I think everyone would agree that a hopeful attitude is a good thing. But what exactly is hope? Can it be learned? Centuries of folk wisdom and religious teaching have taught the benefits of a hopeful attitude. These days, researchers believe that hope may be associated with good health and greater success, both personally and professionally.

But what exactly is hope? Well, according to Dr. Rick Snyder while at the University of Kansas, hope is a practical, goal-oriented attitude - a stance people assume in the face of difficulty. It combines a goal-directed determination with the ability to generate the… >>>

How effective are you at getting your message across when you speak?  If you think you could be better, I have a few pointers that may help.

I've spent a large part of my life talking about human behavior to people all over the world.  Most of the public speaking I do is to large groups, but I do quite a bit of one-on-one coaching, too.  I have learned that the actual words I say are only part of the picture when it comes to getting people to remember what I say.

This is true for you, too - whether… >>>

What is the best way to teach children? There are many theories about the most effective way to teach children. Some say repetition is important, while others say hands-on experiences are better. Some say kids learn best in a highly structure environment, while others think the freedom to experiment works best.

Here is what I think. The best way to teach children - is by loving example. This means that if you want your children to enjoy reading, cuddle them while you read to them, from a very early age. If you want them to be respectful, give them your… >>>

Is it possible to have high self-esteem and humility at the same time? For over 40 years, I have been teaching people from all walks of life to raise their self-esteem and their self-efficacy.  Every now and then, someone will ask me, rather nervously, if raising their self-esteem is going to make them into conceited, egotistical or selfish people.

Now, it is true that people with high self-esteem value their worth as human beings and as individuals. They enjoy their own company, and have confidence in their ability to overcome obstacles and to achieve the goals they have set for… >>>

Today, let's talk about how to handle those inevitable setbacks that occur, from time to time, in your quest to be a better human being.

If you are a regular receiver of the Winner's Circle, you know I talk quite a bit about affirmations because they are a wonderful way to help people change for the better.  (Now, affirmations are just emotionally charged, present-tense statements describing a desired end-result.)  For example, an affirmation you could make if you want to be a more loving person is, "I really enjoy treating all people with respect and courtesy in every possible circumstance."… >>>

How much control do you believe you have over what happens to you in life?  Today, let's discuss how feelings about who is in control can affect end results.

Some people believe they have very little control over what happens to them. When good things occur, they think it is mostly a matter of luck or circumstance. They don't set goals or plan very far ahead, because they believe that how things turn out is beyond their control. Their stress and tension levels are generally very high, and they often feel overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless. Strangely enough, when unpleasant things… >>>

Many people think that courage is an unusual act of bravery, but it is far more than that. Do you believe that courage is something that certain special people display in times of great danger?

Of course, I agree. But, I also think that courage needs to be an everyday fact of life, if we are going to use more of our potential and become all that we can be. In fact, I believe that courage precedes all positive change. Courage is the magic key that opens the door to the full experience of life.

Of course, no courage is… >>>

Can the use of visualization techniques really help you achieve your goals in life? Perhaps you know someone who uses mental rehearsal, or visualization, to help them develop the behavior they'd like to have?

I've used visualization for over 40 years, and it is an important part of what I teach others, as well. And by the way, there is nothing at all mysterious about how visualization works. You see, human beings think in the form of words, which trigger pictures and emotions - and our subconscious cannot tell the difference between something we imagine vividly and the real thing.… >>>

Seminar participants often ask me what they can do to build their own self-esteem. It seems easier to build another person's self-esteem than affect their own! Today, I'd like to give you some pointers.

The most commonly accepted definition of self-esteem is our own estimation of our value or worth as human beings - and there is probably nothing more important when it comes to living a healthy, happy, productive life. But if you are aware that your self-esteem isn't what it could be, as a result of poor parenting or other early-life difficulties, what can you do about it?… >>>

Labels are important, as they are the terms we use to put things into categories in order to help us understand them. Often, though, instead of helping us understand, labels cause us to make a mental checkmark in an imaginary box - and then stop thinking!

How many kids in the world have been called "slow learners" or even "learning disabled" when their only problem was teachers who lacked patience, or parents who didn't recognize genius when they saw it? How many people hear the words, "You have a fatal illness," and simply resign themselves to die?

How many Protestants… >>>

Who's in control of what makes you feel good? Today, let's talk about how you can dramatically increase the joy in your life.

Everyone likes to feel good. However, too many people seem to believe feeling good is something that happens to them, rather than something they create themselves. When they feel badly, they just wait for it to pass, hoping something will happen to make them feel better.

But what if they had a plan for pleasure? What if you had such a plan? I'll bet that you already know lots of things that make you feel good when… >>>

Who am I?  his age-old question is one of the most important you will ever ask or answer. Today, though, I want to ask you a question that is similar, but also very different. "What parts of yourself do you keep secret from others?"  

What do you do when you are alone that you would hate to have anyone find out about? Do you read trashy novels, talk to your plants, or consume ice cream by the quart? Do you indulge in self-destructive activities like illegal drugs or excessive alcohol use? Do you use language you'd be embarrassed to have… >>>

No one ever has all the answers. However, people who ask good questions are the ones who interest me. Albert Einstein once said that, "The important thing is not to stop questioning." His words emphasize something I believe to be extremely important: It's not so much the answers you already have, but rather the quality of the questions you ask that determines the direction of your life.

For example, what sort of questions do you ask when calamity strikes? Do you ask, "Why me, Lord?" or "What's the use of living if this is what happens?" Or, do you ask… >>>

When is it too late to change? If you get off to a bad start, can you still turn things around when you are an adult?

If you're in trouble all the time when you're a kid, a teenager, and even as a young adult, do you think there is any hope that you will straighten out your life when you get to be 30 or 40? According to findings from two of the longest, ongoing research studies in the nation, many people have an amazing capacity for change throughout life.

For example, at the age of 32, "Stan" seemed… >>>

Over 40 years ago when I was coaching high school football, we had an unwritten rule: kids with long hair couldn't make the team. I, and just about every other coach I knew, thought we could tell something important about a kid from the way he wore his hair, and we only wanted what we called "clean cut" guys on our teams.

Of course, we couldn't imagine a guy with a five o'clock shadow playing in the World Series either, or wearing a tux without a tie to pick up an Academy Award, and tattoos were only for those ex-Army… >>>

How important are beliefs and expectations in determining what happens to us in life?

They may be more important than you think.

Have you ever noticed that people who expect the best in life usually seem to get it? And have you noticed that the reverse also seems to be true? Do you think it happens that way due to coincidence or luck? Or is something else going on?

Here is what I think. One of the basic principles of the concepts I teach is that we move toward and become like that which we think about, and we behave… >>>

Today, I have a question for you: What is the difference between confidence and self-esteem? If you are not certain, read on. If you are certain, read on!

Confidence and self-esteem are not the same thing, you know. It is entirely possible to appear confident in front of others without having much in the way of self-esteem. Lots of people do it, and some of them are quite famous. You see, the confidence is just a front, a clever pose - an act. It's like a cake that is made of nothing but icing. It looks solid, but when you… >>>

How do you know when something is good? The answer may not be as simple as it seems, so let's talk about it. It doesn't matter whether it's a work of art, a movie, a restaurant or a new brand of laundry soap - how do you decide that something is "good"?

Many people decide what's good by listening to so-called experts. They will praise a painting they care nothing about because it's hanging in a museum, or the artist's work was favorably reviewed by a fashionable art critic. They'll rave about a new restaurant because it's trendy and they'll… >>>

High self-esteem is a desirable quality, but you can't have it without self-acceptance. 

Self-acceptance is an absolutely essential component of having high self-esteem, but what does self-acceptance mean? Some people think accepting yourself just as you are means that you condone or are proud of your faults - but that is a mistaken idea. You see, to "accept" means to experience the full reality of, without denial or avoidance. I can accept the reality of things about myself that I don't like or condone at all.  

For example, suppose I'm feeling envious of my friend who has a better job.… >>>

If you believe in the value of positive thinking, what do you do with your feelings that are not so positive?  

It's a great thing to be a positive thinker, but sometimes we confuse the desire to think positively with the need to deny our feelings. Have you ever felt sad or angry about something and then rejected that feeling because you believe that it's best to look on the bright side of life?  

This can happen very easily, but I want you to know that when we are thinking positively, we are never denying our feelings. Now, I'm not… >>>