My original copy of Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People still bears the scars from the time I hurled it in anger against the wall of what was then my office. The broken spine and loose pages bear witness to my lapse in self-control!

I had come across Covey’s book in the early 1990’s, a time when my life seemed to be unraveling. I was angry much of the time, unhappy with my career, my marriage, and much of life in general. I had recently begun counseling to try to untangle this web of misery and was beginning to touch on some very painful events from my childhood. For the very first time in my life, I was beginning to acknowledge the impact of what had happened to me as a child.

And then I read Habit # 1 of Covey’s book: Be Proactive.

Essentially, Covey seemed to be saying, “You are as happy as you are choosing to be. You are responsible for the current state of your life.” When I read that I reacted in anger. And Covey went hurtling.

I was furious at him. I remember thinking, “What does this highly successful, affluent consultant who jet-sets around the world, whose clients are Fortune 500 companies, know about suffering? He’s had an easy ride and knows nothing of what prolonged childhood trauma can do to you. How dare he tell me that I am responsible for my current level of misery!”

But I couldn’t stop reading his book. He had struck a nerve, gotten under my skin.

When I returned to Habit # 1, I went on to read (for the first time) the story of the Jewish psychiatrist, Victor Frankl. Frankl, as some of you likely know, is the father of ‘Logotherapy,’ an approach to therapy that emerged out of his own experience as a survivor of the Nazi death camps of World War II.

While I might dismiss Covey’s experience as lacking credibility for his claims, I could not dismiss Frankl’s experience. Here was a man who had suffered in ways I could not imagine. Thus, when I read the words of Frankl as quoted by Covey, they struck the core of my soul:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

These words came from a survivor of the most horrific atrocity of the 20th century, a man who had lost his own family and friends to the horrors of Nazi brutality.

These words I could not dismiss.

I began to realize that what Covey was saying was not a denial of my pain and trauma but rather, a way out of it!

The “pill” of assuming personal responsibility for my life was a hard one for me to swallow, but I realized that unless I accepted at a deep level that I was responsible for how I had responded to what had happened to me, I would forever be a captive of my past. But if I could accept that I had chosen my response, I was now free to choose a different one.

Hope began to dawn inside me. I started to believe that if I was responsible and able to choose my attitude, to choose my own way, I could choose a new and better path for my life. One that would result in greater happiness, greater inner freedom, and better decisions for my future.

This was my awakening to the importance—and the freedom—of self-leadership.

Since then my conviction has only grown that self-leadership is the foundation of a deeply satisfying, truly successful life.

I define “self-leadership” as the capacity and commitment both to take full responsibility for one’s own responses to life and to create a life that is personally meaningful and fruitful. It is the antithesis of shifting responsibility for one’s degree of happiness and satisfaction to others or circumstances.*

It is by no means easy to exercise self-leadership. From personal experience, I know how easy it is to become stuck in blame. I know the seductiveness of victimhood. For many of us, self-leadership runs against the natural tendency of our thoughts and feelings. Furthermore, self-leadership is, to some degree, counter-cultural. Our culture tends to be blame-oriented. I spill coffee on myself so I sue the company that brewed it. Practicing self-leadership can seem like swimming upstream. What’s more, life’s circumstances frequently are difficult to change—whether it’s a career that doesn’t fit, a marriage that isn’t working, financial difficulties, cynical colleagues, a tyrannical boss, a downturn in the economy, or a myriad other tough times.

It’s important to acknowledge and anticipate that self-leadership isn’t easy.

But it is vital to inner freedom and outer success.

When we fail to exercise self-leadership, we give our power away to others and/or circumstances. The failure to exercise self-leadership tends to enshrine the status-quo. It leaves success and positive change to chance and the desires, dictates, and decisions of others. It can foment feelings of bitterness, anger and disappointment (trust me, I know!). The price we pay when we fail to exercise self-leadership is huge.

So, how can we increase our practice of self-leadership? How can we cultivate it as a habit of mind? Here are five suggestions.

First, accept at a deep level that you are responsible for your past and present responses to what life has brought your way. Don’t deny the past or present and their impact on you. But accept that you had a role in adopting whatever negative beliefs, attitudes, and self-concepts that may have become imbedded in your life as a result of your past and present responses to life’s hardships. Give up the very understandable and natural desire to blame others for your difficulties or negative emotions. Choose to accept that your outlook and emotional responses to life’s challenges were/are your own choice.

