Archive for the ‘Self Empowerment’ Category

Has Your Ego Been Tested Lately?

Posted: November 8, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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The sales industry over the years has had many black eyes. It has been beaten up with negative stereotypes of pushy sales people with questionable ethics. Everyone has a bad salesman story.

But don’t feel bad for the salespeople of the world;  they often end up leading large corporations (Steve Jobs), sports franchises (George Steinbrenner), churches (Billy Graham) and even government (Ronald Reagan). Being in sales is a boot camp that will tear you down and build you up again as a leader.

I remember when I first decided to give sales a shot back in 1999. I had just gotten out of the Army and I decided to go work for a health club in Culver City, California.  I thought that because I was in good shape, it would be easy for me to sell new memberships. It took all of a week for me to realize how much I hated sales.

Sales tested me in ways I never imagined. I almost gave up on it; then I realized that getting into sales was one of the best decisions I’d ever made. All of the pain and discomfort was actually molding me into a better person, both personally and professionally.

Here are eight areas where sales will challenge you:

1.      It will test your EGO.
This is especially tough for the macho man who thinks he knows everything. Sales will force you to realize how much you have to learn.

2.      It will bring out your insecurities.
We all have them. Getting into sales will put you face to face with yours.

3.       It will force you to face rejection… and lots of rejection.
You will be rejected over and over again.

4.      It will test your patience.
Not everyone will buy, or as quickly as you’d like. People will change their minds and cancel their appointments with you.

5.      It will show what you are made of.
You will be tested many times. It might make you consider quitting.

6.      It will reveal laziness.
There’s no skating by in sales. No matter how good you think you are, there will be lots of hours of hard work and persistence involved.

7.      It will pay you what you’re worth, based on your effort & determination
If you’re worth $20k a year, then that is what you’ll earn.  But if you’re worth $250k a year, that’s also what you’ll earn. Your abilities and your effort will determine your paycheck.

 

Now, if you make it past the tests listed above, the industry will reward you greatly:

1.      It will give you a level of confidence you never thought you could possess.
Confidence comes from doing something over and over again until you become an expert at it.

2.      It will give you control in areas of your life that you never had before.
You’ll have control over your time, finances, people you work with, and the list goes on.

3.      It will show you how to solve problems that previously seemed impossible to solve.
Knowing how to solve problems will help you in every aspect of your life.

4.      It will teach you to communicate more effectively with your loves ones.
The communication skills that you have to develop to excel at sales will also improve personal relationships.

5.      It will make you tough.
You stop worrying about things you use to worry about.

6.      It will enable relationships with individuals that elevate your thinking. 
The higher you move up in the world of sales, the more senior level people you will be associating with and selling to. Building relationships with leaders of large organizations will allow you to learn from their insights.

7.      It will let you design your own lifestyle.
You’ll have the opportunity to travel to places you always imagined.  It will allow you to provide the kind of a life you always wanted to provide for your family.

8.      It will give you the opportunity to be a leader in your church, community, family, and business.
Sales molds you into a leader, what you do with newfound leadership skills is up to you and your imagination.

You will first need to go through the tests in order to experience the glory.  Stay strong and keep charging. Good things are around the corner. 

Steve Jobs: Dead at 56,000 Years-Old

Posted: October 7, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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As the world mourns the passing of Steve Jobs, I hear a lot of people say that he died young.  In real-time years perhaps this is true, but I believe Steve Jobs died having lived the life of 1,000 or more men.  It is time we recognize that the physical age at which we die has nothing to do with how well we maxed out the years we lived.

