Here is Orrin Woodward's review of Oliver DeMille's new book. 1913 is sure to be a hit as it is so relevant to the freedoms being lost within society today. Few people have the ability to discuss theory and application as well as Mr. DeMille. Enjoy.

The year of lost freedoms.

1913, Oliver DeMille’s new book, is a fascinating study of a crucial year and the changes wrought upon our government by the political leaders of that time. Indeed, it can be said that no year is as important for American freedoms as 1913. Oliver DeMille articulates, in a clear, concise, and comprehendible style, the three key changes that occurred in 1913 along with the later Supreme Court decision that solidified the governmental revolution. I believe that Oliver DeMille is one of only a handful of men and women in America today that grasp the Founding Generation’s original intentions and principles. Anyone concerned about the freedoms lost since 1913 ought to read and reread this book and share it with others!

Just as fish need water in order to survive, entrepreneurs need freedom in order to weigh choices, develop plans, and execute strategies. However, when a government destroys the liberty of the people by assuming too much power and control, the entrepreneurs are destroyed and, thus, the engine of all true economic growth. This isn’t a hypothesis or a pet belief of mine or Oliver’s, but a historical reality proven numerous times over the last several millennia. For instance, look what happened to the entrepreneurs in the Roman Empire, the British Empire, the Soviet Empire, and now, sadly, the American Empire. In truth, empires historically have sacrificed the freedoms of the masses for the power of the few.

Have you read 1913 yet? What were your thoughts on Oliver’s new book? What part can you play in educating the West on its lost freedoms? If you haven’t read it, then get over to the LIFE site and pick it up today!

Sincerely,

Orrin Woodward

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 9:11 AM EDT

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George Guzzardo has transformed his life through the power of reading. When he started his leadership journey he read hardly at all! Outside of the sports page, George was the proverbial "me no read" guy. :) However, that is not the George you would meet today. He has taken the concepts from the article below and digested them into his being. In fact, Mr. Guzzardo is an excellent example of the power of the Mental Fitness Challenge, offered by the LIFE Business, to change people's lives.

Orrin Woodward said he was going to create something special with LIFE and he has more than delivered on that promise. The community is thriving and thousands of people's lives are improving monthly. What dream do you have in your heart? What are you doing to accomplish it? Perhaps you ought to learn the same lesson that George did - that ships do not come in; instead people must make their own ship. 

Mortimer Adler wrote in his book ‘How to Read a Book’, “Getting more information is learning, and so is coming to understand what you did not understand before.” How many of us have heard the LIFE business founder Orrin Woodward recommend reading the ‘Top Five Books?” I recently started to re read the top five books as well as some other frequently recommended LIFE books again.  I took my time looking for any hidden information that I might have missed. I believe all books should be read slowly, as a delicacy, each morsel should be savored.  When possible I always have a note pad and pen in hand. 

Faced with an alarming rate of illiteracy (7 Million estimated) in our country, there never has been a better time for a LIFE business subscription.  Too busy to read you might say.  We have a program for that. It starts with a simple prescription of reading fifteen minutes a day.  Perhaps taking a book to your car during lunch as Orrin did when he began his reading habits is the answer.  I started reading fifteen minutes in bed prior to falling a sleep.  I was hoping information I read would sink into my sub conscious mind.  I need all the help I can get.  Are you impressed with those who read a multitude of books each month?  I’m impressed with those who study the material, sometimes using notes, and apply the information they get.  Have you placed your written information into folders under topics like leadership, relationships, or finance?  As you develop your LIFE business using the Team system these folders can be helpful if you are asked to speak on a topic or just want to review an area of interest.

Are you startled when you re read a book and find out how much you missed the first time? A great way to own the information in a book is to put the suggestions found in the book into play immediately. Here are some points I took away from re reading ‘Bringing Out the Best in People’ by Alan Loy McGinnis. 

1. History has suggestions on how to inspire people.
2. History shows that in almost every arena someone steps up who can impart vision and steer people’s energies into the best endeavors.
3. A group of positive thinkers form a distinct culture within their organizations.
4. Look for strengths that others have and encourage those gifts.  If you concentrate on strengths and good attributes their behavior becomes better.
5. Something rare is the ability to recognize ability.
6. Help people recognize what they want and give them a way to get it.
7. Ask questions. Listen carefully. Look into their past.
8. A cause or a movement is more important than a company.
9. No one has ever become successful without making mistakes. Ability to fail is what separates achievers. Help people come back from rejection.  Seneca said, If thou art a man, admire those who attempt great things, even though they fail.” Defy criticism. 
10. Develop a desire for learning. 
11. Healthy competition pulls people together. If others can do it so can we. 
12. Team with others. Develop a group energy.  Commit to collaboration.
13. Expect trouble makers.
14. Associate with other positive thinkers who have enthusiasm.
15. Monitor what goes into your mind. 

Mortimer Adler wrote, “The art of reading includes unaided discovery, keenness of observation, readily available memory, range of imagination, and of course, an intellect trained in analysis and reflection..”   That reminds me, I’ve got to go now. I want to implement the new ideas I learned from re reading  ‘Bringing Out the Best in People’. God Bless, George Guzzardo  

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 7:49 AM EDT

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Here is Claude Hamilton - a twenty year veteran of compensated communities - description of the benefits of the LIFE Compensation Plan. Claude has teamed up with Orrin Woodward and the other LIFE Founders to create one of the fastest growing communities in North America. Here's the article:

As I spoke at the LIFE meeting the other night, I had a lot of thoughts running through my mind.  I kicked off the evening with a success talk on the “Attributes of a Leader.”  After a short break, I proudly shared the LIFE Opportunity with everyone in the room. As I stood in front of the crowd, I felt both excited and honored to be able to share the LIFE Compensation Plan.  It caused me to reflect on the past 18 years and how I started my own business journey in a similar fashion:  sitting in a hotel conference room.  I remember hoping that what the speaker said was true and dreaming of my freedom.

Today I have the blessing and opportunity to play a role ensuring that everyone sitting in those seats is presented with a world-class LIFE business plan.  Few people understand what they are seeing the first night and it will take months before they fully grasp the big picture;  however, I feel that as leaders, we have an obligation to make sure that they start in a business that is beneficial for them regardless of whether they understand the reason why at first.

When I started in community building, it was with a company called Amway.  Although I felt the product pricing and the work to reward ratios were extremely high, I dreamed and work hard enough to overcome these issues and succeed anyway. I am thankful my sponsor had a big dream too, because he travelled across Canada numerous times to help me reach my goals. Why did I decide to build Amway, you ask?  Strictly speaking, because no one showed me anything else and I felt that I had nothing to lose and so much to gain by giving it my best. Through the many struggles and tons of personal growth, I moved through the ranks and achieved the Diamond level.  Indeed, I maintained this level until the day I resigned from Amway.

With 14 years experience in Amway and having achieved one of the highest levels of success in all of Canada, I understand the compensation plan extremely well and am qualified to share on the subject. Recently, a few of the Amway Drones criticized the LIFE compensation plan, even though they have never been involved in LIFE or had any level of success in Amway. Nevertheless, it is because of their ignorant chirping that I resolved to compare the compensation plans of both companies in a head to head analysis. Furthermore, since I was a large business owner in Amway and am a large business owner in LIFE, I am uniquely qualified to perform this comparison and share my real life experiences with both compensation plans with you, the readers.

Just a cursory glance at the bonus schedules displays that LIFE’s plan compensates doubles what Amway’s does! Not to mention that the Amway percentages are not as they seem.  Let me explain.  LIFE has a very favorable point to dollar ratio; to earn 100 points it’s no more then $140 of business.  In contrast, Amway’s ratio is 1pv to 2.90bv. In addition, (depending on what kind of product you’re buying,) the actual cash ratio can be much higher still. I had to purchase between $400 to $600 to earn a 100 points; meanwhile, in LIFE I receive 100 points with $140 or less. This is a significant difference when starting a business!

Here is a comparison of the bonus schedule:

Ok, Ok – you might be thinking to yourself it’s extremely obvious that LIFE pays better than Amway in a head to head comparison. You might also be thinking, please Claude – move on.  You’ve made your point! In fact, as I did this analysis it makes me wonder why an Amway Failure Drone would want to open this subject up by criticizing the LIFE plan in the first place?  Since it is so much better than what he allegedly failed in, why criticize such drastic improvement? However, since the Amway drones brought it up, I am going to put the issue to rest factually.

Let’s examine how this affects the numbers.  In Amway, when you hit the top of the chart (7500pv x 2.9 ratio) its approximately 21,750 bv.  At 25% of BV, that means approximately $5,437 gets paid back to the organization.  But here’s the kicker!  The organization has to do approximately $30k of business to pay back $5,437! On the other hand, in Life, 15,000 points is the top of the chart and pays 50% for a total of $7,500 being paid back, but even that’s not the whole picture! To get to the top of the chart within LIFE takes 15,000 points or approximately 21k of business. Therefore, if we compared apples to apples, an Amway and LIFE organization that both did 30k of business would pay back $5,437 for Amway and $11,000 for LIFE.

