Some people aren’t happy unless they’re unhappy. 

Some people are so invested in being a victim, they reject anything that could be a good thing for them.  And they often ridicule, belittle, or even attack people who are striving to do, have and become more in life.

By all means, try to make peace with them.  Just know that some people who attack you don’t ever want peace with you.  No matter what you do or say they cannot be won over because they thrive on their perceived injustice and being the aggrieved party.  Their entire identity is tied up in being a victim.

Reach out with love.  But if they’re not willing to accept it, set boundaries on how you will allow yourself to be treated.  If they don’t honor the boundaries, get them out of your life.

You’re not the victim whisperer.

- RG

If you plant and tend your garden, it will produce flowers or fruits, the things you cultivate.  If you don’t plant specific seeds, then animals, wind and other elements will cause random things to fall into it, producing an abundance of weeds and wild vegetation, likely to choke out useful plants.  One thing is certain – something will grow in your garden.

Just as a gardener must tend his or her plot, keeping out the weeds, you must tend the garden of your mind, weeding out the thoughts of lack, limitation and negativity.  You must nurture and tend the thoughts of happiness, success and purpose.

If you practice gardening of this kind, you will soon discover that you are the master gardener of your soul.  You will come to the profound revelation that you are not the victim of your circumstance – but the architect of them.  For it is the thoughts that you give precedence to that shape your character, create your circumstances, and determine your ultimate destiny.

BOOM!

The outer circumstances and environment of your life is directly connected to your inner state.  The most important thing you can learn about success, prosperity and happiness is this – thought and character are one.

No one wakes up one day in prison, or divorce court, or the emergency room.  It is the direct result of the thoughts you have had up to that point.

Now if you are like most people, this is the part where you start to mentally make excuses for yourself… 

You believe that what I just said is true for other people most of the time, but you are quite certain that you have been the victim of extenuating circumstances beyond your control.  Your situation is different.  You’re special.

Bullshit.

And the day you stop buying into that bullshit – is the day you break through to levels of greatness that are simply breathtaking.  Are you up for it?

-RG

Breaking things may be risky, but in today’s economy, not taking risks pretty much guarantees you will fail…

Today down is up, and up is down.  The advances in technology, the accelerating speed of change, and other factors have redefined both what success is, and how you get there today.  If you watched my Safe is the New Risky video, then you know all the rules have changed.

So how are you about taking risks?  And what risk will you take today?

-RG

Making a change is often like having to fire someone, end a relationship, or pulling a tooth:  Better to get it over with.

This is a very relevant topic for me because I’ve recently come to grips with a situation in my own life…

I like to think I embrace change.  I never procrastinate; I just get things done.  When I see how changing something will improve my life, I do it.  I seek challenges and tackle them readily.  But I recently noticed something very disturbing..,

Because I’m introverted, I have a tendency to stay in limiting business situations too long.  This was a pattern I had in romantic relationships for many years.  I would realize a relationship was dysfunctional and end it.  And then, rather than face the risk of a new relationship, I’d find myself going back to the ex and try again.  I repeated that pattern in four or five relationships before I finally got over it.

But just when I’m ready to pat myself on the back, something else became apparent…

I’m surrounded by a lot of people that play small. 

Oh, maybe not by most people’s standards.  But if I’m honest, I have to admit I have surrounded myself with people who give me permission to stay the way I am.  And that is the sure path to mediocrity.

I got in many business partnerships 10, 15, or even 20 years ago that I’m still in.  Some are suppliers, some are partners, and others are simply colleagues that I may brainstorm with.  I attracted these people when I was vibrating at a much lower consciousness, and had a much smaller vision of myself and my work.  And how do I say this delicately…

While I’ve been growing my vision, not all of these people have been.  So when I announce a new project, or come up with a new idea, I have to sell them on it.  They doubt the feasibility or think I’m aiming too big.  And kind of like “the devil you know” cliché, I’ve settled for people I know and am comfortable with, instead of going out and attracting new people who would challenge me more.

This is not an indictment of the people in my world.  They all have their own lives and get to make their own choices.  This is an indictment on my own issues.  Settling for the familiar and comfortable, instead of going for awesome.  That is now officially over.

But enough about my drama.  I share it only in that it may contain a lesson for you.

Are you open to change?  Are you constantly seeking it?  And have you surrounded yourself with people that challenge you to grow – or give you permission to stay in your comfort zone?  Are you ready to be AWESOME!  Please share your thoughts below.

-RG

Self-mastery.

Now I don’t know if you ever get completely there.  I know I sure haven’t.  But it sure is worth the effort!

