The Power of Appreciation and Gratitude

Sure, we're polite. We always say "please" and "thank you"... to strangers at least. But for some reason, it seems that we often forget to say "thank you" and show our appreciation to the people who are closest to us; to our family, our co-workers, our employees, our teachers. We especially forget to say "thank you" to the universe for our many blessings.

Saying thank you and showing appreciation can be done in many ways. But the most important thing is simply recognizing how fortunate we all are. The fact is, in this country, even our slums are better than the best of what many other countries in the world have to offer.

Our lack-based protective mind continuously looks for more (like a squirrel hording nuts for winter) and has a tendency to overlook and discount what we already do have. Consequently, unless we consistently remind ourselves to look for "what's right" in our lives, we often only see "what's wrong."

It takes courage to "want what we've got" and be grateful for what we already have. The ego will tell us that if we spend too much time appreciating what we have, we won't attempt to get "more" and disaster will eventually befall us. This is how the ego keeps us on the high-speed treadmill of "more". The fact is, however, that there is never an end to the chase. (We think it will end, but notice from your own experience that it never does!)

The key to remember is that wanting what you currently have has nothing to do with not getting any more. Just because you truly enjoy and appreciate tonight's meal does not mean you won't want to eat tomorrow. To the contrary, appreciating it fully motivates you to take even more action in the hopes of enjoying this wonderful situation again.

The universe has a rule that states, "If you don't appreciate what you've got then you won't get anymore." In short, if you don't appreciate one, you don't need two. Again, it's the old "use it (as in appreciate it fully) or lose it" deal. The power of appreciation particularly holds true when it comes to our finances. If you want more abundance, be grateful for and properly manage all the wealth you have now. Remember, what you focus on expands.

A disaster like September 11th need not strike to make us appreciate all the abundance and blessings in our lives. Fully appreciating all the people, all the money, all the work, all the great many things you currently have in your life and expressing your appreciation and gratitude to others is one of the keys to living a fulfilled and truly ‘rich’ life.

It's time to focus not on what we lack, but to fully appreciate what we already have. To give gratitude for our health, our family, our friends, and our current wealth, however large or small, right now. It's time to count our blessings instead of discounting them.


EXERCISE:
Who and what have you not fully appreciated?

Today list all the people and things in your life for which you are grateful. In some special way, say "thank you" and show your appreciation to the people who mean the most to you, as well as to the Universe for all that you have.


Declaration:

I am totally grateful for who and what I have in my life right now.

For Your Freedom,

T. Harv Eker
Best-Selling Author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
& the world famous Millionaire Mind Seminar

P.S. Catch T. Harv Eker "Live" in London from the 13th - 15th April 2012 at the Ibis Earls Court London Hotel. Reserve your FREE Millionaire Mind Intensive Ticket worth £97.00 here: http://bit.ly/harvekerlive2012

Copyright © T.Harv Eker 2010

The Power of Integrity

The definition of integrity has two parts, both equally important.

1. Uprightness of character, honesty.
2. The state of being complete or undivided.

Integrity basically means to be whole, complete and in truth. Unfortunately most people today do not keep their word and commitments. In the old days, your word was your bond. Keeping your word was the basic measure of who you were as a person. Nothing has changed. Your integrity truly represents who you are as a human being.

Without integrity there is no "trust", and trust is a critical key to success in both relationships and business. If people don't trust you, they won't want to be involved with you, and definitely won’t buy from you. Remember, you get back what you give out. If you are "out of integrity", two things will occur. First, since like attracts like, the universe will send you others who are "out of integrity" for you to deal with. Not to punish you, but to teach you. What better way for you to learn about "integrity" than to meet mirrors of yourself and experience others not telling the truth and not keeping their agreements or commitments.

Second, "integrity" is a higher power energy. Meaning that when you are "in integrity" you are in your power; you feel strong and confident about yourself. When you are out of integrity, you are out of your power and feel weak.

Make your word "law". When you say something, you have to mean it and be willing to go to the ends of the earth to make certain your word is kept. This not only builds trust in you from others, but you trust yourself more. As each thing you say actually happens, your confidence soars and you become a truly powerful human being. With your power comes success in any and all arenas of your life.

