My Best Friend Died Today

The messages you’ve usually received from me have mainly focused on Sales, Speaking, Presentation Skills, Customer Service and Leadership. Very rarely do you get something very personal. But today is different.

Today my best friend died. He had gifts not many others have. He was brilliant, insightful, joyful, and had an almost photographic memory.  

To say we were close is an understatement. All of my favorite activities were his favorite activities. For 12 wonderful years the outdoors was where we both wanted to be. Didn’t matter if we were fishing for striped bass at Lake Powell, or jet skiing into the canyons, or going bike riding in the desert, as long as we were together. He loved to hunt but was rarely successful. I just loved watching him and cheering him on.

His end wasn’t sudden… rather it was a gradual loss of his physical powers. He began to get tired easily. His eyesight dimmed and his hearing diminished. Yet we stuck together like brothers. That’s what best friends do!

The night before he died I slept next to him, gave him a drink of water when he needed it, and held his head in my hands, telling him how much he meant to me.

By now you may have guessed… my best friend was Spencer, my beloved Golden Retriever.  I miss him so much already and I’ll never forget the thousands of days we spent together, having so much fun and being each other’s Best Friend!

Who is your best friend? Who’s always there for you? Who listens and doesn’t judge and somehow makes everything right? Who sees you not with their eyes, but through their heart, and would do anything for you?

Whether it’s your dog or a human being that’s your best friend, go give them a hug right now. Tomorrow might be too late!

There’s nothing better than a best friend… unless it’s a best friend with chocolate!

MAKE it a great day! 

JOEL

"The 24-Hour Rule"

How many times has this happened? You call an associate, they're not in. So you leave this brief but urgent message on their voicemail: "Hi, sorry I missed you. Need your input on LMNOP. Please call, email or text me on how you think we should proceed. Time sensitive. Thanks and make it a great day!"

Sounds pretty common... You leave someone a voicemail or you send them an email or text them and you expect a reply. But nothing happens! You wait and you wait and still nothing. So you repeat the process, and two possible things happen. Either you miraculously get your associate on the phone, and they make excuses, "Oh, I was so busy." Or, you try leaving another more urgent message. 

The side effects of living and working in our fast paced world is that people are so busy they let things slide. They may be well-meaning people, they may like and respect you, yet they don't feel the need to respond as quickly as they should, for whatever reason.

Here's where "The 24 Hour Rule" can help you...

You might have heard Tom Izzo, Basketball Coach at Michigan State, give his team his 24-Hour Rule. "You have 24 hours to wallow in pain and frustration over a loss, not one second more. Then you flip the switch and move on in positive action!" That's good advice. Yet it's not the 24-Hour Rule we're discussing.

Then there's that old saying: "When you're upset or angry, wait 24 hours before you react. It's like counting to ten except it's just longer, 24 hours."  That's a good rule, but no, that's not it either.

This is "The 24 Hour Rule" that can increase your effectiveness immeasurably: 

"Respond to your customers, associates or loved ones within 24 hours, even if you don't have an answer to what they need."

Yes! Get back to EVERYONE who contacts you for ANYTHING ... in 24 hours! That response can be by phone, by text message or by email. It can be as short & snappy as this: 

• "Got your message -- buried now, will call you by Friday."
• "Got your message -- impossible to respond till next week, advise!"
• "Thanks for the update on LMNOP. Have no new ideas. Use your judgment -- trust you!"

Think how YOU feel when your messages just plain go unanswered. Your opinion of the person you've contacted goes down and your frustration level goes up!

Decide now to be a 24-hour responder! Get back to employees, customers, associates and friends in 24 hours, no matter what! No answer is better than no response. At least it shows that you can be counted on and that you're on top of things! And it shows you care!

One "little" company decided to use "The 24 Hour Rule" and it increased their sales 21% in the first year, plus it earned them their highest JD Power rating in the company's history. That was Ford Motor Company and their CEO, Alan Mulally, was the driver of "The 24 Hour Rule."

