Our thoughts are causes. You sow a thought, you reap an action. You sow an action, you reap a habit. You sow a habit, you reap a character. You sow a character, you reap a destiny. It all starts with a thought.

54*Laws of Attraction

We attract to ourselves not what we want but what we are. The old phrase, "Birds of a feather flock together," holds true.

Negative thinkers are dangerous. They attract other negative people, react negatively, expect the worst and they are not disappointed.

Have you observed how at any social occasion successful people attract other successful people? Failures attract other failures, and together they will moan, groan and complain.

Our friends are not the kind of people we want but the kind of people we are.

9. Unwillingness to Plan and Prepare

Everyone has a will to win but very few have the will to prepare to win.

--Vince Lombardi

Most people spend more time planning a party or vacation than planning their lives.

Preparation

Confidence comes from preparation, which is nothing but planning and practicing.

Winners put pressure on themselves. That is the pressure of preparing and not worrying about winning.

If we practice poorly, we play poorly; because we play as we practice. The difference between success and failure is the difference between doing exactly right and almost right.

A complete mental and physical preparation is the result of sacrifice and self-discipline. It is easy to be average but tough to be the best. No wonder the average people take the easy way.

Preparation is the necessary edge to succeed in any field.

Purpose + Principle + Planning + Practice + Perseverance + Patience + Pride = Preparation

Preparation leads to Confidence

Preparation means tolerating failure but never accepting it. It means having the courage to face defeat without feeling defeated, being disappointed without being discouraged.

Preparation means learning from our mistakes. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes. We all do. A fool is one who makes the same mistake twice. A person who makes a mistake and doesn't correct it, commits a bigger one.

The best way to handle a mistake is to

admit it quickly not dwell on it learn from it not repeat it not a.s.sign blame or make excuses 55*

Pressure comes from being unprepared. There is no subst.i.tute for preparation, practice and hard work. Desire and wishful thinking won't do it. Only preparation will give you the compet.i.tive edge.

Pressure can paralyze when a person is not prepared. Just like water gravitates to its own path, success gravitates to those who are prepared. Weak effort gets weak results.

Persistence is a name we give to

a purpose preparation patience principles positive att.i.tude a plan .

price .

practice pride

Ask yourself:

Do you have a clearly defined purpose?

Do you have a plan of action?

What effort are you putting into preparation?

What price are you willing to pay? How far are you willing to go?

Do you have the patience to withstand the gestation period?

Are you willing to practice toward excellence?

Do you have any firm principles to stand on?

Do you have pride in your performance?

Do you have the "can do" att.i.tude?

10. Rationalizing

Winners may a.n.a.lyze but never rationalize that is a loser's game. Losers always have a book full of excuses to tell you why they could not.

We hear excuses like:

I'm unlucky.

I'm born under the wrong stars.

I'm too young.

I'm too old.

I'm handicapped.

I'm not smart enough.

I'm not educated.

I'm not good looking.

I don't have contacts.

I don't have enough money.

I don't have enough time.

56*The economy is bad.

If only I had the opportunity.

If only I didn't have a family.

If only I had married right.

The list can go on and on.

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