EXECUTIVE AGENT MAGAINE - INLAND EMPIRE NOVEMBER 2019

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Aaron Stel Executive Agent of the Month

Inside Features Ryan Orr Alex Rios

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EXECUTIVE AGENT OF THE MONTH

Aaron Stel Realty Masters & Associates

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Inside Features

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Alex Rios

Ryan Orr

Realty Masters and Associates

Ticor Title Company ExecutiveAgent Magazine

INLAND EMPIRE - NOVEMBER, 2019

Editorials

E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

‘What You Think, You Become’ -Shawn Achor

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Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 297-8323 Fax: (949) 266-8757 Fred@ExecutiveAgentMagazine.com www.ExecutiveAgentMagazine.com

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Listen While You Work -John Boe

City of Hope..........................................................34 Finance of America Mortgage.................................36

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iPhotography Studio...............................................23 Kinecta Federal Credit Union................................29 loanDepot®..............................................................2

It Takes a Positive Attitude to Achieve Positive Results -Mark Victor Hansen

PWR..................................................................................14 NAHREP...........................................................................28

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SRAR...........................................................................25 The Termite Guy......................................................3 VAREP.....................................................................15

Better Is Something You Become -Jim Rohn

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How to Master New Skills -James Whittaker

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Photography: iPhotography Studio, Michelle Fairless Photography, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Ben Angel, John Boe, Haley Freeman, Jim Rohn, Walter Sanford, Dirk Zeller, Zig Ziglar Craig Harrison, Simma Lieberman, Chris Widener © Copyright 2019 Executive Agent Magazine. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Executive Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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Written by H. K. Wilson

Ryan J. Orr

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early 20 years ago, Ryan J. Orr was signing documents to refinance his home, when the escrow officer asked him why he was wearing a suit. It happened that Ryan was a recent college graduate on his way to a career fair. “Let me get the sales manager,” the escrow officer said. Ryan was hired 30 days later, and he says he has never looked back.

Ryan dedicated himself to learning his craft, and his new career took off. “I knew I could get away with not knowing a lot to start, but I needed to invest in my career and be educated to know as much or more than my clients — or if I didn’t know something, I wanted the resources to know who to turn to. So, I joined chambers of commerce, went back to school and took real estate classes, and got involved with leadership in local professional associations. For me, it became very personal, very quick.”

Taking a cue from his favorite sales trainer, Jeffrey Gitomer, who says that business cards are boring, Ryan created an alter ego called “The Title Guy.” This part mild-mannered businessman, part super-hero persona also had a slogan: “Whether you sell, buy or refi — specify The Title Guy.” Today, Ryan is the face of “Team Title Guy” at Ticor Title in Ontario, where he serves the West End of San Bernardino County. His inside support is 25-year industry veteran Victoria Robello, and together, they hold their spot among the top 5-10 percent in the nation.

“Victoria is service- and solutions-oriented with a bubbly personality. At the volume we’re running, without her it would be almost impossible to get everything done in a day. Making sure you have the right people in the right seats is imperative to success at a high level. Ideally, in the next year, my goal is to get to the top 2 percent in the nation.”

Ryan says he aims to be a strategic partner for his clients, with a focus on education. “A big part is simply listening to a client and their goals, and then applying the right tools. I keep my finger on the pulse of what tools we have and how to leverage them. Most companies don’t take time to train people on their tools. We do a lot of training webinars, and I lead small groups in our Ontario office 8 to 10 times a year. We also host Meetings with Masters at Red Hill Country Club where we invite attorneys, as well, who are tied to the title and compliance market. I can also take training directly to a real estate office to train agents.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Helping Others Succeed Ultimately, it all comes down to service. “When someone calls, they will get a response in minutes. If I’m in a meeting, my phone forwards to Victoria, and she will respond. It’s important to me that when somebody calls, somebody answers. I never take for granted that good relationships are based on communication. If we don’t know what you want and when you need it, we can’t exceed your expectations. And we are relentless with follow-up. When there is a challenge, we typically get things worked out. We know how to find creative solutions to get the file closed while safeguarding the parties.”

