The HedgeHog Concept by Jim Collins

This concept is from the book "Good to Great" by Jim Collins:

http://www.jimcollins.com/lab/hedgehog/

The essential strategic difference between the good-to-great and comparison companies lay in two fundamental distinctions. First, the good-to-great companies founded their strategies on deep understanding along three key dimensions—what we came to call the three circles. Second, the good-to-great companies translated that understanding into a simple, crystalline concept that guided all their efforts—hence the term Hedgehog Concept.

More precisely, a Hedgehog Concept is a simple, crystalline concept that flows from deep understanding about the intersection of the following three circles:

1. What you can be the best in the world at (and, equally important, what you cannot be the best in the world at).

This discerning standard goes far beyond core competence. Just because you possess a core competence doesn’t necessarily mean you can be the best in the world at it. Conversely, what you can be the best at might not even be something in which you are currently engaged.

2. What drives your economic engine.

All the good-to-great companies attained piercing insight into how to most effectively generate sustained and robust cash flow and profitability. In particular, they discovered the single denominator—profit per x—that had the greatest impact on their economics. (It would be cash flow per x in the social sector.)

3. What you are deeply passionate about.

The good-to-great companies focused on those activities that ignited their passion. The idea here is not to stimulate passion but to discover what makes you passionate.

To quickly grasp the three circles, consider the following personal analogy. Suppose you were able to construct a work life that meets the following three tests.

First, you are doing work for which you have a genetic or God-given talent, and perhaps you could become one of the best in the world in applying that talent. (“I feel I was just born to be doing this.”)

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Second, you are well paid for what you do. (“I get paid to do this? Am I dreaming?”)

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Third, you are doing work you are passionate about and absolutely love to do, enjoying the actual process for its own sake. (“I look forward to getting up and throwing myself into my daily work, and I really believe in what I'm doing.”)

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If you could drive toward the intersection of these three circles and translate that intersection into a simple, crystalline concept that guided your life choices, then you’d have a Hedgehog Concept for yourself.

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To have a fully developed Hedgehog Concept, you need all three circles. If you make a lot of money doing things at which you could never be the best, you’ll only build a successful company, not a great one. If you become the best at something, you’ll never remain on top if you don't have intrinsic passion for what you are doing. Finally, you can be passionate all you want, but if you can’t be the best at it or it doesn’t make economic sense, then you might have a lot of fun, but you won’t produce great results.

Age the Best Way You Can, by MM Lee Kuan Yew

"Stay interested in the world, take on a challenge" Lee Kwan Yew

*This is Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's advice on ageing the best way one can. He shared some personal insights into how he himself deals with ageing. Here is the transcript of his remarks.

*This story was first published on Jan 12, 2008.*

MY CONCERN today is, what is it I can tell you which can add to your knowledge about ageing and what ageing societies can do. You know more about this subject than I do. A lot of it is out in the media, Internet and books.

So I thought the best way would be to take a personal standpoint and tell you how I approach this question of ageing.

If I cast my mind back, I can see turning points in my physical and mental health. You know, when you're young, I didn't bother, I assumed good health was God-given and would always be there. When I was about - 1957 - I was about 34, we were competing in elections, and I was really fond of drinking beer and smoking. And after the election campaign, in Victoria Memorial Hall - we had won the election, the City Council election - I couldn't thank the voters because I had lost my voice. I'd been smoking furiously. I'd take a packet of 10 to deceive myself, but I'd run through the packet just sitting on the stage, watching the crowd, getting the feeling, the mood before I speak. In other words, there were three speeches a night. Three speeches a night, 30 cigarettes, a lot of beer after that, and the voice was gone.

I remember I had a case in Kuching, Sarawak. So I took the flight and I felt awful. I had to make up my mind whether I was going to be an effective campaigner and a lawyer, in which case I cannot destroy my voice, and I can't go on. So I stopped smoking. It was a tremendous deprivation because I was addicted to it. And I used to wake up dreaming... the nightmare was I resumed smoking.

But I made a choice and said, if I continue this, I will not be able to do my job. I didn't know anything about cancer of the throat or oesophagus or the lungs, etc. But it turned out it had many other deleterious effects. Strangely enough after that, I became very allergic, hyper-allergic to smoking, so much so that I would plead with my Cabinet ministers not to smoke in the Cabinet room. You want to smoke, please go out, because I am allergic.

Then one day I was at the home of my colleague, Mr Rajaratnam, meeting foreign correspondents including some from the London Times and they took a picture of me and I had a big belly like that (puts his hands in front of his belly), a beer belly. I felt no, no, this will not do. So I started playing more golf, hit hundreds of balls on the practice tee. But this didn't go down. There was only one way it could go down: consume less, burn up more.

Another turning point came when - this was 1976, after the general election - I was feeling tired. I was breathing deeply at the Istana, on the lawns. My daughter, who at that time just graduating as a doctor, said: 'What are you trying to do?' I said: 'I feel an effort to breathe in more oxygen.' She said: 'Don't play golf. Run. Aerobics.'

So she gave me a book, quite a famous book and, then, very current in America on how you score aerobic points: swimming, running, whatever it is, cycling. I looked at it sceptically. I wasn't very keen on running. I was keen on golf. So I said, 'Let's try'. So in-between golf shots while playing on my own, sometimes nine holes at the Istana, I would try and walk fast between shots. Then I began to run between shots. And I felt better. After a while, I said: 'Okay, after my golf, I run.' And after a few years, I said: 'Golf takes so long. The running takes 15 minutes. Let's cut out the golf and let's run.'

I think the most important thing in ageing is you got to understand yourself. And the knowledge now is all there. When I was growing up, the knowledge wasn't there. I had to get the knowledge from friends, from doctors. But perhaps the most important bit of knowledge that the doctor gave me was one day, when I said: 'Look, I 'm feeling slower and sluggish.'

So he gave me a medical encyclopaedia and he turned the pages to ageing. I read it up and it was illuminating. A lot of it was difficult jargon but I just skimmed through to get the gist of it.

As you grow, you reach 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and then, thereafter, you are on a gradual slope down physically. Mentally, you carry on and on and on until I don't know what age, but mathematicians will tell you that they know best output is when they're in their 20s and 30s when your mental energy is powerful and you haven't lost many neurons. That's what they tell me.

So, as you acquire more knowledge, you then craft a programme for yourself to maximise what you have. It's just common sense. I never planned to live till 85 or 84. I just didn't think about it. I said: 'Well, my mother died when she was 74, she had a stroke. My father died when he was 94.' But I saw him, and he lived a long life, well, maybe it was his DNA. But more than that, he swam every day and he kept himself busy. He was working for the Shell company. He was in charge, he was a superintendent of an oil depot. When he retired, he started becoming a salesman. So people used to tell me: 'Your father is selling watches at BP de Silva.'

My father was then living with me. But it kept him busy. He had that routine: He meets people, he sells watches, he buys and sells all kinds of semi-precious stones, he circulates coins. And he keeps going. But at 87, 88, he fell, going down the steps from his room to the dining room, broke his arm, three months incapacitated. Thereafter, he couldn't go back to swimming.

Then he became wheelchair-bound. Then it became a problem because my house was constructed that way. So my brother - who's a doctor and had a flat (one-level) house - took him in. And he lived on till 94. But towards the end, he had gradual loss of mental powers.

So my calculations, I'm somewhere between 74 and 94. And I've reached the halfway point now. But have I?

Well, 1996 when I was 73, I was cycling and I felt tightening on the neck. Oh, I must retire today. So I stopped. Next day, I returned to the bicycle. After five minutes it became worse. So I said, no, no, this is something serious, it's got to do with the blood vessels. Rung up my doctor, who said, 'Come tomorrow'. Went tomorrow, he checked me, and said: 'Come back tomorrow for an angiogram.' I said: 'What's that?' He said: 'We'll pump something in and we'll see whether the coronary arteries are cleared or blocked.' I was going to go home.

But an MP who was a cardiologist happened to be around, so he came in and said: 'What are you doing here?' I said: 'I've got this.' He said: 'Don't go home. You stay here tonight. I've sent patients home and they never came back. Just stay here. They'll put you on the monitor. They'll watch your heart. And if anything, an emergency arises, they will take you straight to the theatre. You go home. You've got no such monitor. You may never come back.'

So I stayed there. Pumped in the dye, yes it was blocked, the left circumflex, not the critical, lead one. So that's lucky for me.

Two weeks later, I was walking around, I felt it's coming back. Yes, it has come back, it had occluded. So this time they said: 'We'll put in a stent.' I'm one of the first few in Singapore to have the stent, so it was a brand new operation. Fortunately, the man who invented the stent was out here selling his stent.

He was from San Jose, La Jolla something (or the other). So my doctor got hold of him and he supervised the operation. He said put the stent in. My doctor did the operation, he just watched it all and then that's that. That was before all this problem about lining the stent to make sure that it doesn't occlude and create a disturbance. So at each stage, I learnt something more about myself and I stored that.

