POLITICS

RELIGION

Conventional wisdom says not to talk about sex, politics and religion in the office. The problem is that any office, workplace or organization is mostly made up of people and if the volume of blogs, internet sites, magazines and other media is any indication of popularity, people love to talk about: SEX, POLITICS AND RELIGION!

We’re in the middle of the most contentious political season anyone still alive can remember. Can we have respectful political conversations in the workplace?

I say yes; but we need to make a few AssUmptions™. I know, once again I’m going against conventional wisdom which says when you assume you make an a#$ out of you, and me. I think you’ll find these AssUmptions™ useful:

1. Not everyone shares your point of view.
2. The other guy is entitled to his or her opinion.
3. The other guy has a rational reason for his or her opinion.
4. Silence does not always confirm agreement.
5. EVERYONE is entitled to at least two things: Thoughts & Feelings.

Carry these AssUmptions™ with you into nearly any conversation and you can enjoy a respectful and perhaps even an informative exchange of ideas.

You don’t need a list of rules; in fact I only really observe one rule in life; the Rule of Respect. Talking to a group of first grade students on the subject of Respect I started by asking for a definition. Being the expert I was just about to launch into my pre-programmed script on the subject when one young man stood up, bowed and said, “Respect means taking care of one another!” I’m not easily moved to tears but I had to sit down and take a few minutes after that one! To this day I’ve adopted this definition of Respect and have tried to live my life by that Rule.

As we go through the political season I will, from time to time, interject some of my “Guidelines for Respectful Office Conversation” and items from my “Top 10 List of Stuff You Should AVOID Doing or Saying in Office Conversations.” These are fun, but if you stick to the Rule of Respect you’ve pretty well got things covered.

For now just remember two things:

1. When it’s obvious that what you’re doing or saying is not “caring” for the other person, it’s probably time to let it go.
2. While you’re at work, remember that you’re there above all: to WORK!

“Talking Religion in the Office” has to wait until football season starts!

About the author

Jim is now a regular at ‘Change Your Thoughts’, if you haven’t already visited his site I would urge you to have a look. Jim is an author, businessman, personal development trainer, black belt Karate instructor, football coach….the list goes on. He is the creator of the Dynamic Components of Personal Power program. Visit Jim’s site at www.jimbouchard.org for more information on his self development program.

Your equipment, computers, business machines, buildings and vehicles are all listed on your balance sheet. There are no item descriptions on your balance sheet for the experience of your employees, the wisdom of your organization leadership or the company culture you’ve worked so hard to develop.

General Patton once said,

“Remember the French Revolution? That battle was won with brooms, sticks and stones- by a bunch of angry women. Get a determined bunch of men and women and they will win the battles no matter what the odds or what kind of equipment they use.”

Training & Development

In fact, the training and experience that develops your culture and makes your workforce so valuable are only directly tied to expenses! You have expenses for training, for research and development and for payroll. The overall return on these investments is reflected in revenue on your profit and loss statement, but the continually accruing asset of a well-trained and motivated workforce are usually only expressed in print through a few paragraphs in your annual report, business plan or brochure.

It’s sometimes too easy to cut back on training and development when budgets are strained or economic conditions are difficult. The problem is that while it takes only a decision to cut training expenses, it takes years to build a successful culture.

I’m all for cutting unnecessary or unproductive expenses. If someone isn’t producing, get rid of them. If you’ve truly isolated a wasteful expense, cut it. If you can save, do it. But be very careful when you’re cutting training.

The spirit of your company

An organization, just like an individual, has a body, mind and spirit. The body is your people. The mind is your leadership. The spirit is your culture. It takes motivation and discipline over time to develop these resources and keep them healthy and productive. Investments in these resources are essential to generate organizational POWER. Power is the organization’s capacity to perform effectively, and that’s tied directly to each individual’s ability to act effectively and that’s a product of motivation and training.

Instead of an expense, training should be listed as a tangible asset account, and one that appreciates with time!

