Life is Worthwhile if ~

Four “Ifs” That Make Life Worthwhile
by Jim Rohn

I first heard of the four ifs from Jim Rohn. Jim Rohn is one my favorite motivational speakers, everything he says truly makes so much sense to me and motivates me. Here is a passage from one of his audio cds that I wanted to share.They are ideas, principles and strategies that enable me to face life’s everyday challenges, and they make living worthwhile.

First, life is worthwhile if you LEARN. What you don’t know WILL hurt you. You have to have learning to exist, let alone succeed. Life is worthwhile if you learn from your own experiences—negative or positive. We learn to do it right by first sometimes doing it wrong. We call that a positive negative. We also learn from other people’s experiences, both positive and negative. I’ve always said that it is too bad failures don’t give seminars. Obviously, we don’t want to pay them so they aren’t usually touring around giving seminars. But that information would be very valuable—we would learn how someone who had it all then messed it up. Learning from other people’s experiences and mistakes is valuable information because we can learn what not to do without the pain of having tried and failed ourselves.

We learn by what we see, so pay attention. We learn by what we hear, so be a good listener. Now I do suggest that you should be a selective listener; don’t just let anybody dump into your mental factory. We learn from what we read, so learn from every source; learn from lectures; learn from songs; learn from sermons; learn from conversations with people who care. Always keep learning.

Second, life is worthwhile if you TRY. You can’t just learn; now you have to try something to see if you can do it. Try to make a difference, try to make some progress, try to learn a new skill, try to learn a new sport. It doesn’t mean you can do everything, but there are a lot of things you can do, if you just try. Try your best. Give it every effort. Why not go all out?

Third, life is worthwhile if you STAY. You have to stay from spring until harvest. If you have signed up for the day or for the game or for the project, see it through. Sometimes calamity comes and then it is worth wrapping it up. And that’s the end, but just don’t end in the middle. Maybe on the next project you pass, but on this one, if you signed up, see it through.

And lastly, life is worthwhile if you CARE. If you care at all you will get some results, if you care enough you can get incredible results. Care enough to make a difference. Care enough to turn somebody around. Care enough to start a new enterprise. Care enough to change it all. Care enough to be the highest producer. Care enough to set some records. Care enough to win.

Four powerful little words: learn, try, stay and care. What difference can you make in your life today by putting these words to work?

—Jim Rohn

 

A Salesman’s Prayer

Og Mandino wrote a small sales classic years ago called The Greatest Salesman in the World.  If you haven’t read it – it’s more than worth it’s weight in gold.  I love the Salesman’s prayer in the book… And it goes like this:

Oh creator of all things, help me.

For this day I go out into the world naked and alone, and without your hand to guide me I will wander far from the path which leads to success and happiness.

I ask not for gold or garments or even opportunities equal to my ability; instead, guide me so that I may acquire ability equal to my opportunities.

 

You have taught the lion and the eagle how to hunt and prosper with teeth and claw.

Teach me how to hunt with words and prosper with love so that I may be a lion among men and an eagle in the market place.

 

Help me to remain humble through obstacles and failures; yet hide not from mine eyes the prize that will come with victory.

 

Assign me tasks to which others have failed; yet guide me to pluck the seeds of success from their failures. Confront me with fears that will temper my spirit; yet endow me with courage to laugh at my misgivings.

 

Spare me sufficient days to reach my goals; yet help me to live this day as though it be my last.

 

Guide me in my words that they may bear fruit; yet silence me from gossip that none be maligned.

 

Discipline me in the habit of trying and trying again; yet show me the way to make

use of the law of averages. Favor me with alertness to recognize opportunity; yet endow me with patience which will concentrate my strength.

 

Bathe me in good habits that the bad ones may drown; yet grant me compassion for weakness in others. Suffer me to know that all things shall pass; yet help me to count my blessings today.

 

Expose me to hate so it not be a stranger; yet fill my cup with love to turn strangers into friends.

 

But all these things be only if thy will.

I am a small and a lonely grape clutching the vine yet though hast made

me different from all others. Verily, there must be a special place for me. Help me. Show me the way.

 

Let me become all you planned for me when my seed was planted and selected by you to sprout in the vineyard of the world.

 

Help this humble salesman.

 

Guide me, God.