To illustrate my point, imagine two friends, John and Steve. Both graduate from high school at the age of 17. John decides to lead a very safe life: never taking risks, just following the system. He goes to college hoping to land safe and secure employment. He graduates from college and gets a $50,000 job.  It then takes him 15 years to pay off his school loans (if he’s lucky). John eventually gets married and has two kids. After 10 years of working his tail off, he gets laid off and then goes from job to job to make enough money to pay his bills. John starts to realize the system he bought into didn’t work the way he thought it would. So John settles for living an ordinary life of “just getting by.” As John lies on his death bed at the age of 79, he thinks about the highlights of his life experiences: attending a Yankees playoff game with his best friends, and going to Hawaii with his wife on their honeymoon.

John’s friend Steve takes a different path: he decides to max out on life. He becomes an entrepreneur. He takes risks, travels the world, and learns about different cultures and experiences. His failures and struggles build his character. He learns how it feels to have critics belittle you when you fail and second guess your every move. Through the trials, Steve becomes tougher and more committed to his belief that life is about more than just playing it safe.  He celebrates New Year’s in different parts of the world and experiences the best of culture and cuisine everywhere he travels. Steve pays the world back for a lifetime of amazing experiences by using the gifts that God gave him to develop products that improve the lives of millions, create tens of thousands of jobs and donate millions to charity. On his death bed at the age of 56, Steve reflects on a life of experiences that equals the life of 1,000 men who played it safe. 

Our age is just a number and we don’t have much control over our expiration date. What we do have control over is the way that we use the years that are given us. Steve Jobs knew that his time on earth was limited, as it is for all of us. His legacy is more than just great technology products; it is an example of what it means to live every day of your life as if it were your last. Steve Jobs did more in 56 years than a thousand men do in a lifetime.

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.” – Steve Jobs

What Responsibilities Do Men Have to Their Familiy?

Posted: September 13, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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I remember when I was younger and single and I asked myself the hypothetical question “Would I be ok with my daughter marrying a man like me?” That’s a pretty tough question to ask.  You can only imagine being 24-years-old and trying to convince myself that I was good enough kind of man for the daughter I might have someday.

As I got older, it became clear to me what kind of men women date, and what kind of men they marry. Having a shredded 6-pack is nice when trying to get a woman to date you, but it takes a lot more than a nice abs to find a good wife. Now, as I am about to become a father for the first time, I find myself again thinking about the kind of man I want to be and the responsibilities that I will have to my family. It’s up to me to live up to those responsibilities and set an example for my son.

As the Baby Boomer generation ages and retires, generations X and Y will be the examples for today’s youth and generations yet to come. And it’s not enough to be successful role models in technology and business.  Just as important, we must set great examples in our local community, family and personal relationships.

So here is the list of things that I believe men are responsible for providing for their family:

1. Provide security.    

  • Financial Security – Knowing there will be food on the table, a roof over your family’s head, and money saved for a rainy day. Being able to provide the important things in life, like retirement, a down payment for a house, your kid’s education, their wedding, etc.
  • Physical Security — Having a plan and protections in place for natural disasters, home security and emergencies.

2. Create an environment for growth.

  • Look for an environment where your kids get to be around friends that are a good influence and whose family shares your values.
  • Create an environment where both your wife and you have an outlet to speak your minds, work together to resolve conflict, and work as a team.

3. Make church and prayer a priority.

  • I think we’re living in an era where it’s considered controversial to discuss church or your faith.  I’m a big believer that faith and biblical teaching plays a very big role in knowing that everything will be all right. A real man isn’t afraid to admit that he can’t do it alone; he needs guidance from his pastor and strength from God.  Rather than forcing my beliefs on my children, I believe what it says in Proverbs 22:6: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
  • Pray as a family and thank God for what you have. It will teach your children gratitude (and keep you grateful as well).

4. Schedule regular family time.

  • We grew up in Iran and the only day we had off from work was Friday.  Friday there is like Sunday here in America.  My father was a very hard working man who left every morning at 5:00 am and got home at 8:30 pm.  We often wouldn’t see him except on Fridays. He was very predictable on Fridays.  Every Friday we woke up and went to Shahanshahi Park — then we went to church. Afterwards, we had lunch with the entire family and then came home and watched a movie. As a child, I needed that stability of those Friday rituals. No matter how busy my dad was during the week, I knew that on Friday, he was ours all day.

