Monday, December 31, 2007

MESSAGE # 272 - SUCCESS HOTLINE ON-LINE’S PEOPLE OF THE YEAR

Look at the top of the screen and see where it says, “Dr. Rob Gilbert’s Success Hotline – Online”?

IT’S A LIE!

In all honesty, there should be four more names up there.

I may do most of my Success Hotline phone messages by myself, but I’VE NEVER DONE EVEN ONE OF THESE BLOGS ALONE.

I am very grateful to four people who have helped every step of the way . . .

This blog would not exist without them.

SUE BROOKS

If you think I write well . . . let me tell you a secret -- I’m not a great writer, but I do have a great editor. Notice how terrible that last sentence was? That’s because Sue didn’t edit it! If I’ve written it, Sue’s edited it. She is an absolute editing genius. There’s not a person on the planet that edits better. (I think it should have been “who edits better.) Sue, thank you for making me look good! Sue is a proud graduate of Montclair State and a specialist in public relations.

JIM GREENE

If you’ve seen a great video on this blog, the chances are that Jim discovered it. Jim has put in tons of time “scouting” the Web so we can bring you the most inspiring and motivating videos in the world! For the past 15 years, Jim has worked as a crisis counselor. He is also a great motivational speaker. He inspires his audiences to turn their setbacks into comebacks. What Rudy is to Notre Dame . . . Jim is to New Jersey.

JOHN McCARTHY

John has influenced almost every message on this blog either by forwarding me an inspiring e-mail, giving me a press clipping, or calling me with a brilliant idea. John teaches with me at Montclair State and is the co-founder of the Institute of Coaching at the Yogi Berra Museum. Absolutely no one knows more about the social and psychological aspects of sports and coaching. John won just about every teaching award possible during his 34-year career at West Orange High School. Working closely with him is one of the highlights of my career.

LISA SARGESE

This blog was not my idea. It was Lisa’s idea. Through her support and encouragement, we’ve created daily messages since early April. Lisa is the publisher of this blog. I love the way it looks – and that’s all because of Lisa. Thank you sooooo much. She also has her own blog. Check it out at http://theskinnyonline.blogspot.com. Lisa is a super-star religion professor at Montclair State University and is an inspiring professional speaker. Prediction: Lisa is going to be very famous very soon!


THANK YOU, SUE!
THANK YOU, JIM!
THANK YOU, JOHN!
THANK YOU, LISA!

Sunday, December 30, 2007

MESSAGE #271 - THE ENVELOPE PLEASE ...

THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL BOOK OF 2007

EAT, PRAY, LOVE

by

Elizabeth Gilbert

In my 28 years as a college professor, I have never received a hand-written thank-you note from a student expressing her appreciation for a reading assignment.

Here’s part of what my student said . . .

“ . . . I had no desire to read Eat, Pray, Love only because of all the work and stress I’ve been experiencing this semester. And I honestly never read or was able to find a book I really loved that I couldn’t put down. Don’t get me wrong though, I was very intrigued by what you said about the book and Elizabeth Gilbert. So I decided to give it a shot one morning, and found myself finishing the book in three days! I never read! Dr. Gilbert, I could not put the book down and I want to thank you with all of my heart. . . . Thank you for helping me find my happiness again.”

Nice endorsement for a book that was required reading!

Want to meet Elizabeth???

Saturday, December 29, 2007

MESSAGE #270 - MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN 2007

My story begins last August.

That’s when I went to a magic show in Atlantic City, NJ featuring the incredible Jeff McBride.

Half-way through the show, McBride took out that week’s issue of Time magazine, tore out the pages, and passed them out to the audience.

He then asked the audience members to yell out their page numbers and McBride told them what was on their pages in great detail.

I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY!

On the ride home, I made a decision: I was going to memorize an issue of Time for my students and do “a Jeff McBride” in my first classes of the new semester.

So, I called a friend who’s a memory expert, I bought a memory book, and I got to work.

It took me about 20 hours to memorize the entire issue.

On the first meeting of each of my classes, I performed the Time magazine memory demonstration.

I was nervous, but I did it.

Did I do as well as Jeff McBride? Of course not!

But I did it fairly well.

Many of my students were TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY!

Then I told my students that any of them could do what I just did. It wasn’t difficult -- just time-consuming.

But I didn’t want them to memorize Time magazine -- I just wanted them to remember this lesson:

COLLEGE IS NOT DIFFICULT . . .
IT’S JUST TIME CONSUMING!

THERE ARE NO DIFFICULT COURSES . . .
JUST TIME-CONSUMING COURSES!

If my students remember that, then my 20 hours were worth it!

WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN 2007?

Click here to share your story . . .

MESSAGE #269 - WANT TO GET INSPIRED? SEE THIS MOVIE...

Just saw “The Great Debaters” today. When the audience cheers and applauds -- that tells you something!


Thursday, December 27, 2007

MESSAGE #268 - THE GREATEST MOMENT IN SPORTS IN 2007

Sports is sick and getting sicker. Want proof? Just look at the sports pages any day of the week.

But I believe it still can be saved. Want to know who’ll save sports?

I think those who still love sports the most -- the young kids -- will restore sports to its previous glory.

The young kids who aren’t playing for the money or the scholarships.

The young kids who love to play more than they love to win.

The young kids who still realize that the true meaning of sports is not about “me,” but about “we.”

Bianca is one of those young kids. She’s a third-grader who plays in a church league in central New Jersey. Her coach, Darren Ventre, is one of my students at Montclair State University. Here’s a heartwarming story Darren told me recently . . .

