Darren Hardy, Publisher of SUCCESS Magazine

The Third ‘Person’ in Your Relationship

Darren Hardy — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:06 +0000

My wife had a friend over recently. In the midst of chit-chat (you know how much I like that),I probed for more meaningful conversation. I asked, "How are you andJohn doing? How’s your marriage? She replied, "It’s OK, I guess.” "You guess?” I asked. "How could you not know for sure?”

She responded with an oh-too familiar scenario…

She explained, "Well, we are both doing our part. I am taking care of the kids, the house and my elder parents, and he is working long hours providing for the family. He shows up for dinner and soccergames, so I think we are doing fine.” I responded, "Sounds like you are both performing your roles as domestic partners, but what about your relationship? How is that going?” "Well, life is so busy I think we are doing the best we can,” she said.

"That’s dangerous,” I warned. "What do you mean?” she asked.

Then I drew out this diagram on a napkin. (see figure)

“Here is what happens if you don’t realize there is a third ‘person’ that needs to be cared for. Both of you are doing your part and you do it for 10, 20 or more years. You are living together, raising a family, ‘doing your part’ just fine, but this third entity is never (or rarely) cared for, fed, nurtured or nourished. It gets weak and in many cases withers and dies. You wake up 20 years later. While you are good roommates and you might genuinely care for each other, your romantic relationship has starved… to death. All the while you thought you were ‘doing fine.’ ”

I explained further, CLICK TO READ REST OF ARTICLE

Are You Stuck?

Darren Hardy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 16:00:12 +0000

I saw something absurd the other day. A highly engineered and specially designed high-performance race car stuck on a 35-mile-an-hour downtown street.

That is not what that car was made for. That is not what its creator (Enzo Ferrari) envisioned for it.

This 6-speed, F140 Aluminum V12, 4700cc engine with 660hp was built to go 0-60 in 3.8 seconds and race at 217 miles an hour (2010 specs). But here it is… stuck.

I see this absurdity every day. But not only in the streets—in office cubicles, conference rooms, huddled behind computer screens, and dragging luggage through airports.

People who were specially engineered and designed with special talents, skills and abilities who are traveling down the wrong road, with their potential stuck in first gear; trapped and unable to race.

That is not what their creator had envisioned for them either.

Are you… 1. Stuck. Traveling down the wrong road? Are you in a job, company or business that has you boxed in on the slow lane? Is it keeping you from being able to get out of first gear and challenge your greater abilities?

Sometimes it’s not the car; it’s the road the car is on.

2. Traveling with Pintos? Are you going slow because you are keeping pace with ordinary cars, when you were designed for racing?

Sometimes it’s not the car; it’s the cars it travels with.

3. Are you even aware that you are a race car? You were specially engineered and designed for speed… to race. You were built for greatness. I’m not kidding. You are a miracle of machinery. Yes, you… the one reading this. It’s likely you have never even experienced half of what your top speed is.

Sometimes it’s not the car; it’s the one given the responsibility to drive it.

If you ever really gripped the wheel, braced your neck and punched the pedal with all your might… the awesomeness of your innate potential will shock and exhilarate you.

Punch it. NOW!

Who else do you know has greater innate potential than they might realize or be utilizing? Forward this post to them.

So, are you stuck? Are you on the wrong road, traveling with the wrong people, unaware of your true greatness? Share with everyone what you are going to do to “punch it” in your life, starting now. CLICK HERE TO COMMENT

Sell Like John Lennon

Darren Hardy — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:00:44 +0000

John Lennon is my real estate agent in South Beach, Miami. Seriously, that is his real name.

John sells exclusively on a single street called South Pointe Drive, located in an exclusive area called SoFi (South of Fifth). His salesterritory consists of six über-luxury high-rises along the waterfront.

In the past 15 years, John has sold more than $3 billion in real estateon this street (do the math on 3 percent commission—that’s almost asmuch as the other John Lennon made!).

John took Georgia and me to lunch a couple days ago to give us anupdate on our property and the market. I took the opportunity to tryand pry out the secret to his extraordinary success.

I found it! And now I will pass it along to you too… CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

A Quick Fix…

Darren Hardy — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:00:03 +0000

I'm in the Dallas publishing office this week assisting the world's finest magazine staff put the finishing touches on the September issue of SUCCESS. Another issue you won't want to miss—Michael Dell on the cover—very cool story! While here, I've been revisiting emails, voicemails and blog comments with your inspiring feedback on my new book, The Compound Effect. Your stories of how the principles in the book have already made a remarkable difference in your relationships, health and income performance are awe-inspiring! WOW! Just five minutes ago in fact, I opened up personal letters from Rudy Giuliani, Jim Collins and Dr. Kenneth Cooper on how the book affected them. How cool is that?! Yet, I'm bummed. You see, we launched the book offering signed copies to the first 200. They went so fast (some snuck in the system before it was even officially released!) that even most of the early birds missed out. I am seeing some of those notes now. That sucks. I want to fix it. We had a corporate client (thank you, Nevada State Bank!) pay extra to get 150 signed copies (they're giving a copy to their best customers . . . great idea!), so I am signing them while I am here. Since I already have the Sharpie flying, thinking of you (and some of you being bummed), I had the warehouse bring up a few hundred more. So here's the deal. If you buy the combo of the book and audio program (it's my strong recommendation to have and study both!), the book will come signed! If this is valuable to you, then please hurry so you don't miss it. CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS NOW Even if you have a copy of the book already, give that one to someone whose success you care about and keep the signed one for yourself. Or order the signed book for a valuable customer, friend, family member, employee, etc. Okay, I hope that makes the world right again. ;-) Be sure to send me your stories on how your life is impacted by the tools shared in the book and the extra insights shared in the audio program! Your ally in success, Darren Hardy P.S. Help me help others. Here are 9.5 ways you can help spread the word about The Compound Effect. Thank you for your help!

