to force you onto a different path, a path that may be truer to your real purpose in life. 

· Procrastination is like waiting for a river to run dry before attempting to cross it. Do it now. 

· F.O.C.U.S.  -  Follow one course until successful 

· F.A.I.L. - First attempt in learning 

· E.N.D.  - Effort never dies 

· N.O.  - Next opportunity

 

 

THE DEFINITION OF SUCCESS

 You will become as small as your controlling desires or as great as your dominant aspiration.

If asked to define “Success”, you would probably list impressive achievements, wealth, fame, power, freedom and influence. You would be right, and you would be wrong. Success is so much more. Success is an attitude that unfolds the very best in EVERY aspect of your life. So why does it seem elusive? Because most people are so focused on selected results that they fail to understand that success isn’t a result, it’s a process with measurable steps all of which start with a singe choice. 

Success is not a thing – not a reward that awaits you at some far off time. Success lies in doing well whatever thing you are doing now. It is more a matter of mental attitude than of mental or physical capacity. You have all the fundamentals of it right now. But it is only the USE of them that can make you successful. It is the way you use what you have. You can succeed with what you have at this moment, if only you learn to use it correctly. Ask of yourself what ability you have which can be made to develop into something worth while. 

Great successes are simply a group of little successes built one upon another. Work hard, ask God for wisdom, listen to his answers and act on his direction and opportunities. But also be prepared for the hard times, because you never know when they will come knocking either. 

You have all that the greatest of men have had

Two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet

Whether they were explorers or scientists or builders or speakers or motivators

They came here with no more or no less than you

The difference between the mighty and the mundane

Is what you do with what you have.

To your success and till the next time

Bruce

THE OBSTACLES IN YOUR LIFE

 

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Keep believing in yourself and your abilities.

Although problems appear to be burdens to us in our lives, they are actually opportunities for growth. In the long run, we really should welcome problems and frustrations for only out of the solutions do we find real growth and happiness.

It’s very hard to put into practice. I know. It’s hard to have a hectic day with two or three major things going wrong and to say to yourself “This is a great chance for me to grow!” Blah!! Now you sound like one of those ‘sunshine’ people who always see the good side of life. Well, you know they are probably right even though most of us would rather not admit it. 

A lot of us even make a life out of avoiding work commitments, stress, almost anything that might “initially” be painful. Have you ever had a job where you worked twice as hard at looking busy as you would’ve if you just actually did something? Sounds funny but I know a lot of folks who have.  Myself included. But after a while, we find ourselves in “No-wheres-ville”, doing nothing with a bunch of other nobodies who are doing nothing too. And before you know it, your life is just a bunch of coulda, woulda, shoulda ...... 

Sooner or later, we all must take the initiative and try to confront the problem. Face a little pain and find out you actually can live through it. It becomes a habit after a while. They say successful people all have one thing in common. They are willing to do what the average person is not. They are willing to take a risk, try to solve a problem or face a difficult decision. And they don’t give in to fear. 

In the book "Attitude is Everything" by Jeff Keller, he states that there are seven ways in which Adversity can serve us, they are:                                                   

1. Adversity gives us perspective. Once you've recovered from a life-threatening illness, a flat tire or a leaky roof doesn't seem  so  troubling anymore. You're able to rise above the petty annoyances of daily living and focus your attention on the truly important things in your life.     

2. Adversity teaches us to be grateful. Through problems and difficulties, especially those which involve loss or deprivation, you develop a deeper  appreciation for many aspects of our life. It's trite but true, you don't usually appreciate something until it's taken away from you. When  you  have no hot water, you suddenly value hot water. Not until you're sick do you cherish good health. The wise person continues to dwell on blessings, even after the period of loss or deprivation  has passed. Remember,   we're always   moving in the direction of our dominant thoughts; therefore, concentrating on what you  have to be grateful for brings even more  good things into your life.  