Now it's your turn. Look at all your emails and text messages, listen to your voice mails, and respond to them in 24 hours. If you have too many, send a blanket response saying: "Got your message. Will get back to you as soon as I return to the office on the 15th."

Think how frustrating it is for YOU not to hear back from people. At least now THEY will hear back from YOU! 

Implement this powerful idea... and I'll look forward to hearing from you in 24 hours with your good results!

MAKE it a great day!

 

The Greatest Speech of the 20th Century

You probably know that even after 50 years, most Americans still rank the speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963 as the greatest speech of the 20th Century. And you probably know that the speech is commonly called the "I Have a Dream" speech.

But you probably don't know what Dr. King did during his speech when he got to the bottom of page 4, and that the technique he used can help you give your greatest speech or presentation!

Before you find out more about this technique, let's set the stage, since you probably weren't one of the quarter of a million people there when Dr. King spoke live at "The March on Washington" during the Civil Rights Movement.

Dr. King had a 5½-page prepared script that he planned to deliver that day, and he did deliver it. Except that he stopped at the bottom of page 4 and used one of the most important techniques you can possibly use when you're speaking to almost any group on almost any subject! It's to "Trust your gut!" That's it!

Put another way, "Listen to that voice within you." Or "Trust your instincts and what's in your heart." Your head says, "Stay with your prepared message," but your gut, your heart, and that still, small voice within you says, "No! Go in this new direction!"

And that's exactly what happened on August 28, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Here's what Dr. King said later that year to Donald Smith, author of the book, "The Dream."

"I started out reading the speech, and I read it down to a point, and just all of a sudden I decided (the audience response was wonderful that day, you know) and all of a sudden this thing came to me, I HAVE A DREAM! I just felt I wanted to use it. I don't know why. I hadn't thought about it before that speech."

Dr. King used those four words, "I HAVE A DREAM," eight times in three paragraphs. That's what made his speech so amazing, and now, over 50 years later, it's still called "The Greatest Speech!" Wow! What if every time you spoke you listened to that voice within you, and trusted it!

As a professional speaker for 40 years, I have used Dr. King's technique, trusting my instincts. It has served me well and it will serve you well too. Why? Because your audience will sense your conviction, your sincerity and your passion!

The next time you speak, think of Dr. King. Trust your instincts, your feelings and that voice within that can help you give the greatest speech or presentation of your life!

I too "have a dream" ... that you'll be calling or writing me, and sharing how this idea has helped you!

MAKE it a great day!

It's Like Having a Crystal Ball for 2014....

When You Answer These 7 Questions....

Here's something you can do right now to look into the future and make 2014 an AMAZING year! You're already busy, of course -- but before time gets away from you, why not take stock of your priorities for the year ahead? We're not talking about New Year's Resolutions here! They don't work! In fact, based on Gallup Poll findings, 24% of New Year's Resolutions are broken in the very first week! 53% are broken within six months! And get this, 92% are broken by year end!

As an alternative, as you visualize your plans for the year ahead, here's an exercise you can do, and I think you'll find it very helpful. The exercise consists of asking yourself these six questions about last year:

1. What was your biggest success in 2013?

2. What was the best decision you made?

3. What was the most important lesson you learned?

4. What made you the happiest?

5. Who had the greatest positive impact on you?

6. What were you most grateful for?

Now I've got one more important question for you ... and the answer to this question will help you see things even more clearly in 2014. Here's the question:

7. If you could re-live 2013, knowing now everything that happened, and everything you did to make things happen the way they did, what would you do differently?

Answering all seven questions is like having a crystal ball! Save these questions, and your answers to them, in a safe place. At the end of each year, answer them again. You'll find clarity and conviction to carry you through the year, as you accomplish whatever you decide is really important to you!

And forget New Year's Resolutions! Instead, make a commitment to yourself that you will MAKE 2014 a wonderful year, in spite of change, in spite of conditions, in spite of circumstances!

Your life is your choice! What 2014 brings you is up to YOU!

MAKE it a great day...every day!  

JOEL

   

 

"DID YOU CROSS THE LINE?"

Knowing What To Say & Where To Say It

“Crossing the line” is a common expression in society today.

It’s heard in politics. “He crossed the line saying we should do away with Social Security.”  It’s heard on sportscasts. “The coach crossed the line on what he just did to his players!” And in stand-up comedy , “Oh my gosh, I’m afraid she crossed the line on that one, about a pig, a rolling pin and her mother-in-law!”

What about you? Did you ever cross the line at a business meeting, a religious gathering or a family event? Most of us have at some point in our lives. It taught us a lesson, and hopefully, it didn’t do too much damage.

So how do you know were the line is? No one draws it on the ground for you. You’re just expected to know, if you’re an adult, what you can and can’t say and do.

In the past there were guidelines such as: “Don’t talk about politics, religion or sex.” What? Are you kidding? Turn on the TV or radio. Check out radio talk shows. Surf the internet and blogs and they overflow with religion, politics and sex. Religious groups discuss cross-gender and homosexuality. Kids in school discuss politics. Politicians debate and discuss religion, everything from the Muslims in Afghanistan, to the Jews in Israel and the Christians in Korea. (South Korea has the largest Christian church in the world!) Do we not discuss these things?

What’s the penalty for “crossing the line?”  Oh, that’s simple—you offend someone! That’s it! Someone hears what you said or sees what you did and they are offended. Big deal! Oh, it is a big deal if you “offend” your biggest client, or your mother-in-law. It can be a huge issue in international relations and diplomacy if the people of one country offend another country. Wars have resulted when people were offended.

Now chances are, your crossing the line antics won’t cause a war—but it could cost you and cost you dearly.

If in reading this you expected to find a simple answer, I say to you, “Nay-Nay.” There isn’t a simple answer, mainly because what could be offensive to one person isn’t offensive to another, or ironically that very same “offended” person wouldn’t be offended in a different situation. Foul language used by a Sunday School teacher in a religious setting could offend a 17-year-old boy. That same foul language used by his high school football coach during practice wouldn’t raise his eyebrow a millimeter! Oh, did I offend you with millimeter instead of a fraction of an inch? See how vague that line location is?

Now let's look at suggestions. As a professional speaker who’s been in front of over half a million people, the guidelines have always been that I wouldn’t do or say anything I wouldn’t do or say if my two wonderful daughters were sitting in the front row. Nowadays, I add to that, imagining my four grandchildren sitting there with them.

That’s a very clear line and fairly easy not to cross. You need your own line markers in the important areas of your life.

Another example—Blue Comedy. Raw and raunchy funny stuff peppered with every sexual example imaginable and every dirty word you’ve ever heard and some you haven’t. But it’s OK—the line is clear. That comedian has a reputation for that kind of stuff. There is no line. Most of their audience isn’t offended. They prepared themselves for raw and they got it. Yet, the biggest paychecks in comedy go to “clean” comedy. Yes the “G” and “PG” rated comedians like Brian Regan, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan  don’t get close to that line! If they did they would “offend” with even a tippy toe over the line.

What you can also do is lighten up a bit, lower your “I’m offended” monitor. Work at being even more tolerant. As a society we’ve gotten so uptight and so protective of our lines. Remember it’s a land of free speech. Each one can legally say almost anything. It’s not always easy, but think of the alternative—restrictive speech, banned words, sensored writing and burned books.

Let's just agree, yes, there are lines not to cross. They vary in location based on time and place, and yes, you can lower your “I’m offended” monitor just a little bit and, most of all, work at thinking more correctly who you’re speaking with and where their line might be. In the days when 70% of adults smoked, the thoughtful ones would say: “Would you mind if I smoke?” They were looking for the line! When in doubt ask! If you don’t, then you’re a stupid, self-centered, egotistical jerk!

Oops, guess I crossed the line there, because you were expecting me to close with… MAKE it a great day!

UNIVERSITY OF THE IMAGINATION

The perfect way to tap your unlimited potential

They learned foreign languages, designed buildings, and invented products.

They played their favorite sports—repeatedly hitting homeruns and scoring touchdowns. Had they not been locked in tiny, filthy cells, fed like animals and frequently tortured, they could have passed for students in a special university.

 

And, in a way, that’s exactly what they were: students at the “University of the Imagination”—American POW’s who used their imaginations to transcend the horrors of North Vietnamese prisons.

Remarkably, after years of incarceration, many of them came home speaking three lan­guages fluently. Some earned millions of dollars on their inventions. Others, having learned to play the piano on imaginary keyboards scratched in the dirt, or having learned to play the guitar using crude wood slats with no strings, were accomplished musicians when they returned.

Col. George Hall is representative of these “University of the Imagination” students.

Before he was captured by the Viet Cong, Hall was an outstanding golfer. But his imprisonment lasted seven years, during which the closest he came to stepping on a golf course was when his bare feet touched the mold growing on the floor of his cell.

Still, he played eighteen holes of golf every day—in his imagination!

With his eyes closed, his concentration focused on the courses he’d played back home, he experienced every detail as if it were real. He could smell the freshly cut grass, feel his hands caressing the grip of his driver as he teed off, see the ball’s soaring trajectory against a vividly blue sky, and, later, see the ball falling gently into the cup.

Not once did he envision himself hitting wild shots, missing easy putts, or landing in the water. His imaginary practice was perfect practice. And, upon returning to the U.S., he continued playing near-perfect golf. In fact, his first time on a course—just a few weeks after his release—he entered a tourna­ment and shot a brilliant 76, holding to the four handicap he had established seven years earlier!

When wide-eyed spectators asked him how he did it, Hall said, “What’s the surprise? I’ve been practicing every day for over seven years.”

Practicing indeed. He had graduated summa cum laude from the University of the Imagination.

Here’s what you can do:

   1. Discipline yourself to habitually imagine the best possible results. See the sales agreement being signed. Feel the thrill of achieve­ment as you reach your business goal and receive recognition for a job well done. Hear the praise your loved ones will lavish on you as they share your victory.

   2. Write your own script, just as Col. Hall did when he played his imaginary, perfect golf games. Decide what result you want, then imagine yourself accomplishing each step necessary to attain that result.

   3. Don’t waste time. Use your free moments—stuck in a traffic jam, waiting for an appointment, or just before going to sleep—to exercise your imagination and tap more of your unlimited potential.

"ALLIGATOR ARMS"   STRETCH THEM OUT, IT'S ONLY MONEY!