This first step tends to be much more a process than an event. Especially if, like me, you have had years and years of practice in blaming others and circumstances for your pain and disappointments. So, commit to the process of learning to accept responsibility for your responses to life and the consequences those choices have created.

Second, start monitoring your self-talk and assumptions in specific situations. Watch to see when you are saying things to yourself (or others) like, “Well, if only they would…” or, “There’s nothing you can do when…” or, “You make me so…” These types of statements, verbalized or thought, lead away from the vista of self-leadership toward the murky bog of blame and reactivity.

Third, when faced with a difficult situation, consciously ask yourself, “What would it mean to exercise self-leadership right now?” If, for example, your boss has been berating you in front of others on a regular basis, ask yourself, “What would it mean for me to exercise self-leadership in this situation?” There are numerous possible answers that could be right for you: choosing to confront your boss at a separate time when you are calm, transferring to a different department, reminding yourself of the pressure that your boss is under and deciding not to take it personally. By asking the question you create the space to be proactive rather than reactive. If you have the time, journal your answers or, if you prefer, talk it through with someone to gain clarity about the best response for you.

Until self-leadership becomes a habit of mind, we will often need to pause and consciously shift to a self-leadership stance. Posing and answering this question forces us to look at circumstances and decisions from a self-leadership perspective.

Fourth, deepen your own self-awareness. The more you know about your deepest needs and values, your talents and strengths, as well as your stressors and blind spots, the more you can make choices that result in greater satisfaction and effectiveness. Self-awareness allows you to play to your strengths in exercising self-leadership. It allows you to better get your needs met, manage your stress, and compensate for your weaknesses. It helps you create circumstances that work for you, not against you.**

Fifth, dream of the future you want to have. While taking action is the ultimate expression of self-leadership, visualizing the future we want to have (whether that is a matter of responding differently in your current circumstances or changing the circumstances themselves) is a key for increasing our motivation for action. Furthermore, it actually increases the likelihood that we will do what we are visualizing. Athletes have used the power of positive visualization for years to increase their levels of performance by visualizing themselves excelling. Recent studies have demonstrated that visualization actually creates the patterns in our brains in advance that we will use during the actual performance.

Most of us already visualize regularly. It’s just that usually we envision things going poorly. Why not use the power of this mental process in a positive way? Exercise self-leadership over your imagination by using positive visualization to increase your likelihood of success.

These five suggestions should get you started on the road to self-leadership.

As I have moved more and more (though not perfectly) towards the regular practice of self-leadership, I have seen several positive results in my life. I am much happier about my present and immensely hopeful about my future. I have actually achieved more in the last decade than I ever would have imagined possible. And, most importantly, I am creating the life I want, rather than merely enduring what life had given.

Self-leadership isn’t easy. But it is vital. It is the foundation of personal and professional success. It is the portal to inner freedom. My bruised copy of Covey’s Seven Habits stands as a reminder to me of these truths.

* I want to emphasize that this is hugely different from denying the impact of our past or the real challenges and difficulties of current circumstances. Self-leadership is a perspective that allows you to acknowledge but not be trapped by the past or the present. It is the portal to inner freedom and the foundation for outer effectiveness.

** Models of personality type (Temperament, Interaction Styles, Psychological Type) are useful as tools to deepen our self-awareness. They give us insights into key dimensions of our psychological make-up, talents, unique stressors, and characteristic behaviors.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:30 AM EDT

Updated: Friday, June 22, 2012 8:32 AM EDT

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Chris Brady wrote a gem of an article on the difference between goal setting and goal sitting. :) The Mental Fitness Challenge (MFC) models that difference by teaching people to set goals, review them daily, and associate with others who are setting goals. The MFC is sweeping the nation with tens of thousand of MFC 90-Day programs sold in the first month! Thank you to Orrin Woodward and the rest of the LIFE Founders for giving hope to so many. Here is the article:

It's that time of year again. People rush to join health clubs, open savings accounts, buy Nicotine gum, and a whole host of activities intended to improve themselves, break the habit, turn the corner, clear the hurdles, and get the proverbial monkeys off their backs. In some ways this frenzy of good intentions is a bit humorous, tied to the start of the new year and all. Why is it that January 1st evokes such a wave of well meaning misfires? Why not July 1st, or September 28th? Why not every day?