Early in the season, one of Bianca’s teammates missed a practice session. Two days later, Bianca called the girl at home and offered to come over to show her what she missed at practice!

A simple phone call. A simple act of caring.

Bianca really gets it.

In case you don’t get it . . . when was the last time you missed a day of practice or a day of school or a day of work and somebody called and offered to help you?

More importantly, when’s the last time you offered to help someone else, like Bianca did?

It’s been said about sports that if some of the players care, the team will have some success. If more players care, the team will have even more success. But if everyone on the team cares, the team will have incredible success.

Bianca didn’t just care -- she showed that she cared.

For me, the greatest moment in sports in 2007 wasn’t a 500-foot home run or a 50-yard field goal.

For me, the greatest moment in sports in 2007 was a simple phone call made by a third grader to her teammate.

Thanks, Bianca,

Rob Gilbert

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

MESSAGE #267 - TWO THOUGHTS ABOUT WEIGHT LOSS


THOUGHT #1

Don’t worry about how much weight you gain between Christmas and New Years.
Worry about how much weight you gain between New Years and Christmas.

THOUGHT #2
A middle-aged man went to his doctor for his yearly physical.

He got some bad news. He had gained a lot of weight. His blood pressure was too high and his cholesterol was dangerous.

His doctor told him that all of these problems could be easily solved by the proper diet.

Then the doctor said that eating right doesn’t have to be complicated.

“As a matter of fact,” the doctor said, “just think in colors. Fill your plate with bright colors. Eat lots of greens, yellows, reds, etc. . . . “

So the man went home and ate an entire bowl of M&M’s!

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

MESSAGE #266 - A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

Historian Robert Zimmerman called it, “the most profound Christmas prayer ever given by any member of the human race.”


Merry Christmas,

Rob Gilbert

Monday, December 24, 2007

MESSAGE #265 - ALL I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM SANTA

What can Santa teach us about life? One of his elves named Helen Ceol asked Santa that question and this is exactly what Santa told her:

#1. Encourage people to believe in you.
#2. Always remember who’s naughty and who’s nice.
#3. Don’t pout.
#4. Wearing bright red can make anyone look good.
#5. It’s more fun to give than it is to receive.
#6. Some days it’s okay to feel a little chubby.
#7. Make your presents known.
#8. If you wear a wide belt, no one will notice that you’ve gained a few pounds.
#9. If you only show up once a year, everyone will think that you’re really important.
#10. Whenever you’re at a loss for words, all you have to say is, “HO, HO, HO!”
#11. Do good when nobody knows you’re around.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

MESSAGE #264 - I HOPE YOU’LL WANT TO TELL SOMEONE THIS STORY

This story comes from the book Reading out Loud by Terry Pierce . . .

Actor Charles Laughton was attending a Christmas party with a large family in London.

Well into the evening, the host decided that the guests should each read or recite a favorite passage that reminded them most of the spirit of Christmas.

Laughton’s turn came near the end and he recited, in his beautifully trained voice, “The 23rd Psalm.”

Everyone applauded his effort and the process continued.

Within a few minutes, everyone had participated except one elderly aunt, who had dozed off in a corner of the room.

The family gently woke her up and explained what was going on and asked her to take part.

She thought for a moment and then began in a shaky voice, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

The room hushed as she continued, and when she finished, tears were streaming down every face.

Upon leaving, one of the younger members of the family thanked Laughton for coming and remarked on the difference and the response of the family to the two recitations of “The 23rd Psalm.” In one case appreciation; in the other, deep connection and involvement.

“How do you account for it?” asked the young man.

Laughton remarked simply, “You see, I know the psalm, but your aunt knows the Shephard.”

Saturday, December 22, 2007

MESSAGE #263 - A CHRISTMAS STORY or THE CHRISTMAS STORY

When she was young, she never had a very merry Christmas because she was an orphan. She grew up going from the orphanage to various foster homes. The best Christmas present she ever received was when she was eight years old and the local firemen came to the orphanage and gave all the kids presents. One fireman gave her a special Christmas card. He said that he made it just for her!

The Santa on this card was no ordinary Santa because Santa was all dressed up in fuzzy red fleece – the type of red fleece you could actually touch.

She loved touching the fuzzy fleece of Santa’s suit so much that it actually started to wear off the card!

And now that she’s a mom, she and her kids make these fuzzy red fleecy Santa cards every year.

Last year, right after Thanksgiving she began volunteering at the local nursing home.

Around Christmas time, she met Mr. Wilkinson there.

Mr. Wilkinson was quite old and his health was failing. No family or friends ever visited him. He never spoke. All he did was stare blankly at the wall opposite his bed in his tiny room.

On the days leading up to Christmas, the woman brought Mr. Wilkinson small gifts. One day it was fudge. The next day it was a little teddy bear. Then some sugar cookies.

Every day she would spend time with Mr. Wilkinson. She would tell him stories, sing carols for him, and show him pictures

Her goal was to bring Mr. Wilkinson back to life even if it were only for a few moments.

On Christmas Eve, she brought Mr. Wilkinson one of the Christmas cards her children had made -- the ones with the fuzzy red fleecy Santas.

When she showed the card to Mr.Wilkinson, he sat up. His eyes opened wide. With shaking hands, he grasped the card, looked up at the woman and softly said, “Where did you get this?”

After she told him that her children had made it, he said, “God bless you.”

And a tear rolled down his cheek.

Everyone at the nursing home who witnessed this was stunned.

For a very brief moment, Mr. Wilkinson had come back to life.