You're out for dinner with friends, great restaurant, terrific food and an interesting and stimulating discussion. Your server comes over, leaves the check and thanks you for coming in. Suddenly the mood changes. In all the years you've been friends, they very rarely pick up the check. But you've decided that tonight it's going to be different! It's their turn to pay the bill and you won't pick up that check, no matter what!   No doubt you've experienced people with Alligator Arms. Yes, Alligator Arms! Their arms are so short they can't reach the check or their wallet! They not only have Alligator Arms when it comes to paying for dinner, they're just plain CHEAP about everything! Stingy and miserly people who go to great lengths to avoid spending their own money on almost anything! This is not a good trait.   Now keep in mind, we're not talking about being "financially conservative", "a wise shopper" or "thrifty." Those are positive qualities! CHEAP is taking those positives to the extreme, and it becomes a serious weakness that can alienate your friends, turn off your associates and estrange you from loved ones.   Using a scale of 1 (really cheap) to 10 (really generous), how would you rate yourself? A passing grade might be a 6 or higher. Those friends with the Alligator Arms would be a 1, 2 or 3. And the person who always picks up the check, puts on the parties, funds scholarships for needy kids, pays for a neighbor's kid to go to summer camp, and slips the homeless guy 20 bucks, is a 10!   Most people, it seems, fall between a 4 and an 8. How about you?   If you're cheap in other people's eyes, you might not even be aware of it. But trust me, those that know you, know you.   To help you improve your generosity, here are a few suggestions to consider... You decide to split the check. Two couples, 4 meals, $80 bill, 50/50 split, $40 each. Don't say, "but you guys had salads and we didn't so it should be $30 us and $50 you." For ten bucks be a sport! Next time maybe you'll be the salad people and they won't. The tip you leave is seen too. As you know, if things are even just "OK" in a restaurant, 15% is the minimum, 20% is good and 25%+ is generous. Be generous if you've gotten great service and write a thank you on the check to your server. Someone invites you out as their guest to play golf or tennis at "their club." Offer to buy the balls, pay for drinks and food, or follow up with an invite to "your club." Do you get to go boating, fishing or waterskiing on someone else's boat? Always offer, no, insist on paying for the gas! Our family is really into boating. We own a houseboat, fishing boat, ski boat and jet skis and they all use gas. For 25 years we've invited friends out to be with us. Most offer to at least pay for gas. One good friend brought me a T-shirt that said, "Saying Thank You doesn't pay for gas!" I loved it, but probably won't wear it because if you have to ask someone to pay, it's just not the same, is it?   OK, you get the point. Alligator Arms do not go unnoticed! And you know the kind of people I'm talking about... "He's so tight he squeaks when he walks." "He's so cheap he named himself as the beneficiary of his life insurance." "He's so cheap he married a skinny gal so he could buy her a smaller ring." "He's so cheap when he got run over by a liquor truck it was the first time the drinks were on     him!" Hopefully now you're laughing. But the next time you're given a choice between being cheap or being generous, choose generous! Why? Because it's only money! And you can always earn more money... but it's hard to mend a relationship when you have... Alligator Arms!   MAKE it a great day!

"THIS IS AMERICA, BY GOD!"

Pete Adkins, President of Transamerica Agency Network, is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He loves to use that 5-word expression, "This is America, by God!"

You too can use that powerful, uplifting 5-word statement as a tool to help you make 2013 the best year you've ever had!

By "Your Best Year" it means best in every way... physically, emotionally, financially, spiritually, with your loved ones and in your career, that whole ball of wax that you call your life. This should be your best year!

Pete Adkins leads thousands of insurance salespeople and managers, yet his job is a lot like yours... that of "problem solver." Yes, almost every working person's job is to solve problems, overcome obstacles, and be unstoppable.

Business owners have to figure out ways to grow their business, increase their customer service, compete with lower priced competitors, and hire, train and retain great team members.

The office support person has to figure out ways to get the work done correctly and on time.

Teachers and parents have the challenge of educating children, providing proper nutrition, keeping them safe and instilling wholesome core values.

Yes, almost everyone has to be a problem solver, and if you agree, here are two tools to assist you in solving some of those problems.

The first one you've seen and heard before. It's that Can of Success with the label that says: "Success Comes In Cans, Not In Cannots."

Since 1974 people who have attended my seminars or invested in my audio and video programs have gotten one of those cans. As of today, well over half a million of those cans sit on people's desks all across America and around the world.

If yours is in sight now, here's how to use it as the first step in problem solving.

When you're faced with the day-to-day challenges in your life, begin by looking at that can and asking yourself, "OK, self, based on this challenge I'm now facing, what CAN I do?"

"Oh, come on Joel," you say, "that's way too corny and simplistic in this high tech, nanosecond, mind-numbing world we live in."

No, it's not! Thinking in "cans" is exactly the mind-set direction you need in order to begin generating those brilliant solution-producing ideas.

The ordinary, frustrated, stressed-out person sees a challenge as a difficulty, an obstacle, and thinks, "Why me? This isn't fair!" Or "Come on, give me a break." That's quickly followed by, "I just can't do this stuff anymore."

Hey, stop! Stop thinking of what you can't do and start focusing on what you CAN do! Why? Because... "This is America, by God!"