Jim Bouchard
Dynamic Components of Personal Power
www.JimBouchard.org
800-786-8502

Mailing Address:
10 Jordan Avenue
Brunswick, Maine 04011

We’re still in the early part of a New Year. There are several ways people will approach the rest o this year. Some will say “so what, nothing ever changes.” Some will worry that next year will be even worse than last year. Some will resign themselves to lost chances and figure their time is past. Some will worry about losing anything or everything they may have gained over the last year.

Not me.

I’m going to be annoyingly optimistic. I’m going to take negatives and make them positives. Debts will be repaid and profits are waiting in abundance. I’m going to change some things next year; and strengthen some of the changes I made over the past year. I’m going to build on my successes. I’m going to take failures and make them additional successes.

How? I’m going to keep pressing on.

I must be stupid. Oil prices are going up, the world’s a mess, kids are out of control, there’s violence everywhere, we’re at war against foreign enemies and one another at home, politicians are idiots and it’s tougher to do business every year…

…So what else is new?

One of my favorite quotations is from Gene Krantz, the NASA Flight Director in charge of the Apollo 13 mission. After every expert in Mission Control had laid out the reasons the crew was doomed, Krantz looked them all in the eyes and said, “Failure is not an option!”

Failure is, however, an option. It’s up to you to eliminate it as an option. How am I so sure that I will be successful in 2008? I’m choosing that as my only option. I know I’m facing difficult ground in the New Year; I’ve spent the last year preparing for it. I know I’ll face difficult ground in 2009, I’ll spend the next year preparing for it.

There are always going to be conditions and circumstances beyond my control. What is fully within my control is to constantly improve myself, diligently prepare myself to receive new opportunities and to commit to the unwavering decision that on difficult ground, I will press on.

That’s what I’m putting in my plan for the rest of this year. What’s in yours?

Jim is the author of Dynamic Components of Personal Power.

Jim Bouchard

Dynamic Components of Personal Power

www.JimBouchard.org

800-786-8502

Mailing Address:
10 Jordan Avenue
Brunswick, Maine 04011

I’m going to share the story of a dialogue from a web discussion group in which I participate. I’ll change the name so as not to cause or imply any offense.

Ms. Z wished for a laptop computer. She wanted this badly to help her with her writing and speaking business, but she really didn’t have the money to buy one. She was condemned to using the computer at the local public library; I don’t say that facetiously, you really do need your own computer to do serious business!

At any rate, Ms. Z trusted in the power of the universe to provide her needs. She stayed focused on the thought of having her own computer. She visualized and prayed and did everything possible to access the Law of Attraction, yet she still had to use the library computer. Her faith remained strong; the universe would respond to her call when the time is right. After all, the wisdom of the universe is greater than the wisdom of any of us as individuals.

Finally her prayers were answered. She found a client for her work and realized that she now needed her new computer rather than just wanting one. She ran to the library computer, went on-line and ordered her beautiful new laptop! Money no problem; she used her credit card.

Ms. Z’s laptop story is an interesting example. She could have used her credit card at any time to “manifest” the computer in her life. Of course, once we manifest any material desire using credit our desire is balanced by the reality of a monthly payment. At any given time, that payment may not be in harmony with several factors, not the least of which is our ability to make the payments.

Power is our capacity or ability to perform or act effectively. Power is most effectively applied through balance, focus and timing. Ms. Z obviously considered her situation and at first decided that her purchase was not timely and would not be made in balance with the emotional component of her life; in other words had she bought the computer on her first impulse she may not have been comfortable with the consequences of that purchase.

She shifted her focus. She decided to delay her purchase. Perhaps she decided that the need for the computer was not urgent, though our perception of urgency is often affected by other pressures including, as she mentions, clever advertising.

The Law of Attraction has attracted a lot of sincere and dedicated teachers. I’m going to risk being controversial and simply say that it’s our responsibility to select our words carefully. I’ll cite the confusion over the message of “The Secret” as an example.

There are people who sincerely wish for great things to happen, yet are denied due to conditions and circumstances which are no fault of their own. I’ve heard arguments to the extreme that the people of New Orleans somehow collectively brought hurricane Katrina upon themselves through some collective negative thought. As you can see, this point of view can quickly deteriorate to the point of absurdity.

On the other hand…I’m sure that like me, many of you probably know people who have acted impulsively because they sincerely believed the universe would provide for them. Today many of these people end up in terrible credit card debt or even bankrupt. Their bankruptcy is not just material as their faith in the possibilities open to them is often crushed as well causing poverty in material, emotional and spiritual life.

Positive thought is prerequisite for positive action. Ms. Z, respectfully it seems obvious that your eventual decision to purchase your laptop when and how you did was intelligently considered. You made your decision when the need was great enough to create a balance with the consequences; your work was able to support the payments and you needed the computer to do your work effectively. Had you been in a negative mindset, fear or complacency may have outweighed the benefits of your decision and you might still not have the computer that helps you effective perform your mission.

Positive thought free from the constraints of irrational fear or anxiety opens our minds to possibility. From the possible we can take action to increase probability. Once we take that action, then we do have much greater access to the unlimited resources around us.

That’s the secret.

About the author

Jim is now a regular at ‘Change Your Thoughts’, if you haven’t already visited his site I would urge you to have a look. Jim is an author, businessman, personal development trainer, black belt Karate instructor, football coach….the list goes on. He is the creator of the Dynamic Components of Personal Power program. Visit Jim’s site at www.jimbouchard.org for more information on his self development program.

In broken English with the help of a translator, Yamazaki is about to reveal the ultimate secret of mastery. This secret, he tells us, applies to the sword and to life.

“Three rules…

“First rule: Basic practice.”

OK, that makes sense.

“Second rule: Basic practice.”

Third rule?

“MORE BASIC PRACTICE!

“Like Nike…JUST DO IT!”

Power for success in personal and professional life is generated through motivation and discipline over time. These are the 3 components of what I call the “Kung Fu Triangle.” For today’s purposes, Kung Fu means mastery. To achieve mastery in any occupation, you must find or develop motivation to set your heart and mind to action. You must develop discipline: the habit of doing the work necessary to achieve your goals and…

…you’ve got to take your time! Basic skill can be developed in a short time. Mastery takes as long as it takes.

If you press me for THE most essential component in the development of power, I’m going to say “discipline.” Motivation is usually very strong at the beginning of any endeavor. Time is simply a matter of perseverance. The component that takes over when motivation occasionally wanes and sees us through long periods of perseverance is “discipline.”

How to develop disipline

So how do you develop discipline? Yamazaki gives us the answer: PRACTICE! Simple, not always easy.

Discipline can literally be practiced with every waking moment of every day. Simply get up and get about your business. Specific goals can help you stay focused and on task; that helps develop discipline. However, discipline is the development of mindfully staying on task that transcends the obvious and sometimes robotic checking off the task list.

Practice discipline by mindfully assessing what needs to be done before you set yourself to action. Appreciate the work in front of you for the part it will play in your plans for success. Enjoy the task at hand for what it is: a chance to express yourself fully and in the moment. Enjoying the moment makes a menial task meaningful and a difficult task bearable.

The art of the Japanese sword, like all martial arts, is deceptively simple. If you take it down to its essential elements, the art of the sword is the technique of developing and expressing power in the moment of a single cut. Any battle is series of single cuts. Mastery of the art is available only to those who are willing to dedicate themselves fully to the practice of the simple elements that generate this power. You can learn the basic mechanics of a cut in just a few moments. It takes a lifetime of practice to bridge the span between that knowledge and the true skill of master.

Applying to your business and personal life

Can you apply this philosophy in business and personal life as well?

