Day 1 - Friday Morning Encouragement

I'm sure most of you have heard about Jack Canfield, the author of the Chicken Soup series and many other publishings. I stumbled across this excerpt on bragg.com, (a website where you can purchase Apple Cider Vinegar, that discusses many ailments that it can cure, more on that later) where he highlights multimillionaire John Demartini and his journey to freedom.

I decided to share this as inspiration to do something different and to remind you that your current situation does not define your life ambition. You have options. Enjoy!

- Jack Canfield Best-selling author

Jack Canfield relates how multi-millionaire Dr. John Demartini's life was changed by an encounter with Dr. Paul Bragg in his best-seller, The Success Principles, Chapter 15, pp. 123-124:

Multimillionaire Dr. John Demartini is a resounding success by anyone's standards. He's married to a beautiful and brilliant woman-Athena Starwoman, the world-famous astrologer who consults and writes for 24 well-known magazines, including Vogue. Together, they own several homes in Australia. And they spend over 60 days a year together circumnavigating the globe in their $3 million luxury apartment onboard the $550 million ocean liner World of ResidenSea—a residence they purchased after selling their Trump Tower apartment in New York City.

The author of 54 training programs and 13 books, John spends the year traveling the world speaking and conducting his courses on financial success and life mastery. But John didn't start out rich and successful. At age 7, he was found to have a learning disability and was told that he would never read, write, or communicate normally. At 14, he dropped out of school, left his Texas home and headed for the California coast. By 17 he had ended up in Hawaii, surfing the waves of Oahu's famed North Shore, where he almost died from strychnine poisoning. His road to recovery led him to Dr. Paul Bragg, a 93- year-old man who changed John's life by giving him one simple affirmation to repeat: "I am a genius and I apply my wisdom."

Inspired by Dr. Bragg, John went to college, earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and later his doctoral degree from the Texas College of Chiropractic. When he opened his first chiropractic office in Houston, John started with just 970 square feet of space. Within 9 months, he'd more than doubled that and was offering free classes on healthy living. When attendance grew, John was ready to expand again. It was then he took a leap that changed his career forever. "It was Monday" John said. "The shoe store next door had vacated over the weekend." What a perfect lecture hall, John thought as he quickly phoned the leasing company. When no one called him back, John concluded they weren't going to rent the space soon, so he took a leap. "I called a locksmith to come out and open up the place," John said. "I thought the worst thing they would do was charge me rent."

He quickly transformed the space into a lecture hall and within days was holding free talks there on a nightly basis. Because the space was located right next to a movie theater, he added a loudspeaker so moviegoers could hear his lectures as they walked to their cars Hundreds began attending classes and eventually became patients.

John's practice grew rapidly. Yet nearly 6 months went by before the property manager came to investigate. "You've got a lot of courage," the manager said. "You remind me of me." In fact, he was so impressed with John's daring, he even gave John 6 months' free rent! "Anybody that has the courage to do what you did deserves it," he told him. The manager later invited John down to his office, where he offered him a quarter of a million dollars a year to come work for him. John turned it down because he had other plans, but it was a huge validation of his courage to act.

Taking a leap helped John build a thriving practice, which he later sold to begin consulting full time with other chiropractors. "Taking that leap opened up a doorway for me," John said. "If I'd held back ... if I had been cautious ... I wouldn't have made the breakthrough that gave me the life I live today."

Canfield, Jack. The Success Principles. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-06-059488-8 © 2005 Jack Canfield

Be inspired today to do something differently...and take a risk!

The reward may not be immediate, but it will come.

In the words of our dear friend Winnie-the-Pooh:

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh