NINE THINGS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CAPITAL by Jim Rohn

When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is full-time or part-time, we all know the value of having plenty of capital (money). But I bet we both know or at least have heard of people who started with no capital who went on to make fortunes. How?, you may ask.

Well, I believe there are actually some things that are more valuable than capital that can lead to your entrepreneurial success. Let me give you the list.

1. Time.

Time is more valuable than capital. The time you set aside not to be wasted, not to be given away. Time you set aside to be invested in an enterprise that brings value to the marketplace with the hope of making a profit. Now we have capital time.

How valuable is time? Time properly invested is worth a fortune. Time wasted can be devastation. Time invested can perform miracles, so you invest your time.

2. Desperation.

I have a friend Lydia, whose first major investment in her new enterprise was desperation. She said, "My kids are hungry, I gotta make this work. If this doesn't work, what will I do?" So she invested $1 in her enterprise selling a product she believed in. The $1 was to buy a few fliers so she could make a sale at retail, collect the money and then buy the product wholesale to deliver back to the customer.

My friend Bill Bailey went to Chicago as a teenager after he got out of high school. And the first job he got was as a night janitor. Someone said, "Bill, why would you settle for night janitor?" He said, "Malnutrition." You work at whatever you can possibly get when you get hungry. You go to work somewhere -- night janitor, it doesn't matter where it is. Years later, now Bill is a recipient of the Horatio Alger award, rich and powerful and one of the great examples of lifestyle that I know. But, his first job – night janitor. Desperation can be a powerful incentive. When you say - I must.

3. Determination.

Determination says I will. First Lydia said, "I must find a customer." Desperation. Second, she said, "I will find someone before this first day is over." Sure enough, she found someone. She said, "If it works once, it will work again." But then the next person said, "No." Now what must you invest?

4. Courage.

Courage is more valuable than capital. If you've only got $1 and a lot of courage, I'm telling you, you've got a good future ahead of you. Courage in spite of the circumstances. Humans can do the most incredible things no matter what happens. Haven't we heard the stories? There are some recent ones from Kosovo that are some of the most classic, unbelievable stories of being in the depths of hell and finally making it out. It's humans. You can't sell humans short. Courage in spite of, not because of, but in spite of. Now once Lydia has made 3 or 4 sales and gotten going, here's what now takes over.

5. Ambition.

"Wow! If I can sell 3, I can sell 33. If I can sell 33, I can sell 103." Wow. Lydia is now dazzled by her own dreams of the future.

6. Faith.

Now she begins to believe she's got a good product. This is probably a good company. And she then starts to believe in herself. Lydia, single mother, 2 kids, no job. "My gosh, I'm going to pull it off!" Her self-esteem starts to soar. These are investments that are unmatched. Money can't touch it. What if you had a million dollars and no faith? You'd be poor. You wouldn't be rich. Now here is the next one, the reason why she's a millionaire today.

7. Ingenuity.

Putting your brains to work. Probably up until now, you've put about 1/10 of your brainpower to work. What if you employed the other 9/10? You can't believe what can happen. Humans can come up with the most intriguing things to do. Ingenuity. What's ingenuity worth? A fortune. It is more valuable than money. All you need is a $1 and plenty of ingenuity. Figuring out a way to make it work, make it work, make it work.

8. Heart and Soul.

What is a substitute for heart and soul? It's not money. Money can't buy heart and soul. Heart and soul is more valuable than a million dollars. A million dollars without heart and soul, you have no life. You are ineffective. But, heart and soul is like the unseen magic that moves people, moves people to buy, moves people to make decisions, moves people to act, moves people to respond.

9. Personality.

You've just got to spruce up and sharpen up your own personality. You've got plenty of personality. Just get it developed to where it is effective every day, it's effective no matter who you talk to - whether it is a child or whether it is a business person - whether it is a rich person or a poor person. A unique personality that is at home anywhere.

My mentor Bill Bailey taught me, "You've got to learn to be just as comfortable, Mr. Rohn, whether it is in a little shack in Kentucky having a beer and watching the fights with Winfred, my old friend or in a Georgian mansion in Washington, DC as the Senator's guest." Move with ease whether it is with the rich or whether it is with the poor.

And it makes no difference to you who is rich or who is poor. A chance to have a unique relationship with whomever. The kind of personality that's comfortable. The kind of personality that's not bent out of shape.

And lastly, let's not forget charisma and sophistication. Charisma with a touch of humility. This entire list is more valuable than money. With one dollar and the list I just gave you, the world is yours. It belongs to you, whatever piece of it you desire whatever development you wish for your life. I've given you the secret. Capital. The kind of capital that is more valuable than money and that can secure your future and fortune. Remember that you lack not the resources.

Credit Statement to be included in Reprints:

Check out what made Jim Rohn turn his life around.

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com

Copyright © 2001-2006 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.

What are the hallmarks of a champion communicator?

