In 2003, my list of greatest achievements was published in a personal growth and development book called Secrets of the Young and Successful.
Here it is, with a few updated “achievements” that have happened since 2003:
1. In my second grade reading improvement class, everybody graduated but me.
2. In grade school, I was always bullied and teased about my speech improvement, my height, and my big ears.
3. Struggled studying, received a 1.8 GPA my freshman year of high school.
4. Dysfunctional Household—Father and Mother divorced at age 8 without any communication within my family.
5. I was humiliated and embarrassed at my high school graduation when, in front of 3,000 people, I froze at the podium, unable to speak as I was presenting an award to our school principal.
6. I was denied acceptance into all but one university to which I applied; Arizona State University accepted me just under the wire.
7. I was denied admittance into all fraternities during my freshman and sophomore years at Arizona State University.
8. The woman I was going to marry left me, when to Colombia, met another man, and married him.
9. Spend more than $1.5 million on a television infomercial, which failed to have a single week of profitability in the two years that it ran.
10. Mortgage income dropped 92 percent in 12 months.
Let’s look at a couple of these personal growth and development “achievements” …
The woman I was going to marry left me, went to Colombia, met another man, and married him.
This was a personal growth and development achievement—and it was perfect—because today, I’m married to Lily, and I have three amazing kids. Thank God my college girlfriend left me. It was perfect, because I needed to be single to meet Lily, who is by far the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.
Here’s another “achievement” …
When I was in college, I tried to join a fraternity three times. I was denied acceptance into all the fraternities I rushed, all three semesters.
It is because I got denied entrance into the fraternities that I jumped into work-mode, started working for Senator Ruiz, and was later named Man of the Year of ASU.
It took the frustration, and the struggle to experience the personal growth and development that helped me get to where I wanted to go. But what I did—and what you have to do—is use the experiences as rocket fuel to success. Use your pain to your advantage …
Use your pain, your struggle, and your frustration as the sling shot that will get you where you want to go!
For a lot of years, I hid the fact that I had problems reading. I hid the fact that I didn’t get accepted into any fraternities after three tries. I was embarrassed that my fiancée left me for another man. I hid the fact that I got rejected by all colleges except one …
Now I use these things as my badge of honor.
I’m PROUD of my failures because they have led to personal growth and development.
And I know without a question that he who fails the most …
Wins.
Let me repeat that, because it’s not just what I believe—it’s what Warren Buffet and Bill Gates believe. It’s what Michael Jordan believes …
HE WHO FAILS THE MOST … WINS.
So leave a comment below and tell me … What are the 10 biggest “failures” in your life? What are the 10 failures that you are determined to turn into achievements? At this point, you might not know how your failures are going to be turned into achievements; however, when you start relating to your past “failures” as achievements, the game will change. You will start seeing pivot points and opportunities for growth all around you …
You don’t have to be ashamed anymore. The game has changed. Where you are at is the perfect starting point for personal growth and development!
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