Ron White | Memoryinamonth.com | Memory and Sales Training Expert

Special Offer:

Quick Links to Ron's Products/Special Offers

Also Visit:

ChrisWidener.com
JimRohn.com
DenisWaitley.com
ConniePodesta.com
RonWhiteTraining.com
YourSuccessStore.com

Articles by Ron White

Your Brain is the Greatest Computer Ever Created by Ron White

Hang in There by Ron White

He Made Him Captain by Ron White

That Was An Easy Decision by Ron White

Leave the World A Bit Better by Ron White

Please Do These 3 Things by Ron White

What Am I Doing Wrong? by Ron White

Excerpt From 22 Success Lessons From Baseball by Ron White

Evan Till Eleven by Ron White

Write It On Your Heart by Ron White

Heeeeeere's JOHNNY by Ron White

Life Lessons From a Navy SEAL by Ron White

What is Your Excuse? by Ron White

I Know That You Are Lying by Ron White

3 Ounces by Ron White

We Got Problems by Ron White

Just Put Me On The Air by Ron White

Einstein's Formula for Success by Ron White

Einstein's Ability to Risk and Willingness to be Wrong by Ron White

Learning From Einstein's Creativity by Ron White

Your Brain is the Greatest Computer Ever Created by Ron White

Have you ever walked into a room and couldn't remember what you went there for? Have you ever grasped the hand of a potential client and then when the handshake broke, the name seemed to disappear from your memory? Or have you ever left a prospect and as you drove away remembered a key point that you should have shared with them?

Of course you have... we all have. However, I have some great news for you. Your memory is nowhere near as bad as you may think it is. Recently, I was a guest at a radio station in Waco. The disc jockey wrote a 50-digit number on a sheet of paper and told his listening audience and then played a three-minute song for his audience.

As the listeners enjoyed the song I memorized the 50-digit number. When the song was over we went back live on the air and I handed him the paper. I then proceeded to say the number forwards and then I said it backwards. The disc jockey looked at me in utter disbelief and stunned he said, 'Ron... you are incredible!' I looked him straight in the eye and replied, 'You know... you are right!' I said, 'Jay, the greatest computer ever created does not come from Dell or Gateway. The greatest computer ever created does not sit on the assembly line of a computer factory. Instead, you and I are the greatest computers ever created. And yes... you are right. I am incredible... but so are you.'

The human memory has the ability to hear a 100 digit number or more once and then repeat it forwards and backwards, it has the ability to memorize a Shakespearean play word for word or memorize the stats of every baseball player for the last 100 years, and the human memory has the capability to meet 100 people in 20 minutes and recall every single name!

Now, the question is, are you doing these things? If not, the reason is simply that you have not been trained to. Two thousand years ago a Greek named Simonedes developed a memory method called 'Loci'. With this method, Simonedes numbered locations in his home. He started in the doorway and then logically proceeded around his home. He reviewed these items so many times mentally that if you asked him what was number 25 then he could instantly tell you what piece of furniture that number corresponded to.

These 25 objects were actually mental files for Simonedes. Then if he had a list of items he wanted to recall he would place them mentally on these objects in his home. Let's say that you are a professional who wants to give a speech without notes. Simply turn the key points into pictures and then file them to your 'house files'. When you are called upon to speak simply mentally walk through the house and give your talk without notes.

For example, recently I gave a one hour keynote in Atlanta at a home builders conference. I wrote my speech out the night before. The first thing I wanted to do was talk about the book, 'How to Win Friends and Influence People.' So I visualized the book on my front door and then mentally walked through my house and gave the one hour talk without notes! That can work for you as well. Anything that you want to recall simply turn it into a picture, place it on your house files and get ready to be amazed! YOU are the greatest computer ever created!

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Ron White is the author of Memory in a Month - Train Your Mind to Work Like a Human Computer in Only 30 Days!, How to Develop the Mind of Einstein, Write It On Your Heart - Simple Steps to Scripture Memory, and 22 Success Lessons From Baseball (eBook). To subscribe to the Free Ron White Ezine go to http://www.memoryinamonth.com or send an email with Join in the subject to ronwhite@yoursuccessstore.com Copyright © 2005. All rights reserved worldwide.

Hang In There by Ron White

I remember Navy boot camp like it was yesterday. An event that occurred on my 2nd day still causes me to pause when I reflect on it. You can tell a new person to boot camp from someone who is about to graduate based upon their clothes and ribbons. It was clearly my second day from what I was wearing. I was walking single file with my unit down a hall and a sailor who was about to graduate passed us.

He must have noticed my expression. It without a doubt said, 'I am tired, intimidated, scared and hungry.' You can't talk when walking in formation, therefore he whispered out of the side of his mouth as we passed...'Hang in there...you can do it.'

I turned to look at his face, but all I saw was the back of his head. Every night before I drifted off to sleep I replayed those words. I will never know that sailor's name. He will never know how it turned my attitude around 180 degrees. He will never know that years later I still remember the electricity of encouragement that shot through my body. I knew that the only reason he knew what I was feeling is that because he had been where I was and felt how I felt. He had made it and wanted me to know that I could as well. I was eternally grateful.

Then it was my turn. On my graduation day I walked into a storage facility and saw three sailors leaning up against the wall. They were new and scared, intimidated, tired and hungry. I walked over to them and whispered, 'Hang in there...you can do it.' Within 1 second tears filled the eyes of the female sailor and one of the males clenched his first and gave me a million thanks with his eyes.

As I walked away I had goose bumps. I knew that my words would be motivation for the rest of the day and fuel every night to keep them focused on their goal of graduation when they wanted to quit. I hope they passed on the encouragement to another sailor before they graduated...and I know they did.
If you are in a valley, then remember this. Others have been there (including myself) and hang in there you can do it. Whether your goal is boot camp graduation, building a business or a raising a family... since others have done it...you can too. Hang in there.

If you are at a peak. Do not underestimate what a few kind words of encouragement might do for those around you. Many find it odd that at this point in my career that I am in the Naval Reserves. I generate more income by one person attending my seminar than I do in my one weekend a month. If I get activated, I will earn a fraction of my current income. But, I do it because it is right for me and in my heart I have to. I also do it because the lessons like the one above are invaluable to me. I hope you found some value in it as well.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

He Made Him Captain by Ron White

One of my best friends coaches a group of 13 year old boys in soccer. He saw some leadership potential in one of the boys but he also saw some disturbing qualities. My friend approached the boy and told him that he thought he could be captain of the team but he wanted to see changes in some of his behaviors.

Almost overnight, the boy stopped his whining and complaining. He became responsible and an effective leader. Today, he is the captain of the soccer team and parents who have known this kid for years are asking my friend what he did to transform him.

My friend didn't do anything other than tell someone that he believed in him and thought he could do better. When was the last time you told someone that you believed in them? You can criticize until the cows come home. However, if you want to see lasting change... find the positives in a person and reinforce those. When you do those qualities will grow and overshadow the less desirable qualities. For an overnight transformation...find positives and make them captain!

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

That Was An Easy Decision by Ron White

A few years ago, I was standing in line to get my car registration. The woman in front of me had not renewed her tags and they were one year over due. She was asked,' Has your car been sitting for the past year or have you been driving it?' She said, 'What is the difference?' She was told that if she says she has been driving for the past year she was going to have to pay $80. However, if she said it had been sitting in her garage then she would only have to pay $40. She then laughed and sarcastically said, 'Oh...in that case it has been sitting for a year!' She laughed and it was obvious she was lying.

She turned to me and said, 'That was an easy decision.' I looked her right in the eye and I said, 'Yes...it was.' And you know what? As easy as it was... she made the wrong decision.

Why did she make the wrong decision? Because it was a lie. It is as simple as that. Years ago, a woman told me that she wanted her money back for a seminar I had instructed. It rarely occurs, so I asked her why she wanted her money back. She said it was because when she enrolled I told her that my seminar was not similar to another popular seminar on the market. I told her that I never said that.

She replied, 'Oh so you recall the exact conversation we had 3 months ago?' I told her I did not even recall talking to her. She then said, so how do you know you didn't say that? I told her it was easy...because that was a lie and knew I wouldn't have said it. Regardless, I gave her the money back.

Do I and have I lied? Yes, I am a human so I have. But, when I do it is if a guy in my gut kicks me and says, 'You dope what are you doing!?' It kills me and I remember it. It may take you 10 years to build your business reputation in your community, but you will tear it down in 5 seconds if you get caught in a lie.

For the sake of your business and your career, make honesty your policy. If you can't sell without stretching the truth--either your product is no good or you need sales training. A solid and lasting business can only be built on honesty. If your customers even think you are lying to them, you have lost their business. It isn't worth it.

Whatever you do...make it the truth. Remember, it is an easy decision

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Leave The World A Bit Better by Ron White

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a poem on success. One of his measures of success in that poem was to, 'Leave the world a bit better.' That line has always stuck in my head. Emerson said you have succeeded if you leave the world a bit better. I have made that line part of my life philosophy.

When the tide goes out there is a watermark where the water was. When the waters of life recede from the shore of my being and my heart pumps for the last time, my desire is that there will be a mark where I stood. My aim is that the mark will say, 'For some decades a man occupied this space who saw others more important than himself and efforted to leave the world a better place for them and those yet to come.'

Our society tells us that success is measured by bank accounts, power, beauty and wealth. These are often the result of hard work, luck or birth. They are not evil and I strive for some of them daily. However, they are not the mark I will measure the success of my life with.

So how do you do it? How do you 'leave the world a bit better?':

You give a percent of your income away to a charity or church. This makes your community better.
You save a percentage of your income to pass down to your family when you leave.
You volunteer your time for those who are less fortunate. Are you volunteering anywhere?
You mentor someone who needs a positive direction in life.
You follow and get involved in politics. Our laws and leaders will determine the future. You can have a hand in that future.

Or you can amass as much wealth as you can, spend it as fast as you can on the fading desires of your heart and seek to please you first. Our culture might tell you that this is success. Emerson tells us that it is not. I encourage you to realize that the waters of your life will eventually withdraw from the shore. When it does, will there be a watermark?

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Please Do These 3 Things by Ron White

I am extremely leery of any quick fix solution or overnight formula for success. In my opinion, they don't exist. With that said, the following formula is one that I have recently shared with 2 members of my family to encourage them to break through the rut they are in and experience success. Therefore, if I would share it with my family. I must believe in the principles. I suggested that they begin to regularly do these three things:

1. Surround themselves with positive people who believe that this life is not all that there is. Personally, I find this at my local church. This email goes out to thousands of people all over the world. I know we don't share the same faith in all cases. This message is not about my faith. It is about you finding a group of people who regularly meet together and have a belief that there is more to life than what we see. This is the first step to a positive outlook on life.

2. You must exercise weekly in order to stimulate endorphins and maintain an energetic life. The exercise of walking to the kitchen or curling 12 ounces does not count as exercise. I run 1 mile twice a week and 2-3 days a week do strength training. This is nothing difficult but it makes a major difference on my attitude.

3. You MUST educate yourself through reading. The average CEO in America reads 4-5 books per month. The average America reads one book per year and 60% of us don't get past the first chapter! Make a promise to yourself to read at least one book per month. Read anything! I recently wrote a book on the upcoming Presidential election. If you would like a copy of that for free send me an email to ron@ronwhitetraining.com with your address and I will mail it to you. (If you live in the United States).

Regardless, of what you read....develop a passion for reading and learning and you will see your attitude and outlook on life begin to change.

Any person who faithfully invested their time in these three areas may not break world records in levels of success. However, everything in me believes that they would see dramatic improvements. I believe that so much I encouraged my family to invest their time in these areas

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

What Am I Doing Wrong? by Ron White

A few years ago I called a special meeting. I went to my staff and I told them that the next day at 1:00 we were going to have a special meeting. The topic of the meeting was going to be all the areas that I as their boss could improve upon. One of my employees stood up and said,'Okay...right now?'

I replied, 'No, we will do this tomorrow at one o'clock'. She said very matter of factly, 'Oh... I am ready now.' I smiled and told her that I wanted her to at least PRETEND that it would take her 24 hours to think of how I could improve!

The next day at one o'clock I found out that this employee had gone home and spent one hour composing a list. I think it was the first time she ever put in ANY effort after 5pm! She had 23 areas that I needed to improve upon! The others at the meeting had suggestions as well but not to that extent.

Before the meeting I had informed everyone that their job was secure whatever their suggestions were. I wanted them to be brutally honest so I could get better and the company could improve. They were indeed honest and because they trusted me did not fear for their job with their statements.

Of the suggestions, 75% were good and accurate. 25% were totally off base and they were wrong. With that said, not once in the meeting did I defend myself. With every suggestion (right or wrong), I thanked them and wrote it down in my notebook. Never once did I defend or explain myself.

It was a very productive meeting for everyone involved. My employees felt valued because I came to them for advice and the company improved because we changed some procedures. It is hard to accept constructive criticism. However, if you desire to be successful it is quality you must embody.

Ask for constructive criticism from those around you. They will feel valued that you asked and most likely you will become a better friend, manager or spouse because of it. Don't defend yourself... just get better.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Excerpted From 22 Success Lessons From Baseball by Ron White

Robert Frost and Bobby Thigpen

Bobby Thigpen spent most of his career with the Chicago White Sox and had a good baseball career. However, I am sure that it's a little known fact that he also fancied himself as somewhat of a poet. That's right... a poet. The man who the White Sox looked to in the ninth to mow down batters could have been the next Robert Frost.

Actually, that may be an exaggeration. His poetry most likely would not have received an 'A' in any Junior High English class. Thigpen, after his first full year in the Major Leagues, posted a 7 and 5 record with 16 saves and an ERA of 2.70. But, he did sense that the possibility of not being signed was real. He sent this short poem to White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf:

As I sit at home this off-season,
I wonder what the hell is the reason,
Why the club wants to be unfair,
Underpaying a player who can produce and care.

Reinsdorf could roll with the punches and promptly responded with some rhymes of his own.

I hope you are a really good pitcher,
Because as a poet you will never get richer;
If you are not pitching this year,
I will be sad but won't fear;
Though you may be one of the best,
There's always someone among the rest.

At this point it was getting fun. And Thigpen couldn't resist but to respond with more poetry of his own. Thigpen sent this gem to his fellow poet:

It is true that my potential as a poet is very small,
But, in the ninth who do you want to have the ball?
You say there will always be someone among the rest,
But, who do you want, them or the best?

Thigpen didn't get his salary doubled like he wanted. But, he did get signed and had a nice career. Someone once said that, 'Life is too serious to be taken seriously.' Thigpen is a man who had an unconventional and fun approach to a very serious issue, such as his salary. How often in business and life do you make a serious situation only more serious by being unnecessarily stoic. If we can learn any lesson from Thigpen it would be to lighten up and have some fun.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Evan Till Eleven by Ron White

One of my good friends has a little boy named Evan. I call him 'Evan Till Eleven' because it rhymes and I am a clown. When I met them in April, he was zero. But, he just had a birthday so now he is one year old.

A few weeks ago, we were at a swimming pool party. Evan had no fear of the water. He kept jumping off the steps of the pool to catch the water shooting out of the fountain. Every time he would jump off the steps I would catch him because little did he know that the water was over his head.

Evan did not stand on the steps and ask himself' Can I:
- reach the water fountain?
- stand in the water or is it over my head?
- SWIM!!!??'

Instead, this one year old jumped and laughed every time I caught him. I then swam him over to fulfill his goal of touching the fountain. He laughed hysterically as he touched the fountain and then I would take him back to the steps and guess what happened? You bet...Evan again, jumped into the water that was above his head and I caught him and swam him to the fountain. This routine continued for longer than you might think is possible.

When Evan is at the bottom of a staircase, he doesn't say to himself, 'WOW! That looks too high for me, I bet others have gotten hurt, or what if I get stuck?' Evan will look at the steps and start up taking one step at a time.

As adults it would be a good idea to think more like a one year old. We let fear stop us from really pursuing our dreams. We wonder what would happen if we failed, got stuck, ran out of money or looked like a fool. Often times, this worry is considering things that may not occur. Please do not misunderstand that analyzing a situation and assessing the risk is not wrong. It is right when it is tempered with some measure of risk and optimism.

In 13 years of running my own business I have asked myself what would happen if everything went wrong at the same time. However, I did not allow that answer to keep me from jumping off the steps. And you know what? 6 years ago, everything did go wrong and things went bust. But, It wasn't all that bad. I was actually happy to find that the fall wasn't bad as I thought and I swam back to the steps and jumped off again.

Today I am happily at the fountain I was reaching for. If you are on the steps and you are considering that risk of failure; if it is not a life or death risk... I encourage you to jump. I won't be there to catch you, but you might be surprised to find that you are caught by your own imagination, drive, work ethic or the hidden hand of your Creator.

Put fear in its place and risk...Evan would

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Write It On Your Heart by Ron White

"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord."

Those are the words of Exodus Chapter 34 verse 29. Moses had just come down Mount Sinai for the second time with the Ten Commandments. He had the unique honor of carrying two tablets marked by the force of God to his people. This scripture tell us that the face of Moses was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.

And do you know what?... You too can carry the life changing word of God... but not in your hands. You can carry it in your heart. And if you do, I believe that you will also experience the radiant face that Moses did. While we will never have the chance to carry two stone tablets marked by God, we can carry His letter to us in our hearts.

Psalms Chapter One tells us that the one who meditates upon scripture will prosper in whatever they do. If you take this message to heart, it is the most powerful action you can undertake in the direction of self improvement.

So what does it mean to meditate on the word of God? It simply means to think about it, read it and study it. What better way to meditate on scripture that to memorize it. Imagine having the book of Proverbs, Romans or Psalms memorized word for word. Wouldn't that be remarkable?

Your mind is the greatest computer in the world and is without a doubt easily capable of recalling 100-digit numbers, 100 names and faces and even bible verses. If I asked you to walk around your bedroom and number ten pieces of furniture, could you do that? Of course you could. Then, if I asked you to visualize a heart on your first piece of furniture and joy dishwashing liquid on your second could you do that? Of course you could!

This is how easy scripture memory is. You must have files (your furniture in this instance) and then turn the verse into a picture. In the example I just used, I turn the first two fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians (love and joy) into a picture. If you desire you can turn the other seven into pictures and there you have it -- written on your heart!

Now this is just the "Cliff Notes" version of scripture memory. In my program, 'Write It On Your Heart' I teach you how to build hundreds of files and memorize chapters of scripture word for word.

It is my desire that you take the life-changing word of God and write it on the tablet of your heart. If you do, there is no doubt in my mind that your face will show the radiance not known to you before, and your life will bear the undeniable autograph of someone seeking the heart and mind of our Creator.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Heeeeeere's JOHNNY! by Ron White

One of my fondest childhood memories is watching The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. When I was seven years old, I would get a tape recorder and put it against the television and record Johnny's monologue. I remember running into my parent's room because I wanted my mom to come and listen to the 'funny man.' When she walked into the living room, she did laugh.

However it was not at Johnny Carson, instead she laughed that her seven year old son was convinced that he had discovered Johnny before anyone else in the family!

Perhaps it should be no surprise that decades later I make my living by delivering monologues much like my childhood mentor. Although, I am a keynote speaker and not a comedian. Originally, I tried to be a comedian... but everyone just laughed at me!

As I listened to Johnny's friends this week, they all talked about what made him loved by those from 7 to 97. Do you know what they said? They said that he:

- let others talk (In other words Johnny was the star by not always manipulating the spotlight to himself. He let others shine.)

- listened (Not only did he let others talk, he also listened!)

- made jokes but never at the expense of his guests.

- saw the value in bringing the common man on his show.

- wanted to see others succeed.

- was almost funnier when his jokes bombed because he just rolled with it.

Johnny Carson understood that if his guests were successful and funny that made him a star. He spent his interviews letting others have the spotlight.

Here is the life lesson:

Understand what I call the 'Carson Principle.' This principle says that if you want to make your life successful then make those around you successful.

Spend time to listen to the least among you. The 'Carson Principle' also goes on to say that if you spend your efforts to draw attention to yourself it will actually backfire and focusing on others will catapult you to success. This may not be monetary success but it will surely mean relational success. Finally, the 'Carson Principle' says that it is okay to fail and don't take your failures too seriously.

Mr. Carson, I still have your decades old monologues on cassette tape. Although I was not aware of it at a young age, you taught me a lot about life and success. Thank you and I bid you a heartfelt farewell.

Goodnight Johnny...

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Life Lessons From a Navy SEAL by Ron White

Do you know what a Navy SEAL is?... It is basically an Olympic athlete with a gun.

When I meet someone who is a Navy SEAL I am always in awe. There is absolutely no way in few paragraphs that I could convey to you what goes into being a Navy SEAL. Probably 5% of the world's population has the physical ability to become a SEAL. I would guess that less than 2% have the mental toughness and maybe 1% have both.

When you effort to become a SEAL, you enter a program called BUDS. This is a multi-week program designed to get rid of the mentally weak and physically inadequate. A typical BUDS class might have 150 men and only 20 will complete the program. You might ask, 'What happened to the other 130 men? Were they kicked out or asked to leave?' The answer is...neither.

When you enter BUDS it is because you have prepared for this program for years. You don't just decide one day that you are going to become a SEAL. You dream about it and plan for it for years-just to get to this point. Do you know how you leave BUDS? You walk over to a bell and ring it and when you leave it is your decision. You see, 150 men will enter a program that they have prepared for years and then in just a matter of days or weeks, they ring a bell and say to the world, 'I am not cut out for this. I quit. I give up on my dream.'

That should be amazing to you. It should be amazing that 90% of people can have a dream they have sacrificed for years and then after just a few days or weeks give it up. However, it happens all the time in BUDS and in life.

TC Cummings is a former Navy SEAL and professional speaker. I recently watched him on DVD and he said that almost everyone in his BUDS class had the physical ability to be a SEAL. After all, they had conducted countless hours of physical training for years just to get to this point. The difference was mental toughness. Although, they had developed physical strength, they had not worked out their minds to develop the mental toughness required.

TC made it and the others could have as well if they had his mental strength. He said that CEOs, sales people and business professionals fail because they don't have mental toughness.

He explains that the same thing that will keep a sailor from becoming a SEAL is the exact same thing that will keep you from your goals. That is self-doubt, feelings of inadequacy or lack of confidence. At this point, I was hanging on the edge of my seat waiting for TC to tell me how to get the confidence of a Navy SEAL. Do you know what he said? He said, 'Setting goals and accomplishing them...even if it as small as making your bed everyday builds confidence.'

So I have given myself several small goals. One is simply making my bed. The others are items like reading books, getting my private pilot's license and exercise. Guess what? As I accomplish these goals, my confidence is building and I am becoming a better salesperson and speaker! Thanks TC!

I wish I could share with you all that I have learned from TC! Oh wait...I can. I encourage you to invest in the same DVD I watched. It is 2004 Jim Rohn Event below. Not only will you learn from TC Cummings, you will also watch Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, Denis Waitley, Chris Widener and more! It is below.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

What Is Your Excuse? by Ron White

'The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.' You have heard it a million times. However, my guess is that you have never heard it from the mouth of the 'rich'. Instead, this echo has most likely bounced to your ear with its origins being an excuse. That is right...an excuse. Excuses are what many use to pacify their guilt of not accomplishing what they are capable of.

