March 11, 2009 is a day I will never forget. It was the day I said goodbye to one of the greatest friends I have ever known.

His name was Yeager, named after the famous test pilot. In 1996, I was in a community college, working my ass off to get into a major university with the hopes of becoming a U.S. Navy fighter pilot. Back then, I had dreams of becoming a Blue Angel, then going to test pilot school and eventually off to NASA to fly the space shuttle.

Then fate stepped in.

I saw Yeager in a holding pen at PetSmart. I was there to buy fish food and filters for the tank. He was all alone, the last of a litter of mutts who had been carelessly tossed into a dumpster by a breeder who’s prized black lab had met up with a springer spaniel. In that person’s eyes, those puppies were a waste.

A kind soul collected the starving and terrified pups and brought them to an animal shelter. The puppies were herded off lovingly to PetSmart, in the hopes that someone with a heart and a place in their life for true friendship would take them in. I was not looking for a new pet that day. I was certainly not looking for a dog. I was renting a townhome and my landlord nearly freaked when he found out I had fish. But, I walked over to the holding pen to see why this one puppy, the last of his brothers and sisters, was still there, waiting for someone to show up and be his pal.

I picked him up, and rather than licking my face excitedly, or peeing all over me like all the other puppies, Yeager plopped his head on my shoulder and almost fell asleep. I could feel his warm puppy breath on my neck and wondered what he was thinking. The initial thought of having a little buddy was kinda cool, but I just knew my landlord would freak, so I put him back, and walked out of the store.

I had about a 25-minute drive home, and could not shake my thoughts of Yeager. When I got home, I called my landlord and chuckled a nervous request to bring an untrained puppy into his newly-renovated townhome. I thought, if anything, hopefully he’d just hang up on me.

The next thing I knew I was racing down the freeway for PetSmart, shifting gears and changing lanes as if in a Hollywood high-speed pursuit. My landlord’s words echoed in my ear, “No problem…just sign an agreement and pay a pet deposit…” You’ve got to be kidding me. I screeched into he parking lot and ran in the store with the keys still in the ignition. I saw him there, waiting. I signed the papers and took him home.

The next thirteen years were years of total friendship. When I struggled through college, Yeager was there. He didn’t care that I failed Calculus II. Twice. He loved me when I gained acceptance into flight school. He traveled with me from coast to coast. He held vigil over me when I came within tenths of a point of realizing me dream of becoming a fighter pilot, only to fall short. He celebrated with me when I eventually graduated with my Navy Wings of Gold. He waited patiently while I deployed to Afghanistan. He waited for me and protected my wife and daughter when I deployed for my third war, this time on the ground in Iraq.

When I made the decision to pursue my dream of entrepreneurship, he loved me unconditionally. When I fell flat on my face, he loved me. When I had literally thousands of phones slammed in my ear with the harsh words of rejection, he loved me. When I was in the pit, scared and doubting myself, he loved me. When I staged my comeback, he was there with his undying love.

And though I vowed I would do anything for Yeager, I couldn’t stop him from getting sick and losing weight. I spent dollar after dollar trying to find out why my best friend, the one who had always been there for me, and always fought like a brave to protect me, wasn’t fighting to live anymore.

I had the toughest decision of my life one year ago today.

I sat on the floor of the veterinarian’s office, Yeager in my arms. The doctor was amazing. She told me I was about to give Yeager the greatest gift a human could give, aside from the gift of a good life; the gift of a peaceful passing. She gave him the injection, and I could feel him slip away. His breath slowly dissipated, as I remembered what it felt like on my neck 13 years before. He was so peaceful, so serene, so free.

His pain was finally gone, but mine was monumental. I sobbed like a little boy for days. Losing Yeager was tough, and at times I felt paralyzed with grief. It was only through the love of my wife Mia and my kids Callie and Max (and some pretty great human friends) that I soon began to smile again.

My daughter Callie still talks about Yeager to this day. I still see him in pictures on my screen saver. And every now and then, if I’m at peace, he’ll drop by in my dreams. I always wake up feeling stronger when Yeager drops by. I’m hoping he comes tonight, because I really, really miss him.

I am so grateful to have had my incredible friendship with Yeager. It spanned 13 years; nearly a third of my life and almost all of his. We had lots of fun together, conquered challenges together, but most of all really loved each other.

I am grateful to the breeder who ignored true magic when he tossed Yeager and his siblings into that dumpster. I am grateful to my landlord for giving me permission to take Yeager in. I am grateful to all the veterinarians, caregivers, petsitters, family, friends and other dogs who helped make Yeager happy and comfortable when I could not.

My prayer for you is that you, too, feel the love and friendship I experienced with Yeager. Undying, unchanging, nonjudgmental, and everlasting. No matter who you have in your life that loves you like that, hug them today and express your gratitude for their being in your life.

Thank you, Yeager, for being my best buddy ever. I sure do miss you.

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Tiger Woods made a public statement on his website that he would be taking an ‘indefinite break’ from golf to attend to his family in the wake of recent news of infidelity and marital turmoil.

“After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father, and person.”

In so doing Woods made a profound statement about his character as well.

You see, no matter your opinion of Tiger Woods, he is a leader. He is a leader in sport, a leader in business and a leader in life.

In golf, he dominates his sport so much so that the PGA Tour is ‘concerned’ about the absence of Tiger and what it will mean to the Tour’s ratings. The Tour cited a marked decline in ratings while Tiger was away rehabbing a major knee injury in 2008.

And few can argue his dominance of his sport. Earlier in 2009, Tiger became the first athlete ever to surpass the $1 billion mark in earnings. In any sport. By any athlete. Ever.

Make no mistake about it; if Tiger wanted to “push this all behind him” and “block it out”, he could. He is the most mentally tough athlete I have ever seen. But this is about life. This is about family. This is about taking care of priorities.

The thing I was most taken by was Tiger’s brutal honesty and humble request for forgiveness. This simple, yet elegant act is so rare these days, particularly amongst elite athletes and celebrities (or politicians) who often seem to carry themselves with an aloof attitude toward personal responsibility.

Leadership starts with personal responsibility. The toughest decisions in leadership occur when a leader is forced to put their ego aside and make an unpopular choice.

Tiger certainly created a tough situation for himself through his actions, yet instead of hiding behind some nebulous statement, or dancing around creative language and double-talk, Woods came out and asked for forgiveness:
“I am deeply aware of the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children. I want to say again to everyone that I am profoundly sorry and that I ask forgiveness. It may not be possible to repair the damage I’ve done, but I want to do my best to try. “

Tiger demonstrated the leadership principle of personal responsibility, even in the face of public humiliation. He showed his vulnerability, his human side.

People need to know that, as a leader, you are human. That you thinks and feel as a human, not a pre-programmed robot. To inspire people to follow you, they have to know that you lead with your intellect, your skills, and your soul. Tiger demonstrated that today with his statement.

It may be easy for the mediocre mind to balk at Tiger’s statement, claiming “he should have apologized” or he “should have begged for forgiveness”, but how often do we admit when we are wrong? How often do we apologize for hurting others, or asking for forgiveness in the wake of a personal transgression?

I am not here to defend Tiger’s actions, but I am in strong support of pointing out the lessons to be learned from his very public fall from grace. It is easy to point fingers, judge, and crucify someone else (particularly a public figure) when they screw up.

Leadership is not about making all the right decisions all the time, but it is about recognizing one’s shortcomings and taking responsibility for them.

And that is what Tiger did. Love him or not, Tiger is a champion, and a leader.

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“The only easy day was yesterday…”

It’s the U.S. Navy SEAL way of life. It is posted in their training facility in Coronado, California and is truest definition of their training I have ever seen.

If I could write in explicit detail what it takes to become a SEAL, you’d quit reading before you got to the end of my essay. It is that brutal.

David Goggins is a U.S. Navy SEAL, and he makes the training, work schedule and lifestyle of this elite commando unit look like a warm-up exercise.

I first heard Goggins speak on a conference call several months ago. I was taken by the blend of humility and intensity, sacrifice and dedication to something he “hates” and his unbelievable threshold for pain and endurance.

I say “unbelievable” and immediately show my cards. Goggins is not like everyone else. He is not even like every other SEAL. Goggins is special. Goggins doesn’t just have “another gear” to help him accomplish his remarkable tasks, he has a whole different mindset universe.

David Goggins is not only a U.S. Navy SEAL, he is also an ultra-marathoner. A typical marathon is 26.2 miles (Goggins will run twice that in a typical week). An ultra-marathon can be 100 miles or more.

100+ miles, run all at once. Without stopping. With. Out. Stopping.

Here is the part that is ASTOUNDING about David Goggins, and why I consider him one of my teachers. In Goggins’ own words, he “hates running”. He gets up at 3:30 every morning (can you do that?) and goes for a 15 mile (or longer) run. Then he bikes to work (a modest 25 minute bike ride). Then puts in a full day of kicking ass and taking names (he’s a SEAL).

Then he takes a break.

At lunch, he’ll go for a “short” 3-5 mile run. Kicks more ass, takes more names. Then he bikes home. Then he does another short run. But he “hates” it.

What the HELL is going on here?

David is committed. He does what he “hates” because he is committed to the Special Ops Warrior Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising money for children of soldiers killed in combat.

More on why David Goggins is one of my teachers.

He lost some valued members of his team in a mission in Afghanistan. He could have mourned (which I’m sure he did), said it wasn’t fair, asked why they had to die, and used their deaths as an excuse to be mediocre.

But instead he Googled “10 hardest things to do” and did it. And “hates” it.

Leadership is often times about doing what we don’t want to do. It is about enduring pain, sacrificing personal comfort, and going all-out when we feel we have nothing left to give.

It’s also about dedicating oneself to a cause bigger than ourselves.

To this day, when I feel like “it’s not worth it”, or the comfortable blanket of procrastination snuggles tight around my mind, I remember Goggins getting out from under his blankets at 3:30 and doing the thing he “hates”.

Come to think of it, I might hate running more than him, but he has inspired me to get back into it.

David Goggins is a true leader and inspiration. I hope he has the same impact on you, and your business!

Go to www.DavidGoggins.com and see what I mean. Read his amazing story and tell me if you agree that Goggins is a true leader.

Go Big,
~JT

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Today the world lost a treasure of a man in Mr. Jim Rohn, who lost his 18-month battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis.

When the concept of personal growth was introduced to me, I scoffed at it. I thought is was silly, contrived, and reserved for desperate people who needed a “guru” to tell them how to think and how to live.

But once I dropped my arrogant nearsightedness, and actually began working on myself, I felt the transformation start to take hold. In fact, one of the first teachers I really connected with was Jim Rohn.

One of my favorite Jim Rohn quotes is, “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.” What a beautiful and relieving message. This was the concept that allowed me to start really thinking about shedding the shackles of employment, and start looking to entrepreneurship as the vehicle with which I would realize my dreams.

I used to listen to Jim Rohn in my car on the way home from work when I was still on active duty in San Diego, California. If you have ever lived in San Diego, you know the traffic can be atrocious. I heard Mr. Rohn refer to a car as a “rolling university”, whereby the time “wasted” in traffic could be used to expand one’s mind

What a concept.

On one particular drive, creeping along at a snail’s pace with hundreds of angry drivers all around me, Jim soothed me, and gave me one of the greatest lessons I have ever learned. “Set a goal to become a millionaire for what it makes of you to achieve it.”

WOW!

I was on fire! I loved that quote so much I was roaring with enthusiasm in my car! People were looking at me like I was on drugs, but it didn’t matter because all the stress of striving for my lofty dreams were lifted.

