The Success Center

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Watch this video and I promise to share something powerful with you after the jump!

Question: If God placed a dream in your heart and He promised it to you, does that mean that it will come to pass automatically? Survey says,

“Nope!” <add buzzer sound here>

The truth is, God will give us the tools we need to succeed, but we’re still obligated with working the dream and protecting it. “From what?” You ask. We have to protect it from the destruction of our circumstances, nay-sayers, debt, jealous family members, even our own disbelief. In short, anyone or anything that would come against you and your destiny.

Like a new mother you’re going to have to protect your baby from the harsh elements of the world. How do you protect your dream? Here’s a hint, control your senses and control your destiny!

1. Close your Eyes – You can’t dwell and meditate on the reports of the economy, crime, rampant disease, and other distractions that bombard your eyes on the evening news. Look past your current economic circumstances and peer into the future! Keep your focus on the dream and have the courage to continue pressing toward it. The clip above is from one of my most favorite movies, The Pursuit of Happyness which illustrates the amazing success story of Chris Gardner. If you haven’t seen it yet, you owe it to yourself to have it in your DVD collection. Close your eyes to ill reports and watch something that will truly inspire you!

Final Thought: The things you see determines what you want, so if you see nothing but the economic recession then you want to participate in it. (Yes . . . you have a choice!)

2. Tune-out what you Hear – Have you ever been told that you couldn’t do something or “that’ll never work.”? In the clip above, Chris Gardner (Played by Will Smith) said to his son, “Don’t ever let somebody tell you, you can’t do something . . . ” You have to have such a passion for your dream that you won’t allow people to tell you it won’t be successful. Your mind is a radio station playing all kinds of music. You’re the DJ, so it’s your job to keep the positive tunes pumping. One way of doing that is by reading books that will inspire, empower, and equip you for success. I highly recommend Chris Gardner’s new book,

Final Thought: The things you hear prompt your actions so make sure that you’re only listening to people who will give you good feedback, strengthen, and empower your ideas.

3. Watch what you Say – Did you know that the power of life and death are in the tongue? I believe that what we say forms the atmosphere around us. If you say, “My business will never take off because I just don’t have any funding,” then it won’t because you’ve created an atmosphere of failure. As an entrepreneur I have good months financially and I have not so good months, but I thank God in advance for them all. Why? I want to be set-up for success! It’s that simple.

Final Thought: The things you say affects your attitude which ultimately will determine if you’ll even take a step on the road to success. Watch over your words and make sure you’re always speaking life and never death for your dreams.

Let me hear from you! What dreams and aspirations do you have? Are you “working” them or letting the dreams sit on the back burner? Are you protecting your dreams? Login using your Facebook or Twitter accounts and sound off below!

This article was originally written for my “Success Tips!” newsletter subscribers, but I really wanted to share this with the entire community. Please subscribe to “Success Tips!” here if you don’t already. Also, if you receive my newsletter and this is your first time visiting the Success Center, subscribe and receive blog updates, news, and more!

Don’t forget to purchase your copies of my highly recommended books and DVDs below;

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

Don’t you hate missing out on good stuff? I mean, really, really, good stuff? Like when the fat kid comes to class with chocolate cake and doesn’t offer anyone anything . . . yea, that good.

If you haven’t heard, my new buzzword for 2010 is value. I’m saturating it into every nook and cranny of what I do online and off. Why? Because it breeds success for me and the people I give it to. Today, I want to give something valuable to those who haven’t gotten it before, but first let’s take a step back.

Value in 2009

One way  I delivered value last year was through my Success Tips weekly newsletter. A lot of you really enjoyed it. It’s a bit different than the regular content here because we get down to business. No long articles, just straight “tips;” short, sweet, simple, and to the point.

Value in 2010

Well, it’s 2010 and I haven’t sent out a single newsletter. Why?

