CK Message – 2008: Your Year to ACCELERATE

You probably know Norman Vincent Peale as the author of The Power of Positive Thinking. He was the pastor of Marble Collegiate Church from 1932 until 1984. In that time, the church grew in numbers from 600 to 5000 members. He started a radio program and a magazine, and it is estimated that 750,000 people a month received his inspirational words. In 1952 he wrote the book that made him famous. The Power of Positive Thinking was on the New York Times bestseller list for 186 weeks. Peale preached what millions of people needed to hear and what they knew instinctively to be true: Life Has A Purpose. Each one of us is designed to fulfill a purpose. That purpose is NOT to sit around and feel bad about ourselves. God’s purpose is for us to go out into the world and do great things. 
Invent great products. Build great companies. Inspire people. 

Critics of Peale’s “Positive Gospel” consider it to be simplistic and shallow. But I want to share with you that this “Positive Gospel” is THE FOUNDATION of the American Dream. It wasn’t invented by Norman Vincent Peale. He just publicized it. It was originally brought to this country by the reformed Calvinists in the 1600s. Benjamin Franklin embraced it and made it practical. Thomas Jefferson called it the “Pursuit of Happiness” and included it in the Declaration of Independence. It is the idea that ANYONE can become a success in America. 

In 1937, the worst year of the Great Depression, Napoleon Hill grabbed hold of the “Positive Gospel” and turned it into his book: Think and Grow Rich. Hill wrote that riches are available to ANYONE who changed his attitude. “Thoughts are things,” he wrote. Hill was a devout Christian and did not see any conflict between his success philosophy and his religious faith. Hill stated that the success formula requires a complete and total understanding of the Spirit of Giving. He named this concept The Golden Rule.

In 1936, Dale Carnegie wrote How to Win Friends and Influence People. Carnegie also thought that it is possible to change your destiny by changing your thinking. When Carnegie died in 1955, his book had sold more than 5 million copies.

If you think it, you CAN do it. That is the essence of the American Dream. You can follow the chain from Benjamin Franklin in the 1700s to Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie in the 20th Century. The American Gospel of Hope and Optimism expressed by Norman Vincent Peale has given millions of people a Technicolor picture of the American Dream. If you WANT to achieve the American Dream, you have to SEE IT and BELIEVE IN IT first.

2008: Your Year to Accelerate is the theme I want all of you to surround yourselves with for the upcoming year. This is about bringing Harmonic Wealth into your life.

I want you to Accelerate Harmonic Wealth in 5 areas of your life:

Accelerate your Financial Wellbeing

Accelerate improving your personal Relationships

Accelerate Mentally to reach out and learn new things

Accelerate Physically to eat healthier foods, exercise, and improve your physical wellbeing

Accelerate to a higher Spiritual level, whatever that is for you

Harmonic Wealth means success and happiness in ALL of these five areas of your life. I want you to have the Financial Wealth that you deserve. I want you to have Wealth in the quality of your Relationships with others. I want you to have Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Wealth so you truly experience what it means to be happy.

Many so-called successful people make a tremendous amount of money, but their relationships are rocky. Someone else may be a gifted genius but is physically sick all of the time. Then there are those who seem to be deeply spiritual but are always financially broke.

Think about the harmony created in a musical group or orchestra. That perfect harmony is what I am talking about. The real key to creating the life of your dreams is achieving true Harmonic Wealth. That is where you’ll find contentment, peace-of-mind, and TRULY live the life of your dreams.

This week, think about these five areas of your life. Do you want to double or triple your income in 2008? Do you want your relationships to be on more solid ground? Do you want to plug in to your creativity and mental powers? Do you want to be physically healthier and stronger? Do you want to have a more fulfilled spiritual life? Complete harmony in your life creates your level of happiness and true success. 

We’ll be talking more about 2008: Your Year to Accelerate and Harmonic Wealth in the weeks and months to come. 2008 WILL BE Your Year to Accelerate and have Harmonic Wealth in your life. Get ready for an exciting journey.

Have a great Vía Week!