Steve Morgan ask what is holding you back from the life you've always wanted in this article. Many times, it is limiting beliefs that hold a person back from his destiny. Orrin Woodward says you don't get what you want out of life. You don't get what you deserve out of life, but you always get what you expect. The LIFE Business is building people's expectations on what is possible and providing a vehicle to make dreams a reality. What are you expecting?

I think many people are alike, they have limiting beliefs.  I know that growing up I developed limited thinking.  The way that I overcame this personally was through the information in the LIFE business.  We have worked with Best selling authors Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady for a decade of our lives now.  It made all the difference.  They say that over the next 5 years you will be the same person except for the books you read and the people you meet.  I have asked people for years, “if we recorded you talking to yourself would you be embarrassed if we played it for others to hear?” They always say yes.  I can’t believe that we talk so negative to ourselves, but we do.  What I have found by reading the right books, is that you can do anything you put your mind to.

I put this picture of this horse on here to show a visual example of what most peoples obstacles look like.  Most of the time they have just learned to submit to them.  I say we break our limitations and run for the things we really want to accomplish.  Henry Ford said ” either you think you can or you think you can’t, but either way your right.”

One of the best books that I have ever read to help with this kind of thinking was The Magic of Thinking Big.  If you have never read this book I highly recommend it.

If you are tired of the same old results you should get involved in an audio education, listening to people that have had success in areas you want to win.  What you find is that you spent a lot of time comparing your weaknesses to their strengths and you hurt the way you see yourself.

My mentor Bill Lewis has one of the best stories that I have ever heard.  He grew up in a rough area in Saginaw Michigan and through getting different information and plugging into new association, is now hugely successful.  Not only is he successful in business but also in his personal life.  Thanks Bill for showing us all whats possible.  Another American success story. You could be the next.

Thanks for reading,

Steve Morgan

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 7:28 AM EDT

Updated: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 7:29 AM EDT

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Curtis Spolar shares his insights on what we can learn from Columbo. Curtis, personally mentored by Orrin Woodward, is one of the fastest growing leaders in the LIFE community. His Leadership Factory on mentoring was impactful to so many. The LIFE Story is producing thousands of success testimonials. Have you joined LIFE yet?

We can learn a lot from Columbo!

In building trust we should follow Columbo’s approach, after all, he always got his man.

The late Peter Falk played a homicide detective by the name of Lieutenant Frank Columbo.  Lieutenant Columbo worked for the Los Angeles Police Department in a 1970′s crime fiction TV series called Columbo.  Columbo presented himself as incompetent and naive, absent-minded and unkempt in appearance detective, when in reality he was the smartest guy in the room.  It could have been very easy for him to let his ego get in the way and try to prove to the perpetrator how smart he was.  However, he stayed focused on the big picture and the perpetrators of the crimes he investigated always knew they were too intelligent to get caught by Columbo and they let their walls down.  That’s what sealed their fate.  Columbo masterfully unveiled his genius and gradually broke down his overconfident adversary bit by bit by asking innocent questions that later proved to be pivotal in revealing the murderer.  He would show admiration for the suspect, even praising the very attribute or talent of which the criminal was most proud of.  It was a thing of beauty to watch him in action, usually scratching his head with a confused look on his face all the while.

Columbo had confidence. Do we have confidence or must we always be right, always be teaching, and always be talking?  By doing this, others will build walls and we will lose trust and a future relationship.  I’m not saying to drive up in an unclean, old, beat up, car and  get out wearing a wrinkled raincoat, chewing on a cigar, and acting naive.  But I am saying we can be humble, be a good finder, and genuinely care about people.  In Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friend & Influence People (found on the LIFE site)  Part two, chapters 4 through 6 show us that if we must go from being a great listener to talking then talk about their favorite topic “themselves”.  If we learn this we will see their walls come down, trust being developed, and a beautiful relationship beginning and in the end you will be loved for focusing on a bigger picture, A CHANGED LIFE.

