by Jim Cathcart

Give customer loyalty instead of seeking it…and it will seek you too!

Enjoy my current article in C-Suite Quarterly (CSQ) Magazine. (Note you may need to increase the image on your screen for easy reading. Or drop me an email and I’ll send you the PDF file.)

To contact Jim Cathcart call 805 777 3477 or email jim@cathcart.com
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by Jim Cathcart

If you want to get the “original” messages in the field of human development, you really have to go back a long way.

I’ve been in the “Motivation” business for over 32 years now. But, lest you think I was a pioneer, take a look at Peter Legge’s article below. The field of Self-Improvement has been around a very long time and it has some impressive credentials. After you read Peter’s article read my epilogue about the folks I’ve been privileged to know and work with in this business.

Insight by Peter Legge Volume 21, Issue 35

September 7, 2009

The Birth of Self Help – Is 150 Years Old!

Have you ever thought about who started the “self help” “inspiration” “motivation” “leadership” phenomena?

Where did the literary greats and positive success authors come from and who influenced the Dale Carnegie’s, the Orison Swett Marden’s, the Writings of Og Mandino and W. Clement Stone, Norman Vincent Peale, Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill and others?*

At the Speakers Roundtable 2009 Conference in Westlake Village California, member Danny Cox put on a “Links to the Past – strength for the future” presentation seminar.

*The answer to this question was Samuel Smiles (1812-1904). He wrote the first book “Self Help” which was published in 1859, some 150 years ago.

Samuel Smiles, the eldest of eleven children, was born on 23^rd December, 1812. Samuel’s parents ran a small general store in Haddington in Scotland. After attending the local school he left at fourteen and joined Dr. Robert Lewins as an apprentice.

After making good progress with Dr. Lewins, Smiles went to Edinburgh University in 1829 to study medicine. While in Edinburgh, Smiles became involved in the campaign for parliamentary reform. During this period he had several articles on the subject published by the progressive Edinburgh Weekly Chronicle.

Smiles graduated in 1832 and found work as a doctor in Haddington.

In 1837 Samuel Smiles began contributing articles on parliamentary reform for the Leeds Times. The following year he was invited to become the newspaper’s editor. Smiles decided to abandon his career as a doctor and to become a full-time worker for the cause of political change.

In the 1850s Samuel Smiles completely abandoned his interest in parliamentary reform. Smiles now argued that self-help provided the best route to success. His book Self-Help, which preached industry, thrift and self-improvement, was published in 1859. Samuel Smiles died on 16^th April, 1904.

Here are 20 Samuel Smiles quotes. I am sure you can see his influence in modern day “self help” books.

1. A place for everything, and everything in its place.
2. An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing.
3. Enthusiasm… the sustaining power of all great action.
4. He who never made a mistake, never made a discovery.
5. Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.
6. Hope… is the companion of power, and the mother of success; for who so hopes has within him the gift of miracles.
7. I’m as happy a man as any in the world, for the whole world seems to smile upon me!
8. It is a mistake to suppose that men succeed through success; they much oftener succeed through failures. Precept, study, advice, and example could never have taught them so well as failure had done.
9. It is energy – the central element of which is will – that produces the miracle that is enthusiasm in all ages. Everywhere it is what is called force of character and the sustaining power of all great action.
10. Knowledge conquered by labor becomes a possession – a property entirely our own.
11. Labor is still, and ever will be, the inevitable price set upon everything which is valuable.
12. Life will always be to a large extent what we ourselves make it.
13. Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever.
14. Man cannot aspire if he looked down; if he rise, he must look up.
15. Men must necessarily be the active agents of their own well-being and well-doing they themselves must in the very nature of things be their own best helpers.
16. Men who are resolved to find a way for themselves will always find opportunities enough; and if they do not find them, they will make them.
17. Practical wisdom is only to be learned in the school of experience. Precepts and instruction are useful so far as they go, but, without the discipline of real life, they remain of the nature of theory only.
18. Progress however, of the best kind, is comparatively slow. Great results cannot be achieved at once; and we must be satisfied to advance in life as we walk, step by step.
19. The apprenticeship of difficulty is one which the greatest of men have had to serve.
20. The reason why so little is done, is generally because so little is attempted.

Quote of the Week:

The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual.