I said: 'Oh, this is now a danger point.' So all right, cut out fats, change diet, went to see a specialist in Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital. He said: 'Take statins.' I said: 'What's that?' He said: '(They) help to reduce your cholesterol.' My doctors were concerned. They said: 'You don't need it. Your cholesterol levels are okay. ' Two years later, more medical evidence came out. So the doctors said: 'Take statins.' Had there been no angioplasty, had I not known that something was up and I cycled on, I might have gone at 74 like my mother. So I missed that deadline.

So next deadline: my father's fall at 87. I'm very careful now because sometimes when I turn around too fast, I feel as if I'm going to get off balance. So my daughter, a neurologist, she took me to the NNI, there's this nerve conduction test, put electrodes here and there. The transmission of the messages between the feet and the brain has slowed down. So all the exercise, everything, effort put in, I'm fit, I swim, I cycle. But I can't prevent this losing of conductivity of the nerves and this transmission. So just go slow. So when I climb up the steps, I have no problem. When I go down the steps, I need to be sure that I've got something I can hang on to, just in case. So it's a constant process of adjustment.

But I think the most important single lesson I learnt in life was that if you isolate yourself, you're done for.

The human being is a social animal - he needs stimuli, he needs to meet people, to catch up with the world.

I don't much like travel but I travel very frequently despite the jet lag, because I get to meet people of great interest to me, who will help me in my work as chairman of our GIC. So I know, I'm on several boards of banks, international advisory boards of banks, of oil companies and so on. And I meet them and I get to understand what's happening in the world, what has changed since I was here one month ago, one year ago. I go to India, I go to China. And that stimuli brings me to the world of today. I'm not living in the world, when I was active, more active 20, 30 years ago. So I tell my wife. She woke up late today. I said: 'Never mind, you come along by 12 o'clock. I go first.'

If you sit back - because part of the ending part of the encyclopaedia which I read was very depressing - as you get old, you withdraw from everything and then all you will have is your bedroom and photographs and the furniture that you know, and that's your world. So if you've got to go to hospital, the doctor advises you to bring some photographs so that you'll know you're not lost in a different world, that this is like your bedroom. I'm determined that I will not, as long as I can, to be reduced, to have my horizons closed on me like that. It is the stimuli, it is the constant interaction with people across the world that keeps me aware and alive to what's going on and what we can do to adjust to this different world.

In other words, you must have an interest in life. If you believe that at 55, you're retiring, you're going to read books, play golf and drink wine, then I think you're done for. So statistically they will show you that all the people who retire and lead sedentary lives, the pensioners die off very quickly. So we now have a social problem with medical sciences, new procedures, new drugs, many more people are going to live long lives. If the mindset is that when I reach retirement age 62, I'm old, I can't work anymore, I don't have to work, I just sit back, now is the time I'll enjoy life, I think you're making the biggest mistake of your life.

After one month, or after two months, even if you go travelling with nothing to do, with no purpose in life, you will just degrade, you'll go to seed. The human being needs a challenge, and my advice to every person in Singapore and elsewhere: Keep yourself interested, have a challenge. If you're not interested in the world and the world is not interested in you, the biggest punishment a man can receive is total isolation in a dungeon, black and complete withdrawal of all stimuli, that's real torture.

So when I read that people believe, Singaporeans say: 'Oh, 62 I'm retiring.' I say to them: 'You really want to die quickly?' If you want to see sunrise tomorrow or sunset, you must have a reason, you must have the stimuli to keep going.'

Four Essentials for Happiness by Brian Tracy

You may have a thousand different goals over the course of your lifetime, but they all will fall into one of four basic categories. Everything you do is an attempt to enhance the quality of your life in one or more of these areas.

The first category is your desire for happy relationships. You want to love and be loved by others. You want to have a happy, harmonious home life. You want to get along well with the people around you, and you want to earn the respect of the people you respect. Your involvement in social and community affairs results from your desire to have happy interactions with others and to make a contribution to the society you live in.

The second category is your desire for interesting and challenging work. You want to make a good living, of course, but more than that, you want to really enjoy your occupation or profession. The very best times of your life are when you are completely absorbed in your work.

The third category is your desire for financial independence. You want to be free from worries about money. You want to have enough money in the bank so that you can make decisions without counting your pennies. You want to achieve a certain financial state so that you can retire in comfort and never have to be concerned about whether or not you have enough money to support your lifestyle. Financial independence frees you from poverty and a need to depend upon others for your livelihood. If you save and invest regularly throughout your working life, you will eventually reach the point where you will never have to work again.

The fourth and final category is your desire for good health, to be free of pain and illness and to have a continuous flow of energy and feelings of well-being. In fact, your health is so central to your life that you take it for granted until something happens to disrupt it.

Peace of mind is essential for every one of these. The greater your peace of mind, the more relaxed and positive you are, the less stress you suffer, the better is your overall health.

The more peace of mind you have, the better are your relationships, the more optimistic, friendly and confident you are with everyone in your life. When you feel good about yourself on the inside, you do your work better and take more pride in it. You are a better boss and coworker. And the greater your overall peace of mind, the more likely you are to earn a good living, save regularly for the future and ultimately achieve financial independence.

Life is very much a study of attention. Whatever you dwell upon and think about grows and expands in your life. The more you pay attention to your relationships, the quality and quantity of your work, your finances and your health, the better they will become and the happier you will be.

ACTION EXERCISES

Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, take time on a regular basis to think about what would make you really happy in each of the four areas.

Second, set specific, measurable goals for improvement in your relationships, your health, your work and your finances and write them down.

Third, resolve to do something every day to increase the quality of some area of your life - and then keep your resolution.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

This is Dale Carnegie's summary of his book, from 1936

Part One: Fundamental Techniques in Handling People
Don't criticize, condemn or complain.
Give honest and sincere appreciation.
Arouse in the other person an eager want.

Part Two: Six ways to make people like you
Become genuinely interested in other people.
Smile.
Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
Talk in terms of the other person's interests.
Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

Part Three: Win people to your way of thinking

The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.
Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."
If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.
Begin in a friendly way.
Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.
Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.
Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.
Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.
Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.
Appeal to the nobler motives.
Dramatize your ideas.
Throw down a challenge.

Part Four: Be a Leader - How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:

Begin with praise and honest appreciation.
Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.
Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.
Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.
Let the other person save face.
Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."
Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.
Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.
Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

The "Best" Test by Chris Widener

Some time ago, I spoke to a group of salespeople in Kansas City as they kicked off their new team. It was exciting to see them get excited about making a difference through their work.

The topic they assigned me was "Simply the Best." So as I prepared, I asked myself, "What characteristics would help someone pass the "Best" test? That is, what are the characteristics of those who become the "best" at what they do? Here are the thoughts I shared with them:

The Best are Optimists. You can't get to the top if you don't think that there is a top or if you think you can't make it. One characteristic of those who reach the peak is that they always believe that things can get better or be done better. This pushes them on to be their best.

The Best have Vision. They can see ahead of the pack. Their eyes aren't locked into the here and now. They see the bright future and what things will look like when they reach their destiny. While working hard for today, they live for the future! They do what Stephen Covey calls begin with the end in mind.

The Best Relentlessly Pursue Excellence. The status quo is not for them. They want to be the best and experience the best. And that means giving their best. They go the extra mile so that in everything they do, in everything they say and think, they are striving for excellence.

The Best have a Life Long Habit of Personal Growth. They don't want to stay at the level they are at. They want to grow in their work, their intellect, their spirituality, their relationships, and in every area of their life. And they discipline themselves to put themselves in situations wherein they grow. Personal growth doesn't "just happen." You choose to grow. I always suggest what Zig Ziglar does and that is to enroll in "Automobile University." Whenever you are driving around, listen to a personal or professional growth tape or CD. Over the long run you will grow. Also, read more. The old saying is true: Leaders are readers. So are those who pass the "Best" test.

The Best Understand that They will be Pushed by the Competition - and They Welcome It. Like the lead runner in the race who has someone on his heels, the best know that the competition is right behind them. They love it though because they know that the competition keeps them from becoming lazy and resting on their laurels. Instead, the competition pushes them to go faster and to achieve more - to remain the best by forging ahead.

The Best have a Quest for Leadership. Someone has to lead - it may as well be the best! Those who attain it get there because they want to. They want to lead and help make a difference. And they want to be equipped with the skills necessary to lead others on to a better place.
The Best Leave a Legacy. They aren't in it just for themselves, though they will surely reap the rewards of being the best. Rather, the build things that last beyond themselves, things that can be enjoyed by others as well.

The Best are Adept at the Two Most Important Pieces of Time and Personal Management: Prioritize and Execute. Just like weight loss boils down to eat right and exercise, personal management boils down to prioritize and execute. First, prioritize your activities. The important stuff goes on the top. Then, execute: do them. The best have habits and discipline that get them to the top by doing the best things and doing them first.

The Best Focus on Building Relationships. Success does not come alone. Everyone who achieves much does it with the help of countless others. How do the Best get others to help them? They treat them right. They embrace them and help them. People become the best because they help other people, and people like them.

The Best Make no Excuses. When they fail they admit it and move on. They get back up and do it right the next time. They let their actions speak loader than their words. They stand tall and do the right thing the next time. No excuses, just results.

The Best Understand that the Good is the Enemy of the Best. Yes, they could say, "this is good." But that would mean they have settled for less than the best. Many people think that good is good. Good is not good. Good is the enemy because it keeps us from the best. Choose your side: the good or the best. The Best choose, you guessed it, the Best.

The Best Dare to Dream. While others live the mundane and settle into a life they never bargained for, a rut, the Best dream of a better life. And then they take the risks necessary to achieve their dreams. They live by Teddy Roosevelt's quote: Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs though checkered by failure, then to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the grey twilit that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Want to be the best at what you do? Take inventory on the above characteristics and then start moving to bring your life in line with the characteristics of the "best." Then when you get to the top you will know that you have passed the "Best" test.

Belief or Unbelief

Romans 4:3 ..."Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Each morning we awake and go about our day based on one of two beliefs: Either we believe in God and our every action is motivated by this central value, or we do not really believe and our actions reflect so.

You can be a believer yet act as though there is no God. Whenever you fret over life circumstances, you immediately demonstrate unbelief. Whenever you move out of fear or anxiety, you believe a lie about God's nature.

Each day your actions affirm or convict you of your belief system. It reveals who the central focus of your life really is-you or God. It reveals who you place your ultimate trust in-you or God. It is one of the great paradoxes for believers. One day we can believe Him to move mountains. The next day we can question His very existence.

Peter believed God and walked on water.
A sick woman touched the hem of His garment and was healed.
A Canaanite woman believed and freed her daughter from demon-possession.

In what circumstances do you act as an "unbeliever"? Ask God to increase your level of trust so that your actions match up with one who believes every day.

Kingdom Principles for a Financial Harvest by Benny Hinn

Dr. Myles Munroe of Bahamas Faith Ministries International is one of my favorite guests on This Is Your Day! because he speaks candidly about the need for believers to understand God’s kingdom principles and to allow those principles to help each Christian become a world-changer.

On one of our recent programs he said, “There are 6.7 billion people on the earth, and they are seeking the same thing—good government. Nations spend billions of dollars every few years to vote in a new government, and they do it because people believe that it holds the answers to earth’s problems. This is why these elections are such a big deal.”

The reason why people around the globe put so much emphasis on government is because the human heart, deep inside, believes that the problems of the world can be solved by better government.

Human governments are important. That is why the Bible is so emphatic about government. There is a deep desire for governmental systems, since through the fall of Adam and Eve, man lost a government.

You can read in Genesis 1:26 that God gave Adam dominion. The Hebrew word for dominion means “kingdom.”

The Kingdom Lost

A kingdom is the governing influence of a king over a territory. Ideally, the king impacts the dominion with his will and his purposes so he can produce people who reflect the king’s morals and values.

As Dr. Munroe taught, “When Adam disobeyed God, he lost a government. God’s original idea was to colonize the earth with the kingdom of heaven so the earth would become the reflection of what heaven is like in every way. God’s plan was to fill the earth with the culture of heaven, since the most powerful thing in any country is its culture.”

Since Adam disobeyed God and lost the dominion over the earth, satan has done everything in his power to pollute mankind and keep us from understanding what God’s original plan was.
God wanted man to dominate the earth with the kingdom of heaven. But Adam and Eve, through sin, declared independence from God’s plan.

But God’s plan has never wavered. The Bible chronicles His plan to restore His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.

The Kingdom Restored

Adam had to develop his own government. The first act of that government was murder within the family. And we have not recovered since. Look at the world around you. We think we can govern ourselves, but we end up destroying more than we build.
We are still under the curse of independence from God. And when you declare independence from a kingdom, you throw off the influence of the king and the government of the king.

That is what has happened through the centuries with the King of kings.

Yet when our Lord Jesus Christ was promised in Genesis 3, it was foretold that He would come to crush the serpent’s head.

The power and the government of a snake is in its head. That’s where the poisonous serpent’s venom is.

So the prophecy pointed to a time when Jesus would come to take back the power, the authority, and the kingdom that satan stole through the sin of Adam and Eve.

Isaiah prophesied that the government would come upon the Messiah’s shoulders and that it would not end:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Christ came to earth to restore God’s government. That is why He tells us to pray this way:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

Dr. Munroe tells us on This Is Your Day! that when we are told to pray “Our Father” that it refers to the Father as our Source, our Government.

Kingdom Prosperity

So many wonderful benefits come from being part of God’s kingdom—salvation, healing, fellowship with the Father, and so much more.

One of the most wonderful benefits of His government is prosperity.

“Prosperity is evidence of kingdom colonization,” Myles says. “Poverty is a sign that the kingdom has not impacted an area yet. The power of multiplication comes from the kingdom of God. The law of sowing and reaping comes from the kingdom of God.”

In fact, the Lord Jesus promises that kingdom-sized sowing will yield kingdom-sized reaping. We don’t give just to receive. We give because it is a kingdom principle that works!

There are many, many reasons why planting seed into the kingdom is so important. For one, planting brings harvest: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38).

Understanding Kingdom Principles

Why you plant and how you plant are crucial to the harvest you receive!

You cannot understand kingdom giving until you understand kingdom principles. In fact, one of the first things Jesus Christ did during His earthly ministry was to announce His kingdom “mission statement”: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

He uses the word kingdom for an obvious purpose: Jesus Christ is King of that kingdom! He is not a mayor. He is not a president. He is not a prime minister or a governor. He is the King. This is an important point, because a king is very different from a president or some other head of state. He is not voted into power. There is no national referendum to select him.

A true king is born a king.

In other words, if you really want to understand what God thinks about this kingdom principle, you have to study what a king is and what a king is not.

Seven Kingdom Principles

God never gave man ownership over the world. Everything is His! We are simply stewards of whatever He gives us of His kingdom. This is an important point, because it means that whenever God wants to shift His property around—to give it to other people—He can, and He will!

Here are seven kingdom principles about government and giving to a king:

1. Because the power and glory of a king are displayed in the ruler’s wealth, kings desire territory and wealth.

2. The purpose of a king’s wealth is to secure the reputation of his glory. His reputation is determined by the accumulation of his wealth. When he is wealthy, he’s respected by other kings.

3. Giving to a king acknowledges the king’s ownership. A king does not just rule his territory. He owns it. The people are his property; the land is his property. That is why even earthly kings are called “lord,” for it means “mighty owner.” Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” In verse 8 of the same chapter, we are told who the King is: “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” He is the King.

4. Giving of any kind is the greatest act of acknowledgment. Any gift that you bring to the king reveals the value and worth that you put on the king. The measure of your gift tells the king what you think of him.

5. Worship demands a gift, and giving is worship. You cannot go to a king and say, “I love you and I worship you,” without bringing a gift to prove it. Even the wise men from the Orient, who were apparently kings of a small territory, came to Jesus bearing expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Scripture tells us that no one should appear before Him empty-handed (Exodus 34:20).

6. Giving to a king is expressing our thanks for what we still have. In other words, if we bring one-tenth of all we own to the king, we are showing gratefulness for the nine-tenths that we still have.

7. Finally, giving to a king puts pressure on the king to give something greater back to you. Remember the story of the queen of Sheba and King Solomon (1 Kings 10). She came with her servants bearing precious gifts worth millions in today’s dollars “to prove him.” What she was saying is that she wanted to prove that she was the greater royalty. What she discovered was a kingdom filled with plenty, and King Solomon gave back seven times more than he received. It was a competition of out-blessing each other! That is the way it works in kingdoms.

If we could only grasp what the Lord wants us to understand through the kingdom principles throughout the Bible. We would never appear before Him empty-handed. We would bring our greatest gifts, knowing that He always gives back much more than we offer Him.

If we truly understood how to give to our King Jesus, we would realize that God can shift wealth around just as easily and quickly as He did overnight by giving the wealth of Egypt to their slaves—the children of Israel.

God promises that when He directs us to give into the kingdom, we put pressure on Him to give back even greater to us: “Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). In today’s terms, the Lord was saying, “I dare you to try and outgive me!”

When you give to any king, you put pressure on him to prove that he is greater by outgiving you. This is a kingdom principle that Jesus wants us to understand and enter into.

Your obedience in giving proves that the next time He asks you for an even larger gift into the kingdom, not only will you be able to afford it because of the outpouring, but He knows He can trust you to give it as your faith grows. As trust builds, blessings flow more abundantly.

The harvest depends upon the seed you plant into the kingdom: “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

What will you give to the King of kings?

Open your heart and give that generous seed that will bring lost souls into the kingdom of God now, for we know that King Jesus is coming soon, and what we do for Him, we must do quickly!

The Reason for Giving to God’s Kingdom

Why you plant and how you plant are crucial to the harvest you receive. By your giving, many are now living! And as you give according to the kingdom principles at work all around you, the Lord will reward you for your faithfulness to His glorious cause. I stand in agreement with you for an abundant financial increase in your life, even as you give today for a historic harvest of souls. Sow your most generous seed today with expectancy and faith. Then watch God open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so abundant that you cannot contain it!

Be generous during this unprecedented season of harvest and outpouring as we continue to reach out through crusades, broadcasts, and mission outreaches around the globe.