- RG

I had talked about mindset, business opportunity and dreams.  How I went from a dishwasher to a multimillionaire, and how the people in the room could do the same.  The music was blaring, people were still mingling around, and then he came…

The dictionary guy.

He stood around, hovering and fidgeting.  Finally he worked his way up to me, holding a pocket sized, dime store dictionary, which he was fondling nervously.   He reminded me that during the session, I had splashed water into the audience.  He opened the dictionary to a page that had received a droplet or two, and explained that he had bought the dictionary for his mother.  And now he didn’t know how he could give it to her.

I laughed, assuming that he wanted to keep it as a souvenir or was making a joke.  He wasn’t.

He pulled a receipt out of his pocket, and again stated mumbling about how he could give his mother a dictionary that had had water splashed on it.  I reached in my pocket and handed him a $50 bill and  took the dictionary from him.  “I’m buying it from you,” I declared.  Then I threw it into the garbage behind me.

“Don’t you want the receipt?” he whined.

“No I don’t need it.  Goodbye,” I replied.  And turned away to sign some more books.  My friends told me later that he went back and took the book out of the garbage before he slunk off.

He thought he scored big time.  He got $50 for a $5 book.  But he had no idea of the greater riches he left behind…

Now in the past I would have talked about what a moron he was.  I’d like to think I’ve moved past that stage now.  And can recognize he is just another person who bought into all the limiting beliefs swirling around him.  One of literally dozens you can interact with on any given day.

In that room on that night, he was probably outnumbered 890 to ten.  It was a room full of dreamers – positive, success-oriented people working for a better life.  And they understand that this is accomplished by self-development and personal growth.

The dictionary guy is trying to cheat the system.  He wants the good things in life, but he’s not willing to put out the effort.  Of course he will fail, and unless he changes, he will be broke his whole life.  But he will have lots of company…

Because outside of that ballroom at the Sheraton – he’s got a much bigger team than you and I do.  That night we had a 90% edge.  But in the “real world,” those percentages are reversed!  In normal society, you and I are the aberration, the weirdos.

Now the interesting thing is this…

His team will always outnumber us, but we will always win the match.  Because we live our lives in accord with universal laws.  Whereas the herd is looking for the short cut; always trying another angle to get something for nothing.

Here’s the really good news…

I used to be in that other group.  And maybe you were too.  But all of us – even the dictionay guy – can choose to change.

Ain’t it great!

- RG

Complacency.

Because  complacency is usually when you give up, decide you’ve done enough, figure something is good enough to get by.  And that’s okay for most people.

But it’s not okay for you. 

Because if I were in charge of the thesaurus, the synonym I would use for complacency is mediocrity.  And there’s no room in an epic life for mediocrity.

-RG

P. S.  By the time most of you read this, I’ll be winging my way to Australia.  Look for me at the Sydney premier or The YES Movie - the film that exposes the secrets of today’s youngest millionaires.

Action.

Getting into action.  Another one that sounds so simple.  But another step that many people don’t take.  They want to keep fine-tuning their plan.  They worry that the plan won’t be perfect.  They keep getting ready to get ready.

Whether you’re seeking success or traveling the path to enlightenment, you won’t get closer until you get going.  Fear paralyzes some people, because they’re afraid of failure.  But sometimes failure is a necessary requirement on the path to success.  It’s how you conduct experiments to determine what doesn’t work, so you can learn lessons and make adjustments for what does work.

And if it’s enlightenment you are seeking, you must realize there are no failures and there is no final destination.  It’s all about living in the moment and celebrating the journey.

So what to you need to get in action on for today?

- RG

Some people think I’m being too simple-mined, but I don’t see it that way.  More like single-minded.  And because I like things simple, I like plans.

Simple plans. 

Plans are what you make after you decide.  I have plans for at bats in my softball game, plans for my books before I write them, and plans for what I want to accomplish each day.

I even have a plan for enlightenment…

Seriously.  It’s the plan I follow to reach enlightenment.  And of course it’s simple, kind of patterned after the model James Allen demonstrated so profoundly with his work and adjusted for where I want to go.  Seven steps every Jedi Knight can follow to restore peace and prosperity to the universe.

So here’s my plan.  Feel free to adopt it as your own.

1)   Stay clean and sober

2)   Become the thinker of the thought

3)   Consciously choose to focus on positive thoughts

4)   Exercise mentally and physically daily

5)   Practice tolerance and love

6)   Seek out new challenges

7)   Choose meaning over money and the money will come.

- RG

How do you write a book?

What is the first step to success?

How did you become a millionaire?

How can I become successful?

How can I get self-confidence?

Here’s the funny thing about all these questions:   They all have the same answer!

The single most important thing to accomplishing any of these things is to…

Decide!

So what do you need to decide today?

- RG