When you underestimate things, you miss out!
The first time I heard Jim, I knew he would have a major effect on me. I thought to myself, who is this “gray haired old dude” who speaks with such power and authority. He has since gone on to earn my highest respect. I was late to the parade, and didn’t know it. I had seen Les Brown in person a couple of times over the years and he was one of Jim’s students, and I’m sure he must have mentioned him, but it didn’t stick with me. I missed out!
Darren Hardy, the publisher of Success Magazine also used Jim Rohn’s material a lot in his presentations. He said that beside his own father, no one else, had much a powerful influence on him. Napoleon Hill and his book Law of Success had a major effect on me. Hard to believe that such dated material could have such an effect. Fundamental stuff is timeless, it never goes out of style. My definition of Legend is someone whose work goes on, long after they are gone.
Because I heard Jim speak, I went out and bought almost every CD that I could afford. Les Brown said in his tribute to Jim, that when he heard him speak, he went out a bought a ton of products that Jim represented at the time. Jim Rohn left a body of work that will be passed on, from generation to generation. He studied and mastered the spoken word. He did what he did, out of passion and gratitude. It was not for the money. Of course, he took the money but that was not his driving force.
Influences can be so powerful and yet subtle. As parents, we try to keep the bad influences from our children. Sometimes we can get them to dis-associate from the bad influences. Other times, we can cause a limited association. The same goes for us. Sometime we can associate with some people, for a few minutes, but not a few hours. Then there are those that we can associate for a few hours, but not for a few days. And finally there are some people we can associate for a few days, but we wouldn’t want it to be a life time.
I could have easily became a juvenile delinquent, if not for my father. I spent the first nine years of my life living with my mother and, she did the best she could for me and my siblings. When she got sick I was sent to my father’s house where I spent the next nine years where there was structure and discipline. As a Military War Veteran, with him is was only the right way, or the high way. And I was too young, to hit the high way.
I developed an appreciation and love for reading because it kept me occupied, because I became an only child. He made sure I didn’t get mixed up with the wrong crowd. When my best friend would stop by, Pop would say, “Don’t get my son in no trouble!”. Fifty years later James Marshall still has my back. After graduation from high school we both went off to the military. James was drafted in the Army and sent to Vietnam and I enlisted in the Air Force and went to Germany.
We must always be vigilant. Jim Rohn tells the story about the frog and the scorpion, as an illustration. The frog is about to jump into the water and swim over to the other bank. The scorpion says wait, Mr. Frog, I want to get to the other side also. Won’t you give me a ride on your back to the other side? The frog says no way, I give you a ride and you will sting me to death.
The scorpion says, you are not thinking with your frog brain. If I did that, we would both drown. So, the frog says OK, hop on and they start across. Half way across, the scorpion stings the frog and as they both go down the frog ask, “Why in the world, did you do that”. The scorpion says, “That’s just what we do”. Beware your associations!!!
Get with like-minded people that want to go somewhere. I read and studied the Law of Success several years ago and just recently I found the think and grow rich mastermind group that has been calling in for almost five years. 712-432-0900 at 9:00 am EST Monday thru Friday Access code 565762#. Paul Hutchins is the founder and host. That’s the power of association.
The master mind is going through the entire book (1,100 pages) and I caught it at the beginning. This time I got on the train. There are some major things happening and some will miss the train. It will cost you time and money to get on board later. This has been straight talk, beast mode. H.G.M.
Internet comments
Lynn Brown
Love your insight of the power of association Earl. It really does matter which people you let into your life and who you surround yourself with. I am grateful to have found an amazing community of likeminded folks that has shown me that attaining our dreams and success will come from those that came before us. Great people like Jim Rohn, Les Brown and Napoleon Hill. Thanks for sharing your awesome insight.
Allen Bayes
Yes, that is why these are study books. Great suggestions!
Daphne Dobson
Powerful post Earl! Associating with the right people, is key to one’s success. I see we have some of the same mentors Jim Rohn, Les Brown, and Napoleon Hill. Thank God for the Dad you had. Thanks for sharing.
Earl Hackett
Thank you for your comments. Moms get most of the glory, but dads are also part of the story. I was blessed to have equal time with both. A strong woman can raise a son, but it takes a man, to show a boy, how to be a man. A gentle man can raise a daughter, but he can’t show her to to be a woman. I have found that people come into your life for a season or a reason. Appreciate the good relationships and limit the time with the bad ones.
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