The Millionaire Mind Support Network

Millionaire Minds Acknowledge and Celebrate EVERY Success

Regular readers of this blog know that I’m a huge fan of Jack Canfield’s work.  I think Jack’s books, “The The Success Principles” and “The Power of Focus” should be required reading for every business owner and anyone considering starting a business and a must have on every Millionaire Mind bookshelf.

The following article appeared in this week’s Success Strategies, Jack’s weekly newsletter. It addresses questions Millionaire Minds are sure to acknowledge and act upon…

Pop Quiz: When was the last time you acknowledged and appreciated yourself?

by Jack Canfield

That’s right: YOU. Not your spouse, not your children, or not your boss, co-workers or friends. Just YOU!

Seriously, think about it.

And if it’s been so long since you last pat yourself on the back, then I want you to take the time right now to acknowledge and appreciate yourself for everything you’ve accomplished today, throughout the year, and in life. Ask yourself: How many times have you succeeded in the past month? The past year? The past 10 years? Are you able to recall your successes as easily as your failures and missteps?

This is not a selfish and egotistical act in the least. By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you’ve achieved–and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses–you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-acknowledgment and -appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments.

In working with top leaders and thought philosophers of our time, I will tell you that among their secrets of success is a regular practice of acknowledging and appreciating what they have. It can offer an oracle into the future because it not only tells you where you are but it also helps clarify where you want to go in life. Whatever that might be. The road then becomes easier to navigate–easier to see from the distance and walk confidently step by step.

Don’t forget to think about big and little accomplishments. Many people under-appreciate the minor things they do successfully every day . And yet they can recall in detail all the times they have failed or made mistakes. That’s because the brain remembers events more easily when they are accompanied by strong emotions.

For example, you might vividly recall a graduation, losing 10 pounds, having a child, winning an award, or landing a highly sought after position. But see if you can identify just as many minor, more subtle successes, such as your intimate conversation with your spouse last night, the re-connection you established with an estranged friend last month, the quality time you were able to spend with your children today, how you checked off all your list of To Dos for the weekend, how you learned a new task at work, or got your kid to school on time.

These may seem like minor acts in the grand scheme of life, but they are what make us feel whole, happy, and accomplished along the journey toward those larger, and much more deeply satisfying moments.

Acknowledging your mistakes also has it pluses, but we often don’t have trouble recalling or mulling over those. The point is, if you don’t acknowledge your successes the same way you acknowledge your mistakes, you’re sure to have a memory full of blunders. And a mind stuffed with negative chatter about the gaffes of life won’t fuel your energy, nor your confidence, creativity, and motivation to keep going.

Consider this, too: if you only remember the mistakes and failures, you won’t be as ready to take risks that will lead to your successes. Build your self-esteem by recalling all the ways you have succeeded and your brain will be filled with images of you making your achievements happen again and again.

Give yourself permission to toot your own horn and don’t wait for anyone to praise you. Here are two suggestions:

1.)Record Your Personal History. Take time to write your achievements down. Start when you were very young and think of all your achievements since then. Don’t just pick the major milestones; write down all the things you take for granted. For example, if you list your college degree, write your appreciation for having the opportunity to go to college and forge friendships that will last a lifetime.

You can also create a log of success every day and review it when you are faced with a new challenge. By writing it all down daily, you’re securing it in your long-term memory and it will become a part of what makes you tick. It can even become a source of positive reminders and affirmations for when you’re feeling down, as well as a personal record of you that becomes your legacy.

2.) Celebrate Yourself with Mementos. Surround yourself with reminders of your successes. Put up pictures, articles, trophies, awards and other pieces that bring your attention to your success. Make your environment speak to you about your achievements. Be proud of them!

By the way, showing appreciation for yourself and accomplishments has many rewards that go far beyond boosting your own self-confidence.

Appreciating yourself is creates a cascading affect–your heightened confidence will spill over into other aspects of your life. Watch what happens when you gain that special trust in yourself. You’ll attract opportunities, experience more fulfilling relationships, and have no trouble reaching loftier goals.

Remember, people like to be around those who have a healthy self-esteem and who are achieving their goals. Commit to acknowledging your achievements and your brain will begin to tell you the truth: that you can do anything!

© 2008 Jack Canfield

Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly
“Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on September 3rd!
www.AskJackCanfield.com

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If you missed previous issues of Success Strategies,
I keep an archive of past issues you can always refer to.

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You can, as long as you include this complete statement with it: Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Power Principle: Success is a learnable skill

“Beliefs are the determinants of what one experiences. There are no external ’causes.’”

— David Hawkins: Internationally renowned psychiatrist, physician, researcher

Your wants, your needs and your desires shape the world around you. Your experiences and your choices shape your outcome. But it’s your beliefs — your unwavering commitment to your ideals — that shape who you are.

Many Millionaire Mind Intensive Grads are familiar with Dr. David Hawkins earlier works:
Power Versus Force: An Anatomy of Consciousness: the Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior; The Eye of the I: From Which Nothing Is Hidden; Reality and Subjectivity; Transcending the Levels of Consciousness; and Truth Vs. Falsehood: How to Tell the Difference

I’ve just listened to the Nightingale-Conant audio edition of In The World, But Not Of It: Experience a new way of being in the world!

Hawkins’ new work addresses the challenge of walking the awakened path in our technologically-centered culture.  This is a great guide for those graduates who came away from any of the Peak Potentials training experiences knowing that Millionaire Minds take full responsibility for every aspect of our lives and to move past our personal comfort zones we must make a commitment to live intentionally.

Dr. Hawkins provides example after example of practical things you can do in a variety of everyday situations to reach personal goals in conscious integrity.

Points covered by Dr. Hawkins’ In The World, But Not Of It

• Why being accountable for your choices and actions is central to your spiritual evolution
• How to make sure that you’re not fooling yourself about the responsibility (or lack thereof) that you take for your life
• How you should deal with people who are not very conscious
• What things you should embrace and what you should avoid in our technologically advanced world
• How to avoid getting overly stressed by change

Dr. Hawkins has one objective: to save you as much suffering as possible by giving you practical tools and suggestions that lead to immense spiritual growth and the joy that comes with it.

Millionaire Minds will always earn more, because we are willing to learn more.

T. Harv Eker often relates that after he sold his first successful business he took a sabbatical. During that time he studied the works of all the great business, wealth and spiritual life coaches. He wanted to learn all he could about building and sustaining a truly abundant life

In Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, Eker summarized what he learned under the headings of “Wealth Files” and Wealth Principles”

Taking complete responsibility for every circumstance in our lives as we experience it today, in our past, and the future is foundational to building the millionaire mind. We each create our lives, though our thoughts words and deeds. Each of us is the Captain of our individual ships of destiny. We can set a course and take the responsibility of getting there; or we can just drift where every the winds of fate take us and hope we make it safely to the distant shore of the future.

Wealth File # 1

“Rich people believe “I create my life.
Poor People believe “Life happens to me.”

— Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, Pg 54

Doug Nelson, Millionaire Mind Trainer, extraordinaire, distills the process of personal responsibility down to its essence.

“The truth will set you free, but first, it will really piss you off!
You can have REASONS or you can have RESULTS — pick one.”

After my last Millionaire Mind Intensive, I challenged myself not to give a reason, just report the result, even if the result was negative. The exercise was my own version of the military’s, “Sir. No excuse Sir!

Wealth Principle:

When you are complaining you become a living breathing “crap magnet”

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, Pg 58

It was shocking how often I stopped myself in mid-sentence. Making and keeping a solid promise of “NO COMPLAINING — NO BLAMING” is changing how I think and speak. It is also changing how I listen to others.

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change
the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can
change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”

Jim Rohn: Motivational speaker, author, and entrepreneur

Millionaire Minds put an end to the “blame game” and take responsibility for every aspect of our lives.

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.”

— Lou Holtz: Former football coach, author, motivational speaker

One of my favorite “Go-To” books is, Don’t Worry, Make Money, by Richard Carlson. It is a compilation of short essays about the habits, and attitudes that make up an abundant life. His essay about banishing doubt is one of my favorites.

During a Millionaire Mind Intensive experience, with hundreds of like-minded participants and inspiring trainers around you, it is easy to feel like you can successfully breakout of the past patterns. As we get back into our daily lives, we learn that success is a process not an event. We remember T. Harv’s warnings about our ego’s mind chatter; “This can’t work for you. You can’t do that. You don’t have the experience to do ‘WHATEVER’ successfully. What will people say if you go for your dream? Sales, forget about it!” We bravely tell our mind “Thank you for sharing, your input is not needed” and forge ahead.

Banishing ego-driven doubt is one of the millionaire mind challenges each of us must master.

For those who do not doubt themselves can accomplish anything. How much energy do we expend daily, just in moments of doubt?

During the course of our day, we doubt our ability the write well, speak to a group, come up with the next big idea, or solution to a nagging problem, we doubt our ability to market a product or service that is our passion, or negotiate with a difficult person. We question our self worth, how much we deserve to be paid, or how valuable or talented we are. We doubt our ability to over come rejection, start over or confront a vexing challenge.

T. Harv Eker speaks of taming the ‘cobra of fear’.

EVERYONE experiences fear or doubt — even Trump and Branson have moments when they look in the mirror and ask, “What the heck was I thinking?” The real differentiator between outrageous success and quiet regret is facing the doubt and fear and doing it anyway.