Is It Time For a Reinvention?

Darren Hardy — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:00:07 +0000

Feeling stuck? Or fired? Or inspired? Today’s "best of times, worst of times” economy offers the perfect opportunity to take stock of your life and your business. One thing is certain… maintaining the status quo is not an option.

You may be one of the millions who were forced out of a comfortable (but perhaps, unfulfilling) career. If so, your best option and only real choice may be to reinvent yourself. Or it could be you feel compelled to reinvent yourself or your business in order to seize an unexpected opportunity. Either way, the August issue of SUCCESS will prove invaluable to you.

Reinvention has resulted in some of the world’s greatest business success stories. Companies that launch with the intention to do one thing often end up finding their grand opportunity lies in a completely different direction. Taking advantage of the opportunity requires a reinvention of thought and strategy—and the effort pays off. For instance, as a startup, Flickr was an online game project and chat room. When its founders realized how much CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Stress Survival Tactics

Darren Hardy — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:00:24 +0000

Stress has become a problem of pandemic proportions. I keep hearing people tell me how "stressed out” they are. It’s time to eradicate this disease of the mind.

I came across a transcript by a journalist who interviewed me for a national newspaper a while back. I thought you might benefit from some of these ideas and tips as well.

Tips on Avoiding and Preventing Stress
1. In your opinion, is stress an unavoidable consequence of life?

DARREN HARDY: Stress is a part of life. Life requires stress. As a muscle needs resistance to grow stronger, so do we. Many times, stress awakens our greater potential and makes us rise to the performance we were capable of all along, but we needed the challenge.

2. Why do some people seem to stress out more than others? Do some people just naturally tolerate stressors more easily than others?

DH: Ultimately, stress is a mental illusion, an interpretation and a perception. What is stressful to one person is blissful to another. Heights might be stressful for one person, while free-falling out of an airplane is sheer bliss for another. Public speaking might completely debilitate one person but be the most empowering activity for another. Losing $100,000 in the stock market might be less stressful for one person than having a bad hair day is for another. Stress is a mental perception, chosen by the perceiver.

3. Please give some of your favorite tips for managing existing stress (assuming the stressors can’t be prevented). CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.

It Doesn’t Just Happen

Darren Hardy — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:10 +0000

Last week my wife "crossed over.” She closed the door to her 30s and strode gracefully into her 40s.

Curious what life is like on "the other side,” since I am still amere adolescent in my 30s (for eight more months), I asked her whatnewfound wisdom she has gathered from the many best wishes messages,cards and conversations she has had with those already living in "thebeyond.”

I was so intrigued and inspired by her discoveries, I asked her ifshe would share her collected pearls of wisdom with you here on thisblog. She agreed (if I washed her car—she’s a tough negotiator!).

Advice from the ‘Other Side’ by Georgia Hardy

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me that "life begins at 40,” I could buy the world a martini.

I just crossed a very important threshold in my life and spent the most glorious 40th birthday celebration weekend with my most cherished friends and family. And though there was a wide range of ages and generations represented, many of them told me similar things about being 40 and how “life happens” in one’s 40s.

What does this mean? Does this mean that I haven’t really been living? Does it mean that my 20s and 30s were just dress rehearsals for my grand 40s?

Well, I asked these very questions, and though the responses were varied, they were all very interesting.

Imperfection Is Perfect

In a conversation with my friend Valerie, she shared two important realizations that have made a difference in her life. First, she described transitioning into her 40s as a sort of... CLICK HERE TO READ REST OF POST

There Is Nothing More Pitiful

Darren Hardy — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:00:13 +0000

My mentor Jim Rohn emphasized that one of the first things everyone should work on is their physical health.He said, "How terrible would it be if the mind said, ‘let’s go conquerthe world’ and the body said, ‘I can’t even get out of bed’?” It takesyour healthy body to carry around your head full of ideas and yourheart’s desires.

There is nothing more pitiful than a ready and willing mind but an incapable body.

There is a well-known quote from the philosopher Virgil that says,"The greatest wealth is health.” I also believe that health is thebeginning of wealth. In other words, your health will help you createwealth.

Times of great danger. The great efficiencies oftechnology have made us more inactive and sedentary than ever before.Food has become more abundant, more easily accessible, super-sized,bulk packaged and mass merchandised. Commercial marketing hasproliferated into every space of attention with ingeniously creativeand utterly tantalizing commercial marketing. It has never been moredifficult to become and remain healthy.

If you are in the business of attracting, influencing, selling orleading others, how you show up, your physical appearance, speaks volumes about who you are, how you are and what you are or not capable of.

I know, people shouldn’t judge you, right? Well, here is a clue… they do!

Whether you like it or not, people make judgments and draw conclusions about you in the first 10-15 seconds they meet you, based solely on how you look. Like it or not, how you show up on the outside says a lot about you on the inside. Our body advertises our personal development. All the habits, behaviors, choices, disciplines (or lack there of) are made physical (literally) in your physique.

Here is a good question to consider: CLICK HERE TO READ REST OF POST

Power to the Entrepreneur

Darren Hardy — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:00:59 +0000

The special Entrepreneurship Issue of SUCCESS with Kenneth Cole on the cover hits newsstands today!

Every issue of SUCCESS magazine is designed to support, instruct and uplift the entrepreneur. But this issue we’re focusing specifically on your needs as a business owner.

We know you’re the type of person who wants more out of life; your career isn’t about a paycheck, it’s about creating your best possible life and becoming your best possible self. That’s why, even though we pride ourselves on offering you meaningful content every issue, I believe this edition is one of the most important issues we offer all year.

Entrepreneurialism is the heart of our economic system. In a time when everyone is claiming there’s no work to be had, entrepreneurs are out there creating jobs. In fact, an entrepreneur pursuing his or her passion is the greatest stimulus package there is.

Today, according to stats from the Small Business Administration, small businesses:

• Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms

• Employ more than half the private-sector employees

• Pay 44 percent of the total U.S. private payroll

• Have generated more than 64 percent of all new jobs during the past 15 years

• And create more than half the private gross domestic product

Entrepreneurialism is also the heart of the American dream. Taking control of our dreams, pursuing our passions and following through on that wild idea not only makes life more enjoyable—it pays well! Eighty percent of self-made millionaires became millionaires because CLICK TO READ REST OF POST

How to Multiply Your Success: The Compound Effect—Revealed!

Darren Hardy — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:25:17 +0000

Today is the birth day of The Compound Effect—Multiplying Your Success. One Simple Step at a Time!Through all the labor pains I’ve endured in creating this book, today is the day!

As a man, I think this is as close as I can ever get to gestating, worrying about and carrying the burden of nurturing a child for nine-plus months, and then, finally (and not without pain), give birth to this thing you have worked so hard to develop and care for. Today is the day! Whew!

Below I am including a free view of the introduction to the book. I think you will find value in it alone and it will give you an idea of what you can additionally gain by having your own copy of the book. Oh, also: video intro, success quiz, more info

Amazing. Movies: I have always found it amazing that you can own the product of someone’s investment of a $200MM production (Avatar for example) and years of work by thousands of people for less than 20 bucks. Even more incredible to me is to get the chance to own the best ideas, strategies and advice, proven from someone’s life experience condensed down into a written book, also for less than $20. Now that I know how much blood, sweat, tears, pain, suffering, heart and soul goes into getting it just right… I think books should cost $1,000 each! But now I am biased of course. Well, this one doesn’t (it should!), it too is less than $20. Crazy, I know!

As my mentor Jim Rohn said (whom, along with my dad this book is dedicated to), “This is your chance to turn pennies into fortunes. If you feed the body and not the mind, you will settle for pennies and not fortunes. If you can feed your mind, you can feed your life and your family forever.”

I can promise you this: the ideas presented inside The Compound Effect are worth hundreds of times more than what it will cost you to obtain them. Oh, and I also HIGHLY recommend getting the audio program that goes with it—I am especially excited about that! In it I share additional ideas (not in the book) given to me by Richard Branson, Donald Trump, John Wooden, Cal Ripken Jr., Jillian Michaels, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Donny Deutsch… and many more! The audio program really brings the ideas in the book alive. I think you will love it!

The Compound Effect—The Introduction

This book is about success and what it really takes to earn it. It’s time someone told it to you straight. You’ve been bamboozled for too long. There is no magic bullet, secret formula, or quick fix. You don’t make $200,000 a year spending two hours a day on the Internet, lose 30 pounds in a week, rub 20 years off your face with a cream, fix your love life with a pill, or find lasting success with any other scheme that is too good to be true. It would be great if you could buy your success, fame, self-esteem, good relationships, and health and well-being in a nicely clam-shelled package at the local Wal-Mart. But, that’s not how it works.

We are constantly bombarded with increasingly sensational claims to get rich, get fit, get younger, get sexier… all overnight with little effort for only three easy payments of $39.95. These repetitive marketing messages have distorted our sense of what it really takes to succeed. We’ve lost sight of the simple but profound fundamentals of what it takes to be successful.

I’m tired of it. I won’t sit back and watch these reckless messages derail people any longer. I wrote this book to take you back to basics. I’m going to help you clear the clutter and bring focus to the core fundamentals that matter. You can immediately implement in your life the exercises and time-tested success principles... CLICK HERE TO READ REST OF POST

CLICK HERE TO ORDER BOOK AND/OR AUDIO

First 200 copies ordered are personally signed by Darren.