Ray Edwards Show

Are you tired of feeling sick, broke or like you are a failure? Today we go through the 12 principles of Think and Grow Rich, how to focus on your one thing, talk about being decisive people like the Disciples, and how to to get the best audio quality in your podcast.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week: Fix Your Podcast Audio

If your podcast quietly is less than perfect, hire someone to edit it for you. Get rid of distractions and background noise in your audio.  Make your podcast more user-friendly. Danny Ozment, from Emerald City Productions, tells us how important the sound quality of your podcast is. Not only does it help your listeners create a relationship with you, it increases their ability to understand and listen while on the go. Don't just hire anybody to help edit your podcast, but hire someone who really knows what they are doing.

Spiritual Foundations: Be Decisive

Be a decisive human being. When we are decisive, it demonstrates our faith. We know Who we are, WHOSE we are, and WHAT we stand for. It is easy to make decisions based on our morals and beliefs if we are decisive. Look at the Disciples, Jesus said "Come, follow me" and they did. They didn't have to pray about it or ask someone if they should- they just did.

Feature Presentation "The One Thing That Causes You To Fail- Or Succeed"

What is your one thing?  Napoleon Hill decided to take on the book Think And Grow Rich in a matter of 60-seconds, and he took 20 years to finish it.  Do you think that he was happy that he persevered and finished that project? It became his grand obsession for him, and I can relate. When I took Michael Hyatt's "Best Year Ever" challenge in 2015, it became my grand obsession. I made having my best year ever, and my best life ever my destiny. If you think your destination is about what is set out for you., you are wrong. Your destiny is where you end up based on the past you decide to take. So, what have you decided your destiny is?

I always suggest people sit down and write out their perfect day to help achieve their destiny.  I want you to sit down and write out every detail of what your perfect day would be. Every detail from the start of your day until your head hits the pillow at night.  It should be at least 3 or 4 pages long.  Were you bold enough? Is it really your perfect day?

Now, you don't need some complicated plan or scheme to accomplish this "perfect day/perfect living". You just need to focus on your 1 thing- your unique wisdom and knowledge only you have that you can share with others. As John Lee Dumas says- FOCUS.

F-Follow

O- One

C- Course

U- Until

S- Success

And Follow the 12-Principles of Think And Grow Rich

1. Know what you are after
2. Have Self-confidence
3. Use the power of habit force
4. Take Initiative and leadership
5. Have imagination
6. Have enthusiasm
7. Have self-control
8. Go the extra mile
9. Have an attractive personality- Be you!
10. Have accurate thinking
11. FOCUS
12. Co-operate with others

So really, the ONE THING that causes you to fail or succeed is how you pursue your ONE THING.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Think and Grow Rich- By Napoleon Hill
• Romans 8:28
• Emerald City Productions – https://emeraldcitypro.com
• Danny Ozment – https://dannyozment.com
• Podcast Launch Formula – https://dannyozment.com/podcast-launch-formula

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

How to compress decades of progress into months … and get INSTANT MOMENTUM. This is the key to rapid business success.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week

Subscribe to and Comment on my YouTube Channel as we go for 5,000 subs …. and you can win prizes for commenting within the first hour of a new video being published. Check out YouTube.com/RayEdwards, subscribe, and hit the BELL icon.

 

Feature Presentation "Instant Momentum: How to Accelerate Your Success Now"

5 Reasons Why You Need a Mentor

1. Accelerated Success.
2. Connections and Open Doors.
3. Impartation of Wisdom and Authority.
4. Maximize Opportunities.
5. Avoid Dangers.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode Ray's YouTube Channel

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript

In this episode, I interview John Morgan-Bush. We discuss his book, War on Fear, and his life as a George W. Bush Impersonator. John explains the difference between living with daily debilitating fear, and practical fears, such as the awareness of danger. He also helps us understand how we can overcome our fears by choosing to believe in truth.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Resources

http://www.waronfearbook.com

www.georgebushimpersonator.com

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript

I love to read. Books have been my primary source of education.

