Personal Development - The Plan

(excerpted from the Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan - Week Two)

Hi, Jim Rohn here and welcome to Week Two. Again, what an exciting opportunity to be able to take this next step together on our one-year journey.

1. The Invitation - We looked at the possibilities and I challenged you to accept the invitation to join me on this unique journey of self-development and discovery where you'll set and reach higher goals, go for your dreams, change certain unpleasant things about yourself and make a significant difference in the lives of others.

2. The Plan - This week we'll talk about the plan. All good things in life are upstream, but the natural flow of life is that downward, negative pull. To combat that downward pull, you need a plan, a map to help you reach your desired destination. We'll talk about the plan and break down the keys to creating and following a successful plan.

3. Association and Influence - We are affected by everything around us, including what we read, what we watch, who we talk with and who we spend time with. It all plays a part in how we view our world, our relationships, our opportunities but mostly ourselves. Next week we'll discuss the importance of our associations and the influence they have.

4. Learning and Education - All 12 Pillars of Success we'll be studying over the next year will involve personal development, becoming a student and learning. This is the foundation -- one of the basics or fundamentals to becoming more, to having more and to doing more, and we'll cover this key aspect in two weeks.

Bonus Point - Personal Development is about having a Celebration; creating your own unique, only-you-deserve-it-because-you-did-it, one-of-a-kind celebration!

We will cover each of these 4 points in depth this month. Last week we discussed the invitation, and now this week I congratulate you on accepting this invitation to be, do and have more in your life. The Bible says if you search you will find, and that is what you and I are in the process of doing. We have accepted the invitation to be seekers so that we can now be finders of the better things that life so openly offers to those who choose to partake in the process. This next year, let's see what we can do with the soil, seed, sunshine, rain and the miracle of possibilities to turn what we have into a life filled with the equities of treasure, family relationships, enterprise, gifts galore and everything that you want.

Now let's move on to this week's topic - The Plan.

As we all know, our results are only as good as our plan. Mr. Schoaff taught me that it's not what happens that determines the major part of our future, because what happens, happens to us all. Instead, he taught me that the key is what we do about it. If we start the process of change by developing a plan, doing something different in this next year than we did the previous year, it won't matter how small those efforts start. Start doing different things with the same set of circumstances - the ones we've always had and cannot change - and see what miracles occur.

If we start the miracle process and change ourselves, then everything changes. And here's what is interesting, the difference between success and failure is so subtle. Let me explain by giving you my definitions of failure and success. Here it is: Failure is a few Errors in judgment repeated everyday. The man says, "Well I didn't walk around the block today and it didn't kill me, so it must be okay." No, no, it is that kind of error in judgment, t

Now, here is my definition of success: A few simple Disciplines practiced every day. Do you see the distinction? A few disciplines... Here's a little phrase we've all heard, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." And my question to you is, "What if that's true?" How simple and easy is that plan?

The fact is, when you look at successful people, you will almost always discover a plan behind their success. They know what they want, they work out a plan that will get them where they want to go, and they work their plan. It is the foundation for success. We as humans have the unique ability to affect change in our lives; it is through our own conscious choice when we engage in the miracle process of personal development that we are able to transform our nature and our lives.

We want this first year in our program to be a success for you - a smashing success - and we know that mea