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This page has some of the philosophies, attitudes, convictions and doctrines that I subscribe to on a daily basis.

The 10 ancient Scrolls of Success – By the late Og Mandino
Scroll One

"Today I begin a new life.

Today, I shed my old skin, which had too long suffered the bruises of failure and the wounds of mediocrity. Today I am born anew and my birthplace is a vineyard, where there is fruit for all. Failure no longer is my payment for struggle, just as nature made no provision for my body to tolerate pain, neither has it made any provision for my life to suffer failure. In the past, I accepted failure as I accepted pain, now I reject it, and I am prepared for wisdom and principles to guide me out of the shadows into the sunlight of wealth, position and happiness, far beyond my most extravagant dreams. Only principles endure, and these I now posses, for the laws that lead me to greatness are contained in these scrolls. What they teach me is more to 'prevent failure' than to 'gain success', for what is success other than a state of mind? Which two among a thousand wise men will define success in the same words, yet 'failure' is always described but one way. Failure is one's inability to reach goals in life, whatever they may be. In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits. Good habits are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure. Thus the first law I will obey is I will form good habits and become their slave. As a child I was slave to my impulses, now I am a slave to my habits. I have surrendered my free will to the years I have accumulated habits and the past deeds of my life have already marked out a path, which threatens to imprison my future.

My actions are ruled by appetite, passion, prejudice, greed, lust, fear, environment, habit; And the worst of these tyrants is HABIT. Therefore, I must be a slave to good habits.

And how do I accomplish this difficult feat? Through these scrolls it is done, for each scroll contains a principle, which drives a bad habit from my life and replaces it with one which brings me closer to success. I must discipline myself with the first of my new habits, which is a s follows:

I read loud and listen to these words of each scroll for 30 days in this prescribed manner, before I proceed to the next scroll. First I listen to the words, when I arise, then I listen to the words after I have partaken of my mid-day meal. Last I listen to the words again, just before I retire at day's end. And, most important, on this occasion I recite the words twice.

On the next day, I repeat this procedure, and continue in like manner for 30 days. Then I turn to the next scroll, and repeat this procedure for another 30 days. I continue in this manner, until I have lived with each scroll for 30 days AND MY LISTENING HAS BECOME HABIT.

Herein lies the secret of all my accomplishments. As I repeat these words daily, they soon become a part of my active mind, but more important, they also seep into my other mind that mysterious source which never sleeps, which creates my dreams and often makes me act in ways I do not comprehend. As the words of these scrolls are consumed by my mysterious mind, I begin to awake each morning with a vitality that I have never known before. My vigor increases. My enthusiasm is on the rise. My desire to meet the world overcomes every fear I once knew at sunrise, and I am happier than I ever believed it possible to be. Eventually, I find myself reacting to all situations which confront me as I was commanded in the scrolls to react, and soon these actions are easy to perform. Thus, a new and good habit is born.

Today I begin a new life and make the solemn oath to myself that nothing retards my new life's growth. I lose not a day from these scrolls, for that day cannot be retrieved, nor can I substitute another for it. The few moments spent each day on this new habit are but a small price to pay for the happiness and success that will be mine. Never do I allow the brevity of each scroll nor the simplicity of its words to cause me to take the scroll's message lightly. Thousands of grapes are pressed to fill one jar with wine. So it is with these grapes of wisdom from the ages. Only the pure truth lies distilled in the words to come.

Today my old skin has become dust. I'd walk tall among men, and they know me not. But today I am a new individual with a new life!

Scroll Two

I greet this day with love in my heart, for this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life, but only the unseen power of love can open hearts and until I master this art, I remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force.

I greet this day with love in my heart. And how do I do this? Henceforth I look on all things with love and am born again. I love the sun, for it warms my bones, yet I love the rain, for it cleanses my spirit. I love the light, for it shows me the way, yet I love the darkness, for it shows me the stars. I welcome happiness, for it enlarges my heart, and I endure sadness, for it opens my soul. I acknowledge rewards, for they are my due, yet I welcome obstacles, for they are my challenge.

I greet this day with love in my heart. And how do I speak? I love my enemies and they become friends. I encourage my friends and they become brothers and sisters. Always do I dig for reasons to applaud. Never do I scratch for excuses to gossip. When I attempted t criticize, I bite off my tongue. When I am moved to praise, I shout it from the roofs.

I greet this day with love in my heart. And how do I act? I love all men, For each has qualities to be admired, even though they be hidden. I love the ambitious, for they can inspire me. I love the famous, for they can teach me. I love the young for the faith they hold. I love the old for the wisdom they share.

I greet this day with love in my heart. But how do I react to the actions of others? With love, for just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the hours of hate and the spears of anger. Adversity and discouragement beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rain.

