Welcome to the Ziglar Show, where the goal is simple. To inspire your best, your full, your true…performance. We’re not here for entertainment. We’re here for you and your legacy. We’re here to help you make your life better. I’m your host Kevin Miller and today, Tom Ziglar and I bring you a long awaited show, “Reprograming your reality.”
Here’s the deal. In Show 320: “The most life changing thing you’ll ever encounter”, we played a profound clip from Zig where he discussed his infamous Self-Talk cards.” At the end of the show, I offered the self-talk cards he referred to, absolutely free. You can still get them at ziglar.com/show/selftalk.
1,876 of you downloaded the cards. When you did, it triggered four weeks of emails to help prompt you along. At the end, I asked you to give me feedback on how it went. Real world testimony to whether it was a benefit or not.
As you can imagine, many of you did. I truly wish I could read them all in entirety. What I’ve done however, is pull out highlights that I’ll read and Tom Ziglar and I will give some commentary on.
To kick off this show, I’m asking Tom Ziglar to literally read the Self-Talk cards. There is a Biblical version and a “regular” version. It’s up to Tom what he reads. Before you start Tom, what is the next event people can take action on with the Ziglar team?
> > Tom shared about the September 1, 2015 'Essential Presentation Skills' seminar.
Ok then Tom, will you gift us by reading the self-talk card your Father, Zig, famously coined so many years ago?
> > Tom read the cards in entirety.
Alright folks. Again, what I asked people to do was give us feedback. Was reading the self-talk cards helpful? Difficult? What is your real, honest feedback?
The point? Does it work or not, to read to yourself, positive affirmation? Or is it just hokey? For disclosure, I’ll start off by saying, that while I asked for all feedback, including hard, discouraging feedback, I literally received 100% positive feedback. Now I’m sure there were many people out of over 1,800, who did not consistently read the cards. Who didn’t follow through. And as a result…got zero benefit. We’re all human and we don’t bat 1,000.
But we’re going to take some time now and share from as many of the folks who sent in testimonies as possible. Hopefully what you hear will inspire you and motivate you to follow suit. To believe that you can…better yourself. With something as simple as reading positive, encouraging blessings over yourself. Or as you’ll hear, recording them to listen to.
And Let me tell you, I’ve compiled and read all of these. Tom hasn’t read or heard one, so he’s responding from a very first impression!
Here we go:
Following are some of the responses we received. From basic, simple feedback, to...dramatic life change. Dramatic. I read them and Tom and I discussed. Listen to the show for the feedback, or just read the real life testimonials below. They will impact you, no doubt. I think it's impossible not to resonate and relate in some way to all that's shared below.
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Brian Ashmore
Hi Kevin,
My experience with the self-talk Ziglar program…I thought it was going to be odd to recite this list of qualities every day but it turned out to not feel odd. The process has not been life-changing but it has illuminated a list of personal qualities that I want to improve. I think that there is definitely benefit to be had with this exercise and I plan to continue the program each day.
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Jacinta Williams
Kevin I am an example of "when the disciple is ready, the master appears". I am going thru a transition that was often riddled with fear. The self talk cards came right on time. I have not skipped a day. They are therapy and balm to my soul. Each time I feel fear creeping in, I speak to myself in the mirror and use the version with scripture. My days are getting more and more hopeful. I am beginning to feel intrinsic joy and peace along with a sense that God truly is in control.
Thank you for your ministry.
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Zach Hetrick
Hi Kevin,
My name is Zach and I wanted to follow up on feedback/results/feelings from week four of self-talk.
Points-
- Really gets me motivated and ready for the day in regards to the morning.
- Noticed I started to improve on certain characteristics that I needed to work on.
As a young sales professional, I am not aways committed to it. I forget and it gets hard to stay on top of it. Sometimes I ramble through it so fast, I feel like I can't grasp all of it. Overall, I am still using on a consistent basis for the morning. My goal is to start using it more for the evening. This is a great tool that I will definitely keep using so that I can reach my ultimate goal of starting a business. I really enjoy the podcasts as well!
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Christiane Ebert
Dear Kevin,
I don’t know what to do without the self talk card, there are days when I forget it and I feel lost and full of fear and than I talk to myself again and the spirit and focus are back.
I am a mother of 3 grown ups and a 9 year old girl , I separated recently and living now on my own with my little girl . I am a dress designer and Pilates instructor and never had to stand on my own feet before but moved from one bad relationship to the next. I am now focused on trying to achieve my goal in enabling my girl and myself to have a happy, financially stable, independent life. I know I can do it and I am on the right track but there are days where I’m just not sure about myself and my abilities.
I listen to the ziglar podcasts all the time . in the car,at home and before I go to sleep…. I want to say thank you to you and everybody involved for giving me the courage, focus and motivation on a daily basis.
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Loren Mankin
Hi Kevin,
I came to know Zig Ziglar thru Dave Ramsey. My wife and I have been going thru Financial Peace University and listen to Dave's podcasts alot. He frequently mentions Zig Ziglar in his podcasts. So I searched Zig Ziglar in podcasts and came across this podcast and the current podcast playing was the self talk challenge. After listening to it, my wife encouraged me to try this 30 day challenge.