5. Bring the fun in

  • Be spontaneous. Take the family on a spur-of-the-moment trip.  Bring home surprise gifts. Wake-up your little ones in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve to open a present from Santa.  Be creative; imagination is the key to keeping the family fire and fun burning. Fun is a key to strong families. Play games, tell stories, laugh, play sports. Let your kids into your world and let them bring you into theirs. As adults we forget how much fun it can be to use our imaginations and build a fort out of pillows and blankets. As you help your kids to grow up, they will help you stay young.

6. Have an open line of communication.

  • I’m a firm believer that if your kids don’t share their thoughts and concerns with you, they will share with someone else.  I read a book recently on family that explained that what each member of the household needs daily from the man is a few minutes of his undivided attention to discuss their day and thoughts and feelings. There’s an unbreakable bond that forms in those moments of conversation and sharing.

7. Put Mom first

  • Kids need to understand that your wife is your number one priority. Kids are here because of the love and commitment of the husband and wife. Let your kids see you put your wife first and you will earn their respect and teach them by example how to have a great marriage.

8. Make time for home cooking and family mealtime.

  • Home-cooked meals at the dinner table keep the family together. There’s nothing like a house that smells like good food. It’s the best perfume in the world.  Cooking in the kitchen and barbecuing in the back yard is something that the whole family can do together.

9. Share hobbies.

  • I attended a function recently dedicated to the events that took place on 9/11 that totally amazed me.  A friend of mine, Amour and his family, were involved in a unbelievable performance with a group of 140 musicians and singers.  I loved watching him, his wife, and two kids up there singing together. It’s these kinds of experiences that create a connection within the family that will never be broken.  So whatever hobby you’re passionate about, make it something that your family can do together.

10. Be active.

  • Kids today are so into their video games, TV and the internet that they don’t go outside and play and get exercise. So take your family on a hike. Go jogging or ride your bikes together. Play sports with your kids. That’s how dads make sure that the whole family stays healthy, fit and active. It also means that you are more likely to be around for your kids and wife later in life because you will be healthier too.

How to Be Recession Proof

Posted: August 30, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Financial Fundamentals, Self Empowerment
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The recession has hit a lot of companies and industries very hard. Consumer spending accounts for two-thirds of the U.S. economy. In a recession, people tighten their belts and spend less. That creates a vicious cycle in the economy where consumers spend less, businesses sell less, consumer confidence drops, and people spend even less.

The industries hardest hit are in the areas that people
feel they can do without: vacations, dining out, luxury items, remodeling, new cars, etc.  But people don’t completely stop spending money during a recession and some companies have continued to thrive during the last three years of general economic decline. There are some things that people are always willing to pay for, even during a recession. Some industries, like discount stores, counseling services and bankruptcy attorneys flourish during tough economic times.

Companies that provide things that people need on a daily basis also tend to be recession proof. Electricians are still being hired to fix the AC on a hot Sunday. People are buying the iPad and the technology that enhances their life and business. But it’s not just the necessities that do well during a recession. Payton Manning just got his biggest contract
ever.  Actors such as Bradley Cooper are getting paid more than ever to star in movies. Performances in Vegas like Le Reve or Phantom of the Opera keep having jam-packed audiences.

Regardless of what industry you work in, there is one key to being recession proof that applies to everyone: be the best at what you do. If you constantly work at being an EXPERT in your trade, your skills will always be in demand.  If you cut hair for a living, be the stylist that clients wait 3 months to get an appointment with.  If you’re a doctor, be the doctor that other doctors call for a second opinion. If you’re a salesman, become irreplaceable by being the top producer in the company month after month.  If you’re a Realtor, be the one that your clients refer to all their friends.

