Chris Widener's Ezine
March 22, 2006
Issue 34

Welcome!

Wow, the last few months have been a whirlwind: Portland, Dallas twice, Phoenix, Baltimore, Atlanta, Vegas. Then Pebble Beach, Evansville, Indiana, and on from there. I really enjoy traveling and speaking to new groups. I am a people person at heart and enjoy the exciting adventures! That is in contrast with some speakers I have run into. They tell me, "If you don't hate airports and planes, then you haven't traveled enough." Well, I have a different take on it. I love seeing new places, even new airports. Especially now that they are upgrading so many and putting in new stores and better food. I truly believe that you can make an adventure out of anything. That is true for all areas of our lives.

Are you living an adventure or "just getting by"? You can make anything an adventure if you just decide that you are going to see the good in it and have some fun. Learn to enjoy the experiences and the people that you meet. Take time to remind yourself that being alive is fun and exciting! Even when life is a whirlwind, and even when you are spending a bunch of time in airports!

You Are Made for Success!
Chris Widener

In This Issue.......

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
3. The Last Word...
4. The Jim Rohn Weekend Event DVD Sampler - 2 1/2 hour DVD set containing the Best-of-the-Best Highlights from the Jim Rohn Weekend Event!
5. Customer Feedback
6. More Information

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article

Just Don't Do It by Chris Widener

Sometimes success is found through the things that you don't do. Here are some ideas for what we shouldn't do.

Don't say "I can't."
There are two words that we don't allow in the Widener household - I can't. The fact is that most of what we say that we can't do can actually be done, if only we put our mind to it. My mother taught me from an early age that if someone else had already done it, I could too. And if no one else had already done it, I could certainly be the first! Good advice!

Practical application: When you are up against a problem, and you are tempted to say "I can't," begin to think of all of those who have already done it. When you see how many already have, you'll be encouraged. For instance, if you want to write a book but think, "I can't get this published," you should take a trip to the local Barnes and Noble. Walk through and ask yourself if your book wouldn't be better than even just one of the books that is already been published and stocked. You will find yourself saying, "Surely I can!"

Don't give up.
If you are going to achieve anything in life, you are going to get knocked down along the way. Those who succeed are those who get back up and forge ahead. My oldest child is in gymnastics and the other day on the way to practice we were talking about determination. I am convinced that more often than not, success lies on the other side of the river hardship. Determination, and a "don't give up" attitude will see us through the hard times and onto victory!

Practical application: The next time you feel like the wind has gone from your sails, and you feel like quitting, take awhile to rethink the situation. Remind yourself again why you started out in the first place. Remind yourself of how you will feel when you get there. Then, reassert yourself and set a goal of another month (or whatever time frame is needed). In one of my ventures, early on I was weary and felt like giving up. Instead, I kept telling myself, just show up for one more week. Good news - it worked!

Don't get discouraged.
Discouragement is an attitude. Instead of going to the depths of the dumps, tell yourself you are going to do great. Choose to be courageous! One of the greatest powers we have been given as humans is the ability to choose our attitude. All people experience hard circumstances. Yet some say to themselves that they will learn from them and forge ahead a better person. These people, who do not allow themselves to get discouraged, are those who become successful.

Practical application: Find the most positive person you can and take them to lunch. Make sure they are someone who believes in you already. If nobody else, get your mother - she will always believe in you! When you get them out to lunch, tell them that you are discouraged and in need of some encouragement. If you have picked the right person, they will do the rest. Chances are, they will even do some follow-up calls with you. And by all means, pick up the tab for lunch.

Don't be a lone ranger.
Anybody who has achieved greatness has done it with the help of many others who bought into the vision and pushed the cart. The most famous and accomplished achievers in the world all had a cast of others who helped them along. You may not be able to name A.J. Foyt's pit crew, but they were there. Joe Montana had an awesome front line to protect him, but I can't name one of them. If the greats need others, then so do we. The sooner we realize that we need others, the quicker we will achieve our dreams.

Practical application: Sit down and write down the answers to the following questions: What partners do I already have? What ways are they already helping me? What ways could they help me? Who are potential partners who would make me better? What workers do I already have? What ways are they already helping me? What ways could they help me? How many more workers will I need to achieve my dreams? How will I go about gaining them?

Don't accept anything less than excellence.
Good gets along, excellence succeeds. Have you ever heard anyone say of the greats "Yeah, they were pretty good." No! They were excellent! We should never, under any circumstances, accept less than excellence. We should constantly be striving to better ourselves, our situations, our relationships, and the people around us, helping them to become excellent.