God Bless,

Curtis Spolar

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 7:25 AM EDT

Updated: Monday, March 18, 2013 7:28 AM EDT

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Greg Johnson shares a powerful post on the value and cost of degrees. Orrin Woodward and Oliver DeMille teach on the difference between Creators and Credentialist in their upcoming book LeaderShift. Remarkably, the cost of being a credentialist has risen alarming. In fact, few can afford a university education without financial aid. Greg pinpoints one of the big challenges facing America today.

Over the last 30 years there has been an emphasis on the need for a college degree in order to be successful. There has been so much of an emphasis on obtaining a degree that degree programs are everywhere, and the cost to obtain one has far exceeded inflation. While Food and the (CPI) Consumer Price Index had just over 200% increase, and Shelter just over 300% increase, Tuition rose over 1100% during the same period (see graph).

Is the cost worth the return? Have we begun printing degrees like the Federal Reserve prints money? Fiat money as defined by Investopedia is “Currency that a government has declared to be legal tender, despite the fact that it has no intrinsic value and is not backed by reserves.” Could this surge on the apparent need for degrees by the same definition – A Degree(s) that a government has declared to be legal tender, despite the fact it has no intrinsic value and is not backed by reserves (reserves being solid market demand). If the demand is low (college graduates can’t seem to find jobs in their field of study) then why the high cost? Is the cost artificially high versus the value of the degree?

When I was in high school the opportunities to advance in a company in many cases were because there were few people with a college degree, so those who had one were the ones with the best opportunity to “climb the corporate ladder”. Now it seems everyone has a college degree; the janitor, the girl who makes your latte in the coffee shop and the security guard by the elevators. The value of the degree has decreased because there are only so many available spaces at the top of the company. I recently had a young man with a Bachelors degree in Physics tell me that his degree is now the equivalent of a high school diploma. He can only get a job in a lab for just over minimum wage.

In analyzing the value of a college education today I came across this article from Globalization 101 a Project of the SUNY Levin Institute:

American Perception of the Value of a College Education
Hundreds of articles in major newspapers on the decreasing value of a college education have been written over the past year.

Basic findings:
• School quality is declining. A federal study showed only 25 percent of college graduates had information literacy. Thirty-three percent of college students had less than 40 pages of required reading per semester (The Economist, 2012), a measurement that demonstrates a lack of rigor in U.S. colleges. The book Academically Adrift, confirms the decline stating that students did not gain critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing skills after three semesters in college (Ripley, 2012)

•The tech sector inspires and rewards college drop-outs. The Thiel Fellowship pays students to drop- out of college and pursue their own ventures. While, many tech companies are hiring college drop-outs, who are viewed as free-thinkers and risk-takers. (Williams, 2012)

• The bachelor’s degree is worth less than it used to be. Many bachelor degree holders are employed in jobs that do not require a college degree and furthermore these degrees are not necessarily aligned with job openings that require different skill sets. So, alternatives, such as training programs and online programs are proliferating and Master degree programs are increasing as well (Lawrence, 2012).

Has your college degree provided you the salary you expected?

An Article from the Wall Street Journal entitled The Declining Value Of Your College Degree  stated ; “ A four-year college degree, seen for generations as a ticket to a better life, is no longer enough to guarantee a steadily rising paycheck.”

Have you received your college degree and found it difficult to find a job in your field of study?

Did you feel you received your money’s worth for the education you received?

In retrospect would you have reconsidered getting a college degree?

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 6:55 AM EDT

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Steve Morgan, the hungriest student of any leadership guru in the country, shares a great story about the trips leaders qualify for in the LIFE Business. LIFE is a business of leaders sharing lessons to hungry students. Orrin Woodward has a vision for millions of people to join the LeaderShift movement. My vote is it will happen. Nothing can stop a dream - not setbacks, not lawsuits, or competitors. LIFE just keeps growing and chaning lives. Here is Steve's message about his teammates qualifying for on the trips.

