-BE-

Bruce Krasting: The Fed bombed the market - I ask, "Why?"

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Bruce Krasting: The Fed bombed the market - I ask, "Why?"

Bruce Krasting: The Next Crisis – Mark your calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:04:00 +0000

Bruce Krasting: The Next Crisis – Mark your calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:38:00 +0000

The first step toward getting rich is to convey the idea of your wants to the formless substance.

This is true, and you will see that in order to do so it becomes necessary to relate yourself to the formless intelligence in a harmonious way.

To secure this harmonious relationship is a matter of such primary and vital importance that I will give some space to its discussion here. I will give you instructions which, if you follow them, will be certain to bring you into a perfect unity of mind with God.

The whole process of mental adjustment and atunement can be summed up in one word: gratitude.

First, you believe that there is one intelligent substance from which all things proceed. Secondly, you believe that this substance gives you everything you desire. And, thirdly, you relate yourself to it through a feeling of deep and profound gratitude.

Many people who order their lives rightly in all other ways are kept in poverty by their lack of gratitude. Having received one gift from God, they cut the wires which connect them with Him by failing to make acknowledgment.

It is easy to understand that the nearer we live to the source of wealth, the more wealth we shall receive. It is also easy to understand that a soul that is always grateful lives in closer touch with God than one who never looks to Him in thankful acknowledgment.

When good things come to us, the more gratefully we fix our mind on the Supreme Power, the more good things we will receive - and the more rapidly they will come. The reason for this is simply that the mental attitude of gratitude draws the mind into closer touch with the source from which the blessings come.

Wallace D. Wattles

The Habit of Going the Extra Mile

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:20:00 +0000

An important principle of success in all walks of life and in all occupations is a willingness to GO THE EXTRA MILE; which means the rendering of more and better service than that for which one is paid, and giving it in a positive mental attitude.

Search wherever you will for a single sound argument against this principle, and you will not find it; nor will you find a single instance of enduring success which was not attained in part by its application.

The principle is not the creation of man. It is a part of Nature's handiwork, for it is obvious that every living creature below the intelligence of man is forced to apply the principle in order to survive.

Man may disregard the principle if he chooses, but he cannot do so and at the same time enjoy the fruits of enduring success.

Observe how Nature applies this principle in the production of food that grows from the soil, where the farmer is forced to GO THE EXTRA MILE by clearing the land, plowing it, and planting the seed at the right time of the year, for none of which he receives any pay in advance.

But, observe that if he does his work in harmony with Nature's laws, and performs the necessary amount of labor, Nature takes over the job where the farmer's labor ends, germinates the seed he plants and develops it into a crop of food.

And, observe thoughtfully this significant fact: For every grain of wheat or corn he plants in the soil Nature yields him perhaps a hundred grains, thus enabling him to benefit by the law of increasing returns.

Excerpt from: The Master-Key To Riches by Napoleon Hill

Don't Get Left Behind - Meet Your Deadlines

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:10:00 +0000

Deadlines come in all shapes and sizes. From paying the mortgage to enrolling your children in school, deadlines are a way of life. You likely meet deadlines every day without much ado. However, some deadlines seem to be an impossible feat as they fly by while the project remains unaccomplished.

Learning to meet important deadlines is one of the most important skills that you can develop in your personal life as well as in your career. Chances are, you have put off at least one project or assignment and pulled an all-nighter or two in order to meet a deadline. Although most people have had this experience, this is generally not the most effective process to meeting deadlines.

You do not have to suffer through intense amounts of stress or cut corners in order to meet deadlines. The key is to learn a process that works for you and to stick to that process. By doing so, you will become more reliable, and therefore, more trusted in your circle of friends and associates.

The following process is only one of many possible processes that you may follow. You may adjust this process to best fit your needs or develop your own process altogether. These steps are presented for your consideration in order to help you to become more efficient. The process is as follows:

Do Not Procrastinate
Putting off an important project creates many problems. By beginning projects on time, you increase your chances of finishing on time. Even though you may not be pressed for time now, you should plan extra time; you never know when you will encounter a problem that will cut into the timeline.

Define the Project
Begin by defining all aspects of the project. Creating a project plan at the beginning will create a virtual roadmap to the completion of your project. Identify the different elements of the project that will need to be completed. Make sure that you have all of the information you will need to complete the project. If you do not have all of the necessary information up front, detail a plan to obtain the information and set due dates. Make sure that the deadline is reasonable.