Right then I KNEW my success was assured. Right then I KNEW I couldn’t fail IF that message stayed ingrained in my mind.

My friends, I could go on for ever on Jim Rohn’s effect on me. You will no doubt see tons of tributes to Jim on lots of different people’s blogs, websites and video channels and I encourage you to read as many as you can.

It is rare that a person can have as profound an effect on humanity as Jim Rohn has. Get Jim Rohn’s wisdom and influence in YOUR life. Visit the Jim Rohn Tribute Site here. I promise it will change who you are, and catapult you closer to your dreams

Thank you, Mr. Rohn. I am a better person for having learned from your wisdom.

Jim Rohn, September 17, 1930 – December 5, 2009
~JT

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Last night Tony Robbins appeared on “Larry King Live” with Magic Johnson and Google CEO, Eric Schmidt. The topic was “Finding Your Passion”, placed conveniently in a discussion about the economy.

I was intrigued by a few key points made by the panelist. Tony Robbins pointed out that now is “not the time for positive thinking, it is the time to be real…”

That is powerful.

A lot of people are caught between the widening canyon of “positive thinking” and “facing reality”. For most, it is hard to stay upbeat and positive when the chips are down.

But that is not what I heard Robbins say. The message I took away was that now is the time to start making it better, rather than hoping it gets better. NOW is the time to redesign your life and chose the path you really want to pursue…and to do something you are TRULY passionate about.

But this is the time of opportunity.

Times like these are the most profitable times for creating businesses:
-Big players are no longer in control
-”Little guys” can shake things up with better products, services and value
-Resources, equipment, materials can be had at a discount as quitters sell
-Needs of the consumer can be met through niche products from small businesses

So many iconic companies have been born in recessions.: Burger King, FedEx, Microsoft, CNN, MTV, even General Electric. Will the next great brand be born in this recession? Will YOU be the entrepreneur who builds it?

Chase your passion and take your dreams OFF hold. Act now and create the life you want, and do what you are excited about!

~JT

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Check out this passage from Steve Siebold, mental toughness expert and one of my favorite speakers:

“Mental toughness allows you to live life on your terms. When you’re laser focused on sucking the marrow out of life and you’re tough enough to endure the critics who scorn you, you’re going to get what you want eventually. Whether you wish to become a millionaire, raise a phenomenal family or discover a cure for cancer, mental toughness is the answer. Motivation and positive thinking are a good start, but they’re insufficient for world-class success. Because the minute you begin to transcend the boundaries of the middle-class mindset, you’ll be attacked for the attempt. They’ll discourage you for trying and laugh at you for believing. They’ll tell you you’re unrealistic and your dream is foolish. The only thing that will save you is mental toughness. It’s when you finally realize you can have or do anything if you’re willing to overcome the addiction to caring about what other people think.”

Steve Siebold, author, 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class

Why did I share this with you today? Well, there are a lot of reasons.

First, Steve is right. Not only is he right, but his message is SO important, because the study of mental toughness is not highlighted enough in today’s society. Most success or business training focuses on boosting the bottom line. How can you boost sales? How can you increase revenue? How can you best analyze business or financial opportunities?

The key to any measure success in ANY endeavor is mental toughness.

Most people think mental toughness is saved only for discussions of feats of incredible achievement: winning championships, climbing Mt. Everest, overcoming overwhelming injury or illness, etc.

But where Steve has it right is in pointing out that mental toughness dictates the course of any endeavor in life: marriage, parenthood, weight loss, education…even something as simple as plain happiness. With it, you are nearly guaranteed success. Without it, you are assured to fail

Business and wealth creation are tremendously dependent on mental toughness. I have met a lot of successful people in the ares of business and wealth, and ALL of them are mentally tough.

My charge to you is to begin focusing on your own mental toughness. Reflect on how you have handled adversity in the past, and how you handle it now.