And that's Step Two... use Pete Adkins' words to remind yourself that you're an American, and that America is special, unique, a nation founded in 1776 that has overcome problems from day one. Against all odds we gained our freedom from, at that time, the world's most powerful country, and for over 200 years we've been beating the odds because of people who think in CANS.

As you probably learned in grade school, the last four letters of "AMERICAN" spell out "I CAN" ... and yes, you CAN!

Some people say, "Oh come on, Joel, life's way too difficult today to be aided by corny, simplistic statements like I CAN and Success Comes In Cans."

Too tough? Too difficult? Hey, naysayers... at this very minute as I'm writing these words, I'm sitting at my desk in the middle of a barren wasteland called a desert, miles from water, surrounded by rugged mountains on ground that's too hard to plant anything in!

Oh, wait! That was what Scottsdale, Arizona used to be like before an American, Jack Swilling, with an "I CAN" attitude, decided to create a new agriculture area by bringing water to the desert.

Once he did that, Winfield Scott bought 620 acres for $2.50 per acre and began building a town that soon became a city... a city that now sells an acre of land for a million dollars! How did that happen? By saying "It can't be done? It won't work? It's impossible? It's too hard?" No! This is America, by God! And in America you can do amazing things! As an American, you know exactly what makes us special. Our creativity, ingenuity and productivity. Our generosity, freedom of religion, entrepreneurial spirit, the melting pot of races and cultures, and the sheer beauty of our land.

Yes, you can go on and on about why America is great... but is it great for you, right now? If it's not and those challenges, obstacles and problems have got you down, decide now to think in CANS and then take action, because... This is America, by God!

How about that last word of Pete's statement... God! Do you believe in God... a supreme being, more powerful and intelligent than man? Not everyone does. The American Atheistic Organization has 2200 members and thousands more who call themselves atheists. That's OK because... This is America, by God! And by most accounts, the vast majority of Americans do believe in God.

So if you do, add a powerful addition to "I CAN" and "This is America" ... because now you have God helping you solve your problems! Oh, what a powerful addition that can be in these challenging times!

Decide right now, this minute, to begin each battle you face with an "I CAN" attitude ... followed by "This is America" ... and then bring God with you!

You CAN make 2013 your best year ever!

Your ability to communicate with IMPACT
is no longer just an option.
It's a necessity!

In today's fast moving and competitive environment, effective communication skills are necessary in almost every field of endeavor.

Studies have found that highly effective communicators earn 73% more than average communicators, and they advance 3.6 times faster in their organization!

You CAN be an even more effective communicator! Your ideas CAN be organized and impacting! Your listeners CAN be responsive! You CAN speak with calmness and confidence! How do I know that? Because speaking before a group is a learned skill, and my career of over three decades as an award-winning professional speaker is proof of that!

Join me in Scottsdale AZ at my upcoming ...

"Speak With Impact"

FULL DAY Boot Camp

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

7:30am - 5:00pm

I'm going to share with you the secrets of my proven approach to successful speaking... all the insights and techniques I've gleaned from over 38 years on the platform!

• Brilliant ways to organize your ideas for maximum impact.
• The key to establishing rapport with your audience.
• Confidence-building ways to prepare for your presentation.
• How to create a powerful introduction that sets up your message.
• Inside secrets for controlling your time as you speak.
• Amazing ways to develop checklists so you forget nothing.
• The keys to getting audience participation.
• Creative ways to bring facts and statistics to life.
• A little known way to use notes, and not memorize your speech.
• How to incorporate humor, even if you're not a funny person.
• Exciting ways to use visual aids effectively.
• Unique ways to close with impact, so your audience won't forget you! 

You're going to leave my FULL-DAY Session with a 3-ring binder FILLED with over 120 pages of priceless material!

Here's what other students have said ...

"With over 50 branches in eight states, I attend over 100 of our company meetings a year and I personally speak at about 30 of them. Not a meeting goes by that I don't think of and use some technique Joel Weldon has taught me!

Larry Cox, Director of Sales
SUNSTATE EQUIPMENT CO.

