Introduction to Jim Rohn's Story
In order to explain this, I want to tell you Jim Rohn's story, the man that I really love, but unfortunately, he passed away many years ago. He was raised in Idaho, which is located in the northwest of the United States of America.
Early Life and Challenges
After graduating from high school, he went to college. But after one year, as Jim Rohn explains, he thought he was smart enough to get a job, so he quit college, which, according to him, was a big mistake among the other mistakes he made in those early days. But he was ambitious and willing to work hard, and he figured that he wouldn't have any trouble getting a job, which turned out to be accurate! So with a head full of dreams and ambitions, he started his first job.
Marriage and Realization
About three years later, he got married, made lots of promises, like all of us, and continued to work hard. Then at age 25, he started taking a new look at his life. He was far behind on his promises, behind on his bills, creditors calling, nothing in the bank, and he was discouraged. He says: "I was willing to work hard; that was not the problem. But it was clear that it was going to take more than hard work. And I didn't want to wind up broke at age sixty, needing assistance like so many people I saw around me. What, I wondered, could I do to change the direction of my life?"
Considering Options
He considered going back to college because one year of college doesn't look good on an application. But he had started a family, so this decision was not easy. He also considered starting a new business, but because he was broke and behind on his bills, this alternative was not possible as well.
Meeting Earl Shoaff
He says: “Once, I lost 10 dollars, and I became physically ill for two days for that ten-dollar bill!” Some of his friends tried to be cheerful and said to him: "Look! Maybe some poor person who needed it found it!" But Jim Rohn says: "At that time in my life, benevolence had not yet seized me. I was the person who needed to find 10 dollars, not lose ten!"
But good fortune came his way! And he met Mr. Earl Shoaff, his mentor. This man hired him. But five years later, he passed away. And as Jim Rohn explains, the best thing he gave Jim Rohn in those five years was not a job. The best thing he gave him was his philosophy.
Learning the Lesson
He says that once Mr. Shoaff asked him: "You have been working for 6 years! But why is it this way? Behind on your promises, nothing in the bank, creditors calling, pennies in your pocket!" And as Jim Rohn explains, he started his blame list: Well, the government, company, company policy, taxes, prices, interest rates, and every other imaginable circumstance! Mr. Shoaff was patient, but after finishing his blame list, he said: "There was a problem with your list, Mr. Rohn! And the problem is, you were not on the list."
The Philosophy of Change
"Here's how all those things occurred: misfortune has taken place because of the kind of person you are." "All that you have at the moment, Mr. Rohn, you have attracted by the person you are." "For things to change, you've got to change. If you change yourself, everything else will change for you. You don't have to change what's outside; all you've got to change is what's inside. To have more, you simply have to become more."
"Don't wish it was easier; wish you were better. Don't wish for fewer problems; wish for more skills. Start making these personal changes, and it will all change for you." “You don't need to un-mess the country and country policy. All you need to do is to change yourself.” “Success is not something you pursue. Success is something you develop.”
External Factors and Personal Responsibility
But you may argue that the economy, country, and country policy do impact our results. And that's totally true! But all we are saying is that "They are not the main reason. They are not the determining factor." Jim Rohn explains this using the farmer example: Suppose that you are a farmer. So all you've got is seed, soil, sunshine, rain, and, for example, seasons. But what will happen if you blame seed, soil, sunshine, and these kinds of stuff? For example, maybe you say: "I want 3 springs, 4 summers, 9 falls, no winter!" Which is not possible! So, if you blame these things, you are blaming all you've got! In this example, seed, soil, and sunshine, and these kinds of stuff do have some impacts on the harvest! But they are not the determining factor.
The Determining Factor
As Jim Rohn says: "If you blame the country, country policy, marketplace, schools and so on, then what else is there?" The second argument is the best because it is based on logic. I've learned this argument in two books: The Magic of Thinking Big and The Success Principles. All of us know the meaning of cause and effect. So, some people say that the reason they are experiencing these kinds of results is the economy, country, and country policy. So if this is true, and all these things are the determining factors, so how is it possible that there are some people living in the same country, with the same economy, but they are achieving more, and they have a good life? So, it is clear that the determining factor is you, not anyone or anything else.
Conclusion
And as Jim Rohn says: "Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you've got." "Life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change." "If you don't like how things are, change it! You are not a tree!" So this was the first concept, which was 100% responsibility. But this was one of the most important concepts because if someone doesn't understand and grasp this idea, whenever they face some challenges, they will go back to square one and start blaming other people and what's outside!
Discipline and Success
Although 100% responsibility is very important, there is another factor that is far more important that determines success or failure. Failure is not a cataclysmic event. It’s not generally the result of one big incident, but rather a lot of little failures compounded over time. If your goal requires recording one video today for your YouTube channel, and you record none, you are down one video. If you need to save ten dollars today, and you save none, you are down ten dollars. If you plan to read 10 pages of a book, and you read none, you are down 10 pages.
The Importance of Daily Discipline
And the danger is looking at one specific undisciplined day and concluding that nothing special, harmful, or important has happened. But if you add up these days to make a year and then add up these years to make a lifetime, you will find why you are experiencing the results you didn't expect to experience. Failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. On the other hand, success is exactly the same process, but in reverse. If you plan to write one video script today, and you write two, you are up one video script. If you want to make five sales calls today, and you make 10 calls, you are up five calls. You may not notice these differences every day. But if you add up these days, you can see the massive difference these sort of things can make in one year and finally how incredible difference they can make in your wealth and accomplishment in a lifetime.
The Role of Discipline
The discipline is the bridge between willing and accomplishment, between written goals and achievements. Discipline has many benefits, but the most important one is what it does for feeling and self-confidence. It makes you feel better about yourself which is called a positive emotional reaction, and positive emotional reactions lead to more motivation to do further tasks. A new discipline will change your direction. As Jim Rohn says: “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” And the direction is very important.
Applying Knowledge
What's the main requisites of achieving a good life? It's not learning how to be more productive and better manage your time! If all we needed was more information, why did we fall short of our objectives? There can be tons of answers to this question; but the most important one, is the absence of discipline in applying your knowledge and what you have learned. It doesn't matter if you read all personal development books that come to the marketplace, or attend every seminar that comes to your town if you don't apply them.
Conclusion and Call to Action
So from now on, whenever you read a book, listen to an audio file, attend a seminar, and so on, write down the ideas you learn or come across that can help you to improve your life. I call this list the “toolbox of success” in my bullet Journal. Then try to prioritize and select the most important habits and rainmaker activities. From time to time, try to refer to this list and see what you are applying and what you are not applying. It gives you a better idea of whether you are applying what you have learned or not.
Remember, anyone can start the process. It’s not, “If I could, I would;” rather, it’s “If I would, I could. If I will, I can.” So, start an important rainmaker habit, no matter how small it is. It’s not the amount that counts
, it’s the plan that counts. Whether you start or not, whether you continue or not is what really matters. Now I really suggest you to watch this video which is on the screen now.
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