I’ve been busy creating and adding value to everything else and making sure I have a strong platform to stand on. Now, it’s the newsletter’s turn. It’ll be relaunching it next month/next week. The name is staying the same, the content will be better, and I promise you it’ll be something you don’t want to miss.

For those of you who aren’t subscribers, I’m opening the vault and showing off 10 of the best editions of my Success Tips newsletter. No special sign-up required, nothing to download, just click the button below and it’ll take you to my email archives page.

When you’re done browsing give me a little feedback by taking this Quick 5 Question/5 Minute Survey. I highly value your opinion and really want to make sure you’re getting the most from the newsletter.

If you’re concerned about spam or getting sales pitches or other mess like that, don’t worry. I hate that stuff just as much as you do. Check out my policies page for how I handle your information.

Call to Action

So, go check out 10 of the best “Success Tips” newsletters in the email archives. Tell me exactly what you want in future editions of the newsletter by taking this quick 5 minute survey. And sign-up for the new and improved Success Tips newsletter by entering your email address in the box below. (If you’re already a subscriber feel free to update your info by entering your email into the sign-up box. Other than that, sit tight, I got you covered.)

Note: The email archive, survey, and email newsletter comes from the great folks over at Constant Contact. I absolutely love their services and I know you’ll love’em too. If you need email marketing for your business give them a try, free for 60 days and get a $30 credit once you become a paying customer. (Affiliate link)

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

Have you ever had a project  that you needed to complete but put off for months for whatever reason? Well, this is what happened to me, but I finally sat down yesterday, turned the phone off, shut down my Gmail for a few hours, and smashed it into “itty, bitty pieces.”

My project was to create the following new pages which actually contain 49 of the 50 free resources. The 50th is right below the first two. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Best of

I’m so proud of the body of work here and I want to make sure that it’s easy for you to find the absolute best articles and information. You’ll find the most popular articles voted by you (via actual votes and page-views) and by me (most comments and ones I really want to spotlight). If you’ve got one that you don’t see on the list, let me know and I’ll add it. There are 31 articles in all and I’ll be adding to it throughout the year.

Resources

There are a lot of tools that I use in order to run this blog-a-zine and my business in general. Here, you’ll find 18 of the services that I pay for as well as some ways I make money online. A lot of you have asked me about the types of plugins I use here for The Success Center so you’ll find my top ones here as well.

(If you’re keeping count, 31 + 18 = 49)

Win in 2010 Entrepreneur Fast

This is the final resource (31+18+1=50!). The fast is underway, but you can still get in and take your life to the next level. The Facebook group is pretty active so you’ll have plenty of support on your journey and I give daily tips there to help you as well.

Policies

I finally took the time to put together policies for this blog and I’m sure they’ll be updated as we go further into the year. Think of policies as a set of standards in regards to how you and your information is treated while you’re on this blog. When I ran my graphic design business I used to have policies and procedures for just about any situation that might occur, it’s just good business and instills trust between 2 parties.

Note: I also simplified the main navigation bar and pushed a few links to the footer if you’d like to explore them. I’m always open to suggestions on how to make this site better so let me know what you think in the comments section.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

Happy New Year!

LIFE I AM THE NEW YEAR

Life I am the new year.

I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living.

I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought and didn’t find is hidden in me,

waiting for you to search it out with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn’t achieve

is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn’t dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will,

all the faith that you claimed but did not have –

these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened

by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity

to renew your allegiance to Him who said, “behold, I make all things new.”

I am the new year.

– Author Unknown

Best of The Success Center 2009

This blog is only 6 months old but we’ve produced some pretty cool stuff, wouldn’t you agree? Here are some of my favorite posts and a few that you have rated as your favs as well. Enjoy!

A Love Letter to Chris Brogan

The Home Depot Guide to Success

The Coach John Calipari Guide to Effective Leadership in 5 Steps [with Pictures!]

Does God Want You to Succeed?

How to Create an Editorial Calendar for Your Blog

Archive Spotlight: How do you define success?