Nearly everything you do provides an opportunity to develop and practice the habit of discipline. Practice discipline in work and at play. Participate in activities that challenge you to apply discipline. I’m a little biased, but martial arts provide a perfect opportunity to practice discipline at any age! If that’s not your bag, take a class, find a hobby, develop your job skills, develop your relationships at home and in your community, volunteer, do anything that will challenge your mind, body and spirit and provide the opportunity for you to practice. That’s how you develop the habit of discipline. Find something that needs doing and just do it!

Discipline is the key to personal freedom, and freedom is the ultimate expression of personal power.

For a complete course in the art of discipline, read Jim’s book Dynamic Components of Personal Power. Click here for more information and to book Jim for your next event!

Watch for Jim’s coming book: The Dying Art of Discipline, available now as a seminar.

About the author

Jim is now a regular at ‘Change Your Thoughts’, if you haven’t already visited his site I would urge you to have a look. Jim is an author, businessman, personal development trainer, black belt Karate instructor, football coach….the list goes on. He is the creator of the Dynamic Components of Personal Power program. Visit Jim’s site at www.jimbouchard.org for more information on his self development program.

Do you set New Year resolutions? If you did, you’re in the company of about 40% of Americans and about 9 million people in the UK. If you did set some resolutions, there’s a 50/50 chance you’re going to fail in your resolutions before the end of January, slightly higher if you’re residents of the British Isles!

That’s depressing!

Why do we have such a hard time keeping New Year resolutions? Well, because resolutions suck! At least that’s my opinion.

The experts have a more informed view on the matter. Psychologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center and University of Toronto have been puzzling over New Year resolution failure for some time. Their conclusions:

1. Most resolutions are too vague
2. Goals are unrealistic.

As I said, resolutions suck! If you’re going to succeed this year, forget the resolutions and start your New Year REVOLUTION. Change completely the way you look at setting goals for the New Year and start with specific, manageable goals you know you can accomplish.

Identify your Goals

To do this, you’ve first got to identify which goals excite you the most; to generate personal power you start with motivation. You’ve got to identify which goals provide the strongest motivation for you to take action.

I’ve found that most New Year goals fall into one of these two categories: things you want to do and things you want to stop doing! You’ve got to identify what you’re really motivated to do or stop doing.

From there, you need an investigation phase. You’ve got to determine whether or not you’ve got the resources necessary to see these goals through to a successful conclusion. You’ve got to have material, emotional and spiritual resources in sufficient quantity to sustain your efforts. If you lack resources in a particular area, don’t be discouraged: you may set new goals based on generating the resources you’ll need to attack a larger ambition. This goal may become a more manageable first step in accomplishing something greater.

Once you determine what motivates you and what resources you have to bring to bear right now, you can prioritize your goals based on which goals give you the greatest probability of success. Those become your REVOLUTIONS for the coming year!

Steven Aitchison has been a great help in getting my message out to the world. As a small expression of gratitude, I’m making a FREE program available for readers of “Change Your Thoughts.” New Year REVOLUTION features a complete workbook and audio program to help you create your REVOLUTION. Click here to download your manual and listen to the audio program.

Feel free to share these materials with everyone you know! (Just be sure to follow the guidelines for sharing in the manual…I’m asking you to share the materials in their complete form and tell people where you got this powerful information!)

For readers in Britain, if you really want to succeed in your New Year vows, find a Welshman! It seems 84% of resolution setters in Wales make it through the first month according to Unbiased.co.uk. My wife, a proud member of the Armstrong Clan, will be dismayed to hear that the Scots are the worst resolution keepers at only 28%! Since the Scots like the Americans are fond of REVOLUTIONs, this is the year to get raise that percentage to successful levels!

Make your first resolution to create your New Year REVOLUTION and start yourself on the path of success.

Best thoughts for Success & Happiness in the New Year!

Before I give the impression that I’m going to regurgitate some of the new age platitudes that so many underachievers find comforting, I’ll make some fundamental points:

1. You don’t need money to be happy. True, but it can help!
2. You can’t measure success by how much money you make. Well, there are other measurements for success, but at some point, to consider yourself successful, you’re going to have to have enough money. How much is enough? That’s up to you! Frankly, only really rich people and really poor people adhere believe this.
3. Money is Power. Bullshit! Money is not, in itself, power. Money is, however, a valuable resource that helps you develop and apply power.
4. I don’t have enough money to…(insert your own excuse here!)

