Chapter 71
Appreciate The People Around You
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Today's Empowering Quote
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"Hay is more acceptable to an ass than
gold."
-Latin Proverb
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Today's Empowering Question
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"What is the most appropriate form of
appreciation and/or service I can provide to each person?"
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Today's Fast Session
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I expect that most people
reading that quote would disagree with Mr. Wooden
initially. Why? Because so many people play "Lot-to,"
cheat on their spouses, lie on their resumes, cook the
books to make the stock price higher... all to try to
short-cut the system.
John Wooden never talked to his teams about winning...
only about doing their best.
And when you do your best, you often become THE best.
Why? Because hardly anyone else is doing THEIR best.
I noticed that in my business career. I've risen to the
top of four different industries now because I focus on
doing the best job that I can possibly do.
To have one eye over your shoulder worried about things
outside of your control does only one thing... it makes
it impossible for you to do your best. With one eye off
the road, you are going to crash sooner or later.
Usually sooner.
My grandfather used an analogy with me to help me keep
my mind where it should be. Of course I didn't do what
he said to do for a long time, but here's what he told
me. He said that no matter what I am doing, think of
myself as on the top of a ball - balancing. I had to
focus only on what I was doing or I'd fall off the ball.
If I took my
attention away from the ball, I was going to fall off.
Throughout this last season in the NBA, I watched all
the team's statistics concerning their wins on "the
road," games played in the opposing team's home field.
And I thought it was absolutely fascinating that, at the
end of the season, out of 29 professional teams, only 5
had winning records on the road.
One of the main problems? The opposing fans rooting for
the home team...
Interesting to note that of those same teams, 21 out of
29 had winning records in home games.
So when the game is on the line and that
multi-millionaire superstar is taking a critical shot in
the fourth quarter, chances are better that he'll make
it at home but miss it on the road. Why? Because most of
them aren't completely focusing on their task. Instead
of the basket, they're thinking about the guy in the 4th
row.
"Home field advantage" is at play in everyone's lives
every day.
You see, when John Wooden was coaching in college, half
of all their games were "away" games, but there was a
period toward the end of his career where his teams won
88 games in a row. Nearly 4 full years without losing a
single game.
You see, his players weren't thinking about winning
-only of doing their best... every minute. Every play.
They were like machines programmed to do their job. If
they were focusing on their job, the crowd couldn't
affect them.
It sure helps to have a coach like that, but in life,
you usually have to be your own coach. You simply can't
rely on someone else to pump you up when you need it.
Because quite often they'll let you down. You'll want
some pep talk, and the person you call to make you feel
better isn't there, or they aren't in a peppy mood
themselves.
Bottom line is, you've got to control your own moods.
That's why I always have some kind of book with great
thoughts near by, why I always have a tape playing in
the car and why I always have a Think Right Now! CD
playing throughout the night.
The world is a giant ball. Turning, turning, turning.
When we don't focus on where we're going, we fall.
The "crowds" are often hostile, but if we just pay
attention to what we can do, to what our little job is
and do it to the best of our ability, quite often we
will come
out on top.
Will you win awards right out of the shoot? Probably
not.
Will you make a million in
a year or two? Not likely.
Will you meet Mr. or Miss Right tonight? Does it really
matter?
A better question is: With a different focus, will you
get better at whatever it is that you're doing? In fact,
will you quickly get better at nearly everything you do?
Absolutely.
Will you feel great about yourself as you are doing your
best?
Yup... IF you pay attention to how you succeeded so you
can repeat it, and IF you aren't worried about someone
else's performance or what anyone says about you.
You see, all of life is a game. Whether you are in front
of crowds or all alone, you will act based on what you
are thinking about - on what you are paying attention
to.
Do you think Tiger Woods routinely steps up to the ball
thinking, "I'm going to hook this one. It's going in the
trees."???
Not a chance.
Now, there is a chance it may go in the trees, but that
is not where his focus is. And that is why it usually
ends up right.
Every top performer in every field of endeavor focuses
constantly on what they should be doing right now to get
their desired outcome.
To allow others to control your focus, to lose sight of
your goals for seconds, then minutes, then hours will
cause you to fall down constantly.
Control your focus and you will be in control of your
emotions, your actions and your life.
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Today's Winning Beliefs
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-- I'm controlling my moods today
-- The only person who controls my focus is me
-- I'm doing my best today
-- No matter what I'm doing, I'm paying close attention
ThinkRightNow.com
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