| The stories of people achieving unusual | | | | enough. Most seem to just drift along, |
| success despite all manner of handicaps | | | | taking circumstances as they come, and |
| never fail to capture our attention. | | | | perhaps hoping from time to time that |
| They're inspirational to be sure. But | | | | things will get better. |
| they're much more than that if we study | | | | I like to compare human beings with |
| them closely. The boy whose legs were | | | | ships, as Carlyle used to do. It's |
| terribly burned and who was told he'd be | | | | estimated that about 95 percent can be |
| lucky to ever walk again becomes a | | | | compared to ships without rudders, |
| champion track star. The woman blind and | | | | subject to every shift of wind and tide. |
| deaf from infancy becomes one of the | | | | They're helplessly adrift, and while |
| most inspirational figures of the | | | | they fondly hope that they will one day |
| century. And the poor children who rise | | | | drift into some rich and bustling port, |
| to fame and fortune have nearly become | | | | for every narrow harbor entrance, there |
| commonplace.In this age of unprecedented | | | | are 1,000 miles of rocky coastline. The |
| immigration, we see examples of people | | | | chances of their drifting into port are |
| who start off in this world with | | | | 1,000 to 1 against them. Our state |
| virtually nothing and within a | | | | lottery is a tax on such people. So are |
| surprisingly short time have become | | | | the slot machines in Las Vegas and |
| wonderfully successful.What sets these | | | | Atlantic City. Someone wins from time to |
| people apart, people with vast handicaps | | | | time to be sure, but the odds are still |
| such as not knowing the language, not | | | | there ... stacked steeply against |
| knowing the right people, not having any | | | | them.But the 5 percent who have taken |
| money? What drives the boy with the | | | | the time and exercised the discipline to |
| burned legs who becomes the champion | | | | climb into the driver's seat of their |
| runner or a Helen Keller, blind and deaf | | | | lives, who've decided upon a challenging |
| who becomes one of the most | | | | goal to reach and have fully committed |
| inspirational figures of our time? The | | | | themselves to reaching it, sail straight |
| answer, if fully understood, will bring | | | | and far across the deep oceans of life, |
| you and me anything and everything we | | | | reaching one port after another and |
| truly want, and it's deceptively simple. | | | | accomplishing more in just a few years |
| Perhaps it's too simple.The people we've | | | | than the rest accomplish in a |
| talked about here and the thousands | | | | lifetime.If you should visit a ship in |
| currently doing the same thing all over | | | | port and ask the captain for his next |
| the world are in possession of something | | | | port of call, he'll tell you in a single |
| the average person doesn't have. They | | | | sentence. Even though the captain cannot |
| have goals. They have a burning desire | | | | see his port, his destination for fully |
| to succeed despite all obstacles and | | | | 99% of the voyage, he knows it's there. |
| handicaps. They know exactly what they | | | | And then, barring an unforeseen and |
| want; they think about it every day of | | | | highly unlikely catastrophe, he'll reach |
| their lives. It gets them up in the | | | | it. If someone asks you for your next |
| morning, and it keeps them giving their | | | | port of call, your goal, could you tell |
| very best all day long. It's the last | | | | him? Is your goal clean and concise in |
| thing they think about before dropping | | | | your mind? Do you have it written down? |
| off to sleep at night. They have a | | | | It's a good idea. We need reminding, |
| vision of exactly what they want to do, | | | | reinforcement. If you can get a picture |
| and that vision carries them over every | | | | of your goal and stick it to your |
| obstacle.This vision, this dream, this | | | | bathroom mirror, it's an excellent idea |
| goal, invisible to all the world except | | | | to do so. Thousands of successful people |
| the person holding it, is responsible | | | | carry their goals written on a card in |
| for perhaps every great advance and | | | | their wallets or purses.When you ask |
| achievement of humankind. It's the | | | | people what they're working for, chances |
| underlying motive for just about | | | | are they'll answer in vague |
| everything we see about us. Everything | | | | generalities. They might say, "Oh, good |
| worthwhile achieved by men and women is | | | | health or happiness or lots of money." |
| a dream come true, a goal reached. It's | | | | That's not good enough. Good health |
| been said that what the mind can | | | | should be a universal goal. We all want |
| conceive and believe, it can | | | | that, and do our best to achieve and |
| achieve.It's the fine building where | | | | maintain it. Happiness is a byproduct of |
| before there was an empty lot or an old | | | | something else. And lots of money is |
| eyesore. It's the bridge spanning the | | | | much too vague. It might work, but I |
| bay. It's landing on the moon. And it's | | | | think it's better to choose a particular |
| that little convenience store in Midtown | | | | sum of money. The better, the clearer |
| Manhattan. It's the lovely home on a | | | | our goal is defined, the more real it |
| tree-shaded street and the young person | | | | becomes to us, and before long, the more |
| accepting the diploma. It's a low golf | | | | attainable. |
| handicap and a position reached in the | | | | Happiness comes from the direction in |
| world of business. It's a certain income | | | | which we're moving. Children are happier |
| attained or amount of money invested. | | | | on Christmas morning before opening |
| What the mind can conceive and believe, | | | | their presents than they are Christmas |
| it can achieve.We become what we think | | | | afternoon. No matter how wonderful their |
| about. And when we're possessed by an | | | | presents may be, it's after Christmas. |
| exciting goal, we reach it. That's why | | | | They'll enjoy their gifts, to be sure, |
| it's been said, "Be choosy, therefore, | | | | but we often find them querulous and |
| of what you set your heart upon. For if | | | | irritable Christmas afternoon. We're |
| you want it strongly enough, you'll get | | | | happier on our way out to dinner than we |
| it."Americans can have anything they | | | | are on the way home. We're happier going |
| want. The trouble is they don't know | | | | on vacation than we are coming home from |
| what they want. Oh, they want little | | | | it. And we're happier moving toward our |
| things. They want a new car; they get | | | | goals than even after they've been |
| it. They want a new refrigerator; they | | | | accomplished, believe it or not.Life |
| get it. They want a new home and they | | | | plays no favorites. Yet of one thing you |
| get it. The system never fails for them, | | | | may be sure, you will become what you |
| but they don't seem to understand that | | | | think about. If your thinking is |
| it is a system. Nor that if it'll work | | | | circular and chaotic, your life will |
| for a refrigerator or a new car, it will | | | | reflect that chaos. But if your thinking |
| work for anything else they want very | | | | is orderly and clear, if you have a goal |
| much, just as well.Goals are the very | | | | that's important for you to reach, then |
| basis of any success. It is in fact the | | | | reach it you will. One goal at a time. |
| definition of success. The best | | | | That's important. That's where most |
| definition of success I've ever found | | | | people unwittingly make their mistake. |
| goes like this, "Success is the | | | | They don't concentrate on a single goal |
| progressive realization of a worthy | | | | long enough to reach it before they're |
| goal." Or in some cases the pursuit of a | | | | off on another track, then another, with |
| worthy "ideal." It's a beautiful | | | | the result that they achieve nothing. |
| definition of success. It means that | | | | Nothing but confusion and excuses.By |
| anyone who's on course toward the | | | | thinking every morning, every night, and |
| fulfillment of a goal is successful.Now, | | | | as many times during the day as you can |
| success doesn't lie in the achievement | | | | about this exciting single goal you've |
| of a goal, although that's what the | | | | established for yourself, you actually |
| world considers success; it lies in the | | | | begin moving toward it and bringing it |
| journey toward the goal. We're | | | | toward you. When you concentrate your |
| successful as long as we're working | | | | thinking, it's like taking a river |
| toward something we want to bring about | | | | that's twisting and turning and |
| in our lives. That's when the human | | | | meandering all over the countryside and |
| being is at his or her best. That's what | | | | putting it into a straight, smooth |
| Cervantes meant when he wrote, "The road | | | | channel. Now it has power, direction, |
| is better than the inn." We're at our | | | | economy, speed.So decide upon your goal. |
| best when we're climbing, thinking, | | | | Insist upon it. Demand it! Look at your |
| planning, working. When we're on the | | | | goal card every morning and night and as |
| road toward something we want to bring | | | | many times during the day as you |
| about.With our definition, success being | | | | conveniently can. By so doing, you will |
| the progressive realization of a worthy | | | | insinuate your goal into your |
| goal, we cover all the bases. The young | | | | subconscious mind. You'll see yourself |
| person working to finish school is as | | | | as having already attained your goal, |
| successful as any person on earth. The | | | | and do that every day without fail, and |
| person working toward a particular | | | | it will become a habit before you |
| position with his or her company is just | | | | realize it. A habit that will take you |
| as successful. If you have a goal that | | | | from one success to another all the |
| you find worthy of you as a person, a | | | | years of your life. For that is the |
| goal that fills you with joy at the | | | | secret of success, the door to |
| thought of it, believe me, you'll reach | | | | everything you will ever have or be.You |
| it. But as you draw near and see that | | | | are now and you most certainly will |
| the goal will soon be achieved, begin to | | | | become ... what you think about.Learn |
| think ahead to the next goal you're | | | | more about Earl Nightingale and his |
| going to set. It often happens that a | | | | all-time bestselling programs The |
| writer halfway through a book will hit | | | | Strangest Secret and Lead the Field.Earl |
| upon the idea for his next one and begin | | | | Nightingale co-founded Nightingale |
| making notes or ideas for a title even | | | | Conant an audio publishing company and |
| while he's finishing work on the one in | | | | world leader in personal development |
| progress. That's the way it should | | | | with over 2 million loyal customers. |
| be.It's estimated that about 5% of the | | | | Other audio books available at |
| population achieves unusual success. For | | | | Nightingale Conant include authors such |
| the rest, average seems to be good | | | | as Dr. |