Sunday, July 3, 2011
Dan and Lisa Hawkins - Diamonds and New PC
Here is a phenomenal message from TEAM Founder and CEO, Orrin Woodward on a new PC member on the TEAM. Congratulations Dan and Lisa Hawkins and George and Jill Guzzardo!
In a time of turmoil, where many faithless people lost their dreams, the TEAM stood its ground, determined to make a difference. Over the last 6 months, when many pundits had written off our community, leaders of character began stepping up across the country. By averaging over two new RT’s per month, the numbers around the country exploded upward by several thousand people. Many played in a stellar fashion, including the current Policy Council members of Brady’s, Marks’, Guzzardo’s, Lewis’s, Hamilton’s, and my super wife. In addition, it is with great honor and pleasure to introduce Dan and Lisa Hawkins as new PC members. Dan, a talented mechanic with no stage to display his immense talents, and Lisa, a day-care business owner with the inner-courage to succeed, have accomplished the prestigious PC level. Through character, dreams, hard-work, and convictions, they, along with their upline PC’s Guzzardo’s, have forged a new dynasty in Wisconsin. Dan and Lisa continue to play the jackrabbit role in the resurgent quest for significance of the TEAM’s mighty men and women. But not only did they achieve PC, they also broke their second RT leg and third RT in their organization, performing in a true Bannister like fashion. At the July majors, Dallin Larsen, Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the year, will be sharing his gameplan for success in MonaVie. Plus, we will be announcing the details of LIFE, celebrating all the new RT’s and Triple 100‘s, and recognizing a couple who dreamed, struggled, and achieved their destiny.
I am heading to Europe with my son Lance for the next week, speaking at a leadership conference and touring the D-Day beaches of Normandy. Our ancestors fought for freedom with weapons, but today’s generation must fight for freedom with ideas. If we lose the battle of ideas, the real war is already lost. LIFE is a plan to do something, to restore the West to its former ideals. Where are you? Are you concerned with what is happening around you? Will you answer the call? When our civilization needed help in the past, a Washington, a Franklin, an Edward’s, and others were there to answer the call. Will we sit by idly, waiting for others to get the job done, or will we, like Hawkins, step up and claim our destiny? Destiny is within your reach by picking up the marker and writing a new chapter of your LIFE. The significance of your brave actions will echo throughout eternity. God Bless, Orrin Woodward
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 6:02 PM EDT
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Here is an excellent article on attitude from Orrin Woodward.
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. - Matthew 12:34
It’s amazing how much one can learn from a person just by listening. People who believe that they have a positive attitude, give away their negativity when they speak. I like to begin mentoring sessions with, “Tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good we will celebrate, the bad we will make adjustments, and the ugly we will pray about.” This is sure to get people talking, helping me to identify, not just what happened, but how they are thinking about what happened. Which, in the end, is more important than the event; since the event happens only once, but how they think about the event repeats over and over in their minds and hearts. Painful experiences happen to both achievers and non-achievers. The difference is in the responses, achievers learning from the bad cards, choose to draw more; while non-achievers complaining about the cards of life being stacked against them, choose to quit the game. But what’s actually stacked against them is their own thinking. Winners received the same stimulus, but chose to respond differently than the non-winners.
When something bad happens to a winner, he immediately focuses on minimizing its effects, learning anything he can from the situation. No pity parties, no woe is me attitudes, just resolution and teachable moments. The extent a person wins in life, is many times, related to how quickly he can go from problem identified to problem solved, learning through the pain of the process. When people stay down for weeks, months, sometimes even years at a time, can they honestly expect a positive outcome? There is only so much mental energy, when it’s spent dwelling on negative thoughts, allowing them to enter the heart, eventually pouring out of the mouth, why is anyone shocked that so little is accomplished in life? The key is pulling the weeds (negative thoughts) upon entering the mind, not allowing them to move into the heart and out the mouth. Weeds are much easier to pull when immediately seized when they enter the mind, but much tougher when allowed to root in the heart, eventually flowing out of the mouth. Don’t provide fertile soil in the mind for weeds; don’t allow weeds to seed into the heart; and whatever you do, don’t allow negative seeds to spread out of your mouth, infecting other people. The former leader literally becoming a carrier of negativity.
Leaders are gardeners of their own minds, identifying and pulling weeds quickly. True leaders are never down period, choosing to pull weeds promptly. But if they ever were down, they certainly wouldn’t spread the disease to their communities, since they know that pulling weeds is an inside job. If a weed is extra difficult, then leaders have the discipline to seek out their mentors for help, refusing to contaminate others with their weed seeds. One of the first, and most important, assignments of any would-be leader is consistent and prompt pulling of his own weeds. It’s not an option if he plans on inspiring others, since no one is inspired by a bitter attitude and sour faced person. Pull your weeds, guard your mind, protect your heart, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Leadership occurs when people having confidence in the leader, if a person’s attitude is unpredictable, he disqualifies himself for leadership, until he learns to pull his own weeds. Leaders are dealers in hope, change, and growth, beginning inside of them. Perhaps it’s time that we launched a leadership revolution, let’s start the revolution by tending to our own gardens. God Bless, Orrin Woodward
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 10:02 AM EDT
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Separation of Education & State?
Here is a thought provoking article by Orrin Woodward. If "Ideas have consequences," then certainly, when the government runs education, it must educate based upon its morality. What if a majority of the citizens do not agree with this morality?
Peeling away the layers of rhetoric from reality in our Public School System, one discovers an interesting paradox; even though Americans enthusiastically support the Separation of Church & State, strangely, they do not feel the same vigor for Separation of Education & State. What are the real differences between religion and education? By lifting the veil, looking underneath the shiny veneer, both reveal underlying presuppositions that are unprovable, making them more a matter of faith rather than science, requiring belief in doctrines that cannot empirically be proven true or false. The administrators (High Priests) of both genres feed the faithful accepted doctrines, brooking no resistance to the approved creeds. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not against organized religion nor organized education, the more of both the better, as far as I am concerned, for man and society. Everything in life boils down to faith when you track back to first principles, since it deals with world-views and beliefs. My question to the State School Board or, if I may be so bold, the Priests of Education, is why, during the founding of America, was it so important to ensure the State never crossed into the religious sphere, protecting the people against a powerful centralized State Church, even going so far as to make it one of the ten amendments in the Bill of Rights? The government wouldn’t consider creating a State Church, requiring mandatory attendance every Sunday, teaching State Doctrines at State Churches in every neighborhood; but we yield to our government the same level of control, requiring mandatory attendance, not on Sundays, but Monday through Fridays, educating all adolescents in State Doctrines at State Schools (Churches). When State centralized education requires mandatory attendance of children at State School schools, teaching doctrines much like churches teach creeds,, reaching into every home, I get a bit concerned. The only options for parents, other than surrendering to tyranny, are to quit the public school system entirely, while still supporting them with their local taxes. This doesn’t sound like freedom to me.
As I see it, religious doctrines and educational doctrines are merely different sides of the same coin. Just as theories abound, teaching various religious creeds, suggesting the proper methods and principles to worship God, so too, theories abound teaching various educational creeds, suggesting the proper methods and principles to teach a child. Yet, somehow, we believe an omniscient State will select just the right creeds for our child, regardless of his or her circumstances, ignoring our child’s family life, religious principles, or career aspirations. Now I am a reasonable person, certainly willing to hear all rational discussions on the subject, but something strikes me as disingenuous, separating a man’s religious beliefs so completely from his educational beliefs. To use just one example, suppose a young man was taught in the home or church, that God made men and women for each other, under the sacrament of marriage. He might have a hard time swallowing any contrary doctrine, offered up in our State Schools. Now before you bash me as a sexist, gender hater, etc, please hear my point, the point is, shouldn’t the same freedoms that apply to religion apply when referring to education? Regardless of the specific doctrines one believes in, a higher doctrine ought to be the freedom to choose, since America is famous for being the “land of freedom.” No one should be forced to endure an indoctrination against his will nor forced to submit his children to the same treatment. If parents choose to send their children to another school, aligning better with their personal beliefs, they ought to have that right, transferring their tax dollars to the school of choice, instead of paying more. I believe in freedom of choice so much, that I would fight for your right to disagree with my beliefs, choosing to send your children to another school; the school of your choice. Freedom ensures that we all get the education for our children that we desire, not what the State desires. Free discussion and free choices makes us all better, that’s what makes America great.