How to Use Social Media to Build Your Brand Locally

4 Secrets to Small Business Success

Repositioning Yourself for Success

5 Keys to Blogging Success

3 Magazine Advertising Strategies for Blogging Success

4 Reasons Why I won’t (and you might) Invest in Network Marketing

Are You Afraid of Success?

Quit Your Job and Make Millions

8 Magazine Strategies that add Value to Your Blog

5 Free Ways to Market Your Business – Introduction

Reminder: “Win in 2010″ Entrepreneur Fast begins Monday January 4th!

Welcome to a new year filled with new opportunities to take your life to the next level. Have a great weekend!

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

Have you ever gotten a gift that you wish you give back? Only 2 more days until the big day and I’m sure you’ll get at least one gift like the one pictured to the left. It happens every year to millions everywhere.

Well, I’ve gotten a gift recently that I would love to give back, but it’s not what you think.

You guys (and gals) have continued to visit, post comments, tweet, and share the articles and it’s really made a difference. According to Alexa, the largest site for web metrics, this blog is the 139,723th visited site in the U.S. and it’s all because of you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Whether you wrote it in stone or not, you all have committed to making this site great by consistently engaging here. Since you’ve given me a gift this year I want to give you one next year. A gift of commitment. I commit to delivering high-quality and excellent information. I commit to giving you exactly what you need to succeed in 2010 and beyond.

I see this blog as a unique partnership between us. I’ll deliver quality content and you continue to be awesome and participate with the rest of the community. Deal?

I developed a short survey to help me understand your needs more. It’s comprised of 10 questions which took me less than 3 minutes to answer. It’s totally anonymous and none of the information gathered will be shared with anyone – scout’s honor.

If you’ve got 3 minutes, follow this link, take my quick survey, and help me serve you better next year. Just for giving a little feedback I’ve included a “super-awesome” free gift for you at the end.

I guess you’ll be getting 2 gifts from me, huh? One for this year and one for next. How cool is that?

Update: 12/23/2009 @ 12:00am – The survey is now closed. Big shout outs and thanks to everyone that participated in the survey. I really appreciate your feedback. As a parting gift to everyone that didn’t get a chance to participate, you all are welcome to the free gift that waited at the end of the survey, here. It’s a 15 page e-book called, “Explode Your Brand: 5 Things You can do now to make more money and have more fun!” by my friend and personal branding guru, Ronald Wilsher.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

The Success Center is proud to present the Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Entrepreneurs. Last week we went through the best in tech gifts for any small business owner and today we’re going to review some awesome books.

I love books because they wait on you (unlike movies where you have to rush out and meet “it” to be on-time). A book sits quietly on your table until you’re ready to pick it up. Here are some awesome books to grab for yourself or your entrepreneur friend this holiday season.

Note: The opinions of each product are my own. Amazon affiliate links are in full effect. If you decide to purchase a product, sales are used to further the growth and work here at The Success Center. Thank you for your support!

Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust

If you’re a web 2.0 entrepreneur (or know of one that can’t get his or thumbs off of Twitter) then you’ll love this great read from Chris Brogan and company. What I love about the book is the tone in which it’s written. Chris has mastered the art of teaching through conversation. I think the guy is so cool, I wrote “A Love Letter” to him.

The book shows how people use online social tools to build networks of influence and how you can use those networks to positively impact your business. Because trust is key to building online reputations, those who traffic in it are “trust agents,” the key people your business needs on its side.

8 Steps to Create the Life You Want: The Anatomy of a Successful Life (Faith Words)

This book is great for anyone, not just entrepreneurs, however, I find it especially powerful to the Christian entrepreneur. I’m actually on the last chapter and even though it’s taken me some time to get there, it’s worth taking your time to absorb all the wisdom within!

This is a blueprint to follow for anyone who wants to take their life to the next level. What more could you want from a man as successful as Creflo Dollar. His ministry reaches millions around the world. Your business is your ministry don’t you want to do the same?