"I just recently spoke to 500 people for one hour and I have never been more comfortable! Not only did I hit a home run, I hit it out of the ball park! I had humor, was right on time and followed Joel's model of the Ten Building Blocks to the letter. I was so well prepared, it was all planned and then I executed it perfectly. I was thrilled!"

Gary Bushkin, CEO
National Curriculum & Training Institute, Inc.

"Joel has built a system for organizing your ideas, and then delivering them, that's fool proof! It's guaranteed to work. I was a pretty good speaker to begin with - and I'm using every one of his ideas to get even better!"

Brandon Ames, President/CEO
Able Info Technologies

"I always thought I was good in front of a group. Now I know the difference and now I'm so much more prepared, focused on the audience and connected to my listeners, thanks to Joel's "Speak With Impact" course. If you want to get even better as a company leader, Joel Weldon is the one who can help you build your skills!"

Noel Jordan, President & CEO

SkipperLiner Industries

 

EARLY BIRD Special (before MARCH 30th) =
$1100 per person

(After MARCH 30th = $1500 per person)

Space is limited to 10 participants

CALL NOW TO REGISTER

1-800-852-8572

Change Comes Bearing You Gifts!

Birthdays, anniversaries and holiday times all bring you gifts... an I-pad, a watch, a ring, or a bracelet. Whatever gift you receive, it will pale in comparison to the gift you can give yourself... when you seek personal improvement! Your ability to speak with even more impact and effectiveness will be a priceless gift to yourself. How do you get this gift?? Decide to step out of your comfort zone in order to improve some of the things you're now doing. Think of this... "To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done!" So what do you want to happen when you speak? To be even more relaxed and confident? To be even more prepared? To be even more humorous? To be even more memorable? Improvement begins by first identifying exactly what it is you want to do better. Let's just say you want to be even more humorous when you speak. Where do you begin? Watch funny T.V. shows and study their humor. Watch funny movies... there are thousands. Go to comedy clubs. Buy comedy CDs and books. Write down everything that makes you laugh. Start practicing on your family, friends, associates and even strangers. Tell something funny you've heard or read at least 7 to 21 times before you make it part of your presentation! Hey, is this sounding like a lot of work? Yes, of course it is! The prize is in direct proportion to the price! Your rewards (being more humorous) will be in direct proportion to your effort. Think funny! Practice funny! And you'll BE funny! You CAN step out of your comfort zone and receive the gifts that await you!! MAKE it a great day! JOEL P.S. Being an AMAZING communicator is not a natural gift you're born with! I know, from my decades of experience coaching hundreds of executives, managers and super salespeople, that it's a LEARNED SKILL! And no matter how good you are now, with my one-on-one speech coaching (whether in person or by phone), you'll have an eye-opening experience that will almost instantly take your speaking skills and presentation effectiveness to a whole new, more powerful level! You're going to reap tremendous benefits! I'm going to share with you dozens of little known strategies, all the wisdom I've gleaned from over 37 years as an award winning professional speaker. Let me help you craft an impacting message specifically for your audience, and to deliver it with calmness and confidence! You'll be amazed and delighted to discover how much immediate improvement there will be in your very next presentation! Sound good? Call today... 1-800-852-8572 for more information.

Gratitude Isn't Just for Thanksgiving Day

      Hurricane Sandy totally destroyed her Breezy Point, New York home and she lost everything she owned. A roadside bomb in Iraq blew off both his legs and he lost his mobility. The lingering recession took the middle aged couple’s jobs, their home, their savings, and forced them to go bankrupt.

No doubt you’ve seen similar stories on TV, read about them in newspapers and magazines, and most likely you know people who in the past year have experienced devastating loss. You too may have lost something this past year. It might have been a major loss, or something as minor as your car keys, a few golf balls or a tooth or two. But whatever it is you’d classify as a loss, you can still be grateful.

Gratitude is the ability to focus on what you have, not on what you’ve lost!

