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Wearing Adults Down Game

Sharon Woodard — Tue, 29 May 2012 05:46:18 GMT

Students who challenge our rules, speaking to adults like they don't really care are in the game of "I Can Wear You Down." They know when they start this game that they have already won, because it is a no win game for the teacher, administrator or counselor.

Sometimes the game looks like the student shrugging their shoulders a lot and saying, "I don't know", "I don't care" and sometimes it looks like a student laughing when they are being spoken to in a stern manner and should be taking the lecture seriously, then again, some play the game of "shock and awe" f-bombing an adult usually within ear shot of a peer.

The adult response is almost always:
A) frustration (especially at the shruggers who are an easy group to write off)
changing the original lecture to the "this isn't funny" lecture (equally ineffective as the first lecture, no matter what it was)
C) sending the student to the office with a referral (the "take your sorry attitude somewhere else" response eliminating all possibility of the teacher changing this pattern)
D) all of the above

The missing link in our understanding of 98% of these students is that they have already experienced plenty of adults who:
A) disappear on them
yell constantly at them
C) act more like teenagers than adults
D) give in when they run out of ideas, strategies, patience
E) all of the above

They can learn and they have. They have learned that many adults just cannot be trusted. Although school staff don't feel it is fair that they be judged by the actions (or inaction's) of parents and shouldn't be treated like the adults that have let them down, the truth remains that we usually fall into the losing trap of giving up on the difficult student because well, they're difficult and we're human - and it's understandable that we prefer to teach students who like us or at least respond to our expectations.

Sadly, these are the students who most need us to model that we can be trusted, that we are not just mindlessly demanding their compliance and attention but honestly want to share exciting new ideas and knowledge that they may use to build whatever future they see for themselves.

These are the students who challenge us to be our most resilient, most patient, and most creative. When we dig deep and refuse to let them wear us down, but show up ever day:
A) ready to build rapport, using humor to deflect their attempts to push us away
willing to listen and understand (not sympathize, but really hear them)
C) responding to their signals, but not reacting to their habits
D) differentiating, re-framing, interrupting the pattern
E) ALL of the ABOVE!
most challenging students will find that they enjoy attending the class, contribute before they realize they aren't being the annoying, cool guy, and relax because you are consistently trustworthy, but they'll probably say "he/she's cool" - code for, "I don't mess with this one."

We must remember, that for many of our struggling students, they do not have many, if any relationships with consistently trustworthy adults. They have learned that if they throw up some shrugs, laughs and swear words, that most adults will react and turn on them. This gives them cred with their peers, but more to the point, it proves to them what they already know: that most adults can be worn down and frustrated - and once they are, they give up trying, which takes all the pressure to respond and learn off the student. Game won.

But of course, we know that they really lost. So my question is, why do we allow so many hollow victories?

Don't kick them out.
Don't yell back.
Don't give in.

The swear words are not about you, they reflect their life.
The shrugs are not about you, they indicate loss for the richness of life, their life.
The laughs are hiding how angry they are and anger is always the acceptable emotion compared to sadness, their sadness.

Detention is an exercise in futility = ineffective.
Suspension is a gift from us to them.

Want to change the odds of this game?
Don't give in -
Don't give up.

Almost every one of these students will respond,
when we've proven we are not like the adults they already know.

Quick Change

Sharon Woodard — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:19:45 GMT

From one of my favorite bloggers, Seth Godin:

The quickest way to get things done and make change

Not the easiest, but the quickest:

Don't demand authority.

Eagerly take responsibility.

Relentlessly give credit.

Detaching On Purpose

Sharon Woodard — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:42:58 GMT

Consider that there may come a time when in order to move in a new direction towards purposeful work, the here and now work must be dissolved or diminished. I don't mean literally obliterated, but rather that when a current path, job or relationship has too tight a grip on us, it can feel impossible to detach and step on to the new path. (Insert excuses we can't leave our job, town, or significant other here: ______________)

The act of detaching may seem contrived and easier said than done, but when we practice the art of detachment, it becomes easier to see what we are actually holding on to - or what is holding on to us. Note here: usually what is holding on to us is actually still what we are attached to, such as praise, affection or the comfort of someone else making decisions for us.

