If someone were to ask me to pick one word to best describe any success I’ve had in my life….I wouldn’t hesitate; the word would be perseverance. There have been a lot of potholes, detours and roadblocks along the way. I can only wish that I had BJ Gallagher’s book to provide inspiration as I fought through my times of adversity. It is terrific! The table of contents will give you a little “snapshot” of what it’s all about:
Introduction
- Persist no matter what.
- Endure discomfort.
- Request help.
- Steadfastly hold on to your beliefs and values.
- Envision triumph.
- Very consistently keep at it.
- Embrace adversity as your teacher.
- Refuse to give up.
- Enjoy and celebrate every tiny bit of progress!
Today, I’d like to share a chapter in The Best Way Out is Always Through. Enjoy!
Excerpt from:
The Best Way Out is Always Through,
by BJ GallagherMary Kay Ash banged her head on the corporate glass ceiling one too many times. Working for several direct sales companies from the 1930′s until the early 1960′s, she achieved considerable success. She climbed the corporate ladder to become the sole woman on the board of directors of the World Gift Company – quite an accomplishment for a woman in the 1950′s.
But life wasn’t rosy at the top. Even though Mary Kay had the title and the track record, she was not taken seriously by her male peers. In board meetings, her opinions and suggestions were ignored, dismissed, or even ridiculed. Male board members minced no words in their judgment – pronouncing her guilty of “thinking like a woman.
Since the sales force was almost entirely female, Mary Kay thought that thinking like a woman was an asset. But her fellow board members disagreed. Finally, in frustration, she retired in 1963, intending to write a book to assist women in the male-dominated business.
Sitting at her kitchen table, she made two lists: one list was all the good things she had seen in the companies where she’d worked, and the other list was all the things she thought could be improved. As she re-read her lists, she realized that what she had in front of her was a marketing plan for her ideal company. In just four weeks, her “book” had become a business plan, and her retirement was over.
Both her accountant and her attorney did their best to discourage her, warning that she would be throwing her money away on this venture. But Mary Kay had heard enough male nay-saying in her corporate years – she ignored her advisors.
Her husband, unlike her accountant and attorney, was very supportive. With his help, Mary Kay developed the cosmetic products, designed packaging, wrote promotional materials and recruited and trained her female sales force.
Then the unthinkable happened; her husband of twenty-one years died of a heart attack. Another woman might have dropped her plans, or at least delayed them, but Mary Kay was a strong Texas woman. She stayed on track with the help of her twenty-year-old son, Richard Rogers and rolled out her new business in September of 1963.
Beginning with a storefront in Dallas and an investment of $5,000, Mary Kay Cosmetics earned close to $200,000 in its first year – quadrupling that amount in its second year. When Mary Kay took her company public in 1968, sales had climbed to more than $10 million.
Mary Kay’s unusual corporate motto, “God first, family second, career third,” was unconventional, to say the least. But she understood the need for women to have balance in their lives, and she was committed to providing unlimited opportunity for women’s financial AND personal success.
Mary Kay authored three books, all of which became best-sellers. Her business model is taught at the Harvard Business School. She received many honors, including the Horatio Alger Award. Fortune magazine has named Mary Kay Cosmetics as one of the Ten Best Companies for Women, as well as one of The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America.
At the time of her death in 2001, Mary Kay Cosmetics had 800,000 independent beauty consultants in 37 countries, with total annual sales of over two billion dollars. Never underestimate the power of a woman with a mission!
I’ve had the privilege of meeting many talented writers, but none more talented than BJ Gallagher. The combination of her stories and her beautiful original poetry, make this powerful little book a treasure when adversity strikes. And by the way, it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” it will happen.
To watch the movie or look inside the book, just click here
“Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes the deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.”
Albert Schweitzer said these words and how very true they are. We’ve all had times in our life when we desperately needed a “shot of inspiration” to move forward. Kate Nowak, has written a beautiful book that truly brings this idea to life. May You Be Blessed is not about religious beliefs…it’s about joy, appreciation, kindness and love. It is filled with inspiring stories, beautiful photographs and life-changing insights. I loved it and think you will too.
Today, I’d like to share Kate’s introduction, which tells the story behind….May You Be Blessed Enjoy!
Introduction
Excerpt from May You Be Blessed
by Kate NowakIt happened a few days after my father’s death, in that mind-numbing period of adjustment after someone we love leaves us. Having gone shopping for necessities for my trip back to my own home, I was standing in an otherwise empty aisle of a large chain store when suddenly I sneezed, the last vestiges of an allergy attack I’d fought earlier in the week.
Almost instantly, from the next aisle over I heard a voice call out, “Bless you,” and then another, and another, and yet another. All in all, in the span of only a few seconds, I counted eleven different voices coming from every possible direction in the store, some saying “God bless you,” others using the word “gezundheit,” but all blessing me, all calling good down upon me.