Today I share 10 Books that changed my life.

Also in this episode… if God is all powerful and all loving, why do bad things happen to good people? … what may be the perfect vlogging camera… and, of course, 10 books that changed my life.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week:

Canon M50 mirrorless camera.

1. Compact and lightweight.
2. Excellent image quality.
3. Quick and accurate autofocus.
4. Easy-to-use interface.
5. Flip-out screen.

By the way, get a Rhode Video Micro, and the 11-22 EF-M lens.

Spiritual Foundations:

Why Does God Allow Bad Things Happen to Good People?

Feature Presentation " The 10 Books That Changed My Life"

1. The Bible, by God
2. Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand
3. Awaken the Giant Within, by Tony Robbins
4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey
5. The Alchemist, by Paolo Coehlo
6. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
7. The 4 Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss
8. The Obstacle Is the Way, by Ryan Holiday
9. On Writing, by Stephen King
10. Destined to Reign, by Joseph Prince

 

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

Have you experienced a tragic loss? A devastating blow? A tough break? Have you had a setback? Even a minor inconvenience?

When I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2011, it seemed like a devastating blow and a tragic loss. Today I want to share how you can beat Parkinson's – or any other problem you may be facing.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week: 5 Steps to Get (and STAY) Motivated

1. Define what you MUST do.
2. Define the COST of NOT doing it and the REWARD for accomplishing the objective.
3. Set a deadline, milestones, consequences, and rewards.
4. Isolate the next action step toward the achievement and do it.
5. Record, Report, and Renew.

Spiritual Foundations: Charity TowardNone?

Am I suggesting we eradicate charity and replace it with commerce?

Since "no one gets out alive," how does that impact your response to challenges?

Was Jesus a pessimist?  How to process his statement, "In this world you will have trouble."

Feature Presentation "7 Principles- How to Beat Parkinson's (Or Anything)"

1. Principle of verbal cognitive framing: Speak what you want to experience.
2. Principle of possibility thinking: What does this make possible?
3. Principle of continuous feedback loops: What can you learn from this?
4. Principle of utilization: How can you use this?
5. Principle of results modeling: Who else has beaten or overcome this before me?
6. Principle of commitment and consistency: Who is depending on my victory?
7. Principle of experimentation: Try. Test. Repeat until victory.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• John 16:33, the Bible

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

If you want to build a purpose-driven, personality-based online business, blogging should be the cornerstone of your business. And I can think of no one better than Leslie Samuel to discuss this topic.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week: 3Ways to Be More Productive Instantly

1. Start using Block Time. Block similar tasks. Batching similar activities and blocking time will make you more productive.
2. Set yourself up for success. Disconnect from the internet and make yourself distraction-free.
3. Buy experience. Experience is the best teacher. Doesn't it make more sense to benefit from the mistakes other people have experienced? Masterminds, online courses, and training programs give you the lessons learned by the experiences of others (without having to endure the difficulty of the experience).

Spiritual Foundations: The Gift of No Condemnation

Romans 8 explains the Gift of No Condemnation, "There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ."

You should have no guilt. You shouldn't beat yourself up for your mistakes.

Yes, make amends if you have hurt someone, but feeling guilty should be over.

It is FINISHED. He paid the debt for all your sin…past…present…future.

Some worry that living with no condemnation will cause you to go and sin more.

No, this is not true. If you truly understand this, the Spirit will help you to actually sin less.
Although it seems counterintuitive, stop with the self–loathing and condemnation and realize you're loaded with peace, love and joy.

Stop self–condemnation and celebrate your righteousness and receive what Jesus has to give you.

