1) Work ethic is a foreign concept
2) Disrespect of authority is commonplace
3) Showing off is more important than showing up
4) Negative self-talk is the internal language
5) General negativity abounds

What is going on?! One word…MEDIA. I am not talking specifically about news sources (although I haven’t found one yet that I would recommend to kids…or adults for that matter…), but rather all sources of media that we are exposed to…Television, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines, Internet etc…

Name an example of a television program that shows the positive traits of work ethic and respect for authority. What popular athletes and/or celebrities are examples of humble, thankful, and positive people that understand where their blessing come from? Ok…Tim Tebow…ONE! Have you listened to the radio recently? It is amazing what the DJ’s talk about between playing songs that glorify all of the behavior listed above. Keep your eye on your kids’ Facebook and Instagram accounts…I have had to “unfriend” and “unfollow” several of my kids “friends” that are helping to perpetuate the problem by posting things that are generally inappropriate.

Whoever controls the media, controls the world. Are you being intentional when it comes to the media that you allow into your home? More specifically, are you being intentional about what media you allow into your kids impressionable brains? I personally do everything that I can to make sure my kids have media options like great books and cd’s that teach basic Christian principles of success. I do what I can to be an example and a source of information for that kids that I coach in the Spring as well. But, if we are going to turn the tide, more parents need to intercede and actually parent rather than allow the media to raise a generation of punks.

I think it’s important for us to think correctly about what our brain actually does for us. I was at a leadership seminar several years ago, and after we were all seated and the keynote speaker was introduced, he came to the podium and said, “Gee…it was nice of ya’ll to show up, but you could have just dropped your brain off at your chair and took your body back to your hotel room to relax.” What a great way to help us understand that we were there to purposely put information into our brains! I know, I know…we all understand that our brain is the organ in our body that processes information, but almost no one understands the importance of being intentional with what information we put into our brains.

My 5-year-old daughter came skipping out of her Sunday school class last Sunday singing a song that many of us have heard and probably even sang as a child…”Be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little eyes what you see (for the Father up above is looking down in love…). Be careful little ears what you hear. Oh be careful little ears what you hear”. When we got home, we talked with her and our other 2 children about the importance of being careful with what we put into our brains through our eyes and our ears (the only 2 ways to get info in there!). We thought back through our day and talked about what we allowed into our brains. Gospel cd on the way to church…good. Sunday school and church service…good. Bible reading…good. Sponge Bob Square pants cartoon while Mom and Dad where getting ready for church…BAD!

On your success journey, program your brain with specific intent. Decide what you will allow and what you will not allow into your supercomputer. Read great books, listen to inspirational audio recordings, watch uplifting movies, surround yourself with people who will encourage and inspire you. And if you ever find yourself sitting on your couch “mindlessly” watching television, take a moment to picture your brain sitting there soaking up every bit of that information…maybe that will help you put things into perspective!

God bless you on your journey…

Once you set your mind on a goal and begin acting on it, there will be absolutely NOTHING that can keep you from your goal except YOU!  If you will resolve to persist no matter what, you will have it.  It may take more time than you anticipated…it may not be attained in exactly the manner in which you had originally designed, but if you will doggedly persist…it’s yours.

Here are 4 ways to develop persistence according to Napoleon Hill:

1) START WITH A DEFINITE PURPOSE BACKED BY A BURNING DESIRE FOR ITS FULFILLMENT

2) HAVE A DEFINITE PLAN, EXPRESSED IN CONTINUOUS ACTION

3) CLOSE YOUR MIND TIGHTLY AGAINST ALL NEGATIVE AND DISCOURAGING INFLUENCES (including negative suggestions or relatives, friends and acquaintances)

4) FORM A FRIENDLY ALLIANCE WITH ONE OR MORE PERSONS WHO WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH BOTH YOUR PLAN AND PURPOSE

The 10 Major Causes of Failure in Leadership

1) INABILITY TO ORGANIZE DETAILS – Leaders that don’t get personally organized and acquire the skill of delegating less important tasks will forever be “too busy” for success.