Ask yourself a few questions:
-How do I respond to adversity when I am happy and excited about life?
-How do I respond to adversity when I am down, tired, hungry, discouraged?
-What is my first mental response to a setback? Is it one of excitement for the challenge, or one of frustration or fear?
-How to I view others who are mentally tough? (Do you even recognize it when you see it?)
-Do I see MYSELF has mentally tough?

Ask these types of questions, come back to this blog often, and definitely get Steve Siebold’s book 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class.

Be World-Class Today!
~JT

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It is interesting to me how we as humans adapt to almost any environment in which we submerse ourselves. If it’s cold outside, we bundle up; if it is hot, we minimize our clothing and don a pair of shades. It seems we take pride in our ability to adapt. But could that ability or, more specifically the pride in that ability, cause us to settle for so much less than we deserve?

Tony Robbins, one of the greatest thinkers and motivators of our time, talks about six basic human needs. Two of those six needs are Certainty and Uncertainty. The concept here is that our Creator (please feel free to insert your belief here) installed in each of us conflicting needs to create variety and to allow us to find our own path in life.

Certainty is a basic need of all humans; it creates comfort, stability, and predictability in the process of life.

Uncertainty provides variety and allows us to grow. It keeps us from being bored. Uncertainty requires us to escape the comfort of guaranteed outcomes, and places the onus directly on us to make (or break) our own future.

And of the six basic needs Tony Robbins teaches, these two have perhaps the most profound affect on whether or not a person will reap great dividends from exhibiting the courage and adventure of the modern day entrepreneur.

I talk to several people each week who are looking for a better life, a way out, and an escape from the grind that makes up their everyday existence. These are the entrepreneurs. The big thinkers. They are leaders.

They are very certain about one thing: They are not content to toil long hours in dead end jobs that bring them little or no satisfaction.

They cannot bear a day (let alone 5 in a row every week) of being surrounded by complaining co-workers who spend more time finding ways to create short cuts than actually putting forth the effort to do the job right.

Most of all, they refuse—flat out refuse—to be paid anything less than an amount THEY dictate to be what they deserve (try going into your boss’s office and explaining to them that you want a 100, 150, or 200% jump in pay because you believe you are worth it!). In short, they are psychologically unemployable.

They enthusiastically pursue the Uncertainty of entrepreneurship because they believe that they deserve a great life.

These are the “5%’ers”; the top 5% of society who strives for a better financial life for themselves and their families. And what about the remaining 95%?

Sadly, they are all “adaptors”, those who will eventually wake up someday, most likely too late, to a boring, unfulfilling and below-average life. They have fallen into the sleepy lull of “accepting what they get”.

Absent is the satisfaction. Satisfaction of doing something they are passionate about. Satisfaction in knowing they are doing something REAL, which will ultimately pay HUGE dividends in the future.

They are so determined to have Certainty in their lives that they are willing to wait until Uncertainty knocks at their doorstep and forces their hand to make a change.

And by then, it could be too late.

The average person, particularly in America, is content to grind out 40 or more hours per week (a number that rises every year). These are the same people who hope beyond all stressed-out hope that a pension will be there when they retire; that they will be “taken care of”.

They want to be shepherded; they want to be led, even at the expense of never truly being prosperous or happy.

So why do that; why be part of the herd? Why adapt to a “comfortable” environment? Why not evacuate that existence for a better one? Why not create Uncertainty in your life?

I ask people that same question every time they call me for advice, or when they show interest in my business. I can only say that I remember how that felt; that I used to have those fears and stressors, and now I am a better, happier and more fulfilled person for pushing out and away from my comfort zone and jumping feet first into the uncertain waters of free enterprise.

What kind of “certainty” kept me going when the going got tough? I had the certainty that I was growing in the right direction, in the direction of my goals and dreams, and ultimately my “why”.

Was it initially scary? You bet! Was there Uncertainty? Absolutely.

But as with any situation involving risk, there have been huge rewards. And those rewards, that continue to flow to me and my family in an abundant deluge, have made me never forget, and never miss, the days of being an employee.

Being the master of my own destiny, setting the course of my own abundant future and being accountable to myself has been the most liberating and empowering cause I could have ever championed.

I encourage everyone to make a committed effort to do the same. Step outside your Certainty; promise yourself the life you deserve. Formulate a plan of action, and then DO IT. You will thank yourself in the very near future.

~JT

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I hear a lot of entrepreneurs—both new and seasoned—complain that they are not getting the results they are looking for in their business. The first question I ask is, “What is it you are looking for?” The answers vary depending on the person.
“More sales…” is a pretty typical response or, “more cash-flow”; “better conversions” and “more traffic to my site.”
Wow. Does any of this sound familiar? If you are extremely successful, you can probably see the problem right off the bat.
My response to this? “You are too results-oriented.”
You are probably saying to yourself, “Yeah JT, isn’t that the point?” “Shouldn’t we be focused on the bottom line, on making the sales and converting leads into prospects; prospects in to new clients?”
My answer is a flat-out “No.”
The great Zig Ziglar points out that the key to getting anything you want out of business, out of life is to give people what they want.
You see, when you focus on the result, you are putting your own needs first. When you do this, you give off a vibe that you are only in it for the money (the end result). You present a posture of self-service and greed.
People are not stupid. They will be able to see straight through you when you are focused on the results. In the end, you will come off as desperate, whether you know you are doing it or not. And nobody wants to work with a desperate person.
So how do you overcome a results-oriented mindset?
First, focus on a ‘service-first’ mentality. Ask yourself these critical questions: “What do I have to offer my audience that will be beneficial to them?” By audience I am referring to your leads, customer base, clients and potential business partners.
Second, ask yourself, “What is it that people want? Am I providing that…and if not, how can I provide it?” It is a complex question, I know. But until you deeply examine that question, you will be chasing people all over the marketplace, rather than having them come to you.
Don’t be a hunter; be a fisher. Imagine being ‘hunted’. Most creatures that are hunted are running for their lives. Would YOU want to be hunted? Didn’t think so. Now consider fishing. A fisherman places his or her bait (offer) out for the desired target (client) to come willingly to, and consume. Sounds much better for both sides, right? (Yeah, I know…in fishing, the fish loses in the end, but it is a metaphor so just play along!).
After you ascertain what your audience wants, ask “How can I assist others to get what they want?” Ah…now you are on to something. Do you see how you are now refocusing your energy away from the ‘result’? Instead of obsessing over making the sale or closing the deal, you are now on a journey of finding how you can be of assistance. You are exploring how you can be a solution to a person’s challenges. You are acting as a leader and putting their needs first.
Instead of focusing on the result, you are now focusing on the journey. You are not only assisting others, but you are learning about them, and learning about yourself as well. You are transforming yourself from hunter to provider. You are establishing trust and building relationships.
By programming your mind to focus on the steps required to add value, and by concentrating on your clientele and their desires, you quickly center your focus on what is important: ‘service first’ thinking. And as you do, you will find your life flooded with an abundance of the ‘results’ you desperately sought in the first place.
Finally, give this gift of wisdom to the people that follow you. NOW you are starting to really make a difference, because not only have you changed yourself for the better, but now you are empowering your team with the same values and skills so that THEY can replicate the same success and begin to achieve their own desired results.
Give people what they want, and you’ll get everything you desire. It is that simple.
See you in the next post…
~JT

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I saw a funny bumper sticker today that read, “The flogging will continue until morale improves”. I’ve seen this quote before, but I usually just laugh it off and go about my day. For some reason it really stuck with me today, though. I thought about it, and how it applies to business as well as life.

I guess the reason the bumper sticker quote stayed with me was because, recently, an acquaintance complained to me that she felt unfulfilled. She complained that, despite her best efforts, life and business were getting the better of her. She felt tired, beat down and defeated. Nothing, she claimed, was working.

Jim Rohn often talks about the importance of ambition and personal responsibility with respect to being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs can’t make the same excuses that employees make; in fact, they can’t make any at all.

Entrpereneurs have to be leaders; employees don’t have to lead, they just have to punch a clock. If the goals, deadlines and commitments are not met, the business fails and the entrepreneur suffers.

The bumper sticker seems to indicate that the flogging—also known as difficult times, trials and tribulations, etc—will continue until a shift in mindset grabs hold of the leader and he or she takes a decided stand against failure and mediocrity.

For the record, I do not fear failure. And while I try not to fail, I see failure is the supreme teacher…IF you posses the maturity and open mind to learn from it.

But repeated failure with a lack of learning; acceptance of mediocrity; willingness to feel defeated when things don’t go your way…THAT is unacceptable, and completely against the entrepreneurial spirit.

So how do you shift your mindset away from that of the “victimized employee”? How does one stand tall in the face of adversity? Where ought one turn when business is slow and the bills are piling up? Here is what I told my acquaintance, only because it worked for me when I used to have the same challenges…

Get Grateful. I do not care how bad you perceive your current situation, there is always someone else who has it worse. Yeah, I know…it sucks to hear that. But it is true. Mia and I sponsor a child in the Philippines, and her family doesn’t even have running water. How crappy is that? Try brushing your teeth, or washing dishes, or staying healthy without running water.

And if that is too dramatic for you, then consider this Jom Rohn quote”
“If you think the grass is greener on the other side, it’s most likely because that field is getting more care the owner.”

Remember; every single person: Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey and even Mother Theresa all had lousy times in their lives. But the strong ones…the winners…refuse to lose. They get resilient by going against that which put them in a bad place to begin with.

By focusing on the things you are grateful for, you immediately shift your body chemistry and begin to transform your brain from the “fight-or-flight” mode to the “vacation mode”.
When was the last time you were running for your life and you thought, “Man, it is sure great to be here. I love this place in life…”?

Probably never.

But by concentrating on the positive aspects of life, you can literally convert nervous anxiety into a restful calm and get back in control of the situation and yourself. Okay, so let’s say you are grateful. Now what? Its time to…

Get E.A.G.E.R. Being E.A.G.E.R. does not mean being an over-zealous spaz. I use the acronym E.A.G.E.R to stand for Enthusiastic Action Generates Exciting Results. Simply put, the more passionate you are about your pursuits, the more successful you will be and the less daunted you will be by failure and setbacks.

Case in point; when I was a kid all I wanted was to be a Navy pilot (that and play for the Seahawks). I ate, drank and slept Naval Aviation. But I struggled in school and despite those struggles, still sought out tough classes and stayed with it.

I even had the Navy tell me I was too old (the age cut-off was like 29…I was 30 when I started flight school). But I found a way to use my prior service time to get a waiver. I made it. Earning my “Wings of Gold” was a huge personal triumph.

Was I unsure of myself? Sometimes. Was I enthusiastically dedicated? Always. And I am deeply grateful for that experience because it has taught me tremendous lessons about business. Get E.A.G.E.R about your life’s pursuits. Ask the experts of whatever field of business you are in how they got successful and mirror what they do. Learn from the best, and then join them! And finally…

Get Coaching. Let me be clear; you do not need to spend tons of money on a coaching program. In fact, you are getting coaching right now. Going to blogs, visiting forums, attending seminars, and reading books are all great ways of getting coaching.

I don’t have all the answers; I give you honest advice from a place of personal experience. Now, if you are serious about success, I strongly suggest you make a modest investment in top-notch coaching. If you would like to contact me about my coaching program, drop me a line at: jt@shiftofmomentum.com

Okay, friends, that is all for now. I am excited to share this information with you because everything you just read came from my own personal experience. It means a lot to me to help successful people just like you. Thanks for being a part of my passion!

See you in the next post…
~JT

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