Achieving Success: The Top Skill That Successful People Have Mastered

“What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

What is MIND-SET?

Our mind-set is our mental attitude that has taken shape based on our life experiences, our environment, our education and the ideas and beliefs we have absorbed from those people we have interacted with the most in our lives.

Whether we are aware of it or not, we all keep a running account or self talk of what is happening to us, what it means, and what we should do about it. Our mind-set is that inner voice conversation taking place in our heads. (You have all heard me say before, “Listen to your inner-voice”)

Our minds are meaning seeking machines and we are constantly monitoring and interpreting events and stimuli so that we can reinforce or modify our internal ‘map’ of ourselves and the world as we have come to understand them. Based on these beliefs our mind-set is responsible for how we interpret and react to what happens to us and around us.

Depending on whether your inner voice is based on a positive empowering mind-set or a negative limiting one, will largely determine how you will interpret challenges, setbacks and criticisms in life as well as contributing significantly to the actual outcomes and results you create.

The correct mind-set is perhaps THE most important factor in human success. Above all else! The difference between successful people and non-successful people starts in their mind, with their predominant mind-set.

Often it is our predominant thoughts and feelings about ourselves and the world around us that are the key to unlocking our life’s true possibilities.

When MIND-SETS are Formed?

Mind-sets are based on our beliefs. Our beliefs about ourselves and the world. These beliefs are created in two ways. Firstly by what we are taught when we are young and easily impressed and secondly by the experiences and results we have, see and observe in everyday life.

Where MIND-SET comes into Play?

In everything we do we have some pre-conceived ideas about the possible outcomes and chances for success. No matter if it is a small or large undertaking we are constantly evaluating our results and placing them within our map of ourselves and the world. Our mind-sets affect everything we do and influence not only our view of the outcome, but also the outcome itself.

Why MIND-SET affects Behavior and Success?

Having the correct mind-set for a particular task is almost a pre-requisite for success. No one has ever been successful who has not had to overcome hurdles and obstacles to that success. The ability to have an empowering and positive outlook and mind-set allows us to not only overcome those hurdles and obstacles to success but to actually welcome them as challenges and opportunities for growth and learning.

How to change Your MIND-SET?

We all have the ability to change our mind-set – to change our core inner beliefs upon which we based our view of ourselves and the world around us. But changing our beliefs is not an easy thing to do. Most people find changing one small belief extremely difficult, let alone a whole range of self-supporting beliefs based perhaps on negative pre-conditioning. What is needed is a tool – a tool for change, that enable us to rapidly install new thought patterns and positive mind-sets, based on proven success models. A person’s core inner beliefs and thought patterns are what lead to their feelings of potentiality, action and results.

Simply by changing your mind-set it is possible to change not only your outlook in life by also the actual results you obtain in life.

Here are 3 Ways to Change Your MIND-SET!

1) Be Willing to Change: These are your thoughts so you can change them. Even though our beliefs were more than likely formed when you were young, you are an adult today and you have the power to affect change in your life. This is the essence of personal power: choice and responsibility.

2) Feed The Mind-Set You Want: The fastest way to change your mind-set is to feed your mind the one you want. Every time you feed yourself a positive mind-set, it weakens the negative ones. You will be instantly creating new neurons that form a new more positive neural network. The more you do this the stronger you new neural network will become. Feeding the positive weakens the negative.

3) Love Your Mind-Set: Allow yourself to create a passion for your new mind-set. The new mind-set you want to create. Doing this creates endorphins in your body that lead to a new sense of well being. This in turn leads to a more inspired and emotionally engaged you, having more fun in your life as you enlarge and make stronger your new neural network.

Start Today to Change Your MIND-SET for the Better and Watch Your Success Skyrocket!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of Achieve Success Academy, Leading Authority on Peak Performance,  Overcoming Adversity, Achieving Greater Success & Finding Your WHY Power. Real Estate Entrepreneur, Retired Cop and Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

I can be reached via email at John@JohnSalkowski.com for Questions and Speaking Engagements.

 

 

 

Achieving Success: The Top 3 Qualities That Are Essential For Your Success

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In order to be successful, these three words are paramount to your success. If you don’t live and breathe by these three words, your success is virtually impossible.

Here they are: Passion, Push, Perseverance

Passion:

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you ~ Oprah Winfrey

My definition of Passion is the burning desire you have inside you to achieve more, be more and do more.  Whatever you are passionate about should keep you up at night. Whatever you are passionate about should be on your mind 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. Passion is wanting success just as bad as you need the air you breathe. This is Passion.

Push:

I always wanted to be the best I could be at whatever I did. I didn’t want to be the number one golfer in the world. I just wanted to be as good as I could be. I work hard, I push myself hard, and I probably even expect too much of myself ~ Greg Norman

You must push yourself to the breaking point when you want to achieve something. If you want something so bad you must be willing to run through a brick wall to get it, achieve it, accomplish it. Sounds crazy, huh. Well guess what, if you don’t feel this way then you are leaving it all on the table for someone else to grab. If you cheat yourself one time, this will carry over into everything you do in life. For example, if you are in the gym and you have a goal of doing 30 minutes of cardio and you quit after 20 minutes, you just cheated yourself. Cheating in the smallest task will carry over in to all you do in life. To push you need discipline. By cheating yourself, you are failing to create discipline in your life. In order to succeed in anything you do, you must have the discipline to push through the feeling of giving up. It takes 21 days to create or break a habit. Over the next 21 days, push yourself to the limit in everything you do and watch and see what happens in your life.

Perseverance:

Football is like life – it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority~ Vince Lombardi

Perseverance is the steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. You must possess the mentality that failure is no option. You must encourage failure. You must persist through failure because failure is guaranteed along your journey. Learn from it, embrace it and persist through it. If you lack perseverance you will never be successful. Did you know that Thomas Edison, the worlds greatest inventor failed over 10,000 times. Where would this world be had he quit?

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of Achieve Success Academy, Businessman, Entrepreneur, Motivational/Transformational Speaker, Real Estate Expert, Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post traumatic Stress Disorder) and the World’s Leading Authority on Overcoming Adversity and Achieving Success.

I can be reached via email at John@JohnSalkowski.com

To Your Success,

John

Top 10 Tips to Overcome Adversity and Achieve Your Goals

You will live the rest of your life with regret if you give up on your dream, your goal, your mission. This is what I live with everyday of my life. I had a one in a million chance of playing football for the University of Alabama from 1989-1993. For those of you who know me, you know I was a walk-on under Coach Bill Curry as a Linebacker. I was one of the 5. They said that their walk-on program was one of the hardest in the country amongst Division 1 teams. I was told,” You have everything against you son, size, height, speed”. I was told.” these are men amongst boys out here”. There were 50 young men from all over the country who attempted to earn one of the 5 spots on the roster. The 5 week program was Killer to say the least. They were dropping like flies, carried out on stretchers, walking away. Quitting! Giving Up!

I gave up on my dream the second year under Coach Gene Stallings. I walked away. I went home. I Quit! I said, “I Give Up”. I regret it every single day. Don’t allow yourself to live the rest of your life with regret!

Here are 10 ways to help you achieve your dreams, your goals, your mission:

