An enlightening truth is that success always leaves clues. Many may have heard of or read about a mentor to millions by the name of Jim Rohn. Jim is recognized as a major influence on modern luminaries such as Tony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, T. Harv Eker, Chris Widener, and Darren Hardy. Though he eventually became an iconic legend, his story is not unlike that of most people who achieve stratospheric success. Before the world knew his name, he was just like most of us, struggling to survive, let alone thrive.
Living a life of quiet desperation at the ripe old age of 25, with a family to support but being broke, busted, and disgusted; he decided enough was enough when he couldn’t afford $2.00 to buy Girl Scout cookies and lied to the young girl selling them. It was then that a friend recommended a seminar titled, “Laws of Success,” presented by a man named John Earl Shoaff, also known as “The Millionaire Maker.” Jim attended the seminar, and his life would never be the same. Only six short years later, using the teachings of Earl Shoaff, Jim became a millionaire.
Recently, I was listening to a rare recording that completely blew me away. It was the last seminar Earl Shoaff recorded before his death in 1965, and it’s the same one that changed Jim Rohn’s life forever. Guess what he shared over 70 years ago… “thoughts are things and whatever it is you think about is exactly what you get.” Timeless wisdom that’s been known throughout the ages.
If this is true, then why do so many people struggle to get what they want in life and end up feeling frustrated, hopeless, confused, and indifferent? Because we are attracting exactly what we focus on—our negative thoughts—which then shape the world around us. We never realize that we are the cause of our life’s experiences. Those who concentrate on everything that’s wrong instead of what they can be grateful for never truly understand that they can be the victors rather than the victims. They stay stuck believing that their world’s people, places, situations, and events are doing things ‘to them,’ with no responsibility on their part.
If you’re like the 25-year-old Jim Rohn, you’ve reached a point of being sick and tired of your circumstances but still want to live a life of power and prosperity. Understand this: for better and for worse, you are the source from which your life will be shaped. The world’s greatest achievers are not inherently better than you. The main difference is that they’ve learned to control their thoughts toward what they want, and with that belief, they take action to make it happen in their lives.
Many of us find it much easier to focus on the negative rather than the positive. We often don’t realize that this thought pattern reflects the false beliefs about what we don’t want. Sadly, our negative focus is actually tiny compared to all the positives we could appreciate in others and in the world around us. Over time, this negative habit can become so ingrained that we start to ignore or dismiss the simple joys and pleasures of life, taking them for granted.
To breathe, see, hear, taste, hug, laugh, giggle, smile, feel the wind in your hair, the sun warming your skin and lifting your spirit, a child’s presence melting your heart, and another person’s love making you feel valued and important—these are nearly available every day and for free. Yet we complain about the rain nourishing the earth, the sun being too hot to enjoy, the snow being too cold and deep, the child crying and disrupting ‘our’ life, the people frustrating us, the circumstances ruining our day, and the list goes on endlessly. Unsurprisingly, this negative focus leads us to believe our lives are miserable while blinding us to all that is breathtaking and right in front of us.
Eight days from today, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, at Gallery Guichard located at 436 E 47th St, Chicago, IL 60653, I’ll be releasing my second book in 30 years titled ‘LARGER THAN LIFE, In Pursuit of Discovering Your Full Potential.’ It is a clear and practical roadmap based on seven timeless principles to help you overcome limitations and reach your fullest potential. Purchase the book, join me there, or visit my website at Be Larger Than. I’m excited about supporting you in realizing your dreams, goals, and desires.
If you don’t like the life you’re living and feel like there’s so much more you could’ve, would’ve, and should’ve done, the exciting news is that you can change that today! Decide today whatchoo REALLY want, focus your attention there, and that’s exactly whatchoo gonna get! I’m looking forward to seeing you next Saturday!
Be Larger Than…
