by Charles Barnard
In an interview I did with Andrew Towle, General Partner of Nextel Gen Nutritional Investment Partners, and posted on my private Facebook Group page, Andrew talked about raising his children not with rules but with principles. Principles are extremely important in a mindset that leads to accomplishment, fulfillment, and joy. Much of what is written in the field of personal development deals with principles. The principles of success. Truly, they describe the mindset of achievement.
Principles guide our actions. Principles are closely connected to values both of which guide actions. They are the essence of our character. Character is only known by our behavior – what we do, say, or write. Our principles and values will factor into the decisions and direction our actions take. Deciding not to act is an action. Many people to quickly decide not to act when acting was what was really needed and ultimately desired. Our principles, beliefs, and values, our mindset, is not only what moves us but is what guides the direction we move.
There have been many valuable books on success published over the years with millions of copies sold. Yet, only an small fraction of a percentage actually apply the knowledge in those books. If I am not very selective in who I take on as a client only a small fraction of people will actually complete our training courses, which leads to two options. We could make them readily affordable and available with the realization that the overwhelming majority would never complete them, which would essentially be the shotgun approach or we can price them in accordance with their value knowing those who commit at that price level are more motivated to actually complete the training, which is a more laser focused approach. In the latter approach, with the generosity of others, we can also make them affordable for anyone who gives the indication that they are committed. Our principle of serving people who truly desire to better themselves guides our actions.
W. Clement Stone was the general manager for Napoleon Hill, author of the classic book Think and Grow Rich, and the publisher of the magazine Success Unlimited. In the introduction for Og Mandino’s book Treasury of Success Unlimited, Stone wrote, “We soon observed, however, that many individuals forgot the principles. They did not learn and employ them well enough to develop them as habits of thought.” Notice that Stone is discussing his work with Hill in teaching success principles, but they found those principles where not becoming habits of thinking. This is why applying HEAT – habit, emotion, attitude, training – is our secret weapon.
Still, the client must act. They must apply the HEAT. They must have the why to do the assignments we give in all our lessons. You can read the information, watch the videos, but if you choose not to do the assignments the likelihood of developing the habits of thinking that Stone is talking about is very slim.
The solution that Stone and Hill tried was to create the magazine Success Unlimited with the expressed goal of fueling the fire of motivation by giving examples of success. Giving models for others to emulate is very powerful. It does help with the enthusiasm necessary for follow through. It is something we intend to do here, but it is nothing like working as a group, family, team, or organization to push each other to achieve.
W. Clement Stone asked readers of Treasury of Success Unlimited if they were willing to pay the price to achieve what you desire. I too ask potential clients – especially the parents of teens – if they are willing to pay the price. Are they willing to
- Make the five shifts necessary for achievement
- Lead by example
- Commit to building habits of success
- Apply the principles of the lessons to their life?
As I have stated previously, I am very interested in helping teens and teen or college athletes not only experience personal breakthroughs but ultimately train a mindset of a champion. Ideally, working with entire families, cohorts of individuals, organizations, or teams will provide more accountability and greater chances of success. The advantage of working with teens is they are in school and our entire curriculum can be done in four years or less. It is the ideal time for them. It will aid them as they prepare for the next stage in their life whether that is college, trade school, the military, or the world of work. Completing it cannot not change lives. It takes dedication and discipline. We are seeking those whose principles include becoming the best they can be, the belief in building discipline, and helping those they care most about becoming the best they can be. If this describes you, reach out. If it is someone you know and care about get them to reach out. We offer a generous referral program so don’t hesitate to contact us about it.