EXERCISE:

Today, start your practice of integrity with two simple exercises. First be "on time" for every appointment you make. Second, keep all of your agreements and commitments. If you told someone you would call them today, do it. If you told yourself you would workout today, do it. If you said you were going to put 10% of your money into your "Financial Freedom Account", do it. In short, say what you mean and mean what you say. If you do, not only will you gain the respect of others, you will also respect yourself!

For Your Freedom,

T. Harv Eker
Best-Selling Author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
& the world famous Millionaire Mind Seminar

www.MillionaireMindUK.com

P.S. Catch T. Harv Eker "Live" in London from the 13th - 15th April 2012 at the Ibis Earls Court London Hotel. Reserve your FREE Millionaire Mind Intensive Ticket worth £97.00 here: http://bit.ly/harvekerlive2012

Copyright © T.Harv Eker 2010

Act in Spite of My Mood

"I don't 'feel' like it", is a common chant we often say to ourselves or to others when we're tired, not in the mood, or simply procrastinating. No doubt feelings are important and need to be acknowledged, yet at the same time, they often prevent us from taking the action we need to take, at the time we need to take it. Consequently, in the end, because we didn’t do what we needed to do, we tend to feel worse.

It takes courage to act regardless of your current mood. It's easy to succumb to your feelings. But remember, your feelings come from your thoughts, and you have the power to change your thoughts. When you change your thoughts, you will change the way you feel. Instead of focusing on how you're not in the mood, focus on the benefit of completing whatever needs to get done. Focus on how you'll feel when you’re finished and how proud you'll be of yourself for acting in spite of not being in the perfect mood.

Utilize the "law of momentum" which states that, "A body at rest tends to remain at rest while a body in motion tends to remain in motion". In short, get into motion! Remember, moods are a product of the "mind". The trick is simple: don't think, just do it! Train yourself to "get started" even if you're not in the mood. Moods tend to quickly dissipate once you're in action.

Whenever you don't "feel" like it, check in with your current thoughts. What are you thinking that is resulting in this feeling? Then simply change your thoughts. Remember, action generally comes from your higher self, the part of you that is for growth and expansion. Inaction generally comes from your protective mind, the part of you that tries to keep you stuck in your comfort zone. When you act in spite of your mood, you are choosing to manage and control your mind instead of letting it control you!

So the next time you're not feeling "in the mood", either change your thinking or simply say to your mind, "thank you for sharing". Then focus on only taking the very first step to get started, then take another, and another. One step at a time until the law of momentum kicks in. By then, chances are you'll forget all about not being "in the mood", and will be well on your way to completing whatever it was you needed to do...and feeling great about it!

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DAILY DECLARATION:

I act in spite of my mood.

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For Your Freedom,

T. Harv Eker
Best-Selling Author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
& the world famous Millionaire Mind Seminar

P.S. Catch T. Harv Eker "Live" in London from the 13th - 15th April 2012 at the Ibis Earls Court London Hotel. Reserve your FREE Millionaire Mind Intensive Ticket worth £97.00 here: http://bit.ly/harvekerlive2012

Copyright © T.Harv Eker 2010

Zig Zag Your Way to Success

Although we'd prefer everything go perfectly straight from beginning to end, our journey to success seldom turns out that way.

In fact the "straight" route is completely unnatural. Did you know there are no perfectly straight lines in the universe? Everything is energy. Energy travels in waves. Therefore "straight" doesn't even exist. Yet, notice how when things go a little off course, most people get frustrated, get down, and want to give up.

So why do we get upset when things don't go the way we'd like them to go? Because we have an "expectation" that is virtually impossible to meet.

The simple truth is that the journey to success is full of twists, turns, ups, downs, stops and reverses. By fully understanding this fact, you can now begin or continue your journey knowing that you, like everyone else on this planet, will have to "zig zag" your way to success!

The beauty of this knowledge is that you won't be deluded into having unrealistic expectations of the "straight line to the top" syndrome. Without these expectations chances are you won't get as upset or even give up, when things aren't going your way, because you know being off track is normal and therefore "perfect".