3. Adversity brings out our hidden potential. After surviving a difficult ordeal or overcoming an obstacle, you emerge emotionally  stronger. Life has tested you and  you were equal to  the task. Then, when the next hurdle appears, you're better  equipped to handle it. Problems and  challenges bring out the best within us we discover abilities we ever knew we possessed. Many of us would never have discovered these talents if life hadn't made us travel over  some bumpy ground. Adversity reveals to you your own strengths and capacities, and beckons you  to develop those qualities even further. 

4. Adversity encourages us to make changes and take action. Most  people cling to  old, familiar patterns regardless of how   boring or painful their lives have  become. It often takes a crisis or a series of difficulties to motivate them to make adjustments. Problems are often life's way of letting you  know that you're off course and need to take corrective action. 

5. Adversity teaches us valuable lessons. Take the example of a failed business venture: The entrepreneur may learn  something that enables him or her to succeed spectacularly on the next venture. 

6. Adversity opens a new  door. A relationship terminates and you go on to a more satisfying relationship. You lose your job and find a better one. In these instances, the "problem" is not a problem at all, but rather an opportunity in disguise. One door in your life has been shut, but there is a better one waiting to be opened.

7. Adversity builds confidence and self-esteem. When you muster all of your courage and determination to overcome  an obstacle, you feel competent and gain confidence. You have a greater feeling of self-worth and you carry these positive feelings into subsequent activities.

Obstacles are the greatest blessings God can give you. They bring out the soul of you. They bring the Infinite Power within you to your help. And anything which acquaints you with the Spirit within you, anything that gives you understanding of the infinite power that lies within you, anything that brings the Holy Spirit into your daily affairs, is worth while no matter what it’s cost.

The Bible states that "when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." (James 1: 2 - 4)

Although problems appear to be burdens to us in our lives, they are actually opportunities for growth. In the long run, we really should welcome problems and frustrations for only out of the solutions do we find real growth and happiness.

I’ll leave you with this little story I remember from a while ago. In ancient times a King had a boulder placed on a roadway then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the King’s wealthiest merchants came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear but did nothing about removing the stone from the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant put down his load and tried to move the stone. After much pushing and straining he finally succeeded. After he picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse laying on the road where the stone had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who moved the stone from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understood. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

So, the next time you suffer a problem or setback in your life don't get discouraged or give up. Don't let problems cloud your attitude window forever. Clear off that cloudy window. You find, after the dust settles, that you can actually see better than you did before. Just remember the words of Napoleon Hill: "Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit". 

Till the next time

Bruce

 

 

 

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

What you think you create. What you feel you attract, and what you imagine you become.

 

The universe is governed by law. Success is governed by law. Your subconscious mind is also governed by law. Our personal beliefs define our choices, shape our lives and, collectively, determine our futures. Nothing is more important than belief. If you want to change the world, if you want to change your world, if you want to succeed at work, in the marketplace, or in any other social endeavor or organization, belief is your Holy Grail.

 

The law of life is the law of belief. Belief can be summed up briefly as a thought in your subconscious mind. As a person thinks, feels, and believes so is the condition of his or her mind, body and soul (circumstances). All of your experiences, events, conditions and acts are produced by your subconscious mind in reaction to your thoughts. Remember, it is not the thing believed in, but the belief in your own mind that brings about the result.

 

Many self-help books and motivational gurus talk about the power of belief. The general message they are trying to put across is basically what Napoleon Hill had said, "What your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve". Is it true that everything your mind believes can be achieved or it is just some kind of motivational lie? Strictly speaking, the statement should be "what your conscious mind can conceive, and your subconscious mind believes, it can achieve".

 

Here is the reason why.

 

Your subconscious mind power is like a magnet. It attracts things that resonate with its beliefs. To put it bluntly, if you have a certain belief in your subconscious mind, your subconscious mind will vibrate based on this belief and attract events and people that resonate with or correspond to this belief. This is the Universal Law of Vibration and Attraction. It is a law that exists whether you believe it or not, just like the law of gravity. Let me repeat. This law works on you whether you believe it or not!