Mr. Wilkinson kept the card by his side and he touched the fuzzy fleece of Santa’s suit so much that it actually started to wear off the card!

That handmade card was the last Christmas present Mr. Wilkinson ever received.

He died two weeks after Christmas.

The woman went to his funeral. Not too many others did.

But there was a contingent of men dressed in uniforms. They were the local firemen. They were there because Mr. Wilkinson had been a fireman himself for over 30 years.

As a matter of fact, he was the fireman responsible for making and giving out the fuzzy red fleecy Santa Claus cards so many years ago.

Friday, December 21, 2007

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

MESSAGE #260 - SUCCESSISNOWHERE

When you deciphered the heading to today’s message, did you read:

SUCCESS IS NOWHERE.

or

SUCCESS IS NOW HERE.

Two shoe salesmen were sent overseas to scout for new markets. Their first stop was a country where everyone was barefoot. The first salesman sent back a telegram to the home office saying, “Leaving tomorrow. No one wears shoes.”

The second salesman’s telegram was very different. He said, “Great potential market. No competition.”

from Success Is No Accident by Lair Ribeiro

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

MESSAGE #259 - STRANGE BUT TRUE

The great concert violinist Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) was standing before a packed house, surrounded by a full orchestra. He was playing a number of difficult pieces, and he came to one of his favorites, which was a violin concerto. Shortly after he was under way and the Italian audience was sitting in rapt attention, one of the strings on his violin snapped and hung down from the instrument.

Relying on his genius, he improvised and played on the next three strings. To his surprise (and the conductor’s as well), a second string broke. Now there were two dangling as he again began to improvise and play the piece on the two remaining strings. You guessed it! Almost at the end of this magnificent concerto, a third string snapped. Now there were three dangling, and he finished the piece on one string.

The audience stood to their feet and applauded until their hands were numb. They never thought to ask for an encore; they expected to leave. But Paganini held his instrument high in the air and said, “Paganini and one string,” and he proceeded to play an encore with the full orchestra.


He made more music from one string than many violinists ever could do on four. The difference, of course, aside from his superb abilities, was one of attitude. Instead of falling to despair and self-pity, Paganini’s splendid attitude allowed him to take a very difficult situation and turn it into a triumph.

from 1001 Great Stories & Quotes by R. Kent Hughes

Monday, December 17, 2007

MESSAGE #258 - YOUR COMMENTS PLEASE...

From A Course in Miracles . . .

I’d love to read your comments on this quote.


MIRACLES ARE
NATURAL
.
WHEN THEY
DO NOT OCCUR
SOMETHING HAS
GONE WRONG.


To comment, please click here . . . Thanks!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

MESSAGE #257 - OVERWHELMED???

Too much to do
and
not enough time
to do it?
Take a moment to
relaaaaaax.
Listen to some music.

But before
you do that,
let me
tell you a story . . .

Once upon a time,
there was
a composer who was
overwhelmed.
His new musical
was opening.
An important concert
he was to give
was just weeks away.
And then he saw in
the paper that his new symphony
was to debut in
just five weeks.
His new symphony?
It was
a misunderstanding.
He never agreed.
He never signed a contract.
He never gave his word.
But it was too late.
It was in the
New York Times.
They were selling tickets.
His whole career could be ruined.
He had no alternative.
He had to get
the new musical
up and running.
He had to prepare for
and give the concert.
And he had to write a symphony.

A NEW SYMPHONY!
Since he had no alternative . . .
he did all three.
If you’re overwhelmed,
just remember sometimes
you can do
more than you think
you can.

Overwhelmed?
Too much to do
and
not enough time
to do it?
Take a moment to
relaaaaaax.
Listen to some music.

My choice?
The most most popular
piece of American classical music of all time --
Rhapsody in Blue
written by
George Gershwin . . .
in just five weeks!

To hear Gershwin’s masterpiece, CLICK HERE

Saturday, December 15, 2007

MESSAGE #256 - INSPIRED GENIUS

George Gershwin. . .

Leonard Bernstein . . .

and YOU!

Watch and listen to Gershwin and Bernstein today
and we’ll talk about you tomorrow.


Friday, December 14, 2007

MESSAGE #255 - HUMAN NATURE - RULE #1

Once upon a time, Fire, Water, and Trust were walking in the woods.

They started talking about what they would do if they got separated.

Fire said, “Look for the smoke, that’s where I’ll be.”

Water said, “Look for the green grass and flowers, that’s where I’ll be.”

Trust said, “You’d better not lose me because if you lose me – you might never get me back again.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

MESSAGE #254 - DEDICATED TO EVERYONE TAKING FINAL EXAMS . . .

YOU CAN DO IT!
YOU WILL DO IT!


There’s no thrill in easy sailing,
When the sky is clear and blue.

There’s no joy in merely doing
Things which anyone can do.

But there is some fulfillment
That is mighty sweet to take,

When you reach a destination
You thought you couldn’t make.

-- author unknown

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

MESSAGE #252 - It’s going to be ok – trust me

This is a sad time of year on college campuses.

I see it in the eyes of many students.

Final exams.

A lot of students feel defeated.

Too much work to do and not enough time left to do it.

Overwhelmed.

They’re going to get bad grades this semester and they know it.

But getting bad grades isn’t a crime.

The explanation you give yourself may be.

Let me explain . . .

Can you say, “I AM LAZY” and really mean it?

Most people can’t.

They’d rather say demeaning things to themselves like

“I’m dumb” or

“I’m stupid” or

“I’m not talented.”

This is the crime.

Why would you ever talk to yourself like that?

Why would you ever lie to yourself like that?

