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!