Let’s do it together while there is still time!

For it is “not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6)…
Preaching the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ,teaching the unchanging Word of God,and expecting the mighty and miraculous power of the Holy Spirit,

Benny Hinn

The Alpha Course 11-Sep-08 to 20-Nov-08

Next event coming up from our church: The Alpha Course

I have learned so much about Christianity through this course and I recommend it to anyone who wants to explore everything you want to want to know about it.. hee!

Do send me an email if you wish to attend!

What is Alpha?

The Alpha Course is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith, and it consists of a series of talks addressing key issues relating to the Christian faith.

It’s relaxed, low-key, friendly and fun.

Meal: There is a meal together at the beginning of each session which gives people a chance to get to know each other.

Talk: There will be a talk by Rev Nicky Gumbel on video, or done live by a speaker on topics of interest. See below for topics.

Coffee & Small groups: Listen, learn, discuss and discover. And ask anything. Alpha is a place where no question is too simple or too hostile.


Talk Topics

1) Christianity: Boring, Untrue and Irrelevant? [11-Sep-08]
2) Who is Jesus? [18-Sep-08]
3) Why did Jesus die? [25-Sep-08]
4) How can I be sure of my faith? [02-Oct-08]
5) Why and how should I read the Bible? [09-Oct-08]
6) Why and how should I pray? [16-Oct-08]
7) How does God guide us? [23-Oct-08]
8) Who is the Holy Spirit? [01-No-08] Saturday
What does the Holy Spirit do?
How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
9) How can I resist evil? [06-Nov-08]
10) Does God heal today? [13-Nov-08]
11) How can I make the most of the rest of my life? [20-Nov-08]


Who is it for?

Anyone can join a Alpha Course and it is free!
(You may be asked to pay a contribution towards the cost of the dinner and the weekend)

Alpha is for everyone, especially:
- Those wanting to investigate Christianity
- New Christians
- Newcomers to the church
- Those who want to brush up on the basics

Alpha runs in every type of church, including Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Salvation Army, Free Church, Pentecostal, Assemblies of God and Independent Churches. All the churches provide the same material, making alterations only to suit local culture

Alpha is also run in homes, offices, prisons and halfway houses. There are also special courses catering to youths, students, different languages e.g. Mandarin, Japanese, Tamil, Burmese, etc.

Good Things Versus God-Things by Os Hillman

Romans 8:14 Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

The greatest sign that you and I are maturing in our walk with God is when we can discern the difference between "good things" and "God-things." When the people of Israel journeyed out of Egypt through the desert, they were led by the cloud by day. They could move only as fast as the cloud. If they went ahead, they went without God's presence. If they lagged behind, they also lost God's presence.

Each of us must have the discernment to know when God is leading in a matter, or if it is simply a good idea. There are so many things in which you and I can be involved, and the more successful you become, the greater the temptations to enter into things where God has not called you. Entrepreneurs are especially prone to see all the opportunities.

I recall one time when I entered into a project that I thought was a great idea. It would help many people. After two years, the project had to be discontinued. It was a great lesson on understanding what projects have God's blessing on them. There are some projects you and I might get involved in that result in little fruit compared to the investment put into them. That is because they may never have been birthed by the Holy Spirit.

As sons of God, we are called to be led by the Spirit. This requires a level of dependence on God in which many of us really do not want to invest. It requires listening, waiting, and moving only when God's Spirit tells us to move. Businesspeople are "action" people. We know how to get things done, but our greatest strength can be our greatest weakness.

Today, ask God to make you a Romans 8:14 man or woman who is led by the Spirit of God. Pray against lagging behind or moving ahead. Ask God to reveal whether the next project you consider is a "good thing" or a "God-thing."

The Great Shift by Tom Ziglar

Several major things in the marketplace are changing right before our eyes. This has been going on for some time, but the cost of oil, the sub-prime housing crisis, inflation, and the growing national and personal debt are accelerating this change. Add in a media frenzy that lives on bad news amplified by an election year, and suddenly the landscape looks remarkably different, and scary.

Three questions:
What is the “real” great shift?
Where are the opportunities?
Why should I remain positive?

The “real” great shift. One of the benefits of what I do is the ability to communicate with thousands of individuals from thousands of different companies and industries. Ninety-eight percent of these people are fixated on their particular problem. On the surface these challenges seem unique, but when pulled together they explain the great shift.

Summed up, employees, the self-employed and corporate leadership are saying the same thing:

Technology + Globalization + Changing Workplace Values = The Great Shift

Technology (the Internet and the ability to do business differently), globalization (new competition made possible by technology), and changing workplace values (older workers retiring being replaced by under 30 workers) are creating a great shift in the marketplace.

The opportunity. The old guard (those that are 60 plus and are the current leadership in business today) have lived though many economic cycles and technological advances in the past, and for the most part they are under the false assumption that they can live through this one as well without having to change the way they operate.

The problem is technology is taking away their ace in the hole - their exclusive access to essential knowledge - to get a deal done. This fact, combined with the reality of hundreds of very knowledgeable competitors from all over the world instead of just a few they used to know by name, is making their contribution to the organization much more uncertain. Add to the equation that the younger workers in their organization have different value priorities and at the same time see the shortfalls in their leadership, and it makes it very difficult for the old guard to be effective.

The opportunity is pretty straightforward and complex. Organizations and people that are winning in the great shift are focusing on leveraging the wisdom of the old guard with technology and building a bridge based on common values to the younger workforce. It’s complex because the foundation of success is based on relationship building around values that make the organization successful, and something the old guard has never really had to deal with before.

The old guard entered the workforce and did what their boss told them to do just because they were told to do it. Their number one priority was their work, and they pretty much worked as much as they had to in order to climb the company ladder. Now the old guard is leading younger workers whose number one priority is not to work, and who want to know why they have to do something! “Because I said so” just doesn’t cut it anymore.

It is ironic to me that the old guard have wisdom and great values like honesty, work ethic, and discipline, but have misplaced their priorities and don’t understand how to build relationships. It’s ironic to me that younger workers understand technology and globalization, have more balance in their lives and their priorities make sense, but their values are too often driven by entitlement and selfishness, and their lack of experience shows up in their short-sighted decision making process.

Summed up, the opportunity is to build the bridge between the old guard and the younger workers.

Why should you be positive? You have an awesome opportunity! You can either be that bridge or help build that bridge! In fact, why not do both?

Achieving Your Dreams by Jim Rohn

While most people spend most of their lives struggling to earn a living, a much smaller number seem to have everything going their way. Instead of just earning a living, the smaller group is busily working at building and enjoying a fortune. Everything just seems to work out for them. And here sits the much larger group, wondering how life can be so unfair, so complicated and unjust. What's the major difference between the little group with so much and the larger group with so little?

Despite all of the factors that affect our lives - like the kind of parents we have, the schools we attended, the part of the country we grew up in - none has as much potential power for affecting our futures as our ability to dream.

Dreams are a projection of the kind of life you want to lead. Dreams can drive you. Dreams can make you skip over obstacles. When you allow your dreams to pull you, they unleash a creative force that can overpower any obstacle in your path. To unleash this power, though, your dreams must be well defined. A fuzzy future has little pulling power. Well-defined dreams are not fuzzy. Wishes are fuzzy. To really achieve your dreams, to really have your future plans pull you forward, your dreams must be vivid.

If you've ever hiked a fourteen thousand-foot peak in the Rocky Mountains, one thought has surely come to mind "How did the settlers of this country do it?" How did they get from the East Coast to the West Coast? Carrying one day's supply of food and water is hard enough. Can you imagine hauling all of your worldly goods with you... mile after mile, day after day, month after month? These people had big dreams. They had ambition. They didn't focus on the hardship of getting up the mountain.

In their minds, they were already on the other side – their bodies just hadn't gotten them there yet! Despite all of their pains and struggles, all of the births and deaths along the way, those who made it to the other side had a single vision: to reach the land of continuous sunshine and extraordinary wealth. To start over where anything and everything was possible. Their dreams were stronger than the obstacles in their way.

You've got to be a dreamer. You've got to envision the future. You've got to see California while you're climbing fourteen thousand-foot peaks. You've got to see the finish line while you're running the race. You've got to hear the cheers when you're in the middle of a monster project. And you've got to be willing to put yourself through the paces of doing the uncomfortable until it becomes comfortable and until you realize your dreams.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

InBev CEO Brito: Brazil to Belgium to Bud

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The man who would be King of Beers is a no-frills leader without a company car or even his own desk.

Carlos Brito, chief executive of brewer InBev SA, says he doesn't care for perks _ and neither should the people who work for him.

"I don't want the company to give me free beer; I can buy my own beer," he told Stanford MBA students earlier this year.

Brito, who will be leading Anheuser-Busch after the company agreed to InBev's $52 billion takeover offer, has been described as "an American-style" manager who is fiercely private and admits himself that he did not always get "the people thing," when he started off in sales.

Anheuser-Busch is a perked-up company with corporate jets for executives and free beer for the workers _ as well as generous donations to local communities and politicians. Similar employee extras at Belgium's Interbrew vanished when it merged with Brito's Brazil-based AmBev in 2004.