Millionaire minds start the process of success by trusting in ourselves, building an inner knowing, an awareness that you have everything it takes to be a success and make your dreams come true. The only true obstacle lies within the doubt itself — and all doubt lies within our own thoughts. Millionaire Minds can reprogram our thoughts.

“All doubt is a waste of energy and interferes with our natural ability to create the abundance and wealth that is our birthright. Whatever doubts are lingering in your mind, let them go. It’s far easier than you think, and will produce great rewards.”

— Richard Carlson, Don’t Worry, Make Money

“Don’t measure busywork. Don’t measure activity. Measure accomplishment. It doesn’t matter what people do as much as it matters what they get done.”

— Larry Winget: professional speaker and bestselling author

What are YOU getting done today?

A recent survey revealed that about a third of most people’s workweek was unproductive. Think about how you spent your last workday. Were you on task, working toward a goal? Or did phone calls, emails, and meetings bog you down? Make a habit to start each day with a focus of what meaningful daily goal you want to accomplish. String together a few weeks, then a few months and a few years like that and you’ll become very successful as a business owner,

Millionaire Minds Start their day with focused intention and close their days with gratitude.

Recommended Millionaire Mind reading: The Power of Focus
by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Less Hewitt

Wealth Principle:

You can Choose to think in ways that will support you in happiness and success —Instead of ways that don’t!

— Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, pg 51

Millionaire Minds Have a Sense of Urgency

People with a sense of urgency get more done and do it on time. They create more energized, positive and productive working environments. A sense of urgency drives us to accomplish our dreams. The urgent doers are implementers. Once they latch onto an idea, it moves forward through compulsive need to progress from thought to action and from action to completion,

Your personal financial blueprint consists of a combination of your thoughts, feelings and actions in the area of money.

T. Harv Eker refers to the process of manifestation in a formula:

T —>F —> A = R

Thoughts lead to feelings

Feelings lead to actions

Actions lead to results

We can change our unsupportive programming once we are aware of it.

Millionaire Minds take Action with a sense of urgency!

Recommended reading:
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, By T. Harv Eker

It is not a book you read once and shelve. It is a book to be studied, highlighted and referred to often.

“Your life right now is a reflection of your past thoughts. That
Includes all the great things, and all the things you consider not
so great. Since you attract to you what you think about most, it
is easy to see what your dominant thoughts have been on every
subject of your life, because that is what you have experienced.”

— Rhonda Byrne: Australian writer and producer, known for The Secret

Your past defines who you are today and helps shape your future tomorrow. Embrace your past, mistakes and all, because they are a part of you. You can’t change your past, but you can always change your thoughts — which changes your future

Wealth Principle

“When the subconscious mind must choose between deeply rooted emotions and logic, emotions will almost always win.”

Steps for Change: Verbal Programming

AWARENESS: Write Down all the statements you heard about money, wealth and rich people when you were young.

UNDERSTANDING: Write down how you believe these statements have affected you so far.

DISASSOCIATION: Can you see that these thoughts represent only what you learned and are not part of your anatomy and not who you are? Can you see that you have a choice in the present moment to be different?

DECLARATION: Place your hand over your heart and say…
“What I heard about money isn’t necessarily true. I choose to adopt new ways of thinking that support my happiness and success.”

Touch your head and say…

“I have a millionaire Mind.”

— T. Harv Eker, Secrets of The Millionaire Mind, PG 25

“Management is doing things right,
leadership is doing the right things.

— Peter F. Drucker: was a writer and management consultant

Management takes brains.
Leadership takes brains, guts and heart.

Management moves people.
Leadership moves companies.
Management changes product and price.
Leadership changes minds and attitudes.
Management can come and go.
Leadership is forever.

Recommended Reading for Millionaire Minds

The Definitive Drucker: The Final Word from the Father of Modern Management
By Elizabeth Haas Edersheim, Peter Ferdinand Drucker
Published by McGraw-Hill Professional, 2006
ISBN 0071472339, 9780071472333

The Definitive Drucker captures his visionary management concepts, applies them to the key business risks and opportunities of the coming decades, and imparts Drucker’s views on current business practices, economic changes, and trends-many of which he first predicted decades ago. It also sheds light onto issues such as why so many leaders fail, the fragility of our economic systems, and the new role of the CEO. Drucker’s insights are divided into five main themes that the modern organization needs to, as Drucker would say, “create tomorrow” by Connecting with customers Innovating without abandoning what works Developing lasting partnerships Creating and retaining knowledge workers Establishing disciplined decision making Drucker’s penetrating questions, posed to those seeking his advice, helped business, corporate, and political leaders throughout the 20th century to see their work in a new perspective, and create phenomenal innovation.