What are you reading these days? If I had access to your house, would I find a stack of interesting books on your night stand?

Just for fun, I recently grabbed the books off of my wife's nightstand. She always seems to find great books to read so I selected four books from her stack to see what I might learn. What I like to do is try to pull one or two powerful ideas from every book that I read. So here is a glimpse into four books that you might want on your reading list.

* * * * *

DARKNESS VISIBLE
A Memoir of Madness
by William Styron

This is a book I would have never selected myself. Yet sometimes the books that can be most helpful to us are the ones that we might never select ourselves. I tend to like the more positive books that focus on success and achievement rather than the books that delve into the pain that can be experienced in life. But sometimes the most powerful lessons in life come from painful experiences. And luckily, I found that this book does have a happy ending.

If you've ever sufferred from depression or know someone close that has, you know how debilitating it can be. This book is Pulitzer Prize Winning author William Styron's memoir about his descent into depression, and the triumph of recovery.

I knew that this was going to be interesting, when I saw this opening quote:

For the thing which
I greatly feared is come upon me,
and that which I was afraid of
Is come unto me.
I was not in safety, neither
had I rest, neither was I quiet;
yet trouble came.
- Job 3:25-26

I never thought of this quote in relation to depression but I can now see the connection.

Styron also uses some quotes from Dante's THE DIVINE COMEDY:

In the middle of the journey of our life
I found myself in a dark wood,
Where the straight way was lost.

You'll need to read about his experiences yourself, but this book will give you a glimpse into very serious depression. The good news is that Styron finally ends the book with his own translation to the final line of Dante's Inferno section of THE DIVINE COMEDY:

And so we came forth, and once again beheld the stars.

Here's my major idea from the book:

Don't ever think that a problem cannot be overcome even if you don't fully understand it, and especially if no one else understands it. There are always answers and hope. Or to say it another way, it's always too soon to give up.

* * * * *

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL
A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back
by Todd Burpo

If you wonder about what happens after death, you might find studying near death experiences to be something worthwhile. And if you study near death experiences, definitely don't miss this book. It's about a kid that goes to heaven while undergoing life-threatening surgery.

Here's my major idea from the book:

Near death experiences may be one of the best sources of information about what happens after death and what heaven is like. And since kids often have a closer connection with the spiritual realm, a kid that had a near death experience is really fascinating to study.

However, none of this seems to negate the fact that our current home on planet earth is caught up in the great war between good and evil which seems to put us in various battles where we must constantly choose how we are going to learn, because learning seems to be the name of the game.

The question is whether we will choose to learn through pleasure or pain, and even if the pain comes, will we choose to allow it to overcome us or allow it to transform us into something better?

Of course, not just believing but actually KNOWING that heaven is for real, can change your entire experience of life. Temporary pain is much more bearable if you remember that you are spiritual traveler heading to a place without such pain.

* * * * *

FAILURE TO CONNECT
How Computers Affect Our Children's Minds — and What We Can Do About It
by Jane M. Healy, Ph.D.

I can certainly see why my wife is reading this one. We have a son who is almost a teenager now, and he is obsessed with computer and video games which which means he needs to be monitored.

Here's my major idea from this book as written by the author:

Just because children — particularly young ones — are performing tasks that look technologically sophisticated does not mean they are learning anything important.

* * * * *

SWAY
The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior
by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman

This book is over-the-top interesting. If you wonder about human nature and why people do what they do, don't miss this book.

The authors present some fascinating hidden psychological undercurrents that affect us all:

Loss Aversion - our tendency to go to great lengths to avoid possible losses.

Value Attribution - our inclination to imbue a person or thing with certain qualities based on initial perceived value.

Diagnosis Bias - our blindness to all evidence that contradicts our initial assessment of a person or situation.

They talk a lot about the challenges resulting from blind commitment to anything in life.

Here are a few major ideas from this book:

How to Conquer "Loss Aversion" …
"Having a long-term plan — and not casting it aside — is the key to dealing with our fear of loss."

Don't chase losses trying to unlose what you've already lost.

