Do critics help the world?

Thank you for the great comments!
Please answer any number of the following 4

1- Do you believe in using critics as fuel to push your own efforts forward? Shoving success in the critics face.
2- Do you believe in the statement “the greatest source of learning often comes from our harshest critics”?
3- How do you view the quote “the world is happy to give you their definition of failure” as it relates to criticism?
4- What viewpoints do you have regarding the subject of criticism?


Extra reading bellow:
JK Rawling of Harry Potter fame inspired #3– Did you know that was from JK Rawling during her speech to Harvard?

Click
Here/












http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkREt4ZB-ck

Girls fighting gives back to the world.

The following is a girls non-profit boxing group that promotes boxing for young girls.

You can click the following link:
http://www.ko4g.org/

Answer any number of the following: There are no wrong answers and I really want to know each and every person's opinions and thoughts on this. Thank you for the continued sharing.

1-What do you think of this as a form of charity?

2-Does this send a bad message to girls or does it raise the esteem of young girls?

3-Is this just a way to set up a payday for women to go into MMA fighting eventually?

4-Should girls be boxing at all?


The next post will be on the 29th of December 2009 which is a Tuesday or sooner.

Quote of the Day

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people
always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become
great."

Mark Twain

How do you think you can apply this in real life?

What do you think works to maintain a postive attitude?

Reading positive stories, being around positive people, journaling about positive things and looking on the positive side, setting high personal goals that you are constantly striving for? What else does it for you?

I had this interesting email sent to me this past week.

I've been an entrepreneur for over 30 years, and I've come to realize that the difference in success or failure is not how you look, how you dress, or how you're educated. It's how you think!

Early in my career, I was the vice president of sales for a food company. One time I was in Detroit hiring a sales person for the market. We had lined up eight appointments for the day, and the morning had been a bust. I looked up and my 1 o'clock appointment was standing at the door.

He was a tall, good-looking guy, and I remember thinking, "This could be the one." We
talked for about 15 minutes, and I asked a question I always ask, "What will you be doing five years from now?"

I'll never forget his answer. He said, "Mr. Anderson, the way these appointments have been going, I might still be interviewing!" Well, that wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear. We talked for a few more minutes and I excused him.

Then I looked up and my 2 o'clock was there ... a short guy with a wrinkled sport coat. He walked over and gave me a confident handshake, and a few minutes later I asked the same question, "What are you going to be doing five years from now?"

He looked me right in the eye and said, "Mr. Anderson, I'm going to be working for you. This job fits my skills and my needs to a tee. I don't just think, I know I can sell your product in this market. And furthermore, if you don't like my performance after thirty days, you don't owe me a cent."

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather! He had just made me an offer I
couldn't refuse. But the offer had nothing to do with the money I might save; it had
everything to do with his unwavering passion and belief he could do it.

Within a year, Bob was the number one sales person in the company! The power of a
212° attitude can be unstoppable.

It is nice to know that people are willing to go out of their was to help people like this:


NEW MEXICO -- It's a story nothing short of amazing. A handful of homeless men lifted a 2 ton Cadillac off a little girl who was pinned beneath it. One of the heroes is a New Mexico man who credits his tribal heritage for saving the girl's life.

The man who helped save 9-year-old Robyn Rubio's life is not only tearful, but humble when he talks about his recent act of bravery.

"I don't want to be called a hero," said Stanford Washburn.

Washburn, a person who has nothing, gave everything last Saturday to rescue Robyn. He even credits his Navajo heritage with saving her life.

"I chanted for her, 'Please don't leave us, be with us, be well, be well.' That's my chant," said Washburn.

Washburn calls Shiprock, N.M., his home, but right now he's homeless. Last weekend he was drinking in an alley near the Las Vegas strip in Nevada when he saw a Cadillac hit Robyn head-on. Washburn and several other transients jumped up and ran to help, miraculously lifting the 5,000 pound car off of Robin's tiny body.

"I know she was scared, I know she was scared," said Tina Rubio, Robyn's mother.

Rubio has been unable to see her daughter in intensive care. But she knows her daughter's small frame is being held together by pins and rods. Both of her arms were broken, her pelvis was shattered, and her leg broken.

"She doesn't know what she looks like I don't even think she knows what is going on," said Rubio.

What Robyn will know one day is that a homeless man from New Mexico likely saved her life. But it's likely he won't be the one to tell her. He's much too humble.

"I'm just one of you guys, a red-blooded human being," said Washburn.

A spokesperson for the Las Vegas Police Department said he doubts the men could have picked up the car if a child had not been underneath it. They also said it shows how humans regardless of their circumstances react to saving a life.

This is a hero story that was sent to me. I like reading about stories of heroes to remind me that some day I might be put in a postion where I need to act accordingly. It makes me feel grateful to know that people care about doing the right thing even for a stranger they do not know.




NEW YORK -- A New York man is being hailed as a hero after saving a teenager who fell on subway tracks Wednesday.

The man's daily commute turned into a brush with death as he daringly rescued the teen in Harlem, authorities said.

Cameron Hollopeter, 18, fell onto the tracks at the 137th Street and Broadway Station after apparently suffering a seizure, according to authorities.

Wesley Autrey, a Navy veteran and construction worker, was standing nearby on the platform with his children when he saw Hollowpeter fall. Autrey jumped down to the track area and lay on top of Hollowpeter as a train passed about "2 inches" from his head.

In the split-second he had to decide as a southbound 1 train approached, Autrey said he chose to stay in the "gutter" between two sets of subway tracks instead of trying to pull the victim back up to the platform.

"I chose to dive on top of him and pin him down and myself down," said Autrey, 50.

Autrey said the rescue was especially difficult because Hollopeter was confused and frightened.

"He didn't know who I was," said Autrey. "He was incoherent. The train comes and I have to make the decision whether to struggle and try to get him up to the platform or dive for the gutter and just push him back. So my thing was to just push him back and lay on top of him."

When asked if the bottom of the train touched the top of his head, Autrey said, "It could have."

Autrey said the train operator saw them and hit the emergency brakes. Two of the cars passed over the men. Police said neither man was hit.

Hollopeter, a freshman at the New York Film Academy, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital, where he was in stable condition, authorities said. Police said Autrey refused medical attention.

What would your business life look like if everyday you worked with the same heart as the person described in the following story? What would your life be like?

I recently was told a story about a guy who played for Bear Bryant. Bear had a third string player on his team named Henry Peterson. Henry had never gotten to play, and just before the Alabama-Auburn Game, Bryant got a call from Henry.

He said, "Coach, my Dad died and I won't be able to make it to the game on Saturday."

Bear said, "No problem, son, you should be with your family." However, the next day Bear got another call from Henry, and he said, "Coach, I got to thinking about it and I don't want to let the team down. I'm going to be there." Sure enough on Saturday, Henry was dressed and ready to play. Just before the game he walked over the Bear and said, "Coach, I want you to start me today." Bear said, "Son, are you nuts? This is the Alabama-Auburn game, and you've never played." Well, Henry persisted, and Bryant, never knowing why, said, "Okay, I'll put you in on the
first play."

Henry Peterson scored three touchdowns in the first half he almost beat Auburn by himself. Bear, at halftime, walked over and said, "Son, I don't know whether to kiss you or kill you. Why haven't you shown me you can play football like that?"

Henry said, "Coach, did you ever see me walking around the campus with my Dad?" Bear said, "Yes, I have seen you." Henry then said, "Coach, my Dad was blind and today is the first day he ever got to watch me play football."


It is incredible to think what a persons' life could be like if they lived every day with the principal of living as if something was that important.

What do you think about the following quotes?

Do what you would do for free; having passion for what you do is the most important thing.

Success is dependant upon elective qualities, not with anything you are born.

The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they're too heavy to be broken.

I have been overwhelmed with emails. I have responded to all of them. There are far more positive people that blog than I could have ever imagined. I will post here every week from now on.

Thursday. Friday at the latest.


A positive poem:

Some say winning is the only thing
Others say chase the golden ring

Some of the simple say “just do it”
Others simply say : on your couch do not sit.

If you think like this you can move into a palace and avoid the ditch
Solomon is that example says wisdom will make you person that is very rich
Then you have others say think positive as their only niche

Ben Franklin says people are good at little else if they are good at excuses
Jack la lane at nearly 100 recommends various juices

Some say love it is the only way
others say the for success fighting is the price you pay

Some say the spirit of your service is the most important thing
Others say do what makes you happy as your song to sing

The future is what matters most says Gates
Buffett, says the review mirror is clear than the windshield and knowing …this solves all of your negative fates.

I have found that people say things they do not do
But the most successful always do more and follow through

Everyone would rather win than lose
Most when faced with challenges move to the easier place to choose

Minority level thinking is needed for outrageous success is clear
Because if you behave like the average success will not be near

Numbers in your favor are the mathematical way to go
Unless you pay a price to defy them with energy that could cause the sun to glow

Improving daily is possible and lets you rise higher than the sun
As tom sawyer said “nothing is work if you think its fun”

Some say your friends show who you are
Others say your friends help you through life go very far.

Writing your goals can be very fun
But they do not mean much until they are done....
Time for me to do some serious work now... I must now run.


I do not write well but I hope you like the message.

What do you think?

Lesson of the wine palm nut. This nut takes 3 years to sprout and sometimes does not sprout at all. It has been found that if you put the seed in water and you let it swell then dry it out it never germinates. But if it is frozen, then has boiling water poured on it, then it is emersed in water it will sprout in under 6 months. The harsh treatment proves beneficial.

Answer any of the following:

What life lessons do you think as people we can learn from this nut?

Why is this nut lesson not taught more?

Have you heard of this before?

Do you have any other life lessons like this from the world to share?

"Happiness is found in doing not merely in possessing"

I have found in life that when I focus too much on receiving happiness from having something I end up not satisfied. I have found more joy in giving than possessing and in the process of attaining than the attaining itself.

What do you think?

I thought I would do an F word day given that it is Friday.





4-Positive F words

Faith – This is something that really helps me.

Father – I have an amazing father, he has been an excellent role model for me and a great source of support, inspiration and wisdom.

Ford, Henry – His life is one of the highlighted ones in Think and Grow Rich.

Friends – I have great friends.


2 (4) letter positive F words

Free – I like to give things for free especially when they have value. It shocks people and draws them to you. It also makes them curious about you having an angle. It is entertaining when they find you do not have an angle.

Food – Healthy food is very positive in life for me. I eat as many of the top 20 foods that I can daily. Top – based on bodybuilding, health and fitness and medical studies. Green tea, blueberries, salmon (wild), 85 percent dark Cocoa, almonds, egg whites and water.

So when I hear a negative F word, now I just think of all of the positive F words that are out there. What positive F words do you know?

There are so many great people that read my blog when I read their blogs I am inspired to do better in my life as well. People get knocked down but they come right back up with a positive outlook regardless of circumstance. I really love that trait in people the fight to live out their dreams.

I know that I have more female readers of my blog than male readers for whatever reason so that inspired me to write about a great female success story. The lady is Yrma Rico and she has been an incredible performer in the business world. She was a single mother of 2 and she ended up being one of the founders of a company that turned into Univision (a 21 station hispanic television network) and now runs an autodealership.