I am not suggesting that wealth is success. My inference is that success is the progressive realization of predetermined worthwhile goals. It may be something as simple as raising a family.

What do these names have in common?

Richard Nixon

Gerald Ford

Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan

Bill Clinton

They were all President Of The United States right? They were all the most powerful man in the world at one point. However, I am looking for something else...

Richard Nixon... Nixon was born in the home his father built. He won an award from Harvard his senior year of high school. However, his family was unable to afford his leaving home for college. He instead attended Whittier College.

Gerald Ford... Ford was born as Leslie Lynch King, Jr. In 1913 his mother left her abusive husband and took her son to live with her parents. She met Gerald R. Ford, whom she married and gave her child his name Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. He was the only President to be adopted. Ford worked in his stepfather's paint and varnish store growing up. He coached boxing during college to afford his tuition.

Jimmy Carter... He was the first member of his family ever to go to college and his father was a peanut farmer.

Ronald Reagan... Son of an alcoholic, traveling shoe salesman. He worked his way into show business by broadcasting baseball games. At forty, he was divorced and his career was at a dead end.

Bill Clinton... Born William Jefferson Blythe IV, his father (a traveling salesmen) died in an automobile accident three months before he was born. His mother married Roger Clinton and Bill took that name. Clinton grew up in a turbulent family. His stepfather was a gambler and alcoholic who regularly abused his wife, and sometimes Clinton's half brother Roger.

None of these men were born into wealth and prosperity, yet they each achieved the rank of most powerful person in the world by working hard and not making excuses. That is 5 out of the last 7 Presidents or 71% of Presidents in the last generation born into normal families who struggled. Yet, they refused to use that as an excuse.

It is true that these men were healthy and had no physical handicaps. However, I encourage you to visit www.johnfoppe.com and watch his video. This speaker proves that there is no room for excuses regardless of your lot in life.

Life is too short to make excuses. Set your goals and pursue them. If you have been dealt a 'worse' hand than another, it may indeed be a gift that teaches you the value of hard work. Your story will be richer and your success sweeter when you achieve your dreams. Maybe one day I will cast a vote for you as President Of The United States!

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

I Know That You Are Lying by Ron White

Ten years ago, someone attempted to drive a wedge between myself and a female friend. He confronted her and told her that I had said some negative things about her. She looked at him and while smiling said, 'I know you are lying.' He was shocked and inquired as to why she would say that. She said, 'I have never heard Ronnie speak negatively about anyone and because of that I know that he wouldn't do it about me either.'

=Do you know what? She was right, I had said nothing negative about her.

Five years ago, I was in business with my cousin. An associate of ours wanted to get me out of the picture so he buddied up to my cousin and said, 'Your cousin has been saying some bad stuff about you.' My cousin didn't even look up from his work, but the first words out of his mouth were, 'You obviously don't know Ronnie or you would have never said that. He doesn't talk like that.'

Two scenarios separated by five years, yet two people who knew me better than most confidently told my accusers that they had never heard me speak negatively about anyone and because of that knew they were lying.

Here is the life lesson:

In your office, organization or circle of friends if you want to see a cancer spread faster than almost anything...begin to speak negatively about others when they are not around. Not only will a cancer spread in your group that will fragment it into factions, but you will no longer be trustworthy. It made me feel good that my friends didn't say, 'I know you are lying because he is my friend or loyal to me.' I am glad they didn't say that because friendships change. Instead, they spoke to my character in my defense.

Do I always get it right in this area? Certainly not. Last year, a man had irritated me so bad that I often fantasized about planting my knuckles in the back of his skull via his nostrils. I was so irritated I began spewing my venom to a few who would listen. Finally, I realized the damage I was doing to my reputation and I confronted him.

Do you want to be a top notch sales professional? Attempt that without being trusted and try to be trusted while being known as a gossip.

Do you desire to be an effective leader? Again, attempt that without being trusted. A simple way to lose trust is gossip.

Develop a reputation as someone who can be trusted not because of your loyalty to your friends, but because of your character and watch as your business skyrockets!

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

3 Ounces by Ron White

I love baseball.

I love going to a game alone, with friends or watching it on TV. I can talk baseball for hours or even reading about it is interesting for me. Therefore, it should be no surprise that I play on a softball team. I am a decent fielder; however, I take tremendous pride in my hitting. The season before last there was only one at bat that I did not get on base. In other words, I either received a walk or made a hit 29 out of 30 at bats. At the risk of sounding boastful that is an extremely impressive statistic!

However, as sometimes occurs in every aspect of life, I went into a slump the very next season. During this season, I went 6 consecutive at bats without a hit or a walk. I even struck out once swinging! It was very frustrating for me. I quickly became the worst hitter on the team. I was embarrassed and didn't know what to do and then I remembered Ernie Banks....

Ernie played baseball in the 1950s and he lightened his bat by 3 ounces. He went from hitting 19 homes runs to 45 home runs all because of 3 ounces! So I took a cue from Ernie Banks and last season I lightened my bat by 3 ounces. It was AMAZING! I began clobbering the ball all over the field. I finished the season on a hitting tear.

How much is 3 ounces? Very little...but a lot

Is your life in a slump? If it is, my guess is not because you need a major overhaul. Ninety-five percent of the time, dramatic changes can be seen with just minor tweaking. The difference between $50,000 and $500,000 a year may be the result of minor improvements.

If you are not getting your desired result...ask yourself, 'Is there anything that I can change just a little in my daily routine to see dramatic results?' Perhaps, a 20 minute daily workout, better time management reading a book a week or some other idea.

Sometimes a small change is all that it takes. You may be surprised how much 3 ounces is!

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

We Got Problems by Ron White

One of my friends is in the Navy. He recently shared a story with me that I thought had implications for the business world. He relayed the story of a uniform inspection.

A few days before an upcoming inspection, he found a cover (or hat) that is normally white but this one was light blue. It was obviously a gag and being sold in the store on base. He bought it and then placed it in his locker. On the day of the inspection, he was getting ready with a friend and he opened up his locker and acted surprised. He said, 'Oh NO!' His friend could sense the distress in his voice and urgently asked, 'What's wrong?'

Without saying a word, my friend pulled the light blue hat out of his locker and held it up. The sailor he was playing the joke on instantly stated, 'We got problems.' My friend did his best to contain his laughter and let the prank go on as long as he could.

What is the lesson here? What did the sailor say when he thought his fellow sailor was about to fail the inspection? He said 'WE got problems. 'Not, 'You got problems.' You see, this sailor saw a problem in his unit as his problem.

John Maxwell tells use that if we have been with a company for longer than one year every problem in our department is our problem. Don't sit around and wait for problems to be solved because it isn't currently your problem. I assure you of this, if you allow problems to go unchecked because you believe it is not under your job description, eventually the problem will grow and it will become your problem. At this point, solving the problem is going to be a greater challenge.

Remember...It is about team work. If your co-worker has a problem then...We got problems.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Just Put Me On The Air by Ron White

It was May 2000 and I was in the seminar business and discouraged. His name was Mr. Palmer and he was a 75 year old wealthy real estate mogul and my mentor.

"Mr. Palmer, I am so down. I have made some many mistakes and my business is in pieces."

"Ron, I make mistake everyday... because I Do Something everyday."

I looked up from my drink and saw Mr. Palmer smiling. He then asked, "Do you follow me?"

I did. Loud and clear. He was saying, "Who cares if you made some mistakes. Mistakes only signify action and that is much better than inaction."

It was barely 12 months later and I knew I could break a memory record in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was set by a man who memorized 27 numbers in 1 minute and 21 seconds. I knew I could beat that. Although, I never had. I persuaded FOX television to let me attempt it on live television.

My best friend Brian helped me practice all week. He would call out 28 random numbers and at the same time he held a stopwatch and clocked me. It was very frustrating. Not once did I get it right.

Brian asked me, "You do realize you are going on FOX this week and you have never gotten this right. Are you sure you want to do this? It is live TV."

"I will get it right when it counts." I said, nervously hoping I was right.

The day before the show aired the FOX producers had me come to the studio to practice and I didn't get it right then either. The producers looked at me and said, "You don't have to go on tomorrow, if this is something you can't do."

My response without hesitation was, "Just put me on the air." She sighed and shook her head as if I was about to bring down the entire FOX network if I failed. What the producers didn't understand is that I now lived my life by the Mr. Palmer philosophy and that philosophy says, "Who Cares!"

March 1, 2001 the FOX hosts read out 28 digits and I nailed it with 6 seconds to spare! I had never gotten it right, however when it was clutch I nailed it! In baseball terms it was the bottom of the ninth, the bases were loaded, down by three runs with two strikes and I knocked it out of the park. The amazing thing is that I had never done it before!

My friends, family, neighbors and the bank teller all high-fived me that day. Five years later, I still get speaking engagements because of that 1 minute and 15 seconds of my life.

If I had given into inaction and fear, I wouldn't have much of the income that I do today. And if I had failed, according to Mr. Palmer... "Who Cares!!"

This "Who Cares!!" philosophy that I learned from Mr. Palmer, not only causes me to risk in my life. It also makes me a fun speaker. I am not on the platform wondering what everyone thinks. I am having a Blast and it comes through. And you know what? People buy into what I am saying because they can tell it is really me and not a phony persona. However, they only see that because I believe in the "Who Cares!!" philosophy of Mr. Palmer.

I encourage you to live your life by the "Who Cares!!" philosophy and be willing to make a fool out of yourself (even if it means on live television in front of the world). If you are willing to do that... I can guarantee you massive success even if you fail in your initial goal.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Einstein's Formula for Success by Ron White

Albert Einstein had a formula for success. Can you believe that? One of the greatest minds of all time developed a math formula for success! I suggest you read this carefully -- this may be the most important math equation that you will ever see.

Einstein said, 'If A equals success, then the formula is: A=X+Y+Z.

X is work.

Y is play.

Z is keep your mouth shut."

Einstein no doubt had an excellent sense of humor. Let's look at the 3 variables in this equation. They are:

1. Work

2. Play

3. Keeping your mouth shut!

1. Work: Albert Einstein had a tremendous work ethic and because of that gave more to society and modern science than any person in recent times

2. Play: Einstein, however, did not work 24 hours a day and made time for fun and relaxation. His idea of fun may have been different than yours, but that doesn't mean it still wasn't play.

3. Keeping your mouth shut: Finally, my favorite part of his success formal is to keep your mouth shut. I genuinely believe that the person who talks the least says the most. A friend of mine complains that the woman he is dating talks too much. I don't know how to break the news to him; however, the problem is not that she talks too much. It simply is the fact that he is irritated that he isn't able to talk. Now, let me just say this is not a generic man and woman statement. I am speaking about a specific person that I know. His desire is to constantly talk and because he likes to talk so much, he will talk in circles. If you let him talk long enough he will repeat the same thing three times and then contradict himself. His desire is not to hear but to be heard.

Albert Einstein, on the other hand had nothing to prove. He felt no need to be the "Chatty Cathy" he could have been with his knowledge. It wasn't important to him to talk to everyone he met and talk over their heads to demonstrate his IQ. Instead, he learned the value of quietness and solitude.

Shift your mind set from being a talker to a listener. It has been said that you can make more friends in 5 minutes by becoming interested in others than you can make in 5 years of trying to get others interested in you! How do you become interested in others? You ask questions and then keep your mouth shut!

Dale Carnegie wrote a best selling book entitled 'How to Win Friends and Influence People.' One of the key premises of this book was that everyone's favorite subject is actually themselves and that the sweetest sound to their ears is the sound of their own name. Einstein knew this and realized he could influence others by choosing his spots to speak and validating others by extending them the courtesy of listening.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Einstein's Ability to Risk and Willingness to be Wrong by Ron White

The early life of Einstein gives us some clues to the great man that he would become. He was never one to dominant conversation to prove his intellect. Even as a child he didn't talk much. It has been said that he didn't talk until 3. There are conflicting accounts on this. However, what is not conflicting is that it took him a little longer to talk than the average child. But, we must remember that Albert Einstein was far from average.

Einstein's parents hardly coddled their first born. They gave him tremendous freedom to roam and grow. This no doubt had a positive outcome on his development. When he was just four years old, he was allowed to roam the neighborhood alone. Believe it or not his parents even encouraged him to cross the street on his own at this young age. They watched behind the first few times to ensure that he looked both ways, but soon he was on his own doing this.

Now, keep in mind when he was crossing the street he wasn't dodging Fords, Chevrolets, Mercedes or cars with a lot of horse power. He was dodging only horsepower. In other words, he was dodging horse drawn carriages. But, it was still very dangerous for this young child. In our world today I would not encourage my four year old to roam the neighborhood alone or even allow him near the street. With that said, the principles of self reliance and risk that Einstein's parents implemented in his life are ones that we can perhaps model on a smaller scale. Einstein certainly modeled this behavior with his own son on a smaller scale.

In his late twenties he moved to Zurich with his first wife Mileva and his son. Friedrich Adler was living near Einstein and they became great friends. They would often get together to share ideas. Often times their sons would get rowdy and it would be hard for them to talk. Many parents would barge in and tell their sons to be quiet that they are having a meeting. Not Adler and Einstein, these great thinkers would climb into the attic to carry on their conversation. They allowed their boys to grow and explore even if it was noisy. Part of his freedom as a child and the freedom he gave his son was in part due to his attitude on failure. He was not afraid to fail. After all, he tackled some of the most perplexing questions of our universe. Many would have shied away from tackling these questions simply because the rate of family seemed extraordinarily high. However, it is evident that Einstein was not afraid to be wrong or to fail.

When Einstein was 50 years old, reporters were hounding Einstein for an interview. He was working on a unified field theory. This is scientific talk for he was working on a theory that would put the entire universe into a math equation. He had the attention of the world. Reporters parked outside his home in hopes of an interview. Many kept all night vigils waiting for the story. He did not chase the spotlight and dodged the requests often. In this instance he was doing that as well. He did however allow an interview with one reporter from the New York Times. You see the New York Times was edited by Carr Van Anda and Van Anda had found an error in a previous Einstein's equation. Image that! The editor of the New York Times finding an error in the math of Einstein! Einstein must have been irate that the editor would point this out? He must have been insulted. Actually on the contrary, Einstein was impressed and that is why he allowed an interview to this reporter from the New York Times. You see Einstein was not afraid to be wrong and when corrected he was not insulted.

"At Princeton, Albert Einstein was more like a kindly uncle. When he arrived in 1935, and was asked what he would require for his study, he replied: 'A desk, some pads and a pencil, and a large wastebasket - to hold all of my mistakes.'

Albert Einstein spent his last two decades trying to reconcile quantum physics with relativity. His holy grail - a so-called "Unified Field Theory" - eluded him. He once casually mentioned to a colleague that he was on the verge of his "greatest discovery ever," before admitting that "it didn't pan out" just two weeks later.

One day in his twilight years, he received a letter from a 15-year-old girl asking for help with a homework assignment. She soon received a curious reply: a page full of unintelligible diagrams, along with an attempt at consolation: "Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics," Einstein told her. "I can assure you that mine are much greater!"

The man who was the greatest success at mathematics also failed a lot at them. But that didn't stop him from moving forward.

Not only was he willing to risk at math he also risked when he gambled. While attending a physics symposium in Las Vegas one year, Albert Einstein, to the astonishment of many of his sober-minded colleagues, spent a fair amount of time at the craps and roulette tables.

"Einstein is gambling as if there were no tomorrow," an eminent physicist remarked one day. "What troubles me," another replied, "is that he may know something!"

Too often in life, we attempt to spend all our energy demonstrating how we are right instead of accepting constructive criticism and getting better.

This is not true of Einstein. Not only was he not afraid of being wrong, he was not afraid of being corrected. Inquire of yourself, ask yourself honestly:

- how do you respond when you are corrected? Do you lash out or are you grateful?

If you want to develop the mind of Einstein. You must not be afraid to fail and allow yourself the opportunity to fail. Herman Melville put it this way, he said ,'He who has never failed somewhere, that man can not be great.'

Thomas Edison when he was constructing the light bulb built 1,000 prototypes that did not work before he successfully built the one that we still use today and will forever. A reporter asked Edison how it felt to fail 1,000 times. Edison replied, 'You miss understand. I did not fail 1,000 times. I successfully found 1,000 ways that the light build would not work.' Edison like Einstein did not view failure the way so many do. They viewed it as acceptable and a way to learn and grow.

The fear of failure could have paralyzed Einstein an Edison yet it did not.

What about you? Are you so paralyzed with fear that you have settled for mediocrity? Don't allow that to happen. Embrace risk and failure. Learn that it is okay to be wrong and run headlong into the rewards of risk as Einstein did.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Learning from Einstein's Creativity by Ron White

One of the most famous quotes of Einstein is when he said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." Einstein was putting value on creativity here. His theories and ideas were all about creativity. When he made a working box car for his son out of shoe string and some boxes, that was creativity. When he was down and out and needed money and posted an ad for tutoring lessons, that was creativity in making money.

Since Einstein accomplished some of the greatest thoughts of our time, an argument could be made that he was one of the most creative people of all time. You can know more about your product than anyone and have more degrees than anyone you know, but if you don't have a little bit of creativity to take advantage of what you have, then it is useless.