When I got the email asking my thoughts, my first though was: nothings changed! Well, compared to the story of gentlemen who found he wasn't punctual and from their had this tremendous life change and raised his income over 500%. So I sat down and really thought about if anything has changed in the last 30 days and this is what I came up with:
The bad:
1. I couldn't look myself in the eye for the first week. I have always talked to myself in the mirror, but it was to complain. The first time I looked myself in the eye and read the card, it was tough, but by the time I said "in a marvelously wonderful way" I was smiling from ear to ear.
2. The word in the card that kept me cringing was "appearance" and taking honest pride in it. When I took that first look in my eyes the second week, I hadn't shaved in almost 4 days (which was really normal for me). After I finished that card, I shaved. Then I shaved the next day and the next day and the next day. For what ever reason, that was what got me rolling. I started to make sure my work clothes were pressed, my hair was done, my nails clipped, my teeth brushed, and some "smell good" was put on. When I got to work with all that done, I felt so much better and I started my day with a much more positive attitude. Which is saying a lot, walking into work at a women's prison where I work as a male registered nurse.
The good:
1. I'll be finishing my last tapering dose of my anti-depressant in two more days. After a routine follow up with my physician (which took place two weeks into the 30 day challenge); she thought my attitude was so great that I should ween myself off of the medication which I have been on the past year and a half. I honestly haven't felt better in the past 2 years than I do now!
2. I haven't had a bad day at work in over 3 weeks. Now that's not to say their haven't been some very hard days. But my response to those days has created such an enjoyable work environment, that after 10 years of work there, I now am excited to go to work. I have taken my self talk cards with me and on those tough days, I have found a mirror and repeated those positive words and gotten thru those days magnificently!
3. My weight has also been an issue. I believe it's stemmed from my depression and a poor self image and a lot of regret. I haven't really changed anything in my diet or life per-se, but I have lost 6 pounds over the 30 days. Prior to just starting the self talk challenge, I had just quit weight watchers after being on it for 3 months and not lost a single pound.
4. The next item is very hard to describe except as "fantastic!" My relationship with my wife has never been more positive and authentic than it is now. She keeps saying how much I have changed in my attitude and interactions with her and our three sons.
5. I didn't think this would be attributable to this self talk challenge, but I can't really think of any better reason why this happened: my work, for the first time in the 10 years I have worked there, asked me to travel for a week of training to assist with a roll out of a state wide healthcare computer documentation system (the first one ever in our organization). I just finished this training the last week of this self talk challenge.
You know, when I reflected back on this challenge, I was comparing it in the light of money compensation. But it was much more than that. I haven't had so many positive things happen to me in a single month in years, as I did the last 30 days! And really thinking about it, the only thing that really changed was my attitude and response (not reaction) to things.
I am so very thankful for the podcast and this self talk challenge, which has now turned into a twice daily habit that I can't and don't want to miss! I do have to say, I did miss two days this last week while I was away at training of the self talk cards and boy I could really feel that "stinkin thinkin" coming on!
Again thanks for this self-talk challenge. It has spring boarded to so much more in my life and it's fantastic!
Respectfully
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Kay Sharp
Kevin-
When you sent the first email - after one week - I just let it pass.
When you sent the second email - after two weeks - I printed out the statement and started to read it - out loud - morning and night.
That must make it about week 4 for me now.
Has my life changed? I am starting to focus on where I am going. I feel stronger in standing up for my rights/beliefs.
I will continue to read the statement out loud - and maybe, someday, it will all be true.
Thank you.
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Raymond Diaz
Hi Kevin, I have been reading the self-talk cards for about 4 weeks now and have noticed a slight change in my way of thinking. The most inspiration I was able to work up came within a few days of starting the cards but then I found myself somewhat plateauing. I believe the reason was that the cards are a bit lengthy and I have chosen to read these at the end of my long days and very early in the mornings. I started to read them trying to get them done somewhat quickly. Even with this disservice I have done by not allowing myself enough time to saturate my mind in the words they contain, I have noticed that I have an inner focus throughout my day that aims at identifying and improving on the qualities that are spoken in these cards. I have committed to take more time to reflect on the self talk as I read through it, I believe that this will produce better and bigger results, thank you.
<><> this spoke to me, as I”m an impatient, cliff notes, guy on the run. I read fast, looking for the gist I need to pay attention to. And I can read and understand something, but not take it to heart. I feel like this is somewhat of an epidemic. We as a culture, take in boat loads of information daily. But what impacts us? What changes us? What do we take action on? What ads up to more than positive entertainment? Would we better off to cut our reading and listening in half or fourths or 100ths and instead take a minute, handful of messages and ingest them over and over until as Raymond says, they saturate us and take root. What do you think Tom?