Also, don't get swayed by the hidden forces of commitment to a current course of action. Don't always try to cover your losses. Let some losses stand as what they really are in the overall grand scheme of things. Pretend you are starting from scratch based on where you are now without the memory of the past and then decide! (In business, some people talk about the mental game of pretending that you are going to move your business across the street, and then asking yourself what you would do differently. What's so powerful about this idea is that it can help you see things that you would do differently if you weren't so engrossed in your current challenges.)

How to Conquer "Value Attribution" …
Learn to discern the real or intrinsic value rather than someone else's opinion or the price society puts on something.

How to Conquer "Diagnosis Bias" …
Observe things the way they really are, not the way you initially saw them.

* * * * *

Now that I've read some of my wife's books, I'd better get back to work on my own list. Here's a quote that may help give you some reading motivation:

You are the same today that you are going to be in five years from now except for two things: the people with whom you associate and the books you read.
- Charles Jones

Of course, I would add audio programs to Charlie's list because it can sometimes be really powerful to hear an author deliver his or her work with all of the emotion that goes along with the ideas being presented. I guess that's why I love listening to authors in addition to reading what they have to say. Sometimes that added emotion can make all of the difference in bringing an idea to life.

Have you ever thought about your life as a story? My quess is that you'll benefit greatly by thinking about the story of your life, and perhaps analyzing your performance thus far. By doing this, you'll probably be able to see for the first time what your life has really been about as well as where your life is heading. The truth of the matter is that all of us are actually writing, directing, and starring in our own story every day. We just don't tend to think of it that way. But here's an interesting question to consider: Would you enjoy going to the movies to see your story being acted out? Is it a good story that others would find interesting or, for that matter, would you find it interesting? Would you like how you are living your life if you were watching yourself on a movie screen?

One of my favorite pastimes is watching movies. I love a good movie. Nothing seems to have the power to carry me away like a great story brought to life on the big screen. But have you ever stopped to think that many of the stories we like the most are actually quite similiar in structure? In fact, you might be surprised to learn that most successful movies are based on stories that have only a few key elements. I've seen academic lists of 5 elements including Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Denouement from movie critics, and I also remember hearing someone use as many as 7 elements to analyze movies which I found more interesting because the elements used could more easily be connected with a person's life. For our purposes, I'm going to use a rough outline of those 7 elements I once heard discussed but I'm going to change the order a bit and relabel them in an effort to help you see how powerful this concept can be when it comes to living your best possible life.

Remember, your life really is a story, or series of stories. And maybe by detaching to see your life as a moviegoer would see it, you'll be able to see things you've never seen before. By viewing your life as a story, is it possible that you might discover how to make it better? How to get unstuck? How to solve your current problems? How to overcome whatever is that's standing between you and what it is you really want in life?

Most stories start with a person that has a desire or a wish or a goal that he or she wants to make real. We could simply label this element "The Desire."

Let's use the movie Mr. Holland's Opus to bring this whole concept to life. Richard Dreyfuss plays the leading role of Mr. Holland who is a man on a mission. He is a man who wants to write great music. He wants to be a world-class composer. But a story only begins with "The Desire". What makes a story start to take life and get us involved and engaged very quickly is the next element which we'll call "The Problem."

In the movie, Mr. Holland's Opus, we quickly see that Mr. Holland has a major problem which can simply be labeled the cares of life. He needs money so he can have the free time he wants to write his opus. He needs to figure out a way to make some money. We can probably all identify with that problem on many levels. So often we have a desire to do something but it costs money. If we don't have the money, we have a problem that needs to be solved.

But the movie also doesn't stop there. Part of what makes any story interesting is seeing how problems are going to be overcome and Mr. Holland doesn't disappoint us. He jumps right in to the next element of a story which we'll call "The Plan." Mr. Holland's plan is simple. He is going to teach music until he can finish his great opus or symphony and, in the process, become a world-renowned composer. It's an interesting desire with a plan to overcome his immediate problem. "The Desire" followed by "The Problem" with the introduction of "The Plan" that appears to have some merit. Isn't it also interesting that we could probably identify these same elements in our own life? What's your desire? What do you want to accomplish? What is your problem? What's holding you back or standing between you and your desire? And what is your plan? Do you have a strategy to work your way through the problem or problems facing you in life?