A good example of what I'm talking about is man's mission to the moon in 1969. During that extraordinarily successful flight do you know how often the spacecraft was actually "on course"? Believe it or not, it was straight on path only 3 percent of the time. That means it spent 97 percent of the time, "off course"! That also means it spent the majority of its time, "correcting".

The same holds true for the journey to success. Expect to spend a large amount of your time, "correcting".

This is why "perfectionists" have a difficult time being highly successful. Perfectionism is a form of fear. It is usually based in the fear of failure or the fear of disapproval. In either case, perfectionism often leads to paralysis. Perfectionists are scared to death of making mistakes and therefore either avoid taking action or are painfully slow.

The truth is, most people are afraid to make mistakes. It's no wonder, since many of us grew up being embarrassed or "punished" for our mistakes. Yet if you want to succeed, you must be willing to accept mistakes and inefficiencies as part of the journey.

I'm sure you've heard of Babe Ruth. He was known as the home run king of baseball. What many people don't know, however, is that he was also the "strike out" king!

Mistakes are our natural way of learning. They are the "feedback" we need for correction.

Let me share with you the Ultimate Success Formula:
TAKE ACTION, GET THE FEEDBACK, LEARN, MAKE THE CORRECTION, TAKE MORE ACTION, ETC. Repeat this process again and again until you reach your goal.

As long as you continue this cycle, and NEVER GIVE UP, in the long run, can you see how it is it virtually impossible to fail?

THIS MONTH adopt the attitude that correction is natural and focus on continuously acting and correcting until you get to wherever you want to go.

The secret to success is to "zig zag" your way to the top. The secret to happiness is to smile along the way.

DAILY DECLARATIONS:

Correction is natural.
Mistakes are how I learn.
I expect a winding road.
I never give up.
I zig zag my way to success.

For Your Freedom,

T. Harv Eker
Best-Selling Author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
& the world famous Millionaire Mind Seminar

P.S. Catch T. Harv Eker "Live" in London from the 13th - 15th April 2012 at the Ibis Earls Court London Hotel. Reserve your FREE Millionaire Mind Intensive Ticket worth £97.00 here: http://bit.ly/harvekerlive2012

Grow Bigger Than Your Problems

One of the secrets to wealth is to THINK BIG! The fact is that very few people “think” big and even fewer “play” big. So why don't people want to “play big”? Usually, it’s because they believe they can't handle “big” or they don't want to handle it. Why? Because “big” often equals big responsibilities, big hassles and big problems.

One of the biggest differences between rich people and poor people is that highly successful people are bigger than their problems while unsuccessful people are smaller than their problems.

Unsuccessful people are constantly trying to avoid problems. They back away from challenges. The irony is that in their quest to make sure they don't have problems, they have the biggest problem of all... they're broke or close to it. The secret to success is not to try and shrink your problems; it's to grow yourself so you're bigger than any problem.

Imagine a “level 2” person is looking at a “level 5” problem. Does this problem appear to be big or small? The answer is that from a “level 2” perspective, a “level 5” problem would seem BIG.

Now imagine a “level 8” person looking at this same “level 5” problem. From this person’s perspective, is this problem big or small? Magically, the identical problem is now a SMALL problem.

And for a “level 10” person, it’s NO problem at all. It’s just an everyday occurrence, like brushing your teeth.

It’s important to realize that whether you are rich or poor, playing big or playing small, problems do not go away. If you're breathing, you will always have situations that aren’t perfect.

Therefore, the size of the problem is never the problem. It’s always the size of you!

The secret then is to grow yourself as a person, to be bigger than your problems so that they become insignificant and appear to disappear. Not because the problems are not there, but because you handle them so easily.

The bigger problems you can handle; the bigger business you can handle, the bigger responsibilities you can handle, the more customers you can handle and the more money and wealth you can handle.

Remember, your income can only grow to the extent that you do!

A universal principle states that “at all points in time you are either growing or dying”. That’s why it is essential to keep learning and continue to work on yourself.

This month commit to growing yourself.

This month, do not shrink from problems, do not avoid problems and do not complain about problems. Practice not letting problems bother you. In fact, don’t even call them problems; refer to them as “challenges” or “situations”.

This month, practice handling problems with elegance and ease. The way to do this is to let go of your attachments, as well as the emotion and drama you create when you don’t get what you want. Just stay present and handle one situation at a time with an open mind and an open heart. Trust yourself and trust the universe that everything will work out in the end.

The bottom line is that if you become a master at handling problems, what can stop you from happiness and wealth? The answer is NOTHING!

Daily Declaration:
I am bigger than any problems.
I can handle any problems.
Nothing will stop me from getting rich.
I have a millionaire mind!

For Your Freedom,

T. Harv Eker
Best-Selling Author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
& the world famous Millionaire Mind Seminar

P.S. Catch T. Harv Eker "Live" in London from the 13th - 15th April 2012 at the Ibis Earls Court London Hotel. Reserve your FREE Millionaire Mind Intensive Ticket worth £97.00 here: http://bit.ly/harvekerlive2012

Copyright © T.Harv Eker 2010

March to the Beat of Your Own Drum

Your focus for the month is to "march to the beat of your own drum". In other words, don't follow the crowd! Doing this takes a lot of courage. At the same time, it will foster a lot more freedom, success and excitement in your life. The fact is, it's only when you march to the beat of your own drum, that you create new and original ideas.

So why is going against the grain such a challenge for most of us? The answer lies in our past. Remember in school, when we were taught to draw inside the lines? Nothing wrong with that, but if we let our spirit roam and drew outside the lines, then, look out! We'd be "corrected" until we developed the "habit" of staying within the artificial boundaries given to us.

Because of this early conditioning, most people end up living their lives this way, living "inside the lines", otherwise known as our "comfort zone". A comfort zone being an area of security, familiarity, and what others have taught us is "appropriate".

Anything or anyone who doesn't fit in with the "norm" often pays the price of disapproval and scorn. Because being "accepted" and liked is a primary source of security for the ego, most people do their best to follow conventional wisdom and fit into the mold. This not only creates our limits but also crushes our spirit. It takes "guts" to be different; to stand out from the crowd; to break free from the "clone drone" society and be a true individual.

Society creates a paradox; first it tells us not to be different, but then it pays us big money for doing so. Examples include Madonna, Elvis, The Beatles, Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Howard Stern, etc. These people created their own style and stood up for what they believed. They drew outside the lines and won! The fact is, people buy "energy". Creativity and uniqueness have a special energy to them. To the contrary, being "boring" is the kiss of death to success.

The real problem is that for most of us, our spirits were crushed early on. Spirit does not understand "drawing inside the lines". Spirit has no lines. It is limitless and has no boundaries. Spirit is about growth, expansion, light, love and joy. Individual, family and social "rules" do not apply. Recognize that when others criticize you, they do so out of fear. But you can be sure that inside each of them is a "spirit" secretly applauding you for breaking free and wishing they had the courage to do the same. Be their inspiration!

Your focus for the next 30 days: Instead of squashing your individuality, celebrate your uniqueness. Instead of getting lost in the crowd, dare to stand out! Get creative. Do something extraordinary. Be unusual. Whatever business you are in, figure out a way to do it, package it, or market it differently than everyone else. The "march to the beat of your own drum" rule also pertains to money and investments. Remember, the masses are broke. Therefore, to be rich you must be a contrarian. You must think differently and act differently. Buy when everyone else is selling. Sell when everyone else is buying. "Zig" when the masses "zag".

This month, let go of worrying about what other people think of you. Find your own pulse, your own rhythm, and your own beat and begin marching to that. Guaranteed - you will not only feel a renewed sense of spirit and energy but will also dramatically increase your income and wealth.

For your freedom,

T. Harv Eker

Best-Selling Author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind
& the world famous Millionaire Mind Seminar

P.S. Catch T. Harv Eker "Live" in London from the 13th - 15th April 2012 at the Ibis Earls Court London Hotel. Reserve your FREE Millionaire Mind Intensive Ticket worth £97.00 here: http://bit.ly/harvekerlive2012

Copyright © T.Harv Eker 2010