Some great friends of ours just got back from a FREE trip to Jamaica.  They earned it through the LIFE company.  We are super proud of them for earning this trip through getting a team to work together.  The Founders of LIFE (Orrin Woodward, Chris Brady, Bill Lewis, Tim Marks, Claude Hamilton, George Guzzardo, and Dan Hawkins)  decided to put a free trip incentive out there for people early on in the business, knowing that most people haven’t been on a great trip ever, or in a long time.  Along with these trips they have also added One Time Cash Awards that just got increased significantly.  The LIFE company specializes in selling materials (cds,books. & association) to help people produce more fruit in the areas of their life that they want to get better.  Its so cool to showcase a couple like the Cox’s because you only earn a trip like this if you help others get better and make money.

I did a short interview with them and thought I would share it with you here on the blog.

Steve: How long was your trip and where did you go?

Frankie: Our trip was 5 days/4 nights. We went to Sandals Resort in Negril, Jamaica. What a gorgeous resort!

Steve:  Have you ever been sent on a free trip ever before? If not did you have a hesitation to how good a free trip could be?

Frankie: We had never been on a free trip before! We were a little nervous at first. To our amazement, it was not only seamless, but truly remarkable. The travel agency set everything up…flight, hotel, etc. We just told them when we wanted to leave, and what part of the island that we preferred! Our travel agent was very professional, friendly, and responsive. 
Steve: Can you describe the resort and the quality level?

Frankie:  The resort was first class. When we arrived at the resort, the first thing that they told us is to relax…and they would take care of everything. When we got out of the shuttle, they handed us a bottle of water and a cold rag. I tried to grab my bags, and they insisted that we did not need to carry anything. Amazing customer service.

Once inside of the resort, we met with our concierge to give us a tour and an agenda of available festivities. If you needed anything during your stay, all you had to do is call. They would set up everything (snorkeling, scuba diving, skiing, surfing, kayaking, etc.)

The beautiful white beaches were cleaned every day (not even a leaf was permitted to lie on the ground), and racked. All of the walk-ways were pressure washed/cleaned nightly. They had a group called the “Playmakers” that put on daily events…you could participate or not…no pressure. The restaurants were excellent.
Steve: Kortney can you explain how you liked the trip?

Kortney: Our trip to Jamaica was INCREDIBLE!!  We had such a great time and the resort was beautiful!  The view from our room was the crystal clear water and beautiful palm trees. Dinner on the beach listening to the sound of water and Jamaican metal drums was something I had envisioned for a long time.  It was better than I ever imagined!

For months Frankie talked about jumping off this silly cliff in Jamaica called Ricks Café!  I told him he was crazy for even having the thought until I got down there and decided we might as well do something crazy together so we BOTH jumped!  I was terrified but conquered my fear and it was SO worth it!! MASSIVE bruise and all!!

Video of Frankie jumping 30 feet into water: Click Here

Video of Kortney Jumping 20 feet into water: Click Here

Jamaica Trip

Sandals

Steve: Frankie coming from the corporate scene, how was it to just get away and have the phones off for the whole time?

Frankie: Refreshing! I felt totally rejuvenated! It gave us to time to “Think” about the future, and how valuable (blessed) it really is to take time to “sharpen” your sword. You really don’t realize how much time you have until you get away from the hustle of the daily grind. It felt like time had just stood still at moments. 
Steve: F&K:  what was your favorite part?

Kortney:It is so hard to pick my favorite part of this amazing vacation because the entire stay was so perfect!  Just having time to spend with Frankie without daily life distractions was my most favorite part.  It was just Frankie and I, palm trees, beautiful beaches, amazing food, snorkeling, some one-on-one basketball (which I won) and doing whatever whenever we wanted for 5 days!!  YA-MON’

Frankie:My favorite part was being able to spend a week with my wife without any distractions. I also enjoyed marveling at God’s creation on a daily basis. The views, and experience is something that I will never forget. There were times when I felt like “pinching” myself to make sure that it was true. I felt so grateful! It also charged me up to get ready to run for the next goal….we are going to Hawaii next!!!