We can use intentional detachment everyday, but it does take practice. Why detach? Because when we're in the events of a day, it can be difficult to really see, assess, feel the reality of our circumstances. Have you ever felt after the fact, confused about why you keep allowing a co-worker to talk you into something you really don't want to do? Been in a relationship that you know isn't right, but can't put your finger on why you should walk away? In order to realize what is really going on, we may need to detach and examine what is really motivated our actions.

For a few days, try writing down what close co-workers are saying to you and how you respond. See if you can detect a pattern. If you can't at first, it doesn't mean it's not there. This is not an exercise to catch who is manipulating us, let's be clear, it's to shine the light on what we
respond to, what we allow to manipulate us. Once we uncover a few of these tendencies, it becomes easier to spot what sends us into one of those "bad days" or worse yet, a bad year, decade, career! Remember - no one is doing this to us, we are complicit.

Once we can detach and notice these tendencies in real time, the work of diminishing their hold on us begins, because it is not enough to just observe and detect, if we want to experience real change and live a purposeful life, we must ACT. The hold of a job or relationship that is not in our best interest will release when we detach, detect and then make a different response. Don't agree? Say so. Don't want to spend two more hours working after hours? Go home. Stack a few different choices up and everything will start to feel different. Make decisions that move away from what we have always done and we find new opportunities and friendships emerge - new paths, better days, intentional clarity.

Happy detaching

Back from the Future

Sharon Woodard — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:44:01 GMT

OK, well maybe not the future, but I'm back. I've been writing other blogs, running meetings, directing a nonprofit . . . but I've missed writing here and I'm going to return to what I love: sharing perspectives with those interested in evolving, thinking beyond the surface experiences of a day and challenging ourselves to live a purposeful life.

I'm getting close to starting a new LLC and I'll write more about that in the future. For those of you who stumbled on to my blog and were kind enough to leave a comment and share your thoughts, I thank you and apologize for being an absentee blogger.

Come back and visit -
Blessings,
Sharon

Work for YOU

Sharon Woodard — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:51:00 GMT

With 2010 just days away I imagine there will be plenty of people rethinking their goals, careers and direction. It seems that facing the 1/1 of a year brings that out in us. If working for YOU rather than someone else is on your New Year's radar, I have a good resource for you. Earlier in the month I mentioned Steve Little's free survey to help identify your strengths. If you didn't give that a try, you can still check it out here: Free Survey

I'm also going to recommend Steve's site and program. There is plenty of FREE content on his site that is valuable and gets your mind focused on how to proceed. You can read article, watch videos, listen to audio and participate in forum discussions.

If you are the least bit interested in running your own business, especially online, I encourage you to take a look at Steve's offer. You get to try it for free and if you sign up to be a member, it's on sale for less than $30 a month right now. Steve is on the up and up and he's constantly looking to share great ideas. I will do the same and only share programs that I have tried myself and consider helpful.

Take a look HERE at Steve's info products and see what you think. I hope if you are looking to work for YOU that this will be a helpful and inexpensive resource on your journey.

Happy New Year Everyone!
Sharon

PS - My book The DNA of Success Stories is on sale at my STORE for 50% off the list price.

Discover Your Strengths and More

Sharon Woodard — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:37:00 GMT

A couple days ago I blogged about Steve Little's Entrepreneurial Strengths Survey. Did you take it? If not, you've got to check it out!

Try Steve's Free Survey

I learned a few things about myself I had not thought of and they're making an enormous difference for me in terms of my productivity. If you haven't tried the survey yet, I hope you will take a couple minutes right now.

Once you complete it, Steve will send you your customized 24 page report detailing all of your strengths and weaknesses.