 

If your subconscious mind believes that life is tough, surely, your life will be tough. You will meet people and events that give you a hard life. If your subconscious mind believes that money is hard-earned, money will be hard earned. You will only be attracted to opportunities that will take a super-human effort to make a penny! Let me twist the words around and repeat the previous paragraph. If your life is tough now, that's because your subconscious believes that life is tough. If you are finding difficulties in making money, that's because your subconscious believes that money is hard to earn. There is no other reason and there is no need to blame other people for your tough life or your financial situation!

 

The message I'm trying to put across here is this:

 

"Your subconscious beliefs create your realities"

 

The above statement is probably the most important statement that one must fully and thoroughly understand in order to achieve true success in life.

 

We use our conscious mind power to conceive an idea, but our subconscious mind power to attract the result. Most people do it the other way around. They use their conscious mind to pursue the result, which often results in stress and worries. That's the difference between using your conscious mind power and your subconscious mind power.

 

What it means here is your reality or the life you are experiencing now is actually a reflection of the beliefs in your subconscious mind. Many people change from one job to another, but realize that they are still getting the same problem everywhere they go. What they don't understand is that instead of changing the external circumstances, they should change their inner beliefs.

 

Once their beliefs change, they will be attracted to new people, new jobs and the world around them will change according to the new beliefs in their subconscious mind. When participants of a workshop were told that their beliefs create their realities, a common negative response given was "I never believe in the kind of reality I'm facing, but why am I still experiencing them?"

You must understand that it is not what you think you believe that creates your reality. It is what your subconscious mind believes. You may think you believe that life is abundant, just because you've read some books about it. But subconsciously, you may not be convinced. So how do you know what your subconscious believes? The answer is fairly simple. Just look at your reality! Your reality is the mirror of your life. It reflects your inner beliefs.

 

Whatever order we issue to our subconscious mind, it promptly undertakes to carry it out. Whatever state of existence you declare yourself to be in, your subconscious mind assumes it exists and works within you accordingly. If a friend asks you: How do you feel today? And you reply: I am not well I have a headache or I don’t feel up to the mark at all today, you are unconsciously setting the subconscious mind to work to realize the state you declare yourself to be in. On the other hand if you say: I am well, happy and strong, the subconscious mind undertakes to realize that state.

 

Hence you can see what a wonderful power is within your control for your happiness or unhappiness, your condition of body and mind, and how necessary it is for you to use this power always in a positive direction. You are, in a word, what you think you are. This is not a theory, or a fad. It is a universal law.

 

Till the next time

 

Bruce

 

Believe in yourself! You’re divinely designed

 

And perfectly made for the work of mankind.

 

This truth you must cling to through danger and pain

 

The heights man has reached you can also attain.

 

Believe to the very last hour, for it’s true

 

That whatever you will you’ve been gifted to do.

 

Believe in yourself and step out unafraid

 

By misgivings and doubt be not easily swayed.

 

You’ve the right to succeed, the precision of skill

 

Which betokens the great, you can earn if you will!

 

The wisdom of ages is yours if you’ll read

 

But you’ve got to believe in yourself to succeed.   Anon

Success

The foremost stumbling block to success in life is cowardice, the dreaded fear of failure “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. Spectators never won a baseball game. If you are to win at anything in life, you must first be in the game, you must place yourself on the firing line.

History tells us that the doors of opportunity are always closed. They have been that way since the world began. At no time when you walk down a street will you find any doors of opportunity standing open and inviting you to come in. Doors that are worth entering are usually closed, but the resolute and courageous knock at those doors, and keep knocking persistently until they are opened.

Working hard and applying the principles of success can help you attain your goals, but much of success is by chance – being at the right place at the right time. In light of that, my advice is to give it all you've got and don’t let up, for you never know when opportunity will come knocking. Waiting for perfect conditions usually causes a person to get very little accomplished.

Achievement never comes to the uninspired. To the man or woman that has always "thought small" it is frightening to "think success" or to "think big". It is too easy to entertain doubts, procrastinate, delay or make excuses. Success is not a thing – not a reward that awaits you at some far off time. Success lies in doing well whatever thing you are doing now. It is more a matter of mental attitude than of mental or physical capacity. Every successful man or woman has had more failures than successes in life, but the winner concentrates on his or her strengths and successes while the loser in life dwells on his or her miscalculations and misfortunes.