The main purpose of a leader is to build other leaders.  Producing world-class leaders that have the ability to change the world for the better is one of the goals of the LIFE opportunity.  Let’s compare how well each company rewards its leaders for building other leaders in depth. When you break a leg over the top of the chart and help those leaders break leaders over the top of the chart, how are you compensated in each company?

Personally, I would prefer to move on from my Amway days. I am focused on taking LIFE to millions of people working with Orrin Woodward; however, after hearing about the cheap-shots taken by Unqualified Examiners at the LIFE compensation plan, I decided to set the record straight.

The funny thing about this analysis is that I didn’t even get into the value of the free trips or the One-Time-Cash-Awards! (OTCA’s)  I literally could have taken another 6 hours and examined every bonus each company has, including the free trips, pin bonuses, and growth bonuses, but here is the bottom line: Amway pays out about 35% of BV while LIFE pays out 70% of PV.  Nuff said. Any Amway drone can spew endlessly on compensation plan minutiae but is simply won’t change the fundamental analysis presented above. If anything, the results will fall further in LIFE’s favor.

I love the fact that in North America we have a free market place and can succeed or fail based on the merits of our effort and enterprise. I have focused on competing in that marketplace, building what I feel is the best business opportunity in the world. It makes me wonder though, when there is such a clear contrast between the two compensation plans, why would an alleged former Amway person single out the LIFE compensation plan when it’s the most lucrative in the entire industry?

Perhaps the Amway Drones‘ real purpose is less about sharing truth and more about attacking a growing competitor who has been changing the rules of the game. LIFE has no interest in smearing competitors to get ahead; rather, the founders of LIFE have chosen to build a better business model that serves the customers’ needs and win in the free enterprise marketplace. May the best company win by serving its customers, not by bashing its competitors.

Sincerely,

Claude Hamilton

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:43 AM EDT

Updated: Friday, September 7, 2012 8:44 AM EDT

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Bill Lewis recently wrote a wonderful article on parenting. Mr. Lewis is one of the LIFE Founders - a company led by Orrin Woodward. One of the impressive aspects of the LIFE Business is the hunger to learn from each of the Founders. Beginning with Orrin and cascading throughout the organization is a never-ending quest to improve themselves and their teams. What is your hunger level? What do you aspire to become in life? In other words, are you a human being or a human becoming? Here is Bill's post.

Have you ever been walking through a store and noticed the many different ways that parents react to their children?  The younger children create many situations that are down right hilarious but as they become older you see a lot of reactions that are steamed from the roots they grew up with.  Ever notice kids seem to react and handle situations the same way the parents do?   The unfortunate part is that those reactions could have been different if we just had the right tools at our disposal when they were younger.  Now, I am not saying that it is to late to turn things around but it is much easier to establish good principles and habits when they are younger.  As parents it is hard to admit that we have created the roots that are producing the fruit.

The story goes – There is an apple tree in the backyard.  Every year the apples start to grow but then they fall off the tree before they become ripe and able to be picked.  The wife ask the husband if he can do something about this.  He thinks for a minute and then says, ” I got it.”  He goes to the store and comes home with some ripe, red, luscious looking apples.  He grabs a ladder, the fresh apples and a  staple gun.  After he attaches the apples to the tree he goes into his wife and says, ” Look, I fixed the tree.”

Obviously, a silly story but the point is good.  You cant just fix the appearance or the surface issues.  You have to fix the root system that is feeding the fruit.   Yes kids are born with a natural sinful nature but we determine a lot of what the root structure will be.  Lets dig in to a couple different areas that will help us develop better roots.

The first area we must look at is ourselves.  Being a parent is the hardest job on the planet but it can also be the most fulfilling.  One day you wonder if you could leave them at the grandparents for about 20 years and the day after that you couldn’t ever imagine not having them.  To be the best we can be, we have to get over our own idols that we might have.  The idol of comfort – this is hard or taking up to much time.  The idol of respect – they should respect me even when I am sinning and being a jerk. The idol of appreciation – don’t you know what I have done and the sacrifices I have made, The idol of success – I must have good kids so I don’t look bad. The idol of control – they are suppose to do what I say.  We have all displayed these idols on the surface. But the problem is if you have an idol in your heart then you aren’t focused on the only person who is really in control, God.

The second item we need to understand is that we shouldn’t be trying to get our kids to say and do the right things, from a mental standpoint.  We can’t just staple some good looking fruit on their forehead and think everything is ok.   We need to try and focus on where the issue started and that is in their heart.  They need to understand that they have a natural tendency to be ruled by their own selfish desires.  We need to help them understand that they are not trying to please us they are suppose to be obeying Gods law and growing to be more Christ like.  If they rely on him for strength then they can accomplish anything.  We can help them understand this process by displaying it to them.  Let them know where you have failed and ask for their forgiveness.  What a great example of humbleness obedience to God.

Some tools to help in this process is when something happens or goes the wrong way stop and talk to them.  Ask them some questions.

What were you thinking and feeling?

Why was that so important to you?

Do you think that was the right thing to do?

Does what the other person did control what you do?

What were you trying to accomplish when you did or said that?

Why did you become so angry?

What is that you were afraid of?

If we can get them to think through issues themselves then we are enabling them to do the right thing at all times, not just with us.   We need to give them principles to live by and explain to them that those do not change because of the situation.

There is a war out there.  It is being fought on the turf of our childrens heart.  It is fought for the control of their soul.  Be careful and continue to fight everyday.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 6:11 AM EDT

Updated: Tuesday, August 28, 2012 6:12 AM EDT

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The LIFE Founders: Orrin Woodward, Chris Brady, Tim Marks, Claude Hamilton, Bill Lewis, George Guzzardo, Dan Hawkins, and Rob Hallstrand have outdone themselves. With the $35 registration fee waived, a person can sign up into LIFE for 49.99 when getting on a $50 subscription package. In other words, for less than a tank of gas, one can build a compensated community and enjoy the benefits of both community and remuneration.

With signups up over 500% since the reduced signup fee, it's only a matter of time before LIFE goes mainstream. I wouldn't be shocked if radio, magazines (Fortune, Forbes) and T.V. interviews start flowing the founders way. Like Orrin Woodward has said many times, even during the worst of his Amway lawsuits, "People of integrity expect to be believed and when they're not, they let time prove them right."

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 8:51 AM EDT

Updated: Thursday, August 16, 2012 9:08 AM EDT

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Here is an wonderful article by Orrin Woodward on Andrew Jackson. Jackson stood against the US Second National Bank similar to how Orrin stood against Quixtar. Both follow principles over profits. Orrin Woodward's book RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE describes the principles that champions live their life by. Here's the article.

Andrew Jackson & the Bank Veto

National Bank

Jackson’s veto was a shot across the financial-elites broadside and could not remain unanswered, especially when the messenger was the sitting President of the United States of America. Contrary to prevailing perceptions, Jackson was not a novice in his understanding of inflationary policy. In fact, he studied, at length, the history of the South Sea Bubble and the debilitating effects of its inflationary methods. Accordingly, he understood the principles at stake in the Bank battle better than many of the Eastern intellectual elites opposing him. He knew that paper money not backed by bullion was fraud upon the many for the benefit of the few. Biddle, finally comprehending Jackson couldn’t be bought or bullied declared war, pulling out every political weapon in his extensive arsenal. Biddle purchased propaganda pieces in the newspapers in an attempt to refute Jackson’s charges and rally support for the Bank. For instance, he wrote to one editor, “If you will cause the articles I have indicated and others which I may prepare to be inserted in the newspaper in question, I will at once pay to you one thousand dollars.”  A thousand dollars then is equivalent to twenty-five thousand today, certainly enough to bribe most editors into action. Biddle’s relentless assault only strengthened Jackson’s belief that the Bank’s influence was unhealthy and detrimental to a republican government. In truth, money and power are just two sides of the same coin. Consequently, where money gathers, power is soon to follow and where power gathers, money is soon to follow.

The Bank’s  Advocates

Daniel Webster, the famed lawyer and presidential contender from New England, championed the Banks cause, becoming one of the Bank’s most virulent supporters. Ironically, although Webster had originally opposed the Bank’s charter, he found Bank religion when Biddle offered him a healthy legal retainer to aid in the re-charter movement. In the midst of the Bank battle, Webster wrote the a revealing missive to Biddle, “ I believe my retainer has not been renewed or refreshed as usual. If it be wished that my relation to the Bank should be continued, it may be well to send me the usual retainers.”  Webster, along with the champion of the statists American System, Henry Clay, supported the financial-elites in their fight against Jackson as perks, power, and recognition were sure to follow with the Bank’s blessing. Webster, in fact, launched a lengthy attack on the Jackson’s policies, blasting his veto of the Bank. Biddle, in addition, bought other influencers in Congress to oppose Jackson’s measures, dividing Jackson’s supporters into two camps. The first group desired the President to yield on the issue, hoping to maintain government decorum. The second group, in contrast, encouraged the President to finish what he started and end the unholy alliance between Big Banks and Big Government. Jackson’s popularity suffered from the steady stream of paid propaganda unleashed by the editors congenial to Biddle’s financial largesse. Indeed, numerous diatribes against Jackson’s policy permeated the press on a weekly basis.

Bank Declares War on Economy

Despite the funded politicians in Congress and rabid press editors willing to do Biddle’s bidding, he still stored one more ace up his sleeve. Fearing that Jackson would remove the Treasury deposits from his Bank, starving the bank of the lifeblood of money necessary to maintain its special power base, Biddle declared to Webster, “They will not dare to remove them. If the deposits are withdrawn, it will be a declaration of war which cannot be recalled.” Following through on his promise, Biddle launched a campaign of loan closures across America, causing financial panic among the state banks and business community. They were forced to either pay back their loans or collapse into insolvency. State banks and businesses screamed for relief, appealing to Jackson to end the Bank war and submit to the recharter. Misreading the President’s courage again, the bank and business failures only steeled Jackson’s resolve to end Biddle’s undue influence in the American economy. Moreover, many state leaders awakened by the inordinate power held by the Bank over the economy also recognized the truth of Jackson’s veto message. The President firmly believed that any power capable of causing a panic of this magnitude was not healthy for the freedoms of the American people. He denounced the Bank’s action to his cabinet, “The Bank has by degrees obtained almost entire dominion over the circulating medium, and with it, power to increase or diminish the price of property and to levy taxes on the people in the shape of premiums and interest to an amount only limited by the quantity of paper currency it is enabled to issue.” Jackson understood the role that money-interest can play in causing inflation and market cycles; unfortunately, this understanding seems lost on today’s politicians and our Federal Reserve System.

Author H. W. Brands, biographer of Andrew Jackson, discussed the Bank’s undue power of the purse, sharing Biddle’s money-influence over the Jackson government, “‘In half an hour,’ he boasted to an intimate, ‘I can remove all the constitutional scruples in the District of Columbia. Half a dozen presidencies’ — of bank branches — ‘a dozen cashierships, fifty clerkships, a hundred directorships, to worthy friends who have no character and no money.’” Clearly, Biddle was playing for keeps, understanding that money buys power and power produces money. Even in the midst of the Federal Government’s withdrawal of Treasury Deposits, Biddle remained confident of his ultimate victory, writing, “My own view of the matter is simply this…. The [instigators] of this last assault on the Bank regret and are alarmed by it. But the ties of party allegiance can only be broken by the actual conviction of existing distress in the community. Nothing but the evidence of suffering abroad [that is, in the country as a whole] will produce any effect in Congress.… This worthy President thinks that because he has scalped Indians and imprisoned judges, he is to have his way with the Bank. He is mistaken.” Biddle appears to have succumbed fully to the corrupting effects of absolute power. His dictatorial thoughts, writings, and actions are on display during this stage of the war. He shared with another confidante, “My own course is decided, all other banks and all other merchants may break, but the Bank of the United States shall not break.” Biddle truly believed, that by causing harm and suffering in America, he could control the political leaders of our country.

Andrew Jackson’s Resolve

In hindsight, had it been any other President besides Jackson, Biddle would have been right. Jackson, however, stood his ground and eventually won the Bank war, despite receiving many battle scars along the way. Re-elected in a landslide, Jackson proved that a person with conviction and character can stand his ground and win, no matter the size of the forces aligned against him. Boldly, at one point in the battle, Jackson told his Vice-President Martin Van Buren, “The Bank is trying to kill me.  But I will kill it.”

Jackson example demonstrates a leader’s powerful effect upon others. When a person has the courage to stand strong, he strengthens the spine of others who recognize the truthfulness of his fight between right and wrong. Courage, just like lack of courage, is contagious. Character is courage and integrity combined. Integrity is identifying what is right and courage is the ability to stand for truth even when it hurts. Jackson accomplished many things in his life, both militarily and politically. However, in my opinion, his finest hour was his courageous stand against the Second National Bank. May this generation of leaders display similar courage in today’s fight against tyranny.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 11:35 PM EDT

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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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