Already took your survey? The following is also available through Steve's site:

• The difference between being an entrepreneur vs. proprietor
• How to find out if you are a Lifestyle Guru or a Growth Maven
• The 11 Golden Rules to running a successful business
• How to master what he calls “The Value Principle”
• How to discover your Entrepreneurial DNA®
• Plus much more.

You've got to check it out - it could be the start to a new and successful path!

What's My Perfect Business?

I'd appreciate your feedback about the value of the survey. If you find it helpful, I hope you will send your friend's here so they can try it too.

To your success,
Sharon

What Am I Meant to Do?

Sharon Woodard — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:58:00 GMT

Last spring I was led to a terrific resource that I want to share with you. Steve Little runs a site packed with value and support to transition you to your perfect career.

He has created an excellent survey that tells you all about your individual entrepreneurial strengths. Then he teaches you how to leverage those strengths into the success you desire with a series of 20 fantastic video lessons.

And he's made it all available to you for fr*ee!

Check it out HERE

It only takes a minute to get your survey results but the insight you get is invaluable. I have personally taken Steve's free survey, watched hours of free videos and completed his course (the course has a fee which is reasonable and worth it, but completely optional.)

Even if you're not looking to start a business, you may be surprised what you learn about yourself - who knows, you might be closer to a new career than you think! Remember, you define what SUCCESS is so why not start with a survey that helps paint your picture.

Let me know what you think: Steve's Free Survey

Sharon

Routine Can Kill Your Dreams

Sharon Woodard — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:27:00 GMT

I subscribe to the Motivation 123 Website. This is a recent article from author Jason Gracia.

Years ago, before starting the Motivation123 Website, I had pockets full of plans and ideas. My mind was in a constant state of activity. As for my reality, nothing ever changed. Nothing in my life went in the directions I had hoped for. It got to the point that I began to doubt whether or not a better life was even possible. Could I change?

Then, while paging through a magazine at the doctor's office, I came across a question, just a short team of words that gripped my attention. It was simple--as most powerful truths are--but it made an immediate impact. And from that day I possessed a key to progress that has served me ever since. Before we get to that answer, however, we need to pin down the problem.

The Killer - In a word, it's routine.

It's the pattern of living that, like molten lava, slowly crawls into adulthood, covering and consuming our hopes, dreams, and ambitions. It's doing the same thing every day because that's what you've always done. It's a vicious circle of repeating actions and events that leads to nowhere. The reason nothing was changing in my life was because I was stuck in a routine. Every day I followed the same basic outline of living: wake, work, sleep, repeat. I had new ideas, to be sure, but my actions were old. Then I was hit with the truth while waiting - for what seemed like weeks - in my doctor's waiting room.

At this point you might be thinking to yourself that the most important question to answer is 'What do I want?' If you don't yet have clearly defined goals, you're right. For a series of insightful exercises designed to help you uncover the goals and life purpose that are right for you, visit: http://www.motivation123.com/prd-gdc.html

The sad reality is that most people never realize what is happening until it's too late. That is the skill and cunning of habit and routine. It wraps its arms around the minutes and hours of your life, distracting and luring you into autopilot, into a dazed mode of living. All the while, the little time you have to construct your ideal experiences is being sucked away, stolen.

Routine is a murderer. It kills hope and the chance for change. It blinds us to the truth and with a scalpel cuts away our goals and ideas. Routine puts a hand in the face of growth and improvement, leaving room for nothing but the same. You need a way out of the routine. And for me, the way out came in the form of a question:

'If you continue to follow the same patterns, what are the chances you'll ever experience the things you want to do and ever become the person you hope to be?'

I read the sentence again. What would my chances be? Things hadn't worked out so far, so why would doing the same thing result in anything different?

My Realization - I had my answer. My chances were none.

I would never do the things I had always thought about, never grow into the character I hoped for. If I followed the same routines, the same patterns, I could expect pretty much what I had been getting. For some, this is the perfect scenario. But for me, I wanted more. I knew how much life had to offer and I wanted to dive in head first. I wanted to experience it all and live a life worth living again.

I looked around the office, looked at the people next to me. None of us would reach that place without a change in pattern. We were all trapped in a circle of habit. This brings us face to face with a truth that most men and women would rather avoid. It's relieving to let our goals live in 'someday.' We don't have to worry about never attaining them. Instead, we can put them off and fool ourselves.

'It will happen someday.' No, it won't. The truth is, if you don't change your routine now, you will never reach those goals. You will never wake up to a life that matches the one in your mind. Never. Don't hide from this. Accept it. Embrace it. Use it to smash through the chains of routine and drive you into a new way of life, into a new pattern of progress.

This is the first step. Realizing a change is needed is the beginning of something amazing - but it is only the beginning. Would you like to continue the process? If so, visit the address below. It will show you a new way to think about motivation - the key to changing
your patterns and your life. Believe it or not, inner drive (that feeling that makes you want to get up and do what it takes) is a switch
that can be turned on and off at will.

All you need to know are six simple steps to make it happen. To discover what they are and to begin using them today, visit: http://www.motivation123.com/prd-tmm.html

Routine may be a killer, but it can only work in the shadows. Now that you know it's there, you can stop the damage, stop the patterns, and start something new.

My Best,
Jason M. Gracia
Founder & President
www.motivation123.com

I want to add that routine done in a conscious way to change behaviors that do not serve your goals can be positive. I like that Jason identifies routine as a killer here - I would only add that it is usually unconscious routine that sucks our time away. I hope you enjoyed this guest post and will check out Jason's site. sw

Consistency Supports Success

Sharon Woodard — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:38:00 GMT

This is my own wake up call to keep up with this blog! Of course, what we consistently do creates our reality, so we need to be sure that we are consistently doing what it is we actually want. I want to connect to others who are interested in the process of success, personal growth and effective team-building. I coach, consult and teach . . . and I'm working on adding blogger, so although the consistency is still a work in progress, I'm a tenacious person and I'll be a (consistent) blogger soon enough.

Thanks for checking on my Success Blog and I hope you'll return soon.

I also have a blog (which does have recent entries) on Education topics: Maestro Educator

Do you have a copy of The DNA of Success Stories yet? It's a good read and I'm a co-author! My chapter is called "Embrace Your Journey." There are also chapters by Jack Zufelt, Jack Canfield and Brian Tracy - big time, right?

You can order your copy here: The DNA of Success Stories

Success for Peace

Sharon Woodard — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:16:00 GMT

So I am an advocate for peace, nonviolence and the elimination of nuclear weapons from our planet. Although it was unexpected, I was pleased to see the Nobel Peace committee choose our President, not for what he has done, but for what he aspires to for all of us - Americans and everyone else who lives on the earth. I consider this award a SUCCESSFUL sign for humans. Below is the letter the President sent today to those who supported him at election time:

Sharon --

This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.

This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.

So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.

Thank you,
President Barack Obama

I know there are many who do not support our current preseident's ideology, but I hope we can put aside our differing opinions for just a day and agree to aspire to a peaceful world where no child wakes to bombs or terror. Peace

Human Math for Success

Sharon Woodard — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:46:00 GMT

If you're like me, you may be a wee bit math phobic, but this is not Algebra or Calculus - it's Human Math. Check around you, in your personal life, in your professional life and notice the math that is all around you. Consider in the "blink of an eye" whether someone is an adder subtracter,multiplier or divider in your life. Your first gut impression is probably accurate. For a success model that works in all areas, you need to understand Human Math.

Hopefully you are surrounded by adders and multipliers. An adder can be spotted easily by their willingness to get something done,brighten your day - a glass half full personality. Multipliers are not as easily spotted because there are not as many of them running around. A multiplier brings top value to most if not all situations. They are always considering how to make everyone else look good, how to improve a situation that most others have given up on long ago. They are outstanding coaches, mentors and leaders. If you have a mutiplier in your life, feel grateful and learn as much as you can about how they go about creating their math every day.

On the other side of the math equation are the subtracters and dividers. Everyone has their moments of subtraction when it's difficult to see the up side of a situation, but a friend or coworker that is in subtraction mode more than 50% of the time is distracting, defers responsibility, makes a lot of excuses and usually plays the devil's advocate. Being in constant communication with a subtracter can be draining and at the very least unproductive. If you are the subtracter, you must work to get to the plus side of the equation as soon as possible. It's just not possible to be happy and successful when you are constantly taking away from the situation, not giving back and not producing value.

The final and most dangerous of the human math problems are the dividers. You can easily spot a divider in any group. First of all, they function in the group as, you guessed it, a divider! They will not only be distracting, full of excuses and disrupting, but they will habitually need others to do the same. A divider is not happy unless they have other unhappy,disgruntled allies. A divider feels more empowered when they can get others to agree with them. Their motives are not to improve a situation, but to break down those who are attempting to lead, especially if they are not getting enough attention. This will feel intimidating to a divider and they will always go into massive divider action. I assume if you are reading this page and you are interested in how to create authentic success, you are not a divider. What I encourage you to do is to look at who is in your life and be sure you are not trying to create success with a divider - it' just doesn't happen. You will either be sucked into their negative energy or you will spend all of your positive energy just trying to stay in the black.

So this is HUMAN MATH. I hope you are creating an equation for success that includes at least one multiplier. Work with and for those who are into addition - not just for money sake, but to create value of all kinds: knowledge, time, creativity, fun! Work and play as an adder and aspire to be a multiplier and success will surely come to you.

Gratitude and Creativity

Sharon Woodard — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:42:00 GMT

Having a daily method for expressing our gratitude helps us remain in creative energy rather than dropping into competitive-mode. It's not to deny that competition exists, can be exciting and has it's merits, but chasing success through competitive experiences eventually leads to failure. Look at athletes who learn to be creative with their fame compared to those who just want to win and be famous. Time and time again, we see the fall of the mighty because they go to any lengths to keep winning (even stooping to cheating) or just act out because they can no longer physically compete but they long to still be relevant and known.

Being in a state of gratefulness keeps us in touch with all of our gifts, not just the those that are superior to others. It leads us to paths for giving back and that keeps the creative juices flowing.

Today I feel grateful for a wonderful September rain, hearing my grandmother and mother's voices on the phone, hearing my husband laugh, knowing my sons are well . . . .

A win is a win is a win, but endless connection to creativity, growth and love makes everyday successful.

Wasted Youth to Successful Adult

Sharon Woodard — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:59:00 GMT

I took a few days off for my birthday - yup, I'm a Leo. Today's excerpt from The DNA of Success Stories comes from Jeff Brown. Jeff was a smart boy, but chose the path of peer acceptance, playing the "bad boy": boozing, stealing, sex and jail. Obviously Jeff gets his act together since he is an author in this book about success.

Here is an excerpt from Jeff Brown's chapter:

After getting out of jail, I continued on the same crazy path. I managed to be sent to just about every prison in the state of Maryland by the time I was twenty four. My mother finally got sick of me and threw me out of her house. I lived on the streets for about six months, sleeping in old houses. I wasn't trusted anywhere I went. My life was a mess. I had tried everything that I could think of to change, but nothing worked. I came to the conclusion that I was meant to be a bum. A failure. I just wanted to die.

. . . After I took an assignment at John Hopkins Hospital, I was shocked and thrilled to hear, "Jeff, meet Dr. Carson."

How does Jeff go from self-described bum to working at John Hopkin's Hospital? I invite you to read Jeff's complete story and purchase your own copy of The DNA of Success Stories. I am offering the lowest price available for The DNA of Success Stories while I am blogging excerpts from the book.

Learn 20 routes to success from co-authors, including Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, and ME!

Click Here for your Half Price copy.

Master Your Mind

Sharon Woodard — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:23:23 GMT

There is an excellent book you can download that I recommend. It is called "Master Your Mind, Design Your Destiny." The book is by Adam Khoo who has a rags to riches story; I mean RICHES! What Khoo shares in this book is not just about making money. If you are stuck in those regards, it will surely help, but his steps and insights can be applied to just about anything you desire to achieve.

> Find out the difference between a Goal and a Must
> How our level of acceptance, not our expectations defines what we get
> The three patterns of choice after a failure

As an educator I was fascinated by his story of being a young student deemed almost unteachable. He was placed in the the lowest schools in his country spending endless hours on video games and television. He had to will himself off a path destined to lead to struggle and heartache.

Khoo's book had information that had immediate application in my personal life and career.
Click below to go to a page about Khoo's book and how to purchase your own copy:

I'm interested in "Master Your Mind, Design Your Destiny"

"Embrace Your Journey"
Sharon

Manifesting Success

Sharon Woodard — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:29:00 GMT

I am back with a new excerpt from The DNA of Success Stories compiled by Jack Zufelt. This chapter written by married couple and business partners Mark and Kim McGinnis is called "Manifesting Passive Income." They conduct seminars and mentor people interested in creating a passive income while they do what they love with their precious time. Here is an excerpt from their chapter:

We made virtually every mistake humanly possible, took every wrong turn, and spent a slew of money that brought us to the brink of bankruptcy. Yet we triumphed!

The hard part is doing the right things consistently until you win the prize you seek. It takes commitment and inner drive. It takes knowledge and the right applications of that knowledge.

Know this: it isn't easy but it is worth it. You will be tried and tested. Your level of resolve and your true passion will see you through all challenges . . . if certain ingredients are there.

For more of Kim and Mark's story of success from the throes of failures, get yourself a copy of The DNA of Success Stories. Their insights and the stories from 20 additional authors are available at my store for HALF PRICE while I am blogging excerpts from the book.

I think Jack Canfield's chapter is worth the $9.97 by itself, but there is one great story after another and I hope you will check it out.

"Embrace Your Journey"
Sharon

Are We Born to Succeed?

Sharon Woodard — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:39:00 GMT

I have enjoyed all of Malcolm Gladwell's books: The Tipping Point, Blink, and now Outliers. In his third book, Gladwell (who is a staff writer for The New Yorker) makes an interesting case for how the most successful people get to the highest of the highs in their area o(f expertise/career and become "Outliers".

Since we're talking about success here, I wanted to recommend this great read. Yes, it takes intellect, talent, perhaps physical prowess to be at the top of any given field, but Gladwell tells one story after another that also makes the case for:

1) when outliers were born
2) where grew up
3) what family they were born to
4) their culture and/or religion
5) and the BIGGIE: how much TIME was spent (i.e. professional musicians = 10,000+ hours)

There are stories about Bill Gates, the Beatles, hockey pros, concert violinists,why Asian students outperform Americans in math (not the reason you think...not that I know what you're thinking!)and many more. I enjoy reading Gladwell because he challenges myths and creates new perspectives to consider.

Although not an "Outlier" (yet!), I saw myself in this book. How did I first experience success ? My father had a connection to a music teacher when I was in fifth grade, which meant I was placed on the correct instrument from the get go, so it felt easy, so I practiced hours and hours longer than any of my peers (talent, yes, but practice - YES!), which improved my odds of getting a spot with the best clarinet teacher in the state, who I had to practice long hours to please . . . which got me a free ride to college . . . (which meant my sons had a huge advantage in the area of music: exposure, access, experiences) . . . for me, it meant I had a chance to experience success at a young age, then follow my path and recreate success along the way.

This is a sister blog post to my education blog: http://maestroeducator.wordpress.com which discusses the implications for educators of Gladwell's book.

What does this mean for those of us in the field of creating and sustaining success? The short answer is to pay attention to what is right around us, right under our nose and when we are passionate enough to spend a ton of hours on something we care about, we have a huge leg up on the thousands upon thousands who do not, will not. Tenacity is a massive tool in the success equation.

Check out more of my success journey in The DNA of Success Stories
"Embrace Your Journey"

The DNA of Success Stories

Sharon Woodard — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:19:00 GMT

The DNA of Success Stories features three world famous authors and 18 additional co-authors with a wide variety of expertise. This is a great value (not just because I'm an author, but that's a good reason! ) but because there's a ton of great information and inspiration crammed into 200 pages. It's a quick read with many "aha" moments - read it fast or a chapter at a time.

I've given you some excerpts already and there are many to come. I hope you will go back and check out the posts:

Jack Zufelt - Success Expert, "Mentor to Millions", author of The DNA of Success

Brain Tracy - Speaker and author of 45 books

Jack Canfield - Co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series

and co-authors:

Marilyn Renna - "Wake Up, Open Your Eyes"

Dr. Lori Barr - "Mental Tattoos"

Jeane McMullen - "S-O-A-R-I-N-G: Rise Above and Beyond the Common and Ordinary"

Coming Soon:
Manifesting Passive Income
The Truth Will Make You Free
Create the Dream

I'll be back soon ~
Sharon

Soaring Above Adversity

Sharon Woodard — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:51:00 GMT

Tonight I am highlighting a chapter written by Jeanne McMullen in Jack Zufelt's The DNA of Success Stories. Jeanne writes her personal journey from an abusive childhood and difficult marriage to the successful life she leads today. Jeanne is a psychosomatic and biofeedback therapist in Canada helping clients create balance in their lives physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Here is an excerpt from Jeanne's chapter entitled "S-O-A-R-I-N-G: Rise Above and Beyond the Common and Ordinary":

Sunshine lifts the dark clouds and gives life and light from which comes growth.
Oxygen is the first crucial essential of life and is the most important nutritional requirement for existence.
Attitude is everything. It takes a good attitude to soar emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually.
Rest physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually restores and heals the body.
Inspiration is a life force from God and from others He places in your life.
Nutrition can be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.
Gratitude is a healthy way to see all that you have and those you love and who love you.

Having dealt with and overcome so many extremely difficult personal challenges, I can honestly say to anyone who faces hard, scary battles, do not despair -
You can create a life where you are soaring high, above and beyond what is painful, sad, hard, common and ordinary. If I can do it, anyone can. J. McMullen

I have experienced the positive influence of the suggestions listed in Jeanne's "SOARING" model. I am currently working on my aversion to sleeping enough and when I care for myself enough to sleep well, I always feel better. I've been a slow learner in this particular area, but I'm still working at it! Spending time each day reflecting on what I am grateful for has been a crucial key to a better attitude - I believe these two go hand in hand.

I am studying materials created by Eben Pagan. Eben suggests that we make the conscious effort to create daily routines that support us on all planes. If we have daily habits that incorporate Jeanne McMullen's SOARING suggestions, we will be well on our way to feeling significantly better. When we feel well it is much easier to focus on what needs to happen for our definition of success. It might just be that having the entire SOARING model in your daily life is your definition of success.

Read Jeanne's full story and the stories of 20 other authors in The DNA of Success Stories. There is inspiration, truth, great advice and many "aha's" packed into a fast 200 page read. You can purchase The DNA of Success Stories for HALF the LIST PRICE at my store while I am blogging excerpts from each chapter. If this is your first visit, check out past posts to read excerpts from Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy and more.

"Embrace Your Journey"
Sharon

Change Your Thoughts to Change Your Results

Sharon Woodard — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:17:00 GMT

I'm back with a new excerpt from Jack Zufelt's The DNA of Success Stories. Dr. Lori Barr's chapter is entitled "Mental Tattoos". She has a fascinating chapter about the conscious and subconscious mind in regards to success and the mental tattooing that occurs when we come face to face with news of a serious illness. Dr. Barr is a physician and teacher of human possibility. Here is Dr. Barr's excerpt:

Your thoughts are responsible for your results. The feeling mind, or subconscious mind, does not have the ability to reject an idea. It can only accept whatever the conscious mind allows inside and considers important. It is called the feeling mind because this is where our memories are stored and where we form habits that create our paradigms . . .