I greet this day with love in my heart. And how do I confront each whom I meet? In silence and to myself I will address him or her and say ‘I love you’. These words shine in my eyes, unwrinkle my brow, bring a smile to my lips and echo in my voice, and his or her heart will be opened. And who is there who will say "Nay" to my goods, when his or her heart feels my love.

I greet this day with love in my heart. And most of all, I love myself. Never do I overindulge the requests of my flesh. Rather I cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation. Never do I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and despair. Rather I uplift it with the knowledge and wisdom of the ages. Never do I allow myself to become complacent and satisfied. Rather do I feed my mind with meditation and prayer. Never do I allow my heart to become small and bitter. Rather do I share it and it grows and warms the earth.

I greet this day with love in my heart. Henceforth I love all mankind. From this moment, I have not time to hate, only time to love. With love, I increase my sales a hundred forward and become a great salesman or woman.

I GREET THIS DAY WITH LOVE IN MY HEART!

Scroll Three

I persist until I succeed. I was not delivered onto this world in defeat; nor does failure cross in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. I hear not those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious. Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.

I persist until I succeed. The prices of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning. And it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step. Yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never do I know how close it lies, unless I turn the corner. I always take another step. If that is of no avail, I take another and yet another.

I persist until I succeed. I am liken to the rain drop, which washes away the mountain, the star, which brightens the earth, the slave who builds a pyramid. I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.

I persist until I succeed. I never consider defeat and remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as ‘quit’, ‘cannot’, ‘unable’, ‘impossible’, ‘out of the question’, ‘improbable’, ‘failure’, ‘unworkable’, ‘hopeless’, ‘retreat’, for they are the words of fools. I avoid despair. But if this disease of the mind should infect me, then I ignore the obstacles at my feet and keep mine eyes on the goals above my head, for I know that where the dry desert ends, green grass grows.

I persist until I succeed. I remember the ancient law of averages. I persist with the knowledge that each failure to sell will increase my chance for success at the next attempt. Each misfortune I encounter carries in it the seed of tomorrow’s good luck.

I persist until I succeed. Henceforth, I learn and apply another secret of those who excel in my work. When each day is ended, not regarding whether it has been a success or a failure, I attempt to achieve one more sale. When my thoughts beckon my tired body homeward, I resist the temptation to depart. I make one more attempt to close with victory, and if that fails, I make another. Never do I allow my day to end with a failure. Thus I plant the seed of tomorrow’s success and gain an insurmountable advantage over those who cease their labor at a prescribed time. And my harvest is full.

I persist until I succeed. Nor will I allow yesterday’s success to lull me into today’s complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure. I forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this is the best day of my life. For now I know one of the greatest principles of success. If I persist long enough, I win.

I persist! I win!

Scroll Four

I am nature’s greatest miracle. Since the beginning of time, never has there been another who can walk and talk, and move and think exactly like me. All men are my brothers, yet I am different from each. I am a unique creature.

I am nature’s greatest miracle. With me burns a flame, which has been passed from generations uncounted. Its heat is a constant irritation to my spirit to become better than I am. And I will, I fan this flame of dissatisfaction and proclaim my uniqueness to the world.

I am nature’s greatest miracle. Vain attempts to imitate others no longer I make. Instead I place my uniqueness on display in the marketplace. So, too, I apply this principle to the goods I sell. Salesman and goods, different from all others, proud of the difference.

I am a unique creature of nature. I am rare. And there is value in all rarity. Therefore I am valuable. I am the end product of thousands of years of evolution. Therefore, I am better equipped in both mind and body than all the emperors and wise men who preceded me. I have unlimited potential. Only a small portion of my brain do I employ. Only a poultry amount of my muscles do I flex. A hundredfold or more can I increase my accomplishments of yesterday and this I will do, beginning today.

I am nature’s greatest miracle. I am not on this earth by chance. I am here for a purpose, and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. I increase my knowledge of mankind, myself and the goods I sell. Thus my sales will multiply. I practice and improve the words I utter to sell my goods, for this is the foundation, upon which I will build my career. And never I will forget that many have attained great wealth and success with only one sales talk delivered with excellence. Also will I seek constantly to improve my manners and graces, for they are the sugar to which all are attracted.

I am nature’s greatest miracle. I concentrate my energy on the challenge of the moment. I think not of my family, when I am in the marketplace, for this clouds my purpose. So, too, will the problems of the marketplace be left there, when I am in my home, for this will dampen my love.

I am nature’s greatest miracle. And nature knows not defeat. Eventually, she emerges victorious and so will I, for with each victory the next task becomes less difficult.

I WILL WIN AND I WILL BECOME A GREAT SALESMAN, FOR I AM +UNIQUE. I AM NATURE’S GREATEST MIRACLE.

Scroll Five

I live this day as if it is my last. And what shall I do with this last precious day, which remains in my keeping? First I seal up its container of life so that not one drop spills upon the sand. I waste not a moment moaning yesterday's misfortunes, yesterday's defeats, yesterday's aches of the heart. Why should I throw good after bad? Yesterday is buried forever, and I think of it no more.

I live this day as if it is my last. And what then shall I do? Forgetting yesterday, neither do I thing of tomorrow. Should I concern myself over events which I may never witness?

Should I torment myself with problems that may never come to pass? No, tomorrow lies buried with yesterday, and I think of it no more.

I live this day as if it is my last. This day is all I have. And these hours are now my eternity. I greet this sunrise with cries of joy as a prisoner who is reprieved from death. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day, when others far better than I have departed? Is it that they have accomplished their purpose, while mine is yet to be achieved? Is this another opportunity for me to become the individual I know I can be? Is this my day to excel?

I live this day as if it is my last. Each hour of this day I cherish, for I can never return. Each minute of this day I grasp with both hands and fondle it with love, for its value is beyond price. What dying man can purchase another breath, though he'd willingly give all his gold? What price do I place on the hours ahead? I make them priceless.

I live this day as if it is my last. I avoid with fury the killers of time. Procrastination I destroy with action. Doubt I bury under faith, fear I dismember with confidence. Henceforth, I know that to court idleness is to steel food, clothing, and warmth from those I love. I am not a thief, I am an individual of love. And today is my last chance to prove my love and my greatness.

I live this day as if it is my last. The duties of today I shall fulfill today. Today I shall fondle my children while they are young. Tomorrow they will be gone, and so will I. Today I shall embrace my beloved with sweet kisses, tomorrow the one I cherish will be gone, and so will I. Today, I lift up a friend in need, tomorrow he will no longer cry for help, nor will I hear his cries. Today, I give myself in sacrifice and work. Tomorrow I will have nothing to give, and there will be none to receive.

I live this day as if it is my last. And if it is my last, it'll be my greatest monument. This day I make the best day of my life. I make every hour count and each minute I trade only for something of value. I make more calls than ever before. I sell more goods than ever before. Each minute of today is more fruitful than hours of yesterday. My last must be my best.

I live this day as if it is my last. And if it is not, I shall fall on my knees and give thanks.

Scroll Six

Today I will be master of my emotions. The tides advance, the tides recede. Winter goes and summer comes. Summer wanes and the cold increases. Flowers bloom, flowers fade; all nature is a circle of moods, and I am a part of nature. And so like the tides my moods will rise, my moods will fall.

Today I will be master of my emotions. It is one of nature's tricks, little understood, that each day I awaken with moods that changed from yesterday. Inside me is a wheel constantly turning from sadness to joy, from exultation to depression, from her into despondency. I will remember that as today's dead flower carries a seed of tomorrow's bloom, so, too, does today's sadness carry the seed of tomorrow's joy.

Today I will be master of my emotions. And how will I master these emotions so that each day will be happy and productive? I will learn this secret of the ages: "Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thoughts." Each day, when I awaken, I will follow this plan of battle before I am captured by the forces of sadness, self-pity and failure. If I feel depressed, I will sing; if I feel sad, I will laugh; if I feel ill, I will double my labor; if I feel fear, I will plunge ahead; if I feel inferior, I will wear new garments; if I feel uncertain, I will raise my voice; if I feel poverty, I will think of wealth to come; if I feel incompetent, I will remember past success; if I feel insignificant, I will remember my goal.

Today I will be master of my emotions. Henceforth I will know that only those with inferior ability can always be at their best and I am not inferior. There will be days when I must constantly struggle against forces, which would tear me down. Those enemies such as despair and sadness are simple to recognize. But there are others, which approach with a sly smile and the hand of friendship, and they can also destroy me. Against them too I must never relinquish control. If I become overconfident, I will recoil my failures; if I overindulge I will think of past hungers; if I feel complacency, I will remember my competition; if I enjoy moments of greatness, I will remember moments of shame. If I feel all powerful, I will try to stop the wind; if I attain great wealth, I will remember one unfed mouth; if I become overly proud, I will remember a moment of weakness; if I feel my skill is unmatched, I will look at the stars.

Today I will be master of my emotions. And with this new knowledge I will also understand and recognize the moods of him whom I call. I will make allowances for his anger and irritation of today, for he knows not the secret of controlling his mind. I can withstand his arrows and insults, for now I know that tomorrow he will change and be a joy to approach. My knowledge of this secret will be my key to great wealth.

Today I will be master of my emotions. From this moment, I will master my moods to positive action. And when I master my moods, I will control my destiny. And my destiny is to become the greatest salesman in the world.

Scroll Seven

I will laugh at the world. No living creature can laugh except men. I have the gift of laughter and it is mine to use whenever I choose. Henceforth, I will cultivate the habit of laughter. I will smile and my digestion will improve. I will chuckle and my burdens will be lightened. For this is the great secret of long life, and now it is mine.