This couple is a great example of 2 people reaching for excellence in their lives.  Just like Beth and I, they aren’t perfect but I have seen them grow and change to become better everyday.  We have been blessed to have them come into our lives and can call them friends.

Congrats Frankie and Kortney Cox on your success and to leading a great team of people.

Here’s to more FREE vacations,

Steve Morgan

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 12:21 PM EST

Updated: Sunday, March 3, 2013 12:57 PM EST

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Aron Radosa has a great article on his blog that I will share here. The LIFE Business is making waves as Orrin Woodward said it would. Here's the post. 

Today we had a guest pastor in to give our morning sermon. His exhortation was fascinating.  It brought me directly back to two recent Blog articles by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward.  Each being a founder of the LIFE company, spoke on the power of truth brings light into the arena and allows more to see.  Chris addressed the issue for “Motivational Myths” and Orrin interviewed Wayne MacNamara after his amazing victory.  I would highly recommend that each one of you read those blog entries.

The pastor spoke on the power of illumination throughout God’s Scripture, and its effect on truth.  Now there is so much to be gained as truth comes into our life.  As we get into a learning mode, we can tend to say that I learned a “new truth” today.  But as we grow older we find that the “new’ truth was always there, it just came into the “light”.  Wikipedia (our always vigilant source of definitions) has multiple meanings for the word “illumination”.  I focused on, ‘ the deliberate use of light to achieve a practical or aesthetic effect’. In the Bible there is a story in the book of Mark about a blind man receiving sight.  It reads, “Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.  So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.  And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”  Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.”  (Mark 8:22-25 NKJV).

My life was so similar to this blind man.  I drifted through multiple years of my life having encounters with truth, here and there, but only by happen-stance.  As each moment would occur, I would have what Stephen Covey called a paradigm shift.  But it felt like it just wouldn’t stick.  Like the blind man through his transition of sight, his first encounter with sight was one almost of doubt.  He seen “men like trees”. Going from no sight to some sight, how would you determine what a tree or a man looks like.  Maybe his description of a man ( in his mind, remember no pictures, ever) was what we know as a tree and vice versa.  It is not till Christ allow for full illumination of the truth does the man see “clearly”.     This story demonstrates the deliberate use of truth to open our eyes.  We see things in a different light or illumination.

Each man or woman should constantly place themselves among people who will illuminate truth.  For the last 10 years, Mary and I have been around couples and individuals, like the Brady’s, the Woodward’s, and Bill and Jackie Lewis, that have deliberately placed light on the areas of Faith, Family, Freedom, Finances, Fitness, Following, Fun, and Friends.  There goal is to give back some that was given onto them.  They have, as this morning’s pastor stated, “meat to eat that others know not of”.  Are you tired of the milk of life?  It is time to experience the “meat’ of truth illuminated around the LIFE company and the great men and women that are part of it.

God bless,

Aron

Sharpen the mind and Tender the heart!

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 3:48 PM EST

Updated: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 3:48 PM EST

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Here is a superb article by Wayne Macnamara, one of the PC leaders in LIFE Training. Orrin Woodward said Wayne is one of the hungriest leaders in the LIFE Business. So hungry in fact, that he would practically eat nails. :) What are you hungry to achieve in life? Here's the article.

In the LIFE community we celebrate the accomplishments of achievers by rewarding their efforts, what we have seen is that there are really 3 basic forms of recognition that people strive for;

1/ RECOGNITION- my business leader and mentor Claude Hamilton say’s, babies will cry for it and grown men will die for it. Recognition is important to the LIFE community because we want people to know they are appreciated for their hard work. Some of my favourite moments at a LIFE live event are watching my friends celebrated for their achievements and team effort.