That’s the one we’re talking about today! Specifically, I’m going to talk about the incredible resources available that allow almost anyone to change your financial life. Don’t worry, I’m not selling any of them; in fact, most of them are free or you may already have access to them.

The fastest, and in my opinion, the most rewarding method ever devised for changing your fortune is to start your own business:

Be your own boss! Work from the comfort of your own home!

In the past, these words peg my Bullshit Detector and send me running toward the comfort of a 40 hour per week job and the security of employment. That was before I learned about the power of the internet and before I learned the true meaning of job security.

About 1991 I was gainfully employed as producer of television commercials at the number one station in one of America’s most secure mid-level markets. My employer was one of the pioneers in broadcast television and had provided security for many loyal employees for years.

I had also just spent the better part of a year transforming myself from a selfish, unappreciative, disgruntled employee into a self-motivated, loyal and productive contributor to my company. My transformation was rewarded with a pay raise and a letter of commendation from my station manager; a guy who just a year earlier I would have been happy to push down a flight of stairs!

Everything was coming up roses…then, to make a long story short, cable television had finally reached its critical mass. Like many others in my industry, I was “downsized”: laid off! Next thing I remember was my friend Dave treating me to breakfast and telling me, “This…is the best day of your life!” Wow!

Now to be honest, I was planning to leave in the not-too-distant future, but I was planning to leave when and how I wanted to leave, not by surprise with a thank-you-very-much and a cardboard box full of my personal belongings (and a few pens I managed to grab).

At any rate, that was the last time I was ever gainfully employed. I hit the streets looking for work in a depressed job market armed with a resume full of experience that was useless outside of the broadcast industry. If I wasn’t under qualified for a job, I was overqualified. If I was qualified, there wasn’t a job.

So began my life as an entrepreneur. As I said, there is no better way to earn your fortune than to start your own business; there’s also no faster way to lose your fortune! After attempts in the music business, free-lance video and other minor endeavors I accidentally embarked on a career in marital arts.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve been through all the ups and downs anyone would care to experience. I’ve had healthy cash flow and I’ve been broke. I’ve been prosperous and I’ve been past the edge of disaster. Now that I’m familiar with the cycle, I also know that I’m going to go through plenty more ups and downs before I’ve created my personal vision of success and security!

I also know that my success and security is now completely up to me! It’s my responsibility and eventually, the rewards will be all mine to do with as I wish. I will cheerfully try to talk almost anyone into starting one’s own business.

And it’s not about the money!

Here’s why: Since I’ve escaped the world of the employee I’ve started several small enterprises, only two of them required significant investment. Neither of the two businesses requiring the greatest investment would be considered financial successes. One failed completely, and the other continues and requires further investment.

Dynamic Components of Personal Power, which is by far my most promising enterprise, was started with absolutely no money. Of course, I leveraged several years of experience in other attempts and I already had the infrastructure I needed to launch Dynamic Components. This infrastructure consisted of the following:

1. A computer and internet connection.
2. A phone.
3. Some paper (optional).

If you’ve got these items, a good idea and personal power you can launch a business. You’re going to need personal power because nobody is going to be cracking a whip to get you moving; you’re driving the buggy when you work for yourself and you’re the horse!

The portal for your low-investment entry into the world of international commerce is the World Wide Web. Dynamic Components is growing because of three little letters: www.

As I said, starting your own business put you on the Road to Riches, but it can also be a bottomless pit of expenses if you’re not careful. I’ll emphasize that you need the resources of personal power, self-belief, a marketable idea, knowledge about what you’re doing and the courage to set it all in motion. You also need the discipline and restraint to protect yourself from the constant barrage of enticing programs designed to help you…

Be Your Own BOSS! Work from the Comfort of Your Own Home! And MAKE MILLIONS NOW!