It’s OK to be lazy.

“Laziness” is a temporary condition and can be cured almost instantly.

“Dumbness,” “stupidity,” or “lack of talent” last forever. They can’t be cured.

So if you screwed up this semester – it’s because you’ve been lazy.

Own it.

It’s OK.

It’s all right to be lazy.

You can fix it.

You’re not broken.

I’ve been there – trust me,

Rob Gilbert

Monday, December 10, 2007

MESSAGE #251 - HOW TO BE A BEST FRIEND

Erma Bombeck (1927 – 1996) was one of America’s great syndicated columnists.

She was very funny. She was very insightful. She was very smart.

She wrote great columns.

This is one of her best . . .

FRIENDS UNDERSTAND

THE FUTILITY OF WORDS

Erma Bombeck

For over 40 years, I have had the best friend you could ever have.

When I told my best friend I was fat, she never said, “I just lost three pounds without even trying.”

When we went to a sock hop together in college and she was offered a ride home, she never ditched me.

When I gave myself a home permanent and left it on too long, she was the only one to sit with me in the bathroom until it grew out.

When I told my best friend my husband gave me two snow tires for our anniversary, she never said, “You should be happy he remembered.”

When I was pregnant and my stomach looked like a tray on a car door in a drive-in, she never said, “There’s a glow about pregnant women.”

When I had a miscarriage and everyone else in the world said, “There will be others babies,” she cried with me over the one I lost.

When she told me she was staying home for the summer, I wouldn’t have dreamed of sending her a card from Spain telling her what a great time I was having.

When her mixer broke down, I never asked her if she had sent in the warranty card so she’d be covered.

When I moved 3,000 miles away, she never once told me what I was doing to her.

When her mother died, I never said, “She had a rich, full life and she was in her 70s.”

When I argued with my husband and begged her for advice, she kept her mouth shut. She just listened.

When we couldn’t get a sitter and had to bring the kids along to her house for dinner, she never fell apart.

When I had my first autographing party and no one showed up, she never once suggested, “They probably didn’t see the ad.”

When her political candidate lost and mine won, I never said, “Ha ha, I told you so.”

Every time we got together, neither of us had to say, “I’m glad to see you.”

When she was up to her armpits in snow, I never called to say, “The sun is shining here.”

Recently, my best friend lost her child. He was her youngest and was in his 20s.

I listened to her.

I cried with her.

I felt pain that I had never known that I could feel before.

But not once did I say to her, “I know how you feel.”

Sunday, December 9, 2007

MESSAGE #250 - SIGNIFICANCE TRUMPS SUCCESS EVERY SINGLE TIME!

What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone?

The great Lou Holtz (see Message #249) knows exactly how he wants to be remembered.

As a matter of fact, these are the last words in his most recent book, Wins, Losses, and Lessons ...

I don’t think about the wins and losses these days, so I hope no one remembers them when they think of me when I’m gone.

I want the great games to be remembered for the players who played in them, not for the short, skinny man who paced the sidelines.

I don’t want to be known for the successes I had as a coach, or as a public speaker because success dies.

Significance – helping others to better their lives through word and deed -- lasts forever.

The only thing I hope is that when I die, someone says, “That Lou Holtz was significant to a lot of people.”

It’s the best thing that can be said about a person.

I hope it will be said of me.

* * * * * * *

In other words: It’s about others.

Thanks for reading,

Rob Gilbert

P.S. Give me a call at Success Hotline (973.743.4690).

Saturday, December 8, 2007

MESSAGE #249 - THE #1 MOST CRUCIAL COMPONENT

One of the greatest college football coaches of all time is also one of the greatest motivational speakers of all time.

He won football games and he still electrifies audiences.

His name? Lou Holtz.

The following is from his book Wins, Losses, and Lessons . . .

Every athlete who has ever played for me has heard me preach against the pitfalls of entering anything halfway. In my mind, a half-hearted commitment is worse than no commitment at all.

If you decide to take a class, you should give the professor and yourself the full benefit of your undivided attention. If you don’t, you’re wasting your time and taking up a valuable seat in the classroom.

If you’re on a team, you owe your coaches and teammates your total commitment. If you don’t – if you’re unhappy because the coach doesn’t start you, or because you aren’t getting as many touches as you think you should – you are hurting yourself and the entire organization. You and the team would be better off if you played somewhere else.

If you take a job thinking you can coast along until you find another job, you are, in essence, stealing resources from your employer, no less than if you had broken in and robbed the place.

Commitment is the most crucial component in any relationship.

A marriage based on the premise “Well, let’s give this a shot, and if it doesn’t work out, or if we ‘grow apart,’ we can always get divorced,” is doomed before the vows are complete.

If you accept admission to a college and say to yourself, “Well, this wasn’t my first choice, but I’ll see how things pan out,” you aren’t going to perform very well.

And if you say, “This job is a good stepping-stone, but I’m not thrilled about what I’ll be doing,” you might as well quit today.

In sports, it’s become axiomatic:

Commitment
beats
talent
every time.

Friday, December 7, 2007

MESSAGE #248 - "OH MY GOD!"

The first time I watch this video, I said, “Wow.”


The second time I watched this video, I said, “WOW!”


The third time I watched this video, I said, “Oh, my God.”


AMAZING!!!

THANK YOU
RAY NAPOLITANO
FOR FINDING THIS.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

MESSAGE #247 - WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE

During the presidential campaign of 2000, Oprah Winfrey interviewed presidential candidate George W. Bush, Jr. on her show. She asked him this interesting question, “What do you know for sure?”