Of course, we know that there's always more to a great story than a desire, a problem, and a plan. If fact, if that's all there was to Mr. Holland's Opus, or any other movie we were watching, we'd probably be on the verge of being quite bored and getting ready to ask for our money back before we even finish our popcorn. But it's the next element of a great story that makes things really get interesting. Let's call this next part "The Opponents."

Great stories have many levels of opponents and this is certainly true in the movie Mr. Holland's Opus. And the job of the opponents is to do everything they can do to block "The Plan" and that's exactly what happens to Mr. Holland. While Mr. Holland is content to do the minimum requirements as a music teacher so he has plenty of free time to compose his opus, the principal of the school has another idea. She doesn't want Mr. Holland sneaking out early when there are students that need additional help. And we quickly see that Mr. Holland is confronted by a whole host of students that don't appear to have a lick of musical talent yet he is expected to teach them. Let's label all of these opponents, external opponents.

Getting back to your story, do you have any opponents? People that are holding you back? You might right now be making a list in your mind. What makes Mr. Holland's Opus so interesting is the fact that he doesn't just have one opponent but a number of opponents. I've heard people categorize opponents into three areas including external, internal, and intimate. The external opponents are easy to see. For Mr. Holland, we already discussed the principal and students but there were also others if you watch the movie and think about this a bit.

For example, what about the internal opponent that we all face? In the movie, we can see Mr. Holland conflicted about what to do just as we so often are with the choices we face in life. Mr. Holland wants to get his opus written and become a world-class composer, but he also wants to do right thing for the students that have been entrusted to him. And if that's not enough, the movie quickly shows us that there are two key intimate opponents. Mr. Holland and his wife are blessed with the birth of a son but it is quickly discovered that the son is deaf. Imagine being a musician where hearing is everything to you and now you are presented with a child that cannot hear. Mr. Holland and his wife now have a son that is going to require a great deal of additional time to raise. I suppose you could say that this is how the plot thickens as Mr. Holland has to deal with some pretty challenging intimate family relationships which can be seen as opponents to Mr. Holland's desire or goal.

Can you identify with the idea of external, internal, and intimate opponents in your life? It's not unusual that the biggest part of a movie, or the story of your life, to get caught up in the drama of dealing with opponents. In fact, as the opponents become more and more clear, we could say that the next phase of the story is rather obvious and is often simply called "The Battle." Rarely do opponents just cave in without a conflict. And it's often this struggle with opponents that glues us to a story. There might now be a chase scene or a toe-to-toe fight between the good guy and the bad guy that is almost cliche in movies, but there has to be some form of what might be called conflict resolution. In other words, how is this story going to turn out? What's going to happen? Is Mr. Holland going to write his opus? How is he going to deal with the challenges with his wife and the fact that he now has a deaf son that needs special care? And how might Mr. Holland's story of overcoming challenges relate to you? How are you going to overcome your problems and deal with your opponents?

I find that most people get stuck in the battle phase of their own personal stories. Isn't that true? Talk with someone about their life and see what they talk about? More often than not, it's the challenges. Of course, there's nothing in and of itself that is bad about that unless you get stuck in your battle. But at some point, you have to do what all great movies do, move beyond the battle. Although let's face it, battle scenes can make a movie! But what's next? Don't things need to get resolved?

So how are things going to get resolved? It wasn't easy for Mr. Holland. He had to learn to deal with his external opponents by making decisions about what was most important and setting new priorities. But, of course, this required battling himself from the standpoint of what to do about writing that opus that he thought was so important. And his wife wasn't going to allow him to avoid his son or not develop the kind of relationship that he was capable of having even though his son was deaf. None of this was easy but watching him deal with all of this makes the story really come alive.

My apologies in advance for giving away the ending to the movie but I just can't help myself. At the end of Mr. Holland's career as a music teacher, he finds himself looking back on what he's accomplished, or as he sees it, not accomplished with a sense of failure. The one thing that he set out to do — i.e., becoming a world-class composer — hasn't happened. And what's worse, the music program is now in jeapardy of being cancelled because of a lack of funding. As Mr. Holland clears out his desk with his wife and son accompanying him, he hears something going on in the auditorium of the school. Of course, his wife and son know exactly what is going on. As Mr. Holland gets to the auditorium and opens the door, he sees it's filled with previous and present students. Hundreds of people that have been touched by him and his gifts as a music teacher, and they are there to thank him for his life's work.

Interestingly, an early clarinet student who was just one of the many students touched by Mr. Holland's unique gifts as a teacher, had become Governor of the State, and she was now serving as the master of ceremonies for this special surprise event. During her speech, she says something that brings what we'll call "The Resolution" clearly into focus. She says these words:

"Mr. Holland had a profound influence on my life and on a lot of lives I know. But I have a feeling that he considers a great part of his own life misspent. Rumor had it he was always working on this symphony of his. And this was going to make him famous, rich, probably both. But Mr. Holland isn't rich and he isn't famous, at least not outside of our little town. So it might be easy for him to think himself a failure. But he would be wrong, because I think that he's achieved a success far beyond riches and fame. Look around you. There is not a life in this room that you have not touched, and each of us is a better person because of you. We are your symphony Mr. Holland. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life."

Mr. Holland breaks down in tears as this point and finally understands what his life has been about up to that point. He has clarity. He understands something he didn't udnerstand before. He has resolution which opens things up for the final part of any great story or movie, "The Celebration." In this case, Mr. Holland gets to hear what he has composed being performed by his students. There is much more to the movie than I've outlined here, but you probably get the idea. Mr. Holland is not a failure, he has discovered a greater success than he would have ever imagined for himself through the lives he has touched. He never realized until this moment that he had such an amazing teaching gift, and he certainly never realized the extent to which that gift had reached out into the world and really touched me people so deeply and profoundly.

And this brings us back to you. What about your life and your story? Where are you in the process of your story? Are you stuck dealing with an opponent? Have you been spending too many years in a battle? Are you learning that maybe the desire you started out with isn't the best one for you and there is something much better?

More importantly, how do you want your story to end?

Or how about this? Nowhere is it written that you can have only one story. Maybe the present story you are living needs "The Resolution" and "The Celebration" so you can create a new story. As the credits rolled for Mr. Holland's Opus, I found myself thinking that instead of retiring, Mr. Holland had plenty of time to become a composer if he still wanted to pursue that dream. But I also found myself thinking that sometimes what we get is better for us than what we might have wanted in the first place. Life is interesting that way. Sometimes we don't get what we want but we get what we need.

Maybe a fresh look at your life and the story you are living could give you a new perspective. How about viewing your life as a story and seeing where that leads you. Just take the 7 elements we've discussed and apply them to your life thus far.

THE DESIRE
Is what you have been chasing really want you want? Is "The Desire" the right one for you?

THE PROBLEM
Are the problems you are facing really that bad or are they serving you in some way? Is "The Problem" holding you back or getting you to grow?

THE PLAN
Is your plan producing good results or do you need a different approach? Does "The Plan" appear to be working or is it time to consider another strategy?

THE OPPONENTS
What about those people that you view as opponents? Are "The Opponents" maybe your greatest gift because they are forcing you to grow?

THE BATTLE
Are you stuck in a battle that maybe it's time to resolve? Is it time to realize that you can end "The Battle" at any time that you wish?

THE RESOLUTION
And finally, what lesson is life trying to teach you? Often all you need to resolve a situation is a new level of understanding which can come at any time. "The Resolution" just needs you to recognize the lesson so you can move on to that last element.

THE CELEBRATION
Whatever you do, don't forget "The Celebration." It's like the icing on the cake. But do me a favor. No matter where you are in your current story, remember that you don't have to wait until the end of it to have a party. Make your whole life a celebration. I think you'll find it's more fun that way.

Last year I did a special merger with Success.com and Success Magazine that I wrote about here:

Success.com Merges with Success Magazine

I am happy to report that my relationship with them has continued to grow and expand.

