Orrin Woodward, Amway/Quixtar Drones and Amthrax Lies

Dan Hawkins , Claude Hamilton, Tim Marks, and Eric Blomdahl have exposed the anonymous Amway drones distortions, fallacies, and outright lies by shining light upon the facts and comparing them to the drones dishonest drivel. Why would an an alleged former Amway/Amthrax failure attack a business he admits to never being a part of unless some ulterior motive lies behind it?

Dan Hawkins’ four point summary is enough to settle the factual debate. Clearly, if what Orrin Woodward said was incorrect, then why did a California judge recently issue a settlement order on issues similar to what Orrin pointed out to Doug DeVos in his letter over five years earlier?

Furthermore, why would Amway/Quixtar fork out nearly $100 million dollars to settle a frivolous case? In fact, with such newsworthy items available, why are the Amway drones still smearing Orrin for leaving Amway/Quixtar instead of studying the legal/business ramifications of a Federal Judge ordering Amway to reduce its prices? Orrin suggested the same thing to Doug free-of-charge in 2005. Maybe the judge was onto something. 

Since the disingenuous Amway drones seem to smear anyone who disagrees with their beloved Amway/Quixtar, what could possibly be their next strategy; smear the honorable judge for ruling against their arbitration provisions, calling into question his leadership abilities and judicial track record? A better policy for the Amway drones might be to return to their masters and admit that their anonymous smear campaign directed against all former associates has lost its last ounce of credibility.

The Amway drones, instead of bogus smear campaigns against the courageous whistleblowers, ought to suggest real ideas for improvement to the Amway business. After all, isn’t that what Rich Devos's book Compassionate Capitalism is all about - compassion to let people freely leave and capitalism to not fear honest competiton?

There are, in truth, only two ways to have the highest building in town. One, is to build your buildings higher and the other is to tear everyone else’s buildings down. LIFE has chosen to build their own buildings higher and encourages the Amway drones to do the same with their company.

Go in peace and may the best company win in the free-enterprise system that both organizations profess to love.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 2:47 PM EDT

Updated: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 8:18 AM EDT

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Here is another inspiring and informative video message from Orrin Woodward. When I first read RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE, I had no idea that the Mental Fitness Challenge program was in the works. I loved the book, but the MFC helped me realize how little I picked up the first time. Consequently, I am devouring the book for the second time from cover to cover. I am RESOLVED to learn what principles Orrin Woodward used to go from a broke kid in Columbiaville, Michigan to one of the recognized top leaders in the world. If one person can do it then I can do it too!

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:35 AM EDT

Updated: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 8:36 AM EDT

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The Mental Fitness Challenge helps a person detect his purpose and begin the climb through the 13 Resolutions. In his book RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE, Orrin Woodward shares that knowing one's purpose is essential for meaningful success. What is your purpose in life? If you are not sure, then check out the Mental Fitness Challenge self-assessment test. Here is a blog post on Steve Jobs and purpose.

Steve Jobs, Founder and CEO of Apple, portrays the genius of the HedgeHog Concept  in both his personal and professional life.  Jobs may have the firmest grasp of consumer preferences of any current CEO, intuitively understanding the customers love of simplicity, elegance of design, and the “cool” factor. Moreover, his obsession, according Elliot, “is a passion for the product . . . a passion for product perfection.”  With his passion aligning beautifully with his potential, Jobs’ aforementioned intuitive understanding of customer desires, the last piece of the puzzle for him was to determine how to make money by following his passion and potential.  Apple, although not the top seller of computers, is the most profitable, offering a unique product in a marketplace of Window’s software clones, not too mention innovative product offerings like the Ipod, Ipad, and Iphone, all of which are revolutionizing the high tech field. Chris Brady, best selling co-author of Launching a Leadership Revolution and Apple connoisseur, defined Apple’s Hedgehog Concepts in this way, “To deliver incredibly creative and “cool” technology that is intuitively useful and reliable for any class of user – particularly the user who doesn’t care to know about the intricacies of a hammer in order to make productive use of one.  (In other words, to make the technology invisible and the usability and dependability dominant).”  Jobs wanted, not only an intuitive product, but also one that created such an experience of satisfaction, the customer would feel emotionally attached to the product, sharing his experience with others.