He answered that he knew for sure that there was an all-loving God.

It got me thinking about what I know for sure. Here’s my list . . .

1. Getting started is always the toughest part.

2. Show up early, something good is bound to happen.

3. Hot dogs always taste better at the ballpark.

4. All of us have more potential than we realize.

5. Working hard works and working smart works, but working hard and working smart work best when you do them together.

6. If you’re a student, just showing up to class isn’t enough -- you also have to pay attention.

7. Knowing what to do isn’t as much of a problem as doing what you know.

8. Hang on and you’ll eventually catch on.

9. An apple a day might not keep the doctor away, but it’s still a pretty good idea.

10. If it is to be it is up to me.

That’s my list. I’d love to read what YOU know for sure.

Just click here to tell us . . .

Rob Gilbert

SUCCESS HOTLINE SEMINAR UPDATE:
Two of our recent seminars were recorded and are available to you any time you want to listen to them.

“STRESS REDUCTION, RELAXATION AND SLEEP SEMINAR”
CALL: 1-(641)-715-3413
Access Code: 1072571#

“HOW YOU CAN GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL: A SESSION WITH COACH TULLY”
Call: 1-(641)-715-3429
Access Code: 406660#

These seminars are currently available 24/7, BUT they will only be available for the next few days . . . so call soon.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

MESSAGE #246 - SIX STEPS TO STRESS REDUCTION

You’re going to die, BUT you don’t have to kill yourself! As Roy Masters says, “If you don’t conquer stress – stress will conquer you.

Here are six steps for stress reduction from the National Mental Health Association:

#1. TALK IT OUT – When something worries you, don’t bottle it up.

#2. ESCAPE FOR A WHILE – When things go wrong, it helps to escape from the painful problem for a while.

#3. WORK OFF YOUR ANGER – Do something constructive with the pent-up energy. Pitch into some physical activity or work it our in tennis or a long walk.

#4. DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS – If you feel yourself worrying about yourself all the time, try doing something for somebody else.

#5. TAKE ONE THING AT A TIME – Take a few of the most urgent tasks and pitch into them, one at a time, setting aside all the rest for the time being.

#6. SHUN THE ‘SUPERMAN/SUPERWOMAN” URGE – No one can be perfect in everything.

These six rules are a good start, but if you want more training on stress reduction – check this out:

“STRESS REDUCTION, RELAXATION AND SLEEP SEMINAR”
This tele-seminar was recorded on last Sunday. If you want to hear it . . .

CALL: 1-(641)-715-3413
Access Code: 1072571#

This seminar is currently available 24/7, BUT it will only be available for the next few days . . . so call soon.

Relaaaaaaaaaaaaax,

Rob Gilbert

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

MESSAGE #245 - BOUNCE-BACK-ABILITY

Success
is going
from
failure to failure
without
losing enthusiasm.

Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
British prime minister


A BIG THANK YOU TO
JIM E. GREENE
FOR FINDING THIS VIDEO!

Monday, December 3, 2007

MESSAGE #244 - WOW!

If there is nothing
very special about your work,
no matter how hard you apply yourself,
you won’t get noticed
and that increasingly
means you won’t get promoted
and paid much, either.

- Michael Goldhaber, author

This is very special . . .

Give me a call at Success Hotline (973.743.4690) and I’ll tell you about our seminar on Tuesday on “The Power of Story Telling.”

A BIG THANK YOU
TO JOHN McCARTHY
FOR SENDING ME THIS VIDEO.

Thanks for reading,

Rob Gilbert

Sunday, December 2, 2007

MESSAGE #243 - WISDOM

Would you like to be wise . . . truly wise?

First of all what is wisdom?

An older bearded man once told me that true wisdom is knowing when to say, “Yes” and knowing when to say “No.”

Oh, he didn’t say it like that. He said,

You’ve got to know when to hold ’em,
Know when to fold ’em,
Know when to walk away
And know when to run.

He said a lot of other wise things that have helped me out over the years.

Rather than me telling you what he said, he’ll tell you himself . . .

Here’s Kenny...and some of his friends...


SUCCESS HOTLINE SEMINAR UPDATE:

#1. Tonight (Sunday, 12.02.07) at 10:00 PM EST – “Stress Reduction, Relaxation, & Sleep: Theory into Practice”


#2. Tuesday (12.04.07) at 10:00 PM EST – “The Power of Story Telling and How to Make It Work for YOU!”

Call: 1-(641)-715-3200
Participant Access Code:
1072571#

Just remember . . .

If you’re going
to play the game . . .
You got to learn
to play it right.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

MESSAGE #242 - SHIRLEY MacLAINE’S SURVIVAL KIT

Many years ago, I read that Academy Award-winner Shirley MacLaine carried the following items with her as “gentle reminders.”

A TOOTHPICK – to remind you to pick out the good qualities in other people.

A RUBBER BAND – to remind you to be flexible.

A BAND-AID – to remind you to heal hurt feelings.

A PENCIL – to remind you to write a list of your blessings every day.

AN ERASER – to remind you that everyone makes mistakes and it’s OK.

GLUE – to remind you to stick with it.

A MINT – to remind you that you’re worth a mint.

A CHOCOLATE KISS – to remind you that everyone needs a kiss and a hug every day.

A TEA BAG – to remind you that you do your best work when you’re in hot water.

Friday, November 30, 2007

MESSAGE #241 - THE TRUTH

I am 100%

responsible for

how I choose to

respond to

everything that

happens in my

life!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

MESSAGE #240 - HOW DO YOU GET STARTED???

It’s the start
that stops
most people.