No matter what you do for a living, regardless of what product or service your company provides, focus on being the top in your field and the best at what you do. Instead of wringing your hands over the economy, concentrate on making yourself indispensible.
Greatness is recession proof.

Sam Walton on recession of 1991: “I was asked what I thought about the recession.
I thought about it and decided that I did not want to take part.”

Is Water Still Blue?

Posted: August 16, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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There are a lot of things that we grow up believing that we find out later are not true. As a kid, if someone asked you what color water is, you might have said blue. But as you got older, you came to understand that water isn’t actually blue; it just looks blue when it’s in a large body like a lake or the ocean.

Maybe when you were growing up you thought that rich people were all selfish and greedy, until later when you got to be friends with someone wealthy and you realized that rich people, just like poor people, come in all types, good and bad. A lot of people are conditioned to believe that getting good grades and going to college is the surefire recipe for success in life.  Some of those same people are unemployed right now with a PhD and wondering how they got that wrong.

We grew up having our minds shaped to believe a certain sets of beliefs that don’t always serve us well.  Have you ever had a conversation with someone where by the time you were done they had challenged your thinking?  Made you question the sets of beliefs that you held to be true your entire life? Did you feel a bit uncomfortable? Did you in the back of your mind want to still believe what you’ve believed all of your life?  Why is that? Well, again, it’s because we grew up thinking that “the water is blue” because it was the easiest answer to believe.

A good friend of mind visited me a while back and the topic of faith came up. I asked him what his beliefs on God are and he told me that he’s an atheist. I asked him how he came to that belief. He didn’t really have a response. He was anticipating for me to invite him to church and encourage him to read the Bible. My suggestion to him was to go read and ask questions and actively seek out the answers. That way, even if he came out an atheist in the end, he would know why he believed that way. Thomas Jefferson once said “Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must more approve the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.”

I think too many of us still believe water is blue because of what our teachers or coaches or even some relatives told us. I firmly believe that one reason our nation is in trouble is because the younger generation is spending more time on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TV, and video games and less time reading books.  Aristotle once said: “All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind are convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth”.

If Generations X and Y don’t take the time to study history and politics, imagine what the next generation will look like.  The history of America will be forgotten. Americans need to study history. That means knowing where this country game from, why our government was designed the way it was. Reading history teaches us the lessons from all the generations before us. Paying attention to current events lets us apply those lessons from history to what’s going on around us. Most importantly, educating yourself allows you to discover if you were right about the water being blue. Sometimes in life we take the easy or convenient answer rather than doing our homework to find out if what we believe is true.

I love this country just like you do. I want to contribute to it and do my share for what America has offered me and my family.  I used to think that one person can’t make a difference.  Then I realized it isn’t hundreds of people who change our lives; it’s usually two or three.  I would encourage all of us to be someone’s “two or three”. Let others challenge your thinking and you challenge theirs. The truth comes out when you do your homework and allow your way of thinking to be challenged. The only way we can see whether the water is really blue is to put it in a glass and look at it up close. Make sure that what you believe is based on truth. Question your beliefs by honestly seeking answers. For answers to questions of faith, politics, or anything important, “seek and ye shall find”.

10 Experiences that can make you wiser

Posted: July 26, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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Wisdom is perhaps the most important quality that we can gain in our lives. But it can’t be bought, sold or created. Wisdom only comes from those life lessons and experiences that stretch our minds and grow our understanding. Some wisdom-bringing experiences are delightful, and some are painful, but with wisdom as a byproduct, they are all worthwhile.

1. Be well traveled.

There’s nothing like the wisdom gained by traveling outside the United States and seeing how others live around the world.  One of the elements of having an “old soul” comes from having a greater understanding of the world around you.

2. Spend time learning about the opposite sex.

The longer you live, the more you come to understand that God created man and woman
with different strengths to fill in for the other’s weakness. Understanding those differences is key to having healthy relationships and knowing when to turn to the other sex and their inherent strength.

3. Meet people from all walks of life.

You can’t gain wisdom if you live in a bubble surrounded by people just like you.  Meeting different people teaches us about different cultures, languages, food, etiquette and customs. Each time you open your mind to new people, you have the opportunity to learn from the best that their culture has to offer.

4. Watch quality movies or television.

Some might claim that watching movies or television is waste of time, which is true
if what you watch is Jackass II or The Jersey Shore. But many movies and shows allow us to explore other lands, times and cultures. They can make us laugh, cry and look inside ourselves for lessons shared by the characters on the screen.  But try to be very choosy
about what shows and movies you invest your valuable time. My wife will tell you that I fall asleep within the first 15 minutes if a movie has no purpose.

5. Read books

Unlike movies, books allow you to paint your own picture using the power of imagination. While you can’t have a live conversation with Einstein, Lincoln, Alexander the Great, Jesus, or MLK, you can have a virtual dialog with them by reading their words. Books transplant us to other times and places that we would never be able to experience firsthand.  What was it like to live in the dust bowl during the Great Depression? Read the Grapes of Wrath. For a glimpse into the civil war, see it through Scarlett’s eyes in Gone with the Wind or Union Soldier Henry Fleming’s story in The Red Badge of Courage.

6. Learn the Lessons of War.

War is awful and sometimes unavoidable. But the most difficult things in life are often great sources of wisdom. War teaches us that freedom is priceless and peace is precious. We realize that we are capable of so much more than we thought when we are fighting for our lives or liberty. Most of us will never be on the front lines, but we can talk to those who have been and ask them to share their experiences. We can read the stories of fallen heroes. And we can gain wisdom from those who have fought, and died, for something greater than themselves.

7. Mourn the loss of a loved one.

Losing someone you love, especially unexpectedly, can be the most difficult experience
of a lifetime. It’s devastating to realize that you will have no more memories to create with the person you lost. The Bible tells us* that sometimes it’s better to mourn than to laugh because mourning brings us together and challenges us to be grateful for all the loved ones that are still here with us.

* Eccl. 7:2-3 “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.  Sorrow is
better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.”

8. Have people around you who disagree with you.

We grow from having individuals that challenge our thinking.  We don’t grow from only having people around that agree on everything. No one person ever did anything great completely alone — they all had help. The idea that one person can change the world alone is crazy.  An idea by an individual CAN stimulate a change that affects the world. But first that idea must go through the cleansing fire of positive feedback and negative criticism.

9. Survive a near-death experience.

While this isn’t something that you can plan, those that have come close to losing
their lives usually come out of it with a much greater appreciation for life. They understand like never before the joy in a hug, the treasure of family and friends, and the value of a sunrise. They have a zeal for life that comes from truly understanding that any minute might be your last.

10. Experience trials and tribulations.

This point is very simple:  we don’t evolve if we’re not challenged. Wisdom comes from trials and obstacles that we learn from and get through.

Is the God of Success in Your Favor?

Posted: June 29, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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I was watching a movie the other day that made me think about the ancient Greeks and how they had a god for just about everything.  The complete list has over 100 gods on it for everything from comedy and dancing to death.

Here are a few examples:

  • Apollo – God of the sun, music, healing, and herding
  • Athena – Goddess of wisdom, poetry, art, and the strategic side of war
  • Dionysus – God of wine and pleasure (Currently living in Las Vegas)
  • Poseidon – God of the sea and earthquakes
  • Hera – Goddess of marriage
  • Hypnos – God of sleep
  • Hygea – Goddess of cleanliness and hygiene.

But I noticed that that Greeks seem to have a god for everything except Success.

However, let’s just say metaphorically there was a god of success who was looking down upon us. Do you ever wonder why some experience such incredible things in life with such ease that they seem larger than life?  But are they really larger than life or did they figure something out that others have not?  If there were a god of success today, what would he expect from us? What would he require of us to bestow his gift of success?

Consider these two famous quotes:

“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it” – Winston Churchill

“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans” – Woody Allen

How can it be that we have the ability to write our own story in history, but also be at the mercy of powers beyond our control?

I believe that God is willing to give us the desires of our heart if and only if
we’re clear about what we want and we’re willing to go out of our way to make it a reality.  If your desire is to land on the moon, he’ll provide the people, the minds and the technology to make it available to you to go to the moon.  If you look back in your life and think of instances where you wanted something so bad that nothing could get in your way, did you eventually get it?  If you didn’t get it, did you come to realize that maybe it wasn’t as important as you thought it was?

Although there is no god of success, there IS a God that wants us to be successful; He is the one that puts the dream in our hearts. He can and does bless us and he does open doors for us. But, he doesn’t do the work for us.  The magic formula happens when we combine our own Herculean efforts with God’s divine blessing.

The Secret Lessons of the Iranian Revolution

Posted: March 15, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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The emperors and tyrants of history all understood that the key to their power was keeping their subjects ignorant and dependent. That is why throughout human history, illiteracy has been a tool used to keep power from the people. Whether it was laws against teaching slaves to read 150 years ago or China’s censorship of the Internet today, those who abuse power will deny access to information as a way to control their citizens.

A great example of this is seen in the recent movie “The Book of Eli.” In the movie, Denzel Washington’s character Eli has the last copy of the Bible in a post-apocalyptic world and is on a quest to share it with those who would use it to rebuild the human race. He reaches a village ruled by a dictator named Carnegie (Gary Oldman) who also wants the Book, but only for his evil purposes. The secret lesson of the “The Book of Eli” is found in how Carnegie keeps his village illiterate, knowing that he if can keep his people from reading, they will forever be dependent on him and he would grow in power.

But when we have understanding based on knowledge, we are far less likely to be led astray or fall for false promises. I remember as a boy growing up in Iran what happened when a new regime came in and changed a once great nation by using false promises. The tyrannical regime replaced any hope for democracy and instead, there was a move to keep Iranians ignorant. Newspapers, bookstores and universities were closed, and teachers were replaced with clergy. Local leaders were replaced with those who were not well-educated on politics and governance. The people of Iran had hoped for “change,” but were now stuck with a different kind of tyranny. Today, the oppressed Iranian people are left trying to educate themselves on what happened to their country and fight back against empty promises. What we can learn from the revolution in Iran is the importance of being informed enough to separate out the leaders worth following from the charlatans looking to grow their own power. This happens every single day all over the world when people depend on others to do their thinking for them. Karl Marx once said that the uneducated masses were “useful idiots” who could be persuaded to fight for a cause ultimately not in their best interest.

Unfortunately, with modern technology and 1,000 channels to choose from, we are becoming a society that wants our information to be spoon-fed in sound bites and headlines. We spend all day surfing the Internet, playing games, or watching mindless entertainment, which keeps us away from reading and building our own identity. 

Mass media can be fun, but it can also replace the real in-depth information that comes from reading. Only with a quest for knowledge can we truly understand the complexities of life, history and world events. Being well-read is the key to being able to think for yourself, rather than relying on the conclusions of others.  Reading will protect you from being led astray in business, investments, and politics.  Reading empowers you to move forward in the pursuit of your dreams, with the confidence to analyze your choices and make the right decisions.

I’m a living example of the power of reading. I started out as uneducated kid who barely passed high school and hated to read. I made a decision to start reading when a mentor told me that “leaders are readers.”  In 12 years, I have read close to 600 books on all different topics, and I am not the same man that I was in 1999. My identity and confidence has been exponentially strengthened by each and every one of those books.

I want to challenge you to read 15 minutes every morning when you wake up and 30 minutes at night before you go to sleep.  Feel free to message me on Facebook if you’d like any suggestions on books on different topics. 

Here are just some of the many benefits of reading:

1.      Have a personal opinion on many topics.
Don’t just know WHAT you believe, but WHY you believe it.

2.      Gain new insights.
What you read next may be the key to unlock a new understanding that will take you to your next successes in life.

3.      Gain wisdom from other’s mistakes and successes.
Learning from other people’s experiences is a great way to avoid the frustration of learning only from trial and error.

4.      Keep your mind sharp.
The mind is like any muscle in the body, the more your exercise it, the stronger that it gets. Reading will give you an edge in whatever you do.

5.      Prevent the possibility of being manipulated or misled.
Knowledge is the best defense against false information.

6.      Accelerate your success.
Reading allows you to get to that next level by taking your thinking to the next level.

7.      Increase confidence.
You will believe in yourself more when that belief is rooted in education and understanding.

8.      Feel comfortable in conversations with high identity folks.
We have talked a lot on this blog about the importance of associations. Reading will help you relate better in meetings and social situations.

9.      Learn the history of the world.
You’ve heard the saying that those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it. The more you know about history, the more you will be able to understand what has worked, and not worked in the past.

10.   Have a better grip on politics.
In our republic we elect representatives to make governing decisions for us. But knowing who to vote for requires enough of an understanding of the issues to decide which candidate to support. Whether you are in to politics or not, the decisions made by our elected leaders affect all of us. It is therefore our responsibility to take an interest in who we choose to represent us and why.

11.   Strengthen your gift of imagination.
Even as an adult, we can hold onto the imagination of a child through reading.

12.   Learn about the secret of money.
Why is it that if you took all the wealth of the world away, within 5 years most of the same people would be wealthy again? The good news is that many people who have had success have written books on how they did it.

13.   Have more fun.
Once you get in the habit, reading will be one of your favorite forms of relaxation and entertainment.

14.    Get a promotion at your job
Think about what stands between you and the next level of success at your job? Chances are there is a book that can help you bridge that gap.

15.   Become better at solving problems
Problems are simply challenges that we don’t yet know how to overcome. If you have a problem in your marriage, your finances, getting along with your boss or getting your teenager to listen to you, your problem is not unique. Seek out the knowledge of those who have faced and overcome those same challenges.

Rest, If You Must, But Don’t You Quit* – 10 Reasons to Never Give Up

Posted: March 11, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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I’m a firm believer that God has plans for all of us. He’s given all of us a special set of gifts to do something exceptional with it in our lives. Whether it’s the gift of humor, skill with math, or being great with people, each person’s unique talents are designed for a purpose. I meet so many people on a daily basis that are super gifted and yet at one point of their lives they made it a habit to give up on their dreams and squander the potential of their God-given gifts.

So many Americans are going through challenging times today and it’s during these times that we need to find our inner strength. Whether our challenges are financial, family-related, physical, emotional, or spiritual, persons of faith recognize that the possibility for greatness is right around the corner for anyone willing to fight for their dreams. Reaching your goals is a marathon, not a sprint, and those that reach the finish line are the ones that keep going past the point when many others give up.

When the race seems too long or the hill too steep, here are some reasons to never quit:

1. It’s easy to find a reason to quit.
No matter how good or bad your life is going, you can always find an excuse to give up. But it works the other way too. If you look for a reason to keep going, you can find that too.

2. When you quit, you send the message that you never thought you could do it in the first place.
Actions speak louder than words. In the end no matter what they hear you say, people will watch what you do.

3. Believe it or not, some people will be glad that you quit.
They may not say it, but unfortunately many people you know will hope for you to give up. This is for the simple reason that your dedication to your goal will remind them of their own unrealized potential. Rather than proving your doubters right, let your dedication inspire.

4. You’ll never know what would have happened if you stuck it out.
You know what happens if you give up — you end up right where you started. The hard part is having the vision to see the reward that lies at the end of the race.

5. The consequences of quitting are a lot higher than sticking it out.
No matter how high a price you’ll pay to keep going, the price of abandoning your dreams carries the greater cost.

6. When you quit, you set a mental precedent to quit again.
Think about a person who has tried to diet and failed several times. Their belief in their ability to lose weight is actually diminished with each abondoned attempt. Quitting and perseverance are both habit forming. Which habit do you want to develop?

7. Anything worthwhile takes time, sacrifice, and effort.
The more difficult the challenge, the more rewarding the victory. The most meaningful accomplishments in life are those that don’t come quickly or easily.

8. You’re a lot closer than you think you are.
Sadly, many people give up not realizing that success is right around the corner. There are not always clear markers in achieving a difficult goal. The finish line could be just around the next bend.

9. The process shapes you before success rewards you.
Setting difficult goals will stretch you, teach you perseverance and ultimately build your belief in yourself. It is the process that develops you. Greatness doesn’t come overnight, but it is forged by every inch of progress we fight for in pursuit of a worthwhile goal.

10. Life is a lot more fun when you’re in the hunt for something.
We only get one life to live. When you’re fighting for a cause, a dream, or something greater than yourself you will find the enthusiasm, passion and joy that makes life a great adventure.

* I’d like to leave you with an inspirational poem by an unknown author. This famous poem is untitled, but it has been come to be known simply as “Don’t Quit.”

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow–
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out–
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit–
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown

Feel the Burn: 6 Reasons Why Exercise Increases Success

Posted: February 8, 2011 in By Patrick Bet-David, Self Empowerment
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We’re living in competitive times. Exercise can give you an edge to help you succeed in today’s business world.  In life, principles of success never change.  The same qualities that it takes to win in sports helps you win in business. High achievers understand the importance of exercise and proper diet because the same mentality applies to success.

The benefits of exercise can be seen in the mind, body and spirit. Here are six reasons why exercise will help you succeed in business:

1.       Increased Energy – Do you ever get tired at the end of business day?  Ever wonder why some people seem to have boundless energy?  More often than not, if you study high-energy people you will find that they eat healthy foods and they make time for exercise.  Becoming the best you can be in any industry requires the extraordinary energy to take it to the next level. Studies have been done to prove that exercise fights fatigue and boosts energy. If you feel too tired or over-worked to exercise, you probably need more exercise.

2.       Sharper Mind – Have you ever been in a long meeting where you were having trouble concentrating or brainstorming the next great idea?  Those who achieve greatness approach every challenge as a problem to be solved. This takes mental energy as well as physical energy. Exercising increases both.      

3.       Valuable Associations – The gym can be a great place to meet people. Typically you find driven, energetic people at the gym.  As I noted in my earlier blog on the value of networking, the connections that you make and the network that you build are essential components of success. Next time you are at the gym, start up a conversation with the person on the treadmill next to you. You never know where that introduction will lead.

4.       Look Good, Feel Good - People usually want to do business with folks who feel good about themselves. It’s amazing how much confidence we built up when we feel good about the way we look. You may find that getting in shape gives you the boost of confidence to achieve other goals as well.

5.       Lower Stress Level - Exercise has been proven to relax the body and mind, improve cardiovascular system, bring in more oxygen and lower blood pressure, just to name a few health benefits. Exercise reduces stress on a physiological level and it also gives you an outlet for pent up tension. If you take your stress out at the gym, on the tennis court or with a nice long jog, you will be less likely to take it out on a spouse or your children. 

6.       Get More Out of Your Personal Life – The increased stamina that comes with exercise will actually give you more quality time with your family and friends. Having the energy to play with your kids or go out with your spouse or friends will mean a more dynamic personal life.  Having a fulfilling life outside of work will increase your energy and motivation to succeed at work.

Most people are very busy working to pay the bills and raising a family. It’s easy to feel like there is no time for exercise. The reality is that by fitting regular exercise into your life, you will improve many other areas of your life. Learn to push yourself to the next level in fitness and you may find yourself at the next level of success.

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