Feature Presentation "Why You Should Become a Blogger and How to Do It"

• How stumbling onto a website, "Make Some Money on the Internet" changed my life –Why blogging about a subject you know and love can propel your life in a new direction
• When I earned $70 online in one day I knew my future would be different – How blogging landed me my dream job as a university professor (even though I didn't have a PhD)
• How to make the monumental crossroads decision: should you leave your side business or your job? The wise counsel of my wife and how it has influenced our family, our finances, and our future
• How to turn your blog into a business – Why great content alone is not enough to build your blog–based business
• If you are solving a problem, then you have the foundation for a business – How I sold a study guide and advertisements on my site to monetize my blog
• The Top 3 Most Common Mistakes People Make with Blogging

1. Business mistake – The problem is they build a huge audience and yet they don't have anything to sell. Ask yourself, "What problem am I solving?" Many bloggers don't look at how to transform their blog into a business. A blog isn't a business, it's a platform. If you want to make money you have to sell something of value. When there is a button to show you how to buy, you have a business.
2. Content mistake – The content they create has no plan. The content should attract the right people and lead them in the direction of what you have to sell. This may be common knowledge, but it's not common practice. I created a course called Blogging Business Foundations to help you learn to attract the right person with the right problem to your business.
3. Marketing mistake – They don't have a strategic way to promote their content. They falsely believe, "If I build it they will come." How are you marketing it? Are you promoting without a specific plan? Pay attention to how others who are successful are marketing their blog and learn from their example.

• How false information leads to failure – If you have no list, no experience, and you don't work you'll fail – Why 80–90% of businesses fail and how to avoid this pitfall.
• If you're looking for a magic money bullet this is not for you – How to build a business that allows you to travel, spend more time with your family and make more money than your job.
• How blogging gives you the freedom to create the life you want and to determine the future you desire – What if you had the financial freedom to spend time with your family and to create only work you love.
• What if you could make more money in one month than you usually make in a year – Imagine freedom to support your family both financially and by being present in their lives.
• God's timing is best – How building my blog-based business gave me freedom to be with my mom in her last days.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Leslie Samuel's blog: www.becomeablogger.com

  The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins. "You know what you should be doing. Count backward from five and then just jump. Go do that thing. Take that leap of faith. What could possibly happen if it works out?" Leslie Samuel comments on Mel Robbins' book.

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

Your belief determines your destiny. What you believe about anything determines what you receive, whether it's your life, your business, your personal performance or your identity.

In this episode we're going to unpack why what you believe about yourself is more important than you may have ever suspected. It's not magic, it's just the logical progression of a thought process. We'll uncover this and more during a conversation I'm going to have with my good friend, Cliff Ravenscraft.

 

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week

This week I'm giving you three tips for the price of one. What a deal! If you are an entrepreneur and you're trying to grow your business, or you're a manager in an existing business, there are three big steps to take that will move you along much quicker than just trial and error.

If you are an entrepreneur and you're trying to grow your business, or you're a manager in an existing business, there are three big steps to take that will move you along much quicker than just trial and error.

1. Know your big reason why. There's a saying that goes something like this, "Once you have a big enough WHY, you  can  overcome  any HOW  that  needs to be  overcome  to  reach  your  objective."  Knowing your reason why will help you push through the difficult hows that come up.
2. Accelerate your business growth,  define your beliefs,  your values, and your rules.  This is something most people never bother to do. You must be clear on what your beliefs are about everything in your life, what your values are around the major sections of your life and your business, and what your rules are, to know that you're being consistent or in integrity with your beliefs and values.
3. Choose your peers carefully. The people you spend the most intentional time with. The people you allow to influence your behavior,  opinions,  thoughts, and feelings.  You need to choose these people very carefully. They need to be people who are on the same path as you are. Maybe not the same business, but the same attitude toward business. The same approach to life.  An optimistic,  hopeful, centered approach to business and life. If the people you're surrounding yourself with most right now are not like that,  it becomes doubly important that you find a mastermind group that you can be part of, that will support you in your personal and business growth going forward. One such mastermind you might consider is our new paid mastermind.  There should still be openings available when this is published.  Maybe there won't be,  but you can find out by going to  rayedwards.com/empire.  If there are still openings,  then you'll be able to apply there. If not, you'll be able to join the waitlist.