How do you get started?

Simple.

You get started by getting started.

Many people make the mistake of thinking:
“When I feel like it, then I’ll do it.”

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.
Never has and never will.

The truth is:

“Once you start doing it, then you start feeling like doing it.”

In other words,
“When I do it, then I’ll feel like it.”

In other words,
when you put
your body
IN MOTION
then your
EMOTIONS
will follow.

For example . . .

Superstar athletes often
DON’T FEEL LIKE
training until
THEY START TRAINING.

Best-selling authors often
DON’T FEEL LIKE
writing until
THEY START WRITING.

Famous musicians often
DON’T FEEL LIKE
practicing until
THEY START PRACTING.

The following story illustrates this . . .

The late, great economist
John Kenneth Galbraith knew this secret.
He wrote volumes of books and articles
over the course of his career.

He was once asked
what he learned from a lifetime of writing.
Professor Galbraith said it took him many years
to discover that the quality of the writing
he did on the days he didn’t feel like getting started
was just as good as the quality of the writing
he did on the days he did feel like getting started.

It’s much easier
to act yourself
into a certain way of feeling
than to feel yourself
into a certain way of acting.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

MESSAGE #239 - 101 SIMPLE WORDS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Two little words that will make all the difference – START NOW!

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – YOU HAVEN’T!
- Thomas Edison, genius

DOn’t waIT.
DOn’t quIT.

To get to the top – GET OFF YOUR BOTTOM.
- Matt DiMaio, motivation speaker, sales trainer, & memory expert

If it is to be – IT IS UP TO ME.

If there is no wind – ROW.

You can get everything you want – IF YOU HELP ENOUGH OTHER PEOPLE GET WHAT THEY WANT.
- Zig Ziglar, the father of motivational speaker

For your wildest dreams to come true – FIRST YOU MUST HAVE WILD DREAMS!
- Gary Pritchard, coach & motivational speaker

I will – UNTIL.
– Brian Tracy, motivation speaker and author

If you can dream it – YOU CAN DO IT!
- Walt Disney, genius

It’s the start that stops most people – SO GET STARTED!
- Ed Tseng, motivational speaker

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

MESSAGE #238 - THE ENVELOPE PLEASE

The recurrent themes of this blog are:

You have all the ABILITY -- all you are lacking is the strategy.

Blame no one.
Expect nothing.
Do something.

H.O.P.E. = Hold On Possibilities Exist

You’re not lacking ability -- you’re blocking it.
Once you unblock it you unleash it!

Everything you need is already inside of you. ”It’s in Every One of Us.”

Will beats skill.

Diligence beats intelligence.

Passion bests everything.

Hang on until you catch on.

There’s a big difference between saying, “I can’t do it,” and I can’t do it yet.”

Fake it until you feel it.

Nothing is too good to be true.

Of all the major motion pictures, which movie embodies the themes of this blog???

Rocky?
Rudy?
It’s a Beautiful Life?
The Prestige?
Dead Poet’s Society?
Lorenzo’s Oil?
Chariots of Fire?

The winner is . . . "THE ENVELOPE PLEASE.”

AND THE WINNER IS . . . . . . . . . .

Click here


Monday, November 26, 2007

MESSAGE #237 - IT'S ABOUT OTHERS

The secret formula for happiness:
Make other people happy.
It’s about others.

The secret formula for motivation:
Motivate other people.
It’s about others.

Will Allen Dromgoole figured this out years ago.
She lived from 1860 – 1934 and wrote over
7,500 poems. Here’s the one she’s most famous for
. . .

THE BRIDGE BUILDER

An old man, going down a lone highway,
Came in the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and wide and steep

With waters rolling cold and deep.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim
That swollen stream held no fears for him
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,
"You are wasting strength with building here.
Your journey will end with the ending day
You never again must pass this way
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide
--
Why build you this bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head.
"In the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today,
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him."

Remember: It’s about others . . .

Rob Gilbert

Sunday, November 25, 2007

MESSAGE #236 - I CAN READ YOUR MIND!

Pick a card, any card...

Here is a well-traveled card trick/mindreading illusion that has popped up again and again on the Internet, even circulating in the form of a PowerPoint presentation purporting to be (though it almost certainly is not) the work of master stage magician David Copperfield.

The illusion can be startling, until you figure out how it works -- at which point you may find yourself wondering how anyone could possibly fall for such a simple, obvious deception.

It goes something like this:

I can read your mind!

Don't believe me? Here, I'll prove it.

Take a look at these 6 cards:


Pick a card, any card...


Now pick one, just one, and hold the image in your mind. Concentrate!

Are you thinking of the card?

Excellent.

I will now, through the magic of the Internet -- even though we're not in the same room and possibly not even on the same continent -- read your mind...

Got it! I know which card you chose. I will now make it disappear...

Voila! It's gone!


Amazed? Don't be.

This is truly one of the simplest yet most effective mindreading illusions ever devised. How does it work?

Take another look at the "before" and "after" card layouts and all should become clear:



Fig. 1



Fig. 2

See it? The obvious difference, besides the fact that there is one less card in Figure 2, is that none of the cards in the second layout are the same as in the first. I didn't just make your chosen card disappear - in effect, I made all of them disappear, replacing them with different ones.

Like most magic tricks, this one depends on misdirection: since our attention and memory are focused on just one card out of the six, most of us fail to absorb any details about the other five cards. Hence, when they're subsequently replaced by a set that looks approximately the same, we accept it as exactly the same. Voila!