Ryan’s peers have the highest praise for him and his team. One summed up: “Since meeting and starting to work with Ryan, I have had nothing but great service. I have not opened a title order with any other title rep for about 8 years now. There just is no reason. Ryan is always available and treats me like his only client. I highly recommend using Ryan for all title orders. He is a great connection to other services, as well, and makes himself a valuable resource. Give him a try and you won’t have to worry about title anymore.”

Ryan’s priorities in life are faith, family and business, and his values are reflected in the way he serves both clients and community. He is a founder of the West End Real Estate Professionals (WEREP), a group that meets

weekly to elevate the real estate profession. Inspired by the 9-11 tragedy, Ryan also founded Operation Community Cares, a nonprofit organization that sends thousands of care packages each year to deployed service people.

“In 2012, I unexpectedly lost my father and it was a huge reminder as to how precious life and time truly is.

As a result, I run my business by design. I live, work, eat, sleep and breath the community we live in,” Ryan says, “and I’m extremely involved in my kids’ lives. After losing my father, the concept of legacy rang through my mind allowing him to live on and how others would view me. I love the quote that people won’t always remember what you did, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. So I make it my goal to do my best in every situation, and hope that others can say this about their interactions with me. My mission is to help others succeed, and in turn, I am hoping we can grow our businesses together!”

Ryan J. Orr - Vice President Ticor Title 4120 Concours, Suite 400 Ontario, CA 91764 Tel: 909-767-0718 Email: ryanjorr7@gmail.com Web: www.TeamTitleGuy.com

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

It Takes a Positive Attitude to Achieve Positive Results

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our attitude determines the state of the world you live in. It is the foundation for every success and every failure you have had and will have. It will make you or break you.

Your attitude controls your life. But the good news?

You control your attitude.

Attitude creates the way you feel about people and situations. Your actions are a result of your attitude— which in turn creates a reaction from others.

It is your attitude toward others and the universe that determines the resulting attitude toward you.

Have a positive, joyful attitude and you’ll have positive, joyful results. Put out a bad, negative attitude and you’ve failed before you begin.

Basically, what you think is what you get.

I know it sounds simple, but, the truth is, it is: Where do negative attitudes come from?

Negative attitudes come from thinking negative thoughts over and over until they become part of your subconscious, part of your personality—they become habitual. You may not even realize you have a negative attitude because it’s been with you for so long.

Once you have a bad attitude, you expect failure and disaster. And that expectation turns you into a magnet for failure and disaster.

Then it becomes a vicious cycle: You expect the worst, so you get the worst. Your negative beliefs are reinforced. So you expect the worst, and you get the worst.

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So, how do you shift your thoughts and create a positive attitude?

It takes work, but creating anything of value takes work. In order to have a new attitude, you have to change your subconscious thinking. How? By analyzing every thought you have until positive thinking becomes habit. You’re merely replacing an old habit with a healthy habit, much like replacing smoking with exercise.

You can’t just stop being negative—you have to replace those negative thoughts with positive ones.

Some people would say, “But negative situations are a reality. They just show up in everyday life.”

This is absolutely not true. Situations are a reality, yes. They do show up, yes. It is your attitude that makes a situation positive or negative. It’s time for you to realize that you are in control of how you think and feel—no one else on earth has this power unless you give it away.

Take control of your attitude, your state of mind, and you take control of your results.

Mark Victor Hansen, “that Chicken Soup for the Soul guy®”, inspires NEW VISION that generates innovation, productivity and profitability. markvictorhansen. com. Copyright(c) 2003, Mark Victor Hansen. All rights reserved. For information about Mark’s Keynote Presentations, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704.

FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com; http:// www.frogpond.com.

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

Written by H. K. Wilson

Alex Rios

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hen Realtor® Alex Rios was growing up in the Rancho Cucamonga foothills (Alta Loma), he read a couple of books including Robert Koyosakis famous book, “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” The ideas in these books along with other influences helped change the course of his future. “My dad owned his own business as a doctor of chiropractic. I grew up with my Dad as my role model of course in reference to entrepreneurship and having your own business.

