A few posts back I spoke of a story I was reading out of a book by Andy Andrews. In that story the zoo keeper shared his secret to success. He used a word called “leverage” and applied it in his business to get what he wanted. He used leverage over his animals and also his employees. He knew how to provide just the minimum in exchange for what he wanted. In exchange for their freedom, he would give them food and shelter. Food and shelter is definitely a necessity, but you can still get it and so much more without having to sacrifice your freedom?

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

You have all heard of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs right? It outlines the human races level of needs starting with the basics, food and shelter. It is said that until one has mastered one level, they will not rise to the next. So in Laman’s terms, unless you have food, shelter, are breathing, are getting sleep and can go to the bathroom, you won’t really progress to the next level of the scale. Now that speaks words! How many people are still stuck on the bottom level of the 5 level scale because they have not mastered food and shelter? How many people struggle to pay rent or their mortgage and cannot progress along this scale because of it? Sure, they may jump up the scale for brief periods of time but what does it all come down to? It all comes back to the basics for that person!

Wouldn’t it be nice if one could master the bottom four and actually hit the top level and stay there? To have graduated from level four with complete and utter self confidence and respect from others and to be on a path of pure growth and self actualization? It is amazing how people limit their potential by focusing only on the things that seem to be the most important, like food and shelter. Sure, if I really focus on just making a living, I am sure to get it. But do I really want to just make a living? Or do I want to live my life? There is a big difference and I sure hope you realize that. Most employees make a living, paycheck to paycheck, or in other words, they get food and shelter.

Self actualization is the ultimate destination and very few reach it in this lifetime. The secret to it, is to simply look beyond the basics. By doing this, the basics will just be basics instead of the main focus. I finally realized this when I started a business, became an Entrepreneur and engulfed myself in Personal Development. I realized that I had been so focused on my basic needs that I had no clue as to my ultimate potential. Here are a few clues to determine of you are doing the same:

• Are you constantly stressed out over paying your bills?
• Are you barely making your rent or mortgage?
• While grocery shopping do you limit what you get because of your budget?
• Are you loosing sleep because of financial reasons?
• Are you living paycheck to paycheck?
• Do you seem to lack the time in your day after going to work to get much else done with your family, or your own personal needs?

If any of these things are true in your life, chances are you are still trying to master the basics!

All in all, stop settling for the basics in life and start living it!

You have all heard of the phrase “prosperity conscious” right? We all know that in order to change your current circumstance, you must first change the way you think. It doesn’t start with the economy or your job. It all starts from the noodle wrapped up and stuffed into that skull of yours. It starts from your thoughts and then effects all of those other things. If the world started thinking differently about their situation then their situation would be different. Sounds simple right? So how do we start thinking differently?

Here is something so simple yet brilliant and very effective that will effect your thinking in a good way. This is something that we have taught our children to do and you can see the difference in the way they operate. This directly effects your relationship with money. I think that most of the world, when talk of money comes around, associates it with negative thoughts and feelings. This can be for many different reasons such as debt, the lack of, or bills.

Now, for a moment, think of money as a person. Now what would a person do if they knew that every time they came around or were spoken of by you that you had negative feelings and thoughts about them? They would be very very elusive right? They would never come around. The same goes for money. If you have negative thoughts or feeling towards money because of debt, the lack of, or anything that is not positive, you must change that in order to have more money flow into your life.

I’m a Money Magnet!

So every time we see a coin, whether it is a silver dollar or just a penny, we pick it up and yell, “I’m a money magnet” in the air. Our kids absolutely love doing this! They think it is a big game, and after saying they are a money magnet, they have the biggest smiles on their faces! I love it and can see the positive relationship they are building with money that will have a positive effect on their income in the future.

Believe me when I tell you this…..It Makes A Difference! Some of you will probably think it is silly and won’t do it. That is your choice. But since we have started doing this, we have had more money come into our lives than before. We are money magnets because we appreciate money, whether a little or a lot, it is attracted to us because we use it to live the life of our dreams. It is a tool that has provided so much joy and abundance in our lives and we welcome it.

Change your thoughts, change your world!

Let me take you back, I mean way back, to what we all know as the beginning of time. The reason I would like to do this is to show you your nature, or human nature. This is why we are having government bailouts, economic trouble and something called “The blame game!” This all started from the very moment that Eve bit into that apple. What did she do when Adam asked her why she had bitten the apple? She blamed it all on Lucifer. Oh, it was all his fault that I made the decision to bite the apple. Really? So it was someone elses fault that you used your own mouth to bite that apple! I see!

Now, let’s not put it all on the woman. What did Adam do? Adam blames it on the woman, saying that she gave me the apple and I ate it. The blame game! It’s in human nature to blame, but in order to create the results you desire in your life, it must not exist in your nature.

Take Personal Responsibility

You can change it. You can assume full responsibility for all that you have done, are doing and will ever do. It is called personal responsibility! You must realize and accept the fact that your current circumstances are a result of your choices and that your choices are a result of your thoughts. So who controls what thoughts are entertained and what thoughts are not? You guessed it, YOU!

So if you have a thought that tells you to do absolutely nothing today in your business, your life, or your relationship and you obey, who’s fault is it? Yours! If someone else tells you to do nothing today in your business or life and you do it, who fault is that? Yours! If the economy goes into rough times and your business fails, who’s fault is it? This is controversial for most people but the fault is still YOURS! Why? You allowed something as silly as a so called “broken economy” effect you. So for years after people will ask you what happened to that awesome business you had and you will respond by blaming it on the economy. Are you comfortable with that? I sure hope not.

