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Today, let's look at what parents can do to help their children develop good character. 

How do people develop character? Well, first and most important, by what they are taught and what they see as they grow up. Very simply, placing examples of virtue in front of young people as early as possible, and as often as possible, forms character.

It is those positive pictures that they see, absorb, and understand are of great personal value that they will be drawn toward. Human beings are picture-oriented; it's hardwired in our brains.

You see, you don't build character in your children… >>>

Have you ever heard of the "if only" syndrome? Maybe you have a touch of it yourself. People with this syndrome often blame others for their disappointments and failures.

They blame their families - "Nobody could succeed with the parents I have."

They blame their friends - "If only my so-called friends would come through for me once in a while." They blame their circumstances - "It's obvious that the deck is stacked against me." Their complaints frequently start with the words "if only," such as, "If only I had more money. If only I had paid more attention in… >>>

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been encouraging you to figure out what you can do to take charge of your life, your decisions and your plans for the future. I'd like to revisit these themes a little more today, and ask you this question:  Do you know what you want for yourself?

Some people have trouble with this question.  They know what they're supposed to want - what their parents or bosses or friends or the media tell them they should want ­- but something is wrong.

While they seem happy and successful, inside they feel unfulfilled,… >>>

The road to positive change isn't always easy. Let's talk about ways to strengthen your will to change, ways that go far beyond New Year's resolutions - especially the ones you made three weeks ago, and have already abandoned.

You've decided to change something about your life. Maybe you've decided to lose 20 pounds or run two miles every day or stop smoking. You've made your decision and begun the new behavior, you're affirming it in words and mental pictures several times a day, and things are going great. 

Sooner or later, you're probably going to be tempted to slip… >>>

These first few weeks of January have been packed with news from around the world and the home front. Perhaps now, more than many new years of the past, is a good time for us to look inward - wonder if we are living life in the best possible way, and examine if there are things we'd like to change. 

If you know about the work I do, or if you're a regular receiver of this email, you probably know that I believe it's up to you to create a life that works, that feels right, and that makes you… >>>

Our beliefs and abilities can make or break us. Today, let's talk about a few beliefs and abilities that each of you might want to develop to live a more productive, successful life, allowing you to make a positive difference each day.

Everyone knows that the three "Rs" - "reading, (w)riting and (a)rithmetic" - are critical skills to have. But there are other abilities and beliefs that are equally critical if you are going to live a successful life. 

You must believe that you are a capable person, you contribute in meaningful ways to your relationships and society, and that… >>>

How do athletes go from contender to superstar? How do ordinary people become extraordinary? Here's a secret to achieve breakthrough performance in your everyday life.

Everyone has times when they feel like they are unstoppable, times when they are doing whatever it is they do with ease, grace and incredible skill. But no one, not even the best of the best, can operate in that ideal performance-state 100% of the time.  

The secret to achieving extraordinarily high levels of performance is learning how to take command of your mind and body so that you can operate at your peak when… >>>

There is nothing in the world more powerful than a good idea. As I have traveled all over the world in the last 40-some years, I have learned or discovered some terrific ways to break through self-doubt, get rid of unfulfilling lifestyles and achieve success. I teach them at every opportunity. Here are seven ideas that can turn you into a super-achiever, if you will only use them. 

First, becoming your best self is a choice you make. 

Second, change happens through action and the understanding that we create our future. 

Third, dwell on your strengths, use them constantly, and… >>>

I'm here today to remind all of us that one person cannot solve the challenges of the world. That is the work for each one of us.

If you want to, you can find problems in every part of the globe. Set your mind to find them, and it won't take you long to fill a very large piece of paper, perhaps an entire notebook. Personally, I prefer to look for opportunities to change the way things "are" by asking the question, "What would it look like if it was fixed?" Then I ask myself, "What can I do to… >>>

Diane and I were talking, reflecting back on what I have been writing to you, and she said something that got me thinking. We were talking about how some people perceive the economic "crisis" and Diane said, "You know, the poor already know how to handle adversity. They deal with it every day. It is those who are suddenly hit with a job loss or property loss, those who have never had this happen to them before, who are going to need help."

One of the most remarkable attributes of human beings is our ability to "come back" after a… >>>