At first I thought little of it. After all the idea of blessing someone when they sneeze is rooted in superstition, an archaic belief that in the act of sneezing the soul is thrown from the body, and a blessing is needed for spiritual protection.
Today, it is usually offered as no more than a courtesy, a polite response that has come to be socially accepted and expected. But on that particular day, in the first few moments following all those blessings being called out to me, I began to notice a difference in myself: A slight shift in perception that left me feeling more connected and empowered than I had in days. It also left me, for the first time since my father’s passing, more confident that everything would be all right.
Driving back to my father’s house that day, I continued periodic “feelings” checks, marveling at how much stronger I felt. Later, sitting in my parent’s kitchen for what would be one of the last times, I recounted the story to my stepmother. “Do you think any of them realized what they were saying?” she asked. “Or was it just out of habit?”
“Just habit,” I answered with a shrug, thinking about what a shame it was that people could give such a needed gift as a blessing and not even be aware of what they had done. “It should be a habit, this business of blessing others,” I said a moment later. “But it would be nice if people actually knew they could and were making a difference.”
A seed was planted that day and two years later it sprouted, awakening me one morning to a gentle soul-whisper that poured forth as the words of a special blessing. Feeling compelled to take pen and paper from my nightstand, I prodded myself into full wakefulness and then sat on the edge of the bed, like a secretary poised for dictation, pen ready to capture each syllable as the inspired words flowed into my awareness.
Because of the power of the internet, those words have since been sent across the planet and read by millions, and as a result, I have received thousands of letters from people telling me how May You Be Blessed has impacted their lives. And in each and every instance I have found myself blessed in return.
I have often wondered since if my new found work as a dispatcher of blessings is the result of a serendipitous accident that placed me in a crowded store on a day when I was both prone to sneeze, and to listen to subtle nudges from the heart. Or was it, perhaps, that my father’s gentle spirit was present that day, inspiring others to offer blessings so that I might be lifted up?
Of course, it is a question I cannot answer, but I do know that since that time my life has changed remarkably. Each day is now entirely centered on the act of blessing and I have come to recognize it not only as one of the most powerful and practical ways we have for reconnecting with each other, our world and Life itself, but also the most phenomenal way possible to lead us to happiness and success. It is a discovery I now endeavor daily to share with all.
A blessing, I have come to realize, is a sweet release from pain; a sacred reminder that we are made of love and light and goodness and, as such, part of a greater and most wondrous whole. It is an ancient key to a successful and fulfilling life.
Today, whenever I share with others this phenomenal key, explaining how, as we each develop the habit of blessing others we are blessing our own lives, as well, I feel as if I have been given a wonderful gift. I realize once again how truly blessed I am. It is my hope that as you read this book and allow the words of this blessing to enter your heart, you will be blessed in return. I could not ask for anything sweeter to my soul than that.
Just click here for more information on May You Be Blessed or to look inside the book.
All the Best,
May You Be Blessed with FREE DVD
The beautiful movie and gift book titled May You Be Blessed is about joy, gratitude,
appreciation, kindness and love. Rekindle your inner light by enjoying this 3 minute
movie and be sure to bless someone else by sharing it with them.
May you be blessed and may others be blessed by you.
Kind regards,
Recommended reading for anyone who ever feels the need to re-charge their personal or business life.
Each of us has different triggers for self-motivation. Within these 50 ideas to motivate yourself, you will find many “A-ha” moments.
Learn to set your goals, welcome problems as opportunities and focus on what’s important in your life.
Filled with stories, quotes and insights to “Manage stress before it manages you.”
Are you ready to ignite your passion and charge your life? Mac Anderson, Simple Truths founder, shares his ideas for you to learn how to motivate yourself and ignite your inner fire.
Mac has authored or co-authored 10 books that have sold more than 2 million copies. But he says, “This one is very special. For 5 years ‘Charging the Human Battery’ has been one of the topics for keynote speeches and now I get the opportunity to share my thoughts with the rest of the world. People, I’ve found, are like sticks of dynamite … the powers on the inside but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit. Therefore, it’s my hope that as you read this little book, there will be many ‘a-ha moments’ to light your fuse, and keep it lit, through good times and bad.”
Charging the Human Battery is a book with universal appeal. Everyone understands the benefits of staying motivated and we’re all hungry for new ideas that could help us. It makes a terrific gift for your friends, family and valued employees.
We invite you to preview this beautiful gift book.
Framed Inspirations are a perfect gift for the upcoming gifts for Moms, teachers,
coaches, graduates and Dads. The beautiful photographs and inspirational quotes will
inspire your friends and family throughout the year.
It’s a society where teamwork, loyalty and communication are the norm rather than the exception. Sound like utopia? Actually, it’s already present in nature – in a wolf pack. The wolf pack knows who it is. Those in the pack exist for each other.