2) UNWILLINGNESS TO RENDER HUMBLE SERVICE – Taking a “that task is beneath me” attitude will always lead to failure.  Pride c0mes before the fall.

3) EXPECTATION OF PAY FOR WHAT THEY “KNOW” INSTEAD OF WHAT THEY “DO” – “To know and not to do is not to know.”

4) FEAR OF COMPETITION FROM FOLLOWERS – It is an eternal truth that men receive more for their ability to get others to perform, than they could possibly earn by their own efforts alone.

5) LACK OF IMAGINATION – A leader must be capable of meeting emergencies and creating plans by which to guide his followers efficiently.

6) SELFISHNESS – The great leader claims none of the honors.  Give away the credit for successes and take responsibility for failures.

7) INTEMPERANCE – Leaders that lack restraint (whether when indulging in food, alcohol or other things) lose the respect of their followers.

8) DISLOYALTY – Possibly the biggest reason for leadership failure.  Lack of loyalty is one of the major causes of failure in every walk of life.

9) EMPHASIS ON THE “AUTHORITY” OF LEADERSHIP – Lead by serving…not by force.

10) EMPHASIS OF TITLE – Lead by serving…not by position.

Most people refuse to believe that they are being “trained” how to think, but the fact is that our thinking is shaped by our inputs, and our inputs are not good!  What was the last success principle that your learned from the evening news?  How about your “morning drive” talk show?  A business mentor once told me, “if you want to change some things in your life, you will have to change some things in your life”!  The best way to change things, is to change your inputs.

Read and study great books, listen to cd’s and mp3 downloads that fill your mind with positive success principles, associate with people who refuse to settle for mediocrity.  Just as importantly, eliminate the other inputs from your life!  Watch this short video from a highly successful entrepreneur from Canada, Claude Hamilton.  Claude has mastered the skill of feeding the positive and starving the negative.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtjCyf1NuLM

Do you want to change something?  Then, change something!

Tim’s way of communicating, and his willingness to share some of his most painful, yet life shaping experiences, make this a book that you will not want to put down!  It will be a part of the LIFE subscription next month, so if you are on subscription it will be on its way to your doorstep in your April delivery!  Thank you, Tim, for your willingness to share with the world so that we may use some of the lessons from your life to improve our lives.

A man was walking down the streets of New York when he was approached by a shoe shine vendor.  “Sir,” said the vendor “Let me shine those shoes for you…they really need it!”  The man mostly ignored the vendor and mumbled “No thanks” as he quickly walked past the shoe shine stand.  A little further down the sidewalk the man was approached by a second shoe shine vendor. “Hey, those shoes look bad!  Let me take care of them for you” said the second vendor.  ”No thanks…I don’t have time” said the man.

As the man continued to walk he approached a third shoe shine stand.  The vendor was slowly getting up from his seat as the man approached, and the man could hear the vendor counting…”97, 98, 99, 100…Excuse me sir” said the vendor.  “Today is my birthday, and every year on my birthday… to celebrate another year that God has given me on this Earth…I offer the 100th person that passes my shoe shine stand a free shoe shine.  Would you do me the honor?”  “Well of course” said the man.

The shoe shine vendor worked diligently on the man’s shoes, and when he had completed the job, the man thanked him and began to walk away.  “Let me ask you a question” the man said turning back toward the vendor.  “How much do you normally charge for a shoe shine?”  “Just five dollars sir” replied the vendor.  “Well, I tell you what” said the man.  “Since you did such a great job…and since it’s your birthday…here’s ten dollars.  Keep the change.”  “Why thank you!” said the vendor and the man began to walk away.

As the man continued to walk he could hear over his shoulder “…97, 98, 99, 100″

The lady next to me on the stationary bike was pedaling so slowly that I had to watch carefully to notice if the pedals were actually moving…she was able read a book and return texts during her “workout”.  Unfortunately, that will be the same lady that will quit “working out” because she isn’t seeing any results, and she’ll tell her friends that her body doesn’t respond well to exercise.  The fella doing the bench press had WAY more weight than he should have been lifting on the bar.  I kept a close eye on him because I really thought that I would have to save his life. He’ll really hurt himself at some point and then he’ll quit working out and say “I have nagging injuries that prevent me from working out”.