From the Guide to Urban Legends on About.com

Saturday, November 24, 2007

MESSAGE #235 - GRATITUDE

The following story first appeared in Our Daily Bread . . .

Missionary Benjamin Weir was held hostage in Lebanon and imprisoned under miserable conditions for 16 months.

In his first interview after his release, he was asked how he spent his time and how he dealt with boredom and despair.

His answer stunned the reporters. He simply said, “Count my blessings.”

“Blessings?” they responded.

“Yes,” he explained.

“Some days I got to take a shower. Sometimes there were some vegetables in my food. And I could always be thankful for the love of my family.”

Friday, November 23, 2007

MESSAGE #234 - THE DIFFERENCE THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE

T.E.A.M.
Together Everyone Achieves More

On Thanksgiving, just about everyone in the small town went to the traditional high school football game.

At half-time of the big game, the football team from 1982 was honored. They were the only team in the school’s history to win a state championship.

That Saturday night, the class of ’82 had their 25th reunion. It was there that former teammates Jack and Leo finally got a chance to talk about the good old days.

They hadn’t seen each other since graduation. Jack, the All-State quarterback, had gone on to become one of the most successful and powerful CEOs in the country.

After Leo graduated from college, he returned home and became the minister of a local church.

“Leo, I want to thank you for making me the success I am today,” the businessman said.

“Jack, stop pulling my leg!” the minister said with a laugh. “From what I’ve read, you run a huge corporation. I didn’t have anything to do with that and we haven’t seen each other in years.”

“You never knew this Leo, but when we were in high school, I was incredibly jealous of you.”

“Me? Jack, you were the golden boy. All the big-time colleges were recruiting you. All the girls wanted to go out with you. And your name was in the paper every day.”

“That may have been true, Leo, but here’s what you didn’t know. Even with all my honors and awards, you had the one thing I always wanted the most. The guys on the team elected you captain. I may have been the star of the team, but you were the captain of the team.”

“I never knew that you cared about that,” Leo said.

“I certainly did! It bothered me so much that just before graduation, I asked Coach why the guys on the team voted for you -- and not me. Coach told me something I’ve never forgotten. He said, ‘Jack, you’re the best player I’ve ever coached. Leo doesn’t have the kind of the talent you have. But here’s the difference. Jack, you were the best player on the team, but Leo was the best player for the team. You wanted to be the best player in the state while Leo wanted to make us the best team in the state.’”

“You know, Leo, it was tough hearing that from Coach,” the CEO admitted. “He was being so blunt and I knew he was telling me the truth. I was selfish and you were always selfless and everyone knew it. Everyone could see it everyday at practice. That’s why everyone voted for you. It’s a lesson I had to learn and it’s a lesson I’ve never forgotten. You see, Coach was right. The difference between us is that for me, it was all about ‘ME,’ and for you, it was all about ‘WE.’

“After we graduated, I worked hard to become more like you. As a matter of fact, thanks to you, I was voted captain of my college team my junior and senior years. And what Coach told me also helped me to quickly climb the corporate ladder.

“The ‘old me’ would have wanted my company to be the best company in the world,” Jack said. “Now I strive to make my company the best company for the world. Leo, that’s why I need to thank you.”

“I want to thank you too, Jack” the minister said warmly.

“For what?”

“You just wrote tomorrow’s sermon for me!”

It’s more important to be the
best person for the team
than to be the
best person on the team.

THIS MESSAGE IS DEDICATED TO COACH JOHN McCARTHY – A GREAT TEAM PLAYER.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

MESSAGE #232 - A PERFECT GAME



Click here or click above to view video.


300 Game Boosts Bowler's Reputation
By Jason Lieser
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The first time he met Ryan Lingholm, Pete Karas was stunned.

The Boynton Beach High School athletic director filed paperwork for Lingholm to participate in the state bowling tournament each of the past two years, but never saw him until this season's tryouts.

Ryan Lingholm, who bowled a perfect game Thursday, twists his upper body away from the lane during his throwing motion. 'I'm confident most of the time,' he said.

This boy, a junior, did not look like the other athletes. His arms were shorter than average and he couldn't raise them above his head or fully extend them. His wrists were cocked at an angle and his fingers did not appear capable of the standard bowling grip.

Karas asked his wife, Veronica, who coaches the team, about the student.

"When she told me it was Ryan, I was taken aback," Karas said. "I'd never had the privilege of meeting Ryan, so it was just a name on a sheet of paper for me. Then I watched him bowl.

"If you didn't watch the person who threw the ball ... you wouldn't know he has any type of physical impairment. You would think it was a professional bowler because of the bite, the spin and the different shots he can make."

Lingholm, 16, was born with a genetic disease known as arthrogryposis, which causes extreme joint contraction. The birth defect can afflict any joint and Lingholm is affected in his upper body.

"It affects one out of every 3,000 births, so it's actually pretty common," said Dr. Lisa Baumbach-Reardon, a geneticist at the University of Miami. "We see a lot of children with it."

But Baumbach-Reardon said she rarely sees those children excel at sports, especially at the level Lingholm displayed Thursday, when he bowled a perfect game — the first in school history and his first since he began bowling nine years ago.

"It was just the greatest feeling," Lingholm said. "I was pretty level until about the eighth frame, because I've been there so many times, but when I hit the ninth frame it started to get to me. Then when I threw the first two in the 10th, I was really excited. I've always wanted the 300 game."

Lingholm was not the only one excited. Boynton Beach's opponent, St. Andrew's, rallied behind him.

"Our players were filming it on their cellphones," St. Andrew's coach Roberta Wheeler said. "For anybody to bowl a 300 game is great. For him, who has overcome a handicap, it is incredible. It brought tears to everybody's eyes."