I also knew growing up that my parents owned real estate. That complemented much of the material I was reading. I knew that I wanted to go into real estate at some point, in some form.”

Alex first worked as a sales professional in the finance sector, where he honed his ability to connect with people. “When I got into real estate, I think I was better prepared in reference to sales, because I was used to prospecting and communicating,” Alex says. “This business is just about people. Those early experiences had me develop a skill set, so I wasn’t afraid to pick up the phone or show up at the door to talk to people.”

With his advanced knowledge of finance and investing, Alex understands that real estate is a valuable financial asset, and he helps his clients make buying and selling decisions that will benefit them today and long into the future. In addition to representing families who are buying or selling homes in the Inland Empire, he also represents investors who are seeking multi-unit income properties.

Alex says that working with boutique agency Realty Masters and Associates gives him the freedom to allocate resources where they most benefit clients.

“Realty Masters allows me to do what I need to do to serve my clients. Big brokerages demand a lot of fees, when I could potentially use that money to help my clients with better marketing or other things that will help close their deal.”

Full Service ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Clients appreciate Alex’s constant availability and follow-through. “My goal is to offer full service. My clients never have to worry or wonder where Alex is.

They can always get a hold of me when they need me. It gives buyers and sellers a lot of peace of mind when they’re in escrow.”

Alex surpasses the competition when it comes to marketing. “Anybody can list a property, but I do active marketing,” he says. “I make phone calls around the area and door-knock the neighborhood — whatever it takes to help a buyer find the perfect home or a seller get top dollar for their listing.”

Past clients sing Alex’s praises with their five-star service reviews. One buyer said: “We listed and sold our home with Alex and couldn’t be happier with the service he provided! He is a true professional and always thinks outside the box! We will definitely use Alex for the purchase of our next home and would recommend him to anyone looking for an agent!”

Another shared: “Alex was great to work with. He was very committed to selling my house as quickly as possible and for the price that I anticipated. Before working with Alex, I talked to three other Realtors®, none of whom were willing to list my house for the price that I knew that it would sell for. I believe that

they had not properly researched the market. Alex came in right on point for the listing price and was enthusiastic about holding as many open houses as needed to get the property sold. I highly recommend him as a Realtor®!”

Looking back on his early aspirations for a successful career in real estate, Alex says he has definitely chosen the right profession. “I enjoy what I do, and I strive for excellence. My goal is to help my clients follow through with their plans and goals. For many people, real estate is the most sizable investment they will ever make, and the opportunity to be part of that can be very rewarding. Depending on the circumstance, people’s reasons for buying or selling a home are not always happy ones. But it always feels great to be part of it and help people get into the right situation.”

Alex Rios Realty Masters & Associates 8659 Haven Avenue Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Tel: 909.821-7216 Email: Riosassociates@outlook.com Web: https://rmasters.com/contact-us/ DRE # 01917751

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

‘What You Think, You Become’ “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve,” Napoleon Hill once said. “The mind is everything. What you think, you become,” Buddha taught.

You’ve heard high-minded quotes like these all your life. Now science has caught up. We can finally quantify and track how beliefs can shape outcomes.

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck found that some people have a “fixed mindset” and believe that they cannot change their capabilities. Other people have a “growth mindset.” The growers believe they can work toward improving themselves. Dweck and her colleagues studied 373 students and tracked their academic performance from the beginning of seventh grade through the end of the eighth. They found that those with a growth mindset think-I-can-think-I-can’d themselves to a rise in grade point average, while those with a fixed mindset remained the same.

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It’s also been shown that if, before taking an IQ test, people read an article saying that IQ is changeable instead of fixed based on genes, their IQ scores improve.

This is one of the biggest tenets of my book The Happiness Advantage: Simply believing change is possible makes change possible.

What areas of your life do you need to move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset?

Written by - Shawn Achor is a Harvard-trained researcher and best-selling author of The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness. Get a daily dose of happy at Shawn’s Facebook page.