What really impressed me was her willingness to work three jobs to make it happen and to be able to support 2 kids at the same time.

It really is very inspiring to read about people doing well in circumstances when doing well in not expected.

The following story is about one of the top motivating people in my life. I have read this story over and over and I can always hardly beleive that it is true. How can a guy walk on his hands for 160 hours plus without sleeping? If a person is able to have his legs blown off and is still able to not only remain positive but to go to higher heights than the average even dreams about. What is possible in my life? What is the most I am capable of? What can I do to improve in my life? Is this person here to show the world what is possible? Does this person exist to remind us what most of us have to be grateful for? I get tons of questions that flow through my mind as I read stories like this.

Thank you again for all of the kind emails and letters of encouragement.


My favorite part is where he says "they took my legs not my heart". Incredible.





WHEELCHAIR-BOUND INSPIRATION

Bob Wieland, who lost his legs in Vietnam 34 years ago, finished the Los Angeles marathon Saturday, March, 8, 2003, after 173 hours and 45 minutes. It took 57-year-old Wieland of Arcadia, Calif., more than one week to cover the more than 26 miles. He used only his hands and torso.

Bob Wieland lost his legs in Vietnam, but that did not stop him. He is known for his walk across America. Last week during the LA marathon, he walked without sleeping for 163 hours and met a homeless person who is now working for him!

“Mr. Inspiration”, as Bob is known, was featured as the Person of the Day on Connie Chung on her March 10th show. He is scheduled to be on an upcomong Bryant Gumble show. The unstoppable Bob Wieland has truly inspired the world with his amazing achievements.

Bob Wieland’s life sparkles with courage and greatness. Bob lost his legs in Vietnam via a mortar round while trying to rescue a fellow soldier. Bob was born and raised in Greenfield, Wisconsin and was an all-star athlete well on his way to being a professional baseball player. Rather than dwelling on his lost baseball career, Bob chose to focus on the challenges that were ahead. In his words, “I lost my legs, not my heart.”

Bob Wieland is one of those rare few who can speak from the depth of a LIFE ACHIEVEMENT. What’s more, his passionately motivating style creates a desire to excel in audiences. He’s a role model whose words you hang on to for inspiration, because he’s THE REAL THING. In thousands of appearances from 10 to 10,000 strong. Bob has a way of touching hearts… making people want to give just a measure more.

Author of One Step At A Time and a member of the President’s Council of Physical Fitness and Sports, Bob has been encouraging audiences for over 15 years, creating an awareness of not just his accomplishments, but of time honored PRINCIPLES OF ACHIEVEMENT. He is blessed with a speaking style that makes each person in the audience feel like he is speaking directly to them, one-on-one. His honors and public/product endorsement are extensive. His programs are not crass sensationalism, but a practical complement to your organizational goals.

AWARDS

* 1996, Named “The Most Courageous Man in America” by the NFL Players Association and the Jim Thorpe Foundation
* 1994, Voted “One of the Six Most Amazing Americans in the Past 20 Years” by People Magazine
* 1989, U.S. Marine Corps Marathon, “Most Inspirational” Award
* 1989, Healthy American Fitness Leader Award, United States Jaycees
* 1988, recipient of the prestigious Victory Award
* 1986, Outstanding Alumnus of the Year, California State University
* 1977-78, California’s Outstanding Disabled American Veteran
* 1971-72, Wisconsin’s Outstanding Disabled American Veteran

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

* Strength, flexibility, and motivational coach with the professional football team Green Bay packers
* Walked across America on his arms in three years, eight months, six days in 1982-86
* Former 4-time world record holder in the bench press with best lift of 507 pounds
* Completed the New York, Los Angeles, and Marine Corp Marathons
* Only double amputee to complete the grueling Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii
* Hosting 1992 television talk show Beating the Odds on national Sports Channel America
* Faculty member, outstanding graduate, and alumnus of California State University, Los Angeles
* Completed 6,200 mile bike circuit, twice across America in conjuction with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society

I am grateful for a number of people and events.

What are you grateful for in the past two weeks? People or events.

Charities-non-political and non-religious-

I am interested in ideas for charitable giving. I have been very blessed in business, so I look to find ways to give back. I have some of my own ideas but I am more interested in what other people are doing if you have any charities that you give to I would like to hear which ones they are and what you like about them.

J.R. Salzman, is a blogger that I have a great deal of admiration for he has undergone an amputation during his service in the Iraq military. I really feel grateful for people that are able to remain positive while they are going through a challenge. I dropped him a line wishing him the best. It makes me feel good to do that and I hope that it can make a difference. Maybe if every single person that reads this sends him a kind word of encouragement maybe that might make him and the send feel better as well?

Here is an entry from his blog:

“Thursday, December 21, 2006
3:16:24 AM

it is hard for me to tell you all this but i was hurt by an ied here. my right arm has been amputated below the elbow, my left has four working fingers. my legs are fine so l can still logroll! i am on my way to the hospital in germany, then back to the states for more care. i am in high spirits. i am going to be ok, but i will have a long road to recovery. please remember me in your prayers, as well as those who were injured with me. i will let you know more as time passes.”

What great courage the guy has his arm amputated and he is thankful that he can still log roll. That is incredible stuff.

www.jrsalzman.com

This weekend I was reading a story about one of the founders of a large company. He challenged a charitable group he was going to donate to a pull-up contest and he agreed to make a large donation if any of the people in the group could beat him in a pull-up contest. He was over 40 and did 25 pull-ups the best any of the people he competed against did was 15.

I thought this was very clever on his part. He set up a physical challenge not only for them but also for himself. Charity combining with physical fitness like this is something that I found very unique and interesting.

I thought to myself could this challenge others to start doing similar things?

I am always grateful when I can find things like this to read about. It challenged me to get better at pull-ups. Mine has been about 15. Palms facing away is a pull-up.

A few things I have on my daily checklist:

Business activity number

Spiritual activity number

Diet activity number

I am constantly looking for ideas to improve in all of these areas of my life. I am not fat, poor or non-spiritual. I just find it fun improving. I feel like I am living a dream eveyday and I have greater dreams ahead and I am willing to pay the price of improvement to make them come true.

This blog is just a journal of things that I like am inspired by. Now I have to make sure that I can get up to doing that many. I have seen the “I will run miles for comments" on other blogs, maybe I can do pull-ups or pushups or a personal business activity?

I read a story some time back it was about a A mountain climber who cut off his own arm to escape a rock-climbing accident in Utah.

His name is Aron Ralston I have an article about him on my wall in my office that I show to people. Even though the story is not recent I just hung the story up recently and I will keep it there as a reminder of what truely difficult challenges can be and how they can be overcome.

I really enjoy stories of courage like that and I enjoy keeping them around me as reminders. Things like this make me very grateful.

I am so excited sometimes I find it hard to unwind and fall asleep. I love what I do and have so much to be grateful for. I entered the search "I am so excited I can't sleep" to see what other people can not sleep over.

Some of the examples were:

An upcoming trip the next day
Buying a new car the next day
A person getting out of prison the next day

I do not have anything going on at that level, but it feels great.

This was emailed to me by a reader of my blog. Thanks for sharing it:

He spoke to me about a native American that walked down a path through some forests in the 1800's, he saw a water puddle ahead on the path. He angled in a direction to go around it on the part of the path that wasn’t covered by water and mud. As he goes to the puddle, he was suddenly attacked!

Yet he did nothing for the attack was so unpredictable and from a something so completely unexpected. The Native American was startled as well as unhurt, even though he had been hit many times already. He backed up a foot and his attacker stopped attacking him. Instead of attacking more, he hovered in the air on graceful butterfly wings in front of him. Had he been hurt he wouldn’t have found it amusing, but he was unhurt, it was funny, and he laughed. After all, a butterfly was attacking him!

Having stopped laughing, he took a step forward. His attacker rushed him again. He rammed him in the chest with his head and body, striking him over and over again with all his might, still to no avail. For a second time, he retreated a step while his attacker relented in his attack.

Yet again, he tried moving forward. His attacker charged him again. He was rammed in the chest over and over again. He wasn’t sure what to do, other than to retreat a third time, after all, it’s just not everyday that a butterfly attacks a person. This time, though, he stepped back several paces to look the situation over. His attacker moved back as well to land on the ground. That’s when he discovered why his attacker was charging him only moments earlier.

He had a mate and she was dying. She was beside the puddle where he landed. Sitting close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her. The American Indian could only admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his mate. He had taken it upon himself to attack him for his mate’s sake, even though she was clearly dying and he was so large. He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life, should he have been careless enough to step on her.

Now the American Indian knew why and what he was fighting for. There was really only one option left for him. He carefully made his way around the puddle to the other side of the path, though it was only inches wide and extremely muddy. His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier than himself just for his mate’s safety justified it. He couldn’t do anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side of the puddle. He had truly earned those moments to be with her, undisturbed. He left them in peace for those last few moments, cleaning the mud from his boots when he later reached his teepee.

Since then, Native Americans have always tried to remember the courage of that butterfly whenever they see huge obstacles facing them. They use that butterfly’s courage as an inspiration and to remind himself that good things are worth fighting for.

If you have anything positive or motivating, please feel free to email it to me at
ntnocn123 (at) yahoo (dot) com. I will continue to respond to all of your emails.
Thank you for helping me build something to help me stay positive.

12 days of motivation – Here is what I am doing.
Day 1 – Write a letter of appricaition for someone you care about
Day 2- Give compliments to 3 strangers
Day 3- Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Day 4 – Send money to your favorite charity
Day 5 – Call a friend or family member for no reason and tell them why you value their relationship
Day 6 – Go out of your way to help someone
Day 7- Send someone a thank you letter
Day 8- bring your neighbor a Christmas treat
Day 9- Do something for someone that you have been thinking about doing but haven’t.
Day 10 – Meet with a charity to see how you can help them
Day 11 – Order pizza for your local police or fire dept.
Day 12 – Take a friend to lunch.

Last week I completed some (personal non-business) interviews with 2 very good people that I like. One runs the positive news network and the other one has written an updated version of Think and Grow Rich. What I like about both of these people is that they are both trying to create good in the world beyond themselves. It is challenging for people to remain positive in their own worlds let alone create time to try and help others.

This weekend I spent time reading one of my best articles for motivation for myself that I have collected:

Arthur Winston - The story of a bus janitor in LA that became a church icon when people found out about his 70 year track record of perfect attendance. 1 missed day for his wife’s funeral over 70 years. Some people have accused me of trying to be a Tony Robbins or just trying to post here to help people become millionaires. This blog is just something I am sharing.

I have been blessed but in more ways than just money. I never believed that money alone yields happiness but I also never believed that having money was exclusive of happiness either. Is Arthur Winston wealthy? I doubt it. I respect his story nonetheless. Was Clara Barton wealthy? No, but I respect her greatly for the work she did with the Red Cross.

I just had an email sent to me from a good friend of mine: What an inspiring story. It makes me think that I am capable of more than what I am doing and it really creates positive energy in me. I am posting this to remind me of what is possible.

---
Strongest Dad in the World
[From Sports Illustrated, By Rick Reilly]

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay for their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars–all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much–except save his life.

This love story began in Winchester, Mass., 43 years ago, when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

“He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him and his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. “Put him in an institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy communicate. “No way,'' Dick says he was told. “There's nothing going on in his brain.''

“Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on in his brain.

Rigged up with a computer that allowed him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? “Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the school organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, “Dad, I want to do that.''

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described “porker'' who never ran more than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. “Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. “I was sore for two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. “Dad,'' he typed, “when we were running, it felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

“No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyt's weren't quite a single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then they found a way to get into the race officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, “Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick tried.

Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? “No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for “the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with a cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time'? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992–only 35 minutes off the world record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the time.

“No question about it,'' Rick types. “My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries was 95% clogged. “If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' one doctor told him, “you probably would've died 15 years ago.''

So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

“The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, “is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

I just received an email telling me I won an award and asking me to put their link on my blog. Thanks for the award but I am not going to promote your site for giving it to me. Thank you for your consideration. I think everyone gets one of these award emails right?

Another email asked me: What is my favorite quote? I have so many but...
One of the life statements that I do try to live by is do things that can help that cannot hurt.

Another email asked me my favorite food? Ok one of my favorites is chocolate protein powder. A really different food is called bodybuilder pudding. Mix chocolate protein powder into cottage cheese. Odd?

A question I was emailed yesterday. "What am I trying to sell?"

Answer: Nothing.

I woke up this morning grateful that I don’t need to use the Internet as a way of making money. I also received a couple that thanked me for not trying to promote anything and that motivational sites that they have gone to have tons of ads trying to sell them products. This blog is really something for me and I am just sharing.

I get far more emails than people that respond here and I will respond to all emails until it gets out of hand. A note to the people that are emailing me: I have enabled my posting feature so that you can post without being a google member.

I was reading last week about one of my life heroes Clara Barton (founder of the red-cross). I think she sometimes gets overlooked because her birthday is on Christmas maybe?

I wanted to thank Steve Liewer of the San Diego Tribune with providing me with information to send gifts to wounded troops in Southern California. He warned me that addressing gifts to "wounded troops" would not always work due to security concerns at many of the centers. Mr. Liewer was kind enough to supply email contact information to people that were able to help me.

This idea came to me from another blogger that I really like that posted an address to send letters to "wounded troops". This might work for letters and it might not due to security concerns. I have reached out directly to the centers to ensure that items I send get to the correct people.

Thanks Steve for your help I appreciate it.

More things I feel positive about this morning: To be clear these are always just things I do:

---- My diet trick. This is often debated but I really like the idea of having a time to cheat on my diet. My weakness is sweets and I have learned through studying bodybuilding over the years something that some of them have been doing for years. There is an hour that some bodybuilders call "the get out of jail free card” during this hour a person can eat sweets and it can actually help build muscle? At first I didn’t believe it but after reading more I found there was actually support for it. It spikes insulin levels, which during most times it is a bad idea but right after a weight workout it can help to build muscle. I look at it this way if a person is likely going to cheat anyways.... what is the worst that happens by doing it right after a workout? Ill post more on this another time,

----Quote analysis - Here are two quotes

#1-Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

#2-Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.

Now try and match the quote to the person. Mae West and Mick Jagger.
Think for a minute.


----Questions I asked myself this morning.

Who am I grateful for?
Who can I help today?
What three people can I compliment today?

Spiritual---The verse I wrote down. James 2:17

Here is the answer to the question from above. #1 Was Mick Jagger and #2 was Mae West. Now do you know which person Warren Buffett (The 2nd wealthiest person in the planet behind Bill Gates according to Forbes) quoted?

---
If you want to see my critics you can go to.

http://uselessmen.blogspot.com/ ---- #424.



http://uselessmen.blogspot.com/

Positive mental attitude

#1- Diet - blueberries are one of the best foods that are both anit-oxidant and anti viral, this means they can help with either colds and flu.


#2- Positive thinking in writing - If you write down the reasons that you like your occupation you are able to then remain more positive towards your position and be happier about it.

#3- Music - I have made a cd of all of the most positive message music that I can find. It is very challenging. One of my favorites for positive messages is Triumph. (Yes a little obscure).

#4-Spirituality - Mathew 17:20

#5- Exercise - Jogging or cardio workouts are a good way to get positive emotional flow as well.

#6- Modeling - Being around good role models for positive thinking helps you also create a positive mental attitude.

#7-Helping other people - When you help others you feel better about yourself.

Thank you for helping me break 1,000 visitors with such a simple site.

Positive attitude through diet. I have read scientific research that has shown possible correlations between vitamin C intake and studies have shown a fairly strong link to being able to lower poor moods through the intake of vitamin C. I have done studies on myself to see how vitamin C in doses of 1 to 2 thousand milligrams per day helped and I found it to work. Most doctor’s recommend 1000 miligrams but I have used much higher dose and it seems to help. Dr. Wiel has suggested taking up to 5,000 when you are feeling a cold coming on.

I take half in the morning and half in the afternoon. Simple, inexpensive and effective and with low (if any) health risks.

Here is another anonymous poem that was included in Think and Grow Rich. What I like about it is the way that it provides hope right now of greater possibilities just by thinking differently. I have been told you can think all these things are going to happen and still lose right? And I say yes. But as long as you keep your dreams alive you live and quite often when you let them die you die along with them. Hope for future achievement is greatly stressed by napoleon hill as being something that makes a person rich as well.

I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;

For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have gladly paid!

Positive mental attitude through poetry:

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win but think you can't
It is almost certain you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you're lost.
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a fellows' will.
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise;
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.