Discipline is important in any business; when you’re starting on a shoestring discipline is essential for survival! If you don’t have money to launch your business, you don’t have it to lose!

There are an infinite number of ways to create revenue through the internet. If you don’t have a bright idea of your own, sign-up for any number of pre-packaged business opportunities and use your creative resources to figure out how to market. If you have any talent in nearly any service area, the web provides the opportunity for you to distribute or market your talents.

I will say that in keeping with the Dynamic Components Code of Ethics, I only encourage you to pursue enterprises that are legal, ethical and moral. The internet is a powerful resource and assholes can exploit it as easily as sincere and positive people.

One of the best reasons I found for starting my own business came from an entrepreneurial seminar I attended. The speaker asked if any of us were intimidated by the risk involved in self-employment. He asked if we perceived greater security in working for ourselves or for someone else.

His message:

“When I work for myself, one person: my boss, can walk in on any given day and fire me. When I work for myself, I’m only out of work if every one of my customers fires me!”

Amen; I’d rather place my prosperity in the hands of all of you than in the hands of one person who ultimately must look out for himself!

So…if you’re looking to change your life and experience life as an entrepreneur, my advice is “go for it!” Don’t have money to get started, get on the web!

I know you have a computer with an internet connection, and I know this method works. After all…isn’t that how you found me?

About the author

Jim is now a regular at ‘Change Your Thoughts’, if you haven’t already visited his site I would urge you to have a look. Jim is an author, businessman, personal development trainer, black belt Karate instructor, football coach….the list goes on. He is the creator of the Dynamic Components of Personal Power program. Visit Jim’s site at www.jimbouchard.org for more information on his self development program.

Thanksgiving Day is my favorite holiday: here’s why.

1. Food
2. Football

All joking aside, the major reason I enjoy Thanksgiving is that there is only one obligation. My only obligation on Thanksgiving Day is to sincerely give Thanks.

I’ll skip the usual cliché about Thanksgiving being a day to really take stock of all we have and for expressing appreciation for all our blessings. I’ll cut right to why we should be Thankful; whether you think you’re blessed or not!

I’m sure most of us can find plenty of reasons to complain right now. I’m sure plenty of people are facing genuine adversity. Real life is full of challenges…

Are you now, or have you ever been truly fearful of what life might bring today? Have you ever worried about the next car payment or mortgage? Have you been afraid about how to send your kids to college? Have you ever experienced real fear about a real or even potential health issue? Are you worried about the price of heating your home this winter?

There’s nothing wrong with fear. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; the absence of fear is stupidity! Fear is a pure physiological response to danger. However, when fears “fill” our lives and we become “fear-full”, we become trapped in a whirlpool of self-defeat and self-propagating negativity.

STOP IT!

I said that courage is not the absence of fear; courage is acting in the face of fear. As trite as this might sound, the only way to stop this cycle before life becomes fearful is to take action. In order to take positive action you’re going to have to start with some grain of positive thought and self-belief.

Many people crap on the “positive thinking” element of this argument: before we go any further I will tell you from my own experience; positive thought is not a by-product of good things happening, it is the most essential component of positive action. When you’re wallowing in the gutter of negativity and self-loathing you do nothing but justify your present condition and you justify complacency.

I’m absolutely done with negative people. Negativity is the most destructive contagious disease in the world. I am, however, a healthy skeptic. I know that it’s hard work to develop and maintain a positive attitude. I know it’s hard to take action in the face of adversity. I learned this lesson from real life, and I practiced my response through my life as a martial artist. When I get knocked down, and that’s happened plenty of times (and I expect a few more!), I get up. Knock me down again, and I’m going to get up again. Knock me down and you better be prepared for a fight!

The good news is this…

There are two proven methods you can use, right now, to change your thinking and to change your life. They’re both painfully simple and obvious. The lesser method first:

Fear your fears more than you fear the action you know you have to take. Churchill was right; ultimately fear is what we should really be afraid of! Let’s say you have real fear over how to pay the mortgage: be more afraid of sitting on your ass. Defeat the fear by literally forcing yourself to look for some possibility open to you. The more possibility you can see, the greater your probability of success.

