"You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."
- John Wooden

America is getting older. Social Security faces a crisis. Many people are wondering what they can do when their work life ends.

Here are two things you want to avoid at all costs:

#1 Not having a clearly-defined goal.

"If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time." - Zig Ziglar

#2 Having the wrong goal.

"The only thing worse than setting a goal and not achieving it is setting the wrong goal AND achieving it.

Suppose, by a twist of fate, you inherited the most promising race horse in the world and it was the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. The value of this horse will go up 100 times if it wins the race. How would you treat the horse the night before the race?

I am writing this Zignificance note from the back of our training room at Ziglar HQ, surrounded by 16 young leaders from all over the country. The youngest is 17 and the oldest is 26.

If hope is not the most important factor of success, it is at least the first step and foundation. Without hope we either don’t ever take action, or we take weak action that does not produce success. With hope, we achieve astounding things. So, here you go, start your New Year off with the first step in your quest for success, however you define it. Thanks to Blue Apron and ZipRecruiter for supporting this episode!

Owen Fitzpatrick walks us through the tangible realities of changing our perspective and story from victim to overcomer. He shares as a psychologist, therapist, and coach, but also from his own hard story. His recent TEDx talk, “Mind Control: How to Win the War in Your Head,” has had over 50,000 views in the first month as he delivers an entertaining, yet poignant, 10-minute talk. This is foundational personal development for inspiring true performance.

Here is my favorite definition of success:

“Success is the maximization of the abilities that God gave you.” – Zig Ziglar

Take action?

Take the first step?

Claim ownership of your dreams?

Commit to your goals?

Those who do – WIN.

2017 is here!
Claim it. It is yours!
You get to decide:
How to improve your family relationships
What principles and values you are known for
What goals you are going to achieve

I had an amazing January 1 by working on my goals - over four hours of deep thought about what I want to accomplish. I get organized just by thinking about it!

I thought I would share with you one of the goals I set for myself. This is a goal I am committed to doing daily.

"It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them - the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas" - Dostoevski

Several years ago, I had a lengthy delay in the Pittsburgh airport so I headed for the shoe shine stand where two young men worked.

This is it.
Your time to reflect.
Here are a few questions to ponder:
How did 2016 go?
What victories did you have?
What challenges did you overcome?
What could you have done better?