You Have What Others Don't, You Must Do What Others Won't

I dreamed about getting out, staying out and becoming successful. Yet, I had to admit I had the same dream during previous releases, but I had never been able to accomplish three critical outcomes:

1. Breaking my crime habits (Note-I was not a victim of circumstances. I was a criminal!)
2. Achieving an ever-free life (Note-The system had not sent for me; I volunteered for prison)
3. Accomplishing my past criminal and prison experiences and record into insignificance

Almost like light bursting unbidden into a totally dark room, I suddenly, somehow, understood that I had not accomplished those three outcomes because I had not planned to accomplish them. I dreamed about them, but I had no plan by which those three outcomes could become realities. Somehow, I realized that I had to stake myself out! I had to publicly affirm my commitment to freedom. I had to eliminate crime and prison as possible destinations in my life. I had to establish a new vision and focus on a radically different, seemingly impossible mission. Confronting the challenges defined by those “gotta do statements,” I stumbled onto the power for affirmation. In the opening statement of my plan, I wrote:

1. When I'm released on Dec. 9, 1968, I will begin a 50-year trek from crime to contribution!
2. I will break my crime habits!
3. I will earn an ever-free life!
4. I will achieve my crime and prison experiences and record into insignificance so no one, including myself, can use them to impede my growth, development and progress!
5. I will become a professional writer!
6. I will accomplish many other important goals and objectives that I will define as I envision new, interesting and achievable “mountain peaks” of opportunity!
7. The previous six declarations will reflect my lifelong commitment to personal transformation and unlimited accomplishments and success!

Now on that day in September 1968 when I wrote those affirmations, I had no empirical evidence that I could accomplish them. Over the years, then, I've uncovered and conquered one of the great lies that lead to failure. People, including and most importantly, ourselves, insist that the evidence of a person's past defines and proves the limits of an individual's future. That's not true because you write the limits or the limitlessness of your future with your actions, intents and mission of each day of your life-your present! In other words, your daily focus, the Actions, Intents and Mission, that you live each day, and not the mistakes of your yesterdays, determine the quality of life of your tomorrows!

Without taking the time to discuss exhaustive detail, let me summarize the first 40 years of that 50 year plan that I began writing on a September day in 1968, while in prison:

• I began my professional writing career in 1969
• I became a home based business owner in 1979
• I became a college professor in 1983, teaching my first course-Write For Profit-in the Continuing Education Department at Duke University
• I have managed a FM radio station, produced and appeared on numerous television programs, and now as I countdown to the 40th anniversary of my release from prison, and the launching of my 50-year plan, I fully understand that to achieve what others don't, I must always do what others won't! I commend this process to you!

What is it that others won't do?

People who fail, defined as anyone who never fully enjoys the amazing benefits of the incredible human potential, do not align themselves, the totality of their lives with the wonderful, non-discriminatory laws of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. I define this acronym as Striving Until Clear, Comprehensive Empowerment Secures Stability. Striving refers to your day-to-day efforts, defined and dictated by your plan. Until means simply you align yourself with the law of endless effort. Clear and Comprehensive refer to the paradigm that governs all you “see,” emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Empowerment means the energy you use to direct and move your focus forward. Secures means simply to possess various outcomes. Stability refers to the achievement of time, financial and debt freedoms.

In summary, others-identified as failures-will not align with and R.E.A.P the benefits of these laws of success. This acronym means: Recognize value, Embrace power, Acquire Skills and Purchase technology! Failure do not R.E.A.P. because they never become N.I.C.E. This acronym means:
New, Innovative, Creative and Enthusiastic thinking.

For far too many people, N.I.C.E. and R.E.A.P. become invisible barriers to launching a personal S.U.C.C.E.S.S. plan. These barriers remain invisible to almost all individuals who failure because they exist inside of us, while we spend most of our time searching and settling for outside situation, conditions and circumstances as the cause of our personal failure. As Stephen R. Covey says in his best-selling book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, an individuals must conquer the inner struggle before engaging the outside battles. Those seven habits that Covey discusses work equally as well on the inside of each of us as they do when applied to outside factors.

The 7 habits of highly effective people are:

1. Be proactive, instead of reactive. In other words, live, rather than simply letting life happen.
2. Begin with the end in mind. In other words, craft and adopt a specific vision
3. Do first things first. In other words, take important actions before they become urgent.
4. Seek to understand before trying to be understood. In other words, struggle to understand yourself before you insist that other understand you. The flip side of this emotional and mental “coin” is to seek to understand others before insisting that they understand you.
5. Think win/win. In other words, acknowledge that competition ultimately produces destruction, while cooperation brings life, peace and harmony.
6. Practice synergy. In other words, become an expert team builder because with a team you can leverage the cumulative total of collective resources into a powerful “whole” that benefits all.
7. Sharpen the saw. In other words adopt scheduled self improvement. Allocate time to think, to nurture and enhance your plan.

Finally, all this centers on you aligning yourself with the 21 laws of success. A law is a principle

with its origin in the spirit realm, and its impact in human lives. You do not have to know “how” laws, or principles work. You simply need to know that they work. For example, you do not have to understand the laws that power your vehicle. You simply need to know how to use the ignition key to fire those laws into action. Then you must know, honor and practice the concepts of safe and sane vehicle operation.

In Part 2, I will introduce the 21 laws of S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Meanwhile, please remember: to have what others don't, you must do what others won't!

God guarantees S.U.C.C.E.S.S. In Him we can refuse to fail! Page