I will laugh at the world. And most of all I will laugh at myself, for man is most comical when he takes himself too seriously. What can take place before the sun sets, which will not seem insignificant in the river of centuries?

I will laugh at the world. And how can I laugh when confronted with man or deed which offends me so as to bring forth my tears or my curses? Four words passed down from the ancients will carry me through every adversity and maintain my life in balance. These 4 words are: "This too shall pass." For all worldly things shall indeed pass. If all things shall pass, why should I be of concern for today?

I will laugh at the world. I will pave this day with laughter. I will frame this night with song. Never will I labor to be happy. Rather will I remain too busy to be sad. I will enjoy today's happiness today. It cannot be saved for tomorrow.

I will laugh at the world. And with my laughter all thing will be reduced to their proper size. I will laugh at my failures and they will vanish in clouds of new dreams. I will laugh at my successes, and they will shrink to their true value.

I will laugh at the world. And as long as I can laugh, never will I be poor. This then is one of nature's greatest gifts and I will waste it no more. Only with laughter and happiness can I truly become a success. Only with laughter and happiness can I enjoy the fruits of my labor. Were it not so, why better would it be to fail? For happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal. To enjoy success, I must have happiness; and laughter will be the one who serves me. I will be successful. I will be the greatest salesman the world has ever known.

Scroll Eight

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. A field of clay touched with the genius of men becomes a castle. A Cyprus tree touched with the genius of men becomes a shrine. A cut of sheep’s hair touched with the genius of men becomes garment for a king. If it is possible for clay, and wood, and hair to have their value multiplied a hundred, yeah a thousand fold by men, cannot I do the same with the clay, which bares my name?

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. I am liken to a grain of wheat, which faces one of three futures. The wheat can be fed to swine, or it can be ground to flower and made into bread, or it can be placed in the earth and allowed to grow until its golden head divides and produces a thousand grains from the one. I am liken to a grain of wheat, with one difference, the wheat cannot choose whether it be fed to swine, ground for bread or planted to multiply. I have a choice. And I will not let my life be fed to swine, nor will I let it be ground under the rocks of the failure and despair to be broken and devoured by the will of others.

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. To grow and multiply it is necessary to plant the wheat grain in the darkness of the earth; and my failures, my despairs, my ignorance and my inabilities are the darkness in which I have been planted in order to ripen. Now like the wheat grain which will sprout and blossom only if it is nurtured with rain and sun and warm winds, I too must nurture my body and mind to fulfill my dreams. But to grow to full statue, the wheat must wait on the whims of nature. I need not wait, for I have the power to choose my own destiny.

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. And how will I accomplish this? First I will set goals for this day, the week, the month, the year and my life. Just as the rain must fall before the wheat will crack its shell and sprout, so must I have objectives, before my life will crystallize. In setting my goals I will consider my best performance of the past and multiply it a hundredfold.

Never will I be of concern that my goals are too high.

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. I may stumble often before my goals are reached. If I stumble, I will rise, and my falls will not concern me. Only a worm is free from the worry of stumbling. Let others build a cave with their clay. I will build a castle with mine.

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. And just as the sun must warm the earth to bring forth the seedling of wheat, so too will the words on these scrolls warm my life and turn my dreams into reality. Today I will surpass every action, which I performed yesterday. Tomorrow I will clime higher than today to surpass the deeds of others is unimportant. To surpass my own deeds is all.

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. I will never be content with my performance in the market. I will always raise my goals as soon as they are attained. I will always announce my goals to the world. Once spoken, I dare not recall them, lest I lose faith. Yet never will I proclaim my accomplishments. Let the world instead approach me with praise and may I have the wisdom to receive it in humility.

Today I will multiply my value 100-fold. And when it is done, I will do it again, and again, and again. And there will be astonishment and wonder at my greatness as the words of these scrolls are fulfilled in me.

RE-READ!

Scroll Nine

My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible. All are of no value, unless they are followed by action.

I will act now. Never has there been a map, however carefully executed in detail and scale which carried its owner over even one inch of ground. Never has there been a scroll even once such as this, which earned so much as a penny, or produced a single word of acclamation. Action alone is the tinder which ignites the map – this scroll, my dreams, my plans, my goal into a living force.

I will act now. My procrastination, which held me back was born of fear, I must always act without hesitation. And the flatters in my heart will vanish. I will not avoid the tasks of today and charge them to tomorrow, for I know tomorrow never comes. Let me act now. Even though my actions may not bring happiness or success, for it is better to act and fail than not to act and flounder.

I will act now. Henceforth I will repeat these words each hour each day, every day until the words become as much as habit as my breathing. And the actions, which follow become as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words, I can condition my mind to perform every act necessary for my success.

I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again, and again. When I awake, I will say them and leap from my cod, when a failure will sleep yet another hour.

I will act now. When I enter the market place, I will say these words, and immediately confront my first prospect, while the failure ponders yet a possibility of rebuff.

I will act now. When I face a closed door, I will say them and knock, while the failure waits outside with fear and trepidation.

I will act now. When I’m tempted to quit, and begin again tomorrow, I will say them and immediately act to consummate another sale.

I will act now. Only action determines my value in the market place. And to multiply my value, I will multiply my actions. I will walk, where the failure fears to walk. I will work when the failure seeks rest. I will act now, for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another, and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the individual. I will act now!

Scroll Ten

Who is of so little faith that in a moment of great disaster, or heartbreak, or misery beyond his comprehension has not called to his god?

My life need not be filled with religion in order to recognize this greatest mystery of nature. All creatures that walk the earth, possess the instinct to cry for help. Are not our out-cries a form of prayer? Is it not incomprehensible in a world governed by nature’s laws to give a lamb, or a mule, or a bird, or a man the instinct to cry out for help; lest some great mind is also provided the cry should be heard by some superior power having the ability to answer our cry?

Henceforth, I will pray. But my cries for help will only be cries for guidance. Never will I pray for the material things of the world. I am not calling to a servant to bring me food. Never will I seek delivery of gold, love, good health, petty victories, fame, success, or happiness. Only for guidance will I pray that I may be shown the way to acquire these things, and my prayer will always be answered.

The guidance I seek may come, or the guidance I seek may not come. But are not both of these an answer? If a child seeks bread from his father, and it is not forthcoming, has not the father answered? I will pray for guidance, and I will pray as a salesman in this manner:

"Oh, creator of all things help me. For this day I go out into the world naked and alone, and without your hand to guide me, I will wander far from the path which leads to success and happiness.

You have taught the Lion and the Eagle how to hunt and prosper with teeth and claw. Teach me how to hunt with words and prosper with love, so that I may be a Lion among men and an eagle in the market place. Help me to remain humble through obstacles and failures, yet hide not from mine eyes the prize that will come with victory.

Assign me tasks to which others have failed. Yet guide me to pluck the seeds of success from their failures. Confront me with fears that will temper my spirit. Yet endow me with courage to laugh at my misgivings. Spare me sufficient days to reach my goals, yet help me to live this day as though it be my last. Guide me in my words so that they may bare food, yet silence me from gossip that none be maligned. Discipline me in the habit of trying and trying again. Yet show me the way to make use of the law of averages. Favor me with alertness to recognize opportunity, yet endow me with patience to concentrate my strength. Bathe me in good habits that the bad ones may drown, yet grand me compassion for weaknesses in others. Suffer me to know that all things shall pass, yet help me to count my blessings of today. Expose me to hate, so it not be a stranger, yet fill my cup with love to turn strangers into friends.

But all these things be only if thy will. I am a small and a lonely grape, clutching the vine. Yet thou hast made me different from all others. Readily there must be a special place for me.

Guide me. Help me. Show me the way. Let me become all you planned for me, when my seed was planted and selected by you to sprout in the vineyard of the world. Help this humble salesman. Guide me, God."

This is another good one

The 99% Rule

It's Friday night, you're sitting at a restaurant, and as your meal arrives, the server says, "Now, don't touch that plate. It's hot." What's the first thing you do?

Well, 99% of the time you're going to touch that plate, right?

This brings me to this month's newsletter topic. I call it the 99% rule. It's closer to 100%, but I give myself a little "out" for those who wish to find a loophole in it.

After years of studying human behavior, I've come up with a few of these 99% rules that I wish to share with you today. Looking for these common denominators in everyday conversation will help you read between the lines more quickly.

When someone starts a sentence with it's not, they're usually trying to tell you what something really is without hurting your feelings.

When someone starts a sentence with I don't, they're trying to direct you without hurting your feelings.

Here are some examples of the first rule in action.

When they say, "It's not you, it's me," they're trying to tell you that it is you. (Since I date quite a bit, I hear this one quite often!)

When they say, "It's not that you're too short," they're trying to tell you that they think you are too short.

When they say, "It's not that I have a drinking problem," what probably comes out of their mouth next is a story about how they drank too much.

Get the picture? But please don't take my word for this. Listen for yourself. It will amaze you.

Here's how I use the 99% rule in everyday activity to help me cut to the chase and find out what's really on someone's mind. Let's say a salesperson comes into my office and begins his sentence with, "It's not that we're trying to raise money, we're simply trying to help you gain a new product line for your corporation."

Now, whatever comes out of his mouth next doesn't really make a difference, because I know by using the 99% rule that he really wants to raise money. So I would interrupt him mid-sentence and say, "Listen, you need money, and I could use the product. Forget the five dollars that you want for each unit. I'll save us both time and give you what you could really use: two dollars each. Do you want it?"

You see, once you master listening to what people are actually trying to tell you, it puts you in control and it can save a lot of heartache in the long run.

The other example I mentioned was the phrase I don't. When someone starts a sentence with I don't, the 99% rule tells you that they're actually trying to direct you without hurting your feelings. Here are some examples.

"I don't want to tell you how to raise your children, but . . ."

"I don't want to tell you how to drive, but . . ."

"I don't want you to take my side, but . . ."

See what I mean?

Now go out and use this information for yourself. Try it out with your friends, business associates, and dates. They'll be amazed at how well you can read them, and you'll look like a star by simply using and applying the 99% rule.

Keep Smilin',

Greg Reid, "The Millionaire Mentor"

This is another great motivator for me, nice to see that if you follow about 15 or more of these desirable traits - you can't lose

 17 Traits of the Most Successful Agents

MegaAgents don’t become MegaAgents by doing things the way an ordinary agent does. Don reveals 17 traits and qualities of today’s leading real estate professionals.

Becoming a real estate agent is fairly easy. Take a few courses, pass a couple tests and voila, you’re licensed! Becoming a great real estate agent is another story, however. That’s one of the profession’s great appeals – depending on your level of desire, commitment and dedication, you can do as much or as little with your career as you wish.

In visiting offices and conferences around North America, I see many different levels of real estate professionals. Some are right on track to have long, distinguished careers. Others, quite frankly, treat their careers like a hobby. And for those agents to reach the next level, they need to recognize that they are squandering a tremendous opportunity. When you get serious about your real estate career, there is truly no limit to what you can achieve.

In that spirit, I’d like to share with you 17 traits of the most successful agents. These are traits, qualities and methodologies I’ve recognized while working with some of the industry’s highest-producing agents, and they should be the standard that anyone serious about their career strives to reach on a daily basis. In each section, I’ll ask you questions that will help you determine in what areas you need the most improvement. Let’s get started.

#1: Learning Based

The most successful agents are not concerned about today. Instead, their focus is on the long term. They recognize that one or two deals today do not a career make. That’s why they continually seek training opportunities to help them build their businesses. The result is a self-sufficient business model rather than constantly operating in “survival mode” like so many agents I see.

Are you in it for the long run? What seminars and educational opportunities do you have planned in the next six months? What books have you read lately?

#2: Discipline

Agents are always telling me how “busy” they are. But when you take a closer look, while they may be “busy,” they may not be especially productive. People often mistake movement for achievement. There is a big difference between the two, and discipline is the key to making the most of your time. Disciplined agents focus on business building and face-to-face, dollar-productive work, and they delegate all other tasks. “Busy” agents tend to try to handle whatever is screaming at them the loudest or do whatever seems most fun at the moment – for example, designing a new ad or learning new computer software – things that don’t matter in the big picture and should be delegated to others anyway.

Are you getting the most from your time? Be honest – are you being productive for the long term or are you just staying “busy”?

#3: Strategic Planner

There are two kinds of plans that must be implemented to be successful. You need to plan your activities, but more importantly, you need to plan the strategy behind your activities first. Far too many agents do not consider strategic planning as an integral part of their business. They don’t allow themselves the time to just sit, think and build a strategy because they don’t consider it active enough. Or maybe they don’t feel it produces any immediate tangible benefit, so they tend to not consider it as work. Truth be told, strategic planning is one of the most important aspects of your career. Without a large-scale strategy, you can get lost in the tactical aspects of your career. At that point, you can no longer see the forest for the trees.

How much time do you allow yourself for strategic planning? Do you do it only when you have the time or is it a priority on your schedule?

#4: Drive to Do Things Right

Today’s leading agents don’t take shortcuts. They know that success is a journey that requires patience and hard work. That’s why they take the time to do things like implement systems that allow their office to run smoothly with or without their direct involvement. While doing business this way may require a greater investment of time and effort, the return on your investment will be much greater.

Do you do things the easiest way or the right way? What systems do you have set up? What systems are you lacking?

#5: CANI: Constant and Never Ending Improvement

Successful people – whether they are real estate agents, CEOs or basketball stars – are never content with their success. To reach that upper echelon, your quest for greatness can never cease. That is the concept behind CANI: Constant and Never Ending Improvement. Agents who demonstrate CANI are constantly reading, attending seminars, exchanging ideas with colleagues and they possess a mentality that does not allow them to settle for anything less than the best.

How would you rate yourself against the standard of CANI described above?

#6: Demand an Environment of Success

Ah, the dreaded water cooler. Agents who are serious about their careers and focused on building a business for the long term do not allow themselves to be distracted by office gossip and water cooler complaints about management. I know it’s tempting, and everyone is probably guilty of it on some level, but it’s fruitless. Today’s leading agents view their careers as a business and operate it accordingly. Part of that is demanding an environment of success. Surround yourself with positive influences and do your best to avoid the idle chatter that will do nothing but waste your time.

Are you a complainer or a doer?

#7: Servant Heart, Servant Mentality

Are you passionate about what you do? Do you truly care about the outcome of each transaction? Do you put your clients’ interests ahead of your own? Hopefully, you answered yes to each of these questions, because that’s how the most successful agents operate. They understand that if they are passionate about their careers and they devote themselves 100 percent, the money will follow. Once you focus on the financial ramifications of each move you make, you’re no longer operating with a servant mentality. Your passion for your career will carry you a long way to success.

What are you passionate about? What drives you?

#8: Delegation

A subject we often discuss in this space is the concept of “urgent” vs. “important.” It’s easy to allow yourself to become a responder – reacting to the events that arise instead of scheduling your time and focusing on the most important aspects of your business. Don’t let this happen to you. It’s really a matter of getting your priorities straight and working from that perspective. The day-to-day grind cannot interfere with your long-term goals without jeopardizing your success.

When you have work planned and a client calls to ask about a house, do you drop everything to go show the house? (I hope not.)

#9: Practice

Becoming a true professional isn’t something that happens overnight. You can’t just decide one day that you’re going to change your ways and suddenly be a better businessperson. Look at somebody like Tiger Woods. Despite being the world’s greatest golfer by a wide margin, he still spends hours practicing his craft to stay at the top of his game and to add new weapons to his arsenal. Real estate agents need to do the same things. Don’t be afraid to mentally visualize different situations you may find yourself in and practice how you will respond to those situations. Seek out guidance such as the scripts Steve Shull shares in his Coach’s Corner to help better prepare yourself for success. This may seem odd at first, but it will pay big dividends in the confidence you display in your face-to-face interaction with clients.

How and when do you practice your craft? Do you have a personal business coach to help focus your practice?

#10: Willingness to Make Mistakes

Look at the pioneers in any facet of life. From the explorers of centuries ago to the business leaders of today, those who rise to greatness are often those who are willing to try new things – and make mistakes in the process. You cannot operate from a place of fear and achieve great success. You must possess at least a little bit of that pioneer spirit and be willing to innovate to differentiate yourself from the crowd. Don’t be afraid. It’s okay to make mistakes. Learn from them and grow from them, and I promise you’ll become a better person in the process.

Are you afraid to make mistakes? What chances have you taken with your career?

#11: A Healthy (But Not Overdone) Ego

There are those who are egotistical. There are those who are meek. And then there are those who are right in the middle, and that’s where you want to be. A healthy ego is critical to having the faith and confidence in your ideas and yourself to grow into something great. Don’t let yourself get cocky, though. You must retain your servant mentality while also demonstrating a belief in your abilities and that you are different from others.

Ego check time: Ask a few people you know well to honestly evaluate your ego. The answers may surprise you.

#12: Desire to Win

Those who strive to be the best are always gauging their performance against others. In some cases, this can be a great motivator. In other cases, such as being surrounded by under performing competition, it can become a crutch. That’s why it’s essential that in addition to gauging your performance against others, you take an active interest in getting the most out of yourself. Always measure yourself against what’s possible, not what others are doing.

Are you doing everything you can to be not only the best agent in your office, but the best agent you can be?

#13: Ability to Renew

At the Gateway, we talk about Andrew Carnegie tearing down his factories every five years and how it positively impacted the production levels throughout his company. The best agents recognize this vital concept as well. Let’s face it – once you achieve a certain level of success, it becomes all too easy to let yourself coast. That’s why it’s essential that you constantly reevaluate your approach to business and don’t be afraid to tear down your factory to allow yourself to reach the next level of success. Sometimes the methods you use to achieve success will only take you so far, and then it’s time to change your methodology.

Have you ever caught yourself coasting in your career? Are you willing to “tear down your factory” to reach the next level of success?

#14: Dollar-Productive Mindset

In trait #3 above, we talked about the difference between strategic planning and planning your activities, or tactical planning. Once you have completed your strategic planning, it’s time to implement your tactical plan. In other words, to focus on the very next thing you need to do to achieve your goal. Having a dollar-productive mindset means that you determine which actions are the best usage of your time. And the way you determine that is by thinking about which activities pay the biggest dividends. Paperwork? No. Face-to-face interaction with clients? Yes, most definitely. Remember that if you spend an hour doing paperwork, you just spent an hour doing a $7/hour job. That is not how you become a MegaAgent. Decide which activities are most dollar productive and delegate the remainder to your staff.

Do you ever find yourself trying to do too much? Do you have an assistant? Can you afford to live on $7 an hour?

#15: Balanced

It’s been said that work expands to fill the time that we allow for its completion. I couldn’t agree more. And in real estate, it tends to be one of the biggest problems I see. This business can consume you seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and too many agents allow their careers to dictate and dominate their entire lives. That’s why the first step to achieving true balance in your life is to set a schedule and stick to it. Don’t give your work the opportunity to expand. Make plans for your life first and your business second. I’m sure many of you may feel this is a pipe dream, but I assure you it is not. I have witnessed many MegaAgents who work on their terms, take plenty of vacations and have tons of quality time to spend with their families. Don’t tell yourself it cannot be done, because it is possible and it is essential to your long-term success in the business. Working seven days a week doesn’t make us more successful, it makes us less productive. Working harder is not the answer. Balance is. Without balance, you will burn out.

When do you want to work? When do you definitely not want to work? What do you need to do to bring those two answers closer together?

#16: Marketing Minded

Let’s go back to the beginning of this article. Once you get your real estate license, most people immediately consider themselves salespeople and go out to search for a job. It’s only later – hopefully not too late, however – that they realize that they are not just salespeople. In reality, they are marketers. The success or failure of a real estate agent is not dependent on how good of an agent you are. Much more important is how visible you are in your market. Of course, the quality of service you provide will contribute to your long-term success, but it doesn’t matter if you are never given the opportunity to show what you can do. That’s why today’s leading real estate professionals are not sales-minded individuals. They are business- and marketing-minded individuals who understand that attracting business is a lot more fun and easier than constantly chasing the next deal.

Are you more focused on your sales skills or your marketing skills?

#17: Focus on the Positive

Surely you’ve heard the saying, “attitude is everything.” Well, I’m not sure it’s everything, but it is very important. It’s not “everything” only because you need to back it up with action. But your outlook often determines your success. Those who dwell on the negative do not become big successes. It’s too easy to convince themselves why something won’t work or why they are not good enough. Instead, always focus on how your plan can work. Focus on how you can get results. Focus on the things you can do to make a difference. Of course, don’t be naïve if problems arise, but even with problems, there are better and worse ways to look at them. Your approach is all dictated by your attitude.

Are you skeptical that you can achieve success? How are you going to change your mindset to ensure you always focus on the positive?

I hope this article has been helpful to you. I sincerely feel that this article can and should be used by agents as a checklist for becoming a MegaAgent. Remember, you cannot reinvent yourself in one day. If this article exposed several areas that need work, don’t get frustrated. Instead, commit yourself to gradual improvement by working on just a few traits at a time. When you’re displaying the 17 traits and qualities we’ve discussed here, your success is assured.

This is a great method to make your dreams become reality, try this one and I guarantee it will work for you

A dream written down with a date becomes a goal.
A goal broken down becomes a plan.
A plan backed by action makes your dream come true.

I think this is the perfect topic to cover in the year’s first newsletter, don’t you?

Out of all the questions I’m asked, the most popular one is probably, “How do I make my dreams come true?” We all want to have and accomplish great things in our lives, and sometimes we can use a friendly reminder of just how simple attaining them can be.

When asked that question, here’s what I say. It’s a quote from my first book, The Millionaire Mentor:

A dream written down with a date becomes a goal,
a goal broken down becomes a plan,
a plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.

Now, that’s great and all, but what does it really mean?

It’s like this. Suppose you want a car. It’s not enough to only “want” it, because that’s what’s known as simply “wishing.” However, when you apply the quote from above, you can actually materialize that wish or dream .

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Take a wish or dream and turn it into a goal with a date. Visualize your dream vehicle down to the gearshift knob, then take out a piece of paper and write down your goal, in very specific terms. For example:

I will have a new car by [specific date]. It will be a black Acura with two doors, gray interior, tinted windows, and a CD player. I will listen to my favorite Billy Joel tunes while I drive off the lot, feeling like a million bucks.

Leave your description where you can see it as a constant reminder, like taped to your bathroom mirror or on your desk at work.

Step 2: Break your goal down into a plan. Come up with an idea or plan to make your dream happen. This can be done in your own particular way, because everyone has their own style of creating their pathways. For myself, I’d design a three-month timeline for step 1, then I’d consider asking my boss to hold $75 or $80 a week from my paycheck. In that amount of time, I’d have about $900 to $950 for my down payment. (I’d also have the incentive to make more money each week to cover the holdings and get me ready for my payments once I got the car.)

Step 3: Back your plan with action. The biggest step of all is to just go do - it.

You have the goal, you have the plan, now take ACTION and your dreams shall become realities Because . . .

A dream written down with a date becomes a goal,
a goal broken down becomes a plan,
a plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.

Now, that you’ve been given (or reminded of) this very simple way to accomplish your goals, what will you write down and start doing today so that this year will be your best one ever?

Questions? Or need more information?  Send Mark an E-mail  or phone him at 905-828-3434

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