Schedule Resources
As you begin planning your project, identify the resources you will need in order to complete the project on time. Schedule the resources now to ensure that you have them available when needed. If you need help from someone else to complete portions of your project, notify them ahead of time. Let them know when you will need the tasks completed. Remember, the more information they have, the more accurately they can tell you when you can expect to have the task completed.

Set Expectations Early

You will encounter situations where you will find unreasonable deadlines and expectations. You may also run into problems as you work toward the completion of the project. The earlier that you can communicate upward that there are problems, the better it will be for everyone. If there is a doubt, consult your managers or clients early. It is always better to under promise and over deliver, so if there is a reasonable problem, plan and communicate the worst situation.

Identify the Critical Path
As you look at your project plan, there will be certain items that you will need to focus on in order to ensure that the deadline is met. These items comprise the critical path. These items are also known as constraints. Constantly focus on the critical path and make sure that those items are attended to. You should constantly evaluate your project as the critical path may change. The critical path will define the length of the project. Without additional resources, the critical path usually cannot be reduced.

Balance Quality and Quantity
Avoid the urge to be a perfectionist. A high-quality result is important, but you must achieve moderation. Just as technical drawings for precision parts identify acceptable tolerances, you too must set a goal as to the quality of the result you are striving for and a tolerance surrounding that level. Do not exceed nor drop below the acceptable tolerances. As you master this skill, you will find ways to cut corners and still stay well within the tolerances you have set for yourself.

Finish the Project
Work the project through to completion, continuing to focus on the critical path. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Consistent performance throughout the duration of the project will help you to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

Review Your Performance
Hindsight is always 20/20. Once you have completed a project, take the time to gather those involved and perform a review of the project. Learn from both your mistakes and your successes. Open conversation at this point will help you on your next project. This step is generally the most important in regards to honing your ability to meet deadlines. Unfortunately, far too few people take the time to carry it out. Do not fall into the trap.

Meeting deadlines is more about working smarter, not necessarily harder. Learn the process of meeting deadlines and your stock will rise within your circle of influence. You will become an invaluable part of whatever organization you find yourself a part. You will become more effective in both your personal and professional endeavors.

* By Prosper, Inc.

"What we ponder and what we think about sets the course of our life."

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:15:00 +0000

One of my very favorites, Jim Rohn, is almost an endless well of wisdom, as witness this passage of his:

"What we ponder and what we think about sets the course of our life. Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish, we can start a new activity. Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

"We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves." We created our circumstances by our past choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today."

Batting My Eyelashes at You

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:32:00 +0000

A baby camel asked his mother, "Why do we have such large hoofs on our feet?"

She turned to him. "God made us that way for a very special reason," and she began her explanation. "The big hoofs are to keep us from sinking into the sand."

"Oh! So why do we have long eyelashes?"

"It's to protect our eyes from the sand."

"Why the big humps?"

"That is to store fat and have enough energy to go long distances in the hot desert!"

"I see!" The baby camel stretched his neck and looked up at his mother, "The big hoofs are to keep from sinking into the sand, the long eyelashes are to keep the sand out of our eyes, and the humps are to store energy to travel long distances...then what are we doing in this cage in the middle of a zoo?"

Like the camel, I had asked the same kind of questions. When my blindness set in, I initially locked myself in a cage of self-pity and bitterness.

Weary from pacing within that gloomy cage, something nudged me to see beyond my circumstance and unfortunate plight.

Heavens! What was I thinking? Those bars were self-imposed. But worst of all, I'd supported them with the cold metal of my negative attitude.

Eventually, eagerness to leave my stuffy cell of discontent prompted me to open my ears to hear a reassuring whisper - God had created me for much more.

Itching to break free, I broke down those bars and stepped out into the desert of life. I trudged through the heat with determination and drive. I endured the blistering sun with perseverance and tenacity. I quenched my thirst with fresh inspiration and encouragement. And the hooves of confidence kept me from sinking into the sand of insecurity.

Thinking ahead, I made sure I'd stored a healthy supply of wisdom and positive attitude to take me through the long haul.

Goodness gracious. Each time I reached another point in my journey, my eyes saw a whole new world with opportunities to make a difference. Best of all, I was delighted with the affirmation that I was indeed created for much more!

Bars come in all sizes and shapes. Some are physical; others are emotional or even mental. But none can withstand the force of determination that breaks them down. The effort is worth it and the results, simply amazing!