You have all the fundamentals in you to succeed right now. But it is only the USE of them that can make you successful. It is the way you use what you have. You can succeed with what you have at this moment, if only you learn to use it correctly. Ask of yourself what ability you have which can be made to develop into something worth while. Great successes are simply a group of little successes built one upon another.

You have all that the greatest of men have had

Two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet

Whether they were explorers or scientists or builders or speakers or motivators

They came here with no more or no less than you

The difference between the mighty and the mundane

Is what you do with what you have.

Why you are sometimes not successful

Did you know you can actually limit your life by dwelling on the wrong things? So often, wrong thinking keeps people stuck right where they are. If you think you’ll never accomplish your dreams, then your life will follow your thoughts. If you think you don’t have the talent, the connections or the money, then you are limiting yourself.  

Your failure to get results may be a consequence of mentally making statements as:

• Things are getting worse
• I will never get an answer
• I see no way out
• It is hopeless
• I don’t know what to do
• I am all mixed up

When you use such statements, you get no response or co-operation from your subconscious mind (the universe).

You must remember that whenever your subconscious mind accepts any idea, it immediately begins to execute it. It uses all its mighty resources to that end. It mobilizes all the mental and spiritual laws of your deeper mind. This law is true for good thoughts, but it holds true for bad thoughts as well. Consequently, if you use your subconscious mind negatively, it brings trouble, failure and confusion. When you use it constructively, it brings guidance, freedom, and peace of mind.

Our words have creative power. Whenever we speak something out, either good or bad, we are giving life to what we are saying. Too many people go around saying negative things about themselves, their family, and their future. Things like, “I’ll never be successful", "This sickness is going to get the best of me",  "Business is so slow I don’t think I’m going to make it", "Flu season is coming. I’ll probably get it.” They don’t realize they are prophesying their future.

The Bible says, “...we will eat the fruit of our words.” That means we’re going to get exactly what we have been saying.

Here is the key: you've got to send your words out in the direction you want your life to go. You cannot talk defeat and expect to have victory. You can’t talk lack and expect to have abundance. You will produce what you've been saying. With your words you can either bless or curse your future. Make sure your words are what you want your future to be so that you can move forward in a life of success.

Till the next time.

Bruce

P.S. Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. - Dale Carnegie

Discovering Your Genius

In the book “The Success System That Never Fails”, author W. Clement Stone states that the start of all personal achievement starts in the mind of the individual. Your personal achievement starts in your own mind. The first step is to know exactly what your problem, goal or desire is. Most people don’t get what they want because they don’t know exactly what they want. If you are not clear about what you want, then write it down and then rewrite it again until the words express precisely what you are after.

All success hinges on the 3 things listed below. Once you truly understand what they mean, you’re on your way to a golden future.

1. Inspiration to Action

The road to success starts when you are inspired to make the effort. Inspiration starts when you are motivated to dissatisfaction with things the way they are. Therefore, inspirational dissatisfaction is the strongest single force in your success system that never fails. Inspiration to action can also be described as having a burning desire. Desire is the beginning of all human achievement.


2. Know-how

Know-how is the quality that enables you to do something at will, with skill, effectiveness and a minimum use of time and effort. Know-how always accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish. Know-how gets things done while people are wondering if they can be done. Know-how built the pyramids of Egypt and the great cathedrals of Europe, it flew the Atlantic and split the atom, it harnessed electricity and put a man on the moon. And it can bring success to you. How do you get it? You don’t get it, you accumulate it, by doing … by experience…by action…it comes to you. When you have it, you will know it and you’ll know its power.

3. Activity Knowledge

Knowledge is knowing about something, know-how is knowing how to do something. Knowledge is information, know-how is technique. You need both. Knowledge is gained anywhere and everywhere. It can be acquired from books, people, things, happenings, history and casual observation. But to be useful it must be organized. You must know what you know. So how does one acquire activity knowledge? By doing what you are afraid to do. When you run away because you are afraid of doing something big, you pass opportunity by. Two self motivators to help you acquire knowledge are: Ask advice from the person who can help you, and It’s never too late to learn, so don’t stop learning.

