Andy Andrews Hernando Cortez Burn the Boats

One of my favorite stories is Andy Andrews' description of the Hernando Cortez expedition to the Yucatan and the power of "burn the boats" in enabling you to go after what you want.

As background to the story, in February 1519, Hernando Cortez sailed from Cuba to the shores of the Yucatán. He commanded 11 ships, with more than 500 soldiers, 100 sailors, and 16 horses, bound for Mexico to take the world's richest treasure -- one which had been unconquerable for over 600 years.

Cortez uttered three words to his army that established a new level of commitment and persistence to their endeavor: "Burn the boats".

So the question becomes this. If you are truly looking to live a life of inspired abundance, what are the boats that you must burn in your life?

Or to put it another way, what things in your life are you allowing to hold you back and that are preventing you from really going after what you want with full and complete commitment?

Perhaps it's time to burn those boats.

The seventh decision Andy Andrews talks about in The Traveler's Gift is I will persist, without exception. I've come to discover that there are times when a burning of the boats is precisely what's necessary to allow me to really go after what I want.

Andy Andrews Mastering The Seven Decisions Book Give Away

A quick reminder about the Andy Andrews Mastering the Seven Decisions book give away contest here at Inspired Abundance. We are drawing the 5 winners of an autographed copy of Andy's newest book on Saturday, May 3. So enter now by filling out the form in the right hand navigation bar.

If you've never heard Andy Andrews speak, you really should visit the Premier Speakers http://premierespeakers.com/andy_andrews. There are sample audios of Andy on this site and once you listen to them you will understand why Andy is one of my favorite speakers of all time.

There's a inimitable mixture of charisma, sincerity, honesty, and passion that is unlike anyone you've heard before. He is entertaining and compelling at the same time. If you want a speaker for your event, Andy's a terrific choice.

Here's a taste of Andy Andrews and his prowess as a speaker discussing a topic I'm certain you will relate to.

Joe Vitale Zero Limits and Counter-Intentions

I've spent the past week working through the Joe Vitale program Zero Limits. It's been a fascinating journey and the messages have really struck a chord with me.

The first time I heard of ho'oponopono was while I was in Las Vegas in August of 2007 for a business conference. A good friend of ours was sharing the experiences he and his wife had enjoyed after attending the original workshop conducted by Joe Vitale and Dr. Hew Len. At the time it sounded very "odd" to me, yet there was something about it that lingered in my mind ... there was a "ring of truth" I couldn't shake.

Well, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. After seeing several videos and hearing about it from several other acquaintances, the time came when I was ready and open to looking at the material for myself.

I have many thoughts and ideas which have come up as a result of reading and listening to the program. The notion of counter-intentions is so powerful. I may say or assert I desire one thing, but if I inherently believe something else, the power of that intention is negated.

Lately the theme that we are only limited by what we believe has been prominent in my thinking. So too, has been the notion that we're always limited by our aim ... it's the boundaries of where we dare to dream that serve as the outermost limitations of who and what we can be.

So how can I truly become limitless? For me, a life of inspired abundance means no limits. It means enjoyment and happiness throughout the journey. So it must start right now.

And is it as simple as cleansing the known (and unknown) counter-intentions within me? Is there a technique that reallly is so simple yet which begins to allow me to release the limitations I've imposed upon myself?

So naturally, I was led to this video of Joe Vitale speaking at the Learning Annex Wealth Expo in Chicago last November. The zero limits state, I believe, is the place where my counter-intentions have been shed and where anything is possible. Enjoy the video.

Andy Andrews: The Power of The Seven Decisions

We've spent a lot of time in this blog talking about the power of the seven decisions described in Andy Andrews' book The Traveler's Gift.

And of course Mastering the Seven Decisions serves as a handbook or manual to assist you in incorporating those principles effectively into your life.

Since we're running another Inspired Abundance Andy Andrews book give away, I want to point out some additional resources available to you that you may not be aware of.

There are a couple of free downloads available on the AndyAndrews.com website that I'd like to direct you to. You can download the seven decisions as a PDF from Andy's website. Each of the decisions is written out individually allowing you to print and assemble a binder or manual that you can refer to each day.

