Archive for April, 2008
Mental Toughness Training from the CEO of KPMG
Posted by: | CommentsEugene O’Kelly was one of the great ones in the Fortune 500. He was a visionary who achieved the American dream of massive success, great fortune, and a beautiful family. Life couldn’t have been more perfect. Then on May 24, 2005, he went to his doctor who told him he had 3 months to live. His lifetime of plans dwindled down to 100 days, leaving him just enough time to say goodbye. During those last 100 days of Eugene O’Kelly’s life, he wrote a book about how he managed his death the way any great CEO would. This is one of those books you just can’t put down. I’ve read it twice, and it’s left an indelible impression on my soul. At Mental Toughness University, we’ve been talking about creating a sense of urgency for your life since we opened the doors. Objective reality and critical thinking tell us there’s only so much time left for us to go after our dreams. What are we waiting for? What can the world take from us that won’t eventually be taken anyway? Eugene O’Kelly walks you through his thought process as he wraps up his affairs and say’s goodbye, and it’s a lesson in mental toughness I will never forget. The book is called Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life. It’s not a morbid read and he doesn’t make you feel sorry for him. This guy was truely one of the great ones, and you can get inside his mind for a few bucks and a few hours of your time. It’s well worth it. Steve Siebold, CSP, CPCS
Why I Love Randy Gage
Posted by: | CommentsA big part of what mental toughness is all about is critical thinking, which by it’s very definition requires looking at the positive, negative and neutral aspects of anything to reach an intelligent conclusion. In the personal development world, most speakers and authors are deathly afraid of talking about anything that might be perceived as negativity. It’s much easier (and politically safer) to stick to “Positive Thinking.” While I’m all for looking for the good in everything, it’s not very effective when you encounter a rattlesnake or a guy with a gun. Lets get real: Life is not as simple as the positive thinking purists would like us to believe. One of the reasons mental toughness training and critical thinking are gaining popularity with Fortune 500 companies is it’s willingness to ‘get real’ about what it REALLY takes to become a world class thinker and performer in a rapidly changing business environment that’s becoming more complex every year. Positive thinking might have been all you needed to succeed in the 1970′s-90′s, but this is 2008, and it’s no longer enough. As an author, speaker and researcher in this field for over 20 years, I can say with some authority that there are very few critical thinkers who have the guts to write and speak about this. It’s much safer to say ” Just have a good attitude and you’ll be successful” Or…”Just think about what you want and the universe will magically make it appear.” Business people in the 21st century are too sophisticated and educated to buy into the idea that world class success is that easy. The good news is there are a few people with the guts to tell it like it is…no matter how much heat they get. My friend Randy Gage is one of those people. He is one of the most controversial authors and speakers in the world today, and he’s also one of the brightest. I don’t agree with everything Randy say’s, but I respect him because I know HE believes it and he’s not afraid to write and speak about it. I love Randy Gage because he’s got the guts to tell it the way he sees it. Like I always tell my corporate audiences and mental toughness university students: you don’t have to drink the kool aid, but at least consider the kool aid because it has a track record. I encourage you to check out the writing and philosophy of Randy Gage, and I’ll look forward to your comments. www.randygage.com Steve Siebold, CSP, CPCS ( 5:58 )
Mental Toughness Training for Parents with Kids in Sports
Posted by: | CommentsIf you have kids in competive sports, you have a wonderful opportunity to help them learn some of the greatest lessons in living before they venture out into the world on their own. Unfortunately, there’s a misguided philosophy being perpetuated by some parents and coaches that over emphasizes the importance of winning. Remember that the chances of a child ever making a dollar as an athlete is slim to none. Instead of falling into the well-meaning but overzealous parent trap, your job is to reduce the pressure your child feels in the sport and focus on all the positive lessons of competition. I spent 12 years on the national junior tennis circuit and was a first hand witness to misguided parents and coaches treating kids like major league sports stars. Some of my friends, who were national champions, won’t even pick up a tennis raquet anymore because of the emotional baggage dumped on them by their parents. Listen to this post and please be aware of the tremendous power you wield as a parent. Your kids are going to remember what you say 50 years from now, so choose your words carefully. Steve Siebold, CSP ( 5:58 )
Barack Obama, a young man raised by a single parent who rose up to become a United States Senator and Presedential hopeful. Politics aside, you have to admit this guy is impressive. This week he’s being blasted in the media for telling the truth about the bitter mindset of middle class thinkers. Obama’s being called an ‘elitest’ because the masses are afraid of the truth. I can imagine the closed door conversations among Washington insiders about this one. It’s one of those things ever thinking person knows is true, but you can’t say when you’re running for President. Obama’s only mistake was verbalizing his thoughts, which are tough for the masses to swallow. This is the same mental toughness lesson as the distinction between Middle class thinkers and World class thinkers. There’s obviously a difference in the way super successful people think, yet it doesn’t make them better than anyone else. Is it elitest to say some people are better thinkers than others? Is it elitest to say Harvard is a better college than South Alabama? Is it elitest to say people who are thin and healthy have better diet and exercise habits than people who are fat and out of shape? It’s not elistism, it’s objective reality! I’ll look forward to your thoughts on this one. Steve Siebold (6:10 )
The Power of a Mental Toughness Mentor Team and The Bill Gove/Steve Siebold Story
Posted by: | CommentsThe only thing standing between you and your ultimate vision is the help and support of enough powerful people. Middle class thinkers believe in the self made man/woman theory. World class thinkers believe in learning from mentors. Mental toughness is about critical thinking and being smart. Consider building a mentor team of powerful people who can make your dream come true. 12 years ago I had a dream to take my mental toughness message to the world as a professional speaker, but I didn’t have a clue how to do it. A chance meeting with a great mentor led to a team of 15 mentors that turned my dream into multi-million dollar business. If you’d like to hear the rest of the story, visit www.milliondollarspeakermarketing.com As you’re writing your vision in the mental toughness process, consider the fact that YOU don’t have to know HOW to make it happen. Someone, somewhere, knows EXACTLY how to do it. All you have to do is ask for their help. How exciting is this!? It means we can have almost any dream we can imagine! Why not go for it? What have you got to lose?
Mental Toughness Role Model: Paris Hilton
Posted by: | CommentsAssociated Press reported today that Paris Hilton say’s she’s a role model to young girls and women everywhere. She claims to be a self made woman who built her own empire. This is yet another example of self-delusion rooted in middle-class thinking. Hilton is an intelligent woman with the best (formal) eduation a billioniare can buy, yet she honestly believes she’s a self made role model. I’m not sure if it’s the time she did in prison or the sex tape that pushed her over the edge, but this is a case study in delusional thinking. The cornerstone of mental toughness is being firmly grounded in objective reality, yet if you listen to people talk, you’ll see how few pass this critical test. The real question is, what about us? On the objective reality/self-delusion spectrum, how do you rate most of the time? It’s a critical thinking question worthy of consideration. Listen to this post and see if you agree. Steve Siebold, CSP ( 4: 10 )