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HELPING MILITARY & VETERAN

FAMILIES REALIZE THE

AMERICAN DREAM! 2,600 + VETERANS

EDUCATED ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP

1,500 + FAMILIES

WHO WE ARE Established in 2011, the USA Homeownership Foundation, Inc. DBA Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to increasing sustainable homeownership, financial-literacy education, VA loan awareness, and economic opportunity for the active-military and veteran communities.

WERE HELPED THROUGH VAREP CARES

750 VETERANS PLACED IN HOMES THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS

UPCOMING LOCAL VAREP EVENT VAREP Orange County - Golf Tournament September 14, 2018 Tustin Ranch Golf Course 12442 Tustin Ranch Rd, Tustin, CA 92782

66 HOUSING SUMMITS TO EMPOWER VETERAN HOMEOWNERSHIP

WHO CAN JOIN? Any individual regardless if you have served or not. VAREP and its members represent and work within all sectors of the real estate, housing and financial services industries...

WE WANT YOU!

VAREP San Bernardino - Veterans Housing Summit Saturday · September 22, 2018 Check In 8:00AM Event 9:00AM - 2:00PM Ontario Chamber Of Commerce Education Training Room 3200 Inland Empire Blvd., Ste 130 Ontario, CA 91764 VAREP San Diego - Golf Tournament September 26, 2018 Riverwalk Golf Club 1150 Fashion Valley Road · San Diego CA 92108 View the full VAREP Events Calendar at:

https://varep.net/eventsfront/advocacy

info@VAREP.net | w w w .VAR EP. n e t | 951-444-7363 VAREP IS A 501.C.3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE. USA HOMEOWNERSHIP DBA VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS TAX ID: 45-2458485

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Nomination Form Nominate a fellow REALTORÂŽ to be featured in one of our feature stories; on the cover as Executive Agent of the Month, or as a special feature story. All candidates must be nominated by a real estate professional. The selection process includes a questionnaire, personal interview, reference check and final approval by the Advisory Council. Candidates are evaluated based upon professionalism, length of service and uniqueness of story, as well as industry and community involvement.

I Nominate: Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Address____________________________ _____________________________________ City, State, Zip_____________________ _____________________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________ Submitted By: Fax/Email nomination to: Executive Agent Magazine PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Fax: 949.266.8757 Email: Fred@ExecutiveAgentMagazine.com Tel: 949.297.8323

Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________

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Cover Story

Aaron Stel Executive Agent of the Month

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written by H. K. Wilson - Ian Wiant Photographer

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rom the time he graduated from college and began working for the gold standard in hospitality, RitzCarlton, Aaron Stel has proven that for him, being average is never enough. He has excelled at selling everything from luxury vacations to luxury homes, and his journey has taken him to such dazzling destinations as the Caribbean, Australia and even Hollywood as a featured agent on Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles.”

Now, as principal of the Stellar Real Estate Group at Realty Masters and Associates in Rancho Cucamonga, Aaron is setting a new standard for real estate excellence that is nothing short of stellar.

The leading real estate team in Rancho Cucamonga, the Stellar Real Estate Group continues to shine. This 10-person team includes Aaron’s wife, Casey Stel, who carries out the team’s day-to-day marketing and business operations. “She’s the backbone for me, our family and our business,” Aaron says, “and she helps give me so many good ideas and implement the things I want to do.”

Aaron’s assistant, Ryan Card, has worked alongside him for the past four years, smoothing the way for clients by delivering unfailing communication and attentive service.

“For me, the exciting part is that we’ve grown organically,” Aaron continues. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that three people on our team are past clients who decided to get their licenses, quit their other careers and come work with me. Knowing that I had a big enough impact on them to trust me with their futures is humbling.

Our culture is one of fun, and everyone here supports each

other. Every individual is goal-oriented and driven, but we all work together to ensure that each person is hitting their goals and feels supported.”

Aaron says that his team’s ability to establish credibility and rapport with clients is their key to success.