Thomas Jefferson, one of the earliest and strongest proponents of religious freedoms, shared these principles with his fellow Virginia delegates, arguing that it’s unjust to charge Presbyterians, Baptist, Congregationalist, etc, to support the Virginia Anglican State Church. For example, if a Baptist moved to Virginia, he was required to pay a tax to support the Anglican church even though he didn’t attend nor believe the Anglican creeds. Liberty loving Virginians could see the justice in Mr. Jefferson’s views and repealed the mandatory tax supporting the Virginia State Church. The Separation of Church & State became a foundational plank in Virginia, eventually finding its way into the Constitution through the Bill of Rights, inspiring millions to come to America to enjoy religious freedom. An interesting aside is George Washington’s thoughts on the Separation of Church & State, believing that churches built character through faith and creeds, Washington was hesitant to see churches not funded by public taxes; therefore, he proposed to tax all citizens, but give them a choice of which church to support. Mr. Washington proposed a voucher program for religion, giving freedom of choice while ensuring that churches thrived to build character in the people for the benefit of society. No, I’m not proposing launching church vouchers, invoking the name of the great George Washington to bolster my position. I believe keeping government out of local churches, the true meaning of Separation of Church & State, has been a blessing, allowing each church to serve their God and congregations as they please, not requiring, nor asking for, government handouts.
My aside on Washington was merely to point out how important freedom of choice was to our Founding Fathers, a freedom sadly missing from our current Public School System. How many millions of children over the years, having conflicting beliefs with the High Priest of Education, went to private schools by the free choice of the parents, paying a tuition for private school on one hand, while still being taxed by the State School on the other hand. But let’s not forget the recent phenomena, if not outright revolution, called Home Schooling. Over the last thirty years or so, millions of children have been home schooled, a challenging endeavor, where parents choose to educate their children, receiving no pay, giving of their time and money in a labor of love, but still suffering from the tax load of a State School they are no longer employing. A young Thomas Jefferson, when faced with a similar situation in 18th century Virginia, confronted by the injustice of forcing parishioner of other sects to pay for a church they didn’t attend, loved freedom enough to do something about it. Maybe George Washington’s idea, if converted from religion to education has merit. School vouchers, a plan where each parent is given a voucher from the State to spend at the school of their choice, would solve the Separation of Education & State issue. Giving each parent a voucher, allowing each family to choose the school that best fits their needs, brings free enterprise and decentralization to the school system. The school options will increase and conflicts over doctrines will decrease by allowing parents to choose an education that marries with their religious beliefs and student's career choices. Perhaps America, that beacon of light, though flickering a bit of late, will remember its great heritage, standing against injustices, even if it doesn’t directly affect them; because tyranny, when given a chance to seed in society’s soil, sinks it roots deeply, consuming everything in its path.
I purposely kept this discussion at fifty thousand feet, not diving into the details of our State School System, not that there isn’t plenty to say, but only because I didn’t want to take away from my main message. Few will argue that our State Schools are broken, throwing more money at State Schools seems to be the only solution bantered about. I have learned over the years that, if the riverbed is wrong, pouring more water in the river isn’t the answer. Until we start working on the foundation, the riverbed, nothing is going to change. The riverbed change, in my opinion, is Separation of Education & State. Of course, the State System is failing, because the State is involved in an area that is shouldn’t be. Can you name any government program designed to serve the public that hasn't failed miserably? It’s not the teachers, nor the students, but the entire system based upon centralized control that must be rooted out. Thomas Jefferson understood this, which is why he decentralized religion from government, making a riverbed change; we need modern day Jefferson’s to decentralize schooling from government, making another riverbed change. I believe firmly that a free enterprise school system, where parents vote with their vouchers, rewarding excellence while punishing incompetence as all customers do in free enterprise, will build a world class educational system that can compete in today’s “flat world.” The key is for free people to make free choices. As over time, free people making free choices will always thrive over tyrannized people following State bureaucrats. Perhaps a Jefferson will step up, creating a Separation of Education & State as Thomas Jefferson’s created a Separation of Religion & State. God Bless, Orrin Woodward
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 10:21 AM EDT
Friday, May 20, 2011
New LIFE Book - Orrin Woodward & Chris Brady
Here is an announcement for the new LIFE book from Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady.
