World Class Thinking

I just returned from another speaking tour around the country talking to audiences full of Fortune 500 sales teams during the day, while following the fear driven media coverage of the last 2 weeks events at night. I need mental toughness just to watch it! It seems that the ego driven upper class leaders are up to their favorite trick: attempting to manipulate the thinking of the masses through the use of their favorite weapon: FEAR. Whether it’s the church giving us 7 more deadly sins that will send us straight to hell or the barons of Wall Street driving the big board up

Mental Toughness training fans from around the world should be watching the abuse Oprah Winfrey is taking in the media about her new TV show, the Big Give. USA Today and Fox news are just two examples in the last 24 hours. While the world’s richest woman attempts to help people in need, the media (which caters to middle class thinkers, because they represent the majority of the population) is slamming her for capitalizing on the concept. This is CLASSIC middle class thinking rooted in fear and scarcity. This type of reporting is why so many of us grow up with limiting

I attended the final match of the International Tennis Championship in Delray Beach, Florida, last sunday, where 18 year old qualifier Kei Nishikori from Japan upset James Blake, the 12th ranked player in the world. Blake gave the crowd a lesson in world class mental toughness, yet the the lesson seemed lost on most. The Palm Beach Post ran the story of the match the next day scolding Blake for not being more emotional. This is another classic example of how the masses don’t understand mental toughness and world class thinking. The message sent to thousands of teenage athletes was getting angry

I had an opportunity to see Eddie Van Halen last night in Fort Lauderdale, and I walked away with a mental toughness secret we should all be reminded of. Consider this lesson through the eyes of objective reality and see if you pass the test. keep in mind as you listen to this post that delusional thinking is the enemy of world class success. ( 5: 25 )

The University of Pennsylvania did a study on happiness that made the cover of Time Magazine a few years ago and found that gratitude was the secret of happiness. This is a concept we’ve been talking about in mental toughness training for over 20 years that’s finally being accepted by the academic community. I wrote about it in 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class, and in my new book, Coaching the 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class. So heres a critical thinking question for you: when was the last time you expressed your gratitude to someone who

One of the most significant mental toughness lessons I ever learned was how to manage ego versus spirit based thinking in day to day activities. This distinction seperates the world class from the upper class. Would the poster boy of the upper class, billioniare Donald Trump, actually be more successful operating from a spirit-based consciousness? How about you? Do you operate primarily from ego or spirit? Is ego ever the right choice? Can’t wait to read your comments on this one! ( 4:44 )  Websites referenced in this post: www.speechworkshop.com   www.increasesales.com 

The Palm Beach Post reported today on a Staples, Inc. survey that say’s business owners continue solving problems while dreaming. Of course this has long been a mental toughness secret of the world class. It’s another reason the gap between the middle class and world class continues to grow. While the masses will be striving for balance in 2008, champions will continue to turn in extraordinary efforts to make their dreams a reality. The real critical thinking question is; do you want your dream badly enough to think about it while you’re sleeping? Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one!

America is the melting pot of the world, yet all American’s seem to share the most powerful emotional motivator. This is what bin Laden and his band of thugs failed to recognize when they attacked. People have underestimated America for over 200 years because they don’t understand the collective consciousness of the country. It’s what makes America such a special place on the planet. With it, we have become the most prosperous nation in the history of civilization. Without it, we would be a middle of the road country. In mental toughness training, uncovering what drives you emotionally is one of the

I just heard a speech by Commander Wiz Withers where he talked about the true meaning of patriotism. This guys great-great-great-great grandfather fought alongside George Washington in the American Revolution. Another relative fought in the Civil War. His brother defended America in Vietnam, and Wiz Withers himself fought in the Gulf War. This family has paid more than it’s share of the price for the freedom we Americans enjoy, and that’s why I was so excited to hear his speech. In Mental Toughness Training, we talk alot about Middle Class Thinking versus World Class Thinking, and every American I know has strong opinions

I recently interviewed one of the top sled dog racing champions in the world on a glacier near Skagway, Alaska. Like a lot of people who are champions in their field but struggling financially, this guy is much closer to massive success then he realizes. He’s been listening to middle-class thinkers for years telling him to grow up and get a real job, and it’s been torturing him. My advice was different. Listen to this post and see if you agree with what I told him. I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on this key aspect of world-class success and happiness. (4:21 )