What's In Your Library? Joel Weldon
May 6, 2012 by Doug · Leave a Comment
What's In Your Library? Joel Weldon
If you have ever called my voicemail and listened to the words, "Make it a great day!" then you have been touched by Joel Weldon (I got that from him).
I will never forget the first time Joel spoke for High Achievers. It was 2003 in California. He ran up on stage, put a huge smile on his face, and just stood there for almost a minute. What a way to start a talk! He was funny, enthusiastic, and tailored his talk specifically to our members. Joel is also master story teller. A story he told us a man name Willie has impacted the way I interact with my clients to this day.
"Success comes in cans, not cannots." -Joel Weldon
For 30 years, Joel Weldon has been sought after as an Idea Consultant and seminar leader by many of the world's leading organizations and businesses. A former construction worker with no formal education, Joel turned down a full scholarship because he thought he "wasn't smart enough to go to college." But a few years later his life completely changed. He discovered amazing talents and abilities he never knew he had, and he became a prime example of the power of one idea to transform your life!
Doug with Joel and Judy Weldon
"It's not what happens to you , it's how you respond! It's all up to you! Control the controllables! Forget the excuses, and take ACTION!" -Joel Weldon
Joel's full length seminar, Extraordinary Selling- Using The Willie Factor, is unlocked in week one of your High Achievers intro membership. Not a member yet? What are you waiting for?
Embrace The Struggle, by Doug Grady
April 25, 2012 by Doug · 17 Comments
Embrace The Struggle, by Doug Grady
struggle (verb)
1. To be strenuously engaged with a problem, task, or undertaking2. To progress with difficulty-thefreedictionary.com
One of the many reasons I workout with my trainers at YourDay is that our workouts are a perfect, beautiful metaphor for life. They are always tough. They are always different. Even though I know I have made progress they never seem to get easier. There is always a level of struggle.
Earlier this week I was having a particularly difficult time performing power cleans with a weight level outside of my comfort zone. I failed on five out of six attempts. The voices in my head started to say unpleasant things. I went on to another exercise.
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.” -Thomas Paine
I came back to the power cleans, forcing myself to listen to the voice in my head saying, "It's OK to struggle, just do your best." I failed on four more consecutive attempts. My YourDay trainer, Michael "Choppa" Willis, stayed with me, coaching me. Finally I did one. I rested for a minute or so. I did another. On my next attempt I failed. I rested for 45 seconds or so, resolving to end with a "win." I did one more rep, successfully completing three out of my last four attempts. Progress.
It would have been so easy to quit; to let the struggle be too much for me. I have been there more times than I care to admit. Times when I felt that life had my number and nothing I did made any difference at all. Times when I hated the struggle and prayed for it to just go away. Not today.
"Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better." -Jim Rohn
In the "laboratory" of the gym I get to observe my relationship to struggle. I can embrace my inner "chump" or my inner "champ." The lessons in the gym become the lessons for life.
my inner chump says: "Why is this happening to me? Why is this so hard? Why even try? Nothing I do makes a difference. I can't take this anymore. It is generally accompanied with a strained look on my face and short, shallow breaths. My body tends to be tight and rigid. This sucks.
"If it's hard, do it hard! Nobody said it would be easy." -Les Brown
my inner champ says: "It's OK to struggle. I am in the ring. I am making progress. I can do my best right now in this moment." My body is relaxed. My mind is clear. I breathe deeply and my face is relaxed. Bring it.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
Everybody struggles sometimes. How you struggle makes all the difference. Struggle like a champ today.
Please, leave a comment. I really want to hear from you.
See Doug struggle (training with Day Adeogba)...
What's In Your Library? Les Brown
April 18, 2012 by Doug · 2 Comments
What's In Your Library? Les Brown
Les Brown's life itself is a true testament to the power of positive thinking and the infinite human potential. Leslie C. Brown was born on February 17, 1945, in an abandoned building on a floor in Liberty City, a low-income section of Miami, Florida, and adopted at six weeks of age by Mrs. Mamie Brown, a 38 year old single woman, cafeteria cook and domestic worker, who had very little education or financial means, but a very big heart and the desire to care for Les Brown and his twin brother, Wesley Brown. Les Brown calls himself "Mrs. Mamie Brown's Baby Boy".
"You've got to be HUNGRY!" -Les Brown
In the early 90s as a young man in the insurance business Les Brown was one of my favorite sources of inspiration and motivation. Over two decades later his voice and message is more powerful than ever.
"My mission is to get a message out that will help people become uncomfortable with their mediocrity. A lot of people are content with their discontent. I want to be the catalyst that enables them to see themselves having more and achieving more." -Les Brown
Les spoke three times for High Achievers. He was one of our most popular, passionate, and powerful speakers. You can listen to Les Brown's full length High Achievers seminar, Live Your Dreams Now, in week 11 of your High Achievers intro membership. Membership is just $9.95 a month. I challenge you to listen to him and not be motivated.
Get, be, stay HUNGRY!
Change Your Mind, Change Your World, by Doug Grady
March 28, 2012 by Doug · 5 Comments
Change Your Mind, Change Your World, by Doug Grady
After watching a PBS documentary on Steve Jobs last week this quote stuck with me:
"Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again." -Steve Jobs
There was a time in my life I didn't think I could change much of anything in my world. I changed my mind.
"When you change the way you look at things the things you look at change." -Dr. Wayne Dyer
The turnaround in my life came from accepting that God had a plan for me and that I was not living it. This change in perspective eventually brought about massive changes in every area of my life. If you are taking on a change in your life, your environment, or the world around you, it begins with changing your mind.
Your mind is powerful. It can be stubborn, stuck, and stagnant. You can tell it "yes" but it still says "no." It can delude you into a life that is not much more than a slow, just-comfortable-enough death. Or you can change your mind.
You can change:
- the way you talk to yourself. That little voice in your head is always telling you something. Listen to it. If it is not consistent with the world you want to live in, you can choose a different voice.
- your input. Change what you read, what you watch on television, what you pay attention to online. Consciously add mental inputs that nurture you and grow you as a person. Let go of some of the garbage that pollutes your mind. Access to a High Achievers membership (just $9.95/month) is a great way to do this. You will receive one personal development program each week in your email box from the best in the business.
- your focus. One of the simplest, most powerful ways to change your focus is to develop a sense of gratitude. Each day list at least 20 things you are grateful for. If this is difficult or uncomfortable for you, do it anyway.
- your attitude. This one can take awhile. Consistently maintaining a better attitude is often a by-product of the first three changes. If you choose to, you can change your attitude right now.
"Change happens in an instant." -Tony Robbins
Change is a choice. Make one simple choice today to change the course of your life. You may not think you can change the world, but you can always change your mind.
More simple choices...
One Simple Choice, by Doug Grady
March 14, 2012 by Doug · 5 Comments
One Simple Choice, by Doug Grady
In retrospect, it may have been more for therapy than for any other purpose. On October 31, 2010 I published an article called The Ripple Effect. It contained glimpses of a painful journey out of a very dark place.
What began as a simple 30 day commitment to physical exercise led to an ongoing awareness of what was showing up in my life as a result. From this one choice all kinds of extraordinary happenings surfaced.
My struggle seemed to resonate with others. The more I observed the more I wrote. Eventually my life turned around.
The Ripple Effect is now a published book. The following is an excerpt...
Consider your life as a series of ripples. The experiences in your life and your response to them have led you to exactly where you are now. It is not an accident.
One simple choice can change the course of your life.
You can choose right now to reconnect with your higher purpose. You can take the first step toward an unrealized passion or let go of an unhealthy habit. You can throw your hat in the ring. You can choose a daily, weekly, or monthly commitment. You can choose to do nothing at all. Each choice will have ripples.
"If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice." -Geddy Lee
Don’t worry about making the perfect choice. Perfectionism nourishes procrastination and can keep you stuck. Choose something. Choose simply. Choose powerfully. Choose now.
“Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.” –Cavett Robert
Honoring your choice will not always be easy. Don’t let your ripple die the death of most New Year’s resolutions. Breakthroughs happen in the daily grind of consistently doing what you said you would do. The road ahead will undoubtedly contain many twists and turns; unexpected pain and exciting breakthroughs; setbacks and victories.
“I took the road less traveled, now I have no idea where in the world I am.” –Anonymous
Become acutely aware of what is showing up in your life. This is source of the power of the ripple effect. Record in your journal:
- What level of integrity did you operate in today?
- What ripples* are surfacing?
- How do you feel?
*Ripples are defined as the breakthroughs, experiences, realizations, people, things, additional commitments, and other results showing up in your life since you made your choice.
Finally, share with others you know what you are doing and your ripples. This is in essence how this book came to be.
What's In Your Library? Jim Rohn
March 10, 2012 by Doug · 2 Comments
What's In Your Library? Jim Rohn
"You must either magnify your skills or modify your goals" -Jim Rohn
For more than 40 years, Jim Rohn honed his craft like a skilled artist-helping people the world over sculpt life strategies that have expanded their imagination of what is possible. Those who had the privilege of hearing him speak can attest to the elegance and common sense of his material. It is no coincidence, then, that he is widely regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of our time, and thought of by many as a national treasure. Jim authored countless books and audio and video programs, and helped motivate and shape an entire generation of personal-development trainers and hundreds of executives from America's top corporations. -jimrohn.com
"Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion." -Jim Rohn
Jim spoke twice for High Achievers- once in California and once in Texas. I had the honor of meeting him and learning from him in person.
Jim passed away in December of 2009. His legacy lives on in his writings, his recorded seminars, and the countless lives he touched all over the world. You can listen to Jim's full length High Achievers seminar in week three of your High Achievers intro membership. Membership is just $9.95 a month. Start my membership now.
Join us and embrace a lifestyle of achievement.
What's Your Excuse? Do Something, by Doug Grady
March 8, 2012 by Doug · 4 Comments
What's Your Excuse? Do Something
My left hip has been persistently bothering me off and on since mid 2009. In late 2011 it was officially diagnosed as highly arthritic. According to the doctor's opinion, a hip replacement is inevitable. Not the news I was looking for.
I flashed back in my mind to a couple of years ago when I allowed this same hip to become an excuse for not exercising. It led to five months of a sedentary lifestyle and exacerbated a downward spiral in every area of my life. Since that time I have developed a new belief:
When it comes to exercise and other daily commitments, something is better than nothing.
Right around the time my hip was diagnosed, Scott Rigsby completed his second Ironman in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 16 hours, 22 minutes. In case you are unfamiliar, an Ironman is a 140.6 mile competition consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 miles on bike followed by a 26.2 mile run. Only a select few elite athletes qualify each year. Not all finish within the 17 hour cutoff time. Scott has completed two. Impressive, right?
Did I mention Scott is a double amputee?
I met Scott Rigsby a couple of months into a re-commitment to exercise. He was one of those not so subtle reminders I had no excuses. Scott was 18 years old when he lost both his legs from the knee down after a severe accident. He struggled through over a decade of surgeries, prescription drug addiction, and suicidal tendencies. Over 15 years after his accident Scott became the first double-amputee on prosthetics in the world to complete an Ironman distance triathlon.
I decided to call Scott half way through writing this. He was on a break from his busy travel schedule and picked up. We talked for a few minutes and I asked him what the turning point was in his life. He shared with me his mantra:
"Today's unthinkables are tomorrow's realities." -Scott Rigsby
Scott now inspires people all over the world to take on the unthinkable. It starts with doing something.
These are some of the "somethings" I have engaged in over the last 20 months:
- Weekly workouts with transformational trainer, Day Adeogba
- A 14 Day Raw Food Cleanse
- The 21 Day Arden's Garden Cleanse
- Hot Yoga
- Power Yoga
- Water Aerobics
- Stretching
- Muscle Activation Techniques
- Hiking
- Fasting
- One 5k
- Two 10ks
- Three Tough Mudders (the third was eight days after my diagnosis)
I have made adjustments in my exercises, exploring creative ways to stay fit and heal my body. My hip is better than it has been in over six months, and all things considered I am in the best shape of my life. This was unthinkable for me 20 months ago.
I am grateful for Scott Rigsby. I have no excuses. I can always do something.
What's your excuse? Do something. Today's unthinkables are tomorrow's realities.
Join us for Muddervation March 20.
What's In Your Library? Jack Canfield
February 15, 2012 by Doug · Leave a Comment
Doug Grady and Jack Canfield, 2003
“There are essentially two things that will make you wise -- the books you read and the people you meet.” -Jack Canfield
What's In Your Library?
Consider some of the books and people that have helped you grow through the years. The writings of Jack Canfield, Dr. Denis Waitley, Les Brown, and the late great Jim Rohn made a significant impact on my personal and professional life, long before I met them.
Today's High Achiever faculty spotlight is on Jack Canfield. Jack is one of the most successful people I have ever met. As the beloved originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, Jack Canfield fostered the emergence of inspirational anthologies as a genre - and watched it grow to a billion dollar market.
"Most everything you want is just outside your comfort zone." -Jack Canfield
Jack spoke on the High Achievers line-up several times. He was one of our most popular speakers, sincere in his approach, and just plain fun to be around (he still is). And his wisdom is profound. In 2003 I quit smoking by applying one of the strategies he taught for High Achievers.
Jack Canfield's Successful Habits Formula (from The Power of Focus)
- Clearly identify your bad or unproductive habits.
- Define your new successful habit.
- Create a three part action plan.
Thanks Jack!
Jack, Jim, Denis, and Les (along with a host of others) are ready for you. Full length audio recordings from the best of a decade of High Achievers trainings are waiting to be delivered to your email box. Each week we unlock the High Achievers vault and giving you exclusive access to our Achievement Library, all for less than 32 cents per day.
Join us and embrace a lifestyle of achievement.
The Turnaround, by Doug Grady
February 8, 2012 by Doug · 16 Comments
The Turnaround, by Doug Grady
If you would have told me 19 months ago that by now I would be an author, have a youtube hit and be in the best shape of my life I don't know that I would have believed you.
Less than two years ago I was heavily in debt, full of self-doubt, and struggling through a mid-life crisis on several levels. Today my first book, The Ripple Effect is complete, High Achievers 3.0 has been launched, and I am preparing for the most exciting performance of my life.
"Live with passion!" -Tony Robbins
Life these days is filled with activities I am passionate about. I am part of a team I am excited to work with. I get to exercise, write, create, volunteer, perform, teach and coach. I am living a life consistent with the person I have always wanted to be. Don't get me wrong- I haven't "arrived." Now is simply very different (and much better) than the not too distant past.
I paused today to ask the same question I asked myself almost two years ago when I felt helpless, hopeless, and out of control.
"Well, how did I get here?"
I have distinguished four core components in my turnaround.
- Surrender. I prayed. I had prayed before, often. I prayed for guidance, wisdom and clarity; for the ability to make good decisions. These may seem like intelligent prayers, but when I prayed them they were nothing more than various ways of saying, Help ME get better at getting what I want. Something was different about this prayer. It came from a different place, one of no agenda; open to whatever response I received. I asked to be the man God made me to be. Almost immediately I became present to this truth: I had been given much and was by contrast, giving very little. My prayer was answered initially in the form of:
- Physical exercise. I believe intense, consistent physical exercise to be the single most important discipline I engaged in to begin my turnaround. After nearly five months of a sedentary lifestyle, I exercised at least 30 minutes per day every day for 78 days straight. Since that time I have maintained a minimum of 45 minutes per day, five days a week. Discipline in this area caused a ripple effect in every significant area of my life. This led me to:
- People. I reconnected with some. I let go of others. I went out of my way to be around people I respected, trusted, and wanted to grow with. Along the way I was introduced to Day Adeogba in a Saturday morning boot camp. Day became my friend, mentor, and personal trainer. I went to three to five networking meetings per week. I invested time with people I met- not to make a sale, simply to connect. I became actively involved in a Christian men's group called Ironmen. A strategic alliance with BNI was strengthened when I met David Alexander, now CNO of High Achievers. I began to consciously choose my:
- Lifestyle. Slowly but surely unwanted behaviors and bad habits were replaced with people, activities, thoughts, and experiences consistent with the person I knew I could be. In addition to taking care of business, I took time to learn and grow. I started writing music, blogging, and performing for anyone who would listen. Church, family, and service became more of a priority than ever before in my life. I took care of my body with better nutrition and health habits. I trained for and completed three Tough Mudders in 2011.
It didn't happen over night. In fact many of my endeavors, particularly business and financial, took longer than I thought that they would. Some still are. But it almost didn't matter. I was beginning to live the life I always wanted but had never quite realized. Not just glimpses here and there, but fully embracing a lifestyle of achievement.
"Thinking is the hardest work there is which is, the probable reason why so few people engage in it." -Henry Ford
Sometimes you just gotta sit back, take a deep breath, and reflect. No matter where you are on your journey, right now is the perfect time to do this. If you choose not to do it now, schedule yourself at least an hour to give yourself this gift within the next two days. Take your time. Be where you are. Reflect for a few minutes on the answers to each question.
- How did I get here?
- How is my life different now from a year ago?
- Am I closer to being the person I know I can be?
- What am I most grateful for?
- Am I living the life I truly want to live?
If not, maybe it starts with a prayer, a push-up, and a person.
The Cost Of Persistence, by Doug Grady
January 22, 2012 by Doug · 8 Comments
persistence: firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
The Cost Of Persistence, by Doug Grady
per·sist·ence (noun): firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.
“I will persist until I succeed.” -Og Mandino
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” -Calvin Coolidge
"Energy and persistence conquer all things." -Ben Franklin
The universal power of persistence has been proclaimed in self-help books and motivational speeches for hundreds of years. Persistence, put simply, is a refusal to give up. The talented may give up, the educated may give up, the genius may give up. The persistent one does not.
I am a persistent person. For as long as I can remember, whether in school, sports, or sales it seemed to take me longer than others to gain an understanding of the critical elements of a given discipline. Once I "got it", I would often surpass my peers. I always attributed this to persistence.
However nothing in any definition of persistence speaks to intelligence, innovation, or being strategic. It may be implied that if we continue to push long enough we will explore creative ways to succeed, but this is by no means an automatic element of persistence. Persistence without thought can lead to staying too long in a relationship or job, beating a dead horse, stalking…
When the economy turned in 2007, I was persistent. I pushed. I put myself out there. I went on many sales calls. Companies and industries that previously generated tens of thousands of dollars for my business yielded little or no revenue from my efforts.
But I was persistent. I refused to give up. I made more phone calls and booked more meetings. I tried harder. My "obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition" was undeterred. And eventually... things got worse. I continued to produce dismal results. My company lost more and more money. I became increasingly frustrated. I was persistently sucked into the quagmire of mediocrity.
Recovery of any kind begins with the admission that you have a problem. In this case I had several. It took some time before l began to see the light at the surface of the muck. The turning point came when I finally accepted the fact that what I was doing was not working. My persistence had failed me.
Faith, humility and a re-commitment to growth eventually augmented my persistence. I asked for help. I let go of behaviors that weren't serving me. The Ripple Effect highlights some of the personal struggles, lessons, and ripples that followed during this very challenging time in my life.
“As long as we are persistent in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time.” -Dr. Denis Waitley
Professionally, there were lessons to learn as well. I went "back to school" and educated myself on how to survive and thrive in the "new normal." My studies were focused in the areas of:
- Online strategy
- Social media
- Personal marketing
- Strategic alliances
- Becoming a trusted authority
- Attraction versus promotion
- Recurring revenue
In the next few weeks I will be sharing some of the best of what I have learned and applied in these areas over the last four and a half years. If you are not sure whether or not you are opted in for my blog, take a moment to do so now (scroll up and to your right). And be sure to share this article with the people in your life who can utilize it.
Persistence, like many other attributes, can be a liability. Sometimes we need to slow down and reevaluate. Other times we need to let go of what's not working and do something different.
Please leave a comment- I really want to hear from you!
Persist intelligently.