So, batting my long eyelashes to keep out the sand of discouragement, I challenge you: Step back and peek at what bars limit you. Take a deep breath, break them down, and emerge into the freshness of a new life.

Janet Perez Eckles

Janet Perez Eckles lacks physical sight, but uses her insight to impart inspirational messages across the country. She's a freelance writer, and contributor to seven books including the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She authored "Trials of Today, Treasures For Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life." To visit her website please go to: www.janetperezeckles.com

Click here for our printable version

Sent to you as a courtesy of:

Bob Proctor

What you "see" is what you "get"!

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 18:15:00 +0000

Science hasn't fully explained how or why visualization works. But the fact that it does is enough for most major air forces in the world to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in flight simulators.

Frankly, if you're aiming to achieve a major goal, who cares if you know how or why visualization works - just that it does!

And there's no doubt that visualization is a proven success technique used by achievers in every field, from athletes to actors to astronauts. None other than golfing legend Jack Nicklaus is said to have always played a course in his mind before actually beginning a game. John Goddard, the number one goal achiever in the world, told me several months ago that visualization was one of the main techniques he used to accomplish more that 550 major goals!

Brian Tracy says that, "All improvement in your life begins with an improvement in your mental pictures. Your mental pictures act as a guidance mechanism that causes you to act in ways that make your mental pictures come true in your life."

Do you read?

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:41:00 +0000

How are you coming with your home library? Do you need some good ammunition on why it's so important to read? The last time I checked the statistics...I think they indicated that only four percent of the adults in this country have bought a book within the past year. That's dangerous. It's extremely important that we keep ourselves in the top five or six percent.

In one of the Monthly Letters from the Royal Bank of Canada it was pointed out that reading good books is not something to be indulged in as a luxury. It is a necessity for anyone who intends to give his life and work a touch of quality. The most real wealth is not what we put into our piggy banks but what we develop in our heads. Books instruct us without anger, threats and harsh discipline. They do not sneer at our ignorance or grumble at our mistakes. They ask only that we spend some time in the company of greatness so that we may absorb some of its attributes.

You do not read a book for the book's sake, but for your own.

You may read because in your high-pressure life, studded with problems and emergencies, you need periods of relief and yet recognize that peace of mind does not mean numbness of mind.

You may read because you never had an opportunity to go to college, and books give you a chance to get something you missed. You may read because your job is routine, and books give you a feeling of depth in life.

You may read because you did go to college.

You may read because you see social, economic and philosophical problems which need solution, and you believe that the best thinking of all past ages may be useful in your age, too.

You may read because you are tired of the shallowness of contemporary life, bored by the current conversational commonplaces, and wearied of shop talk and gossip about people.

Whatever your dominant personal reason, you will find that reading gives knowledge, creative power, satisfaction and relaxation. It cultivates your mind by calling its faculties into exercise.

Books are a source of pleasure - the purest and the most lasting. They enhance your sensation of the interestingness of life. Reading them is not a violent pleasure like the gross enjoyment of an uncultivated mind, but a subtle delight.

Reading dispels prejudices which hem our minds within narrow spaces. One of the things that will surprise you as you read good books from all over the world and from all times of man is that human nature is much the same today as it has been ever since writing began to tell us about it.

Some people act as if it were demeaning to their manhood to wish to be well-read but you can no more be a healthy person mentally without reading substantial books than you can be a vigorous person physically without eating solid food. Books should be chosen, not for their freedom from evil, but for their possession of good. Dr. Johnson said: "Whilst you stand deliberating which book your son shall read first, another boy has read both.

Earl Nightingale

Learning to Listen

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 03:18:00 +0000

Learning to Listen
Author Unknown

We all know what it's like to get that phone call in the middle of the night. This night was no different. Jerking up to the ringing summons, I focused on the red, illuminated numbers of my clock. It was midnight and panicky thoughts filled my sleep-dazed mind as I grabbed the receiver.

'Hello?' My heart pounded, I gripped the phone tighter and eyed my husband, who was now turning to face my side of the bed. 'Mum?' The voice answered. I could hardly hear the whisper over the static. But my thoughts immediately went to my daughter. When the desperate sound of a young crying voice became clear on the line, I grabbed for my husband and squeezed his wrist.

'Mum, I know it's late. But don't ... don't say anything until I finish. And before you ask, yes I've been drinking. I nearly ran off the road a few miles back and...' I drew in a sharp, shallow breath, released my husband and pressed my hand against my forehead. Sleep still fogged my mind, and I attempted to fight back the panic. Something wasn't right.