The woman on national TV, standing in front of her devastated Breezy Point home, was so filled with gratitude! She stood strong and smiled while expressing to the interviewer how grateful she was. Her family members were all alive, she said. Her neighbors had rescued them from the rising flood waters and got them to safety. Others were taking care of her now. “Oh,” she said over and over again, “I have so much to be grateful for!”

Yes, gratitude is your ability to focus on what you have, not on what you’ve lost!

The soldier with no legs was shown in his wheelchair throwing a football to his young sons. He too looked into the TV camera, smiled broadly and expressed sincere gratitude to his fellow Marines who pulled him out of his blown up hum-vee, to the medics who stopped the bleeding, and to the doctor who saved his life. He said he was so grateful to be able to see his wife and kids again and to be there as his boys were growing up. “I lost my legs, but I still have my throwing arm. I can still be a Dad!”

Yes, gratitude is your ability to focus on what you have,
not on what you’ve lost!

And finally, that middle aged couple talking to a CNN reporter, spoke of their gratitude for the tiny apartment they now called home, for the used car a friend loaned them and for the part-time jobs they were able to find. Although it wasn’t even close to what they used to have, they both were so grateful.

So how about you?
What do you now have that fills you with gratitude?

Cicero, the wise Roman philosopher, said in 40 B.C., “Gratitude is not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all others!”  How wise he was, and his words are still so applicable today.

Here’s what you can do.

1.   Just for the next 30 days, as you’re brushing your teeth (or tooth) in the morning, begin the day by looking in the mirror and thinking of what you can be grateful for.

2.   Then say out loud … so only you can hear it, “Today I’m grateful for …”

3.   At the end of 30 days see how this simple little exercise has made you feel. If it has helped you in a positive way, keep doing it! If not, then stop the gratitude expressions and start focusing instead on all the things you’ve lost … and see how that makes you feel!

Someone I know writes something in her journal every day that she’s grateful for. Her life is filled with wonderful things, amazing people and extraordinary experiences. She’s proved to herself that gratitude isn’t just for Thanksgiving Day. It’s for every day! 

You CAN Make it a GRATEFUL day!

 

 

It's Never Too Late & You're Never Too Old

“It’s never too late, and you’re never too old,” claimed world-famous physical fitness legend Jack LaLanne, and before anyone could say “Prove it, Jack!” he did. He was still doing strenuous daily workouts well into his nineties.

On his 65th birthday—the age at which many people retire and begin taking life even easier than before—Jack performed a feat that you might have thought only a young Olympian would attempt: he swam across Lake Ashhinoko in Japan while towing 65 boats containing a total of 6,500 pounds of wood pulp!

Sound pretty amazing? Well, what do you think of this? To celebrate his 70th birthday, Jack dove into 60º water off Long Beach, California and swam one mile while towing 70 boats containing a total of 70 people. It took him 2½ hours to complete the task, and—believe it or not—his hands and feet were bound together!

At the age of 81 as he released a new fitness video, Forever Young, he said, “I feel no different now than when I was 21. I’m in as good shape now as I was back then!”

Amazing? Yes, especially when you consider how feeble many people are by then. But perhaps it really isn’t amazing if you believe, as Jack LaLanne does, that this is what all people are capable of. You included!

Here’s what you can do:

  1.  Set goals for yourself, so you don’t get old! Goals keep you looking ahead, rather than back.

  2.  Tighten your stomach muscles at red lights.

  3.  Run in place as you talk on the phone.

  4.  Eat less and less, not more and more. Choose healthier foods and snacks.

  5.  Buy clothes one size too small.

  6.  Collect pictures of super-fit people.

  7.  Do some physical activity every day. Walk up five flights of stairs. Bike ride to work or shopping. Jog home from work. Swim for twenty minutes. Take up a new sport.

  8.  Don’t grow old! Age is a state of mind, and you’re only as old as you think you are.
Ask yourself, “How old would I be if I didn’t know how old I was?”

  9.  Make a commitment today, right now, to attain, and then maintain, a high level of physical fitness. It’s never too late, and you’re never too old!