According to communicator professional speaker and marketing strategist Al Argo a true Champion Communicator can be expressed by one word CHAMPION :

Comfortable – Try to be as comfortable as possible in front of an audience. It requires a lot of p[reparation and passion, Eventually as you speak more in public you will become comfortable. Being nervous is a good thing as you learn to change it into positive energy.

Humorous – Truly great speakers have the ability to make people laugh. Well placed humour adds impact and emphasis. Be warned never become a clown or devalue a powerful introduction with some unrelated joke.

Aware – Be aware of the audience and their needs. Every speech is an opportunity to meet your audience needs. A good speaker observes his audience. Never talk at them or over the top of their heads. Watch them. Are you getting your point across? Are people nodding in agreement? When you prepare do you take the time to find out what your audience needs before you speak? A champion Communicator serves people.

Also be aware of the time. Speaking beyond a time limit can be a hardship to your audience. Yes they came to listen to you but the pensioner league you are speaking to may have to catch the Community bus.

Memorable – There is no point in speaking and being forgotten. Some use props and and objects to illustrate a point, others use PowerPoint to ad colour. However, the greatest communicators tell stories. Think of Jesus. It is said he would not speak without an illustration. Not just any story a story that will make a point, engage the imagination, and make the desired purposeful point.

Purposeful – If you are there to serve then you are there to ad to peoples lives. Every speech should have a specific reason for its existence. Are you trying to persuade someone? Entertain a crowd/ Motivate a person to act in a certain way. That purpose must be the theme, the central point that your entire topic circles around and highlights.

Sounds like hard work? Yes it is – but it’s a heck of a lot of fun.

Integrity – Do you truly believe in what you are saying, or are you droning out a sales pitch that bores you silly? Do you quote someone? Then have the integrity to credit the author. Tell a story? Where is it from? Did you use statistic? Well give the source – this is important so many false statistics are out there you, so be certain you give your audience to believe your information.

“Better yet be original and tell your own story. Champion Communicators keep a file of their own stories which they can draw from at any time in the future. When you speak – speak with integrity” writes Al Argo.

Optimistic –Everytime you give a speech you are progressing, learning, getting better. Believe you will achieve your goals and you will.

Never Quit – Al Argo relates how he “fell off the stage, not once but twice.”

“At a company in Singapore, I spilt a cup of water all over somebody as I was speaking. I have accidentally hit people with props and I have said things that I never intended to come out of my mouth. Yes, I have made a lot of mistakes but I will never make the mistake of quitting” he said.

“So Get Comfortable, be Humorous, Aware, Memorable, and Purposeful, speak with Integrity, be Optimistic and Never Quit and you will be a Champion Communicator!”

-Al Argo

Achtung!

So you need to persuade someone? Well you need their attention. The problem is we are surrounded by messages, advertisements, flashing signs, bright colours all trying to vie for our eye that we switch off to anything that at that moment does not seem important.

As Seth Godin pointed out in a TEDTalks interview, a cow is boring, a purple cow gets noticed.

So how can we get past a human mind that deletes 90% of what is placed before it?

· People listen to what they want to hear about. So couch what you want to say in terms of the other persons interests and desires. Empathize, stand in the other persons shoes. Remember, you are trying to take a person from where they are to where you want them to be. So you have to stand with them to walk them to your destination.

When a person is passionate about a topic they remember it with ease. Do you know what your persuades interests are?

· They need a motivation to listen to you. Are they in a good mood? Would it be better to wait until their present office crisis is over? Are they depressed, distressed, rushed or happy? A relaxed person is more likely to listen to you.

· Do they trust you? What may they have heard about you in the past? If you engender good feelings about you they may stop and listen. Is everything you say, is your body transmitting a truthful, confident air.

Get Attention

Use a controversial or eye opening statement If you could have anything you want, what would it be? This is an open question. In other words, it can’t be answered with a yes or no. It allows them to visualize and picture something in their minds and escape the routine of life. Ask

An engaging question
Can you remember the happiest moment in your life?

Arouse Curiosity If you arouse curiosity in what you have to offer then a person will want to know what you have to say.

“Research have found that the richest people on earth all know the same secrets that the rest of the world never knew. I finally discovered what they are,” suggests Master Persuader Michael Lee in his book “How To Be An Expert Persuader... In 20 Days or Less”.

Think about all those Ger rich online adverts you see – they almost all claim to have discovered the secret that the top 1% of marketers have kept hidden from the masses.

Come on the real world is full of challenges…..

Yes, the real world is full of challenges, distractions and as we have already mentioned, the simple moods of your customer.
The fact is you won’t sell pork to a Jew or Muslim. There is a barrier that they will not cross.
To persuade you must offer a win-win solution. Pork to a good Muslim is not win-win.

The chap that lives in a tent may be better to have a mobile phone than a landline. The renter is probably not a good prospect for home owners insurance.

If a person’s life or beliefs prevent them from using your service pushing a sale would only be disrespectful and time wasting. His attitude will be negative toward you and he will switch off.

Instead focus on what the other person feels they have some control over. Allow them to look to the future and dream with them and carry them with you from where they presently stand to the shared win–win solution you have to their problem.