Now for the greatest single method for changing any negativity into positive thoughts and action:

BE THANKFUL!

And I give you this method from the heart of the “No Bulls*#t” Zone.” You may have a hundred genuine reasons to be fearful, pissed off, discouraged or defeated; find ONE reason to be Thankful. You’re only going to need one; it will breed more all by itself. No matter how desperate your situation, you always has one thing to be Thankful for: you’re alive! As long as you’re drawing breath, you’ve got a genuine opportunity!

I remember watching some of the aftermath of hurricane Katrina on the news. I watched a reporter interview two people who had just been relocated to some trailers donated by a recreational vehicle company. There were a number of challenges in getting this temporary village set-up. The electric supply was low so there was enough power for lights, but not enough for air-conditioning. A local Wal-Mart store was open and donating food and essential supplies, but it was a mile from the trailers and the few shuttle buses available required a long wait on both ends.

The first person interviewed was out of her mind! This young woman was furious the lack of transportation to the store and that when she got there, the store was lacking in several items she wanted for her family. She was particularly ripped about the lack of air-conditioning in the Louisiana heat and that the trailer was too small for her and her children.

The second person interviewed was an elderly woman who had just walked to the Wal-Mart store and back in the middle of the day. The reporter, obviously moved by the first woman’s plight was very sympathetic to this older woman who walked the two-mile round trip in the heat of the day, carrying her provisions on the return leg to a small trailer without air-conditioning.

This woman responded to the reporter’s comments with a smile on her face! She thanked Wal-Mart for being so generous. She said a mile really wasn’t all that far to walk She said she was nothing but grateful for the generosity of the people who donated these beautiful, brand-new trailers. She said the lack of air-conditioning seemed like a minor inconvenience compared to the suffering of those who were still trapped in New Orleans, and those who were not lucky enough to have food and shelter yet.

Enough said?

Fearfulness breeds negativity, resentment, anger and complacency. Thankfulness generates positivity and possibility. Possibility increases probability. This choice is left to the person who brushes our teeth in the bathroom mirror every day.

You can choose to give Thanks, or choose to give in to fear. Choose Thanksgiving.

I would recommend this Book: The CEO of YOU by Marsha Petrie Sue is an essential addition to your Personal Power Library! Her chapter on the power of gratitude is a must read all by itself, and the rest of the book is simply tremendous.

Marsha is my guest on a coming episode of PowerPOD. Click here to subscribe: You don’t want to miss a single episode!

About the author

Where do I start with Jim Bouchard, he’s done it all. He is an author, businessman, personal development trainer, black belt Karate instructor, footbal coach….the list goes on. He is the creator of the Dynamic Components of Personal Power program. Visit Jim’s site at www.jimbouchard.org for more information on his self development program.

LEARN!

I do not consider knowledge to be power. If knowledge were power, all smart people would be powerful and no stupid people would be.

However, knowledge is a powerful resource, and it’s a resource you can never have too much of. I know someone once said a little knowledge can be dangerous; that guy must have been stupid! No matter what’s happing in your professional or personal life right now, you can always cultivate knowledge. The process of learning strengthens the mind, cultivates emotional and spiritual resources and increases your reserve of knowledge.

During some periods of life it may seem as if we’re just not getting anywhere at all. It may seem at times that efforts are wasted and actions are futile. These difficult times often provide the best opportunity to learn something, develop a new skill or take an old skill to the level of mastery. When you engage the process of learning, you are always moving forward. The more knowledge and skill you develop the greater resource you have to draw from when opportunity shows its face again.

I have had people say to me that they barely have enough time in the day to survive, much less try to learn something new…

Bullshit!