Good morning it is 5:32 AM here in So. Cal.

I am always looking for new and creative ways to remain positive regardless of the world around me. This poem is by an unknown author but it is included in the book Think and Grow Rich. I have a woman with a very attractive voice that I have tape various things for me to listen to and this one of the items on the tapes. (well now they are burned onto cds). I beleive the simple memorization of things like this helps people. As long as you dont try using this as the sole method of creating PMA you have little to no risk.

The reason I use it is to have something positive in my mind to offset all the negativity we have around us not only on the internet, but on television and the radio and newspapers. We have so much negative that I use forced positive mindfeeding all the time.

Positive mental attitude through the help of a billionaires words of encouragement.
Here is a letter I emailed to Mark Cuban, he is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

I know you are the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and that you are very wealthy. I would appreciate it if you gave some words of encouragement to give people a positive mental attitude during this holiday season on a personal blog that I have. I think it is incredible the work that you do on the charitable side. That is what I really like about you, as a person is how you give to people that you don’t know and are really secretive about it. It would be great if you could post about some personal information about yourself.

I feel you have a genuine caring side. I have been very blessed in business as well and I have learned to care about people. I wish you the best.

Here is the blog I would feel honored to have you post on.
http://sms100.blogspot.com/

Happy holidays.


The question is. Will he respond?

Turning Tragedy into something positive. Going beyond positive thinking.

Thinking positive alone is not enough. People face difficult life situations and they are faced with negative unwanted emotions. Go to your mailbox and it says IRS. How many people think great and get excited? You are on vacation and your boss leaves a message on your cell phone saying call right away. Do you think that people get a flow of positive emotions over that? No way. It does not happen.

I am going to take on the most difficult situation here first. Death of a loved one it is likely the biggest negative you will ever face. I am here to offer you a suggestion to help you. I lost a relative to suicide at a very young age and unexpected time that got involved with meth unexpectedly. I don’t think it makes me an expert counselor for people dealing with something terrible but I do understand what I didn’t want.

I didn’t want people trying to give me advice that was basically telling me to remain positive. Trust me that is not enough during that time. So if I told you I had a solution for your pain would you believe me? If I said I had a step-by-step solution would you do it? Let's see.

Here is what I found to work. I started taking the frustration, anger, and resentment and directed it into something positive. I started writing letters of appreciation to as many people as I could. I wrote to friends, family, business associates and people that I respected and admired. Guess what happened? I started to feel better. Writing is an antidote for pain and at the same time I found out that not many people in the world get letters like that. Simple one page letters telling them 5 to 10 positive things about them and how you value their relationship. You don’t even have to know the people you can send these to authors of books you have read, disc jockeys that play songs that uplift you, people that write articles that inspire you or people that are just nice to you and offer a good service to you like your postman.

I just gave you 5,000 dollars worth of free therapy there. If you go through a challenge write letters like this. Send me copies of 5 letters you write with your name and address and phone number and I will send you a free gift with no strings attached. Knowing this information is great. Applying this information is life changing.

Thank you for your support: 600 hits. No pics, no ads, no highlighted buzz words, no linked blogs and no vulgarity. 1,000 might be possible?

THE SELF CONFIDENCE FORMULA
Think and Grow Rich method to faith I had emailed to me. A freind sent this to me.
This is from the book Think and Grow Rich and I was told that he memorized it. I wonder how many people have this memorized?


First. I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in life, therefore, I DEMAND of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment, and I here and now promise to render such action.

Second. I realize the dominating thoughts of my mind will eventually reproduce themselves in outward, physical action, and gradually transform themselves into physical reality, therefore, I will concentrate my thoughts for thirty minutes daily, upon the task of thinking of the person I intend to become, thereby creating in my mind a clear mental picture of that person.

Third. I know through the principle of auto-suggestion, any desire that I persistently hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object back of it, therefore, I will devote ten minutes daily to demanding of myself the development of SELF-CONFIDENCE.

Fourth. I have clearly written down a description of my DEFINITE CHIEF AIM in life, and I will never stop trying, until I shall have developed sufficient self-confidence for its attainment.

Fifth. I fully realize that no wealth or position can long endure, unless built upon truth and justice, therefore, I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit all whom it affects. I will succeed by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use, and the cooperation of other people. I will induce others to serve me, because of my willingness to serve others. I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism, by developing love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me, because I will believe in them, and in myself.

I will sign my name to this formula, commit it to memory, and repeat it aloud once a day, with full FAITH that it will gradually influence my THOUGHTS and ACTIONS so that I will become a self-reliant, and successful person.

Scientific version of faith? I am using a technique called counter blocking to write out the reasons I believe something that I have not done yet to push past a mental block. For example say that you think you can’t get up before 5 am. Write down 50 reasons that you can and that changes belief. That takes something you don’t believe in and changes into something you not only believe but that you also become more likely to do. I also have a more spiritual version that I am conducting but that is information that I am only sharing with people outside of the internet.

Do you think faith can be created? If so. How? I am going to write an entry shortly on how I intend to create faith. It is a personal experiment on the creation of applied faith approached from a scientific base. I have never seen or heard of anything like this being done before and I have spoken to some biblical people about this first.

It is my experiment in developing faith if you have an idea on how to do it before I post about it please do so.

This applies to the materal stated on this blog as well:
It can take up to 50 reasons to start to really look deeply at something differently. This is based on the scientific principal that we think on different levels of thought one being chatter, the other being thinking and the third and deepest where change takes place is in feeling. Please keep that in mind when reading the content here. To get people to take the time to look at things differently is challenging, on the internet there is a great deal of searching for the quick fix. The other scientific principal is that we use material the most that we come into contact with at least 20 times. Until you have been in contact with something 20 times it really does not start getting used much.

I was reviewing the list of the 12 things that make a person rich and right at the top of the list is positive mental attitude. What I find interesting is how many people really see that as being the case. Having a PMA is more important than having financial wealth according to Think and Grow Rich. Funny that this is on the tapes but not really highlighted in the book.

Today, I journaled a RAK in my book. RAK for me stands for a random act of kindness I cant tell you what it was or it would not seem random to me. I am experimenting by tracking them and tracking the positives that happen in my life.

What is possible? I was told that I need to run ads, put in key words, post pictures of women or write about sorrid stories to get people to visit this blog. I think they are wrong. I was told there are no sites with over 1,000 visitors that dont sell things have sex, negativity or links to other blogs. We will see. I have some very Positive people that I associate with.


I was reading Think and Grow Rich this morning and was reminded of something: There is a quote inbetween chapters that says : happiness is found in doing not only in possessing. Do you know what is powerful about that for me? Bill Gates has said "If I had to pick between my wealth and my job I would choose my job" and Warren Buffett has said "I enjoy the process far more than the proceeds" and further back in time Mark Twain has said "the secret to doing well in business is to turn your vocation into your vacation". I find it interesting how they tie together.

My daily journal, I have been as many of you know journaling for over 5 years. I have found that by revisiting the journal quarterly I come up with some great ideas to use and recall things. Some of the notation I use is L circled which represents something I learned, a G circled which represents something that I am greatful for and a plus that is circled that represents a positive thing that happened that day. I have others as well but those are the most common. I journal simply using spiral ring binders that I save.

I was emailed a question on one of my favorite movies. There is a movie called Running on the Sun that is listed. The movie is about the Badwater Marathon, it is a run that is 135 miles apx in Death Valley during the summer. I have an article that I keep in my motivational folder of a man with 1 leg and 1 arm that completed it. I use it as a reminder of what is possible.

Is it possible to create happiness?

I was told this morning that there is a scientific method to being happier. Turns out that if you think back on your day just before you go to bed, and do it a particular way, you have nicer better dreams, sleep more soundly, and generally feel happier.

The key to this is supposed to be? Reflecting on three positive things that happened during the day and figuring out why they happened. Analyze what went right, the experts say, and you create more of it, both mentally and physically.

Is this a possible solution?

Going the extra mile - On the Think and Grow Rich tape series Napoleon Hill talks about going the extra mile and how most people dont even go the first mile. Being willing to do more than what you are paid to do is a habbit you are supposed to have. I always wondered what the world would be like if everyone was going the extra mile as a habbit.

I have a Collection of quotes from people in the book Think and Grow Rich. I have gone to the library and picked up books based on people in the book Think and Grow Rich and what is interesting is how many of these quotes can not be found on the internet. For as advanced as technology has become I am always interested in things that it misses, for example when I search for a product or service and the company listings are out of my area or on the local searches and the product or service company has been out of business for 5 years or more.

I see quite a few sites that have been devoted to Think and Grow Rich and its principals but most seem to be trying to sell people into buying other self help programs or getting them to buy something else. I have also inquired into quite a few Think and Grow Rich based groups and found that many are using Think and Grow Rich as a front to bait people into get rich quick ideas. I dont think that Napoleon Hill would like his name being attached to things like that.

Just my opinions.

12 things that make a person rich. It is interesting that on the Think and Grow Rich tapes Napoleon Hill speaks of the 12 things that make a person wealthy in order, but this secret list is not mentioned in the book. The next time you speak with me ask me and I will tell you the list.

I think that many people overlook the memorization of the self confidence formula in Think and Grow Rich. I really think it is an important step in the process.

I am thankful today for all of the incredible people in my life that are positive and motivating to me. I am glad to be part of all of your lives and I wish all of you the greatest of happiness tommorow as you celebrate.

Here is the movie link again. (I am not sure how much longer it will keep working)

http://www.thescienceofgettingrich.biz/

Here is what my mother had to say:

That is pretty powerful, and impressive. Is it
through the seminars you attended? What has the
reaction been? It has to touch many I am sure, it is
very well written. You never seem to amaze me. And I
guess that is because you are my son. The Apple does
not fall far from the tree. Luv mom

Profile - Read the following and email me, I will post your profile without your name and without your company name. This is not for business purposes directly.

What is your favorite Think and Grow Rich principal?
Why?

What is something you learned from the book that you didn’t know before?

What do you like to do for fun?

Hobbies?

What is your occupation? Give a detailed description.

How long have you been doing it?

What is your competitive advantage in your business?

What is your chief aim in life?

Movie link:
http://www.thescienceofgettingrich.biz/

Discription of the group:
http://smsgroup.blogspot.com/

Recomended reading:
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

If you want to reach me. Email is the best way.

This was emailed to me. Thanks.
http://www.thescienceofgettingrich.biz/

IMPORTANT - I am now setting up the private meetings for January. They will be held in my home. They will be 3rd Thursday and 4th Thursday of the month at the regular time and place. Contact me for further information. There are limited availabilities and they are both very likely to be filled to capacity. Email me right away.

As most of you know I have run some marathons and I read the confessions of an all night runner. This person is very inspiring:

Dean Karnazes finished running 50 marathons, in 50 states, in 50 consecutive days with the New York City Marathon. Now he is running home, across America, to San Francisco. Think Extreme Running, think Forest Gump! His goal is to inspire people to get healthy and achieve their personal best.

Do not worry. By looking at appearances and complaining when difficulty and pressure come, you reveal a sickly, enfeebled faith. By your words and your works show that your faith is invincible. EGW

Happiness is found in doing not in possessing.

Choice
Choice is making a decision of some kind. Vanilla or chocolate? I choose chocolate. But why did we choose chocolate? If I chose chocolate “because I like it better”, then I’ve allowed “liking it better” to be the cause of my choice. However, I want to be cause in my life, so I need to choose because I choose rather than because of any external force, event, or cause. But now, suppose I am only offered vanilla? Do I still have choice? YES! I can choose to choose vanilla or I can choose to resent vanilla. What effect will that choice have? If I choose to choose vanilla, I can decide that I’m going to enjoy the wonderful flavors that vanilla has to offer. My experience of vanilla will be quite different than if I chose to resent only being offered vanilla. What do you think?

Psychological theory- A person will work harder to avoid losing something to someone than to earn something for themselves. If you take a reward and use that reward to increase behavior it is less likely to change behavior than to force the subject to pay a reward to someone that they do not want to have to pay the reward to. I have had that theory explained to me and it made quite a bit of scence. Email me and tell me what you think.

Poor behavior is a symptom - I was speaking with a performance psychologist yesterday and he said that "poor behavior" is often a symptom of a problem and you dont solve a problem by dealing with a symptom. This can mean any behavior from drugs to coming in late. He said it is a way of dealing with an emotional or psychological pain. I never really thought about it in that way before.

One of the fallacies I have seen with goals. I don’t think that a book on motivation has ever been written that does not include something about goals. If something were as easy to achieve that by just having the goal it seems like anyone that read any success book that had a goal would have goals that were achieved.

I have found that controllable target behaviors are better to have as “goals”, for example you can more easily control the number of presentations you make or conversations you start easier than you can control the number of sales made.

Hours worked, days worked, meetings held, orders asked for and number of contacts made seem to be far more controllable. When a person (myself included) focuses on things outside of his control it causes more frustration than motivation. If frustration sets in quitting a system becomes a very viable option.

Goals are not always controlable but target behaviors are. I have found that focusing on a controlable target behavior as a "goal" leads to far less frustration.

Thank you for the inspiration letters that some of you have sent me recently. It is great sharing positive motivation with people like you. When a person is able to turn a terrible situation into a positive one it offers great encouragement to other people. Thanks for sharing.

A couple of quotes that I like.

Enjoy the process more than the proceeds.

You only have to do a few things right in life as
long as you dont do too many wrong.


The secret of success is to make your vocation
your vacation.

The most important thing in life is to love what
you are doing, because that is what it takes to really
excell at it.

The most succesful people make their biggest
strides up the success ladder because they were able to
see the possible in what others rejected or ignored as
the impossible.

Integrity, I have learned that word at a new level recently and being in integrity means not only what you say but to have extraordinary integrity means to go beyond your word far more often than equal to your word. I had one of the wealthiest people I know tell me this recently and it really struck me. Here I am talking to a person telling me this that is not worth 5 or 10 or even 25 million dollars but worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

This person went on to tell me how being in powerful integrity means doubling what you say. He said that he had learned this from all places the bible. He mentioned the parable of going the extra mile and related it to business. Up until that point I had never put together the idea of going the extra mile and how it can be related in that way to business.

I try and find people that understand the following:
These are not really meeting rules but more life principals I aspire to live by.

Don’t argue in a rude and obnoxious manner.

Don’t say you are going to do something and not do it.

Care about others and not just yourself. Listen to others and don’t monopolize conversations. Take a sincere interest in other people.

Do what you can to make people feel comfortable.

Try and give more than you take in life.

Keep gossip to a minimum.

Introduce other nice people to be interviewed for joining.

Being crude is ok, but don’t go overboard.

Here is an ad that will be running to help the NON-business group expand.

I have a private group that meets and is made up of
some of the best people in ____. It is different than any other group that
you have likely attended. It does not have business
presenters, and there are no fees or dues required. By invitation
only can you become member of this group.

Heads of charitable groups, political leaders,
CEO's of public and private companies, and various
technology and business service people attend.
The first three alone make the group different from
any that I had been to and the meetings are held at my
private residence. I am looking to invite special
people that are charitable, intelligent, polite,
prompt and success oriented.
CPA's, marketing specialists, people that hold various
patents, high end web-designers, sports agents and
public company CEO's are highly desirable. All
business people are welcome as well.


The goal of the group is to
develop long lasting high quality relationships with
likeminded people. You can become a member by invitation only. I would
like to know more about you to see if you would benefit from this
group. Please respond and tell me a little about yourself so that I can
consider including you in this private group.

Thank you

I have spoken to several charitable groups recently, one that I met with is one of the founders of Narcanon. I met with that person 2 weeks ago and had them explain some of the techniques they used for detoxification like using a sauna to sweat out the drug residues out of the fat cells. It made scence but they claimed to be the only ones doing this.

The meeting at my house last week was a great success in bringing good people together. There was nearly a perfect attendance record. I know that the meetings are not for business or charity directly but the people there are motivating to be around. The CEOs and political leader that were there have been given praises by others that came as well. Thank you to all in attendance.
I have received several thank you emails and some business was done between at least two of the members that were there. As I have said it is not a business meeting it is just a personal gathering of people that I know and respect.

This is my first post to this blog. Thank you for reading it. I enjoy speaking to people about their lives as it relates to charitable causes and the passion that they have for the charities that they support.

My passion as you know is caring about causes like crystal meth and the Red Cross. As many of you know my brother was killed in a suicide where I beleive that drugs like meth I beleive played a role. As many of you also know I spent some time working for the Red Cross in my youth. In addition I care about people that support charities that they feel are important to them. I enjoy being around people that have a genuine caring for things beyond their own person desires.