Dictionary definition

Wish: to have a longing for; want

Desire: to long for; crave

My definition of a wish: It is like a half hearted dream. A person may say "I

wish I could play a piano like Liberace, or Elton John, or hit a baseball like

Sammy Sosa or Mark McQuire, or play basketball like Michael Jordan or Larry

Bird. However, unless he is willing to put in the time and effort, years of hard

work and practice, his wish is only a half hearted dream.

My definition of desire: It is like a dream you visualize in your minds eye,

and require to become a reality so much, that you put forth effort no matter how

hard, to make it so.

Did you know that when Larry Bird was a boy, he was just a skinny little kid

with very little athletic ability. However, he had a desire to be one of the best

basketball players that had ever lived. Larry Bird had so much desire that he

would get up at 5:00 AM every morning, go to the gym and practice his

basketball skills. He practiced relentlessly! What did not come to him in natural

ability he developed by pure persistent hard work and practice. He had true

desire!

Now you may be thinking "come on Allen I am not trying to accomplish

anything great, I just want to make more money." Well, I understand that,

however, the same principle applies, you can wish for more money, or you can

desire it!

You are considering to buy my book or attend my seminar because you at least have a wish for

something more. My desire is that if your wish is merely a wish, that I can help spark you

into making your wish a burning desire!

There was once a Roman general who realized the importance of motivation

as he was about to send his reluctant troops into a battle in which they were

greatly out numbered. The general knew his men would have to be highly

motivated to win, but they were not. So, after his army had sailed to the enemy’s

land and disembarked on the hostile shore, he gave the order for his OWN ships

to be burned. The general then commanded his troops, "We win, or we die!"

With that strong motivation they won.

Failure is the result of one’s LACK of consistent,

persistent effort.

CONSISTENT,

PERSISTENT EFFORT.

Attitude

By Charles Swindell

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude,

to me, is more important than facts. It is more important that the past, than

education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than

whatever people think or say or do. It is more important than appearances,

giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company ... a church ... a home. The

remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will

embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ... we cannot change the fact

that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only

thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ... I am

convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react

to it. And so it is with you ... we are in charge of our ‘attitudes.’ Attitude is

everything!!!"

The difference between a winner and a loser is simple;

a quitter never wins and a winner never quits!

The Key To Success

Once there was a college student pondering his meaning in life. More than

anything else he wanted to be a success. "But how do I become a success?" he

thought. "What do I need to do? What is the key to success?"

Shortly thereafter he attended a seminar taught by the great philosopher

Socrates. Being very impressed by Socrates words he thought, "Now there is

someone who can give me some insight into the key to success."

When the seminar was over, he found Socrates outside on the steps talking

with a group of students. He walked up to him, tapped Socrates on the shoulder,

and said, "Socrates, what is the key to success?" Socrates quickly glanced in the

direction of the young man, then turned back and continued his conversation with

the group. The young man thought, "Maybe he didn’t hear me." He tapped

the key to success?" Socrates turned, looked him right in the eye, and then turned

back around and continued talking with the group of students. Now the young

man was getting a little offended, and he shouted, "Socrates, what is the key to

success?" Socrates turned around quickly, stared right into the young man’s eyes,

and said, "Follow me!" He started walking across the school grounds. When he

got to the parking lot, he looked over his shoulder and the young man was

following close behind. He continued past the parking lot and off the school

grounds. He walked up to the bottom of a large hill, looked over his shoulder and

the young man was still following close behind. He walked to the top of the hill,

looked, and the young man was still there. He went to the bottom of the hill,

looked and the young man was still there. He walked onto a beach and up to the

waters edge, turned, and the young man was still there. He walked into the water

up to his knees, turned, and he was still there. He walked until the water was to

his waist, turned, and he was still there. He continued until the water was at his

mid chest, turned, and now the water was near the young man’s shoulders.

Socrates quickly grabbed the young man by the shoulders and pushed him under

the water and held him there! The young man started to squirm and twist! Then

water bubbles started coming up from the water. Socrates then pulled the young

man up out of the water and across his shoulder as he headed back toward the

beach. He threw him down and gave him a couple breaths of air. The young man

started to cough and breathe: he jumped up, reared back his fist and said, "You

crazy old fool! What are you trying to do? Kill me?" Then Socrates raised his

hand and said, "Now wait I know you are mad, and you have the right to be; but

let me ask you just one question."

Young man: "What is it?"

Socrates: "What was it that you wanted more than anything else in the world

while I was holding you under the water?"

Young man: "Well, of course, I wanted a breath of air!"

Socrates: "when you desire success, as much as you desired that breath of

air, that is when you will achieve it!"

I hope my tid bits on motivation has been of help and an inspiration to you. I

know stories and short sayings have helped me keep going whenever I

have been discourage or the going got rough. It sometimes will for you as well,

its like a test to see if you have what it takes, before the reward comes. The best

of luck to you in your endeavor to be successful in your family, spiritual, and

financial life.

One final tip: Make sure as you achieve different levels of success, to take

time out to treat yourself and your family. Celebrate your achievements, and

share it with your family, they are on your team, by fulfilling your life and

making what you do possible!