Not surprisingly, Job’s individual Hedgehog Purpose and Apple’s Hedgehog Concept, closely resemble on another, since both emerge out of the intersection of Job’s passion, potential, and profits, with Apple exemplifying Emerson’s shadow of a great man.  Although many talented people work with Jobs, it’s his purpose, his vision, and his principles that move the Apple ship forward.  Mac engineer Trip Hawkins concurs, describing Jobs as having, “a power of vision that is almost frightening. When Steve believes in something, the power of that vision can literally sweep aside any objections, problems or whatever. They just cease to exist.”  Elliot concurred, writing, “The Mac and every product since then are more than ‘just products.‘  They are a representation of Steve Jobs’ intense commitment. Visionaries are able to create great art or great products because their work isn’t nine-to-five. What Steve was doing represented him; it was intuitive but inspired.”  Purposeful people like Jobs infect their entire community with purpose, bringing a communities passion, potential, and profits to the forefront.  Needless to say, purpose, in an organization’s culture, positively affects the company’s culture, thus its bottom line. Elliot elaborates, “When you believe in your product and people as totally as Steve does, your people stick with you. Apple had one of the highest retention rates in Silicon Valley,” mainly because Job’s purpose, vision, and principles united the Apple community into highly effective culture.  Jobs, speaking at the Stanford commencement ceremonies, described his belief in a life’s purpose, “Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 1:51 PM EDT

Updated: Thursday, May 10, 2012 1:52 PM EDT

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Sam Walton drove change. In any situation, when everyone else was happy, Sam was working on ways to improve further. But it wasn't just change for change sake, it was change directed at serving the customer by giving the best value for the money spent. Consequently, Sam Walton went from a broke young man to the wealthiest man with one of the most successful companies in the history of manking - Walmart. Regardless of whether a person likes Walmart today, Walton's success is admirable.

One of the keys to Walton's success was his ability to thrive through change, not die through change. The Mental Fitness Challenge designed by Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady teaches a person how to develop internal consistency so that when the external world changes, he still feels peace on the inside. The Mental Fitness Challenge was developed around the principles of Orrin Woodward's best-selling book RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE. In it, Orrin outlines 13 resolutions that are crucial for inuring internal peace and fortitude.

Sam Walton had this peace and fortitude. Check out this blog post from Orrin.

Walton, as a young boy, hit the ground running, starting his business career early.  His parents, Tom and Nan Walton, were mismatched, to put it mildly.  Walton shared in his must read autobiography, Sam Walton: Made in America, “They were always at odds, and they really only stayed together because of Bud and me. . . . I’m not exactly sure how this situation affected my personality – unless it was partly a motivation to stay so busy all the time – but I swore early on that if I ever had a family, I would never expose it to that kind of squabbling.”  Walton’s first leadership lessons were instructions in what not to do, similar to General Norman Schwarzkopf’s, who said he had learned more from bad leadership than good leadership, learning first hand what demotivated the troops.  Walton’s dad, who foreclosed on defaulted farm loans during the depression, developed a small thinker’s mentality, valuing security over any potential risk associated with success. He was frugal, not just with expenses, but also with personal investments, a good plan to remain poor. 

Again, Walton learned a valuable lesson. He absorbed his dad’s frugality in expenses, but ignored it, when it came to investments, believing that only through investments could he start his own business, which he fully intended to do.  Thinking big and not squabbling were two of his original principles developed on his way to business immortality.  He applied both principles in his first significant business venture, a newspaper route, that expanded across the Missouri countryside.  Walton, always kind and courteous to his customers, quickly realized that one man could not do it all.  His solution, was to subcontract out the newspaper routes, setting up others kids in business, while maintaining control of the financial accounting.  Through this win-win arrangement, many hard working kids who struggled with financial literacy, became successful in business; at the same time, Walton made an extraordinary side income, literally financing his own college education, making more than his professors by profiting $4,000 to $5,000 per college year (over $70,000 in todays money), until his graduation in 1940.