Dedicate at least a half-hour each day to learning. As part of my morning ritual I spend at least a half-hour reading a book or periodical relating to my present goals. The internet is full of on-line courses; you don’t even have to leave your chair to access these resources and thousands of them are free. Subscribe to a magazine or periodical specific to your personal vision of success; the arrival of the latest issue provides a pre-scheduled learning opportunity. And of course there’s the time-honored American ritual: read in the bathroom!

Just one-half hour of reading a day translates into four full work-weeks of learning a year. One month of learning from a 30 minute a day investment!

Best of all, the process of learning is, all by itself, one of the most powerful ways to improve your self. Learning is the foundation for all self-perfection. Remember that perfection is not a destination, but a never-ending process; the process of learning is an exercise in self-perfection.

About the author

Where do I start with Jim Bouchard, he’s done it all. He is an author, businessman, personal development trainer, black belt Karate instructor, footbal coach….the list goes on. He is the creator of the Dynamic Components of Personal Power program. Visit Jim’s site at www.jimbouchard.org for more information on his self development program.

Exactly What is Success?

Is success measured by how much money you have? How happy you are? How satisfied? Is success really just up to you?

Here’s the Merriam-Webster definition:

noun 1. satisfactory completion of something. 2. the gaining of wealth and fame. 3. one that succeeds.

I especially like the first definition. Success is the “satisfactory completion of something”, but the satisfactory completion of what?

I’ve come up with this formula:

S=GxA

“S” is success, “G” stands for goals, and “A” for achievement. Success is the result of your goals multiplied by the number of times you achieve your goals. In other words, the more times you achieve your goals, the more successful you are.

Simple…

However definition number two says “the gaining of wealth and fame”. Can you really be successful without wealth and fame? I don’t think so. However, the way you define wealth and fame is very important in determining your personal vision of success.

In the Dynamic Components of Personal Power philosophy wealth means to have “enough”. You need enough to create satisfaction in 3 areas of life: material, emotional and spiritual. Wealth means having abundance in each of these areas. What constitutes abundance in each area depends entirely on your personal needs and desires.

Fame is the people you know and the people who know you. You can’t create success in a vacuum. You need people who need your services, and you need people who can help you create and deliver those services.

I’d have to say that to be successful; you have to develop wealth and fame. The rest is really up to you!

This is why goals are so important. You decide exactly what your goals and ambitions are. The more often you design goals specific to your vision of success, and the more often you achieve your goals, the more successful you become.

That’s why someone may have a lot of money without feeling successful. That’s why people who control others by fear and domination are not necessarily successful, only feared and tolerated for a time.

On the other hand, you may be very well respected and admired and feel a great spiritual connection with the universe, but if you don’t have enough money you also may feel like a failure.

There are people who have very little money and still feel successful materially, emotionally and spiritually. I admire these people. Remember, anyone who has “enough” can be successful. Only you can determine what “enough” is for you is.

So, how does one become successful?

Pay attention to all three areas, material, emotional and spiritual. Set goals in each area and achieve those goals. It’s really that simple.

Of course, things don’t always go the way you planned. One of the most interesting traits of successful people I’ve found through my study is that successful people fail…a lot! They’re also the ones who pick themselves up, dust themselves off and…you know the rest!

Create a big picture vision of your ultimate success. Then set manageable goals that take you incrementally toward this ultimate success.

Keep setting goals. Keep achieving as many goals as possible. Inevitable failures become of the learning curve leading to your ultimate success. Failure is just tuition! When you experience failure, set goals that help you make a course correction and orient yourself back toward success.

S=GxA

In my formula you can see that the more goals you set and achieve, the greater your feeling of success. Be sure to use a balanced approach in your goal setting and take care of all the important areas of your life. Determine what “enough” is for you and go for it!

Then you can apply the third definition of success to yourself:

3. One who succeeds!

About the author

Where do I start with Jim Bouchard, he’s done it all. He is an author, businessman, personal development trainer, black belt Karate instructor, footbal coach….the list goes on. He is the creator of the Dynamic Components of Personal Power program. Visit Jim’s site at www.jimbouchard.org for more information on his self development program.