Conscious mind is the place where we can exercise six mental muscles to help us improve the performance of our subconscious mind. Through conscious use of all six intellectual faculties, you can banish worry, fear and doubt and reclaim your success attitude. These six intellectual faculties, or mental muscles, are: imagination, intuition, memory, will, perception and reason.

The body is an instrument of your being: it is not who you are, it is something you use and have. The subconscious mind, through feelings, sets up vibration that affects the physical body and the physical body responds with action. The actions lead to results . . . If you are seeking long term change, you must change your thoughts.

Dr. Barr touches on more in her chapter and I hope you will consider purchasing The DNA of Success Stories and visiting Dr. Barr's site to learn more. A book that I highly recommend for a thorough and really interesting explanation of this topic is The Biology of Belief by Bruce Lipton.

As I mentioned in a former post, Psych-K is an easy process for releasing stuck subconscious thoughts that are blocking your desire to change and experience more success. Although many will be able to release subconscious ("mental tattoos") using the six intellectual processes as described in Dr. Barr's excerpt, others are wired for a kinesthetic and or visual process to release stuck thoughts. That is where Psych-K, or a similar process, can be especially beneficial. Just rest assured that you do not have to go through life stuck with everything that has ever been stored in your subconscious mind - especially the unhealthy, unproductive stuff!

During these days that I am blogging excerpts from The DNA of Success, you can purchase the book for HALF PRICE on my site. I am chapter 21: Embrace Your Journey.

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Tips for Asking Great Questions to Get Results

Sharon Woodard — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:24:00 GMT

We are on the fifth excerpt from Jack Zufelt's The DNA of Success Stories. The chapter entitled "Ask, Ask Ask" is written by Chicken Soup for the Soul originator Jack Canfield. He is also the bestselling author of The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. This chapter is loaded with terrific material and helpful tips. Here is an excerpt from Jack's chapter with 5 specific strategies for asking questions that lead to results:

There's a specific science to asking for and getting what you want or need in life . . . here are a few quick tips to get you started:

1. Ask as if you expect to get it. Ask with a positive expectation. Ask from the place where you already have been given it. It's a done deal. Ask as if you expect a yes.

2. Assume you can. Don't start with the assumption that you can't get it. If you are going to assume, assume you can get an upgrade. Assume you can get a table by the window. Assume you can return it without a sales slip. Assume that you can get a scholarship, that you can get a raise, that you can get tickets at this late date. Don't ever assume against yourself.

3. Ask someone who can give it to you. Qualify the person, "Who would I have to speak to to get . . .? " "Who is authorized to make a decision about . . . ?" "What would have to happen for me to get . . . ?"

4. Be clear and specific . . . Don't say: "I want a raise". Do say: "I want a raise of $500 a month". When it comes to when you want something done, don't say "soon" or whenever it's convenient." Give a specific date and time . . . When it comes to behavior requests, be specific. Say exactly what you want the person to do.

5. Ask repeatedly. One of the most important principles of success is persistence, not giving up. (italics are mine)

Easy to understand, but potentially powerful. Notice if you have blocks to asking questions. These often show up as judgments, assumptions or worries about what someone will think if we ask the question. If you discover a mental or emotional block to asking vital questions, consider hiring a success or life coach to help you remove the barriers. It will be worth the investment if you can "Ask, Ask, Ask" for what you want and need the rest of your life!

I hope you enjoyed the Jack Canfield excerpt and now I am going to ask a question: Will you comment on this post before you leave the site?

If you enjoyed this post and want to read Jack Canfield's full chapter and the success stories of 20 other authors, click this link: HALF PRICE blogging special for The DNA of Success Stories compiled by Jack Zufelt.

Embrace Your Journey ~