I offer the theory that there is nothing special about January 1st itself, rather, it merely serves as a good place to play such a game because we like deadlines, love milestones, and look to build the drama of everyday events into something bigger and therefore more meaningful. We love the idea that we are actually going to take responsibility for outcomes and actually force ourselves to change - this time. Tradition also has its pull; we are convinced that because "everyone else is doing it" or "people have always done it," we should be participating too.

Maybe it's unavoidable, this gravitational pull toward New Year's Resolutions. So why fight it? Perhaps the best course of action (and I can hardly believe I'm writing the words) is to line up with everyone else and set some 2011 goals for ourselves. After all, Rascals are all about growing and improving, and maybe it's just that this time of year is the one time when the crowd lines up with us.

So how can we set goals that won't disappear faster than a politician's promise? First, let's cover the basics, which are given more depth of treatment in Orrin Woodward and my book, Launching a Leadership Revolution. 

1. Goals must be specific

2. Goals must be written down

3. Goals must be set in stone

4. Goals must be measurable

5. Goals must be realistic

6. Goals must provide motivation

7. Goals must be in line with priorities and values

8. Goals must be prominent

9. Goals must have a specific time period

And now for some subtle nuances that will help make your 2011 goals more achievable:

1. Don't set too many goals. Sometimes we can overwhelm ourselves with too many things on which to focus at once. We want to loose weight, build muscle, stop a bad habit, improve in this area, move ahead in that. We take a look at ourselves and see so many areas for improvement that we are tempted to attack them all at once. Resist this temptation. Select one (or at the most two), and hammer away at it with all your ability. Focus is the key.

2. Take immediate action. Goals are actually quite easy to set; the process is painless, quick, and costs nothing. Where the fins hit the water is when we take action toward their fulfillment. Action convinces our subconscious minds that we are serious. It begins patterns that can form into productive habits. So allow no time to lapse between the setting of a goal and the first steps toward its attainment. Remember: time kills all deals, and this includes deals you make with yourself. So get moving, and do it immediately.

3. Set rewards and correspondingly deny yourself. One of the most effective methods for gaining leverage over ourselves is to set up a reward system that encourages correct and discourages incorrect behavior. (Also, it should go without saying that such a reward/denial system should align with the goals set.) For instance, let's say your goal is to lose that last 15 pounds. An action plan might involve joining a health club, working out three to four times a week, and managing your caloric intake. So far so good. The reward system might look like this: DENY yourself any baked goods whatsoever until Sunday, at which time, if and only if you were successful throughout the week, you REWARD yourself with a treat. Now, I am not a weight management specialist. Perhaps this is a stupid idea physiologically. I don't know (and I don't care). The point is that self-denial can be used to encourage correct actions, which are then rewarded in small but non-destructive ways. 

4. Align your environment. Changing things in our inward lives almost always requires making changes in our outward lives. Much of the time our environment, if not entirely responsible, is at least an accomplice in who we are, what we do, and how we behave. If you hang out with a bunch of people doing a certain activity and yet you've vowed to refrain from that activity, guess what? Your association with those people is going to have to come to an end, at least in large part. If you're trying to lose weight but you hold your daily company lunches at Krispy Kreme's, you might want to rethink your geographical tendencies. You get the idea.

5. Track progress. We need encouragement like a newspaper needs crises. One of the best ways to encourage a correct behavior in ourselves is to track and take note of progress, no matter how miniscule. Seeing improvement, noticing some advancement, are fuel in the tanks of self-improvement and change.

6. Keep the big picture in mind. Most of our worthy goals are anchored to our ideals. Our new goal fits some higher picture we hold of ourselves and some loftier concept we'd like to make reality. Keep this in mind. View it continually and remember the deepest reasons for setting the goal in the first place. Remember: it's hard to get down when you're constantly looking up.

So those are the guidelines and the nuances for goal setting. At a time of year when everyone seems aligned to better themselves in one way or another, there is no shame in joining the crowd (just don't get used to it). Sadly, though, you won't be with the crowd for long. They'll fall by the wayside like the wimpy kids at football tryouts. They'll set their goals and then sit their goals. They'll set high expectations and then sit down in the dumps. But not you. Now you are armed and dangerous. You've been given all you need to not only properly set a goal, but to hit it as well. I'll see you at the health club.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:38 AM EDT

Updated: Thursday, May 31, 2012 8:38 AM EDT

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Chris Brady wrote a profound article on his blog on the poison of bad ideas. Thinking makes all the difference in a person's results, but sadly few think today. The Mental Fitness Challenge is a program based upon the insights of Orrin Woodward from his book RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE. The MFC will help people with the antidote for today's poisonous brews espoused across the airwaves.

