|
Issue 44 - June 28, 2000 - Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine
Welcome to JIM ROHN'S WEEKLY E-ZINE Issue 44 -June 28, 2000 Jim Rohn International - Home of www.jimrohn.com - The Official Site of America's Foremost Business Philosopher
Today's issue includes:
Perseverance is about as important to achievement as gasoline is to driving a car. Sure, there will be times when you feel like you're spinning your wheels, but you'll always get out of the rut with genuine perseverance. Without it, you won't even be able to start your engine. The opposite of perseverance is procrastination. Perseverance means you never quit. Procrastination usually means you never get started, although the inability to finish something is also a form of procrastination. Ask people why they procrastinate and you'll often hear something like this: "I'm a perfectionist. Everything has to be just right before I can get down to work. No distractions, not too much noise, no telephone calls interrupting me, and of course I have to be feeling well physically, too. I can't work when I have a headache." The other end of procrastination -being unable to finish - also has a perfectionist explanation: "I'm just never satisfied. I'm my own harshest critic. If all the i's aren't dotted and all the t's aren't crossed, I just can't consider that I'm done. That's just the way I am, and I'll probably never change." Do you see what's going on here? A fault is being turned into a virtue. The perfectionist is saying that his standards are just too high for this world. This fault-into-virtue syndrome is a common defense when people are called upon to discuss their weaknesses, but in the end it's just a very pious kind of excuse making. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with what's really behind procrastination. Remember, the basis of procrastination could be fear of failure. That's what perfectionism really is, once you take a hard look at it. What's the difference whether you're afraid of being less than perfect or afraid of anything else? You're still paralyzed by fear. What's the difference whether you never start or never finish? You're still stuck. You're still going nowhere. You're still overwhelmed by whatever task is before you. You´re still allowing yourself to be dominated by a negative vision of the future in which you see yourself being criticized, laughed at, punished, or ridden out of town on a rail. Of course, this negative vision of the future is really a mechanism that allows you to do nothing. It's a very convenient mental tool. I'm going to tell you how to overcome procrastination. I'm going to show you how to turn procrastination into perseverance, and if you do what I suggest, the process will be virtually painless. It involves using two very powerful principles that foster productivity and perseverance instead of passivity and procrastination. The first principle is: break it down. No matter what you're trying to accomplish, whether it's writing a book, climbing a mountain, or painting a house the key to achievement is your ability to break down the task into manageable pieces and knock them off one at one time. Focus on accomplishing what's right in front of you at this moment. Ignore what's off in the distance someplace. Substitute real-time positive thinking for negative future visualization. That's the first all- important technique for bringing an end to procrastination. Suppose I were to ask you if you could write a four hundred-page novel. If you're like most people, that would sound like an impossible task. But suppose I ask you a different question. Suppose I ask if you can write a page and a quarter a day for one year. Do you think you could do it? Now the task is starting to seem more manageable. We're breaking down the four-hundred-page book into bite-size pieces. Even so, I suspect many people would still find the prospect intimidating. Do you know why? Writing a page and a quarter may not seem so bad, but you're being asked to look ahead one whole year. When people start to do look that far ahead, many of them automatically go into a negative mode. So let me formulate the idea of writing a book in yet another way. Let me break it down even more. Suppose I was to ask you: can you fill up a page and a quarter with words-not for a year, not for a month, not even for a week, but just today? Don't look any further ahead than that. I believe most people would confidently declare that they could accomplish that. Of course, these would be the same people who feel totally incapable of writing a whole book. If I said the same thing to those people tomorrow - if I told them, I don't want you to look back, and I don't want you to look ahead, I just want you to fill up a page and a quarter this very day - do you think they could do it? One day at a time. We've all heard that phrase. That's what we're doing here. We're breaking down the time required for a major task into one-day segments, and we're breaking down the work involved in writing a four hundred-page book into page-and-a-quarter increments. Keep this up for one year, and you'll write the book. Discipline yourself to look neither forward nor backward, and you can accomplish things you never thought you could possibly do. And it all begins with those three words: break it down. My second technique for defeating procrastination is also only three words long. The three words are: write it down. We know how important writing is to goal setting. The writing you'll do for beating procrastination is very similar. Instead of focusing on the future, however, you're now going to be writing about the present just as you experience it every day. Instead of describing the things you want to do or the places you want to go, you're going to describe what you actually do with your time, and you're going to keep a written record of the places you actually go. In other words, you're going to keep a diary of your activities. And you're going to be amazed by the distractions, detours, and downright wastes of time you engage in during the course of a day. All of these get in the way of achieving your goals. For many people, it's almost like they planned it that way, and maybe at some unconscious level they did. The great thing about keeping a time diary is that it brings all this out in the open. It forces you to see what you're actually doing . . . and what you're not doing. The time diary doesn't have to be anything elaborate. Just buy a little spiral notebook that you can easily carry in your pocket. When you go to lunch, when you drive across town, when you go to the dry cleaners, when you spend some time shooting the breeze at the copying machine, make a quick note of the time you began the activity and the time it ends. Try to make this notation as soon as possible; if it's inconvenient to do it immediately, you can do it later. But you should make an entry in your time diary at least once every thirty minutes, and you should keep this up for at least a week. Break it down. Write it down. These two techniques are very straightforward. But don't let that fool you: these are powerful and effective productivity techniques. This is how you put an end to procrastination. This is how you get yourself started.
Jim Rohn
SUCCESS AND FAILURE by Jim Rohn Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become. Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don't fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. Don't take the casual approach to life. Casualness leads to casualties. Success is the study of the obvious. Everyone should take Obvious I and Obvious II in school. It's too bad failures don't give seminars. Wouldn't that be valuable? If you meet a guy who has messed up his life for forty years, you've just got to say, "John, if I bring my journal and promise to take good notes, would you spend a day with me?" Success is not so much what we have as it is what we are. Success is 20% skills and 80% strategy. You might know how to read, but more importantly, what's your plan to read? Average people look for ways of getting away with it; successful people look for ways of getting on with it.
Congratulations to Henry M. Norris - our winner for May! MONTHLY DRAWING! When you subscribe to the FREE! Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine, you are automatically entered into our monthly drawing. Our monthly winner is announced here in the E-zine and is also notified via email. For the months of April, May and June we are giving away a total of three of Jim Rohn's How to Have Your Best Year Ever on DVD! (Normally sells for $165 in the Online Catalog and this month's Featured Special for only $82.50). Free to our winner! All previous winners are shown in the E-zine Archives.
"Some people have learned to earn well, but they haven't learned to live well.’ Jim Rohn
Saturday -August 5, 2000 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. Columbia, SC Call 800-929-0434 or Order Tickets Online at 12:30 - 5:00 p.m. Portland, OR Call Advance Performance Concepts at 800-553-0840
The twin killers of success are impatience and greed.’
Here are some of the dozens of testimonials and comments we received over the past week from E-zine subscribers. To read more recent testimonials and the over 500 we have received from readers over the past several months, please go to: Customer Testimonials
-- Elizabeth A. Trimnell I met Jim several years ago in Florida along with Mark Victor Hansen. Jim is the best motivational speaker I have heard. He is down to earth. A country boy at heart and his message is easy to understand and comprehend. I have recommended and passed on Jim's material to many other people. Absolutely the best I have ever heard and so entertaining also. -- Sandra S. Hensley, Excel Mr. Rohn, I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for your common sense and inspiring words at your seminar in Sacramento on June 20th. I've seen you several times and listen to your tapes constantly. Although we've never met, I consider you a coach and mentor. Since attending one of your seminars for the first time approximately 12 years ago, I have adjusted my vision and perspective on life, which has led me to a great deal of success in my endeavors. You are a blessing. Keep up the great work. Respectfully yours, Thank you so much for that powerful note...I am starting a new job tomorrow and I'm overwhelmed with fear of failure. Your words are such an inspiration....I guess its what I needed to hear all my life!! Thanks again~ Hello Mr. Rohn, My name is Mike Potillo and I am 22 years old. I was introduced to Network Marketing at the age of 20 by a man named Dale Calvert. My life has never been the same. Dale always taught, "work harder on yourself than on your business," by following his advice I started listening to Mr. Rohn. His words have changed my life forever, and soon my bank account! After listening to Mr. Rohn's story dozens of times, I thought if I could just be around the top people in my company, I would learn it all and I would share it with the world. I left a great J-O-B in Florida to head back to Kentucky where Dale Calvert was starting a new company. I called their office one morning and told them my story and was on my way. Before I had the opportunity to hear Jim Rohn's tapes, I would have never had the confidence and the expectancy to do this before. In a way, my story and Mr. Rohn's are similar. That in itself Fires me up! In my own organization I constantly teach Jim Rohn's philosophies, and has it ever paid off. There is UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY in the 21st Century and I see it clearer than ever. I hope someday to meet Mr. Rohn in person to thank him for his influence in my life. Sincerely, Great Stuff, I sat down this morning to write my closing comments for my Future Managers Meeting in my Direct Sales Company (Vector, Cutco) and now after reading this, it is done. Thanks for your weekly words of inspiration and education. Positively, Thanks for the inspiration and I've never thanked an email newsletter before! Dear Mr. Rohn, Nine months ago I was introduced to your philosophies and teachings. As a listener of dozens upon dozens of speakers, you are a breath of fresh air and an incredible man. You have been a great influence in my life and someone to measure myself by. I am very thankful to be able to experience your teachings in my lifetime and forever grateful to you. Thank you Jim Rohn. Thank you,
More Information Personal Coaching - For those who are interested in personal coaching for 2004 you can now have access to Jim Rohn International coach - TC Cummings (former U.S. Navy Seal and Personal Development aficionado). For more information go to http://coaching.jimrohn.com or call 800-929-0434 and talk with Yveatte or Hilary or send an email to info@jimrohn.com. A Plan of Consistent and Continual Growth! - The Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan - (99% retention rate) offers a plan of consistent and continual growth in your personal and professional life, all for as little as $17 a month. For details go to http://jr1.jimrohn.com or call 800-929-0434. Financial Mastery! Yes, one whole year on Financial Mastery, designed to both educate and help you create long-term duplicatable systems for 12 major areas of your financial world - To enroll today go to http://tj.jimrohn.com or call 800-929-0434 and talk with Yveatte or Hilary or send an email to info@jimrohn.com For our MP3 and e-book listings go to http://mp3.jimrohn.com Print New Catalog: http://www.jimrohn.com/catalog/Rohn2003.pdf Monthly Specials - Save 20-60% Off All Products! http://monthly.jimrohn.com Save 20 - 60% off all books, audios and videos by Jim Rohn and other great speakers such as: Brian Tracy, Jan Ruhe, Charlie 'T' Jones, Bob Burg, Les Brown and more. For Jim Rohn products: http://www.jimrohn.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=12 For all CD's, DVD's and books by additional authors - http://www.jimrohn.com/otherauthors.asp or call 800-929-0434. Also receive three bonus gifts for orders over $10. Schedule Update - http://seminar.jimrohn.com Jim Rohn Books In Spanish and Portuguese! Send email to info@jimrohn.com with Spanish/Portuguese in the subject. How to Subscribe - Subscribe at http://www.jimrohn.com or send an email with JOIN in the subject to subscribe@jimrohn.com How to Unsubscribe - Use the automatic unsubscribe link at the bottom of this email, or send an email with Remove in the subject to unsubscribe@jimrohn.com The Jim Rohn Affiliate Program - http://www.jimrohn.com/affiliate.asp Booking Jim Rohn - Send an email to kw@jimrohn.com and include your name, company, date and location of event, along with anticipated audience size and composition. Jim Rohn Bio - http://www.jimrohn.com/chairmanboard.asp Rave reviews - http://www.jimrohn.com/ravereviews.asp to find out what others who have experienced Jim Rohn live, including Anthony Robbins, Harvey Mackay, Les Brown, Mark Victor Hansen, Jan Ruhe, Brian Tracy, Vic Conant and others say about Jim Rohn - his philosophies and his message.
THANK YOU FOR READING. HAVE A GREAT WEEK! Copyright/Reprint Info - The contents of this E-zine may be copied, reproduced, or freely distributed for all nonprofit purposes without the consent of the author as long as the author's name and Credit Statement are included. Credit Statement Thank You For Reading. Make it a Great Week!
All contents Copyright © 2004 Jim Rohn International except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Duplication or reprints only with express permission or approved Credits (see above). All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Jim Rohn International
|