-        Samuel Smiles

Book of the Month:

“Self-Help” by Samuel Smiles

Available from Amazon Books – soft cover

Hi, it’s Jim Cathcart again, there is much wisdom in those quotes and though many sound archaic, they are still in popular use today, but perhaps with more current wording. Here are some of the giants whom I’ve had the privilege of working with directly: Og Mandino, Earl Nightingale, W. Clement Stone, Kenneth McFarland, Cavett Robert, Bill Gove, Mort Utley, Dr. Charles Jarvis, Zig Ziglar, Art Linkletter, Jim Rohn, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, and many more.

It has been thrilling to know and collaborate with these inspiring people, truly a privilege and an honor. What I’ve learned from them is that each was a good person in addition to being a successful one. These are people who, despite their own struggles, chose to make the world a better place, and then did it. Now the task is yours and mine. Will we keep the chain unbroken? Join me.

by Jim Cathcart

On Coach Ron Tunick’s radio show this past Thursday I spoke about the need for a concerted effort to “Revitalize Our Businesses.” He then asked me, “how do we do that?” My reply was, “Revitalize Yourself First!”

A business is simply a group of people involved in a common endeavor with the goal of serving others at a profit, so that it can be sustained over time. The business is not the things that it uses: locations, products, tools, systems. The business is the dealings between people.

So every business is the reflection of the attitudes, intellect, skills and actions of its people. If the leaders and sales people and those who deliver the services do not approach business optimistically and enthusiasticly then the business is guaranteed to suffer. Customers will feel it and go elsewhere, suppliers and supporters will lose their zeal to stay on your team and business will decline.

How do you revitalize yourself when the circumstances seem to only discourage and threaten you?

1. Control what you think about and talk about.

2. Choose who you spend your time with.

3. Limit your exposure to the negatives.

4. Commit to positive daily actions on things that matter.

Here are some vital premises that all of us need to keep in mind as we grow our organizations.

• What you talk about is what you will think about. (Don’t dwell on the threats, Dwell on the solutions.)
• Some people will only drag you down. (Limit your time with pessimists, Increase your time with optimists.)
• Doing something constructive is the key to dissolving depression. (Psychiatrists will tell you that ANY positive action no matter how small is better than inaction or distraction.)
• Certain skills and ways of thinking will pay off more than others. (Cultivate the vital skills in yourself and others. During challenging times INCREASE the amount of training you do.)

I’m doing my part to help the business community here in Los Angeles & Ventura Counties by bringing the top thought leaders, bestselling authors and hall of fame professional speakers to Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village. Every eight weeks I’ll be hosting a seminar by one of these speakers in a location adjacent to Highway 1o1. The first event is at Sherwood Country Club on Sept. 24th from 6:30pm to 9pm, featuring Dr. Tony Alessandra on “The Psychology of Persuasion”.

Here is the link to information on the full series. The Breakthrough to Prosperity Seminars.

Think of what you can do to expose yourself and your team to more positive uplifting input: web-casts, CDs, DVDs, podcasts, books, discussions, daily briefings, memos, posters, notes, theme-of-the-week, etc. How can you praise the good work of others today? What can you focus on that might inspire others to do likewise? What radio stations can you listen to that will lift you instead of scaring you? What newsletters, articles, or quotes could you share to inspire or inform people of the solutions instead of just the problems?

Join with me, Don Hutson, the members of Speakers Roundtable and others who have created The Breakthrough to Prosperity Seminar Series in various locations around the country. Let’s get ourselves Re-Vitalized and work together to spread the optimism, commitment and learning to everyone.

Thinking has to change before circumstances change.

Everyone is influenced from what they see, hear and talk about. So let’s look at, listen to and talk about the Solutions not the problems!

Call me at 805 777 3477 to enroll in this exciting series or email me at: info@101Leaders.com. You can also sign up online by simply clicking through from the seminar page on my website.

by Jim Cathcart

Imagine that you have a box that is covered with shiny new pennies and, instead of looking into the box, you peel off a few pennies each day and spend them. Only later, when it is too late to be of real value to you do you discover that the box was filled with diamonds! How would you feel as you looked into the empty box where the diamonds had been?

I believe that all of us are doing something similar to that. We have so much potential to do good within us. There are so many people who could truly benefit from what we offer. We think of compliments to give and then let the opportunity pass without giving them. We notice the beauty of our friend or partner and then we don’t comment on it. We also sit on top of resources and just use the surface of them.