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Paul Cochran
Challenging for sure! I didn't do so good- mostly because As soon as I started the journey I hit an obstacle- unbelief at the core of who I am. The negative self talk screamed at me-
I am now back on track, working at drowning out the the negative and believing in was born to win. I have converted the self talk card to a note on my cell phone, and I read it every morning after my quiet time with the Lord
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Patricia from the Philippines
Dear Kevin,
I cannot believe the changes the self talk cards has made in my life. I was skeptical about it to be honest. And to think, I was not very regular in doing the exercise as when my kids are around, I am embarrassed to get "caught" so there are days I miss doing it. But I do it more days than I do not.
For some reason, when I am in a meeting, or when my colleague or subordinates come up to me with queries, the answers come to me so quickly, and my answers now are more decisive and filled with confidence...I cannot explain it well, but hope you know what I mean. It is like coming from nowhere...well not really, I am a practicing Catholic, and I know this new-found confidence is coming from God.
Many, many thanks to you all in Ziglar , your podcasts has truly helped me have peace of mind. I sleep soundly at night. I have confidence in my decisions and have so much hope in the future. "when there is hope in the future, there is power in the present" did i get that Ziglar quote correctly? [maxwell]
Please keep the podcasts going, I listen to them everyday in my automobile university. often, I play them over and over as I get something new out of it each time I play it.
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Jordan from New York
Hi Kevin,
It has been a journey these past four weeks. I discovered that I tend toward negative thoughts and low self-worth. The self-talk cards have helped me start the day in a positive frame of mind and stay positive more during the day. Coincidentally I had set a goal at the beginning of the year to reach a certain income level. Well just yesterday I was approached unsolicited about an opportunity with a salary of exactly what I had set the goal for! If I had not been as positive these past weeks I am certain that would have affected this surprise opportunity.
Thank you for the work you and the Z-team are doing. I listen to every show!
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Julian Pabon
Hi Kevin,
I've missed a couple of mornings and nights, but overall, I've been disciplined with Zig's self-talk. After one month of speaking these great qualities to myself, I've noticed the following changes in my life:
After speaking to myself in the mirror, most of the qualities have been stored in my soul and are part of my everyday life. For example: I'm a 33 year old professional with a beautiful stay-home wife, two boys, and another one on the way. My mind is mostly focused on personal growth, getting a bigger house, finances, etc. Usually when my wife or a co-worker would talk to me, I would give them 50% of my attention, the other 50% is thinking about making things happen and finding the first chance to end the conversation so I can move on. Now, when I'm engaged in a conversation, I hear the following qualities in my mind: "patient, caring, sensitive, personable, attentive, fun-loving person", I can now say with complete confidence that I'm fully present and that the other person will have 100% of my attention. Another life changing statement for me is: "I take honest pride in my competence, appearance and manners, and am motivated to be and do my best so that my healthy self-image will remain on solid ground".
Thank you for the amazing podcast and for keeping the Ziglar legacy alive for all future generations!
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Jahbari McLennan
My name is Jahbari McLennan and I started using my self talk card on June 7.
I have seen a swift in my feelings throughout my days. There has been times where I did not want to do something at work or at home but those words committed and responsible were in the back on my head. I would read it at times when I did not feel like it but after reading it I feel like I made the right choice. I always heard Zig talk about the self talk and really do see the value in reading them daily, until now. We have a lot of garbage in this world that goes into our head and I see the value with adding some positive deposit into our head daily. I am only 27 and really want to make every year count and make a difference. I am glad I took this first step and do not plan on stopping. Thank you for challenging me!
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Maxim Lau
Hi Kevin,
I'm a full time working mom with 2 kids and also serving in church and I find it increasingly difficult to stay motivated and happy at life due to the fact that I'm always doing, doing and doing and it's never enough and I'm also always exhausted. I was just practically surviving and I told myself I can't go on like this anymore because life felt meaningless.
Thank God for answering my prayers and I looked up your self talk cards and started reciting them to myself although I must admit I wasn't regular but I tried the best I could to do it as much as possible.
The results are amazing!! I never had much savings from previous years because there was always a need to buy something. And so I thought when I earn more ill be able to save. For the first time, I managed to save more than a thousand dollars. My credit card bills have also dropped by 50 percent (not utilities but mainly on personal usage).
I've also been more motivated and happy because I've set myself some long term goals and its a dream I'm working towards. Im setting aside time almost everyday to develop myself into a better leader/person and I get to help my family and friends with what I now know.
I'm also more confident when I'm faced with confrontations and I find myself calm and thinking what's the best way to solve this and I'm amazed at my own attitude and also patience.
In my workplace I'm rethinking of how I can do things better and differently and exploring different options. Me and my husband run our own business. My husband has feedback to me that I'm always encouraging him even when times are really tough.
Am I tired/exhausted? Yes I still am but with a much different attitude.
I just want to say THANK YOU for making this available to people like me because I once thought life was quite meaningless to carry on but now I'm having a lot more perspective and confidence and I want to remind myself of that each day.
Thanks Kevin and also to the Ziglar family,
God bless all of you!!