Here is a link to my latest article that will be published in the April 2009 edition of Success Magazine:

Top of Your Game: How to Be the Best

While you are at the Success Magazine site, check out some of my other articles that they have published.

Here is one entitled "Developing Everyday Leadership" which I think you will find useful:

Developing Everyday Leadership

And here is another entitled "Improving Your Most Important Relationship" which is based on a blog entry that I made here last year:

Improving Your Most Important Relationship in Life

While you are at the site, I'd love it if you would rate the articles. Of course, I expect nothing less than 5 stars!

:-)

Enjoy!

Have you thought much about the most important relationship in your life? Now I’m not talking about the relationship you have with your spouse or significant other or the relationship you have with anyone else that you might be thinking about right now. I’m actually talking about the relationship you have with yourself. It’s easy to overlook the fact the relationship we have with ourselves is the most important relationship in life. Let’s face it, if we can’t get along well with ourselves, we have a pretty big challenge on our hands.

Now I know at the onset of this article that there are those that will take issue with my position that the relationship we have with ourselves is the most important relationship in life. But if you’ll stay with me for a moment, I think I’ll be able to convince you that the starting point for having a great relationship with anyone else, is mastering the relationship you have with yourself. In addition, if you aren’t now making the progress in life that you would like to make and are capable of making, I’d be willing to bet that what we are going to discuss will show you why. So let’s talk about your relationship with you.

I believe that the first step in managing your relationship with yourself is to determine what you actually think about yourself. You might be surprised with what you discover. I’ve learned that all too often we reserve our harshest criticism and our most negative thoughts for ourselves. And it’s just these thoughts that so often stand in the way of us achieving those things we most want in life.

You’ve undoubtedly heard the statement that “Our thoughts control our lives” which is covered extensively in the world’s great success literature. But let me ask you this: “What do you think about yourself?” In other words, “What are the thoughts you are having about yourself that are controlling your life?”

In my seminars and private coaching sessions, I like to ask people where their thoughts come from. This is always a fascinating discussion. People will say that their thoughts come from their parents and the way they were raised along with influences from all of the experiences they have had in life. Certainly, all of these things and many more are part of the answer. However, I think there is something much more significant that is often completely missed.

I believe that our thoughts ultimately come from the questions that we ask ourselves on a daily basis. In fact, I like to go so far as to say that every thought we think is preceded by a question. Think about this for a minute and I bet you’ll agree with me.

We are constantly asking questions like “What should I do in this situation?” which leads to thoughts about what to do. The question “How will this affect the outcome that I am working to achieve?” will stimulate a whole series of thoughts and ideas and possible scenarios to consider. Even questions such as “Is this the right thing to do?” will lead to all kinds of thoughts about good and bad and/or right and wrong. Truly, the questions we ask and the thoughts they lead to are endless.

But here’s something that’s not always obvious. Questions can become very deep seated and begin generating thoughts that don’t really serve us … thoughts that aren’t good for us. And since we are around ourselves all of the time, these questions are controlling our thoughts so we need to know what they are. Otherwise, we can continue asking these disempowering questions for months, years, decades, or even our entire life unless we learn how to step behind the curtain and take control.

Imagine having to be around someone who is constantly bugging you or irritating you. For all too many people, that describes the relationship they have with themselves!

Let me give you an example of how one question could be in conflict with the relationship you have with yourself, and how it could derail you on your quest for greater success.

I’ve discovered that many people have big generalized questions like this one: “What are they thinking of me?” Imagine having that question constantly roaming around in your mind. One client told me that she’s had this question since she was a little girl, and although this client has achieved some great things in her life, she still hasn’t found peace, happiness, or any level of fulfillment. She said that she feels like no matter what she does, it doesn’t feel like enough. Isn’t that interesting? Here is a lady who is a Fortune 500 executive, earning an amazing amount of money, receiving constant praise for her work, and yet she feels like no matter what she does it isn’t enough. She’s making a great contribution to others by serving on a very high level but she is not happy on the inside. This reminds me of the old saying that “Success without fulfillment is failure.”

I think the answer to her challenge can be found in this main question that she’s been asking herself for years. Many questions have a presupposition and wouldn’t you say that her question (“What are they thinking of me?”) contains within it the idea that people may not be thinking good things about her?

Of course, the fact of the matter is that we can never really know what other people are thinking about us. Sure, you could ask someone to tell you what he or she is thinking but you might not get the truth.

The ultimate problem with this question, however, is that it puts other people in the driver’s seat of your life. While a question like this might motivate you to get other people to think good things about you, you will never know for sure what other people think. And, most importantly, do you really want to base your life of what other people think of you?

Now I realize that this example may not illustrate your question or situation, but I hope it gets you thinking about what your question or questions might be. What is it that you are asking yourself underneath all of the stuff that is going on in your life? If you want to find out, do what I call a “Mental Download” and start writing down the thoughts that cross your mind. You’ll be amazed by what you discover. Just as a computer program can have bugs that prevent it from operating correctly, you may have a few thoughts in your mental computer that are getting in the way of your success.

In the past few weeks, here are some questions that clients have shared with me: Am I smart enough to do this? What if I try and fail? Why can’t I accomplish my goal? Why is it easier for other people? How can I protect myself if things go bad? Why can’t I lose the weight I want to lose?

How about starting to examine your thoughts and figure out what questions are whirring around in your consciousness? One of the things I most enjoy doing is helping people discover their questions and corresponding thoughts. In fact, I’ve learned over the years that for most people, there is one main question that is having an enormous influence on every aspect of their life. I can promise you that discovering your main question will transform every aspect of your life. It will allow you to have a better relationship with yourself and everyone else in your life. And achieving your goals will be easier than ever before.

I’ve seen people transformed immediately once they discovered the underlying questions and corresponding thoughts that are controlling their life, especially the main question that they may have been trying to answer for decades. You may find that you can figure out your main question by yourself by completely a “Mental Download” or you might want to consider working with a coach that understands this process. The truth of the matter is that we are often too close to ourselves to see and understand exactly what’s going on.

There’s a great line in the play by Shakespeare entitled “The Life and Death of Julies Caeser” where the character Cassius asks Brutus if he can see his own face. Brutus replies: “No, Cassisus; for the eye sees not itself, but by reflection, by some other means.”

We can’t really see ourselves and so often a question that you’ve been asking since you were a child is standing in the way of you achieving a great relationship with yourself, and it’s standing in the way of you achieving your ultimate ideal in life. I believe there is nothing more important than uncovering the questions and thoughts that are controlling your life so you can once and for all take control of your destiny.

Lastly, remember the simple fact that all progress in life begins by asking a better question. Maybe now is the time to examine your thoughts on deep level so you can transform the questions you have, the thoughts you think, and the life you live.

Have you ever thought about publishing your ideas or sharing your wisdom with the world? Or, have you already published a work of some kind but you need greater distribution?

At Success.com, we decided to kick off the fall season with a new and revolutionary feature. We have created a system that allows anyone in the world to submit a product to be sold on Success.com. The only requirement is that the product must be digital — i.e., an MP3 file or a PDF file for ease of electronic distribution. Oh, and the product must also be outstanding! (But, of course, that goes without saying!) Our product submission specialists only select the best works for distribution but you’ll never know if you have something extraordinary unless you let us review it. Also, you may not have a program yourself, but perhaps you know of a program you would like to see us offer.

Over the years, our focus has never changed. We market and distribute the finest personal development programs available anywhere. If you have a product you would like us to consider distributing, simply log into Success.com and go to the My Account area online. Then click on the products tab and follow the online instructions to submit your product. It’s as simple as that.

The Internet has changed the world in ways that most people find hard to comprehend but I believe it’s still in its infancy. Digital delivery of information is spreading knowledge at a rate that would have seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. But the best is yet to come!

So if you have a product that you think fits into the Success.com library, submit it today. Or if you know of a product that you think we need to be distributing, get in touch with the author and send them our way immediately.