“Communication is one of the things our clients really appreciate, and myself and my team strive to be transparent. We have our clients’ best interests at heart in everything we do.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

PROVIDING A STELLAR REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE Building his brand in partnership with local boutique Realty Masters and Associates makes it possible for Aaron and his team to give their clients a higher level of service.

“I can put more money into marketing and do more creative things to help market and sell our clients’ properties, as opposed to giving it all to the brokerage in fees. I’ve worked for a big brand before, and I found that it wasn’t the thing that was helping me get business — the way you treat people is what really matters.”

Aaron and his team are vigilant about staying in touch

with past clients. In fact, they host several client appreciation events each year designed to network the people they serve. “There are a lot of big companies like Amazon opening headquarters here, so we have a lot of clients moving in from out of the area. Our events are a great way for people to connect and start new friendships.” Look for the team’s big blue tent at community happenings like the Halloween Trunk-or-Treat and the summer concerts at Red Hill Community Park. The team also loves food and wine events and supports numerous functions at local schools.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

With the team’s collective market knowledge, stand-out service and uncompromising integrity, it is no surprise that clients keep coming back and referring their friends. Aaron and his team have earned a staggering 150-plus five-star reviews on Zillow, each one documenting a stellar buying or selling experience.

One client said this: “Aaron and his team are top notch!

They are highly professional and incredibly knowledgeable in their field. From start to finish, they handled every aspect of the sale of our home beautifully, and they were always available at a moment’s notice to answer any questions we had. A very special thank you to Ryan, who was in constant contact with us and took care of every detail as if it were his own home. We felt safe knowing our sale was in your hands. We can’t thank you enough!”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Stellar Real Estate Group is the leading Real Estate Team serving Rancho Cucamonga Aaron is continuing to expand his team with proven systems, technology and marketing tools that help agents grow their businesses. These resources ensure that each transaction closes for the right price and in the shortest time possible, while giving agents the flexibility to maintain a healthy work/life balance. “We work hard, but we still make time to spend with family. I’ve built this support system so we can do our best work for clients and still have a life.”

According to Aaron, his success is not just his own, but is the sum of all the people who make up the team. “We want to be the number one choice of customers because we deliver on what we promise and exceed expectations.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Aaron Stel Stellar Real Estate Group - Realty Masters & Associates 8659 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Tel: 909-360-6503 - Email: aaronstel@gmail.com Web: https://www.stellarregroup.com - DRE # 01951620 ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Executive Agent Magazine www.ExecutiveAgentMagazine.com 949.366.3349 Info@eamag.net www.ExecutiveAgentMagazine.com 949.297.8323 Fred@ExecutiveAgentMagazine.com

UPCOMING EVENTS & CLASSES FOR MEMBERS •

November 6, 2019 Veterans Luncheon

•

•

November 7, 2019 Keys to Closure - The Probate Process

• December 05, 2019 SRAR Kids Holiday

•

November 13, 2019 Overview of Commercial Real Estate Investment Analysis

November 13, 2019 Duane Gomer 45 Hour CE Course with Live Review Party

Visit www.SRAR.com for more information on all events and classes!

Veterans Day is Monday, November 11th. In observance, the SRAR offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 12th. Please visit our Veterans page at www.srar.com/veterans.

With Respect, Honor and Gratitude. Thank you Veterans

SPONSOR A CHILD IN NEED

Contact Theresa via email at TheresaG@srar.com for more infomation

Listen While You Work

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believe that the earning potential for a salesperson is directly linked to the quality of his or her active listening skills. To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of selling. An ancient Chinese proverb reminds us; “To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well.” While everyone can benefit from this sage advice, these words of wisdom are particularly appropriate for professional salespeople. No sales rep has ever listened himself out of a sale.

Would you consider yourself to be a good listener?

How would your customers, business associates, friends, and family members rate your listening ability?

Their feedback just might surprise you, because most people believe they’re much better listeners than they truly are.