What was the topic?

A "movement" to create a "more fair system" utilizing "proper resource management." At least, those are some of the words this person used to advertise, with excitement, I might add, the concept of Communism by a different name. What bothered me almost as much as this person's naive passion was the almost fearful way people responded to her. It is as if we are not allowed to be candid about things any more. When a snake crawls into our living room we are not allowed to yell "snake"and throw it back outside. Instead, we have to tip-toe around issues, giving everyone ridiculous respect for every idea because our world has become so saturated with "tolerance." As long as you are sincere about your idea it doesn't matter if it is utterly ridiculous, dangerous, and just plain stupid.

Finally, some of the commenters apparently got as sick of the nonsense as I did. One in particular had lived under a Communist regime himself for decades and brought some actual first-hand experience with a "more fair system" to the discussion, detailing the oppression of the many by the few that Communism always brings. In my Rascal book, I review many stories of people who risked their lives to escape from these types of "more fair" regimes rather than stay behind barbed wire fences to enjoy the benefits of "proper resource management." But idealists are not friends with facts, they prefer fantasies. The young lady continued to babble about her movement and how it was assured to make the world better.

I am not going to link to the specific article because it is only a representation of a larger issue and can be found in a thousand different places. The question I'd like to pose is this: Why is freedom so hard to appreciate? Why do people who live in a free environment hatch themes and schemes that will ruin their freedom and lead to suffering, oppression, and injustice? Why do they ignore the lessons of history which clearly show what every single one of these "more fair systems" of "better resource management" lead to?

Here is a second group of questions to consider: Why do people who cling to murderous philosophies think they are the most informed, enlightened, intelligent and compassionate? Why does blind ignorance pass for being visionary? Why is "oppressive" marketed as "progressive?"

Treat people with respect. Keep an open mind and consider their opinions and thoughts. But in the end, poison should not be allowed to sit in the food pantry as though it is as nourishing as the other items on the shelves. Label it for what it is: Dangerous. Think critically about everything you hear and read. Allow no philosophies to pass into normalcy without a fight in the arena of logic, reason, and the lessons of history. And through it all, remain a Rascal. Freedom has only ever been won, defended, and preserved by people too strong to be fooled by dogma, led by charlatans, and duped by movements. 

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:13 PM EDT

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Here is an old blog post from Orrin Woodward sharing some of Daniel Goleman's thoughts on Emotional Intelligence. In RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE, Orrin lays out the formula AQ = IQ * EQ * WQ. Adversity Quotient equals Intelligence Quotient mulitiplied by Emotional Quotient multiplied by Will Quotient. The good news is that AQ can be developed by strengthening each area. One of the keys is EQ. The Mental Fitness Challenge helps build AQ. Here is Goleman's article explaining further how to develop EQ.

We probably all know people, either at work or in our personal lives, who are really good listeners. No matter what kind of situation we’re in, they always seem to know just what to say – and how to say it – so that we’re not offended or upset. They’re caring and considerate, and even if we don’t find a solution to our problem, we usually leave feeling more hopeful and optimistic.

We probably also know people who are masters at managing their emotions. They don’t get angry in stressful situations. Instead, they have the ability to look at a problem and calmly find a solution. They’re excellent decision makers, and they know when to trust their intuition. Regardless of their strengths, however, they’re usually willing to look at themselves honestly. They take criticism well, and they know when to use it to improve their performance.

People like this have a high degree of emotional intelligence, or EI. They know themselves very well, and they’re also able to sense the emotional needs of others.

Would you like to be more like this?

As more and more people accept that emotional intelligence is just as important to professional success as technical ability, organizations are increasingly using EI when they hire and promote.

For example, one large cosmetics company recently revised their hiring process for salespeople to choose candidates based on emotional intelligence. The result? Salespeople hired with the new system have sold, on average, $91,000 more than salespeople selected under the old system. There has also been significantly lower staff turnover among the group chosen for their emotional intelligence.

So, what exactly is emotional intelligence, and what can you do to improve yours?

What Is Emotional Intelligence?