Practical application: First, evaluate. Is ______________ excellent? Second, determine what would qualify as excellent. It would be excellent when ____________ is true. Third, set a course, step-by-step, toward excellence.

Remember, when it comes to the above - Just don't do it!
Chris Widener


Chris Widener is an internationally recognized speaker, author and radio host. If you are interested in booking him to speak at your next event, go to http://www.chriswidener.com or send an email to speaker@chriswidener.com or call 877-929-0439 and ask for Hilary.




2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary

"Being big or small isn't the crucial issue. If you don't move, you don't move." -- Steve Ballmer

Chris' Commentary:
No matter where we are at in our business or professional life, we tend to assume certain things about that place, such as what we are or are not able to do. You may say that you are too small of a business to accomplish a certain task or that you are too big for some other task. The truth, however, is that where you are at doesn't preclude you from accomplishing anything. In fact, what is important is not where you are but what you can actually do. And not just what you can do, but what you do do! I think it was Yoda in Star Wars who said, "Do or do not. There is no try."

Action Point: Don't accept "I can't." Further, don't accept mere mental assent to "I can." Instead, today: DO! Because if you aren't movin', you aren't movin'. So get movin' on that task you have been putting off!



3. The Last Word...

Time Management is an area that many people struggle with, so this week in the Last Word, I'm offering a "short" list to Time Management Mastery.

From Potential to Performance

One of the great things about life is that we can realistically be or do anything we choose to. This includes being a good time manager! We must believe that we can be a good time manager - that we have the potential. Unfortunately, many people say, "Well, I am just a poor time manager," as if it was ingrained in their DNA. The truth is that anyone can be a great time manager, if they choose to go from potential to performance. So, how do we do this? Here is a simple 7 part process:

1. Believe that you can become a good time manager

2. Inventory where your time is currently being spent

3. Determine what your life values are - what do you view as important, what do you want to accomplish?

4. Set time priorities that will move you toward living out your values

5. Develop a system of scheduling that works best for you, not a time management conglomerate

6. Learn to say "no" to things that are not part of your priorities moving you toward your values - exercise your power to choose

7. Do what is in your new schedule

These simple steps, if you apply them, will take you from having the potential to be a good time manager to true time management mastery and performance! -- CW
 

4. The Jim Rohn Weekend Event DVD Sampler - 2 1/2 hour DVD set containing the Best-of-the-Best Highlights from the Jim Rohn Weekend Event!

2 1/2 hour DVD set containing highlights from the Jim Rohn Weekend Event - the Jim Rohn Weekend Event DVD Sampler   This is a perfect way to share Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley, Brian Tracy and all the speakers, as well as Personal Development in general with all those in your sphere of influence. It is the length of a regular movie and includes Highlights from the entire 3 Day event including special appearances from "Jack Nicholson", "the Godfather", "Arnold Schwarzenegger" and "Jim Rohn" - all courtesy of our comedic guest speaker, Garet Chester. Plus highlights from the Teenager Session, Goal Setting Session, all the VIP lunches and Breakfast, all the speakers and the Speakers Roundtable. Over 100 individual highlights in all! For Details and To Order - http://www.jimrohn.com

 

5. Customer Feedback

Here are some of the testimonials and comments we received from our Ezine subscribers. We love receiving comments and feedback from our readers - so keep it coming!

Chris, I just returned home from Breakthroughs II in San Francisco. Thanks for sharing all that you did. During my layover in Vancouver, and then on my way home to Winnipeg, I read both of your books, The Angel Inside and Twelve Pillars – I couldn’t put them down. All I can say is WOW! Both books spoke to me in many ways. It is guaranteed that I am going to be re-reading them again and again, as I am sure more lessons will come to me each time. I am going to be printing off the 10 "Principles" from "The Angel Inside" as well as the "12 Pillars of Success" and putting them on my desk so I see them every day. Thanks again.
-- Pam Steciuk

Chris, I enjoy your ezines...they always aspire me to aim, and then work toward, a loftier vision and goal. As I read the ezines, I think how great this message would be delivered to our young people...starting even in middle school. The content would remain the same, but the wording and method of delivery would need to be adapted to suit that younger audience. Imagine the phenomenal effect on people's lives if they were to embrace a course for success at a young age!
-- Pat Wasilco

Chris, You have made my day! I have this vision to construct a shopping complex in our town. The town has lacked behind in development. I have lived in this town for 16 years. I am trying to source funds from potential investors to achieve this dream. With your encouraging words today l feel uplifted and will soldier on till this is realised.
-- B Mulenga, ZAMBIA


Thank you Ezine readers, for the sincere and kind words of encouragement and appreciation you sent us this week! -- CW