At Success.com, you are a critical partner in the world’s fastest growing and most powerful library of information dealing with all aspects of success, wealth, and happiness.

Let’s continue to make the future better than the past!

When I was just starting out in the world of business, my first mentor taught me something that I’ve used with great success over the years. In fact, I would have to say that learning this idea was one of those watershed moments when you know that you’ve just received an insight that will make your life infinitely better if you’ll only apply it.

I can still remember the context of the lesson. I was talking with my mentor about the fact that most of the people I was managing were not getting the results that I wanted. What I was mainly talking with him about was the fact that many of these individuals had fallen way short of my expectations and yet they were under the impression that they were doing outstanding work and were asking for more money.

I’ll never forget what he told me. He said, “Robert, all problems between people are the result of expectation gaps. The bigger the gap, the bigger the problem.” At the time, I don’t think I fully understood what he had just said but I wrote it down in my journal because it sounded like something I should remember and maybe even file away for future reference.

Through the years, I have to admit that every single problem I have had in any kind of dealing with any sort of person can always be traced back to this simple concept. “All problems between people are the result of expectation gaps.”

I quickly learned that the reason I was not getting the results I wanted was because I hadn’t communicated the results I wanted clearly in a way that could be easily understood.

Have you ever had a situation where someone is telling you how great a job he or she has done and you’re thinking about how far they missed the mark. Here’s the most important question: “Did you specify exactly what you wanted?”

Here’s another important question: “Did the person you gave the goal to understand your expectations?”

It’s only through clear communication that expectation gaps become eliminated. You have to ask for exactly what you want and you have to make sure that the person you are dealing with understands what you want.

Think of some areas where you might be experiencing expectation gaps. The most important thing is to identify the gaps and then begin thinking about ways to close them.

So what if you’ve clearly communicated your expectations to someone who clearly understands what you want and you still don’t get the results you’re after? Well, that’s the subject for a whole other blog post I think.

Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, I learned early about the now legendary investor, Warren Buffett. I’m incredibly grateful for all of the wisdom he has shared over the years. In fact, each year I look forward with great anticipation to reading his annual report which always contains some of the best personal advice and business philosophy you will find anywhere. Warren Buffett is a remarkable human being who has made the most of his unique talents.

I just discovered a new series of videos on YouTube.com that you may enjoy. It’s a collection of interviews with Warren Buffett and CNBC’s Liz Clayman.

Enjoy!

Part One:
Watch the clip at YouTube

Part Two:
Watch the clip at YouTube

Part Three:
Watch the clip at YouTube

Part Four:
Watch the clip at YouTube

Part Five:
Watch the clip at YouTube

The first step toward mastering your destiny is simply acknowledging that it's possible to exert control over your life. You must accept that you have the power to exert that control. Unfortunately, few people really live in this way.

For many, the word destiny conveys a curious, even mystical concept. The dictionary calls destiny "the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible course of events." It is a definition that appears to have many interpretations.

For some, destiny means life is controlled, even predestined, by external forces over which individuals have little or no say.

The ancient Greeks, for example, believed that a person's future was determined by three goddesses called the Fates, or the Destinies. The first Fate, Clotho, spun the thread of life. The second, Lachesis, measured the length of the thread so that the last Fate, Atropos, would know where to cut the thread to end the individual's life.

Since Ancient Greece, people have found reason to believe sincerely that their individual destinies were determined by such other disparate forces as gods, astrological signs, spirits, numerology, and even aliens from outer space! For some, divine predestination is an important religious belief. Some are convinced that individual fate is determined solely by either heredity or environment or both.

The obvious problems with such preemptive prescriptions for life is that they not only relieve individuals of the responsibility for their actions, but they rob us of incentive and initiative to live up to our potential. It reminds me of what I call the "conveyor belt" philosophy of life. With this outlook, we merely have to step on at the beginning and be carried through life without initiative or interruption to a predetermined destination. It may be safe, it may be secure and undemanding, but it leaves little room for creativity, individual achievement, or opportunities to enjoy the ride.