"His reputation precedes him as a no-frills, no-thrills severe cost-cutter," says Eric Shepard, editor of beer industry newsletter Beer Marketer's Insights.
Brito rarely grants interviews and is reticent with the press, sticking to a few standard lines when he must face the camera for InBev's annual results or shareholders' meetings. The company refused to even confirm whether he was married with four children, saying "We don't give details on his private life."
Alberto Cerqueira Lima, a former colleague of Brito's at Brazilian brewer Brahma and now head of a Massachusetts-based market research firm, says "if he could, he would remain anonymous," describing Brito as a "workaholic and a methodical and pragmatic executive."

He showed himself to be a careful businessman who kept his cool during a difficult monthlong courtship of Anheuser-Busch when both companies threatened to start a hostile battle.

"He says the right things," says Shepard. "He knew the kind of backlash that he was going to get and I don't think he ever betrayed any sort of hostility even as they were making hostile moves."

"Publicly, he maintained that he wanted a friendly combination and ultimately that's what he got," he said.

The new company will create the world's largest beer company, turning out major brands such as Budweiser and Stella Artois. InBev's focus on carving costs made it the world's most profitable brewer, wringing profit from stagnant markets and winning admiration from shareholders and the rest of the industry _ but angering workers.

"It's quite an American style compared to the Western European standard," said Kris Kippers, an analyst at Belgian investment firm Petercam. "He's really an American-style manager; those who deliver, who do good work, are rewarded."

Born in 1960, Brito studied mechanical engineering in Rio de Janeiro and applied to several U.S. universities for a master's in business administration. He was accepted by several _ but could not pay his way.

A family friend put him in touch with Brazilian investment banker and billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann, who told Brito he would pay for his graduate studies at Stanford.

"All he wanted in return were periodic reports and clippings from the United States to keep him up to date with what was going on there," said Cerqueira Lima. "Brito insisted on knowing how he would pay Lemann back and Lemann said, 'I do not want to be paid back. One day you will do for others what I am doing for you.'"

Lemann put Brito to work at Brahma when he bought it in 1989, later merging it with another beer company, Antarctica, to form AmBev.

Brito acknowledges that he didn't always get "the people thing," when he started off in sales, seeing that as the only truly important part of a business.

He first saw a promotion from head of sales to head of operations _ in charge of workers and manufacturing _ as a step down. But he says he surprised himself by enjoying managing people and coming to understand how they were at the heart of the business.

Brito had been head of InBev's North American business for just over a year when he became CEO in August 2005, as the Brazilian management team firmly took the reins of the company and rolled out zero-based budgeting that forces managers to justify every expense.

He doesn't have his own personal assistant or company car and shares a desk with top finance, marketing and human resources executives in an open office that he says allows dozens of two-minute meetings to discuss the business throughout the day. Hiding behind an office door is for the mediocre, he claims.
Brito admits that InBev's Spartan style can make it difficult to attract experienced staff because few enjoy its "more risk, more reward-type environment."

"It is very hard to find people that will be excited about the way we are trying to build the business, but once you find them they get really connected to the company, they cannot work anywhere else because they love this kind of openness and candor," he told the Stanford students.

InBev prefers to hire young graduates and promote from within on merit instead of seniority. Brito says he believes it is important to focus on the 250 people _ out of 85,000 workers _ who make a difference to the company.

"These people, they are managed in a different way, because we want to make sure they are excited, they're not going to leave the company," he said at Stanford. "We've got to make sure these people are engaged and getting everything they have to grow our business."

Talented people want to work for successful companies that are growing and generating new career opportunities, he says: "You want to build something that's better than you."

Getting Started in Personal Development- Growing the Self-Improvement Muscles! by Zig Ziglar

One of my favorite quotes from Dad is, “You can make radical changes in minute steps.” I love it because it is so pure and so simple, and it works! Many times people make the right decision to improve themselves and then go about it the wrong way, and this leads to disappointment and the wrong belief that their decision was flawed.

If you are just now making the decision to consciously improve your life, or if you are looking for a fresh start, here is a simple way to get started. The key is to START and then stay consistent.

Do you have five minutes a day you can set aside for your quest? It doesn’t sound like much, and it really isn’t much, but since it is more than you are doing right now you need to get the self-improvement muscles active.

Now that you have planned the five minutes, use the five minutes to put the good stuff in your mind. Read a great book or listen to audio. Do this every day. It’s ok if you go over the five minutes, but make sure you do it every day.

Do this for a week.

In your second week build up to ten minutes a day.

In your third week keep doing your 10 minutes, but figure out ways to get a two-for-one. Can you listen in the car or while you work out?

In your fourth week look for material that fits into three different categories – Physical, Mental, and Spiritual. People are tri-dimensional, so you need to develop all of these areas.

In your fifth week, get serious about setting goals for yourself. In fact, you could do this step anytime during the first four weeks, but sometimes it’s good to get the mind focusing on the good stuff first before you jump into goal setting.

Once you get your goals set you will realize that you will want to work on financial goals, health goals, relationship goals, etc. Continue to put the good stuff into your mind every day for at least 10 minutes, and pick the information based on your goals.

This is a very simple plan that anybody can do, and it’s a great place to start. In fact, you will most likely do better than this, and that’s awesome! So, do you
have five minutes?

Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Poorly by Zig Ziglar

Chances are superb that when you saw the heading of this article you did a double-take and thought to yourself, "That is ridiculous!" But, let us think together and I believe you will agree that the observation is correct. Look at it this way: If you were to quit any endeavor because you did miserably on the first try, your life would be infinitely poorer. Think of it this way: When you watch sports professionals, whether golf, tennis or any other sport, play near-perfect games, you probably stand in amazement. What you're watching is an individual who has literally hit thousands of golf balls, or tennis balls, many of them poorly, and has taken hundreds of lessons from teaching pros to improve his or her game. They understood from the beginning that if they were going to play good golf or tennis, they would play a lot of poor games along the way.

The same applies in every area of life. Most sales professionals probably blew many sales before they became consummate professionals. They understood that every call, whether they made or missed the sale, was a marvelous learning experience. They understood that if it was worth doing, it was worth doing poorly - until they learned to do it well.

The same can be said of the exceptional teacher or the master chef. Each undoubtedly made many mistakes along the way, but they considered those "mistakes" learning experiences. So, whatever your endeavor, just remember that if it's worth doing, it's worth doing poorly until you can learn to do it well. Buy that idea and I'll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

Advanced Search

Found this from a blogger JMOT:

To search for E-books (eg. investing):

Type:
intitle:”index of” +size +modified +(pdfdoc) +”investing”

Motivation By Zig Ziglar

Motivation is important - not permanent. I am frequently asked the question, "Why is it that some people get really motivated after listening to you, but after a while slip back into their old, negative ways?" The question really is, "Is motivation permanent?" The answer is no - but then neither is bathing. Now, just in case you think I'm encouraging you not to bathe, let me assure you that I believe in bathing. As a matter of fact, I shower every day and I generally get a real good long one with lots of soap and shampoo. I do some of my best thinking in the shower. The reason I shower every day is very simple: There's lots of dirt out there and if some of it gets on me I want to get it off. I believe it's important to smell good - or at least not bad.

I apply the same principle to my thinking and daily motivation. There is a lot of "stinking thinking" available in life today and if I'm not careful some of it will settle on me. If too much of it hits me, then the stinkin' thinkin' might turn into hardening of the attitudes, one of the most deadly diseases in America today. Life has so many negatives and demotivations that it takes effort to stay motivated. To remain motivated I've got to deliberately plan to take care of my thinking each day with a "check-up from the neck up." Each day I read and listen to something inspiring. I also associate with people who are making a difference with their lives because we are influenced by our associates, either positively or negatively. Message: Read something good, listen to something good, and associate with good people as often as possible. Do these things and your thinking will remain good, which means that I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

The Butterfly Principle

Exodus 14:8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.

Overprotective parents do their children a great injustice. The caterpillar that lies inside the cocoon will never become the beautiful butterfly if someone cuts open the cocoon prematurely. It is the struggle itself that allows the butterfly to emerge as a strong, new creature of nature.
God understands how necessary this process is. That is why we are allowed to experience difficult, often life-changing events. He even orchestrates them-all for our benefit. What the Israelites thought was a cruel joke when Pharaoh sent troops to pursue them after they had been freed and penned against the shore of the Red Sea became the stage for the most publicized miracle of all time-the parting of the Red Sea. Generation after generation has heard this incredible story of deliverance. God puts us against the "Red Seas" in order to show His power in and through us. If we do not know God can deliver, then we can never learn to trust Him. Circumstances that go beyond our capabilities of solving them place us at God's complete mercy. This is how He likes it.

Do not fear the calamity that comes your way. If you are faithful to Him in the test, you will see God's power manifested like never before. Just as the Israelites were able to sing a song of deliverance, you too will have your own testimony of the Lord's faithfulness; and you will be able to recall it for others to build your faith and theirs.

Defining Moments by Os Hillman

Acts 9:3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

For Moses, it was the burning bush.
For Peter, it was walking on water.
For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, it was walking through the burning furnace untouched.
For Paul, it was being blinded and spoken to by Jesus on the Damascus road.
For Daniel, it was deliverance from the lions' den.
For Joshua, it was parting the Jordan River and crossing into the Promised Land.

There have been many defining moments in the lives of human beings that changed their lives forever. These defining moments often set the course for the balance of their lives.
We could go on and on. Each of these servants had years of preparation leading up to their defining moment. These moments forced the servants to be involved in something beyond their human experiences. It took them outside their own paradigms of life. God had to move them outside their own boxes. And when He did, their lives were never the same.

You may be in one of three stages of life: You may not have had your "defining moment" yet-God may be preparing you with many important life experiences. You may have had your defining moment and you are living out your call. Or, you may be toward the end of your journey and you have already experienced what I speak of.

We are all called to a relationship with God; and we are all called vocationally, which is often ushered in by a defining moment. And there can be more than one defining moment, each pointing you down a path that God foreordained from the foundation of the world. The secret of a great life is often a man's ability to discern the defining moments given to him, understanding them, and learning to walk in the path that leads him to his ultimate destination.

Once you have had a defining moment, you are never the same. Pray that you have eyes to see and ears to hear when your Master brings a defining moment into your life.

The Power of Words by Zig Ziglar

Word power can be awesome. Think about the impact of these words: A young man and a young woman each say "I love you." Later, the minister says, "I now pronounce you man and wife." Still later, the doctor says, "It's a girl!" or "It's a boy!" Think of the joy those words create. Listen to these words spoken after the Battle of Gettysburg: "Four score and seven years ago..." and Lincoln had just opened his historic address. Or this: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," and Roosevelt gave a nation hope and courage. Or: "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country," and Kennedy challenged us to get involved. "I have a dream," and most of us recognize the hope that Martin Luther King gave all of us that racial tensions can disappear. Or, "My feet hurt," as Rosa Parks refused to stand up and move to the back of the bus and an entire people stood up and moved forward. Or, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” - and a nation was launched. Think about this: "Give me liberty or give me death," and Patrick Henry rallied thirteen isolated colonies to fight for their freedom. Consider "We have not yet begun to fight," and John Paul Jones roused his command aboard ship to repel the British invaders and an enormous chapter was written in our fight for freedom.

The message is clear: Think about the words you use and the impact they can have and as you choose the right words or listen to the right words, it can make a difference not only in your life, but the lives of others as well. Buy this concept, choose and carefully use the right words, and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

The Bookends of Success by Dr. John C. Maxwell

NASCAR drivers know the importance of starting in the right place. Before a race even begins, they compete with one another in the hopes of earning the best starting position. At qualifying runs, held the week prior to the official race, each driver speeds around the racetrack in a timed performance. The driver with the fastest time earns pole position - or the right to begin the race in front of the other cars. A driver in pole position doesn't have to be concerned about passing anyone in order to win the race. All he or she must do is hold their position in order to win.
Conversely, a driver who does poorly in the trial run must begin the race in the worst possible position - at the very back of the pack. Stuck behind the other racecars, the disadvantaged driver has virtually no chance of winning. To finish first, he or she would have to pass every other car on the track during the course of the race.

In addition to starting strong, a NASCAR driver understands that his or her performance depends on finishing well. In a 500-mile race, leading for 499 miles is meaningless if a driver isn't in front at the checkered flag. Regardless of a driver's skill maneuvering the car early in the race, if he or she crashes or loses focus toward the end, the driver will forfeit the lead and lose the race. Nobody wins points for their position in the middle of the race; rather, each driver is assigned a place based on how he or she finishes.

THE BOOKENDS OF SUCCESS

Great leaders understand the two bookends of success: starting and finishing. We generally think about them in terms of doing a task or project. However, what's true in our approach to projects is also true in our approach to each day. How we spend our mornings and evenings has a tremendous bearing on the course of our leadership.
I use my morning to set up a game plan for the day. During this time, I allow no interruptions. I never schedule breakfast meetings, and I isolate myself from distractions. I do not permit myself to strategize years down the road or to project my thoughts months into the future. Rather, I narrow my focus to the upcoming 24 hours. I ask myself: "Just for today, how can I be a success?" Viewing life in 24-hour increments, I place a premium on each day. I try to make each one a masterpiece.

During the evening, I reflect on my day. By reflecting, I translate my day's experiences into learning opportunities. This process solidifies in my mind the lessons I've discovered or bits of knowledge I've uncovered. Reflecting also gives me the space to assess my progress on the goals I made during the morning.

Relaxation is another important part of my evening routine. I make a point to put my leisure time into activities that replenish me by refueling my energy. For me, such activities include spending quality time with my wife, reading a book, or studying Scriptures. Relaxation puts me in a good emotional state, lifts my spirits, and reminds me of the joys of life.

When I neglect to carve out time in the morning to plan my day, I notice adverse effects. First, I don't live my day on purpose. Instead of choosing where to invest my time, I cede control of my schedule to whatever circumstances happen to arise. Second, I squander my energy. Since I don't outline clear goals for my day, I float from one activity to another without getting anything done. Finally, when I skip my morning planning time, I feel overwhelmed. Since I'm ambitious, I have a propensity to bite off more than I can chew. If I don't focus my attention, the weight of my numerous involvements begins to drag me down.

When I am not intentional about setting aside evening time for relaxation, I encounter negative symptoms, too. First, I get uptight. My times of reflection and relaxation act like valves that release stress from my life. If I don't guard those times, I get tense, my thoughts are more negative, and my health suffers. Second, I lose passion. My leisure times fuel me. If I am not intentional about putting time into my favorite activities, then life loses its luster. Third, I miss chances to grow. When I don't reflect on the meaningful moments from each day, I rob myself of the benefits of experience.

SUMMARY

Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is out of reach. That's why today matters. Leaders who value each day know the importance of starting well and finishing strong. In the mornings, they focus their energies on key tasks, and in the evenings, they replenish themselves. By mastering the bookends of success, leaders position themselves to make an impact every day.

Goal-Reaching Principle by Zig Ziglar

The basic goal-reaching principle is to understand that you go as far as you can see, and when you get there you will always be able to see farther.

Make Motivation a Habit

Motivation gets you going and habit gets you there. Make motivation a habit and you will get there more quickly and have more fun on the trip. - Zig Ziglar

Problems vs. Opportunities By Zig Ziglar

Be grateful for your problems. We all frequently deal with people who complain about the trials and tribulations of their daily lives. Life seems to be one big problem for them. I would like to take a common-sense, realistic approach and address this mind-set. If there were no "problems" on your job, then your employer would hire a much less capable person than you to do the routine things that don't require much thought. In the business world, those who are able to solve complex problems are the ones who have the most value to the employer.

Many times the problems or challenges we face force us to grow and become more capable. The runner who trains for the mile run in the Olympics by running downhill will have no chance of winning the medal. The runner who trains by running uphill is far more likely to develop the speed, mental toughness and endurance which it takes to win the medal.

The best thing that ever happened to boxer Gene Tunney was that he broke both of his hands in the ring. His manager felt that he could never again punch hard enough to be the heavyweight champion. Instead, Tunney decided that he would become a scientific boxer and win the title as a boxer, not a slugger. Boxing historians will tell you that he developed into one of the best boxers who ever fought. They also will tell you that as a puncher, he would not have had a chance against Jack Dempsey, who was considered by many to be the hardest hitter in heavyweight history. Tunney would never have been champion had he not had the problem of his broken hands. Message: The next time you encounter a difficult climb, obstacle, "problem," you should smile and say, "Here's my chance to grow." Develop that kind of an attitude and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

The Four Emotions that can Lead to Life Change by Jim Rohn

Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. To a great degree, civilization itself can be defined as the intelligent channeling of human emotion. Emotions are fuel and the mind is the pilot, which together propel the ship of civilized progress.

Which emotions cause people to act? There are four basic ones; each, or a combination of several, can trigger the most incredible activity. The day that you allow these emotions to fuel your desire is the day you'll turn your life around.

1) DISGUST
One does not usually equate the word "disgust" with positive action. And yet properly channeled, disgust can change a person's life. The person who feels disgusted has reached a point of no return. He or she is ready to throw down the gauntlet at life and say, "I've had it!" That's what I said after many humiliating experiences at age 25, I said. "I don't want to live like this anymore.I've had it with being broke. I've had it with being embarrassed, and I've had it with lying."

Yes, productive feelings of disgust come when a person says, "Enough is enough."
The "guy" has finally had it with mediocrity. He's had it with those awful sick feelings of fear, pain and humiliation. He then decides he is not going to live like this anymore." Look out! This could be the day that turns a life around. Call it what you will, the "I've had it" day, the "never again" day, the "enough's enough" day. Whatever you call it, it's powerful! There is nothing so life-changing as gut-wrenching disgust!

2) DECISION
Most of us need to be pushed to the wall to make decisions. And once we reach this point, we have to deal with the conflicting emotions that come with making them. We have reached a fork in the road. Now this fork can be a two-prong, three-prong, or even a four-prong fork. No wonder that decision-making can create knots in stomachs, keep us awake in the middle of the night, or make us break out in a cold sweat.

Making life-changing decisions can be likened to internal civil war. Conflicting armies of emotions, each with its own arsenal of reasons, battle each other for supremacy of our minds. And our resulting decisions, whether bold or timid, well thought out or impulsive, can either set the course of action or blind it. I don't have much advice to give you about decision-making except this:

Whatever you do, don't camp at the fork in the road. Decide. It's far better to make a wrong decision than to not make one at all. Each of us must confront our emotional turmoil and sort out our feelings.

3) DESIRE
How does one gain desire? I don't think I can answer this directly because there are many ways. But I do know two things about desire:a. It comes from the inside not the outside.b. It can be triggered by outside forces.

Almost anything can trigger desire. It's a matter of timing as much as preparation. It might be a song that tugs at the heart. It might be a memorable sermon. It might be a movie, a conversation with a friend, a confrontation with the enemy, or a bitter experience. Even a book or an article such as this one can trigger the inner mechanism that will make some people say, "I want it now!"

Therefore, while searching for your "hot button" of pure, raw desire, welcome into your life each positive experience. Don't erect a wall to protect you from experiencing life. The same wall that keeps out your disappointment also keeps out the sunlight of enriching experiences. So let life touch you. The next touch could be the one that turns your life around.

4) RESOLVE
Resolve says, "I will." These two words are among the most potent in the English language. I WILL. Benjamin Disraeli, the great British statesman, once said, "Nothing can resist a human will that will stake even its existence on the extent of its purpose." In other words, when someone resolves to "do or die," nothing can stop him.

The mountain climber says, "I will climb the mountain. They've told me it's too high, it's too far, it's too steep, it's too rocky, it's too difficult. But it's my mountain. I will climb it. You'll soon see me waving from the top or you'll never see me, because unless I reach the peak, I'm not coming back." Who can argue with such resolve?

When confronted with such iron-will determination, I can see Time, Fate and Circumstance calling a hasty conference and deciding, "We might as well let him have his dream. He's said he's going to get there or die trying."

The best definition for "resolve" I've ever heard came from a schoolgirl in Foster City, California. As is my custom, I was lecturing about success to a group of bright kids at a junior high school. I asked, "Who can tell me what "resolve" means?" Several hands went up, and I did get some pretty good definitions. But the last was the best. A shy girl from the back of the room got up and said with quiet intensity, "I think resolve means promising yourself you will never give up." That's it! That's the best definition I've ever heard: PROMISE YOURSELF YOU'LL NEVER GIVE UP.

Think about it! How long should a baby try to learn how to walk? How long would you give the average baby before you say, "That's it, you've had your chance"? You say that's crazy? Of course it is. Any mother would say, "My baby is going to keep trying until he learns how to walk!" No wonder everyone walks.

There is a vital lesson in this. Ask yourself, "How long am I going to work to make my dreams come true?" I suggest you answer, "As long as it takes." That's what these four emotions are all about.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire -- for Real? by John Woodman

"Who wants to be a millionaire?!"

It seems like a fairly easy question to answer! And it is an easy question, judging by the numbers of people who tune in to watch a game show that holds out the promise of giving away a million dollars or pounds.

Although many people believe that winning a game show or a lottery is their best chance for financial success, the actual reality is that there are far better ways to get there. In truth, game shows (and their friends the lotteries) are quite simply among the very worst ways to approach succeeding... if one wants to acquire a million dollars.

We can imagine, for example, that the 30 million people who avidly watched the show’s American edition during its first couple of years probably would have liked to be millionaires too. As it turned out, though, the show has actually produced only twelve American millionaires from among the show's contestants in the course of six years, with the British version making a total of five contestants into millionaires in seven years...

So the odds of actually becoming a millionaire via interest in "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" are literally millions to one against.

Interestingly, though, the US version was reported to have racked up some $200 million in profits (!!) for the network and producers... during the first season alone!

Game shows, then, are a lot like lotteries: a winning proposition for the very, very few (and this extremely short list is always headed up by the network or organization that sponsors the game show or lottery) but an absolute waste of time (except for a bit of entertainment value) for practically everyone else.

Okay... so do you still want to be a millionaire? For real? I’m betting the answer to that question is yes.

Surprisingly, your goal is far more attainable than you might realize. In the United States alone, 1.3 million United States households became millionaire households just during the year 2004... although it didn’t happen through game shows or lotteries.

(By the way, while Ken Jennings did win over $3 million on Jeopardy during 2004, not a single one of the 1,300,000 new American millionaire households of 2004 gained their million via "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?")

It gets even better. As of November 2004, there were 8.2 million total "millionaire households" in the United States -- and growing. And the definition of "millionaire" here is a net worth of at least $1 million excluding primary residences! So if you count the value of the homes that people live in, there are undoubtedly many more millionaire households.

Since there are an estimated 107 million households in the United States, this means that more than 1 out of every 13 households is now a millionaire household!

Of course, this is not at all to say that 1 out of every 13 persons in the US is a millionaire. Far from it. If there are, for example, 4 people in a millionaire household, then probably only 1 or 2 of them hold most of the money. If it’s a married couple, then they "only" have half a million dollars each, and the kids may have zero assets of their own.

Still, there’s an awful lot of money out there, and the statistics show that becoming a millionaire is very doable.

(And by the way, while I've spoken of the USA in this example -- due to a big American audience and easily-available statistics -- and while the US is a great place to achieve financial success, it's BY FAR not the only place where such success is possible. The third and fourth richest people in the entire world come from India and Mexico respectively. New opportunities are popping up and being created literally almost everywhere.

There are even new small businesses springing up -- and new wealth being created, on a small scale at least -- in North Korea, of all places! So before you say, "It can't be done here," you should first look carefully to see whether somebody's doing it. If they're doing it, then it can be done!)

All of this is the good news. If you want to become a millionaire, it’s definitely possible for you to do so. Forget about your present financial situation -- it’s possible. More than possible, in fact. Your odds of becoming a millionaire in most reasonably free societies turn out to be very good, if you go about it in the right way.

Okay... so how DO you become a real, live millionaire... for real?

Let’s begin with some assumptions (this will tell us a bit about how we want to go about the millionaire process), and then look at some ways we could accomplish the goal.
Presumably, you’d rather become a millionaire sooner instead of later, so that you can enjoy financial freedom for the longest possible period of your life. In other words, you’d like to become a millionaire fairly quickly and directly. Therefore, you want to find ways to accelerate the process of building wealth. Probably, this also means that you don’t want to spend 8 or 10 years in preparation -- if you can reasonably avoid it.

It’s much better to take one of the most certain routes, rather than one of the least certain. Oh, you can still send in the game show application, but I definitely wouldn’t be betting on that as my means of achieving financial freedom.

You’d probably rather minimize, or at least effectively manage, your risk of loss in the process.
Effort’s one thing, but undoubtedly, you’d rather not spend years of your life doing something that you simply hate.

Even with those parameters as a starting point, there are probably many different ways that you can become a millionaire.

The bad news is that most (though maybe not all) of them involve a fair bit of effort, and they also involve a lot more time than answering a few questions on a game show. But the good news is: if others have gotten there, you can too... if you’re willing to do what it takes. So the key question is: Are you willing to do what it takes?

Well, the time’s going to pass anyway. As for effort, well, do you want the million dollars or don’t you? It’s certainly reasonable to expect that you’ll have to exchange some concerted effort for such a large prize -- especially if you want to have a good chance of actually receiving it.
And if you’re unwilling to do that, well... just know that "luck" much more frequently visits people who are willing to put forth dedicated, consistent effort in a specific direction. Or, as a Chinese proverb says:

"Man who wait for roast duck to fly into mouth must wait long, long time."

So the choice is yours: Are you going to sit and wait for the roast duck to fly into your mouth; or are you going to go, locate the appropriate duck, do what it takes to acquire it, wade through the messy work of cleaning and preparing it for cooking, get a recipe, and roast yourself a nice duck?
What will it be?

Now if you’ve decided to simply wait and see if steaming ducks will fly, you may as well put this article down, as the rest of it will be of no use to you.

But if you’ve decided that yes, you’re going to do what it takes to become a millionaire (or at least give it a really good shot), then read on.

Okay, now that you’ve decided to embark on the millionaire path, there are two major things that will help get you there.

The first thing is developing the mindset and attitudes of a millionaire achiever. This may sound irrelevant, but it’s really the key to getting where you want to go. If you’re not a millionaire already, what’s been holding you back? There are many mindset issues that keep people from acquiring wealth, and some that help people to do so.

Looking for wealth in the wrong places is clearly a mindset issue. The question is, are you prepared to change that mindset? Are you prepared to change the way you think?

Another mindset issue has to do with listing all the reasons (consciously or subconsciously) as to why you "can’t." Forget the reasons why you "can’t." Or better yet, go ahead and list them -- but alongside each one, also think of and list the means by which you can overcome that obstacle -- and do it anyway.

Still other mindset issues are roadblocks to even seriously beginning to acquire wealth or success. Do you have negative stereotypes of wealthy people? A lot of us do. It might surprise you to find out what most wealthy people are really like.

Certain religiously-based hangups are also a problem for a lot of people. Isn’t it more "spiritual" to be poor? Not necessarily. Joseph of Arimathea, King David, King Solomon, Abraham, and Joseph who ruled under Pharoah in Egypt were all rather highly spoken of in the Bible -- and all were wealthy. Solomon in particular, by today’s measure, appears to have been not just a millionaire, but a billionaire.

The second major key to acquiring wealth is learning and using the right methods. If you want to do what wealthy people have done, you’ll do well to learn what that is -- and do it.

It turns out that owning and operating a successful business is the single activity that produces the greatest number of millionaires. It’s also quite possible to become a millionaire in sales, as a top corporate manager, or as a physician or lawyer. Or even by simply working at a job and squirreling money away; or by marrying a millionaire. But for most people, owning a business is likely to be the key pathway to real affluence.

Starting a business, of course, carries with it a significant risk. Not the least of which is the fact that most new businesses fail! This indeed is one of the reasons why the pathway to wealth can take longer than hoped for.

But understand this: "failing" in business is similar to "failing" while learning to walk. You gain by the experience, and the next time you try, you do a little bit better. And once you’ve really learned to walk, there’s really no reason to go back to stumbling around.

Most toddlers have to fail a lot before they master the art of walking. But they keep trying. The keys in business are just the same: First, make sure that if you’re going to fail, you won’t inflict permanent injury on yourself (this is why parents of toddlers put gates at the top of staircases). Second, be prepared to get up and try again.

In fact, here’s a major secret: If you’re willing to fail in business as many as half a dozen times or more, if required, and keep trying, and learn as much as you can along the way... your odds of ultimate success are virtually guaranteed.

By "virtually guaranteed," I mean around 99% -- or better.

Of course you’d rather succeed the first time around, or at least the second. And there are ways of managing your risk to help you do that and avoid injury. For example: start a new business part-time, while maintaining your regular income. Start small and grow as you go. Only leave your current income when you’re certain that the new business will support you.

A second way of succeeding the first time around is this: learn the business inside-out working for somebody else before you launch out on your own.

A third way of upping your odds for business success may be to buy into a franchise opportunity. These have a fairly high rate of success. However, your own unique idea might ultimately turn out to have more potential. Or how about this: learn an existing system, then improve upon it. That’s how a young man named Sam Walton created Wal-Mart Stores, now the biggest retailer in the world.

Fourth, it's a good idea not to dig yourself into too deep a hole. It may be better to find investors rather than go in debt personally to fund a business. Having to convince others can also help you sharpen your plan for making profit as well. And if it doesn't work, don't keep digging. Know when to get out, and keep a door open for an alternate means of making a living if it all possible.
Naturally, in order to really succeed, you’ll have to learn what works, and keep learning. And keep innovating. Audio tapes can be particularly useful for learning without having to invest any extra time (if you commute to work or drive alone in a car, listen to good educational tapes while doing so).

Seminars can be good, too -- but be extremely careful how much money you spend on these. If the choice is between a $12 book and a $1200 seminar, you've got to have a LOT more cash for the seminar -- and it had better provide $1188 in value over the book as well, else you're literally wasting money.

Controlling expenditures and NOT wasting money is one of the other key skills for the small business person -- or any business person, for that matter.

Lastly, in order to learn and implement both the mindsets and the methods it takes to become a millionaire, it usually helps to associate with like-minded people. You may be able to find clubs or associations locally that will can be very helpful to you in your quest. Often these are specific to particular issues and interests: for example, business networking groups help you make contacts; and Toastmasters helps you develop skills in public speaking.

Actual associations of aspiring millionaires can be quite a bit harder to find, however. And this is the reason why I’ve personally been involved in starting and growing just such a community. If you’re interested in finding people to associate with in your millionaire quest, I invite you to check out the community at Millionairesville.com.

So here’s to your ultimate success. If you take the right paths, instead of simply wanting to be a millionaire, you should be able to actually become one. Yes, it'll probably take a fair bit of time and effort, but when you're a millionaire, won't it be worth it?

Believe It's Possible by Vic Johnson

"Belief is the basis of all action, and, this being so, the belief that dominates the hearts or mind is shown in the life." - Above Life's Turmoil

You will rarely attempt something you don't believe possible and you will 'Never' give 100% of your ability to something you don't believe in.

Some years ago I was listening to a friend speaking to a business audience. She quoted a teaching by David Schwartz from 'the Magic of Thinking Big' that rocked my life. She said, "The size of your success is determined by the size of you belief." Now that was the first personal development book I ever read and I've read it at least 20 times since. I'm sure that I had heard that concept many times before that night. But it impacted me so much that I wrote it down and must have looked at it a hundred times or more in the thirty days after that.

I spent the next few months focused on strengthening my belief in myself and in what I wanted to do. I took to heart what Wayne Dyer wrote in You'll See it When You believe It: "Work each day on you thoughts rather than concentrating on your behavior. It is your thinking that creates the feeling that you have and ultimately your actions as well." So I worked each day on my beliefs by constantly affirming myself using written and verbal affirmations. The years since have been an incredible rocket ride.

One of the best known stories about the power of belief is about Roger Bannister, the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. Before his accomplishment it was generally believed that the human body was incapable of such a feat. But as soon as he had done it, scores of others accomplished the same thing. Thousands have done so since and today it's not uncommon for it to be done by a talented high-schooler. Did the human body change so that this could be done? No. but the human belief system did!

Nightingale-Conant says Napoleon Hill is considered to have influenced more people into success than any other person in history. And his most quoted line from Think and Grow Rich describes the power of belief: "Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." Just believing that statement, truly believing it deep down inside, is a bold step toward living your dreams.

Lisa Jimenez, in her great book Conquer Fear! Writes, "change your beliefs and you change your behavior. Change your behaviors and you change your results. Change your results and you change your life."

And that's worth thinking about.

Creative Goal-Setting for Kids and Teens by Denis Waitley

An Indian guide who displayed uncanny skills in navigating the rugged regions of the Southwest was asked how he did it. "What is your secret of being an expert tracker and trail-blazer?", a visitor asked him.

The guide answered: "There is no secret. One must only possess the far vision and the near look. The first step is to determine where you want to go. Then you must be sure that each step you take is a step in that direction."

A dream is what you would like for life to be. A Goal is what you intend to make happen. A goal is the near look; what, specifically, you intend to do on a daily basis to get there.

No matter what their current ages, try to determine the sensory learning style of each of your children: visual, auditory, or kinesthetic. Visual learners understand and remember best what they see. Auditory learners prefer to hear and verbalize in order to comprehend. Kinesthetic learners need to involve touch and movement into the processing of new concepts, and to learn by doing. All of these styles have some overlap because we all use hearing, seeing and doing. But keep these styles in mind when you stimulate your children's creative and goal-setting activities.
To build a pattern of positive expectations for your children, they need a way to keep score. Children know they are doing well when the task or project is well defined and the goals are clearly stated. How can a child experience the thrill of hitting the bull's eye, when he or she doesn't know what the target is? Kids need to see the end before they begin a task or they will lose interest. When you are giving your child a task, such as cleaning her room, be specific in telling her what you want her to do and when you want it done and stick to it. By providing a clear and specific ending, your child can look forward to enjoying time with her friends when the task is completed.

Goals are the target of success! Who you see is who you'll be. What you set is what you get. Help your kids get the far vision, the dream. Help them get the near look, the steps and action plans that pave the road to their dreams. Participate in your children's games, problem-solving exercises, field trips and creative projects. Instead of telling them how things work, help them learn to discover the "hows" and "whys."

Help your children dream about their future. Set the example by jotting down and cutting pictures out to describe family dreams. Assist them in defining their own goals and writing them down on index cards. Post the cards in their bedroom or on a board where they can see and review their goals daily. Help your kids prioritize their goals. Have them consider their goals in the order of their importance. Place beside each written goal, a proposed target date for the attainment of that goal.

Help your child make plans. Unfortunately, many kids view problems as insurmountable mountains. Your role as parents is to help them view problems as opportunities. Teach them to go over, around, under or to bore a hole right through their roadblocks. Show children how to prepare a daily "to do" list. In the evening, help prepare a list of a few important things to do the following day. At the end of the day, help them review their progress. By using index cards, you can use a file box to store daily activity cards. Monthly, quarterly and yearly, let them go through the cards in the box, to see all they have accomplished through step-by-step actions.
Help your kids to visualize, in advance, what the accomplishment of their goals looks and feels like. Bedtime is an ideal setting, where you can see in their imaginations where they want to be, what they want to do, and things they will have to work and save for to get.

Build goals and evaluations around the school year. When you go over your child's report card, discuss the goals that he set for himself and how he is doing toward achieving those goals. Share with your child any comments teachers might have regarding his grades.
Kids need rewards and behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated, especially if they understand that the reward is coming when the goal is accomplished. Rewards do not have to be strictly financial, but can be going out for an ice cream or whatever your child enjoys doing. By rewarding goal directed behavior, you are providing additional incentive to achieve almost any goal.