'... and I got so scared. All I could think of was how it would hurt you if a policeman came to your door and said I'd been killed. I want to come home. I know running away was wrong. I know you've been worried sick. I should have called you days ago but I was afraid, afraid ...'

Sobs of deep-felt emotion flowed from the receiver and poured into my heart. Immediately I pictured my daughter's face in my mind, and my fogged senses seemed to clear, 'I think .... '

'No! Please let me finish! Please!' She pleaded, not so much in anger, but in desperation. I paused and tried to think what to say. Before I could go on, she continued. 'I'm pregnant, Mum. I know I shouldn't be drinking now ... especially now, but I'm scared, Mum. So scared!'

The voice broke again, and I bit into my lip, feeling my own eyes fill with moisture. I looked up at my husband, who sat silently mouthing, 'Who is it?'

I shook my head and when I didn't answer, he jumped up and left the room, returning seconds later with a portable phone held to his ear. She must have heard the click in the line because she asked, 'Are you still there? Please don't hang up on me! I need you. I feel so alone.'

I clutched the phone and stared at my husband, seeking guidance. 'I'm here, I wouldn't hang up,' I said. 'I should have told you, mum. I know I should have told you. But, when we talk, you just keep telling me what I should do. You read all those pamphlets on how to talk about sex and all, but all you do is talk. You don't listen to me. You never let me tell you how I feel. It is as if my feelings aren't important. Because you're my mother you think you have all the answers. But sometimes I don't need answers. I just want someone to listen.'

I swallowed the lump in my throat and stared at the how-to-talk-to-your-kids pamphlets scattered on my nightstand. 'I'm listening,' I whispered.

'You know, back there on the road after I got the car under control, I started thinking about the baby and taking care of it. Then I saw this phone booth and it was as if I could hear you preaching to me about how people shouldn't drink and drive. So I called a taxi. I want to come home.'

'That's good honey,' I said, relief filling my chest. My husband came closer, sat down beside me and laced his fingers through mine.

'But you know, I think I can drive now.'

'No!' I snapped. My muscles stiffened and I tightened the clasp on my husband's hand.
'Please, wait for the taxi. Don't hang up on me until the taxi gets there.'

'I just want to come home, Mum.'

'I know. But do this for your Mum. Wait for the taxi, please.'

I listened to the silence in fear. When I didn't hear her answer, I bit into my lip and closed my eyes. Somehow I had to stop her from driving. 'There's the taxi now.' Only when I heard someone in the background asking about a Yellow Cab did I feel my tension easing.

'I'm coming home, Mum.' There was a click, and the phone went silent. Moving from the bed, tears forming in my eyes, I walked out into the hall and went to stand in my 16-year-old daughter's room. My husband came from behind, wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on the top of my head.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks. 'We have to learn to listen,' I said to him. He studied me for a second, and then asked, 'Do you think she'll ever know she dialed the wrong number?'

I looked at our sleeping daughter, then back at him. 'Maybe it wasn't such a wrong number.'

'Mum, Dad, what are you doing?' The muffled voice came from under the covers. I walked over to my daughter, who now sat up staring into the darkness. "We're practicing," I answered. "Practicing what?'" she mumbled and lay back on the mattress, but her eyes already closed in slumber. "Listening," I whispered and brushed a hand over her cheek.

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Your friends at AsAManThinketh.net
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Bob Proctor Talks About How to Become a Millionaire

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 23:20:00 +0000

Become a Millionaire in 3 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 23:16:00 +0000

Interview with Bob Proctor (Part 2 of 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 23:11:00 +0000

Interview with Bob Proctor (Part 1 of 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:38:00 +0000

Bob Proctor on The Ellen DeGeneres Show www.thesecretsgr.com

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:37:00 +0000

The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12/01/06 Bob Proctor and John Assares

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:33:00 +0000

Bob Proctor and Trying Harder

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:19:00 +0000

Bob Proctor on The Secret

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:11:00 +0000

Bob Proctor and Paradigms

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:40:00 +0000

The Secret To Wealth: Mind & Money Strategies - Bob Proctor

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:37:00 +0000

Larry King interviews John Assaraf

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:24:00 +0000

The Secret - 1st 20 minutes excerpt

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:15:00 +0000

The Young Lion

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:01:00 +0000

The Young Lion

By Orison S. Marden

A young lion, as the fable runs, was one day playing alone in the forest while his mother slept.

