A Quote to Live By

“You are what you are and where you are because of what has gone into your mind. You can change what you are and where you are by changing what goes into your mind.” Zig Ziglar

This is one of my top three quotes from Dad because it has so directly impacted my life. It is Ziglar wisdom Pure and Simple! What are you putting into your mind?

Following is a list of Podcasts found on iTunes that has really impacted me. I listen to them on my iPod when I work out or when I am in my car. Just go to iTunes and check for them in the Podcast section in the Business or Religion categories.

The List:

Zig Ziglar (of course!) Inspiring Words of Encouragement

Dave Ramsey

Dan Miller – 48 Days

Internet Business Mastery

John Maxwell

Catalyst

Charles Stanley – In Touch

John Eldridge

Ravi Zacharias – Let My People Think

Andy Stanley – North Point

Greg Laurie – A New Beginning

James McDonald – Walk in the Word

Chuck Swindoll – Insight for Living

Matt Chandler – The Village Church

The Economy – What Would Zig Do?

This article is inspired by Anita Foss, one of our subscribers.  She sent me an email yesterday with a great idea.  Here it is:

 

“Dear Tom –

 

 I don’t know about you, but I am getting tired of hearing about the

 wretched state of our economy which is predicted to remain “in the

 tank” for the next 24 months. We cannot turn off the mike on Bernanke

 and the Doomsday Brigade, but we can have faith and pray. Rather than

 continuing to just pray in general for our economy, I have compiled a

 list of the companies that each family member works for. I have asked

 each person in our family to take this list and commit to pray for

 each company every day until Thanksgiving.

 

 Now, I realize if you were to do this with your family, it might be a

 very short list; 🙂 but I wonder if you might encourage other families

 and small groups to do something of this nature.

 

 Let’s pray for our companies to have discipline, wisdom and hope; to

 find opportunities and create solutions.”

 

 Faith, love and prayers for Ziglar –

 Anita Fos

 

This reminds me of what Dad says about times like this.  These are some great quotes and the wisdom contained in them is very deep.

 

Zig Says:

 

“It’s not the economy out there that is the problem, it’s the economy between your ears that is the problem.”

 

“Life is tough, but the tougher you are on yourself (self-discipline) the easier life will be on you.”

 

“How many of you today believe there is something you could do in the next few days that would make your personal life, your family life, or your business life…..worse?  Could I see your hands?  Doesn’t it makes sense that if you could make your life worse, you could also choose to do something that would make your life better?  You are in control and have the ability to make your life either better or worse, the choice is yours.”

 

“You are who you are and what you are because of what has gone into your mind.  You can change who you are and what you are by changing what goes into your mind.”

 

In a follow-up email with me Anita said this:

 

“Have you read “48 days to the Work you Love” by Dan Miller? www.48days.com  I love his ideas about work being an extension of our worship and the direction he provides for people to find the work God created them to do. His podcast, (available on iTunes/career) is full of ideas, inspiration and hope.

On one of his podcasts, he asked the question, “What is most commanded in the Bible?” I guessed it would be to obey or to love, but it was: 

“Do not be afraid.” What a great thing to remember at this time!”

 

This truth is something I have watched first hand with Dad.  His joy, his happiness, is not dependent on his circumstances!  The past year as he has had to Embrace The Struggle with his head injury, I can honestly say I have not seen him discouraged or unhappy about the situation at all.  Instead, he constantly reminds me of everything he has to be grateful for and he focuses on what he can do next to improve his situation and make a difference in someone else’s life. 

 

Dad is the happiest man alive not because of his circumstances here, but because of his faith and hope in our Lord.  The power in this is that circumstances are always changing, but God and His love for us never change. 

 

So how do you get out of the pit if your circumstances have knocked you down?  Another Zig quote for you (I think he quoted someone else on this one!):

 

“Logic will not change an emotion, but action will.”

 

So get busy!  You can start right now.

 

1)         Join Anita – pray for your family and their current work situation.

2)         Do what Dad does – write out a gratitude list and carry it with you.  I bet in a day you can think of 50 things you are grateful for.

3)         Change the economy between your ears – listen to Dad, Dan Miller, Dave Ramsey just to name a few.

4)         Develop an action list of things that will improve your life – and JUST START!

 

Seven Success Keys

 Right now with the economic meltdown going on, or not going on, depending on if it’s Monday or Friday, I think we all want our individual success to depend on us, not on the economy, not our employer, and certainly not the government!  So here are a few keys to consider:

 

1. “You have to be before you can do, and you have to do before you can have,” Zig Ziglar, www.ziglar.com.   Dad lays it out pretty clearly right here.  Success starts with being the right kind of person first.  Build the proper character foundation in your life, then apply it with great work ethic, and only then can you have the things in life you want. 
2. “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want,” Zig Ziglar.  This is the philosophy that guides your be, do, and have mindset.
3. “All great failures are moral failures,” Fred Smith www.breakfastwithfred.com.   Dad’s mentor Fred Smith points out that anytime you see a great failure, it is not because of their intellect, but because of some great moral failure.  The current economic crisis is a perfect example of this.  Greed and instant gratification are the two primary reasons we have a crisis right now.  Isn’t it morally wrong to knowingly encourage someone to take a huge risk?  Isn’t it morally wrong to take a huge risk for no other reason than instant gratification?
4. “The five predictors of success for someone starting and running their own business are passion, talent, determination, self-discipline, and faith,” Dan Miller, No More Mondays, www.48days.com.  Do you have what it takes to be your own boss?  Dan is the go-to guy for advice on this.  How cool would it be to wake up every day doing what you are passionate about? (Trust me, it’s COOL!)
5. “Debt is dumb, cash is king,” Dave Ramsey, www.daveramsey.com. Imagine having no debt in your life.  Would you sleep better?  How much freedom would you have?  Being debt free is a choice and Dave gives you a specific plan of action on how to become debt free.  I must warn you though; the plan is very simple, although not necessarily easy because there are no gimmicks or shortcuts.  It only requires common sense and uncommon discipline!
6. “Eat pure,” Tom Ziglar,  The Purity Diet. The most important asset you have is your health.  The best thing you can do to benefit your health is to eat right.  If you “eat pure” every day you will be amazed at the results.
7. “I’ve heard it, too: Motivation is temporary, and I agree. But then, so is bathing and eating, but if you do both of them on a daily basis you will live longer and smell better in the process,” Zig Ziglar.  What kind of fuel are you running your brain on?  Put the good, the clean, the pure, the powerful and the positive into your brain on a daily basis and the amount of good stuff that comes out will astonish you!