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Issue 121 - February 26, 2002 - Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine
Welcome to JIM ROHN'S WEEKLY E-ZINE Jim Rohn International - The Official Site of America's Foremost Business Philosopher “Financial independence is the ability to live from the income of your own personal resources." Jim Rohn Today's issue includes: 1. Article – Nitty-Gritty Reasons by Jim Rohn
Wouldn't it be wonderful to be motivated to achievement by such a lofty goal as benevolence? I must confess, however, that in the early years of my struggle to succeed, my motivation was a lot more down-to-earth. My reason for succeeding was more basic. In fact, it fell into the category of what I like to call "nitty-gritty reasons." A nitty-gritty reason is the kind that any one of us can have -- at any time, on any day -- and it can cause our lives to change. Let me tell you what happened to me . . . Shortly before I met Mr. Shoaff, I was lounging at home one day when I heard a knock at the door. It was a timid, hesitant knock. When I opened the door I looked down to see a pair of big brown eyes staring up at me. There stood a frail little girl of about ten. She told me, with all the courage and determination her little heart could muster, that she was selling Girl Scout cookies. It was a masterful presentation -- several flavors, a special deal, and only two dollars per box. How could anyone refuse? Finally, with a big smile and ever so politely, she asked me to buy. And I wanted to. Oh, how I wanted to! Except for one thing. I didn't have two dollars! Boy, was I embarrassed! Here I was -- a father, had been to college, was gainfully employed -- and yet I didn't have two dollars to my name. Naturally I couldn't tell this to the little girl with the big brown eyes. So I did the next best thing. I lied to her. I said, "Thanks, but I've already bought Girl Scout cookies this year. And I've still got plenty stacked in the house." Now that simply wasn't true. But it was the only thing I could think of to get me off the hook. And it did. The little girl said, "That's okay, sir. Thank you very much." And with that she turned around and went on her way. I stared after her for what seemed like a very long time. Finally, I closed the door behind me and, leaning my back to it, cried out, "I don't want to live like this anymore. I've had it with being broke, and I've had it with lying. I'll never be embarrassed again by not having any money in my pocket." That day I promised myself to earn enough to always have several hundred dollars in my pocket at all times. This is what I mean by a nitty-gritty reason. It may not win me any prize for greatness, but it was enough to have a permanent effect on the rest of my life. My Girl-Scout-cookie story does have a happy ending. Several years later, as I was walking out of my bank where I had just made a hefty deposit and was crossing the street to get into my car, I saw two little girls who were selling candy for some girls' organization. One of them approached me, saying, "Mister, would you like to buy some candy?" "I probably would," I said playfully. "What kind of candy do you have?" "It's almond roca." "Almond roca. That's my favorite. How much is it?" "It's only two dollars." Two dollars. It couldn't be! I was excited. "How many boxes of candy have you got?" "I've got five." Looking at her friend, I said, "And how many boxes do you have left?" "I've got four." "That's nine. Okay, I'll take them all." At this, both girls' mouths fell open as they exclaimed in unison, "Really?" "Sure," I said. "I've got some friends that I'll pass some around to." Excitedly, they scurried to stack all the boxes together. I reached into my pocket and gave them eighteen dollars. As I was about to leave, the boxes tucked under my arm, one of the girls looked up and said, "Mister, you're really something!" How about that! Can you imagine spending only eighteen dollars and having someone look you in the face and say, "You're really something!" Now you know why I always carry a few hundred dollars on me. I'm not about to miss chances like that ever again. And to think it all resulted from my own embarrassment, that when properly channeled, acted as a powerful motivator to help me achieve. How about you? What nitty-gritty reasons do you have waiting to challenging and provoke you into change for the better? Look for them, they are there. Sometimes it can be as simple as a brown-eyed girl selling Girl Scott cookies. To Your Success,
COMMUNICATION/PERSUASION by Jim Rohn Better understated than overstated. Let people be surprised that it was more than you promised and easier than you said. For effective communication, use brevity. Jesus said, "Follow me." Now that's brief! He could be brief because of all that he was that he didn't have to say. You cannot speak that which you do not know. You cannot share that which you do not feel. You cannot translate that which you do not have. And you cannot give that which you do not possess. To give it and to share it, and for it to be effective, you first need to have it. Good communication starts with good preparation. The goal of effective communication should be for listeners to say, "Me, too!" verses "So what?" Learn to express, not impress. Be brief on the logic and reason portion of your presentation. There are probably about a thousand facts about an automobile, but you don't need them all to make a decision. About a half dozen will do. Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know. What is powerful is when what you say is just the tip of the iceberg of what you know. It's not the matter you cover so much as it is the manner in which you cover it.
Here are three methods of developing a burning desire to succeed. They will work — if you want them to. 1. The greatest obstacle to developing desire is a conviction that we´ll never be able to fulfill it. So many people discourage desire to avoid the frustration they may encounter. If you don´t have a burning desire to better your life, you´re cheating yourself and your loved ones with phony excuses. You´re choosing a level of life that´s poor compared to what you could have with the extra exertion you´re capable of. It´s all on your shoulders and there´s no way you can shift a bit of the responsibility to anyone else. 2. Focus on the specific things you want. Make agreements with yourself. When I do this, I get that. Don´t try to make yourself work for nothing. 3. Take it in steps. If you´ve never made more than minimum wage, don´t aim for half a million dollars the first year. The essential element is faith in yourself. I know former migrant farm workers who came out of the fields and make themselves wealthy. If your sunshine wants far outstrip your cold morning desire, have a talk with yourself, then have a lot more talks. Convince yourself you can succeed and will succeed.
“I used to say, ‘Things cost too much.´ Then my teacher straightened me out on that by saying, ‘the problem isn't that things cost too much. The problem is that you can't afford it.´ That's when I finally understood that the problem wasn't ‘it´ - the problem was ‘me´.’ Jim Rohn 4. Jim Rohn Testimonials - February 18 -February 25, 2002 Here are some of the dozens of testimonials and comments we received over the past week from E-zine subscribers.
I am a business coach who has been a fan of Jim for many years. I have several of his books and tapes. I also publish an e-zine for my practice and would like to include Jim's articles on leadership and personal development. I have been receiving Jim Rohn's Weekly newsletter since august 1999! It's really great! I'm looking forward to every issue! I saw Jim at MDRT in 96 (or 97) at a very low point in my personal life, and he was very inspiring...its only now that I am getting close to really reaching the potential he so aptly calls everyone to...have a good one! My giving back is to work with these kids to establish a strong development program. I concentrate on the distinctions of "Doing what works" vs. "Looking good" or "being right" Your work is perfect for these kids, Jim! Once again I look forward to getting the Jim Rohn weekly E Zine. I can not begin to say how much I place my faith in Jim Rohn, (must be the only guy I listen and learn and trust and have never met him) anyway within 5 years I have gone from working in telesales to Channel Contract Manager with a large International company + a company BMW and when people ask how I did it I say "Jim Rohn". Thank you for your great work, you have a fan for life, keep up the great work, its added value to my life. The best. I saw Jim Rohn at several Herbalife events in the U.S. and loved him!!! My son, now 15 saw him in an intimate seminar in Boston 5 years ago. He got his autograph, took fantastic notes and learned things that he has continued to apply in his daily life. What an inspiration to improve in everything! I believe reading and listening to Mr. Rohn will help my personal development, which will in turn help my life considerably. My mentor, a man named Dan Miller, introduced me to Mr. Rohn through an old worn-out nearly inaudible tape he acquired from Amway - a one-hour lecture entitled "The Gifts" as I recall. That was in the early '80s. I was in my mid-twenties, a high school dropout working in a tiny customer service cubicle at a minimum wage job who went on to become a marketing director in the software industry paying far more in taxes than I ever earned from a yearly salary. Mr. Rohn inspired me to begin keeping a journal way back when and the benefits have been incalculable to me and my family. Jim is the greatest. Helped me move my life in a new direction. I have been extremely impressed and inspired to begin really pursuing all of my dreams. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us so we too can have some success by listening to you and following your advice. Love your 'zine! Look forward to seeing it in my inbox! Jeffrey (Gitomer), I was recently introduced to you thanks to the Jim Rohn Millennium Edition purchase. Being a young father of almost 3, I've had to re-arrange my schedule to accommodate my life ambition of becoming acquainted in the PD industry. I've committed and will maintain getting up everyday at 3am and study and absorb for all the years I was 'dormant'. Big plans I guess you can say! I feel compelled to email you, as I believe it is warranted. At three in the morning I was not prepared for what I was about to hear on DVD 4. Tremendous Jones and yourself had me laughing for two hours! You have been given a Godly gift of which I'm sure you had to work very, very hard to develop. Your humor, style and delivery of information were out of this world! My wish and hope is that I too someday will be as polished and an exception speaker as yourself! God Bless (Actually I believe he already has!) It has been a pleasure reading your newsletter. Thank you E-zine readers, for the sincere and kind words of encouragement and appreciation you sent us this week! --JRI “As a leader you should always start with where people are before you try to take them to where you want them to go.’ Jim Rohn 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 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
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
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