Poor listeners frequently confuse the physical act of hearing with the emotional art of listening. While hearing is a function of biology, active listening skills must be acquired and developed. In the selling process, when you talk you merely provide information, but when you genuinely listen you show respect, create trust, and develop rapport. Unfortunately, our educational system places great emphasis on speaking and writing, but not on the important skill of active listening. For example, I have a good friend with a PhD who speaks three languages fluently, but can’t listen worth a hoot. The good news is that it is

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never too late to begin working on improving your active listening skills… from the kitchen table to the sales table.

Active listening is making a conscious effort to hear your customer’s words as well as to try and understand the total message being sent, both verbally and nonverbally. It requires you to listen not only with your ears, but also with your eyes. It’s important to monitor your customer’s body language gestures and look for congruency between his or her words, posture, movement, and tone of voice.

Are you able to stay focused on your customer or does your mind wander? By giving your customer your full and undivided attention, you’re not only showing respect, but you’re also laying a foundation of trust and building rapport. Discipline your mind and put aside distracting thoughts. Each time you catch your mind starting to wander, “grab it” and immediately refocus your attention back to your customer.

The best salespeople have a tendency to listen like a homicide detective and ask great probing questions to gain understanding and promote conversation.

They don’t make assumptions, they summarize and seek clarity. An occasional question or comment to recap what has been said communicates that you understand the message. Until this is done, your customer will resist your input.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

If you would like to improve your sales effectiveness, consider incorporating the following active listening tips into your sales presentation.

1. Face your customer and give him or her your complete and undivided attetion.

2. Show your attentiveness through your body language by sitting up straight, maintaining good eye contact, uncrossing your legs, unfolding your arms, and leaning forward slightly.

3. Minimize distractions by turning off your cell phone.

4. Respond appropriately to show that you understand by nodding your head in agreement.

5. Encourage your customer to give you more information by using open-ended questions such as “How did you feel when that happened?”

6. Keep an open mind and don’t jump to any conclusion or make assumptions. Wait until your customer has finished speaking before deciding that you disagree.

summarize comments. Paraphrase your customer’s key statements to make sure you didn’t misunderstand his or her point of view. Start with: “So if I’m hearing you correctly, you’re saying…”

Where communication is poor, mistakes increase, relationships breakdown, and opportunities to make the sale are missed! If you want to enhance your professional image, strengthen relationships, and dramatically improve your sales effectiveness, I encourage you to listen while you work.

“I only wish I could find an institute that teaches people how to listen. Business people need to listen at least as much as they need to talk. Too many people fail to realize that real communication goes in both directions.”

- Lee Iacocca John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. John is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker with an impeccable track record in the meeting industry. To have John speak at your next event, visit www.johnboe.com or call 937-299-9001.

Free Newsletter available on website.

7. Don’t interrupt your customer when he or she is speaking.

8. Ask questions for clarification and periodically

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W E ’ R E

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Looking for more than a network?  Professional support and education  National industry events and unique networking opportunities  Advocacy that makes a difference  Market intelligence for business growth

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Joe McGreevy Mortgage Loan Consultant cell: 714.396.1619 | efax: 310.536.3621 NMLS# 66072 | joe.mcgreevy@kinecta.org kinecta.org/jmcgreevy

Brad Martin Construction Lending Manager cell: 949.293.1900 | efax: 310.536.3622 NMLS# 260513 | Bradley.Martin@kinecta.org kinecta.org/bmartin

kinecta.org/construction-to-perm Membership requirements apply. NMLS (Nationwide Mortgage Lending Service) ID: 407870. Subject to credit and property approval. Rates, program terms, and conditions are subject to change without notice. Not all products are available in all states and for all loan amounts. Other restrictions and limitations may apply. The actual terms of the loan will depend upon the specific characteristics of the loan transaction, the applicant’s credit history, and other financial circumstances that may apply.

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How to Master New Skills

Mastering any new skill all comes down to purposeful practice and wanting it enough.

Napoleon Hill, the author of Think and Grow Rich, said that the starting point of all achievement is desire, and you actually need to have a pulsating desire that can never be extinguished or knock you off course irrespective of what adversity you face.

Once you put in that simple and consistent action and you know what your perfect destination looks like, just focus on the seeds you sow, not the harvest you reap, and the outcome will take care of itself.

Written by James Whittaker

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Better Is Something You Become

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wise and resilient old gentleman who used to dine every month in his club downtown—sitting at a long table covered with a white linen tablecloth and sporting silver candlesticks, and served by tuxedoed waiters—loved to regale companions with the fruits of his many years of experience. After dessert and coffee were served, he would push back from the table and light an enormous imported cigar.

“This cigar is the only indulgence of an old man,” he would say with a chuckle as he struck the wooden match against his thumbnail, and then he’d launch into one of his stories.

They usually began with a question, such as, “Did I ever tell you about the time when I was setting up factories for the Giant XYZ Corporation in the backwoods of Georgia and was compelled to teach them a little lesson in business and good manners?”

Although the stories always started out the same, no two stories were ever alike, and there would always be a wealth of wisdom through example, a veritable mother lode of remarkable instruction. And this man who was so old, so wise and so flexible had one ironclad rule for dealing with other people. This rule involved learning and growing from every experience, so the negative ones need never happen again.

He said, “If a man fools me once, I think, That’s not nice, and I remember it. If the same man fools me a second time, I think, Shame on you. If the same fellow tricks me a third time, well, I have been warned and should have changed my ways and didn’t, so I think, Shame on me.”

If you’re not changing your responses to the situations and circumstances that make up your life, you’re not being flexible, and you’re throwing away the greatest asset as an individual human being. None of us can completely control external events, but we can always control and adapt our responses. None of us can know which cards fate is going to deal out, but we can always control how we play them.

sitting around the conference table, one of them asked, “Mr. Rohn, you know some important people around the world. What do you think the next 10 years are going to be like?” I said, “Gentlemen, I do know the right people.

I can tell you.” So they all listened very carefully. I said, “Gentlemen, based on the people I know and from the best of my own experience, I’ve concluded that in the coming 10 years, things are going to be about like they’ve always been.”

I said that to make a point, but also because it’s accurate.

Things are going to be about like they’ve always been. The tide comes in, and then what? It goes out. That’s been the case for 6,000 years of recorded history, and probably long before that, so it’s not likely to change.

It gets light and then what? It turns dark. For 6,000 years.

We are not to be startled by that now. If the sun goes down and someone says, “What happened?” he must have just gotten here, I guess. It always goes down about this time of day.

In rotation, the next season after fall is winter. And pray tell, how often does winter follow fall? Every time, without fail, for 6,000 years that we know of. Of course, some winters are long and some are short, some are difficult and some are easy, but they always come right after fall. That isn’t going to change.

Sometimes you can figure it out, sometimes there’s no way to figure it out. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it gets in a knot. Sometimes it sails along, sometimes it goes in reverse. That’s not going to change. That last 6,000 years read like this: opportunity mixed with difficulty. It isn’t going to change.

Someone says, “Well, then, how will my life change?”

And the answer is: When you change.

Whether I’m talking to high school kids or business executives, my message is always the same. The only way it gets better for you is when you get better. Better is not something you wish for; better is something you become.

I once did a seminar for a group of oil company executives during their convention in Honolulu. While we were

Written by jim Rohn ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Our bone marrow transplant reunion is now standing room only.

Each year, City of Hope invites bone marrow transplant recipients and their families to attend the “Celebration of Life” event. It’s a joyous time during which survivors of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma embrace their health, their life and each other. It began more than 35 years ago when City of Hope created what is now one of the largest and most successful bone marrow transplant programs in the world. In fact, we’ve completed over 11,000 transplants and, according to national reports, our outcomes are among the best in the nation. The goal of curing cancer isn’t just something we work at. It’s what we live for.

If you have cancer, make us your first call. Or ask your doctor for a referral. We accept most insurance.

800-826-HOPE

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WE LIVE TO CURE CANCER. Science saving lives. cityofhope.org/bmt

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