Credentials and knowledge will do you little good if you lack the creativity to take advantage of them. Einstein once said, "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." I think he was being a little humble and a lot humorous here, but he was once again acknowledging the importance of being creative!

So you may ask yourself, "What is creativity?"

That is an excellent question -- let's go straight to the source to answer it. Einstein said, "CREATIVITY is seeing what other see and THINKING what no one else has thought."

Robert Kennedy said the same thing this way, "I look at things that are and I ask why? I look at things that never were and ask why not?" Robert Kennedy was talking about creativity, just as Einstein was.

So how do you do it? How do you model the creativity of Albert Einstein? First of all, we need to address the idea of the limiting belief that you are not creative.

There is a prevailing belief that creativity is an inborn trait - you are either creative or you're not. Well, while creativity is an inborn trait, we are all born with a creative brain (your right cerebral hemisphere) and have many creative skills. Children are naturally curious and eager to explore the world around them and spend hours playing with toys, making up imaginary friends and pretend games. But as we get older, we begin to lose some of our natural creativity as we learn and use more left-brain thinking skills in school and at work. Research shows that our propensity to generate original ideas reduces from 90% at age 5, to 20% at age 7 and even further to 2% as adults! However, unless you have suffered brain damage in your right hemisphere or had it surgically removed, you still have a creative brain; so you are still creative. It's just that maybe you don't use your creativity skills as much as you used to.

Now for the good news! You can reawaken your creative brainpower.

What would Einstein tell you in regards to increasing your creativity? Well, we don't have to guess on that one, because he did tell us. He said, "The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."

Develop the curiosity of a child. Leonardo Da Vinci, who is said to be one of the greatest geniuses of all time, also had this creativity. I don't think that it is a coincidence that Leonardo and Einstein were both extremely creative and that so many years after their deaths we are still talking about them.

Let me give you a few of Da Vinci credentials:

500 years ago he:

- drew blue prints for the worlds first helicopter

- drew blueprints for a submarine

- built and extendable ladder that is still being used by fire departments today

- build the world's first hydraulic jack

- built a rotating stage

- and 500 years ago he build a water powered alarm clock!

Those are some pretty amazing credentials if you ask me.

Curiosity might have "killed the cat" but it can help you think like a genius. Leonardo Da Vinci had a book of questions. In this journal of sorts he would write down questions as fast as they would pop into his head. He would write down questions such as:

why do birds fly?

why do they slow down as they land?

what do their feathers do?

The interesting thing is that he didn't worry about the answers. He simply wrote down the questions because he knew something about the power of the human mind. He knew the subconscious mind was powerful and if he wrote down the questions his subconscious mind would continue to work on the answers.

Creativity is defined by Webster as "creative ability or intellectual inventiveness." This is a skill that everyone has to some extent. There are ways to improve your ability to create and generate new ideas. Not everyone can be a great artist or a creative genius, but it makes sense to make the most of the potential we are given.

Brainstorming is an extremely good way at practicing creativity. A brainstorm can work with an individual or a group. This technique requires the generation of as many ideas as quickly as possible to solve a problem.

It does not matter how outlandish an idea might be, all ideas are written down. The ideas need to be written down, and a time limit should be imposed for accepting ideas. If this is a group brainstorm, an individual should be appointed as recorder to write down the ideas. If this is an individual project, the person should write as the thoughts come. Remember the less judgment of ideas the greater the number of ideas generated. Although many of the ideas may be unreasonable and ineffective, they may lead you to the idea that will really work. It is helpful to set a goal for the number of ideas you wish to generate. This will give you something to work toward, and may unleash the perfect solution.

Journal your thoughts for future use. This includes writing down dreams, insights, experiences, quotes, problems with friends, and any other information that is pertinent to you. This should have some kind of organization so you can look back on it periodically. You may find the answer to a problem in last month's dream, so remember to review these personal logs frequently. This system will compliment the complex subconscious mind, and allow you to retrieve from this boundless resource.

Allow your ideas to develop and follow through on them. It is said that a good idea is worth fifty cents, and the plan to implement that plan is worth millions of dollars. It has been said another way as well: Anyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It is the man who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it that changes the world.

As you learn about creativity and the techniques that work best for you, a whole new world will open up to you. Creativity can be helpful in problem solving, dealing with people, and creating success in all areas of your life. Take the time to tap into your greatest power, the power of the imagination and increase your creativity in all areas of life.

Sometimes when we face a problem we struggle with our thoughts so much, our energy is spent. The stress that comes with this kind of problem solving also affects how we think. If the anxiety level becomes too high, parts of the brain will shut down and it is impossible to generate the ideas needed to deal with the problem. When faced with too much stress the mind goes into the "fight or flight" mode. This allows the mind to deal with only two alternatives, fighting the opponent or fleeing the danger.

You can avoid these mind numbing emotions by altering your environment. When you feel yourself getting stressed out or you begin losing your focus, walk away from everything for a change of scenery. Allow yourself to focus on another task. Some people, golf, juggle, or exercise to get away from their mind blocks. When you return to this important task, you will have shifted from your stressed out mind set to a new relaxed and ready to conquer attitude.

Blaise Pascal said, "Almost all of the problems of mankind arise from the inability to be alone with oneself in a room for any period of time."

Getting away from the problem allows your subconscious mind to problem solve, while your conscious mind is occupied with other things. Sometimes you will find the solution to your problem in your sleep. This is when the subconscious mind is most active. Basically, all your experiences and learnings are stored in this part of the brain. This is where your creativity gets turbo-powered. If you can tap into this force you will have creative powers beyond your wildest expectations.

Another good way to help your creativity is to read. That is right, read. You see when you read your subconscious mind is automatically creating pictures whether you like it or not. So develop a passion for reading and watch your creativity increase. Both Einstein and Da Vinci were avid readers. Model this behavior and watch your creativity increase.

Einstein said that he would simply imagine it so and then go about to prove it. In other words the creative process occurred before the experiments.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints: