Chris Widener's Ezine
April 23, 2008
Issue 85
Welcome!
Life always presents us with interesting scenarios and those often provide opportunities for thought and learning. For example, several years ago after we'd moved into our new house, we had a new riding lawn mower delivered with a large attachment that hooks onto it and sucks the grass up and into a container. I think they called it a grass catcher...
Now, you have to know that I have, and I can't stress this enough: ABSOLUTELY NO MECHANICAL ABILITY WHATSOEVER!! So I did what any normal guy like me would do: I paid my then 14-year-old boy to put it together for me. He got ten bucks, I got a grass catcher - we were both happy!
An hour after giving him the task, he came into my office and announced that he was done. I promptly handed him ten bucks and he said, "I can't believe that I just got paid $10 for doing something I like to do." To which I said, "No, you got paid $10 for doing something I don't like to do."
Well, that got me to thinking about who gets paid what in our society. Think about it for a minute:
Doing things that others could do but don't want to do will get you paid very little. Things like garbage collection. That will get you $18-30,000 a year.
Doing things that others could do with a little effort and education but choose not to do will get you paid more. Things like tax preparation. That will get you $60-120,000 a year.
Doing things that others could do, but would require a lot of effort and education and so they choose not to do will get you paid quite a bit. Jobs like being an attorney or a doctor come to mind. That will get you $80-750,000 a year.
Doing things that others can't do but would like to do will get you paid a lot! Things like being able to dunk a basketball, hit a 95 mile an hour fastball over a fence or throw a football 60 yards to a man running a 4.2 forty come to mind. That will get you from $400,000 to $25 million a year.
Have you ever given thought to why you earn what you earn and how it is related to what others are able and/or willing to do? It is insightful because if you want to increase your revenue, you can just tweak what you provide to others based on what they are willing to pay for it.
Chew on that... I know I am.
You Are Made for Success!
Chris Widener
P.S. Today's issue is going out to 102,834 subscribers. If you've gained value from what you read in my Ezine, then I would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue to friends, family and associates!
In This Issue.......
1. Charting Your Course to Success Article
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
3. The Last Word...
4. Did you know that most people are sabotaging their chances
for achievement?
5. More Information
1. Charting Your Course to Success Article
Success Showdowns by Chris Widener
I confess, I love westerns. There is nothing like those "Showdown" scenes where the film is shot from down low and you see those boots moving slowly, step by step until they come to a stop just 100 feet from the other guy. Tumble weed blows by. The wind stirs the dust. The camera moves up and you see fingers twitching, getting ready to draw. You know that it is only a few moments until the good guy lets the bad guy have it and he'll be on his way to saving the day and setting the town free again. All that stands in his way is this one obstacle. But that obstacle must be put away.
What would you do in that situation? Would you save the day and proceed to victory, or would you run and hide? Running and hiding is tempting when you see the guy all dressed in black, symbolizing your impending doom!
Isn't that what happens regularly though? Our journey to success always has these "Showdowns" that we have to go through if we are going to get there. There are always going to be "bad guys" we have to get through.
Let's take a look at a few:
Fear. Fear is the pre-imminent "bad guy." He keeps millions of people from success. Here is a secret: There are times when I am stretching myself to achieve all that I can, when I am taking huge risks, that I wake up in the middle of the night and I am so scared I can't sleep! Fear will tell you anything to keep you from even trying! But do you know what takes care of fear?
Persistence. You see, everybody has fear. The most successful people I know have fear. But they work through it rather than give up! To be successful you have to have and win that showdown with fear.
Crowd mentality. I have become increasingly aware of this in recent years. The crowd is loud. They are tenacious in letting you know that they expect you to do things their way or something is just not right. You know, it is the relative who calls you a dreamer. It is the naysayers. They want you to do what is normal. Well friend, nobody ever got successful doing what the crowd does. The crowd is average, that's why they're the crowd! To be successful you have to have that showdown with the calling of the crowd. Hear their voices screaming, "Don't do that. Be like us," and win the showdown.
Doubt. Success usually takes a while. It rarely comes overnight. And after some time, you will begin to doubt. "Am I dreaming too big?" "Did I take a dumb risk?" "Should I quit and go back to something safe?" Rest assured, it will come. But this is when your vision must be string and you must keep going. Stick with the dream. Don't give up! Overcome your doubt and the doubts of others! To be successful you must have that showdown with doubt and win!
Yes, there will be many showdowns. The above are but a few, though they are the major ones. Maybe you are experiencing them even now. Your time has come. The old western music is playing. Your foe dressed in black grins that devilish grin. He thinks you can't do it. But have your showdown. Win. Then ride off into the sunset!
Chris Widener
About a year ago, Jim Rohn and I collaborated on a new project that is designed to help you have more, do more and become more!
You know the saying, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail".
Please use this link to learn more:
http://twelvepillars.jimrohn.com
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
"When I work fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, I get lucky." -- Dr. Armand Hammer
Chris' Commentary:
Luck is funny. Some people say, "I just need some luck." Others say, "I don't believe in luck." I'm in the second camp. I don't believe in luck. I do believe in hard work - and smart work. If a situation arises wherein you can make a great advance, that isn't luck, it is you, being fully prepared from all of that hard work, acting purposefully and responsibly. If you aren't prepared then you won't be able to take advantage of the situation, which means it depends on you, not the situation or luck. You step through the door, luck doesn't carry you.
Action Point: Is there an area in your life where you are hoping or waiting for a little luck? Don't! Take a tangible step today to improve your life in that area and you will se far greater strides in a short time than you ever would waiting for luck to work its "magic."
3. The Last Word...
This week, I came across an article by Jim Rohn titled, Change Begins with Choice. Powerful!!
Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish; we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish; we can start a new activity. Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.
We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of the good life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.
We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.
And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the ability to totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with your very own power of choice.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
4. Did you know that most people are sabotaging their chances
for achievement?
About a year ago, Jim Rohn and I collaborated on a new project that is designed to help you have more, do more and become more!
The reason is because they don't have a plan. You know the saying, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail".
Please use this link to learn more:
http://twelvepillars.jimrohn.com
5. More Information
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