Is there a self-help book that does not hammer on persistence?

What a yawn fest…talk about a load of crap.

Hang in there!

Don’t Quit!

Winners Never Quit & Quitters Never Win!

Gimme a break!  These great statements feel good, but do they really do any good?

What are they trying to convey?

Persistence

Sadly, these expressions are kind of like a warm bath.

A warm bath feels pretty good when you first get in but let’s face it, in the end, you are sitting in a puddle of dirty, cold water.

Motivational speakers who espouse this type of ‘win one for the Gipper, never quit’ stuff make us feel good when we hear it but the next day we can’t remember why.

Their job, for the most part, is self-serving.  They want to make us feel good and the CDs series they are peddling from the back of the room or the up-sell into the next course is really why they want us to feel good.

And, they want us to feel ‘inspired’ and so they tell fabulous stories about people who overcame incredible odds to emerge victorious.

What they are not telling you is the four little habits these folks had all mastered to forge the bigger habit of persistence.

Are these types of pitchmen trying to deceive us?  Probably not…in most cases…but don’t you think it’s odd that the pattern is always the same?

Make us laugh, cry, feel moved with stories of people like you and me who overcame tougher odds than anyone in the audience is feeling…AND…for the low price of 495 bucks…or $3995…we can get their next course or CD/workbooks series that will make us just like those people

What They Have in Common

Turns out there was a study, a 25-year study done on 504 rags-to-riches stories and yes, persistence was a crucial piece.

But the study revealed none of them ever thought of ‘being persistent’ but instead focused on 4 simple, easy behaviors the via repetition became habits and these four habits working in confluence produce, as a by-product, persistence.

Who was studied?  The list is extraordinary, including W. Clement Stone (built the largest and most successful sales force in history and went from 100 bucks in his pocket to a billionaire), Thomas Edison who seems to find his way into every motivational speaker’s bag, Morgan, Firestone, Wrigley, Carnegie…504 in total.

Napoleon Hill

W. Clement Stone and Hill produced Think and Grow Rich and several other books and publications together and it wasn’t until Hill met Stone that he found true financial success, co-producing “Success Magazine” which is still the bible publication for entrepreneurs today.

I mention Hill’s partnership with Stone because I was trained personally by Stone in 1971.

In Think and Grow Rich they break down the four simple easy habits that create persistence and success.

Habit #1

A DEFINITE PURPOSE BACKED BY BURNING DESIRE FOR ITS FULFILLMENT.

This is not the usual ‘why’ you want to succeed.  It is about something much more…understanding who you truly are and allowing yourself to confess to yourself who you really are, what you really want.  Forget about what others want for you, your family, what society says you should want.

What is your purpose being on the planet and how will succeeding fill your heart’s desire…that desire you don’t let anyone know about…and once you get it, how will you feel, how will it benefit others?  In essence, how will it change your world and how will that positively affect the worlds of the folks in your life and beyond be affected?

Easy, simple…just tell yourself the truth.  Write it down and commit.  Need more help? Here is the chapter about Desire

Habit #2

A DEFINITE PLAN, EXPRESSED IN CONTINUOUS ACTION.

A Desire without a written plan, detailed weekly, is nothing more than a wish.  Continuous action is key.  Surfing the web is not action.  Contacting prospects is.

Habit #3

A MIND CLOSED TIGHTLY AGAINST ALL NEGATIVE AND DISCOURAGING INFLUENCES, (including negative suggestions of relatives, friends, and acquaintances.)

We always hear about being open-minded, but there is a time and a season from everything and once we understand this we’ve got to have a closed mind to negative thought, to looking at other deals, to distractions, to everything except the point where transactions that advance the Definite of Purpose is the only thing we do when we are doing business.

Habit #4

A FRIENDLY ALLIANCE WITH ONE OR MORE PERSONS WHO WILL ENCOURAGE ONE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH BOTH PLAN AND PURPOSE.

No master mind alliance, no success.  Period.

A mastermind alliance is not a conference call where you bounce ideas around.  An MMA…Master Mind Alliance is created by you with a mission statement and the core of that mission statement is for you to obtain your definite major purpose. Period.  Here is the only way it works.

The MMA you form is actually part of an organized plan.  It’s not an option.

Working in harmony, not mere cooperation is not only easy but uplifting and will provide the ideas that are solutions to any and all problems.

The Payoff

4 little, easy habits…with a massive payoff in addition to the development of persistence.

Here is what Hill wrote and I have experienced when I adhere to this simple formula:

“These four steps are essential for success in all walks of life. The entire purpose of the thirteen principles of this philosophy is to enable one to take these four steps as a matter of habit.   These are the steps by which one may control one’s economic destiny.  They are the steps that lead to freedom and independence of thought.  They are the steps that lead to riches, in small or great quantities.  They lead the way to power, fame, and worldly recognition.  They are the four steps which guarantee favorable “breaks.”

They are the steps that convert dreams into physical realities.

They lead, also, to the mastery of FEAR, DISCOURAGEMENT, INDIFFERENCE.

There is a magnificent reward for all who learn to take these four steps. It is the privilege of writing one’s own ticket, and of making Life yield whatever price is asked.”

believe

mark januszewski

world’s laziest networker

About the Author

  • I love it. Four magic habbits to success. The four steps anyone can turn their dreams into reality! Thanks Mark!

  • Once again, Mark, right on point to raise skill level to produce maximum results for novice or pro . . . IF people will incorporate this simple, but foundational element.

    Kathy

  • I really enjoyed the video with DJ Gregory as well as the review of the 4 habits. I added them to my last blog post.

    Thanks for the reminders and directions Mark & Davene.
    Agape’ O. Darlene Wood

  • What a fantastic post. Don’t have puddles of dirty water to sit in as I live in Australia. Can only use a shower due to drought. BUT it’s still all water off a duck’s back after a while, when I think about speakers I have experienced .
    Let the Journey Forever be Unfolding

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