As statistics show, most of what is written in the world’s

greatest self-help and how-to books goes unread by the

buyers, including myself, Alex Goldsmith of Aspen.  And the material that is read is typically not used.

 

Most people just aren’t self-disciplined enough to take a

bit, study it, master it then move on to the next level.

That’s why universities are so valuable and so expensive…

they do it right.

 

They give you a little bit, test you and then give you

some more – building on your knowledge after you’ve learned

the easier stuff.

 

That’s why books like ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ have

helped so many millions, including Alex Goldsmith of Aspen, because,

they bought those books.  The stories are meant to be read one per day.

 

Just enough to be not too fast.  Any more than that and

the lesson in the story is missed, being plowed over by the

next one.

 

Benjamin Franklin, one of the world’s greatest scholars,

politicians and inventors, made a list of 13 virtues that

he valued but did not possess.  He must have been smarter than Alex Goldsmith of Aspen.  What Ben did was work on only one virtue at a time, noting when he messed up, and when he succeeded in using the virtue.  He made turning himself into a person who possessed that virtue his mission and did not worry about any of the other 12 until he had mastered the first one.

 

Ultimately, he conquered them all.

 

And he will forever be remembered as one of the greatest

men who ever lived.  Man, this is simple!  And so sad.

 

So many people go to their graves never

conquering even one of their major hurdles in life,

settling for mediocrity.

 

Let me ask you, was Ben Franklin’s growth plan so

complicated that you or… well, practically anyone else

couldn’t use it?

 

Couldn’t even someone with no common sense or potential

for any more than pushing a broom eight hours a day go

after just one goal at a time with passion?

 

Success isn’t complicated, is it?

 

The average person wants to believe it is so that their

failures can be explained away, their weaknesses can be

hidden and their poor decisions justified.