Speaking of wanting to take your life to the next level. Let me ask you a question, Does God Want You to Succeed?

Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets

Are you maximizing Twitter yet for your business? I’ve declared it as my social media platform of choice for 2009 and it’s only going to grow in 2010.

What’s great about this book is it’s simplicity of the complex world of Twitter and some great beginner and expert advice. You’ll have everything you need in one book to help you build your brand and generate awareness to your web presence.

It’s written for newbies so if your small business buddy doesn’t know what a tweet is, this is definitely the book to get him. If you’re already using Twitter it outlines some advance tricks to maximize it for business as well.

Want a primer until you can get your hands on the book? Read, Are you a Twitter Newbie or Power User?

ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income

This is the book that started everything you see here at The Success Center. I picked it up at a bookstore late last year and instantly my blogging ideas begin to flow. I still reference it every once in a while for advanced blogging tips and tricks.

This practical guide to creating and marketing a blog with the potential for generating a six-figure income shows you how to choose subject matter that works for you, handle technical issues, and evaluate your blogs success so that you can use your blog to generate income indirectly.

Want some of my best blogging advice? Read, 5 Keys to Blogging Success

Battlefield of the Mind Devotional : 100 Insights That Will Change the Way You Think (Meyer, Joyce)

Did you know that success is all in the way you think and the words you speak? Yea, seriously! I’m a firm believer in our words having the power to change things around us.

Joyce Meyer’s book, Battlefield of the Mind is great, but the devotional has nothing but the good stuff in it. Jam packed with 100 keys of wisdom to help you conquer your thought life. It really is powerful for anyone aiming for the stars!

When it comes to conquering any battle you’ve got to stay focused! My friend Steve Borgman wrote some excellent advice on How to Stay Focused on THE Main Thing

The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything

This book should be required reading for all entrepreneurs. Seriously, Guy Kawasaki breaks it down in a way that propels you to success!

The Art of the Start will give you the essential steps to launch great products, services, and companies—whether you are dreaming of starting the next Microsoft or a not-for-profit that’s going to change the world. It also shows managers how to unleash entrepreneurial thinking at established companies, helping them foster the pluck and creativity that their businesses need to stay ahead of the pack.

Want my best advice on starting your dream business? Check out, Quit Your Job and Make Millions

Guerrilla Marketing, 4th edition: Easy and Inexpensive Strategies for Making Big Profits from Your SmallBusiness

When I launched my seminar series back in 2007 this was the book I bought to help me develop my marketing strategy. It’s absolutely invaluable to the solo-preneur or (if you’re like me) the broke-preneur!

What’s great about it is, everything it outlines is “do-able.” There’s nothing too hard or too simple, but it all works if you’re willing to put a little effort and time into it.

Here’s my best advice for being a smart marketer, 5 Free Ways to Market Your Business

Small Business For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))

Starting a business is really a “big idea.” And there are so many twists and turns within the idea that you can get lost before you even get started. This book is great because it breaks it all down for you even the idea stage itself.

This completely practical, no-nonsense guide gives you expert advice on everything from generating ideas and locating start-up money to hiring the right people, balancing the books, and planning for growth. You’ll get plenty of help in ramping up your management skills, developing a marketing strategy, keeping your customers loyal, and much more.

Starting a business? Read, 5 Ways to Start a Business without Going into Debt

The Purpose Driven Life

I’m proud to say that I found my purpose in life through entrepreneurship. However, it wasn’t an easy discovery. I’ve always been a business owner but I didn’t always know what I was here to do. Through a small church group I picked this book up and it really helped to put the pieces together.

Even though the book tackles life from a Biblical perspective the practical wisdom and exercises within are great outlines for business as well. Trust me, pick it up . . . I dare you!

I can’t tell you what your purpose is like the book above by I can help by showing you how to Reposition Yourself for Success

The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness

What’s a business book list without something about money? When you start a business money becomes your best friend and your biggest enemy. However, as Dave Ramsey explains, handling money is more behavioral than principle.

In this book, financial expert Dave Ramsey offers a comprehensive plan for getting out of debt and achieving financial health. If you can’t handle your personal finances, how are you ever going to handle your business finances?

Here’s a free gift for you, 7 Tips on Becoming the Master over Debt

Well, there you have it. My top book picks for entrepreneurs this holiday season. Christmas is this Friday so go ahead and order your favs now to get them in time for the holiday. By the way, if you missed the first part of this series check out some of my tech suggestions. Did some of your favorite books make the list? Which ones did I miss? Share your thoughts below.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

The Success Center is proud to present the Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Entrepreneurs. This will be a weekly series dedicated to bringing you the best tech, book, and supply gifts for any small business owner.

If you’re a small business owner I’ve outlined some great gadgets that’ll jump start your content creation, marketing, or help you in being an efficient business mogul. If you’re looking for a great gift idea to give your entrepreneur friend then look no further, we’ve got you covered!

Note: The opinions of each product are my own. Amazon affiliate links are in full effect. If you decide to purchase a product sales are used to further the growth and work here at The Success Center. Thank you for your support!

Let’s get this party started!

HP Pavilion DV6-1350US 15.6-Inch Laptop – $689.99 (after a $50 rebate)

Regular Price: $899.99

I’m definitely a fan of all things HP. Solid manufacturing, excellent support for the lifetime of the system via phone & email, and great features are what you can expect here. As an entrepreneur a laptop computer is essential to your mobile content creation strategy, financial planning, business planning, and becomes your office.

Under the hood you’ll get 4 gigs of memory, a 320 gig hard drive, and a core 2 duo processor, this baby’s built like a Ford truck. This system is a great buy with it’s core entertainment and multimedia options as well as enough power to run varying productivity programs. Beyond that, it’s really sexy with its black finish and Windows 7 Home premium.

If you’ve been needing an upgrade to your old office computer this is the system I would recommend for the price, features, and possibilities. Buy Now!

Apple iPod 8GB – $181.99

Regular Price: $195.00

So, your entrepreneur friend has a major meeting and they forget their laptop (for whatever reason) but the day is saved because their presentation was saved to their iPod.

These “jack of all trade” devices aren’t just for playing games and music anymore. With the app store packing more business apps, the iPod has become more productivity friendly for the entrepreneur.

With powerful multimedia features such as the ability to play over 10 video and audio file formats, you’ll be able to playback any file your clients throw at you. Don’t forget the 8GB of space for holding an armada of audio, video, and apps. Grab yours today!

Garmin nüvi 260W 4.3-Inch GPS Navigator – $129.99

Regular Price: $229.99

Imagine this, the largest company in your area wants to meet with you at their corporate headquarters concerning your products or services. It’s the meeting of a lifetime, but you’re not sure how to get there. How many times have you ever wasted gas looking for small businesses and hard to find appointment locations? Never get lost again with this baby!

It’s got a brilliant 4.3 inch widescreen graphical display, shows you turn-by-turn directions, with voice prompts. Did I mention you can also download maps and such and add it with a memory card? Yea . . . it’s loaded. This is by far the lowest price on a [good] GPS I’ve seen in a while. Better jump on it folks! Buy Now!

Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth Headset – $84.99

Regular Price: $99.99

Small business owners are always on the go, setting meetings, and making calls. If you don’t have a dependable bluetooth headset to compliment your phone then wasting energy finding contacts and dialing numbers.

This little gem receives calls wirelessly and can even dial numbers via voice (if you have the right software or phone – that’s why I love my crackberry!). It even connects to two devices simultaneously. I bet you could sync it to your cell phone and bluetooth enabled computer for Skype chatting, hmm . . . Buy Now!

Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 – $64.40 (after a $20 rebate)

Regular Price: $99.99

If you’re an entrepreneur and you’re not broadcasting your brand then you’re missing out. Tools such as Skype, TweetChat, and Camtasia Studio make it super easy to do virtual meetings, trainings, web chats, virtual trainings, and webinars. What does this mean for small business? You’re able to extend your reach beyond brick and mortar.

I use my Logitech webcam to do short training videos and quick video blog posts. What I love is it comes with a Carl Zeiss lens (the same camera lens found in Sony digital cameras – awesome quality!) plus, it’s 2 mega pixels deliver excellent quality video. Great price, portable, and great quality. Don’t miss this deal people! Buy Now!

Flip Ultra Camcorder 2nd Generation – $129.00

Regular Price: $149.99

The flip camcorder has really come a long way. It used to be just for teenage kids uploading pranks, stunts, and short skits to Youtube. However, now with better video resolution, bigger storage, and better features it’s proven to be an excellent ally to the solo-preneur.

With 120 minutes of high quality video at your disposal you’ll have plenty of time to do client videos, testimonials, or even blog posts. With it’s great size you’ll be able to stow it pretty easily in a purse, pocket, or small camera bag and take it anywhere. Video takes your website or blog from static to dynamic in zero to seconds (or, however long it takes you to upload the video . . . whatever). I’ve benefited tremendously from video right here at The Success Center. It adds a layer of depth and exclusivity to your content that you just can’t get from a typical website or blog. Trust me . . . if you don’t have one, get it now!

Amazon Kindle – $259

I’m absolutely in love with the Amazon Kindle. What other device offers you the opportunity to read countless books, newspapers, and certain magazines all in the same sit?

One key to success is gaining as much knowledge, wisdom, and understanding as possible. I’m an advocate for reading to stay inspired and learn new things.

Before I stepped out and did my first seminar I read a couple of books to help me organize the event and prepare me to speak in front of a crowd.

A book can help an entrepreneur take his or her life to the next level by the knowledge contained. Make it easy on them to get their books easily and in style by getting a Kindle today.

What else would you add to this list of gadgets? As an entrepreneur what are you hoping Santa leaves for you under the tree? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

I came across this great video of author, speaker, and overall awesome human being, Deepak Chopra. In it he explains how he defines success and his role in the world [purpose and destiny]. He answers a simple question, what would he do if he had all the time and money in the world, brilliantly;

If I had all the time in the world and all the money in the world, what would I do? How would I express myself? And how would I use that expression of myself to serve the needs of the web of life of which I’m a part. And when I do that, I’ll end up with having all the time and money in the world.”

In short, if you ask yourself, “what would I do if I had all the time and money in the world,” do it, you’ll end up with all the time and money in the world. How awesome is that?

So, l want to ask you the same thing, what would YOU do with all the time and money in the world? What kind of businesses, projects, or organizations would you start? How would you spend that time and money? It’s Friday so go wild, go crazy, let your imagination run wild and leave your answer in the comments below!

Note: Embedding of the video was disabled by the user so I can’t add it to this post. However, you can find it here on my Youtube Channel. The Real Meaning of Success with Deepak Chopra – It’s really short, only a minute and a half long, but really inspiring.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

Archive Spotlight: I thought it would be a good idea to start spotlighting a couple of posts that are buried in the archives. Some of you are fairly new to this site and others are lifelong followers (you are, aren’t you?). No matter what category you fall into, I’m sure there’s at least 1 article here you haven’t read. Enjoy!

3 Steps to Facing Difficulties on the Road to Success

Yesterday, I had lunch at Mc Donald’s and as I sat there, blackberry in one hand and a fry in the other, 3 people sat across from me and began to converse.  I can remember glancing up to take a sneak peak at the scenario and seeing two women, one wearing a Mc Donald’s management style shirt and the other in business casual wear. They sat directly across from a man who appeared to be in his mid thirties also dressed in a management style shirt. In my gut, I could sense that something bad was about to happen.

Being the retail veteran that I am I instantly tagged the woman dressed in Mc Donald’s management garments to be the restaurant manager and the other woman to be the district manager and the gentleman as a supervisor. Shoveling fries into my mouth and keeping a close ear towards their conversation I overheard the district manager say to the supervisor,

Well, it’s come to a point that we’re going to have to part ways. We’ve given you opportunity after opportunity to show us that you can handle such a high volume restaurant, but it’s not working out. You will be paid for a full day today however, we’re going to need you to turn in all company owned materials immediately.

I nearly choked on a fry when I heard it. Instantly I felt the warm satisfactory feeling you get from eating comfort foods and a growing discomfort from the situation all at the same time. I was shocked to actually hear someone getting fired from their job. I quickly lowered my eyes and sipped more of my sprite from my “gut buster” sized cup and tried not to pay them any attention.

The gentleman made very little attempt to “state his case,” gave a professional handshake to both ladies, and left his seat. I couldn’t help but wonder, “what do you do when your solid rock isn’t so solid anymore? What do you do when your foundation is washed away at sea by a storm of epic proportions?” You see, for that gentleman, Mc Donald’s was his solid rock, his foundation for wealth, his income. I don’t know if he has a second job or what his circumstances are, but if he’s like most Americans, he probably needed that job.

My point is, what do you do when you’re facing a difficult journey ahead on your road to success? Well, you can stop to cry and dwell in your sorrow and circumstances. Or, you can follow these 3 steps to getting things back on track.

1. Reposition Yourself – When you’re facing difficult times ahead you have to position yourself for success. That means maximizing every resource you have and minimizing every cost. In short, your expensive phone bill is going to have to be cut (you don’t need the internet and multimedia text messaging anyway!), you might have to cancel cable and read to entertain yourself for a while, and you  definitely might consider canceling your gym membership. Cutting unnecessary costs positions you for wealth building and creates helpful habits for your everyday living.

Update: For more on how to reposition yourself check out this video.

1. Reorganize Yourself – When you’re facing difficult times ahead you have to organize all of your resources. If getting yourself organized means tiding up that old resume, cleaning up that home office you now use for extra garage space, or simply organizing the files you’ll need to succeed on your computer, then get to it! Organizing your environment makes it easier for thoughts, creativity, and productivity to flow. If you’re organized you can see past the clutter and clear into your destiny!
2. React to your situation – And finally, when you’re facing difficult times you have to react . . . and quickly! If my boss were to tell me I was fired today, as soon as I got home I would be online looking for jobs. I would be making phone calls and networking with friends to see who’s hiring and where. When you’re falling and the safety net has been pulled from under you, your reaction will determine your outcome.

As I sat listening to their conversation, I desperately wanted to get up and tell the guy that everything’s going to be OK and that he was facing a difficult journey ahead but he could make it. All he had to do was reposition himself, reorganize, and react hastily to the situation.

What do you think? What else can he do as he faces a difficult journey ahead? What would you do? Let me know in the comments below.

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading

Tomorrow is turkey day and I’m sure everyone’s getting ready for the big feast. Before you dive head first into that turkey and dressing take a look at some of these great articles I’ve found for you around the web. I’m traveling pretty extensively today so I’ll be checking in regularly on Twitter and Facebook. Let me know if you find any of the articles useful with your thoughts below.

6 Ways To Create Opportunities on LinkedIn

5 Plugins To Make Your WordPress Blog Blazing Fast

10 Things You Can Learn From Infomercials

3 Ways for Businesses to Take Full Advantage of Facebook

How to Create Ebooks That Sell

How To Backup Your WordPress Blog In Three Easy Steps

About the Author Rod is the editor-in-chief of The Success Center, Producer of "Inside the Success," and a Success Coach. For more information, tips, and advice on being a successful Christian-preneur subscribe to Rod's "Success Tips!" weekly newsletter.

Continue Reading