There are those who have knowledge and know-how, but they don’t succeed. For although they know what to do and how to do it, they don’t feel like doing it, they lack motivation. They are not inspired to action. Therefore inspiration to action is the most is the most important ingredient to success in any human activity .The person who is inspired and motivated can overcome all obstacles.

Motivation is that which induces action or determines choice. It is that which provides a motive. A motive is the “inner urge” within an individual which incites him/her to action, such as an idea, emotion, desire or impulse. It is the hope or other force which starts in an attempt to produce specific results. When strong emotions such as love, faith, anger and hate are mixed they generate an intense driving force that will last through out a lifetime.

So how do you become motivated and inspired to action? How does one develop ambition when you’re not ambitious? How does one develop initiative when you don’t have any? The answer lies in discovering your genius.

Discovering your genius

Every person has a unique genius. You have unique talents, abilities, interests, and values that only you can bring into greatness. You have a destiny that only you can fulfill. Expressing your genius is knowing what you want to do with your life and doing it because it expresses who you really are.

Here are the 4 characteristics of people who have discovered their genius:

Passion: They love what they do. If they weren't getting paid they would do it for free

Talent: They are good at what they do. Call it talent, ability or genius - they've got it.

Values: Doing what they do is extremely important to them.

Destiny: They have a sense that they are doing what they were born to do - making their own unique contribution. It's almost a spiritual thing. It's their destiny.

Create your GENIUS LIST. Once you have created your list you should have a good idea of what you want and be well on your way to success.

PASSION

What do you love to do?

What activities give me satisfaction?

What excites me about life?

What is my secret ambition?

What are my hobbies?

TALENT

What am I good at?

What do I get complemented on?

Where have I excelled in the past?

Where have I been successful?

What are some of my strengths?

VALUES

What is important to me?

What would I do if I were wealthy?

What do I stand for?

What won't I stand for?

What would I risk my life for?

DESTINY

What was I born to do?

What is my unique mission in life?

What does God want me to do?

What are my unique opportunities?

Where can I make a difference?

Who is my soul mate and why?

There is an old Hindu legend stating that when the gods were making the world they said: “Where can we hide the most valuable of treasures, so that they will not be lost? How can we hide the most valuable of treasures, so that they will not be lost? How can we hide them so that the lust and greed of men will not steal or destroy them? What can we do to be assured that these riches will be carried on from generation to generation for the benefit of all mankind?”

So in their wisdom they selected a hiding place that was so obvious it wouldn’t be seen. And there they placed the true riches of life, endowed with the magic power or perpetual self replenishment. In this hiding place these treasures can be found by every living person in every land who follows The Success System That Never Fails. Do you know where the hiding place is…?

TODAY IS THE DAY FOR YOU TO GET STARTED… DO IT NOW

Your Attitude Makes the Difference

Success results more from certain mental traits and personality characteristics known as attitudes than from any other single factor. Attitudes are the result of choices you make – decisions to believe or not believe in particular aspects of your life.

Attitude isn’t simply a state of mind it is also a reflection of what we value. Attitude is more than just saying I can, it is believing you can. It requires believing before seeing, because seeing is based on circumstances, believing is based on faith. Attitude is so contagious especially when we allow it to turn our doubts of the past into the passions of today and set the stage for our tomorrows. We have total ownership of our attitudes.

No one else has the power to alter our attitudes without our permission. Our attitude allows us to become more empowering than money, to rise above our failures, and accept others for who they are, and what they say. It is more important than giftedness and is the forerunner of all skills needed for happiness and success. Our attitudes can be used to build us up or put us down - the choice is ours, it also gives us the wisdom to know that we can change events of the past. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you respond to it ... and it is with this state of mind that you can remain in charge of your ATTITUDE.

Thinking like a winner

In the book Think Like a Winner by Dr. Walter D. Staples, he states that in its simplest form, the key to your success lies in your particular manner of thinking. When you change how you think about yourself, your relationships, your goals and your world, your life will change. If you change the quality of your thinking, you necessarily will change the quality of your life.

There is a process whereby you can change your life. You can flush out all the old, tired, I-used-them-before thoughts and fill your mind with new, challenging, I-am-in-charge thoughts. You have what you’ve got by doing what you’ve been doing – thinking in a particular manner you have become accustomed to. It’s simple enough. If what you want in the future is different from what you’ve got in the present, you must change what you’ve been doing!

Your beliefs represent conscious decisions you have made in the past about yourself and what you expect or do not expect to accomplish. There decisions are now repeated unconsciously as you go through life. They continuously control your thinking, direct your behavior and determine your relative level of performance. How you perform in any given area of your life is only partly a function of your potential in that area. In fact, it is largely a function of your deep seated beliefs. Of all your beliefs, the most important are your core beliefs, for they are absolutely critical to your future.

You possess thousands upon thousands of beliefs about every aspect of life. You have an opinion or belief about sports, politicians, cars, music, airplanes, pollution… and on and on. But none of these particular beliefs has a major impact on your life. The same cannot be said about your core beliefs. Core beliefs are basic to your very being, and are the primary determinants concerning the direction your life takes.

Here is a list of the ten core beliefs that are unique to all peak performing men and women. Consider each one carefully, and imagine what your world would begin to look like if you held the same beliefs and made them a part of your life today.

1. Winners are not born they are made.
2. The dominant force in your existence is the thinking you engage in.
3. You are empowered to create your own reality.
4. There is some benefit to be had from every adversity.
5. Each one of your beliefs is a choice.
6. You are never defeated until you accept defeat as a reality and decide to stop trying.
7. You already possess the ability to excel in at least one key area of your life.
8. The only real limitations on what you can accomplish in your life are those you impose on yourself.
9. There can be no great success without great commitment.
10. You need the support and co-operation of other people to achieve any worthwhile goal.

The Expectation Theory

The Expectation Theory holds that your fundamental beliefs about yourself and your world are the principal determinants to your success in life. In fact, it is through your beliefs that you create the very world you live in. The practical application of the theory works in this way:

• The beliefs you hold are the direct result of all the thinking you have, or have not engaged in.

• Your beliefs, in turn create your expectations about results and future outcomes. Expectations are active forces at work in your mind.

• Your expectations, in turn determine your attitude. Your attitude once expressed, determines your behavior.

Consider the following cause and effect relationship to see how personal beliefs represent the very foundation of our life:

WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR THINKING,

you change your beliefs;

When you change your beliefs, you change your expectations;

When you change your expectations, you change your attitude;

When you change your attitude, you change your behavior;

When you change your behavior, you change your performance;

When you change your performance,

YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Note that you cannot change your life by trying to change your life; you cannot change your performance by trying to change your performance; you cannot change your behavior by trying to change your behavior; you cannot change your attitude by trying to change your attitude; you cannot change your expectations by trying to change your expectations; you cannot change your beliefs by trying to change your beliefs. But you can change the picture images or internal representations you hold in your mind that represent your ingrained thinking. This will bring about change in all the other areas of your life that are important to you.

Your mind is the dynamic force behind the marvelous success system within you. Whatever you believe, picture in your mind and think about most of the time, you eventually bring into reality.

As individuals, we are all different, yet in many ways, we are also the same. We are all made from the same mold and blessed with life and the potential for high achievement. We all have a unique mix of talents and abilities that usually go undeveloped and underutilized. We all have 24 hours each day and 7 days each week to live our lives in whatever way we choose. Life is really a series of choices. In fact, the only thing you don’t have a choice about is making choices, for to avoid them is to make them.

In the end, the rewards you receive in life do not come because of your potential. They come because of your performance. It is your performance, then, that you must focus on and ultimately improve upon. Your reality is what you make it to be and it is your perception of reality that will make all the difference in the way you think, the way you behave and the way you perform.

To your success and till the next time

Bruce