Chris Brady has outdone himself again! As one of the most creative people I know, renown across the country as a humorist, leader, and speaker, Chris took his creativity to a new level with development of the LIFE (Living Intentionally For Excellence) book. By taking the top 580 (mostly original) quotes from our twitter accounts, adding in our best articles (after Terri Brady's meticulous edits) from our award winning blogs, and mixing it with world-class photography, what results is an instant masterpiece. It’s a book that once you start thumbing through, it becomes nearly impossible to put down. Each page has a new nugget, forcing one to think deeply on what’s really important in life. I believe this book will have the most impact of all the books co-written by Chris and myself, simply because more people will read and re-read this one than any other. If success is the progressive realization of a worthwhile goal or dream, then our new LIFE book is food for the success journey. I hope you enjoy reading it as much and we enjoyed writing it. BTW: If you have read the book, please share what impact it has had on you. Chris and I may use some of these comments in future additions of the book. God Bless, Orrin Woodward
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 2:12 PM EDT
Updated: Friday, May 20, 2011 2:15 PM EDT
Friday, March 19, 2010
Reading
A vice-president of a Fortune 500 company was getting to know a newcomer in his division, so he asked him what he liked to read. "I'm not really interested in reading," the man said. To which the vice-president said, "Then you aren't really interested in succeeding around here."
Morton Blackwell of the Leadership Institute said: "People who don't read cheat themselves." In a speech titled "Read to Lead" Blackwell continued: "By not reading, they limit what they can achieve, make mistakes they could avoid, and miss opportunities that could improve their lives. Finally, as the gaps in their knowledge become apparent, they must reconcile themselves to not being taken seriously." (emphasis mine)
Glad that's not the case with the leaders of MonaVie Team. As near as I can tell, the top 10 leaders devour 75-85 books a month between them and they've been doing that for the past 7-10 years. How confident are you that the leaders in your organization are that committed to self improvement?
Leaders are readers. Period. If you're not a reader, you're NOT a leader. You may be a manager, but you are no leader. And if that bothers you (as it should) then start reading. <
Read to learn the lessons of history.
Read to keep up with the issues.
Read to understand why others succeed.
Read to avoid mistakes others have made.
Read for your personal enjoyment.
Read to familiarize yourself with what interests others.
Read to increase your value to an employer.
Read to improve your vocabulary.
Read good writing to learn to write well yourself.
Read to share wisdom with others.
Read to lead.
Find a mentor who you know is well read and ask for guidance in selecting books. I suggest you begin with these 5:
The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz, PhD
How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing With People by Les Giblin,
How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger
How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Positive Personality Profiles by Robert Rohm, PhD
Don't like to read? Then start with Read and Get Rich by Burke Hedges. The info in this book will blow you away! And if you haven't read the top 10 books ever written, he gives you the list. Any person who wants to be taken seriously would have these ten in his or her library - and will have read them!
So, how's your reading going?
Or have you just decided to not be taken seriously?
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 12:01 AM EDT
Updated: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:34 PM EDT
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Action
A couple of great quotes:
"We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once."- Calvin Coolidge
"An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied."- Arnold Glasow
One thing I've always admired about the MonaVie Team leaders is that they are men and women of action. They get things done. Because they take action, the Team has become an idea whose time has come. There is no stopping it. It will become the biggest business on the planet.
That's pretty big.
Thanks for your example Team. Keep moving.
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 6:13 PM EST
Updated: Thursday, March 11, 2010 6:30 PM EST
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Constitutional Leadership
When was the last time you took the time to read the Declaration of Independence - a document drafted by true leaders of men at great risk to their own lives and fortunes? I highly recommend taking a look at a terrific website here. Why did these men take such risks? How did this incredible document come about? What were the circumstances of the time? Who were these men? How were they educated? How were they able to take on the world's strongest military for eight years and succeed in beating them? What drove them?
Do you know the answers to any of these questions? Why not?
Would you agree that the America these men lived and died for, is again under attack today? What are you prepared to do about it? I put it to you that perhaps the future of this country and the future of your children depends a great deal on your answers to these questions.
Freedom is never free. I suggest you start educating yourself so you at least know what is at stake. Here's a great place and a couple of books to start. And here's a few more!
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 12:01 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 12:04 PM EST
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Code of Conduct
On page 140 of Jeffrey Marx’ book “Seasons of Life”, we find that Joe Erhmann’s code of conduct revolves around four masculinity traits which Joe claims form ”the moral and ethical foundation” of a man built for others. As I read, I couldn’t help but think of the MonaVie Team leaders - men truly built for others, who
Accept responsibility.
Lead courageously.
Enact justice on behalf of others.
Expect God’s greater rewards.
I encourage you to get the book to read what he has to say about these traits. It will be food for thought. I’ve personally watched many Team MonaVie leaders accept responsibility, lead courageously and enact justice. That’s what the Team is all about - teaching men to embrace these traits themselves by taking advantage of the Team training system which levels the playing field for anyone with the courage to want to improve their life.
As far as expecting God’s greater rewards, let me quote from the book as to what Joe meant by that. Here’s Joe explaining it to Jeff: (p145) “I think there is a time when God is going to reward people that were relationally just and lived a life filled with cause. You don’t need to “get it all” in this world. You can say “no” to an awful lot of things (italics his) so that you can be focused on other people. Ultimately, there is a day of reckoning. And that is for all eternity. You don’t have to have the biggest house, the biggest car, all that kind of stuff once you get there, and by knowing that, by expecting God’s greater rewards, you can free up your time and energy to be about other people, to be about your causes.”
A few years ago, two men - Dallin Larsen and Orrin Woodward decided to be about other people and to be about their cause – creating, with God’s grace and hard work, the best business on the planet. It's the best because it gives everyone an equal opportunity and a proven game-plan or receipe, that when followed, creates success.
When they got started, Dallin and Orrin didn’t necessarily expect great rewards; but they did decide to share whatever rewards came with others. Take a moment to research the MORE Project, and All Grace Outreach. They did expect that God would be true to his character and would be just. And of course, God is.
Because these men had great vision, were willing to take responsibility, lead courageously, and were willing to teach others to do the same, the MonaVie Team will one day be a household word.
Question: Are YOU a man built for others? Or maybe I should just ask, Are you a Man?
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 11:14 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 11:19 AM EST
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Leaders are Great Listeners
An apt observation from Napoleon Hill:
"EVERY BRAIN IS BOTH A BROADCASTING STATION AND A RECEIVING STATION"
You and I both know that most people have turned down the power on their receivers - if not turned them off altogether. Seems like a lot of these work in Washington, D.C. these days.
Whatever the actual science of thought transmission may be, it is true that if you wish to receive the power contained in the thoughts of others, (and this is where the "I'm smarter than you" and "I'm more successful than you" folks fail miserably) you must condition your mind to receive those ideas. And, that doesn't happen automatically!
Dismiss a man's thoughts and you've lost the power of connection. When someone makes an attempt to communicate and feels unheard, they then feel increasingly isolated, demeaned and angry. Your relationship is headed south! That should bother you! Unless of course, that relationship isn't important to you.
I know we're all busy and often "just don't have the time" but beware of thinking you can safely dump a relationship because you have better things to do. It can become a habit. Any relationship takes some work, but very often, the work is just being a good listener. You simply cannot be an effective leader if people think that talking to you is an exercise in futility!
