Leave a big tip when you go out to eat.

Very often, an extra $10 or $15 means quite a lot more to your waiter or waitress than it would to you or me.

They are working very hard for very little money. They may carry heavy trays or hot plates all day. They often have to put up with abusive customers. And still they put on a happy face and treat you like a guest.

These waiters and waitresses are not looking for a hand out. They are working for every cent they get.

The next time you go out to eat, take a few minutes to observe the person waiting on you. Watch how they take care of several parties at the same time. Notice their attitude when they talk to you. Most of the time, if you do this, you will get a new perspective on what they do.

When they do a good job, give them a bigger tip than what is expected. You’ll see someone seeing themselves with renewed self esteem. You’ll be helping a deserving person out. And you’ll feel good for brightening another person’s day. It will make you feel wealthy, too.

Where else can you do so much for so little?

The July 2009 edition of Success Magazine features Ed Foreman in the Success Legend Series. R. Todd Eliason writes an excellent synopsis of Ed’s life and successes.

Also, in the same issue, Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine, interviews Ed Foreman on the CD/DVD included free inside the magazine.

Read the story online here »

Save 65% off the newstand price by subscribing to Success Magazine here »

I’m sorry to say that I had to stop and think about the answer. Knowing Ed, I should not have been surprised by the question. You see, Ed teaches this in the Successful Life Course and in many of the CDs.

Most people ask “How are you?” or “How are things going?”

There are two types of answers to this question. The most common answer is “Fine, how are you?”, which really conveys no information at all. The other type of answer usually involves some long explanation of how bad things are going.

When you are asked “What’s the best good thing that’s been going on?” you first have to think of the GOOD things that are happening. Sadly, that’s not what we spend most of our time thinking about. Thinking about the good things in your life makes you feel better, and talking about good things makes for a positive conversation that lifts everybody’s spirits.

Ed even suggests that a weekly staff meeting begin with a “Good Things Report” where each attendee takes a minute or two to talk about the positive things, either personally or professionally, happening in that person’s life. This makes for a much more positive and productive meeting.

Aside from making you feel better at the time, this question makes you want to look for the good things as you go through your day to day life. I know that I’ll be talking with Ed again, and you can bet I will have good things to talk about.

Now I ask you the question…
What’s the best GOOD thing that’s been going on with you?

Success is defined in the dictionary as “the achievement of something attempted”. No matter what your personal definition, success can be most easily understood as reaching a goal. Even though we all set goals for ourselves many of us do not reach them. What stops us and what can we do to change this?

Two men have made it their life-long goal to help others reach theirs: Ed Foreman and Zig Ziglar. Both of these men had modest beginnings: Ed was raised a farmer’s son while Zig was raised by his widowed mother as one of 12 children. Both men grew up to be millionaires long before the age of the dot com. The values they learned during those years: enthusiasm, positive thinking, discipline, integrity, and love of people, have made them the men that they are today and the reason others seek to emulate them. Let us examine these values and take a look at what they can do for us.

Enthusiasm

One executive who heard Ed Foreman speak said, “Listening to Ed is like trying to drink from a fire hose…he delivers so much useful, meaningful information with such enthusiasm!“. Clearly, Ed Foreman loves what he does and does what he loves. It is this passion for his mission that carries over into his message and inspires others to take up their own mission with enthusiasm.

Zig Ziglar has been electrifying his audiences since 1970 as a motivational speaker, alongside such notables as Presidents Reagan and Bush, but it is often Zig that the audiences are there to see.

Their message is clear: if you wish to be successful you must be enthusiastic about what you do and that will carry you through your days. Enthusiasm is catching and can help you see what is in front of you in a whole new light.

Positive Thinking

Although Norman Vincent Peale is the name most people think of when it comes to positive thinking, Ed Foreman is right there beside him in terms of using thoughts to get desired outcomes. Long before the success of nationwide bestsellers like The Secret, Ed’s message was that “thoughts lead to actions which become habits that create the character that you become“. By thinking about what we want to happen instead of what we don’t want, we can create our reality.

Zig Ziglar elaborates on this further when he says “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”

Learning to face challenges head on with the belief that the outcome will be beneficial, either as a winning moment or as a learning experience, can make all the difference in the world. Trials become opportunities, fear is replaced by excitement.

Discipline

Probably the biggest obstacle to attaining goals is having the discipline to take action and complete our tasks. “It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through,” says Zig Ziglar.

From Ed Foreman’s perspective, discipline is the catalyst for change that brings about the state of being. “Winners do the things that losers don’t like to do.”

Remembering what you want and then acting as if it were already a reality is what gives us real change. The application of what we know to be the correct way of thinking and acting is what helps us reach our goals more efficiently.

Integrity

Everyone has a strict moral code that they live and work by and it is in adhering to that code that their character is revealed.

Realizing that “every choice you make has an end result” has helped Zig Ziglar make choices that are directly in line with his personal values. An evangelical Christian, Ziglar incorporates his beliefs into his motivational speeches.

Ed Foreman holds strongly to the power of forgiveness and encourages his listeners to “get over it and get on with your life“.

Keeping firmly to your values as you go through your life will help you see clearly what is most important and help you move past what isn’t, allowing you to advance further along your chosen path.

Love of People

Both Ed Foreman and Zig Ziglar have a deep, genuine love of people. This is evident in the manner in which they conduct themselves in their professional lives as well as in their message.

After becoming a millionaire and a success in the business world, Foreman served as a United States Congressman in two different states before embarking on his current career as a motivational speaker. His energy for helping others achieve what they want in life has made him well respected in his career.

Zig Ziglar also has found his greatest success in helping others. He has said “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want“.

Both of these men understand the law of reciprocity – that to receive you must first give, whether it is a service, product, or of yourself.

While success may seem elusive at first, keeping focused on our goals and maintaining our values is what will drive us to accomplish what we set out to do. The examples from the lives of people such as Ed Foreman and Zig Ziglar help us see all our dreams are possible.

YOU determine what your goals are. Your goals guide your life. It is important that you write those goals down. Here are 5 reasons for writing your goals down:

MIV-Makes It Vivid - Your goals take on a life of their own when you write them down. The written word is more powerful than the thoughts which come and go throughout the day. When you write the goal down it become concrete and real to you. Before you write your goal down it is only an aspiration. It is a wish.

PCR-Provides Constant Reminders - Out of sight, out of mind is the saying that can apply to your goals when you do not write them down. With so many obligations pulling at us in a typical day it is difficult to keep our mind centered on our goals if we don’t see them often enough. In order to hit our goals we must be able to see them and think about them throughout the day so they don’t get lost in among our other responsibilities. Regularly reading your written goals gives you constant reminders during the day. As you keep those goals in front of you impress them upon your mind.

EP-Establish Priorities - Written goals help you prioritize your activities. You especially need this in the beginning. Before the habits have been developed you need to remind yourself of what you are trying to accomplish. Otherwise you will find yourself operating business as usual. I always use written goals to help me establish the order of my priorities for any given day when I first set my goals. Because I have them written down and I am looking at them constantly, the task associated with my goals rise to the top of my list of things to do.

KYF-Keeps Your Focus - When you write your goals down and read them regularly you begin to center your attention on their completion. As your focus on them becomes stronger your goals are kept at the forefront of your thoughts. Every time you read your goals you are giving your subconscious a clearer image of the target.

MIAH-Makes It A Have To Have - When you write your goals down you begin to put importance on them. Your goal moves from being something nice to have to being something that you must have. When your goal is written down and you can read it and think about throughout the day it begins to matter more to you. It becomes something that you think about constantly.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your free access to my special report “Setting And Hitting Your Goals” by going to http://www.setandhitgoals.com

From Anthony D. Carter – a leading expert on goal setting.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_D_Carter

Which side do you choose?

Life comes to you each day and
you get to choose what kind of a day you’re going to have.

MENU

HOW TO MAKE A “TERRIFIC” DAY

APPETIZER	FARE
Awaken Early	Appreciation for Life
Inspirational Reading	Good News Immediately
Early Morning Walk or Run	Smiles & Enthusiasm
Devotion & Thanksgiving	Recognition & Expectation
Brief Regular Exercise	Vibrant Health & Strong Body
Positive Cassette Tape Message	Vision & Encouragement
Shower & Readiness	Freshness & Anticipation
ENTREE	FARE
Nourishing Breakfast (25%)	Alertness, Energy, Vitality
Multi-Vitamin + E + C + A	Energy, Vitality, Immunity
Wholesome, Positive Thoughts	Accomplishment & Wealth
Pleasant Greetings to All	Many Friends & Happiness
Give Sincere Appreciation	Love, Honor & Cooperation
Listen More, Talk Less	Respect, Approval, Knowledge
Plan for the Day & Future	Creativity & Organization
Do One Task at a Time	Accomplish Greatly
See Your Work as Pleasurable	Outstanding Achievement
Moderate Lunch (50%)	Alive, Alert & Awake
Work/Rest/Work/Rest	Prosperity & Satisfaction (MCR)
Count Your Blessings	Abundance, Love & Serenity
Play & Relaxation	Happiness & Enjoyment
Moderation & Temperance	Clear, Calm & Organized
Reasonable Dinner (25%)	Comfortable & Relaxed
DESSERT	FARE
Review Your Accomplishments	Peace of Mind & Success
Prayer	Homage & Self-Confidence
Relax & Sleep	Sweet Dreams & Full Life

MENU

HOW TO MAKE A “TERRIBLE” DAY

APPETIZER	FARE
Awaken Late (Have to Rush)	Anxiety & Bitterness
Go Get Newspaper (Like a Dog)	Mostly Bad News
Digest Bad News on the Run	Feel Bad & Get Mad
No Devotion or Inspiration	Low Spirit, Easily Offended
No Exercise	Sluggish, Tired & Run Down
Radio or Television Report	Disaster, Trouble & Despair
Too Late to Get Bath	Sleepy, Stinky & Unkempt
ENTREE	FARE
No Breakfast or Coffee & Donut	Hungry, Mean & Nervous
Cigarette, Candy, Cola	Hacking Cough, Indigestion
Negative, Derogatory Thoughts	Problems & Depression
Unfriendly & Ugly to Others	Few or No Friends
Criticize, Condemn & Complain	Condemnation, No Love
Dictate, Direct & Demand	Disrespect & Ridicule
No Plans for the Day or Future	Disorganized & Sour
Tackle Everything at Once	Confusion & Disorder
See Your Job as Necessary Evil	Barely Get By
Lunch-Greasy & Hurried	Drowsy, Gassy & Dull
Work/Work/Work/Work	Little Money & Fatigue
Curse Life & Gripe	Poverty, Hate & Worry
No Play & No Relaxation	Tension & Frustration
Indulgence & Dissipation	Illness, Tired, No Confidence
Dinner-Drink & Eat Heavy	Burp, Barf & Nightmares
DESSERT	FARE
Worry, Fret & Be Tense	Sickness, Fear & Failure
No Prayer of Thanksgiving	Selfish, Resentful & Jealous
Stay Uptight & Poor Sleep	Bad Dreams & Half-Life

Given these choices, which side of the menu will you choose today?

Since its humble beginnings in the Lindseys’ spare bedroom, Defender has become one of the largest security and satellite dealers in the Midwest, experiencing an average annual growth rate of 60 percent over ten years. In 2008, Defender generated $78.1 million in revenues, and earned the rank of 387 on the Inc. 500 list of “America’s Fastest-Growing Companies. With 1,500 employees, the company had a national footprint of 120 offices in 40 states.

Dave Lindsey explains, “Defender has grown faster than its peers not because we are better at selling and installing security systems, but because our people have grown. Our sales have doubled because the capacity and talents of our leaders have doubled. A few years ago we stopped trying to double our business and realized the way to grow was to double our team members’ enthusiasm, optimism and skills. Send people to seminars, leadership conferences and self-help programs. Build a culture on purpose, not by accident.”

Defender is now sending a total of 30 people (15 employees plus a spouse, significant other, parent, or other guest of their choice) to participate in each session of the SUCCESSFUL LIFE Course. Dave attributes Defender’s success to its culture, which he has built around each employee’s “personal growth.” As he says, “Another word is TERRIFIC. We talk about being terrific every day, and we choose to be that way. We coined a saying,

“Businesses don’t grow—people do.”

I don’t want this to become a cliché around Defender because it’s been our secret sauce. All of us had to grow. We’ve accomplished this reinvention through good books, good tapes and networking with good people motivated and inspired through the SUCCESSFUL LIFE Course. Our ability to forgive each other is one of our greatest strengths and it’s the glue that allows us to stay at this breakneck speed.”

The SUCCESSFUL LIFE Course can be the secret ingredient to inspiring your team to be and do all that they are capable of accomplishing. Other clients, including BWI Inc.; Ferguson Integrated Services; Quality Care; Rinderle Door Company, Caterpillar, Milliken Textiles, et al, have also contracted to send their people to each session of this life-enriching experience. Join us soon for a session to see for yourself why business leaders from throughout the world are so enthusiastic about the results they, and their teams, have achieved as a result of applying these successful daily living principles to their business and personal lives!

If you CAN’T do anything about it,

Why Worry?

If you CAN do something about it,

Why Worry?

It’s been 25 years since Roger took the Successful Life Course. He still remembers and practices goal setting and the other principles taught.

And it has helped him to be successful. He achieved his goal of going around the world in 1985.

Now, 24 years later, Roger went back to India.

Here he is in front of the Taj Mahal, in the same place as before, with a Life Is TERRIFIC! bumpersticker!

Way to go Roger! Thank you for sharing with us!