Achieving your big goals in life

Yesterday we talked about why wealth is worth accumulating.
Today we’ll talk about enlarging your life’s big goals.
Scott Middleton inspired me to give away a million dollars a year.
We talked about Scott yesterday. That was Scott’s big goal.
I remembered a young man who worked at our printing plant.
When we discovered Jimmy could not read, he disappeared.
His painful secret had been found out. He must have felt humiliated.
He had fooled us a long time. Now he had been exposed.
My research found there are 42 million Jimmys in our country.
That was a staggering discovery. 42 million American Jimmys.
As a newspaper editor, I feel everyone should be able to read.
It should be an American right. What are they missing in life?
Helping them became my goal. A million a year wouldn’t do it.
So I set a new goal. $20 million over 10 years.
Could I sell 2 million of my books to raise $20 million by 2018?
Then I heard Jack Canfield tell of selling 1 million books in a day.
Wow! God was talking to me through Jack’s voice. Raise my goal.
So the goal now is 20 million books to raise $200 million.
Is that a big enough goal? For now, that’s God’s purpose for me.
But He may ask me to raise the goal later. And, of course, I will.
What’s your life’s big goal? What purpose are you here for?
Write it down. Tape it beside your desk, beside the bathroom mirror.
Think about it every day. God will show you how to achieve it.
Share it with those you love. Send me an email. I’ll help you.
Next week we’ll talk about planning to achieve your big goal.
For a head start on achieving your big goals in life click here.

How your goals create your vision

Yesterday we talked about setting your life’s goals.
I trust you’ve already listed your top 20 life goals.
If not, do that right after you finish reading today’s blog.
Keep them in a notebook and add to them as they come to you.
Believe me, they will come to you. It is providential.
Today we’ll talk about your goals creating your life’s vision.
Permit me to share a personal story about mine.
I wrote "Your Life’s Great Purpose" to help you find your purpose.
I wanted you to find it in eight key areas of your life.
The three most important are faith, family and community.
The others are career, financial, body, mind and just for fun.
I thought that was the book’s true great purpose. I was wrong.
God gave me a challenge: Sell books to wipe out illiteracy.
42 million Americans can’t read. We need to correct that.
Millions can’t enjoy reading the way you and I enjoy it.
My goal was to sell 2 million books, to raise $20 million for literacy.
I heard Jack Canfield talk about selling 1 million books in a day.
God was telling me through Jack that my goal was too small.
I raised it to 20 million books to raise $200 million for literacy.
Think about it. What’s your big goal, your great purpose in life?
Write it down. Commit to achieving it. Believe you can do it.
Share it with those you love. Enlist their support.
Let them share your purpose and your belief to make it work.
That’s one of the biggest challenges of your life. You can do it.
Email me your purpose. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.
A reminder: Ruth King will interview me Friday at 10 a.m.
We’ll talk about my new "Terminate Your Profit Killers" book.
To watch, go to www.JerryBellune.com. It shows you what to do.
For more about goals, vision and purpose, click here.

Did they laugh when you sat down to play?

Last week we talked about daring to dream big dreams.
Today we’re going to talk about daring your detractors and critics.
When Walt Disney proposed Disneyland, the experts said this:
It won't be profitable nor recover its enormous investment.
A study of amusement parks came to much the same conclusion.
Walt forged ahead with his dream and you know what happened.
When I dreamed of raising $20 million, I thought they might laugh.
Then I thought, what do I care? I’m going to do it.
$20 million can put a serious dent in illiteracy.
42 million Americans need to be able to enjoy reading.
I knew it would require selling 2 million of my books.
Then I heard Jack Canfield tell of selling 1 million books in a day.
My goal is too small, I realized. I raised the goal to 20 million books.
That would raise $200 million. That would help a lot of illiterates.
God was telling me through Jack’s voice to raise the bar.
Now I had a real challenge, a challenge straight from God.
What dream are you dreaming that will challenge you?
What goal do you have that the critics might say can’t be done?
Ignore them. What do they know? Did they stop Walt Disney?
They can’t stop you either. Go for your dream, whatever it is.
Think about what you will become by achieving your dream.
Caterpillars can’t become butterflies without leaving the cocoon.
Think of the far stronger person that achievement will make you.
Tomorrow, we’ll talk more about pursuing your dreams.
For specific strategies for your success, click here.

Unlock the portals to your creativity

Yesterday we discussed tapping your inner resources.
Today we’ll discuss four steps to increase creativity.
We want to unlock the portals to our highest creativity.
1. Dream your most impossible dreams.
Share your dreams, hopes and goals – and their benefits.
Tell those you love and who love you.
Avoid critics and naysayers. They will drag you down.
Share dreams with those who will help make them real.
I planned to sell 2 million books to conquer illiteracy.
Then I heard Jack Canfield planned to sell 1 billion.
I immediately raised my goal to 20 million books.
I'll probably raise it again. You can raise yours, too.
2. Make the most of the time you have.
Your primary mission each day is to pursue your dreams.
Set your goals the night before.
Let your subconscious mind work on them as you sleep.
Review your achievements at the end of the day.
Hold yourself accountable for moving forward.
3. Give yourself a Golden Hour.
Read that which strengthens & inspires you an hour a day.
Early in the morning or after everyone has gone to bed.
Either time is good. It’s your choice.
I like to read on the treadmill to exercise mind & body.
Luxuriate in thoughtful reading. Listen to great music.
4. Become a camera.
Open all of your senses to life.
Observe closely the world around you.
Enjoy seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling.
Learn from it. Rejoice in . Note this in your journal.
These notes are for you — and your grandchildren.
One day they will read about your life.
Tomorrow we’ll discuss balancing creativity in your life.
For more creative strategies, click here.

Success Strategy: Read yourself to sleep

From time to time I will recommend a book.
I have no vested interest in the sales of these books.
They are simply books that have helped me.
I firmly believe they will help you, too.
I recommend The Success Principles by Jack Canfield.
In it, Jack shows you how to succeed in life and work.
Jack is co-author of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books.
He and co-author Mark Victor Hansen are successful now.
But they faced lots of rejection in getting the first book published.
Jack shares a lifetime of experience, study and knowledge.
He covers personal responsibility and embracing change.
He writes about building wealth and much more.
I keep a copy on my bedside table.
I re-read a chapter before going to sleep at night.
I sleep better. You will, too.
For other book recommendations, go to:
http://www.jerrybellune.com/success-strategies.htm
Scroll down to #17: 8 books that will change your life.
Which books would you recommend to me?
Tomorrow: More sales & marketing strategies.