2/ MONEY- do not buy into money is evil, money is not evil, what you do with your money makes it good or bad. So really if you are a good person you will do good things with money if your bad person you’ll do bad things. Money enhances the person you are. If right now we removed all the oxygen out of the room your in, what would be your main focus or thought. AIR !!!!  Well today in our society money is on most people’s minds, many people are struggling with money and feel overwhelmed on just where to start. The LIFE business has so much great information on money views and how to tackle your financial depth load or how to start saving money. My friend and mentor Orrin Woodward has written in his book RESOLVED 13 resolutions for LIFE, (MUST READ) 10 financial principles that he has used and has helped many other people use to become financially free. When a person has financial freedom his priorities in life surface and his true passion and desires are known. There is an offence and defence to great money management skills, the LIFE business compensation plan is aggressive for those wanting to take to the offence and make more money.

3/ CAUSE/PURPOSE- “I know when my potential,passions, and profits intersect, my purpose is revealed.” Orrin Woodward. Most people are striving so hard to tackle the money situations in their lives that they very seldom get to a place in there heart and mind to just think about their purpose. Claude Hamilton has always said that the brave men in World War II never went to battle for a new Cadillac/BMW or a free trip, they risked everything to defend the freedoms of people and to give their families a better opportunity tomorrow then they had that day.

The best example I can use to put all 3 forms of motivation into perspective is to think of a situation where I ask you to walk across two buildings 300 ft in the air. The space between the two buildings is about 30 ft. Now I have a few of my friends on one side of the building waiting for you to do this, we will cheer you on and celebrate your victory when you make it. There is a light wind today and the wood plank you’ll be walking on is a little wet and slippery. Without a doubt if you slip and fall you are not surviving.

How many people right now would walk that blank for recognition ?

OK, me either , lets say now all situations the same, 300 ft in air, 30 ft apart from building to building, slippery wood plank and a light wind, death if you slip and fall. What if now I say, I will give you $10 000 to walk across ?

How many people right now would walk the 30 ft plank for $10 000 ?   AH—NOT HAPPENING BUD.

Alright I agree, very few mildly sane people would risk their lives for this recognition or this amount of money. Now allow me to through another twist at you. Lets say all situations the same 300 ft in air, 30 ft apart from building to building, slippery wood plank and a light wind, let’s also add that it starts to rain heavy, one small misstep and your gone. Here is the difference, instead of some recognition and instead of $10 000 now on the other side of the 30 ft plank is your precious baby and the person holding your baby says to you, you have 30 seconds to cross this wooden plank or I drop your little one.  OH MY !

How many people would not even hesitate for a second to walk/crawl/leap across that plank to save their small innocent child ?  The motivation has changed dramatically, this is a cause/purpose ladies and gentlemen. It many times overwhelms your thoughts and controls your actions.

The goal of the LIFE community is to equip you with the necessary tools and thinking to come into this amazing business and as quickly as possible have you move through all 3 forms of motivation. When you discover your God-given purpose you will strive daily to get better and you will never feel like your wasting your days. Yes you will labour and yes you will fall and fail but the meaning of your work will take you farther then just recognition or money ever will.

Start today and strive to hit the first level of motivation, Recognition. Run hard to win any promotion your business support team is running. I love spending time with and ( recognizing ) the leaders that decided to get there. When we are loyal and reward the few, long term we will be blessed with the many.

Are you hanging out with your business leaders to gain perspective and belief in certain areas ?

When you hang out with your leaders are you seeking knowledge to grow your business or are you just there for the fun, are you hungry and lit on fire for your dream, what would you do to pursue your purpose ?

Create awesome experiences for your business leaders that are striving for excellence and reward them accordingly with specific promotions that recognize their achievements.

‘Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away’ Unknown.

Make today count, strive for excellence in all you do.