Karas was ecstatic when his wife called with the news.

"I had goose bumps," Karas said. "With an imperfect body, this young man has achieved perfection. How many of us are ever perfect? To do that, when he's not even supposed to be able to bowl, according to some people, is as feel-good of a moment as I think I've ever had."

The next morning, Karas sent word of Lingholm's achievement through an e-mail and the public-address system at the school.

"I usually just hear about football stuff, so I never actually thought it would be me," Lingholm said of the announcement. "I had teachers coming up to me, and friends. I had a lot of text messages congratulating me, so it was good. You can't beat the feeling."

Karas said the feat touched everyone at the school.

"People who don't generally say 'hey' to me, stopped and said, 'What a great story,' " Karas said. "I got an e-mail from one of our volunteer secretaries who said, 'I had a horrible morning, but this made my day. I feel so much better now.'

Lingholm is not able to execute a traditional bowler's throwing motion, but has his own style.

He puts two fingers in the holes of the ball and rests his thumb on the outer surface. He holds the ball with both hands and as he makes his approach, he rotates his body away from the pins to get momentum before spinning back and sending the ball down the lane.

"Most bowlers use reference marks on the lanes, like arrows, but I don't," he said. "I start out looking at the pins, and then when I go into my backswing, I blank out. I'm confident most of the time, but there are still times where the ball goes into the gutter because I don't have a reference point."

His unique style was not designed deliberately, but it was the natural motion he developed while trying to roll the ball at age 7. Lingholm's mother, Jeanette, worked as a bartender at Fair Lanes (now AMF Boynton Beach), and Lingholm frequently would tag along and watch.

Eventually, he decided to give it a try.

"I just started throwing with the flow of the ball," Lingholm said. "My backswing doesn't go high, so I basically use gravity and just a little bit of my own force."

Lingholm, who has back pain after he bowls, couldn't bowl for four months his freshman year because of a hairline fracture in his spine.

In bowling circles, neither his inimitable style nor his disease comes up when Lingholm is discussed. His 300 game was no fluke. Lingholm has come as close as 288 in the past and averaged 219 this season as Boynton Beach's No. 1 bowler. He finished 14th in last year's state tournament.

"He's a go-to guy," Veronica Karas said. "His handicap isn't pointed out or talked about. The players and coaches don't see Ryan that way. We just talk about how good he is."

Lingholm struggled in Tuesday's district match and did not qualify for the state tournament, but his perfect game has made this a memorable season for himself, his school and the local bowling community.

"I'll still always think of it as a pretty good year," Lingholm said. "At least I know I bowled the 300, and it's what I'd been pushing for all my life."

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

MESSAGE #231 - IMAGINE

Today is Tuesday.

The 39-Day Challenge begins this Friday.

If you have no idea what I’m referring to –

Call Success Hotline at (973) 743-4690 today.

Now...just IMAGINE...



Monday, November 19, 2007

MESSAGE #230 - READY . . . SET . . .

I know something about you . . .

I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW.

You’re not like most people.

You’re very smart.
You’re very intelligent.
You’re very inquisitive.

That’s the good news.

Want the bad news?

You’re too smart.
You’re too intelligent.
You’re too inquisitive.

You think you’re going to
solve your problems by
KNOWING more.

Wrong.

You already know enough.

You’re going to solve your problems by

DOING MORE!

Here’s what I mean:

You know exactly what you have to do to lose weight.
You know exactly what to do to get better grades.
You know exactly what you have to do to ______________ (You fill in the blanks.).

Your problem isn’t knowing – IT’S DOING.

That’s my problem too.

I know HOW to exercise.
I know HOW to diet.
I know HOW to pay bills on time.

My biggest problem is doing what I already know.

THERE IS A SOLUTION.

I have important message for you about how we can solve this problem.

Call my Success Hotline at (973) 743-4690 today (Monday)
so we can get started.

Rob Gilbert

Sunday, November 18, 2007

MESSAGE #229 - CAN YOU HANDLE THE BIG STAGE AND THE BRIGHT LIGHTS???

Watch this video and then we’ll talk . . .

That’s Broadway superstar Linda Eder singing a song from “Man of La Mancha” at Carnegie Hall.

QUIZ

1. How many people can sing that well?

  1. 5
  2. 10
  3. 100
  4. Tens of thousands
  5. None of the above

What’s your answer?

Correct answer: D

That’s right tens of thousands of people can sing as well as Linda Eder.

BUT . . .

Only a few can sing that well under the bright lights and on the big stage like Linda Eder can.

MANY CAN.

FEW DO.

Many can do it physically.

But . . . many cannot do it mentally.

Many have the physical skills.

Few have the mental skill.

If you have the physical skill (whether it’s singing, dancing, comedy, tennis, golf, etc . . .) and still can’t do your best when it means the most -- I can help you.

If problems like stress, stage fright, choking, lack of confidence, poor concentration, etc. . . keep you from doing your best when it means the most -- I can help you.

Here are FOUR things you can do right now.

#1. Read all the entries of this blog.

#2. Print out the messages that pertain to you and read them over and over again.

#3. Call Success Hotline -- (973) 743-4690 -- every day.

#4. Listen to the Success Hotline Seminars

If you are in need of one-on-one personal coaching by phone . . .

e-mail me at sendmeastory@aol.com or call me at (973) 743-4428 and I’ll tell you how we may be able to work together.

You can be one of the few who do,

Rob Gilbert

P.S. Many can.
Few do.
You will.