As the different objects attracted his attention, he thought he would explore a bit and see what the great world beyond his home was like. Before he realized it, he had wandered so far that he could not find his way back.

He was lost.

Very much frightened, he ran frantically in every direction calling piteously for his mother, but no mother responded.

Weary with his wanderings, he did not know what to do, when a sheep, whose offspring had been taken from her, hearing his pitiful cries, made friends with the lost lion, and adopted him.

The sheep became very fond of her foundling, which in a short while grew so much larger than herself that at times she was almost afraid of it.

The foster mother and her adopted lived very happily together, until one day a magnificent lion appeared, sharply outlined against the sky, on the top of an opposite hill. He shook his tawny inane and uttered a terrific roar, which echoed through the hills.

The sheep mother stood trembling, paralyzed with fear. But the moment this strange sound reached his ears, the young lionlistened as though spellbound, and a strange feeling which he had never before experienced surged through his being until be was all a-quiver.

The lion's roar had touched a chord in his nature that had never before been touched. It aroused a new force within him which he had never felt before.

New desires, a strange new consciousness of power possessed him. A new nature stirred in him, and instinctively, without a thought of what he was doing, he answered the lion's call with a corresponding roar.

Trembling with mingled fear, surprise and bewilderment at the new powers aroused within him, the awakened animal gave his foster mother a pathetic glance, and then, with a tremendous leap, started toward the lion on the hill.

The lost lion had found himself.

Up to this he had gamboled around his sheep mother just as though he were a lamb developing into a sheep, never dreaming he could do anything that his companions could not do, or that he had any more strength than the ordinary sheep.

He never imagined that there was within him a power which would strike terror to the beasts of the jungle. He simply thought he was a sheep, and would run at the sight of a dog and tremb1e at the howl of a wolf.

Now he was amazed to see the dogs, the wolves, and other animals which formerly had so terrified him flee from him.

----------------

There is in every normal human being a Sleeping lion. It is just a question of arousing it, just a question of something happening that will awaken us, stir the depths of our being, and arouse the sleeping power within us.

Just as the young lion, after it had once discovered that it was a lion would never again be satisfied to live the life of a sheep, when we discover that we are more than mere clay, when we at last become Conscious that we are more than human, that we are gods in the making, we shall never again be satisfied to live the life of common clods of earth.

We shall feel a new sense of power welling up within us, a power which we never before dreamed we possessed, and never he quite the same again, never again he content with low-flying ideals, with a cheap success.

Ever after we will aspire. We will look up, struggle up and on to higher and ever higher planes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Orison Swett Marden, (1850-1924) founder of Success Magazine, is also considered to be the founder of the modern success movement in

America

. He certainly bridged the gap between the old, narrow notions of success and the new, more comprehensive models made popular by best-selling authors such as Napoleon Hill, Clement Stone, Dale Carnegie, Og Mandino, Earl Nightingale, Norman Vincent Peale, and today's authors Stephen R.Covey, Anthony Robbins, and Brian Tracy.

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Your friends at AsAManThinketh.net
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A Lifetime of Planning Pays Off

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 23:49:00 +0000

"You gotta be crazy!" That's what Lee Dunham's friends told him back in 1971 when he gave up a secure job as a police officer and invested his life savings in the notoriously risky restaurant business. This particular restaurant was more than just risky, it was downright dangerous. It was the first McDonald's franchise in the city of New York - smack in the middle of crime-ridden Harlem.

Lee had always had plans. When other kids were playing ball in the empty lots of Brooklyn, Lee was playing entrepreneur, collecting milk bottles and returning them to grocery stores for the deposits. He had his own shoeshine stand and worked delivering newspapers and groceries. Early on, he promised his mother that one day she would never again have to wash other people's clothes for a living. He was going to start his own business and support her. "Hush your mouth and do your homework," she told him. She knew that no member of the Dunham family had ever risen above the level of laborer, let alone owned a business. "There's no way you're going to open your own business," his mother told him repeatedly.

Years passed, but Lee's penchant for dreaming and planning did not. After high school, he joined the Air Force, where his goal of one day owning a family restaurant began to take shape. He enrolled in the Air Force food service school and became such an accomplished cook he was promoted to the officers' dining hall.

When he left the Air Force, he worked for four years in several restaurants, including one in the famed Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. Lee longed to start his own restaurant but felt he lacked the business skills to be successful. He signed up for business school and took classes at night while he applied and was hired to be a police officer.

For fifteen years he worked full-time as a police officer. In his off-hours, he worked part-time as a carpenter and continued to attend business school. "I saved every penny I earned as a police officer," he recalled. "For ten years, I didn't spend one dime - there were no movies, no vacations, no trips to the ballpark. There were only work and study and my lifelong dream of owning my own business." By 1971, Lee had saved $42,000, and it was time for him to make his vision a reality.

Lee wanted to open an upscale restaurant in Brooklyn. With a business plan in hand, he set out to seek financing. The banks refused him. Unable to get funding to open an independent restaurant, lee turned to franchising and filled out numerous applications. McDonald's offered him a franchise, with one stipulation: Lee had to set up a McDonald's in the inner-city, the first to be located there. McDonald's wanted to find out if its type of fast-food restaurant could be successful in the inner city. It seemed that Lee might be the right person to operate that first restaurant.

To get the franchise, Lee would have to invest his life savings and borrow $150,000 more. Everything for which he'd worked and sacrificed all those years would be on the line - a very thin line if he believed his friends. Lee spent many sleepless nights before making his decision. In the end, he put his faith in the years of preparation he'd invested - the dreaming, planning, studying and saving - and signed on the dotted line to operate the first inner-city McDonald's in the United States.

The first few months were a disaster. Gang fights, gunfire, and other violent incidents plagued his restaurant and scared customers away. Inside, employees stole his food and cash, and his safe was broken into routinely. To make matters worse, Lee couldn't get any help from McDonald's headquarters; the company's representatives were too afraid to venture into the ghetto. Lee was on his own.

Although he had been robbed of his merchandise, his profits, and his confidence, Lee was not going to be robbed of his dream. Lee fell back on what he had always believed in - preparation and planning.

Lee put together a strategy. First, he sent a strong message to the neighborhood thugs that McDonald's wasn't going to be their turf. To make his ultimatum stick, he needed to offer an alternative to crime and violence. In the eyes of those kids, Lee saw the same look of helplessness he had seen in his own family. He knew that there was hope and opportunity in that neighborhood and he was going to prove it to the kids. He decided to serve more than meals to his community - he would serve solutions.

Lee spoke openly with gang members, challenging them to rebuild their lives. Then he did what some might say was unthinkable: he hired gang members and put them to work. He tightened up his operation and conducted spot checks on cashiers to weed out thieves. Lee improved working conditions and once a week he offered his employees classes in customer service and management. He encouraged them to develop personal and professional goals. He always stressed two things: his restaurant offered a way out of a dead-end life and the faster and more efficiently the employees served the customers, the more lucrative that way would be.

In the community, Lee sponsored athletic teams and scholarships to get kids off the streets and into community centers and schools. The New York inner-city restaurant became McDonald's most profitable franchise worldwide, earning more than $1.5 million a year. Company representatives who wouldn't set foot in Harlem months earlier now flocked to Lee's doors, eager to learn how he did it. To Lee, the answer was simple: "Serve the customers, the employees, and the community."

Today, Lee Dunham owns nine restaurants, employs 435 people, and serves thousands of meals every day. It's been many years since his mother had to take in wash to pay the bills. More importantly, Lee paved the way for thousands of African-American entrepreneurs who are working to make their dreams a reality, helping their communities, and serving up hope.

All this was possible because a little boy understood the need to dream, to plan, and to prepare for the future. In doing so, he changed his life and the lives of others.

Cynthia Kersey

Excerpted/Adapted from Unstoppable
Copyright 1988 by Cynthia Kersey
You can visit Cynthia's site by going to: www.unstoppable.net
Cynthia's latest book, Unstoppable Women: Achieve any Breakthrough Goal in Just 30 Days is available by clicking here.

Click here for our printable version

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Bob Proctor

PORTRAIT OF AN ACHIEVER

noreply@blogger.com (Bassem H. Sabry) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 20:48:00 +0000

Failed in Business - Bankruptcy, 1831
Defeated for Legislature, 1832
Sweetheart/Fiancee Dies, 1835
Nervous Breakdown, 1836
Defeated in Election, 1836
Defeated for U.S. Congress, 1843
Defeated again for U.S. Congress, 1846
Defeated once again for U.S. Congress, 1848
Defeated for U.S. Senate, 1855
Defeated for U.S. Vice President, 1856
Defeated again for U.S. Senate, 1858

ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Elected President of the U.S.A., 1860

You cannot fail... unless you quit!"