God bless

Wayne

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 2:52 PM EST

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Chris Mattis shares some excellent thought on leadership in the article below. The LIFE Business is filled with leaders the caliber of Mr. Mattis. Orrin Woodward's life is about creating a LIFE Leadership Factory. Are you hungry, honeable, and honorable? If yes, then perhaps you qualify to be part of LIFE's leadership team. 

Replacement Driven Leadership

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 9:52 AM EST

Updated: Thursday, February 21, 2013 9:57 AM EST

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Greg Johnson is a servant leader. His insights and perspectives are worth reading. In this article, he shares his thoughts on a book titled The Serving Leader. Greg, as leader of the Rhino organization in the LIFE Business, mentors with Orrin Woodward and it shows. His teams are growing throughout the country and his leadership is making a difference in many individuals lives.

Everyone loves a good story. Even better is a story that can be personal to you, where parts of the story are really parts of your story. Add to that story lessons that we can learn, that can move us to apply those lessons that are taught. That is what this book does, through a story of a father and son who have little it common or so it seems. How many of us have parents who we can’t seem to please, or who don’t recognize or acknowledge our efforts or accomplishments? This is a story of a father and son who are worlds apart but through tragedy come back together.

This book comes with some pretty powerful contributors with Forwards by Leadership experts Ken Blanchard and Orrin Woodward. Ken Blanchard best known for his book The One Minute Manager, and Whale Done is a legend in the leadership world. Orrin Woodward is the international best-selling author of Resolved and co-author of the NY Times Best Seller; Launching a Leadership Revolution. He is founder of The LIFE company and Independent Association of Business “Leader of the Year”.

The authors of The Serving Leader Ken Jennings Ph.D. and John Stahl-Wert, D. Min. both have extensive education, and a wealth of experience leading and teaching. Mr. Jennings is a past co-director of the Global Leadership in Healthcare Program at University of Michigan Business School, and has a Bachelors in Behavioral Science from the Air Force Academy, and was an adjunct professor at Columbia University Business School. John Stahl-Wert is President and CEO of Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation and on the faculty of Geneva College’s Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership.

“Five Powerful Actions that will Transform your Team, your Business and Your Community” That’s the tag line just below the title describing how this book, The Serving Leader, can impact us.

This book delivers. Read it, then give me your feedback.

I’d love to hear if this book impacted you the way it did me.

I’d love to hear your story.

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 9:52 AM EST

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Matt Mielke was a pharmacist, his wife (Michelle) was a doctor, and now they are both job optional, thanks to the LIFE Business. They mentor with Dan & Lisa Hawkins and Orrin & Laurie Woodward. In this article Matt shares the transformation in his thinking.

It was Saturday afternoon and my family was heading to the University of Wisconsin Badgers football game.  It is a yearly tradition for us to don the Red and White and fanatically cheer with 80,000+ fans in celebration of a hopeful victory for our alma mater.

There was a season in my life when I believed that my entire identity was wrapped up in being a “Badger.”  I was a face painter, I had season football, basketball, and hockey tickets.  I was the first to be in line and last to leave the stadium.  My moods would rise and fall based on if the Badgers won or lost.

Strangely though, if they won my joy lasted about 24 hours, but if they lost, I would be depressed for a week.  Up and down, week after week, I allowed my identity and my emotions to be dictated by something I couldn’t control – a sports team.

My observations over the last 2 decades are that many people, especially the youth, are lacking a personal identity.  As my children grow in age, knowledge, and curiosity, my wife and I spend more time trying to impress upon them the importance of developing a healthy identity in life and not just going along with the crowd.  We often quote best-selling author Chris Brady:

“Whatever way the crowd is going, run the other way!”

How do I know people are struggling to find and express their identity?  Look at the exponential appearance of body art (tattooing) in our country.  It’s an individual’s way to express themselves and say, “Hey, look at who I am.  I’m more than just what you see on the surface.”  Look at the maddening fascination with sports, sports TV, MTV, fantasy sports leagues.  People are trying to grab on to some team, or some symbol that defines who they are.   Recently, we learned one of the most common admission’s to the adolescent wing in a local psychiatric hospital is sexual identity crisis.  Wow, if that isn’t evidence of a lost identity for young people.

There are multiple directions I could go with this post, but I want to focus on one area in particular: the loss of our national identity.

What does it mean to be an American? 

Recently I attended a lecture from best-selling author Oliver Demille at a LIFE leadership convention in Milwaukee, WI.  DeMille described the battle that exists, often undetected, for our families, the sanctity of marriage, morality, free enterprise and freedom in general.  It is a battle that intends to strip us of our identity.

In terms of a national identity, a healthy nation is a group of people with a shared heritage of the past and a shared vision of the future.  This, in essence, is the nation’s IDENTITY.

Demille described how every healthy nation has an identity.  It looks like a giant tree with two main tap roots.  One taproot is a national book (higher authority) and the other is the nation’s epistemology (understanding of truth).  Without them, the nation has no identity and therefore is limited in developing a healthy nation and providing a foundation for the development of healthy individual identities for its people.

DeMille referenced a question posed to Americans over the decades:

 “If you were kicked off the planet, what two books would you take?”

DeMille detailed the surprising and alarming trends that developed over the last half century.  In the 1950′s, the Bible and Declaration of Independence were the predominant answers.  In the 1960′s, the Bible was still the nation’s foundation for truth but the country was starting to lose an identity with a national  document.  By the 1970′s, the answer spaces were left blank, or filled in with a question mark.  And by the 1980′s, people apparently had no idea what documents help us understand our national identity or what we could reference for universal truth. The deficit was glaring as Americans would answer with the title of their favorite song.  In four short decades our source for authority and understanding of truth was stripped away.

Why Do We Need a National Book and What Really is Epistemology?

A national book gives the people a higher authority that people can turn to when questioned.  It provides a foundation to rely upon in times of trouble.  It can also give a historical road map to help a nation and individual to live by.

Epistemology is a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge.  Basically, epistemology helps someone determine if something is true.  Below are some well known examples of how someone can come to understand truth.

• Pragmatism- If it works for me it must be true.
• Aestheticism- If it’s beautiful it must be true.
• Humanism- If most people believe it then it’s true.
• Empiricism – Scientific method has proved it to be true.
• Mathematics, Logic and many others.

The most powerful epistemology today is Credentialism: the “experts” with the most credentials determine what other “experts” say is true and right.  These people are highly educated by other credentialists and have a lot of letters and titles after their names (My wife and I were the poster-children for credentialists).  Doctor of flippity-flop, and director of such-and-such, PhD, MD, CDC, ABCDEFG.  I beg to ask the question, “What if the credentialists aren’t right?”  After all, we’ve lost our framework and foundation for what truth is and I would think that now more than ever, we need to question what the credentialists positions are, what is their message, and what sources are they using as their foundation of truth.

Credentialism is in direct conflict with another powerful epistemology known as Independent Thinking.   Independent Thinking would state that an individual should listen, read and  gather all the data themselves then come to their own conclusion.  Independent Thinking, with the foundation of studying and learning from historical examples, is what established our republic and the prosperity of our nation for the first 150 years.

Where do get your national identity? Do you rely on someone else to tell you what it is, or do you gather the information and study it yourself to make your own conclusions?

In America people are struggling with an identity crisis as the national identity is divided into 2 camps:  The Credentialists (CR) and the Independent Thinkers (IT).  They are in a battle of epic proportions, yet very few see it, or even know it exists.  The CR would have you believe the national truth and identity should come from Freud and Nietzsche, while the IT still believe in the Bible and the Constitution for our truth and identity.

Which nation do you belong to?  Perhaps, it’s a little of both.  For me, I was highly educated, but I had little awareness of the battle going on.  Therefore I wandered around my world with the only identity I could grab – A University of Wisconsin, face-painting, Badger fan.  My identity ran deep and my emotions rose and fell based on the weekly outcome.  One season I’m a loser, the next, a winner.  I was a face-painting credentialist that didn’t know how to lead my family or children.   I learned a lot of book knowledge, but after college, TV took over as the teacher and gave me all the wisdom and examples of how NOT to raise a family and be a good husband.  So I ran around confused, with a broken identity, like so many families and individuals in our world today.

Here’s the Good News!

The business of LIFE is here!!  There is a way, a self-directed education if you will, to gain insight into this battle and  most importantly what you can do about it.  The LIFE business is specifically designed to walk the individual down a path of discovery in 8 specific areas in life: Faith, Family, Finances, Fun, Freedom, Following(leadership), Fitness and Friends.  As the masses walk around grasping for an identity in all the weird places, there is now a map to help them find an identity and a much clearer path toward a life that they always wanted.

I spend less time at Badger games, but  I do spend a lot of time with tens of thousands of friends that are filling up arenas and stadiums around North America celebrating “LIFE” victories.

I still enjoy a good Badger game, but the only thing I paint on my face is a smile for every “LIFE” victory I see.  A true victory that lasts for generations.  A male discovers he can be a “man” in this world and it’s cool.  I love seeing a mother come home, guilt free, to be a stay-at-home mom.  I love seeing someone start making tough decisions with their finances to get out of debt, or to break free from a life-long addiction.  I love seeing marriages saved and extended families reunited after years of conflict.  I love my new LIFE identity and I know you will too.  I invite you to check out for yourself the life you’ve always wanted.

Godspeed on your journey.

Matt

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 12:15 PM EST

Updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2013 12:19 PM EST

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Dan Hawkins shares his perspective on climbing out of the valleys and to the mountaintops of life. The LIFE Business gives everyone a chance. That's it - a chance to succeed. No guarantees, no promise of easy, but a promise that everyone who achieves success would do it again for the results available. Orrin Woodward says, "We don't promise easy, but we do promise worth it." What would you be willing to sacrifice for? Here is Dan's article:

Hello everyone I wanted to share this article by best-selling author Orrin Woodward because it so accurately explains the success Lisa and I have been able to experience in the LIFE business.

It reminds me of a time when the owner of the company I worked for was teasing me about getting into a pyramid scheme. He said something to the effect “The guy on top always makes the most money and you will never really get successful enough to get financially free.” So I asked him a simple question. How can I, as a mechanic working for you, earn more money than you? I am willing to work 24/7, can I out earn you? He stared with a pause and then said, “no, I charge $100 an hour for your time and pay you $25 an hour.” “Even if you worked 24 hours a day I always make more….but thats different, he said.” Yeah, because you are on top of this pyramid!  You would have a different perspective if you where in my shoes! You see, I had no way to advance, no way to make it to his position. I never met a mechanic who achieved financial independence in that field!

When I was introduced to the MLM profession the first thing I noticed was I have a chance. A chance to climb as high as I want with the only limiting factor being my ability to learn and grow my self and my craft. The LIFE business is that chance for you, giving limitless possibilities but requiring you to develop the skills necessary for success. I believe that is what scared me initially. I had a job that I could live a decent life, pay the bills and be comfortable. I did not even need to give it my all and I would get by.  But deep inside, buried by fear, was the desire to climb out of mediocrity and win in life.  I love the quote by Chris Brady, “There is no significance in a safe life and no safety in a significant life.” This profession is filled with people wanting to help you bring our your best. There are so many ways in this world one can achieve success by stepping on others, LIFE in contrast, you succeed by lifting up others.

I am so thankful that the founders of the LIFE business decided to launch a company that levels the playing field for everyone. Dan and Lisa Hawkins will be forever grateful to George & Jill Guzzardo and Orrin and Laurie Woodward for lifting us up and giving us a chance to climb!

Find and fulfill you purpose in LIFE, I dare you!

God bless,

Dan Hawkins

Posted by OrrinWoodward at 11:32 AM EST

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