Think of how much potential exists within just one of the software programs in your computer, phone or pda. How much more could you get from it by just spending 30 minutes learning one function that you don’t yet use?

Folks, we’ve got to stop stopping short. I recently mentioned that we bought a new car. The car has a built in garage door opener and an impressive navigation system, but for the past week we have been using our hand held remote to open the door. That’s because with two attempts I haven’t yet figured out how to program the new remote. (Yes, I read the manual, thank you very much. ) I’ll stick with it till I or someone else gets it done.

What are some of the areas in which you’ve stopped short of finding the diamonds? Take some time today to simply list them. Put them on a note and place it in your pocket. Keep it there until it distracts you enough to take new action. Just expand one area of your life and the benefits will spill over into others.

Here’s an exercise you can do right now. Stop reading this blog post and explore this website. Just click around to see how far it goes with each topic, how many links and special video clips are here. Don’t think too much, just explore. What you will discover is that there are more than 220 pages of information here! There are 75 free book summaries of the latest business books. There are instructional videos, audio lessons, more than 160 blog posts (articles). And through the hundreds of links built into the site, there are boundless other resources for you. Most of them free.

Now, if that’s true for just this one little obscure website, how much more likely is it to be true in other parts of your life?

So, start living more fully. Expand your thinking, broaden your reach, use your resources and see how much good you could do with a little extra attention and effort.

by Jim Cathcart 

Hey we’re headed for the Future. Give us some room, we’re going to build a new dream. 

Lean on me and I’m gonna lean on you. We’re headed for the Future and the Future’s ours. 

Neil Diamond, Headed for the Future

If you listen to the news media you’ll hear nothing but situation analysis and speculation. In other words, they are focusing on the past and the present, not the future. Despite claims to the contrary, most people do not look toward the future. If we did we would see it coming and be well prepared for it. 

The truth is; the Future sneaks up on us and surprises us. We don’t see it coming… unless we decide to. 

Our culture celebrates visionaries because they are so rare. We look to the Walt Disneys and Bill Gates’ of the world and marvel at their capacity for seeing the future then making it a reality. But the truth is, we are all capable of that on various levels. In fact, you have done it many times in your own life. 

Visionaries think about what they want and then commit to the behaviors that bring it into form. You have done that many times. When you decide on an item or an experience that you are committed to achieving you are doing what Disney & Gates have done. This can be a job, a home, a relationship, a trip, or a level of fitness. Whatever you want, when you see it in your mind and then alter your behavior to make it real, you are creating your own future. 

Futures are not built by fortification. All that does is protect the current reality. When you put up defenses, build walls, cut back, and lay low, you diminish the future possibilities that are open to you. I’m not saying you shouldn’t protect your assets, but protectionism is not a growth strategy. 

What people want most during a challenge is: Hope and Direction. 

They are thirsting for an optimistic viewpoint, a direction to pursue, and the confidence that comes with doing intelligent things that have a great potential for success. They don’t want a mere cheerleader who has them chanting “I think I can” or, to be more current, “yes we can.” That is nice but it’s not enough. They need faith in something. 

I suggest that you provide that “something.” Instead of doing as others do, take the brighter path and Focus Forward. Acknowledge today’s temporary realities and then shift your gaze to what you want. Look at what can be. Be the person whom others want to be around because you give them strength and assurance. 

“But what if I don’t know the way?” you ask. Leaders don’t always know the way, they just know that looking at the ground around you isn’t it. So they raise their sights and focus forward while acting confidently in the direction of their goals. If you had to know every step of a journey before taking it you’d never move. There is always uncertainty, but you are up to the task. You can handle whatever you encounter. Maybe not alone, but you can find the resources and answers you need…IF…you move confidently toward what you want. 

When you grow this new orientation and others observe the change in you they will be attracted to you. You will possess an energy that they want. You will not simply be an optimist in a sea of pessimists and “realists” but you will be a Solution Source. You’re the one with a better way. 

Pledge to yourself today that you are done with the habit of feeding on the cynical world view of the media. Commit to habitually thinking of what you want, not what you do not want. Refuse to dwell on the limits and negatives. Change the subject when others start complaining. Limit your exposure to skeptics and cynics. Talk often about what you want, how it will look and feel, the rewards that will come from it, and the joy of achieving it. What you think about, talk about and go toward…will become a reality. You are a creator. 

Make it so!