Taking personal responsibility means that anything and everything that happens to you in your life is a direct result of your thoughts, and is ultimately your fault, your celebration or your doing! Take the credit. It is all you! Don’t sit on the sidelines and expect others to bail you out, help you out or give you great ideas. That privilege lies on you and only you! That is exciting. To know that you are the creator or the destroyer of your own life is marvelous. Why? For those of you who have dug yourselves into a hole, and have no life, know that you created it. But also know this: By knowing and accepting the fact that you created your horrible life, you automatically know as well, that you can also create an exceptional, rich and abundant life!

I could go on forever! It’s your life, no one elses. Now what are you going to do with it?

Amy had a conversation with a fellow associate the other day who shared his story of success. It’s a great story. He got started in this business opportunity and set his goals to replace his current 6 figure income. All he wanted was to be able to quit corporate America and to do that, he had to replace his income. His motivation to be home with his daughter was his fuel. Well, in a fairly short period of time he accomplished his goal. He retired himself from corporate America and was still making his 6 figure income. Shortly after, his results dropped a bit. He was still making a good income but not as much as he was. He just couldn’t figure out what the difference was between then and now.

I think the answer is clear. It goes back to when he got started. He had a clear definition of what he wanted. He had a vision of quitting corporate America so that he could enjoy his family and travel the world. He accomplished that goal. Then what? Did he set a new vision for what he wanted in his life? He failed to set a new goal or purpose that he was as passionate in reaching as the first one. That was the gap.

A man without a vision is for himself and his future is a man without purpose. What happens to something that has no purpose? It is thrown away and considered to be of no value. It is useless, worth nothing.

So you get the point. Unless you have a purpose, and know your purpose as clear as day, you will be wasting your life away. Others without a purpose will begin to be attracted to you so that you can all sit around and be purposeless. So if you have been wondering why some of your friends seem to have no life, take a look at your own life. Hold yourself accountable and set a purpose.

My purpose is to assist a ton of people this year in quitting their jobs by making a massive income from home in this business, and how to I do that? I will make a ton of money myself, enjoy my lifestyle to the fullest, and teach how I have done this to all those who are as ambitious and motivated as I am.

This is the only way to lead. Do it yourself and then show others how to do it as well. In order to effectively “do it,” I must have a purpose. Be purpose driven and make things happen. Know what you want and then go get it!

Have you ever been on a roller coaster at six flags, Disney Land, or some other amusement park? Do you remember the feeling you get as the coaster is rising to the top of the first summit? Do you remember the feeling that you get when you experience that weightlessness right before you drop to the bottom of that summit? Or, have you ever been cliff jumping, bungee jumping or sky diving? Can you remember what it felt like as you were in that plane or on the top of that cliff moments before it was your turn to jump? Think real hard now. Visualize what it felt like. You start to recreate those feelings right? You know what it feels like to do it and when your mind makes the connection, a feeling is recreated. You have a perfect knowledge of what it felt like to go on that roller coaster or to jump out of that plane and can now recreate that feeling.

Now that you know how to recreate a feeling, is there any difference between recreating a feeling that you have experienced physically and recreating or creating a feeling you have experienced mentally, in your visualizing? We know that in order to truly be connected to your goal you must be able to believe that you are already in possession of that goal. There should be zero doubt in your mind that you will achieve your goal in the specified time period. If it is a car that you have set as your goal, what color is it, how fast does it go, what do the pedals feel like when slammed to the floor, how does it smell inside, how does it feel when you grip the steering wheel, how does it feel when you crank the radio up? Are you really there? Are you really in that car?

Now here’s the connection to the feeling side of it all. Do you remember that feeling you recreated with the roller coaster? If you are as passionate about achieving your goal to get that new car, then you will have a feeling that burns within when you think or visualize having that car. It will feel like that feeling or that goal is about to explode from your chest at this very second and because of that feeling, your actions will be constant and extremely persistent in moving towards achieving that goal. It will feel like it is going to happen now, not tomorrow but now! If you have to wait another second for this goal to materialize right in front of you, you might not be able to cope! It fuels you and gives you the energy, the ambition and the drive to go out and get it! It is more than a want or a hope now, it is definite because you have made it so with your emotional connection to this goal. It will happen, because you know it!

So, let me ask you….Have you been achieving your goals? This might explain why.

Have you ever been at a function or an event having a great time, feeling good about everything going on until you have a conversation with someone that uses language that makes you feel less empowered, less achieved and less appreciated? Or have you been to a conference or a presentation where the host is inspiring and professional all the way up until he drops a word or two that nearly derails him and his credibility?

There are probably many different opinions of appropriate language and what should be accepted at the professional and personal level. Just because a certain term or word seems to be popular, laughed at or even very commonly used does not mean that it is empowering. Language, for everyone who is involved in Personal Development, is a very important part of growth, success and development of ones mindset. Actions define you, speaking is an action.

Let me give you some examples of disempowering words, and please, just fill in the blanks!

1. A four letter word starting with “F” and ending in “K”. Why on earth would this word empower anyone? When someone says this word around you, do you feel like you could conquer the world? It inspires anger, hate, and rage! Nothing more. It is an insecure word. Empower yourself by deleting it from your language.
2. Name calling especially when it is a vulgar word, or curse word. Most adults are just bigger kids, I know this. Name calling should have been taken care of in grade school!

Anyway, you get the point. Using empowering language is not only powerful for you but it also empowers those around you as they build a higher respect for you! So when speaking to someone you know or don’t know, using building words and empower them by having enough respect for that person to do so. You teach others how to treat you and allow them to do so. Teach them the correct way to speak the language of success, especially while around you!