We all have different personalities, different wants and needs, and different ways of showing our emotions. Navigating through this all takes tact and cleverness – especially if we hope to succeed in life. This is where emotional intelligence becomes important.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize your emotions, understand what they’re telling you, and realize how your emotions affect people around you. Emotional intelligence also involves your perception of others: when you understand how they feel, this allows you to manage relationships more effectively.

People with high emotional intelligence are usually successful in most things they do. Why? Because they’re the ones that others want on their team. When people with high EI send an email, it gets answered. When they need help, they get it. Because they make others feel good, they go through life much more easily than people who are easily angered or upset.

Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman, an American psychologist, developed a framework of five elements that define emotional intelligence:

Self-Awareness: People with high emotional intelligence are usually very self-aware. They understand their emotions, and because of this, they don’t let their feelings rule them. They’re confident – because they trust their intuition and don’t let their emotions get out of control.

They’re also willing to take an honest look at themselves. They know their strengths and weaknesses, and they work on these areas so they can perform better. Many people believe that this self-awareness is the most important part of emotional intelligence.

Self-Regulation: This is the ability to control emotions and impulses. People who self-regulate typically don’t allow themselves to become too angry or jealous, and they don’t make impulsive, careless decisions. They think before they act. Characteristics of self-regulation are thoughtfulness, comfort with change, integrity, and the ability to say no.

Motivation: People with a high degree of emotional intelligence are usually motivated. They’re willing to defer immediate results for long-term success. They’re highly productive, love a challenge, and are very effective in whatever they do.

Empathy: This is perhaps the second-most important element of emotional intelligence. Empathy is the ability to identify with and understand the wants, needs, and viewpoints of those around you. People with empathy are good at recognizing the feelings of others, even when those feelings may not be obvious. As a result, empathetic people are usually excellent at managing relationships, listening, and relating to others. They avoid stereotyping and judging too quickly, and they live their lives in a very open, honest way.

Social Skills: It’s usually easy to talk to and like people with good social skills, another sign of high emotional intelligence. Those with strong social skills are typically team players. Rather than focus on their own success first, they help others develop and shine. They can manage disputes, are excellent communicators, and are masters at building and maintaining relationships.

As you’ve probably determined, emotional intelligence can be a key to success in your life – especially in your career. The ability to manage people and relationships is very important in all leaders, so developing and using your emotional intelligence can be a good way to show others the leader inside of you.

How to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

The good news is that emotional intelligence CAN be taught and developed. Many books and tests are available to help you determine your current EI, and identify where you may need to do some work. You can also use these tips:

Observe how you react to people. Do you rush to judgment before you know all of the facts? Do you stereotype? Look honestly at how you think and interact with other people. Try to put yourself in their place, and be more open and accepting of their perspectives and needs.

Look at your work environment. Do you seek attention for your accomplishments? Humility can be a wonderful quality, and it doesn’t mean that you’re shy or lack self-confidence. When you practice humility, you say that you know what you did, and you can be quietly confident about it. Give others a chance to shine – put the focus on them, and don’t worry too much about getting praise for yourself.

Do a self-evaluation. What are your weaknesses? Are you willing to accept that you’re not perfect and that you could work on some areas to make yourself a better person? Have the courage to look at yourself honestly – it can change your life.

Examine how you react to stressful situations. Do you become upset every time there’s a delay or something doesn’t happen the way you want? Do you blame others or become angry at them, even when it’s not their fault? The ability to stay calm and in control in difficult situations is highly valued – in the business world and outside it. Keep your emotions under control when things go wrong.

Take responsibility for your actions. If you hurt someone’s feelings, apologize directly – don’t ignore what you did or avoid the person. People are usually more willing to forgive and forget if you make an honest attempt to make things right.

Examine how your actions will affect others – before you take those actions. If your decision will impact others, put yourself in their place. How will they feel if you do this? Would you want that experience? If you must take the action, how can you help others deal with the effects?

Key Points

Although “regular” intelligence is important to success in life, emotional intelligence is key to relating well to others and achieving your goals. Many people believe that emotional intelligence is at least as important as regular intelligence, and many companies now use EI testing to hire new staff.

Emotional intelligence is an awareness of your actions and feelings – and how they affect those around you. It also means that you value others, listen to their wants and needs, and are able to empathize or identify with them on many different levels.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:09 AM EDT

Updated: Monday, May 21, 2012 8:11 AM EDT

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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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