In addition, you can download The Seven Decisions Perpetual Calendar. Use the calendar to help you incorporate The Seven Decisions into your daily life and develop the habits that will enable you to turn your goals and dreams into reality.

Perhaps the most powerful aspect of Andy Andrews for me is his ability as a speaker. Andy has an inimitable style that wonderfully blends passion, inspiration, and humor.

If you want to experience the true power of the seven decisions, you really want to see Andy Andrews live. Andy has an upcoming free, live television taping. If you can make yourself to this event, you will not be disappointed. You can get the details on the Andy Andrews television taping here.

Andy Andrews Mastering The Seven Decisions: Win Your Autographed Copy

Would you like another chance to win a free copy of Andy Andrews newest book Mastering The Seven Decisions?

The contest we ran a couple of weeks ago was so well received, we've decided to do it again. Only this time, Inspired Abundance is upping the ante, and we're giving away 5 copies of Andy's book, each of which is personally autographed by Andy Andrews.

And the folks at AndyAndrews.com have been terrific in supporting us.

Entry is free. Just fill in the form in the right hand navigation bar.

We will draw five winners of a personally autographed copy of Andy Andrews' Mastering the Seven Decisions on Saturday, May 3rd.

What Is Your Life Purpose? A Celebration Party!

What is your life purpose? Would you believe me if I suggested it is a celebration party?

I met with my good friend Peter (visit Peter's blog here) at Starbucks yesterday and we had one of those rare, wonderful conversations that absolutely stretched the limits of my thinking. It was a brilliant visit which really "rattled my cage".

Peter shared with me that he's come to the conclusion -- make that realization -- that the ongoing need for fulfillment that most of us share is simply our ego playing games to prevent us from remembering who we really are.

His suggestion is that we each fulfill our primary life purpose when we're closer to our memory, so that by the time we're 21, we've likely already done whatever it is we specifically intended to do ... or fulfilled whatever specific purpose we intended to fulfill when we chose to embark on this journey to a physical life experience.

Are you still with me? Good ... as you can see, we are often prone to delve into some deep philosophical and spiritual conversations which, as was the case yesterday, garner looks and stares from eavesdroppers around us.

"Okay Peter", I said. "If we've already fulfilled our purpose, why are we still here?"

This struck me as the logical question as I found my inner dialogue wanting to utterly reject his assertion.

"Because this is the celebration party!" he said. "It's just that most of us don't realize it's supposed to be a party."

Peter went on to explain that we've been cultured into focusing on life extension focused thoughts and activities and have attached illusory purpose, meaning and toil to them (my words).

Our individual and group egos have done a masterful job of distracting us from the truth.

The truth is that, if you've already reached adulthood, then life is supposed to be a celebration, in which we revel in new learning and exploration ... and simply enjoy ourselves. It's meant to be a party. That's what living a life of inspired abundance is really about.

The odd part is that I thought that was what childhood was supposed to be about too. (I never got around to sharing that thought with Peter. Hmm.... )

So here's a question for you: are you living your life as a celebration party? If not, what might your life look like if you were? Is there anything you'd be doing differently? As Peter is prone to say, "noodle that one" for a while.

Zig Ziglar: motivational words and quotes

Zig Ziglar's book, See You At The Top, is likely the very first personal development book I ever read.

Back in 1983, when I was given Zig Ziglar's book by my sales manager in my very first job after leaving university, the term personal development was unknown to me. But there was no mistaking the power of the message in that book.

At the time I had no idea who Zig Ziglar was. It was years later, after I began to fully immerse myself in personal development that I really began to understand the role Zig Ziglar has played in the lives of so many people as one of the key teachers in the self growth and personal development movements. Zig Ziglar has played a key role in my own journey to living a life of inspired abundance, and to embracing personal development as a key aspect of my growth.

So when I came across this video, I felt compelled to share the power of Zig Ziglar and his motivational words.

Belief Systems: Do You Believe You Can Have What You Want?

What is your belief system when it comes to what you are capable of? Do you believe you can have whatever it is that you want?

The other day, I was in a conversation with a prospective business partner and he asked me this question: "What is the single most important success factor in your business?"

My answer was simple, for I needed to look no further than the pattern of results I see in my own life. My answer was "Believing that you can do it".

So, what of this concept of belief? Why is my belief system so key in determining my results? Why is my desire to live a life of inspired abundance so dependent on what I believe I can have or do?

Perhaps this video will assist you in answering that question about your beliefs.

The Power Of Team: How To Maximize Your Strengths

Do you leverage the power of team work to maximize your strengths?

In my last post, I talked about the power of team and how much more can be achieved than is ever possible by working alone. The power of team is grounded in the building on the strengths of each team member. This results in tremendous, exponential increase in what is possible.

Remember, that while 1 plus 1 may equal 2 ... 1 and 1 makes 11!

What would happen if you took this simple concept to heart and applied it to all areas of your life? How would it contribute to your desire to live a life of inspired abundance?

Don't believe me? Watch this video for an illustration of the power of team work and what happens when you focus on the strengths of each team member.

The Power of Team In You Personal Life

How is the power of team relected in your personal life?

In sports, it's generally pretty easy to identify the power of a cohesive team. And the notion that we win as a team or lose as individuals is pretty easy to comprehend. How many times have we seen examples of a team's chemistry being ruined by one selfish star player? And how many times have we seen storybook finishes where the team was able to rise far above the individual skill level of its players?

Even in individual athletics, the power of team is readily apparent. There is the coach, the athlete, the training partner, the nutritionist, the therapist, etc. A whole team of people working together to enable the athlete to reach peak performance.

Similarly, it's not at all uncommon to see an emphasis on team work in business. Companies create mission statements, establish goals, and put mechanisms and people in place to promote working together as a team to achieve its goals and fulfill its mission at many levels. Again, it's not very difficult to recognize and understand.

But what about in our personal lives, day-to-day? Where is the team power you (or I) is tapping into? Assuming we've determined to go out and live a life of inspired abundance, what team have we assembled to assist us in achieving that vision?

How many people do you know who have explicitly assembled a team of people around them to assist them in achieving their life goals? Conversely, how many individuals do you know who wander through their life without goals and without any semblance of a team in their day-to-day life?

It seems to me that most of us are out there working on our own. Perhaps we have a supportive spouse or partner, but often even that appears to be missing. It's no wonder so many of us live our lives with a sense of quiet desperation.

I know I'm guilty of trying to do it all myself often. I've got a whole bunch of programming that tells me it's somehow a failure to ask for help, or that I'm somehow less worthy if I can't figure things out for myself. And so I'll flounder around on my own, often for what feels like an eternity.

Yet it doesn't have to be that way and, in fact, nor should it be that way.

You could very easily assemble a formal or informal team around you. You could easily appoint one of more coaches to assist you in specific areas of your life. You could easily recruit team members to play with you in particular pursuits within your life.

I'll expand on this more in my next post, but suffice to say, if we were to approach our personal lives with the same level of focus on being a successful member of a powerful team as is done in the sports world and the business world, we'd all be much more successful and powerful people.

The Power Of Team

I'd like to switch gears a little today and share a little about the power of team.

I'm a co-author of the upcoming book entitled The Power of Team. In addition to me, other contributing authors include Anthony Robbins, Wayne Dyer and Bill Bartman, amongst many others.

I'll be sharing more about the book over the coming weeks as its release approaches, but I've been reflecting on the importance of team lately and the fact that together, we can accomplish so much more than we ever could as individuals. It's by working as a team that our path to inspired abundance is most assured.

So I thought I'd share with you a fun video that I believe encompasses many of the virtues of team and absolutely demonstrates the power of team. Enjoy.

Andy Andrews Video Mastering the Seven Decisions

We're still not done with the notion of persistence and Andy Andrews! First off, here's a video of Andy in which he talks about his book Mastering the Seven Decisions.

Today, I'd also like to share a very powerful note about persistence we received from Judy Roberts as an entry to the Inspired Abundance book give away contest. After you are done reading, be sure to visit Judy's blog at http://wealth-for-newbies.blogspot.com. It's well worth the visit.

"Dear Michelle and Warren,

There was one time in my life when lack of persistence actually paid off for me. It was my attempt to smoke. When I was a teenager, I joined my classmates behind some bushes in the school grounds and tried to smoke. We all coughed and spluttered while we tried to inhale. They persisted, and got past the coughing and spluttering. Some of them have been less successful trying to travel in the reverse direction. They’re middle aged, addicted to nicotine, and would give their eye teeth to be able to quit smoking.

But I was different. After choking on a few cigarettes, I gave up. So I never did experience smoking as a pleasurable activity. On the other hand, I’m nicotine-free and extremely grateful to be so. It’s the one and only instance that I can recall in which giving up in the face of difficulty served me well.

In all other instances that I can think of, quitting has served me poorly.

One example of persistence that I’m proud of is the time that I climbed Table Mountain – in Cape Town, South Africa – with my brother. He’s a veteran hiker and mountain climber. When I asked him how easy or difficult it would be, he said it would be a cinch. Yeah, right. His idea of a cinch turned out to be very different from my idea of a cinch. There were a couple of places where we had to climb some rocks that absolutely terrified me. But I was determined to do it, and I did. Reaching the top of the mountain, and knowing that I had persisted to the end, was a terrific feeling. Yes, the view from the top was tremendous. But my sense of elation didn’t come just from enjoying the view.

My brother took a photo of me clinging to what felt to me like a cliff, but what he described as a little scramble. Well, whatever you want to call it, I framed that photo. Now, when I’m in need of courage, I look at the photo and think to myself, “If I could do it then, I can do it now.”

Last night I was listening to a training call about network marketing. The speaker said that being a new distributor in network marketing was like entering a haunted house at the state fair when you were a kid. Grown ups who had been through lots of haunted houses knew that they’d emerge at the other end. But, when you were a kid and this was your first experience of a haunted house, the ghosts and goblins that jumped out as you turned a corner scared the living daylights out of you. You really were in some doubt as to whether or not you would get out of the haunted house unharmed.

The trainer said that the objections that potential business partners expressed on the phone were like the monsters in a haunted house. An experienced network marketer knew that objections didn’t have any substance. A newbie, however, thought that objections were non-negotiable.

In the audio, the haunted house was used as a metaphor for a conversation with a potential business partner. But I think it’s also an appropriate metaphor for the larger venture of networking marketing. As the saying goes, “What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?” The experienced network marketer, like the adult entering a haunted house, knows that he/she will be just fine. The newcomer to network marketing, like the child going into a haunted house for the first time, has to take a leap of faith and then persist until he/she reaches daylight again.

So, if I look back at my own life, I draw a few lessons: (1) You need to assess whether or not a goal, like smoking, is worthy; (2) You need to decide, and (3) You need to persist until you reach your goal.

At this point, I’m looking at the photo of me clinging to the side of Table Mountain, and I’m determined to have the same result with network marketing.

This very email is another example of persistence. I thought I wouldn’t bother to enter the competition. I thought I wasn’t persistent, and I wouldn’t be able to think of anything to say on the topic of persistence. Then I remembered the saying, “Half the battle is showing up.” I decided to sit in front of my computer, and see if any thoughts about persistence came up. At first the only example I could think of was the time I hadn’t persisted. Then I remembered Table Mountain. Lo and behold, before I knew it, I’d actually typed quite a long email on the topic of persistence – basically by just showing up.

Judy"

Wonderful email Judy. Thanks so much for commenting on Andy Andrews and his seventh decision dealing with the notion of persistence, without exception.

Andy Andrews Persistence Without Exception

I've received yet more feedback on Andy Andrews and the seven decisions that determine personal success, particularly "I will persist without exception".

Today, we'll share another comment which I received from Lynette Chartier. You can visit Lynette's website at http://www.CreateFreedomasap.com/.

"Persistence without exception....

Persistence to me means knowing what my goals are and moving towards them no matter
what happens, no matter how long it takes to see the success I am wanting. It signifies for me
the ability to rise above the set backs, the frustrations, the moments where you question yourself.

Persistence is making the decision to go forward and being able to ignore current circumstances
or negative comments from others. Persistence is also having faith in the process; having faith in the power within to co-create with the power above. "

Clearly our profile on Andy Andrews and the contest we've run here at Inspired Abundance has struck a chord with many people.

I have one more post I'd like to share which you'll find here tomorrow.