Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present. ~ Jim Rohn

The greatest source of unhappiness comes from inside. ~ Jim Rohn

Happiness is not an accident. Nor is it something you wish for. Happiness is something you design. ~ Jim Rohn

Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want. ~ Jim Rohn

It may be possible to incorporate laugher into daily activities, just as is done with other heart-healthy activities, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The recommendation for a healthy heart may one day be exercise, eat right and laugh a few times a day. ~ Michael Miller

Happy New Year to all my friends and family!

Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted. ~ Denis Waitley

Laughter is the most healthful exertion. ~ Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland

Good friends are good for your health. ~ Irwin Sarason

Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other. ~ Joseph Addison

Make sure the outside of you is a good reflection of the inside of you. ~ Jim Rohn

The New Year Giveaway!
FACT: Last year smart marketers dusted off their products and submitted them to the New Year Giveaway and added nearly 20,000 new subscribers to their lists on complete autopilot.
So it’s easy to see why the New Year Giveaway has become know as the “Greatest Listbuilding Event Of The Year”. http://ow.ly/3wskH

New Year Giveaway http://ping.fm/O62hj

Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the life-long attempt to acquire it. ~ Albert Einstein

A loving heart is the truest wisdom. ~ Charles Dickens

Honesty is the first chapter in the Book of wisdom. Let it be our endeavor to merit the character of a just nation. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Every now and again take a good look at something not made with hands, a mountain, a star, the turn of a stream. There will come to you wisdom and patience and solace and, above all, the assurance that you are not alone in the world. ~ Sidney Lovett

It takes humility to seek feedback. It takes wisdom to understand it, analyze it, and appropriately act on it. ~ Stephen R. Covey

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. ~ Confucius

The time for extracting a lesson from history is ever at hand for those who are wise. ~ Demosthenes

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. ~ John Wooden

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts. ~ John Wooden

Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it. ~ Doug Larson

Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself. ~ Oprah Winfrey

It only takes one lie to taint your entire testimony in a court of law. Honesty is a vital part of having a good reputation. ~ Jim Rohn

Each of us must be committed to maintaining the reputation of all of us. And all of us must be committed to maintaining the reputation of each of us. ~ Jim Rohn

Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time. ~ Jim Rohn

Don't mistake movement for achievement. It's easy to get faked out by being busy. The question is: Busy doing what? ~ Jim Rohn

Being at the right place at the right time can only happen when you keep moving toward the next opportunity. ~ Arthur Pine

Ability, Motivation and Action by Chris Widener

Ability, Motivation and Action by Chris Widener

"Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." —Lou Holtz

There are three primary aspects of your life that will determine whether or not you are successful in your endeavors. You will not be successful if you have only one or two. You must have all three working together. Consider them like the three legs of a "stool of success."

Ability
 The level at which you are able to actually do things. Your skill level. If you have a high level of skill, that's good. And the better you get, the better it will be for you. To the degree that you can perform your actions at higher and higher skill levels, the more and more success you will find in your chosen field.

Motivation
 The level at which you are able to find "a reason to act." This is the internal drive that you find that enables you to exercise your abilities. To the degree that you can find a way, or ways, to keep yourself motivated, you will see yourself right in the thick of things, carrying out your actions to the best of your abilities, and succeeding accordingly.

Attitude
 This is the mental state that you have while carrying out your actions to the best of your ability. It is the way you view the world around you and choose to see it, either positively or negatively. To the degree that you can maintain a positive attitude about yourself, others, and the circumstances you find yourself in, you will see yourself achieving greater and greater things.

"But Chris, can't I get away with just two?"

No.

What if you have high skills and motivation but a rotten attitude? People will stay away and hinder your success. What if you have a good attitude and motivation but poor skills? People will like you, maybe even root for you, but go to someone else with the skills they need. What if you have great skills and attitude but no motivation? Well, you'll be sitting on the couch like a lazy slug while the go-getters are out there making your money and achieving your dreams!

No, it takes all three. So let's ask some questions:

Ability: How highly skilled are you? Is your skill level holding you back? How so? What could you achieve if you just took your skills to the next level beyond where they are right now? How would improving your skills improve the bottom line of your success?

Motivation: How motivated are you? Why do you answer that way? What would your spouse or close friends say? Would they say you are as motivated as you say you are? Why or why not? Why do you have the level of motivation that you have? What could you do to find a higher level of motivation? What would happen if you became super-motivated for the next period of your life? What great things would happen?

Attitude: Do you have a good attitude or a poor one? How would you rate yourself? What about when things go wrong? Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist? What would happen if you took your attitude to the next level for the next 60 days? What if you just chose to have an incredible attitude? What would be the ramifications?

"The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts." —Booker T. Washington

This is so true. People will judge you on what you accomplish, not what you know or what you talk about. In fact, if you know a lot or talk a lot but do not accomplish anything, people will wonder what happened. So the question is whether or not you will take the actions necessary to deliver on your potential. To do so, you will need to focus on the three legs of the stool of success: Your ability, your motivation, and your attitude.

Take some time this week to give some serious thought to these three areas. Your success depends on it! And when you have done some reflection, put the conclusions you come to into action!

Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week. ~ Spanish Proverb

No person will make a great business who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit. ~ Andrew Carnegie

Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible. ~ Charles E Wilson