Twyman Towery, Ph.D., a professional speaker and consultant who studied the lessons of leadership in nature, has captured them in a new book for Simple Truths called Wisdom of Wolves. Twyman shares the parallels between the wolf pack and human behavior…in business life, family life, and personal life.
Today, I’d like to share a chapter from Wisdom of Wolves. Who knew that the key to success might just be patterning your attitude after that of a wolf?
The Introduction from
Wisdom of Wolves
by Twyman ToweryThe attitude of the wolf can be summed up simply: it is a constant visualization of success. The collective wisdom of wolves has been progressively programmed into their genetic makeup throughout the centuries. Wolves have mastered the technique of focusing their energies toward the activities that will lead to the accomplishment of their goals.
Wolves do not aimlessly run around their intended victims, yipping and yapping. They have a strategic plan and execute it through constant communication. When the moment of truth arrives, each understands his role and understands exactly what the pack expects of him.
The wolf does not depend on luck. The cohesion, teamwork and training of the pack determines whether the pack lives or dies.
There is a silly maxim in some organizations that everyone, to be a valuable member, must aspire to be the leader. This is personified by the misguided CEO who says he only hires people who say they want to take his job. Evidently, this is supposed to ensure that the person has ambition, courage, spunk, honesty, drive – whatever. In reality, it is simply a contrived situation, with the interviewee jumping through the boss’s hoops. It sends warnings of competition and one-upmanship throughout the organization rather than signals of cooperation, teamwork and loyalty.
Everyone does not strive to be the leader in the wolf pack. Some are consummate hunters or caregivers or jokesters, but each seems to gravitate to the role he does best. This is not to say there are not challenges to authority, position and status – there are. But each wolf’s role begins emerging from playtime as a pup and refines itself through the rest of its years. The wolf’s attitude is always based upon the question, “What is best for the pack?” This is in marked contrast to us humans, who will often sabotage our organizations, families or businesses, if we do not get what we want.
Wolves are seldom truly threatened by other animals. By constantly engaging their senses and skills, they are practically unassailable. They are masters of planning for the moment of opportunity to present itself, and when it does, they are ready to act.
Because of training, preparation, planning, communication and a preference for action, the wolf’s expectation is always to be victorious. While in actuality this is true only 10 percent of the time or less, the wolf’s attitude is always that success will come-and it does.
Wisdom of Wolves is one of the most fascinating books I’ve read. I could not put it down! Just click here for more information or to look inside the book.
All the Best,
with puzzle pieces inside
some of the pieces are broken or missing…
and others just seem to hide
But the Heart Of A Teacher
can sort them out…”
- Inspiration on the Go! Listen to this amazing story in your car or simply relaxing on a Sunday afternoon.
- Certain to make you laugh, cry and reflect on life.
- This book will transform the way your customer service team will serve each customer – play the movie and send home the book with every employee.
- A meaningful story to share with friends, family and all employees.
Compact Disk Audio Recording of The Richest Man in Town. 101 minutes. Personally narrated by V.J. Smith, the author. The perfect complement to your daily commute. Sit back and relax as VJ takes you on a tour of his own personal experience with “The Richest Man in Town”.
Sometimes we find inspiration in unexpected places. Author V.J. Smith dreamed of writing a book about one of our great leaders that changed the course of history and he filled his library with biographies of presidents and statesmen. He was looking to find the key to what made their lives great. He ended up finding the man that would answer his questions in a Wal-Mart store in South Dakota. Marty was a simple man who ran a cash register. He worked hard and was good to people. Can it be so simple?
The Richest Man in Town is a true story that captures the important things in life in an unforgettable way. It is beautifully written and will make you laugh, make you cry, but most importantly, will make you reflect on what life is about.
Listen to V.J.’s magical voice and hear in his own words the story of Marty! A heartwarming story about an amazing man that touched so many people in a special way.
It makes a wonderful gift for your best customers, your employees, your friends and your family. They will love it, and love you for giving it.
“This book touched my heart like nothing
I’ve ever read before. It can change your life.”
-Mac Anderson, Founder. Simple Truths
We invite you to preview the book, and view the short DVD movie included with it.
We are proud to share our newest movie, The Simple Truths of Life.
Author Linda Ellis, who wrote the poem The Dash, has mastered the art of communicating
the “Simple Truths of Life” in her newest book and now the movie.
Today, take a few minutes to break out of the winter doldrums and enjoy watching the
movie Simple Truths of Life. The words, which are a collection of life’s lessons
presented in an unforgettable way, will add joy to your day as well as the beautiful
photography and music. Be sure to share it with coworkers, newsletter subscribers,
friends and family to inspire them today.
Kind regards,
Great service is a powerful key component of an organization. It is about building
relationships and caring for people. Regardless of your job or position within an
organization we can all make a difference if we have the courage to try. Watch the story
of Johnny, the grocery store bagger which truly captures the essence of service.
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