One of the foundational principles of relationship building is trying to picture the other person as wearing a "Make Me Feel Important" sticker across their forehead. If true Leadership invloves serving others, as countless authors - like Steven Covey, Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady (in their seminal book, "Launching a Leadership Revolution") and Mary Kay Ash, then this is the first rung on the ladder.
Think of listening a a skill that can be improved - and then work on it! Often all it takes is to be truly interested in what someone else is saying. Active listening is conditioning your mind to receive the information contained in the thoughts of others.
Set aside any preconceived notions you may have about whatever topic is being discussed, and listen attentively and nonjudgmentally to what is being said. Listen to learn! Seek to discover new & additional information. Focus on the information - on taking in what he or she is saying in words, tone, and body language instead of thinking about what you are going to say next.
Try to identify the key concepts that lie "behind" the speaker’s words. Feed the info back to the speaker and don't offer your point of view or any advice until he or she confirms that you understand what they are saying. Do this in every conversation until it becomes second nature. Practice!
You will be training your mind to identify and absorb information that others will miss because their "receivers" aren't tuned to the proper frequency.
Think of someone who you rate as an excellent listener - one of the best "receivers" you know. Next time you can observe them in a conversation, study what they do and say. Odds are that you'll be able to see that they have trained their mind to really focus on the speaker and eliminate all other thoughts and distractions.
This is a skill worth practicing and improving. Once you are able to "connect" in a way that the other person can sense, you'll become incredibly effective in establishing and strengthening relationships.
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 12:01 AM EST
Updated: Monday, February 15, 2010 5:17 PM EST
Monday, January 25, 2010
George Washington - Foundation of a Founder
Here at last are the final 10 of the behavioral maxims so indelibly self-imprinted on our country's first President, and for that matter no doubt, countless other future leaders, many of whom are currently growing in abilities and stature on the MonaVie Team.
101st Rince not your Mouth in the Presence of Others.
102nd It is out of use to call upon the Company often to Eat nor need you Drink to others every Time you Drink.
103rd In Company of your Betters be not longer in eating than they are lay not your Arm but only your hand upon the table.
104th It belongs to the Chiefest in Company to unfold his Napkin and fall to Meat first, But he ought then to Begin in time & to Dispatch with Dexterity that the Slowest may have time allowed him.
105th Be not Angry at Table whatever happens & if you have reason to be so, Shew it not but on a Chearfull Countenance especially if there be Strangers for Good Humour makes one Dish of Meat a Feast.
106th Set not yourself at the upper of the Table but if it Be your Due or that the Master of the house will have it So, Contend not, least you Should Trouble the Company.
107th If others talk at Table be attentive but talk not with Meat in your Mouth.
108th When you Speak of God or his Atributes, let it be Seriously & [wt.] Reverence. Honour & Obey your Natural Parents altho they be Poor.
109th Let your Recreations be Manfull not Sinfull.
110th Labour to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of Celestial fire Called Conscience.
Well, there they are. A few additional table manners and bringing the list to a close, a final strong three regarding spirituality. I need not elaborate, but I cannot resist imploring you dear reader, to pay the closest attention to #110.
I hope that as you read these 110 nuggets of wisdom over the past few weeks, they got you thinking. I'll wager that most you weren't exposed to these in your history classes in school. In fact, I'll bet you were taught few of the founding principles, and little if any of the truth about the founding of this great nation.
Would you like a better America? Then you must become a better American. And that starts with a better understanding of what made this country great.
As Orrin Woodward said in his article referenced above, "Few people will sit down and slog through a 250 page book on historical, political, religious, or even personal development anymore. I would love to see everyone do so, but in order to create the hunger, Chris and I wrote bite sized morsels to get people thinking in these areas and more."
Orrin was referring to his book, "Leadership and Liberty" which I highly recommend. You will find it easy to digest and very illuminating. Hopefully, it will stir your interest to discover truth!
Posted by OrrinWoodward
at 2:00 PM EST
Updated: Monday, January 25, 2010 3:32 PM EST
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