Let's look again at the definition of the word destiny. It says that destiny is "the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible course of events." What's missing here, of course, is the who! Who predetermines the course of events? I certainly don't mean to fault or take issue with those who, by religious teaching or tradition do ascribe a part of the direction or influence for their lives to a higher power. But I don't think any of us can afford to abdicate complete responsibility for what happens in our lives. If we're to progress, if we're to succeed, if we're to reap the rewards of our efforts, each of us has to be the one who predetermines and makes inevitable or irresistible the course of events in our lives.

Consider Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." We have to give him credit for recognizing the inevitable consequences of his old ways. In the end of the story, he leaves us with the timeless and uplifting lesson that not only do we each predetermine our individual fate in life, but we each have the power, through our own actions, to shape a more rewarding destiny for ourselves at any time.

These reflections on individual destiny always bring me back to the familiar but reliable saying that God, or whatever higher power you prefer, always helps those who help themselves. I don't believe anyone is entered as a favorite in the human race. Certainly some people start out with more than others, but everyone is given opportunities to advance in the world, and everyone has the free will and power to act on those opportunities. We all are empowered to reach our highest potential. Not to do so is a waste of the gifts of talent and free will that are our natural birthright.

So I urge you to define your destiny as a self-charted path to the successful future that you've decided to create. Experience the full potential of your destiny by exercising the power of your talents and the free will you have been given. Consider your destiny as a happy, exciting, and fulfilling journey that is always in progress, not just a final destination. It is the sum total of your well-designed life. It is the highest expression of what you believe. Your destiny is predetermined by you and is always subject to change for the better.

You can look at your life in two ways: that your destiny is something that happens to you, or that it's something you actively create. For me, the choice here is obvious. Become the architect of your own life. Use your power over your destiny to design your future and shape the world around you. Be the one who makes things happen!

Have you ever stopped to consider that a person's success or failure in life is predictable? This is one of those universal truths that is on my mind a great deal. In fact, considering how predictable life is always leads me to start thinking about those things that can be used to forecast success or failure.

I believe that just a handful of habits make all of the difference in how a person's life turns out. It's not the things that we do once in a while that make the biggest difference, it's those things that we do consistently that make all of the difference. These are the things that become our foundational habits in life and determine our direction and ultimate destiny.

Here are my top five:

1. Show up on time.
2. Do what you say you will do.
3. Finish what you start.
4. Say please and thank you.
5. Be real nice.

These commonsense success habits seem almost too simple to mention but yet we all know how well these habits work. People who consistently exhibit these habits are the people we want as friends and colleagues. People that consistently exhibit these habits just have a way of ending up on top. They achieve their goals and help others in the process.

It's true that we all probably learned about these habits when we were quite young. For some of us, these habits have become the key forces that shape our lives. For others, these habits have become a constant source of frustration because they stand as tollbooths to progress. If we don't pay the toll, we can't pass through.

I think about these habits every day. I constantly work on strengthening these habits in my life, and I find that the more I remember these fundamentals and practice them, the more successful I become.

Try them for yourself and see what you think.

My father-in-law recently shared something that was emailed to him. It's a philosophy of life that is claimed to be from Charles Schulz, the creator of the legendary "Peanuts" comic strip featuring the cartoon character Charlie Brown. Schulz, of course, drew much of his inspiration for Charlie Brown and the whole "Peanuts" gang from his own life.

Unfortunately, it's not clear exactly who wrote this piece or where it came from originally. The Charles M. Schulz Museum claims that Mr. Schulz is not the creator of this message. However, the museum does admit that the quote at the end of the piece is from the pen of Charles Schulz. Also, you'll notice that the name at the top of the piece is "Schultz" and the famed cartoonist spelled his name "Schulz" which you see following the final quote.

So while I'm not sure exactly where this message came from, I think it's worth reading.

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EMAIL MESSAGE …

Subject: Charles Schultz Philosophy

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Pass this on to those people who have made a difference in your life.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."
(Charles Schulz)

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It would nice to know for sure who really wrote this piece. All I can say is that whoever did write it had a powerful philosophy of life. This short message reminds us what’s most important in life.