Those are your three steps to accelerate your business growth.

Number one, know your big why. 

Number two, define your beliefs,  values, and rules. 

Number three, choose your peers carefully.

Spiritual Foundations

This week,  we're going to unpack your spiritual Christian baggage.  What do  I mean by Christian baggage?  Well, it grows from a metaphor that my friend,  Frank Viola, shared with me. He calls it the Christian backpack, I call it Christian baggage. It goes something like this,  when you become a  Christian,  when you accept  Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you're told beforehand that it's by grace that you're saved. It's not anything you can earn or deserve, it's given to you as a gift. It's a free gift. All you have to do is accept it.

You  think  to  yourself,  "That  sounds  like  a  great  deal,  I'm  going  to  take  that  deal." Then once you're "in the club", the people in the Church begin to tell you what you need to be doing and not doing. They hand you a backpack or a piece of luggage,

and they begin loading it up with bowling balls…sixteen-pound bowling balls.

Those bowling balls come with innocent names like:

• Small Groups
• Serving in the Children's Ministry
• Missions
• Tithing
• Ushering
• Be here every time the doors open
• Act like a Christian
• Don't Swear
• Don't watch TV
• Here's what your political views should be

And the list goes on and on. How does it feel to carry around all those bowling balls?

There's no end to the bowling balls that we could add to your baggage, but what this does,  is it chokes off the real fruit of the spirit that you receive when you accept Jesus,  and the holy spirit enters into you.  When that happens,  you're filled with grace, and you're no longer under the requirements of the law. There are no rules for you to follow. Because when you really receive and appreciate the grace that you've been given,  your behavior begins to flow naturally from that. It's not a requirement, it's a supply of grace and ease that flows through you.

If you've been carrying the Christian baggage around, my suggestion is, drop it-just drop it. But the spirit that raised Jesus from the dead manifest himself through you, and you'll begin to see the fruits of that spirit in every part of your life. You won't have

to work on your behavior, your behavior will work on you.

Feature Presentation "What you Believe is What You Receive"

What you believe is what you receive. It's true. It sounds mystical, but it's not. It's quite logical. We are going to get right into it with my good friend, Cliff Ravenscraft.

Here are a few snippets from our conversation:

• What you believe impacts everything – Just because you know something in your head doesn't mean it you know it in your heart (19:12)
• Repetition is the Mother of Skill – How to create lasting change (22:06)
• Sticking your toe in the water doesn't work – The secret of breaking free from limitation and taking your life to the next level (26:26)
• Watch your mouth – How the power of words distorts the truth of how we see ourselves (28:30)
• The value of pain – How to make instant change easy (36:45)
• The Fat Man returns – Nothing changes until our identity changes (38:30)
• The birth of a New Identity – How the power of mentorship unleashed a powerful new beginning (42:56)
• The mirror might be lying to you – How to embrace The Rubber Band Principle (48:05)
• The 100-Day Dilemma – The destructive power of a temporary identity (50:07)
• Draw a line in the sand – How to fall in love with the daily grind (58:09)
• The most powerful force in human psychology – Why it's important to understand and apply the joy of consistency (63:18)
• Free the Dream – How to awaken the dormant greatness inside you (66:27)

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Empire Builder Mastermind
• Cliff Ravenscraft: What You Believe About Who You Are Will Determine Your Outcome
• Cliff Ravenscraft: Draw The Line in The Sand
• Tony Robbins: Creating Lasting Change
• Tony Robbins: Personal Power II
• Free The Dream Conference

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

 

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

What does it mean to be more persistent and why is it important?

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week: The ONE PLATFORM To Build Your Business  

Looking for a solution to your tech nightmare when it comes to running your online business?

Here's what we use and recommend: Kajabi. It's recommended more than any other Knowledge Commerce platform.

The E-Learning market is soaring! Its projected valuation is $275 billion by 2022.

The fastest and easiest way for people to launch their online business is by teaching others through online courses, coaching, and membership sites.

You shouldn't have to: pay for multiple tools to sell your knowledge, encounter tech headaches, or string multiple systems together to get your business off the ground.

Kajabi: The Only Platform You Need

• Create the perfect product with their course builder
• Set up your own branded online store
• Get paid easily with a built-in shopping cart
• Send emails to potential buyers & customers
• Build fully automated marketing campaigns

Kajabi provides digital entrepreneurs an all-in-one platform which enables them to create a life of freedom on their terms, whatever that may look like.

Try the free trial and see for yourself…rayedwards.com/kajabi

Spiritual Foundations: You Already Have All the Faith You Need

Like everything else in the Bible, faith is all about Jesus.

He is the author (the maker or creator) of our faith and he is the finisher.

He completes it, fills in the gaps, and strengthens the weak places of our faith. Romans 12:2

The faith of Jesus is all the faith you will ever need!

None of God's promises are dependent on your effort or level of faith.

You can't work up enough faith to get the job done.

Tap into the faith of Jesus. His faith is perfect – and it's all the faith you need!

Feature Presentation "5 Strategies to Make You More Persistent"

There is always some measure of persistence in any success story. But giving up offers no hope of success.

Regardless of the outcome, persisting through tough times and overwhelming odds becomes part of the victory. Here are a few reasons to persist:

• Persistence gets results.

Few things in life worth achieving are gained without persistence. Nearly all successful people
look up to have a long, hard trail of failures behind them, through which they persisted
. The harder you work, the luckier you get.

• Persistence sets you apart from everyone else.

Anyone can quit. Quitting is the easy way out. Persisting puts you in a whole different

class of the elite.

• Persistence builds character.

Giving up takes no effort. Giving up gives one a false sense of relief that ultimately

Feels like defeat. Any growth of muscle or character requires resistance training.

• Persistence always offers some measure of success.

Just by hanging in there, you've accomplished more than most. But in quitting there

is no success. Abraham Lincoln, a man all too familiar with failure said, "If you are

resolutely determined to accomplish some thing, the thing is more than half done

already. Always bear in mind that your resolution to succeed is more important

than any other thing."

But when the bills are piling up and everyone is telling you to hang it up and get a "real job," it's hard to persist. How do you maintain persistence in the face of so much apparent failure and resistance?

Here are 5 Strategies for Boosting Persistence:

• Believe in yourself and what you have to offer.

Sylvester Stallone was rejected by more than 600 casting agents before developing

his Rocky screenplay. His first film took in $117 million (in 1976 dollars) and made

him more than $5 million.

"Belief is the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life. A person is a

product of his own thoughts. Believe BIG! Adjust your thermostat forward. Launch

your success offensive with honest, sincere belief that you can succeed. Believe big

and grow big." — David J. Schwartz from The Magic of Thinking Big

• Keep trying new things.

Keep trying new things. The Wright Brothers experienced thousands of failed

experiments before getting it right. Discover your niche. Experiment. "The way to
succeed is to double your failure rate." — Thomas J. Watson, founder of IBM.

• Redefine failure.

View minor failed experiments as learning experiences. Now you know one more

way not to succeed. Instead, view quitting as a failure. As long as you persist,

you haven't failed.

• When you fall, keep getting up.

Expect to fall, trip, and stumble, but keep getting up. And soon you'll find that your
business is not only walking but running like a gazelle.

• Don't listen to naysayers.

When Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield wrote the Chicken Soup for the Soul

series, they were rejected by 140 publishers. Publishers told them the book wouldn't

Sell. But when the two authors finally landed a contract with a publisher willing to take

a risk, their books sold over 100 million copies! Don't listen to naysayers. Instead

spend time with those who believe in you, support you, and encourage you.

Persistence is a key ingredient for success. So, keep at it. Don't give up. Persist, because success is right around the corner.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

rayedwards.com/kajabi

Announcements

PERMISSION TO PROSPER 2018

Ready to shake off the lies and limitations that stop you from prospering? God's desire for you is that you should prosper in all things, and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

At PTP 2018, we'll clear the path for you to experience full prosperity, not only in the area of finance, but in all 7 major zones of life: Faith, Fitness, Family, Fun, Finance, Friends, and Fulfillment.

Join us at this life-changing event, where we will help you:

• Construct your own prosperity blueprint.
• Remove the inner conflicts about money, wealth, and possessions.
• Learn from our world-famous speakers, including Jeff Goins, and many more surprise guests to be announced soon.

PTP is your key to unlock the vaults of wealth, wellness, and wisdom that will prosper you and everyone around you.

REGISTER Now at the rate of $497 per ticket.

VIP seating and red carpet perks are also available, including personal time with Ray.

To get the details, and to get your ticket, go to permissiontoprosper.com

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

Have you ever struggled with missed deadlines, hurried work, increased stress, and lost opportunities because of procrastination?

Imagine overcoming procrastination once and for all, so you restore joy for your work, strengthen your relationships, and grow your business.

I once was a great procrastinator.  My motto was, "Hey anything worth doing is worth putting off!"  I felt I was "just wired that way." But over time, I've overcome the Procrastination Plague and you can too. You weren't "just born that way!"

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week: Stop This!

Stop saying you "have to"… you don't "have to" do anything.

1. What if I don't?
2. If #1 doesn't cause disaster, why bother?
3. If it still needs to be done have someone else do it.

Spiritual Foundations "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." — Philippians 4:19, NLT

When Jesus cried out, "It is finished!" the wall of sin that separated us from God crumbled, and God unleashed a flood of His grace upon us. That grace is still flowing toward us today, supplying whatever we need in this life, daily loading us with benefits!

My friend, the essence of God's grace is SUPPLY. When you are conscious of His supply, instead of the demands of the world, you are under His grace. That's when you will see His abundant provision for every need and situation.

So if you're having trouble finding a job, beyond trusting God for employment, see the Lord stirring up the dormant giftings and abilities that He has already placed in you. As you hone these gifts, the Word of God declares that your gifts will unlock doors of opportunities in due season and cause you to stand before great men. Don't just believe you'll be employed, believe God to also prepare, grow and develop you for a position of influence in your industry!

Feature Presentation "The Cure for Procrastination"

Procrastination is NOT a permanent personality trait. If you tend toward procrastinating, you can change. But first, let's look at some of the pitfalls of procrastination and why this is such a crucial problem.

Pitfalls of Procrastination

• Missed deadlines – Customers, clients, vendors, etc. are counting on us to complete a task or project. But when we put off completing that task or project, we fail to meet its deadline.
• Hurried or sloppy work – When we postpone a project and then rush to try and complete it, our work tends to be second-rate. We miss details and can't give the project the attention it deserves.
• Increased stress – When we put off an assignment until the last minute, we sentence ourselves to a life of stress until that assignment is finished. Under stress like that, our health and relationships tend to suffer.
• Missed opportunities – Entrepreneur Victor Kiam wrote, "Procrastination is opportunity's natural assassin." When we put things off till the "eleventh hour," we're unprepared to take on new opportunities that present themselves. We're stuck, trying like mad to finish the obligations that have been piling up and so these new and exciting opportunities pass us by.
• Defeated attitude – Eventually, the consequences of procrastination catch up with us and get us down. We feel bad about ourselves for all our missed deadlines, the stress we've caused ourselves, and for letting others down. We find it hard to climb out of this hole we've dug for ourselves.
• Damaged reputation – Almost without exception, when there are deadlines involved, other people are counting on us. But when we're late or produce less-than-quality work time and time again, we get a reputation for being unreliable. And that can kill any business.

As you can see, there's a long, compelling list of the dangers of procrastination. But what causes it? Why do we fall into its trap? A few of the reasons for procrastination might be:

• Habit
• Lack of planning
• Misplaced priorities
• Distractions
• Lack of self-discipline
• Fear of failure
• Fear of the task itself
• Unsure of how or where to start on a project

All those reasons and more can lead us into the trap of procrastination. So, let's focus on the cure!

The Cure for Procrastination

• Only take on projects that fit. One of the things that promote procrastination is taking on projects that don't fit our mission, values, or what we enjoy. Accepting these makes us regret it later and we drag our feet. In the end, nobody's happy.
• Get it on the calendar. Put your projects, tasks, appointments and any other crucial dates on a calendar that is easy for you to monitor. This is vital for breaking a procrastination habit.
• Prioritize tasks. Check your calendar often to determine what's due when. Figure out which projects take priority and tackle them in their priority order. Make a list daily and weekly of what you need to complete to stay on track.
• Anticipate and eliminate distractions. This takes self-discipline. We especially must resist the temptation to run after those "shiny things" that present themselves to us and distract us from what's really important.
• Follow through with action. Action is the antidote for both procrastination and fear. You've taken all the above steps, now follow through.
• Get help when needed. Sometimes a project ends up being much larger than we anticipated. Or perhaps the project involves an expertise that we're short on. If so, partner with someone to help you and do this early enough that you're not dragging them past a deadline as well.

Procrastination will ultimately kill our joy for our work, destroy our relationships and undermine our business. If you tend towards procrastination, don't put off following through with these cures for procrastination!

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

PERMISSION TO PROSPER 2018

Ready to shake off the lies and limitation that stop you from prospering? God's desire for you is that you should "prosper in all things, and be in good health, just as your soul prospers."

At PTP 2018 we'll clear the path for you to experience full prosperity, not only in the area of finance but in all 7 major zones of life: faith, fitness, family, fun, finance, friends, fulfillment.

Join us at this life-changing event, where we will help you construct your own prosperity blueprint… remove the inner conflicts about money, wealth, and possessions… and learn from our world-famous speakers, including Jeff Goins, and more surprise guests to be announced soon.

PTP is your key to unlock the vaults of wealth, wellness, and wisdom that will prosper you and everyone around you. Register now.

VIP seating and red carpet perks are also available, including personal time with Ray. To get the details, and to get your ticket now at the lowest possible price, go to permissiontoprosper.com

 

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.

In our fast-paced and entertainment-saturated culture, it's easy to let book-reading fall by the wayside. In fact, many studies show that after college, the average person only reads 3 more books for the rest of their life!

And don't be tempted to think that the reading of books is old-fashioned and no longer relevant. There is power in the written word. And whether you're an entrepreneur, business person, or simply someone who wants to continue to grow, reading books is an effective way to continue your personal development.  

"You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read." — Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week

Since developing Parkinson's in 2011, I have been receiving deep-tissue massage therapy as part of my treatment. I started with once a month, then once a week, and these days I get 3 massages a week. Here's what this has taught me: your body is the frame through which you see the world. If the frame is bent, twisted, or in pain… you will experience the world that way.

Get over your hangups, and go get a massage from a reputable massage therapist. Try it at least once per week for a month or more and let me know the difference it makes in your life!

Spiritual Foundations

Pray Prayers of Proclamation. When you have a need, do you pray or do you plead? Do you begin your prayers with words like, "Please God, please! God, I beg You to have mercy!" Prayers that plead and beg imply that your heavenly Father is not willing to help you. Yet, He is far more gracious and willing to give to you than you are willing to ask, think or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) He desires above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)

In fact, long before you have a need, God has already met that need. Long before you knew you needed a Savior, He sent His Son to be your Savior. This is your God! He is a good God. So when you beg Him for something, you are actually saying that He is reluctant to give and needs to be persuaded strongly before He will move. Yet, He is not like that.

Jesus knew the heart of the Father. When He saw the woman bound with a spirit of infirmity, He did not pray, "Oh Father! She has been suffering for 18 long years! I beseech You, Father, have mercy on her. Please, please heal her!" No, when Jesus saw her, He immediately proclaimed, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity!" He spoke this way because He knew the heart of the Father. He knew that the Father wanted her delivered from her crippling condition.

At the end of a church service, I don't stand and pray, "Oh God, please bless Your people. Oh God, do keep them. Oh God, be ever so gracious to them!" Instead, I proclaim, "The Lord bless you. The Lord keep you. The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you!"

Beloved, when you pray, proclaim your healing, protection and provision because your Father's heart overflows with love for you. And when you declare it, He sanctions it. When you declare it, He establishes it!

Feature Presentation "9 Reasons You Need a Book-Reading Plan" Here are 9 reasons you need a book-reading plan:

• Reading helps keep you current. Books can help keep you current on business trends and strategies. You can either spend thousands of dollars flying around the country going to seminars and masterminds or spend a few dollars on a book! Consider reading Michael Hyatt's book, Your Best Year Ever – A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals.
• Provides material for your own writing and podcasting. Reading books offers you fresh information, strategies for presenting that information, and great stories to share with your readers. Read Chris Ducker's book, The Rise of the Youpreneur.
• Reading books exercises your brain. Joseph Addison wrote, "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." Believe me, in this competitive environment, you don't want a "flabby" brain!  I challenge you to read a book like, Miracles by Eric Metaxas. I guarantee that book will give your brain a workout.
  

 

• Expands your worldview. Let's face it. Most of us live and work within a fairly small bubble of relationships. Our market is defined by what and who we know. Reading can broaden our perspective. Consider reading, Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant by W Chan Kim.
• Stimulates new ideas. Frequently, I'll be reading a book and the content I'm reading launches me into a totally new idea. Reading does that! If you need some fresh ideas and new thinking for your business, read a book. Try reading, The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss.
• Increases your vocabulary and conversational skills. Whether you realize it or not, when you're reading, your mind assimilates new words and phrases. These new modes of expression become part of your vocabulary and find their way into your conversation without your conscious effort. Read Perry Marshall's book, Evolution 2.0.
• Makes you a better writer. When you read a book that's well written, your own writing begins to take on the qualities that you admire in others. Here's a book that focuses on writing skills, but also features writing at its best: On Writing Well by William Zinsser.
• Corrects and/or corroborates your thinking. Reading what others think about a topic can either correct our misconceptions or confirm what we've held to be true. A best-selling classic that will either challenge or confirm your beliefs is Lee Strobel's The Case for a Creator.
• Enriches your life. So far, we've been talking primarily about growing our intellect and our business. But reading for pleasure offers many benefits as well. Reading a book before bedtime is a great way to wind down and relax. Recreational reading opens a whole world of history, intrigue, humor, adventure, and fantasy. Reading kicks the borders off your imagination. Patrick Rothfuss's epic novel, The Name of the Wind, is sure to provide you with an enriching experience.
  Creating A Reading Plan

• Commit to read a book a month.
• Create a list of books that you want to read.
• Read on an e-device or paper. (Consider the option of highlighting and scribbling notes in the margins of a printed book.)
• Find a reading buddy.
• Listen to audiobooks. (The retention rate for listening to a book drops significantly over reading it.)

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Permission to Prosper is your key to unlock the vaults of wealth, wellness, and wisdom that will prosper you and everyone around you.

Join us at this life-changing event, where we will help you construct your own prosperity blueprint… remove the inner conflicts about money, wealth, and possessions… and learn from our world-famous speakers, including Jeff Goins, and more surprise guests to be announced soon.

VIP seating and red carpet perks are also available, including personal time with Ray. To get the details, and to get your ticket now at the lowest possible price, go to permissiontoprosper.com

 

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and "Save As" to Get the PDF Transcript.