No one quits anything worthwhile without finding an excuse.  Most people have such fragile egos that they would rather quit (even though they intuitively know that the activity is worthwhile) than look inward and say “is there something that I am doing wrong that is preventing me from getting results?” (see cartoon above!) Successful people are constantly asking the question “what can I do better that will improve my results”.  Let’s face it…properly working out using proven methods creates results in everyone that will put in the effort over time.

If you’re not getting the results you want in life, maybe it’s time to shut the door on the excuses and take a careful look at the person that is in the driver’s seat of your life…that would be you.  Are you willing to take input from people who have proven results, and work on you?  A business mentor once told me “your best thinking has created your current results in life”. Putting the excuses aside, changing my thinking and taking input from successful people has made all the difference for me.

High School career-

-Led his High School team to a 32-1 record his senior year and won the State Championship in California

-First team All-State selection

-Northern California Player of the Year in 2006

RESULT = Minimal college interest and NO SCHOLARSHIP!

What did he do?  PERSIST!!

College Career-

-Walk-on player at Harvard

-Sophomore year – starting guard and selected All-Ivy League second team.

-Junior year- All-Ivy League FIRST TEAM selection

-Led his teams to wins over 17th ranked Boston College and #1 ranked North Carolina

-Senior year- averaged 16.4 pts./ 4.4 rebounds/ 4.5 assists/ 2.4 steals/ 1.1 blocked shots

-Finalist for the John Wooden award and Bob Cousy award

-ESPN’s 12 most versatile players in College basketball

-First player in Ivy League history to finish his career with at least 1450 pts./ 450 rebounds/ 400 assists/ 200 steals

- Graduated with a degree in Economics in 2010

RESULT = 2010 Draft UNDRAFTED…minimal interest from pro teams

What did he do?  PERSIST!

NBA Career -

-8 teams allowed him to come to pre-draft workouts

-Dallas Mavericks let him play in the summer league with the team

-Signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Golden State Warriors following summer league play

-On roster for first game, but listed as “inactive”

-3 times demoted to Warriors D-League affiliate Reno Bighorns

-His Warriors coach said he kept him in the D-League because “he’s a minimum, inexpensive asset.  You need to look at him as developing…is he going to be a Superstar? NO!”

-Jeremy’s response – “part of being on a team is putting your ego aside…”

-December 9, 2011- waived on the first day of training camp (60 days away from $800,000 guaranteed contract)

-Claimed off waivers by the Houston Rockets – waived before start of season.

-January 17th, 2013 – claimed off waivers by the New York Knicks and immediately sent to the D-League Erie Bay Hawks.

-January 20th, 2012 – Due to injuries to Knicks starters, Lin is brought in to a starting lineup in his first NBA game.

RESULT = 25pts./5 rebounds/ 7 assists and a win over the New Jersey Nets

Second NBA game = 28pts./ 8 assists and a win over the Utah Jazz

Third NBA game = 38pts./ 7 assists and a win over the L.A. Lakers outscoring All-Star Kobe Bryant by 4 pts.

Fourth NBA game = 20 pts./ 8 assists and a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves

Fith NBA game = 27 pts./ 11 assists and a game winning 3-point shot against the Toronto Raptors!!

-Currently has scored more points in his first 5 NBA starts than ANY player in NBA history since the merger…just AHEAD of Shaquille O’neil!

Here is what Kobe Bryant had to say about Lin after the Knicks beat the Lakers and Lin had a career high 38 pts…”When a player is playing that well, he doesn’t just come out of nowhere…it just seems like it. Go back and take a look at where he’s been…”

Here’s the deal…Jeremy Lin is no overnight success.  He is a talented, tenacious, hard-working professional basketball player that was overlooked because of his size, and over-all athletic ability.  Nobody knew the size of his heart nor understood his mastery of the game.  Because he never gave up, and he continued to  work hard and prepare, he was ready when his opportunity came.  PERSIST!!

Click here to watch Lin’s last second game winning 3-point shot against the Toronto Raptors… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkkgsvfDgfM