TipsForSuccess: July 2007

TipsForSuccess: Force vs. Intelligence

How to Predict The Future

Chris liked to wonder, "What's going to happen to me? What does the future hold?"

He remembers his father saying, "All you can do is hope for the best." So Chris hopes and hopes.

"I hope I get paid more for my work. I hope people will be more grateful to me. I hope my investments will skyrocket so I can retire. I also hope I win the lottery."

After a year of hoping, nothing changes for Chris.

While watching television, Chris hears someone say, "We must remember the past to prevent things from happening in the future."

So he reviews his mistakes and vows not to repeat them. Another year passes without improvement.

Chris learns on the Internet about fate. "The future is predetermined. It's out of your hands."

He concludes, "No one knows what'll happen. I'll wait and see, just like everyone else."

Like many people in this world, Chris is a spectator. He is waiting for something to happen.

Time Machine

If you could look through a time machine and see 100 years into the future, what would you see?

If you see a space-age society with incredible computers, robots and space travel, you know the scientists, engineers and technology inventors are the most ambitious.

If society is wealthy and prosperity is available to all, you know the entrepreneurs, managers and business owners are the most ambitious.

If you see a world at war and people are getting killed every day, you know arms dealers, terrorists and certain types of politicians are the most ambitious.

To see the future of our world, just look for the most persistent, passionate and intense people and you see the future.

What fires up this powerful ambition in people?

Are You a Spectator or a Player?

"If a man can dream, if a man can have goals, he can be happy and he can be alive. If he has no goals he doesn't even have a future."-- L. Ron Hubbard

To make your future, try asking yourself, "What should I make happen? What shall I accomplish? What do I WANT in my future?"

The future is like an empty field. No one is playing on it yet. You can run out there and start the game.

While people like Chris are sitting in the stands, you can go ahead and play the game of life.

The Game is Yours

Write one of your most important goals.

Ask yourself, "What future do I predict if I just sit on my hands and wait for this goal to be reached?"

Next, write down one step you can take right now toward this important goal.

Ask yourself, "If I do this one step and then another and then another, as my daily routine, what future do I predict?"

So how do you predict the future?

For permission to copy, print or post this article, go to www.tipsforsuccess.org/reprint_info.htm or click here.

To subscribe, buy books, contact us or learn more about TipsForSuccess.org, click here.

TipsForSuccess: How to Get into the Drivers' Seat of Life

The Two Elements of Success

To succeed you need both force and intelligence. Every failure you have ever had was because you had too much or too little force or intelligence.

If you use the correct amount of force and the correct amount of intelligence, you succeed at anything you do.

Selling Cars

Ross and Sue work at an auto dealership selling cars. Neither are doing very well. Each has a different approach to selling.

Ross talks loudly, grabs your hand and pats your back. He likes to bully people into taking test drives and making offers.

Ross says, "This REALLY is the best car for you! You look GREAT in it! I'll get you an INCREDIBLE DEAL! Sit down. Let's make an offer. Wait a minute! You can't leave yet!"

Sue takes a different approach. She says, "You know if you consider the engineering and statistical advances of this model, and compare it to the consumer surveys of the past three years, you can make a wise decision. It's good to analyze your cost-per-year maintenance figures against the gas mileage, depreciation of the vehicle and initial cost."

Ross tries to close the deal by saying, "Come ON! You'll never get a BETTER DEAL! You need to buy it NOW! What the heck are you waiting for?"

Sue tries to close the deal by saying, "Your decision should be based on your income, your commuting needs and your values. I suggest you weigh the pros and cons while discussing the issue with your family."

Neither approach is very successful.

Unsuccessful Leadership

You find unsuccessful management everywhere. Certain leaders are too forceful. "Sell 10 cars by tomorrow or you're fired!"

They might have short-term success, but never long-term success.

Other unsuccessful leaders are intelligent "nice guys." They say, "According to our market research you can increase your sales by 13% if you emphasize our high-end cars."

Neither approach is very successful.

The Winning Combination

"All battles are won by a combination of two elements, and these are force and intelligence."

"You take something like an atomic bomb that can obliterate an entire country, that is tremendous, tremendous force. And it succeeds in short-term wins."

"The wise men of Tibet were, just a few years ago, driven out of their mountain fortresses by the dumbest infantrymen the world has known for some time."

"The long-term win is achieved by a balance between force and intelligence." - L. Ron Hubbard

To succeed in your battle for success, you need your own balance of force and intelligence.

A good executive not only gives accurate instructions and good planning (intelligence), he or she must also have enough persistence and intensity (force) to push the plans through.

For example, the boss concludes the prices are too low. He writes an order raising the prices. The sales staff objects. The boss maintains a position and insists on the price increase despite all opposition. To succeed, and have enough money to pay the staff, the boss must not waiver.

Successful salespeople give the customer plenty of information about the product and then use, as needed, some passion to motivate the customer to buy. He or she may also have to disagree with the customer's demands for a lower price.

Successful parents not only work out rules that are fair and beneficial to the family, they enforce those rules. No rules or no enforcement are both unsuccessful.

You can spend all day planning your success, but you also need to work as many hours as necessary to make it happen.

If you are not succeeding like you should be succeeding, what do you need to increase? Your intelligence, your force or both?

Suggestion

Make a list of the types of force and intelligence you wish to improve. Select one per day from your list and try to make the change. Simply deciding to make the change and attempting to make the change can lead to some excellent improvements.

Examples of Intelligence

Education, reading, writing, researching, planning, goal setting, explanations, logic, computer work, policy setting, learning from mistakes, examining consequences, powers of observation, problem solving, ability to reason, learning from others, training others, reaching conclusions, creativity, sense of humor, judgement, accurate analysis of facts, the ability to understand people.

Examples of Force

Persistence, passion, an ability to disagree, physical activity, taking action, courage, starting things, continuing despite opposition, finishing things, ability to motivate people or make them laugh, persuasion, endurance, personal power, forceful speech, domination, intention, drive, ability to handle stress, hard work, demand, confrontation, toughness, control, the ability to hold a position, ability to work long hours, intensity.

For permission to copy, print or post this article, go to www.tipsforsuccess.org/reprint_info.htm or click here.

To subscribe, buy books, contact us or learn more about TipsForSuccess.org, click here.

How to Get into the Driver's Seat of Life (Part 1)

You do not succeed by blaming other people, the economy, the government, your boss, your staff, your family or your enemies.

No matter how hard you blame others, no matter how convincing the argument and no matter how many people agree with you, it still does not boost your productivity, increase your income or help you reach your goals.

You may think it's good for you to blame your problems on others:

"If my boss wasn't so mean, I'd get a promotion."
"Thanks to my stupid wife, we have no money."
"My parents were alcoholics which is why I can't learn anything."

Excuses are just as bad:

"I can't work because the computer is broken."
"My mother-in-law was visiting that week so I couldn't pay my bills."
"If the weather wasn't so hot, I'd finish the report."

Blame and excuses are simply a problem with RESPONSIBILITY.

L. Ron Hubbard has a direct, specific statement about this:

"All real difficulty stems from no responsibility."

This fact can represent a turning point for you if you truly grasp it. All real difficulties includes problems with money, businesses, even bad marriages.

Now this does not mean you must now blame yourself for your difficulties.

Like many people, you might think "responsibility" means "blame."

"Responsibility" is an entirely different concept.

What is Responsibility?

"Full responsibility is not fault; it is recognition of being cause." -- L. Ron Hubbard

Being cause means you put yourself in the driver's seat of the problem. What are you doing (or not doing) that makes this difficulty continue?

You ask yourself, "How am I creating or causing this problem?"

For example, a boss says to himself, "Employees don't know how to do their work. So how have I been the cause of this? Oh yeah, I haven't spent enough time training them. I'll start working on their training this week".

Now the boss has a solution. Instead of blaming employees with the problem he is fixing it.

Another example: "My husband is an idiot. He's not making enough money, so I have to go to work. How have I caused this? Well, maybe if I didn't insist we buy an expensive house we would have enough. I guess I should be willing to go back to work, or agree to a smaller house."

Like magic you calm down and a solution appears.

If you see how you are causing the problem you can then see how you can cause the solution.

How would this apply to something that seems totally out of your control-say someone stole your car? For example, a fellow's new van was stolen despite an alarm system. How did he cause that? After some discussion he realized the real problem was not the loss of the van-he had insurance. The real problem was his response to the theft. Being upset messed up his entire day. He caused the feeling. He caused the difficulty, not the thief. After recognizing he caused the upset, he felt much better and was happy to get back to work.

How To Succeed by Taking More Responsibility

Just using these two concepts about responsibility can make you succeed as never before. The first step is realizing you cause your own problems.

"All real difficulty stems from no responsibility." -- L. Ron Hubbard

What is a difficulty you face? Select one of your problems.

Now try taking full responsibility for it. Not blaming yourself. Not feeling shameful. Not becoming regretful. Simply acknowledging that you cause it.

"Full responsibility is not fault; it is recognition of being cause." -- L. Ron Hubbard

How have you caused this difficulty in your life? What did you do that may have started it? What could you have done differently?

If you find how you cause the problem, you win! You are now in charge of it! You can now end the difficulty.

Recommendations

1. Write down a problem, any problem at all.
2. Discover how you caused it. You have now taken responsibility for the problem.
3. Solve the problem.

Give it a try!

For permission to copy, print or post this article, go to www.tipsforsuccess.org/reprint_info.htm or click here.

To subscribe, buy books, contact us or learn more about TipsForSuccess.org, click here.

TipsForSuccess: How to Predict the Future

TipsForSuccess: Force vs. Intelligence

TipsForSuccess: How to Get into the Drivers' Seat of Life

Blog Archive