1. Talk to someone you can trust in the field: Explain how important this goal is to you. Explain how you are feeling. Ask for their advice if they were faced with X. I didn’t have this. You NEED to do this before you give up.
2. Ask your family, friend(s) who know you and know how you are for their opinion. Stay away from the Nay-Sayers, Negative Nellies, Jealous Jackies.
3. Take a step back: Take the time you need to think about the consequences if you stop pursuing your goal/dream. What will the outcome be if I stick with this? What will the outcome be if I walk away?
4. Practice Positive Talk: I can do this! I can make it! I am important! I am a great person!
5. Learn everything you possibly can: Seek out someone that has accomplished what you want to accomplish. Take them out to lunch and learn from them.
6. Commit to goals, short term and long term. Start with the end in mind – long term goal – and work backward when writing goals.
7. Work on your dream every day of your life. Fill all the minutes and hours you’ve allotted with serious determination one day at a time.
8. Give it all you can.  There will be days when you don’t feel like giving it your best. Give it your best anyway for that day. Do not cheat yourself by not pursuing your dream. Give it everything you’ve got. If you have to walk away, know that you gave it your all. Live with NO Regrets!
9. Keep a journal. Write down what you accomplish every day. Just a few words will do, or else you will create yet another job, which you don’t need.
10. Celebrate your achievements! Reward yourself with pre-determined gifts. Treat yourself.  For your ultimate goals, give yourself the greatest reward. And then set new goals. You CAN achieve more!

Associate with people like yourself who enjoy the same kinds of pursuits. During your friendships, offer support to your peers. They will then be there for you when you need it.

Without dreams we have nothing to look forward too~John R. Salkowski

Live your LIFE with NO Regrets!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of Achieve Success Academy, Retired Police Officer, Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker and America’s Leading Authority on Overcoming Adversity and Achieving Your Life’s Mission. I can be reached by email at John@JohnSalkowski.com

Like me on FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Achieve-Success-Academy/246640965374976

 

The Hunger For Success: Are You Hungry? Then You Need To Stay Hungry?

Are you hungry for what you want in life? Do you wake up everyday starving to accomplish great things? Ask yourself this question: What is my Why? If you can answer this question then you’ll wake up every morning hungry. Starting each and everyday on an empty stomach knowing you have to find your next meal. Of course I mean the success you want in life.

Staying HUNGRY

If you’re not hungry than you don’t want to be the best you can be. You don’t want to be the best in your field, no matter what profession you’re in. If you don’t want to be the best you can be rest assured there is someone out there that does. If you want to be the best that you can be day in and day out then you need to start everyday wondering where your next meal will come from. Think about this: According to the University of Michigan back in 2005, there were 11.5 million entrepreneurs in the U.S. Some of these entrepreneurs didn’t know where their next pay check, customer, prospect was coming from. This can be very stressful for a lot of people. This is not just directed to the business owners of the world. This is directed to the employees that want that promotion or raise. You can sell someone a plate of food but you can’t make them eat if their NOT hungry.

Success doesn’t come easy. If it were easy there would be a hell of a lot more successful people in the world. Success is a choice. It’s a mind set. You must want it as much as you want the air you breathe. This might sound crazy but it’s the truth. Look at some of the most successful people in the world. Most of them don’t have MBA‘s from Harvard. Some never even graduated from college. Some never went to college. But the difference was that they were hungry for success. They wanted it just as much as they needed the air they breathe.

Hard Work

We bust our asses for the things we want, right? We work extra hours for the vacation we so desperately need, the car we want, the shoes we want to buy and so forth. Anything worthwhile having requires hard work. It requires getting up every morning starting from ground zero. Having the mentality that you are starting each day with NOTHING! You must hustle to get want you want. You must figure out a way on how to attain what you want. Are you busting your ass for the success you deserve?

It all boils down to how bad you want something. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to make it? What are you willing to sacrifice to get it? I think back when I was a cop knowing that my career was coming to an end. I had to ask myself do I have what it takes to make it out in the world without an employer. I had to ask myself over and over again was I willing to do whatever it took to be successful. Thinking of all the adversity that I was about to face. The truth is that you will only be as hungry as you want to be. If you want success as bad as you need the air you breathe, you will stay hungry.

Masterminding: The Success Principles Behind It

What is a Mastermind? How can it help you in succeeding?

A mastermind group is simply an alliance of two or more individuals dedicating themselves to a specific goal. The mastermind model is the power of organized knowledge expressed through intelligent efforts. Masterminds facilitate this power.

But is information organized power? Surfing the web for a particular answers can cause a deluge of conflicting, ambiguous information that does nothing to increase one’s knowledge.

A Mastermind is a “coordination of knowledge and effort, harmonies in spirit, between two or more positive, success-minded people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”

Some of the smartest people in all walks of life from CEO’s, Realtors, Police Officers, Alcoholics, Small Business Owners, Suffers of PTSD and such have attributed all of their success due in part to this term we call ‘Masterminding.’”

Masterminding has been around since the early 1900’s. This idea of mastermind groups has grown and evolved to become a successful tool of successful individuals. A Game-Changer if you will.

The benefits of having a supportive mastermind group are plenty:

1.You have a group of people available to help you succeed.

2.You get the benefit of differing perspectives, input and feedback.

3.Your mastermind team can bring resources and connections to the table you might not have had on your own.

4.You receive accountability and inspiration from the group, thus enabling you to maintain focus in achieving your goals.

It was once said by the famous founder of success principles, Napoleon Hill ,“No two minds ever come together without, thereby, creating a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to a third mind.” In other words, your ability to create great things in this world we live in is increased by having that invisible “third mind” or what we call, ” The Mastermind Group”.

Creating a mastermind group does not have to be difficult. But I will share this, being in several mastermind groups myself, you must have people in this group that want the same thing you do. No matter what it is. The key ingredient is “Like-Minded, Positive, Goal Oriented/Goal Achieving, Motivation, Inspiration, Failure is No Option mentalities.

There are two basic types of mastermind groups:

1) One focused on the success and vision of one individual

2) One focused on helping everyone in the group.

When creating/building the perfect mastermind group both in mind.

You would be amazed at how willing many like-minded people are there to help you when asked. I believe it’s an honor to be asked for advice or an opinion. It means that you are trusted, respected and admired. Did you ever ask someone for advice and feel in your “gut” that they were mis-guiding you? I have. Steer clear of these individuals. Ask the people that have already accomplished what you so desire to accomplish.

When someone mentions that a mastermind group is forming, they mean a group of dedicated people who want to see themselves and others succeed and achieve great things in their lives.  These groups can meet in person, over a free tele-conference line, online chat rooms or webinars.

I contribute 85% of my success to the power of masterminding. I pay thousands of dollars a year to surround myself with like-minded, success oriented, goal achieving, positive people. By taking this step, it has created a life I never thought I could have.

However, you must act! Your actions will educate yourself in the laws of success. Take action today and start creating the life you truly want and deserve. I don’t care who you are, we all want the great things this wonderful life has to offer us.

Remember this Quote by the great Napoleon Hill, “Analyze the record of any man who has accumulated a great fortune, and many of those who have accumulated modest fortunes, and you will find that they have either consciously, or unconsciously employed the ‘Master Mind’ principle.”

Incident leading up to being diagnosed with PTSD

Hello, my name is John Salkowski and I am a retired Police Officer of 15yrs who  suffered PTSD for many years before being diagnosed. While on-duty I was working the 11pm-7am shift on January 10, 2000. I was on patrol working a beat that was relatively busy as far as crime was concerned. The events that will unfold this cold night will forever change my life.

Approximately 3:55am, the police dispatcher reported an armed robbery just occurred at the A Plus mini mart. The actor was described a black male wearing army fatigues last seen getting into a white Hyundai sedan last seen traveling east towards my location. The dispatcher reported that the actor beat the clerk over the head with a club and reached into the cash register till and stole money.

I was located east of that location so I started to head up to an intersection that I thought he may approach. With-in minutes, I radio to the dispatcher reporting my observations of the white Hyundai sedan now traveling north. I activated my emergency devices on the car (lights/Sirens) and began to pursue the vehicle while reporting my location, direction of travel to radio dispatch. The suspect eventually stopped the vehicle moments later. The events that unfolded shortly after were life changing.