Walton’s intense hunger was fueled further when he accepted an offer for $75 a month at the J.C. Penney store, as a management trainee, in Des Moines, Iowa.  His salary was minimal compared to his paper routes, but Walton desired to learn the retail trade from one of the top companies, understanding that learning comes before earning.  Walton was an immediate success as a salesman, topping the list of sales numerous times, but the personnel manager told him, because of his haphazard approach to recording sales slips along with cash register transactions, “Walton, I’d fire you if you weren’t such a good salesman. Maybe you’re just not cut out for retail,”  proving the truthfulness of the saying, “The smallest minds with the smallest ideas will criticize the biggest minds with the biggest ideas.”   But, in the personnel manager’s defense, Sam admitted later, that he “never learned handwriting all that well.” 

Walton was befriended by Duncan Majors, his mentor and store manager.  He was Majors’ top student, working with him six days a week, then spending Sunday afternoons at his house, playing ping pong, cards, and learning all he could about the retail business. After an eighteen month stint, Walton left J.C. Penney, joining the service during World War II, but he never ceased to dream of one day owning his own retail store.  Moreover, while stationed in the army at Salt Lake City, he checked out every book on retailing at the local library, reading voraciously on the latest trends and techniques, supplementing his books learning with innumerable trips to the local department stores.  Walton was a huge positive thinker even then, saying, “Thinking like that (positively) often seems to turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy,” having faith, that when his opportunity arose, he would win, just like he had in sports, entrepreneurship, and education, and college elections throughout his youth.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 6:35 AM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 6:36 AM EDT

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The Mental Fitness Challenge helps develop both art and science side of leadership thanks to the book RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE. Even after developing the skills to perform, the magic is in developing the communication skills to help others make the adjustment to perform.  For example, if you remove a fly from a teammates forehead with an axe, you are exhibiting a lack of tact.  Read the article and ponder how you can improve on the art side of your business. The Mental Fitness Challenge helps a person develop tact along with many other skills. Here is an old blog post from Orrin Woodward on the importance of tact:

Tact is the art of saying the right thing at the right time to the right person with the goal of steering his thoughts and behaviors to a productive result while strengthening the bond of trust. Leaders without tact are more likely to injure their teams than serve them.  I believe that in order to move from a Level 2 Performer to a Level 3 Leader, as Chris Brady and I teach in  Launching a Leadership Revolution, it’s imperative to develop the art of tact.  The more tact you have the more you can guide your leadership craft without running it aground on the shallow waters of hurt feelings and damaged egos.  There is an art and science to all businesses. 

Though in its higher degrees it is essentially a natural gift, and is sometimes conspicuous in perfectly uneducated men, it may be largely cultivated and improved; and in this respect the education of good society is especially valuable. Such an education, whatever else it may do, at least removes many jarring notes from the rhythm of life. It tends to correct faults of manner, demeanor, or pronunciation which tell against men to a degree altogether disproportioned to their real importance, and on which, it is hardly too much to say, the casual judgments of the world are mainly formed; and it also fosters moral qualities which are essentially of the nature of tact.

We can hardly have a better picture of a really tactful man than in some sentences taken from the admirable pages in which Cardinal Newman has painted the character of the perfect gentleman.

‘ It is almost a definition of a gentleman to say he is one who never inflicts pain. … He carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a jolt in the minds of those with whom he is cast—all clashing of opinion or collision of feeling, all restraint or suspicion or gloom or resentment; his great concern being to make everyone at ease and at home. He has his eyes on all his company; he is tender towards the bashful, gentle towards the distant, and merciful towards the absurd; he can recollect to whom he is speaking; he guards against unreasonable allusions or topics that may irritate; he is seldom prominent in conversation, and never wearisome. He makes light of favors while he does them, and seems to be receiving when he is conferring. He never speaks of himself except when compelled, never defends himself by a mere retort; he has no ears for slander or gossip, is scrupulous in imputing motives to those who interfere with him, and interprets everything for the best. He is never mean or little in his disputes, never takes an unfair advantage, never mistakes personalities or sharp sayings for arguments, or insinuates evil which he dare not say out. . . . He has too much good sense to be affronted at insult; he is too busy to remember injuries, and too indolent to bear malice. … If he engages in controversy of any kind his disciplined intellect preserves him from the blundering discourtesy of better though less educated minds, who, like blunt weapons, tear and hack instead of cutting clean. … He may be right or wrong in his opinion, but he is too clear-headed to be unjust; he is as simple as he is forcible, and as brief as he is decisive. Nowhere shall we find greater candor, consideration, indulgence. He throws himself into the minds of his opponents, he accounts for their mistakes. He knows the weakness of human nature as well as its strength, its province, and its limits.’

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 2:36 PM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, May 9, 2012 6:46 AM EDT

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Very few times in life does a company offer something of value absolutely free. The Mental Fitness Challenge Self-Assessment test is one of those times. Loaded with a series of questions designed to identify where a person stands currently in the application of Orrin Woodward's resolutions from the book RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE.

Go ahead. Go to the Mental Fitness Challenge site and click on the free pre-challenge. Watch the videos and take the test today. The good news is there is no failing grades and everyone can improve their score. What is the life you have always wanted to live? What is holding you back from accomplishing it? While most people would say their job, their circumstances, etc. In truth, what holds people back from their dreams is themselves and their limiting beliefs. The MFC is designed to help break people out of the negative patterns of life that imprison them in a jail of their own making.

In computer programming, it's called GIGO - Garbage IN, Garbage Out. Similarly, what a person puts into their brain is what he or she will get out of life. What are you putting into your brain currently? Is it taking you to or away from your dreams? The MFC provides a roadmap for a person to go from where he is to where he wants to be.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:32 AM EDT

Updated: Sunday, May 6, 2012 8:38 AM EDT

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The LIFE Business is taking the world by storm. Here is an excerpt from an article written on Ezine of the importance of the mental fitness challenge mindset from Orrin Woodward.

I have read hundreds of examples recently where people have taken a 90 day challenge to improve the physical fitness and I love it! What better way to get in physical shape than partner with a community of like-minded individuals? However, with all the focus on a physical challenge, aren't people missing out on two other key aspects of fitness - the mental and spiritual sides?

If people are going to challenge themselves anyway, why not launch a 90 day total mental fitness challenge? Work on all three areas of life by improving one's physical, mental, and spiritual sides. For example, just as flabby muscles must be worked out in order to tone and strengthen, so too does flabby thinking. In fact, if anything, flabby thinking can have more disastrous effects in a person's life than flabby muscles. Therefore, if a person is investing energy for 90 days anyway, then make it a total transformation, not just a physical one.

A person's thought life changes when he begins to feed on a steady diet of positive books, audios, and association with others who do the same. Indeed, I know of no other activity than can change a person's life as fast as changing his associations. Birds of a feather, in other words, do flock together. My good friend, the late Charlie "Tremendous" Jones, used to say, "Five years from now you will be pretty much the same as you are today except for two things: the books you read and the people you get close to" It was eighteen years when I first heard Charlie's words and took his advice. It changed everything.

Fitness experts say that 85% of physical fitness is in proper dieting. I believe the same principle holds true for mental and spiritual dieting as well. Tell me the thought diet a person routinely feeds his mental and spiritual sides and I can fairly accurately predict his five year future. Success is that predictable; however, it isn't that easy.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 6:02 AM EDT

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Here is an article explaining the value of making work a game by Orrin Woodward. The concepts in this article are part of Chapter 5 of Orrin's RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE book. What work can you turn into a game to excel to the next level?

The work necessary to win at the highest levels isn’t for sissies, but it can be developed by anyone. There is no shortcut past the 10,000 hours for mastery in any field, but there is a shortcut through the monotony, by making the work a game.  When work becomes a game, the tasks of the job become plays in the game. One will never work again, when the tasks are enjoyed as plays in a game.  The secret to mastery in any field, hinges upon learning to enjoy the deliberate practice, turning the grueling effort into play.  Think about a man, having to choose, on a hot autumn afternoon, between a game of tennis or raking the lawn.  One, can be played for hours, sweating profusely, enjoying the thrill of the game.  The other, is looked upon with dread, procrastinating as long as possible, completed only through sheer strength of will.  Why the difference?  Both require effort, both require discipline, both are exhausting, but one is fun, while the other is miserable.  This is the difference between play and work.  When you view work as a game, then you no longer do tasks, but plays in a game, with the specific intent to win the game.   All top performers have learned this principle, performers in business, sports, music, etc, have all mastered work as play.  Whether the name is Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Thomas Watson, Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan, and Hank Aaron, Garth Brooks, Josh Bell, or Steven Tyler, all of them, learned to make their profession a game, enjoying the deliberate practice to win in the game.  

This explains the paradox of how a few will work so hard, while others think that they are crazy.  It’s isn’t work to them, but enjoyment, winning another game.  Similar to all the weekend warriors, who give 100% effort into their weekend sports for not pay, but then return to their jobs or business at 50% effort.  The weekend warriors can give 100%, even though not payed anything, because they love the game.  The highly successful in life, have tapped into this reservoir of energy by creating a game out of their professions.  Imagine the productivity explosion, if everyone worked their professions as hard as their weekend sports and hobbies.
 
Ozzie Smith, the Hall of Fame baseball player, is an excellent example of turning the work into a game.  When he was a young, growing up in poverty, he loved the game of baseball.  Not having the best equipment, but wanting to develop his skills in fielding, Ozzie used his imagination, creating a game where he bounced a tennis ball off of his cement porch.  Ozzie challenged himself daily, moving closer and closer to the porch, testing his ability to field the tennis ball cleanly.   The goal was to field the ball rebounding off the porch, developing the hand eye coordination that made him a perennial Gold Glove performer.  By making it a game, Ozzie played for hours on end, hurling the ball at the porch, fielding again and again.  No coach would have asked the same level of discipline out of a Little League team, but since it was a game, it hardly felt like discipline at all.  Just a love of the game developed the hours of practice, developing mastery in fielding a baseball. Smith’s endless hours of deliberate practice, made him the best short stop fielder in baseball, handling line shots with ease, amazing the fans with his highly developed hand eye coordination.  Ozzie credited his game for developing the skills applied to his profession. Few, if any, will subject themselves to the endless hours of deliberate practice needed to win, unless they can mentally make it a game.  Ozzie made the practice a game, creating the skills while enjoying the time, a lesson that all winners must learn before they win.

If 10,000 hours is needed to master any field, and, if mastery is needed to perform at the highest levels, then, creating a game out of the deliberate practice is a key strategy for success. One must work hard, accepting no excuses, focusing on the long-term dreams, enduring the pain in the personal growth process, but the rewards are well worth the effort.  Rewards, that go way beyond the financial, and into the satisfaction obtained when one knows that he truly did his personal best in a worthy cause, allowing one to look in the mirror and see a winner staring back at him. The game is the shortcut through the countless hours, in the quest for excellence.  Identifying the field for mastery, determining the skills needed, developing the game to play, and, playing the game over and over, is the most enjoyable way to create mastery and thus excellence.  What are you waiting for?  Let the games begin. God Bless, Orrin Woodward

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 9:13 AM EDT

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Orrin Woodward's new book RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions For LIFE has been getting rave reviews across the world. Leaders from India, South Africa, Norway, Australia, too name just a few overseas, along with the many satisfied customers in America and Canada.

Sean Willard, a John Maxwell trainer had this to say about Orrin's book:

It is much like the bold, young boy in the children’s story, The Emperor’s New Clothes, who plucks up the courage to shout, “Enough! The king is unclothed!” while the rest of the confused crowd watch their naked king parade on by without a word.

While reading Orin Woodward’s first solo book project, RESOLVED, 13 Resolutions for LIFE, I felt him appear in my own story and shout “Enough! Enough of living out other people’s purpose instead of my own; enough of the excuses and blame-shifting that stop me from taking 100% responsibility for my life choices and responses and enough of the things that prevent me from building on good character traits and integrity in my own life.

Orrin bases his practical guide for character based living on real-life examples of men and women who have influenced history through their distinct leadership capacities and oftentimes gritty resolve to change and bring about change and liberty in their social, political and spiritual environments. RESOLVED, 13 Resolutions for LIFE is written with individuals in mind who want to embrace a more holistic approach to success that will help them live lives that truly matter.

Do yourself a favour and get hold of a copy for yourself soon! If you apply the principles taught, it could change your Results and your Life!

Check out: http://iabusa.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/top-10-leadership-websites/
Follow Orrin here: https://twitter.com/#!/orrin_woodward

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 9:26 AM EDT

Updated: Friday, April 6, 2012 9:13 AM EDT

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