What People Value by Pat Melfi

Cover of Feelings (Piccolo Books)

One of the world's largest record company's recently interviewed other firms to handle its payroll. After interviewing the three finalist firms, the three members of the selection committee were stumped. They decided on a perfect solution. They flew to each of the finalist's headquarters, took a short walk around and "got a feeling" for each place. When they walked into the third company's lobby, something immediately somehow "just felt right." They stayed but five minutes, and then headed home. From the airport back home, they called the third company with the multi-million dollar good news.

So often, that is the difference. Not superior competence. Not more years of experience. Just something tiny, like the feeling that you give people. People buy feelings--People value--and pay more for--the way you make them feel.

As promised, we are on a 5 day journey in which we said that at the beginning of each day we will begin with a thought, sort of a theme for the day. We will focus on that theme and throughout the day we will apply the theme in our day and from that day forward apply the principle daily.

Day 2: The Law of Compensation

Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment...your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. Or to put it another way, your compensation is directly proportional to how many lives you touch.

Having been in the entertainment business for over thirty years, I always thought it seemed so unfair how movie stars, musical acts and top athletes pulled down those huge salaries. But people who were doing such great work, such noble work--like school teachers--never got paid what they're worth. It always seemed arbitrary. What I am saying now is, it's not a question of their value. It's a question of their impact. And there two amazing things about this. First, it means that you get to determine your level of compensation--it's under your control. If you want more success, find a way to serve more people. It's that simple. It also means there are no limitations on what you can earn, because you can always find more people to serve. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., once said, "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve." Another way to say that might be, everybody can be successful because anybody can give.

Interestingly enough I have spent countless years in service to others. At the beginning of my career, there came upon me a strong feeling that others might take advantage of me for this. A quick study of The Law of Attraction caused me to adjust my feelings about this. In this law I learned that by feeling that way I could actually attract that kind of outcome. Remember we spoke about this last week when we said that when Mind creates a thought or desire, it will actually manifest it. Since I did not want to attract that kind of outcome, I began to think that all people want by nature to be good and deserve to be served.

Again, as we close we find some very key points that are directly tied to The Law of Compensation that are also tied to yesterday's topic The Law of Value. See if can see the common thread and email me back.

I have become a servant to many of you who email me daily, thanking me for the inspiration I am given through the grace of God to motivate you into a better place, a better spirit, a better life...I am truly grateful for that. Without you, I am nothing. Your emails daily, are a service that I cherish. At the end of the day...people buy feelings!!!

A Quitter Never Wins--And A Winner Never Quits by Pat Melfi

Today we examine the powerful words in the statement of the tilte of this article. These are the words of Napolean Hill, the author of Think And Grow Rich. When one realises the value of these words, new plans of action are able to be put into motion. I am reminded of the routines one goes through day-after-day. The comfort zone. I am guilty of this myself. Like millions of other folks, I am a creature of habit. For 35 years I have started to shave on the left side of my face. Some 10 years ago I married this awesome woman who one morning asked me why I started to shave on the left side of my face when I am right handed. I had never thought about that before, but quickly concluded "habit." From that day forward, I began to shave starting with the right side. I admit, at the beginning, it was awkward, it was different and it required discipline. And it followed suit with my comment that "we are all creatures of habit." Now, the new routine is exactly that, a routine such that I hardly remember the old way.

As true to form as this is, the principle applies to one becoming successful in business. Peter Drucker, a Leading Management Specialist makes this comment concerning The Entreprenuerial Mystique..."It's not magic, it's not mysterious, and it has nothing to do with the genes. It's a discipline. And like any discipline, it can be learned."

It is most important to ALWAYS remember that the journey between Point A and Point B is nothing more than a "state of mind." Once the Mind determines it's desire, converts that to writing and applies the very principle of it's writing, it happens. It is that simple. Why then is there so much adversity, poverty and danger in the average life? Why is so hard for the average human being to convert the process to reality? We live in a society where we are taught at every turn, things of value that are not expensive must not be good. We convert that concept to this: If it's not hard or complex, it's not worth having. Simplicity is key to the success of any adventure.

Think back to your dating days. Some dates were easier to acquire than others. The acquired ones were laced with simplicty every time. The minute you put complex strategies to work in something as simple as a date, you failed. You see we as human being want simplicity, honestly and positive results. So the statement "keep it simple stupid" applies to everything we do.

Yesterday I was able to be a part of a valuable lesson with my 4 year old grandson, Parker. While on the basketball court in our back yard, he made the statement, "Granpa, I WANT to make a basket." I could have just lifted him to the basket but instead I used the opportunity as a teaching moment. I asked him if he heard what he had just said and he repeated his statement, "I WANT to make a basket." I spent a moment with him pointing out the word "WANT." I shared with him the thought that I believed that "WANT" is the first step of anything one cares about achieving. He was wide open. Then I followed it up with the statement that he needed to check with God to see if that was also the will of God for him. This innocent young boy looked up to the sky and said "Heavenly Father, is it ok for me to make a basket"? The result, with vigor in his eyes he threw the ball. Not only did he make the basket, Michael Jordan would have envied his shot, a perfect swish.

So, in conclusion of today's positive vibe, start with the desire, write down the desire, place a time frame on accomplishing the desire, check with God and get on about enjoying the benefits that come from your accomplishment...and you WILL accomplish all that you set out to do. Pretty simple huh? Try it for a week and write me back with your success stories.