GRADUATION SEASON IS ONE OF GRATITUDE

#graduates #GraduationSeason #gratitude #AttitudeOfGratitude #HelpingOthers
Graduation season brings out the gratitude in all those mortarboard-clad hopefuls.
Graduates are grateful to those who helped make them who they are: parents, teachers, mentors, coaches, family and friends.
But can they sustain that gratitude to others who will influence their lives from here on?
Certainly, those who brought them along during their formative years will likely not be forgotten.
But as they (pick one: cruise, stumble, climb, fly) into adulthood, others will step in to influence what they do, who they are and what they will become.
The question for those grads will be: will they remember who helped them, advised them or worked with or for them etc., that made a difference in their outcomes?
Leaders and other good people understand that the road to success is not a solo venture. In fact, they learn that success comes not from just helping oneself, but by helping others.
As they proceed to help others succeed, they cultivate a deep gratitude not only for the privilege of helping others, but also for the honor of being helped by others.
So, if you are a graduate this year, don’t let the season just be a symbol of gratitude. Let it be a foundation for the gratitude you will hone throughout your life.
This is not to say that self-confidence is not a virtue. In fact, it’s difficult to appreciate those who believe(d) in you if you do not believe in yourself.
You will face many decisions that will be completely yours. You may indeed have strong beliefs on how to proceed. Still, don’t hesitate to ask someone you trust whether they believe you are making the right choice(s) before you decide. You may discover something of which you’d never thought.
Also, you will face choices to do what benefits you most, or what may benefit others most. Choosing the former may work in some employment situations. Very likely, however, choosing the latter in more whole-life circumstances will be better.
Also, remember it is always better to serve than be served, regardless of what position or status you reach.
Serving is the ultimate form of gratitude for your success.
Success by serving others is the truest form of achievement. As you help others succeed, success generally follows you.
You will run across some for whom success comes at the expense of others. That may work in some sports competitions, but generally does not in other aspects of life. Success at the expense of others is the opposite of gratitude.
So, as you proceed to your next step, tread with gratitude, not only for those who’ve already helped you, but also for those who will help you. Return that favor by helping others.
Flying solo in life can get you off-course, can send you adrift and can be very lonely.
Taking others along for the ride will make the trip more pleasant, more fun and more rewarding.
Always be grateful.
Peter

WORKING TO HELP OTHERS WILL ULTIMATELY ENRICH YOU

#success #HelpingOthers #BecomeWhatYouThink
It’s been said that one may be in business for himself, but not by himself.
In almost everything we do, others play a part.
We can choose to USE others for our own gain, to their detriment. Or, we can choose to help others succeed, hence we succeed.
“In helping others, we shall help ourselves. For whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us,” says Flora Edwards, a South African-born industrialist.
Edwards’ words are among the array of wisdom nuggets in the book, “The Power of Positive Doing: Getting Good at Getting Results,” by BJ Gallagher, with a forward by Ken Blanchard.
Too many of us have worked for people who depended on our success, but were indifferent about us. We, in essence, were a tool in their toolbox. THEIR success was all that mattered to them. If we became successful in the process, so be it. If we didn’t (read: we did the work but didn’t get paid what we deserved), it was of no matter to them.
Like any tool, if we left, or broke beyond repair, they replaced us.
The true situation we would all like to be in was working WITH someone who had a vested interest in our success. They would have so much of a vested interest, in fact, that they would do whatever they had to do to ensure our success.
Those folks, it seems, are few and far between.
But, as a person, one cannot focus on what others may do to you, or for you.
One must focus more on what one can do for others. Whom do you want to help? Whom do you want to succeed? If you begin to think that way, success will come to you in good time.
Success may not be instantaneous. Favors may not be overtly returned immediately. But the right attitude and subsequent action by you will bring the eventual results you are looking for.
OK, it’s nice to think that way, but, as a practical matter, how does one achieve what he thinks about?
Perhaps your current job doesn’t allow you the flexibility to help the people you want to be successful.
There are several vehicles out there that, with a little part-time effort outside of your job, you can help others achieve success, and you, in turn, can be successful. To check out one of the best, message me.
Gallagher’s book focuses on not just thinking right, but taking the action needed to make what you are thinking happen.
Too many folks have the right ideas, but are afraid to act on them because, for example, they were raised to look for security, rather than take bold steps toward their dream.
Others fail to act out of fear of what others may think of them. As most successful people will tell you, being successful may require you to be different from the rest.
So, go forth and help others. Your rewards may not be immediate or obvious, but eventually, they will come in abundance.
Peter

MONEY DOESN’T MAKE YOU BETTER

#money #PersonalGrowth #HoldYourHeadHigh
“If I had more money, I’d be a better person,” some might say.
Leadership guru Jim Rohn, in one of his newsletters, begs to differ.
“We grow personally and then we advance materially,” said Rohn in one of his newsletters.
Last week, we discussed flaunting your most valuable asset: your earning potential.
Rohn puts a slightly different spin on that premise: success is to be attracted, not pursued.
Some old adages your parents may have taught you include: Work hard. Keep your head down and your nose to the grindstone.
In other words, work hard, but don’t draw attention to yourself.
That advice may have sufficed for the person who wants to simply work, draw a paycheck every week, stay in his comfort zone and out of trouble.
For true success, however, hard work certainly is important. But you see true success when others are attracted to you. The best way to attract others to you is to show that you are truly interested in THEIR success, perhaps even more than in your own.
You see, helping others succeed more than likely will bring you success as well.
How does one do this with a “grindstone” kind of job? First, analyze where this job will eventually take you. If it’s unlikely to ever get you out of the work station you are in, and you want out – at least eventually, you may have to find something that you can do within the confines of your work place, or outside of it, to let people know you want to be successful.
If that’s not possible in the confines of your work station, look at other ways to help people, and perhaps earn a part-time income in your spare time. There are many ways to do that, without taking on a “second job.” To check out one of the best, message me.
You can gain personal wealth at the expense of others. Or, you can gain success by helping others achieve success.
Which would you rather do?
If the latter appeals to you, you might have to find ways outside of your normal activity to accomplish that.
You can certainly be successful without being wealthy. Just observe the story of people like Mother Teresa.
She helped people in a very selfless manner.
But if you are not already wealthy, helping people can be a way of creating wealth – for those you help become successful and, as a result, for yourself.
To do that, as Jim Rohn would advise, make yourself attractive to others. Not necessarily physically attractive, but let your enthusiasm draw others to you. Let your desire to help them want them to help you, or do business with you.
Be the one not with his head down, but the one with his head held high, and a smile on his face. Be the one who knows where he wants to go, and who wants to take as many with him as want to go.
Be a magnet that draws the best to you, then bring out the best in them.
Peter

STOP, LOOK, FIND THE ANSWER

#stop #look #findtheanswer
If you know what you have is good, it doesn’t matter what others think.
Don’t be quick to judge others, though they may think differently from you.
Work hard, work smartly, don’t give up!
If others don’t see what you see, don’t tell them they are blind. Find those who do see.
If what you are doing isn’t working for you, look for something that will work. Don’t necessarily give up what you have.
When circumstances turn ugly, turn the energy you would use to complain about it into vision to solve the problem.
Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to step into something good.
It’s not what you have, in relation to what others have, that matters. To borrow from the late Zig Ziglar, it’s whether, and how much, you can help others get what they want.
When you step forward, don’t carry your troubles with you.
However, helping others carry their troubles is noble.
The more you give, the more you will get.
The more you take, the more you will lose.
If any of these words speaks to you, you are probably someone who has seen difficult times, even overcome them. Yet, another challenge has come.
You might be someone who knows he or she wants something different, but may not know yet what that is.
You might be someone who has spent his or her life working hard, but don’t have what you believe you deserve to show for it.
You might be someone who needs something, but is never needy.
You might be someone who craves independence, but feels boxed in.
You might be someone who feels the world has much to give, but you would love to give even more.
Perhaps you are someone who would never take advantage, but would instead empower others.
Don’t let others tell you what’s best for you. Only you know that.
At the same time, don’t tell others what’s best for them. Try to show them what might be good.
If any of these words has meaning to you, visit www.bign.com/pbilodeau. Perhaps you will find what you are looking for. Perhaps you will solve a current problem. Perhaps you will find something to give.
Looking back has seldom paid dividends. Looking forward always does.
So love, give, look until you find and drive until you thrive. Then, you will have all the best.
Peter

HOW GREAT ARE YOU?

#greatness #self-confidence #doingrightbyothers
There’s a difference between self-confidence and greatness.
Great people never proclaim their greatness. But others may. Self-confident people express confidence to themselves, and just show it to others.
Don Yaeger, a former associate editor for Sports Illustrated magazine, has interviewed thousands of great people in his career. In his book, “What Makes the Great Ones Great,” he lists 16 characteristics of greatness. They are: hating to lose more than wanting to win, appreciating the values of association, placing faith in a higher power, having contagious enthusiasm, preparing for all possibilities, having no off-season, visualizing victory, using adversity as fuel, being a responsible risk-taker, knowing how and when to make adjustments, becoming the ultimate teammate, being motivated by more than money, doing right by others, living with integrity, being a role model and creating a well-rounded legacy.
We won’t focus specifically on all 16 here, but we will draw out what a great person, defined as a person capable of doing something great as determined by others, based on Yaeger’s characteristics.
This person has drive. He or she is capable of motivating others by allowing others to observe how he or she acts.
The person gives and does for others enthusiastically, without expecting anything in return. He or she goes home each night knowing he or she has done the best possible.
He or she knows the goal and knows the drill. He or she doesn’t say to others, “Try again. I’ll know what I’m looking for when I see it.” If what’s produced is not up to standard, he or she says exactly what needs to be done to make it so.
This person won’t criticize you. He or she will care about you for who you are. He or she will do all possible to make YOU the best YOU can be. Very likely, personal reward will come his or her way, though that’s not the goal.
This person knows bad things will happen. But his or her strength comes from turning bad to good, using whatever it takes and staying with what works. He or she will look to others to find the how, but will have a firm grasp on why.
He or she doesn’t have to be well educated on paper, but will read a lot of the right things and learn a lot from others. He or she is not content to be content. He or she not only wants what he or she wants, but also wants it for others.
Not only does this person completely understand right from wrong, he or she does the right thing, even without thinking about it, and when no one is looking.
He or she is the same person among family, friends or strangers. He or she doesn’t ask anyone to follow him or her, the way, say, a dictator might. People follow him or her BECAUSE of who they are. No duress, no distress, just success for all.
We all have potential for greatness. We all have potential to achieve all that we want. We all can find the best role models to emulate. Yet, not all of us do what we are capable of. If you want more than contentment and are searching for a vehicle to give it to you, visit www.bign.com/pbilodeau. You’ll see people enthusiastically doing what they need to do, to get what they want.
Don’t let others, or circumstances, stop you. Achieve greatness. Get the help you need and follow what the best are doing. Do right by others. Bring others with you as you achieve. Know why you are doing it, and let reward come to you.
Peter

HOBBIES, LUCK AND FORTUNE: PART 1

Debbi Fields loved to bake chocolate chip cookies. Little did this California housewife know that her hobby would become a big business – Mrs. Fields.
Ken Hannah started a steak house restaurant in Massachusetts. But it was his homemade salad dressing that would become his empire – Ken’s salad dressing.
We often dream that our hobbies, our passion or something we create would earn us great wealth. It happens rarely, so most of us have to be content with just loving our avocations. If we turn them into an income stream, that’s a bonus.
But there is hope for all of us – even those who don’t yet have avocations about which they are passionate. It’s the greatest anti-poverty program in the world for two reasons: it makes average people wealthy AND people get wealthy by helping others get wealthy. It’s known as network marketing.
Robert Kiyosaki, with Sharon L. Lechter, in the series of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” books, has written a book titled “Rich Dad: The Business School For People Who Like Helping People.” In it, he shows that it’s not the invention itself that makes one rich. It’s the network by which that invention is distributed that makes people rich.
Debbi Fields and Ken Hannah invented something special, but didn’t become rich until that invention was widely distributed. In network marketing, the product(s) have already been invented or created. The average person gets rich by building a network to distribute that product. Here’s the beauty of it: you don’t have to build these networks through anything other than talking to others about it, and showing it to them.
Kiyosaki did not build his fortune through network marketing. But through his research, as his book states, he’s become a fan. Why? You see, many people get rich AT THE EXPENSE of others. They use others’ labor and others’ talent to enrich themselves. Those who made them rich get very few of the spoils.
Through most legitimate network marketing companies, one cannot get rich unless he helps others do the same. Anyone can do it, yet, network marketing is not for everyone, Kiyosaki says. Donald Trump and Warren Buffett also have invested in network marketing companies.
To do anything well, you have to believe in what you are doing. Belief turns to passion. Passion oozes out of you as you talk about your product, and recruit others to work with you. Those who are looking to change their lives will see that passion in you, and want to follow you. The passion becomes contagious, and the people who see your passion and join you, become passionate themselves and attract others. That cycle builds networks that can make everyone in it rich.
Why is it not for everyone? There are lots of folks who NEED something to come into their lives that will change it for the better. But not everyone LOOKS FOR IT! Many are content enough with what they have, even though they envy others who have more. Many others are clearly not content, but even if you put a fortune in front of them, they will never see it. Still others see it as too good to be true, and are so skeptical they won’t get near it – no matter how well they know you, and no matter how passionate you are. To borrow a phrase from the U.S. Marines, you are looking for the few, who will ultimately become the proud (and rich). Along the way, you’ll find the many who will not.
There are many good network marketing companies out there. To check out one of the best, visit www.bign.com/pbilodeau. How will you know that the one you are shown is among the best, and won’t burn you? You can do your own research, of course, but here is your first clue: is the person showing it to you SHOWING, rather than SELLING? How will you know that? He’ll take NO for an answer, and walk away.
He may update you periodically on how he’s doing, if you show some interest, but he won’t keep bothering you. Remember, he’s interviewing you for his business. He’s not looking for any special talent. He’s looking for desire and interest. Sure, he may sell you a product that you will use anyway, and may not want to sell yourself. But he’s really looking for business partners.
The next time someone you know – or perhaps someone you don’t yet know – offers to show you something that they say could change your life, check it out. Say no if it’s not for you. Say yes if you believe it is. But unless your life is so good that you don’t need a change, take a look. Then, decide.
Peter