SEE YOU AT THE TOP

by Zig Ziglar

  I ALREADY KNEW THAT

  To eliminate or whip the bad habit, I also urge you to regularly review the Self-Image segment so you will be constantly reminded that you really are somebody (if you are somebody to anybody you are somebody). You also deserve the rewards that go with whipping the bad habit. Go back to the segment on Goals. Learn to “see the reaching.”

  As I have said, the best way to “stop” a bad habit is to never start it. If you don’t smoke that first cigarette, take that first drink, tell the first “little white lie,” have that “harmless” lunch meeting or cup of coffee after work with that “nice” man or woman at the office, smoke that first joint, read that pornographic or homosexual literature for the first time, play bingo, buy a lottery ticket, or cheat in school that first time, then you will have no problems with any of the final habits that result from those initial actions.

  If you have any devastating habits, you neither need nor want me or anyone else telling you that you shouldn’t have started those habits. What you do want to know is how to stop them. Again the best, simplest, and surest way is to ask God for help.

  Evangelist David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade, reports that his organization uses no “crutches,” no medication of any kind, in dealing with hard-core drug addicts. They use only the healing grace of Jesus Christ, and they are successful in over 80% of the cases. I have visited with many residents at D.A.R.E. (Drug Addicts Rehabilitation Enterprises) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They ranged in scope from petty thieves and prostitutes to counterfeiters and murderers. About the only thing they have in common is an addiction to drugs and a desire to be free of the habit. At D.A.R.E., biblical principles are the prescribed cure, and if the addict stays on campus 48 hours, the recovery rate is over 85%. In most instances the addict suffers none of the familiar withdrawal pains or symptoms, even though he or she uses no drugs or medication of any kind.

  By contrast, the federal government operated the most modern facility in the country in Lexington, Kentucky, with the latest technological methods and medicines. The facility cost millions to build and the per-patient cost ran into thousands of dollars. However, less than 2% of the addicts were helped to permanently kick their habit. The results were so disappointing the facility was closed.

  As a practical matter, let me ask you a question. If you were faced with a serious operation and only two surgeons were available, which one would you choose? One assures you that 2% of his patients recover and the other one points out that over 80% of his patients recover. We both know which one you would choose, don’t we? Drug addiction and alcoholism are bigger than the individual, so it takes something bigger than the individual to whip these self-induced diseases.

  GRAB GOOD HABITS

  In Chapter Fifteen, I described in considerable detail the procedure for getting up in the morning. In my judgment, this is a good habit. I emphasize that when you start a procedure like my getting-up routine, it’s going to be tough in some ways. It is a habit you will have to force yourself to “grab.” Then you’ll need to hold onto it for all you are worth. After a few days an interesting thing will begin to happen. It will get easier and even become fun. Do it for 21 days and you’ll have a “good” habit. The results will be so great that you’ll start living in a different world. You’ll become a happy, more motivated, excited, and enthusiastic person. Take a careful look at any good habit and try to acquire it. You’ll get much more out of life if you do.

  In Segment Four of See You at the Top, starting at Chapter Ten, I described goal-setting in minute detail. I pointed out that when I started my exercise program of running, it was a tremendously tough habit to acquire. I literally had to force myself to run that first day . . . and the second . . . and the third. However, as the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, it became easier and easier to get out and run. It became easier because I started experiencing the joy of accomplishment. Now, I’m unhappy when circumstances beyond my control make it difficult and sometimes impossible for me to run. The habit of running and exercising, like all good habits, was tough to acquire. However, when we acquire the “tough” habits, they become “fun” habits, especially when we remember that doing the tough things today will prepare us to do the big things tomorrow. Incidentally, new research by Dr. Ken Cooper reveals that over the long haul, walking is better for you than jogging. So in 1992 I became a walker instead of a jogger.

  YOU OWE IT TO YOU

  Saving money is another good habit. Initially, you have to force yourself to pay yourself before you start paying your bills. But let me suggest that, regardless of what your income might be, your first responsibility is to save a portion of every dollar you earn for yourself and your future. The excitement of saving grows with every dollar you add to your account. Soon this “good” habit is ingrained and becomes a part of you. It is permanently ingrained in you when, as the Chinese say, your children (dollars) have children and then those children have children.

  Yes, saving money is a good habit, but initially you must “grab” it and hold on for dear life. Early in the game there will be many times (would you believe with every pay check?) when you will be tempted not to pay yourself this time because . . . . Let me state this with all the persuasiveness at my disposal: “Regardless of how good the reason for not saving might be, it’s not as good as the reason for firmly establishing the habit of saving.” Many years ago my first employer in Yazoo City, Mississippi, pointed out that if I could live on a certain number of dollars per week, I wouldn’t starve on 10% fewer dollars each week. Obviously, he was right.

  He was also right when he stated that the ability to save money was a strong indication of character and that if you don’t save something on your current income, you won’t save anything on your future income.

  One thing all “success philosophers” agree on is the absolute necessity of saving money regularly if you expect Dame Fortune to smile on you. The money itself can be critical when business opportunities or reverses enter your life. The benefits you derive from disciplining yourself to forego the pleasures of the moment to accomplish your objective are even more important.

  GOOD HABITS PRODUCE GOOD RESULTS

  Courtesy, happiness, and enthusiasm are all good habits. You can literally force yourself to be courteous, happy, and enthusiastic with every person you meet. After you have forced yourself to be so for a short period of time, the habit takes over.

  Smiling is a habit. Occasionally someone will say they dislike an insincere smile. Personally, I’d rather see an insincere smile than a sincere scowl, wouldn’t you? Fortunately, once you’ve smiled a few smiles of any kind and have gotten into the habit, the smiles will cease to be insincere. Remember what William James said about singing? The same thing is true about smiling. We don’t smile because we’re happy, we’re happy because we smile. Another significant reason you should smile is people “react” to you according to the way you “act” towards them. Smile at them and they’ll smile back at you. Scowl at them and they’ll scowl in return.

  As you discover the benefits of smiling you’ll have acquired a good habit. In the process, that smile of yours will become quite natural because it will be an outward expression of an inner feeling. As a fringe benefit you will also discover that a smile is one little curve that sets a lot of things straight.

  Being optimistic, attentive to your wife or husband, or attending church are also good habits. One exciting fact about a good habit is every good habit has a friend and companion. Acquire any good habit and you get an automatic bonus in the form of an additional “good” habit. Example: Saving money increases your security, which gives you added confidence, making it easy to be relaxed and friendly.

  Initially, you might have to work at all of these good habits, but their effect on you and the people you’re around will be so dramatic that soon you’ll no longer have to work on them. Those “good habits” will be working for you, and that’s the stuff of which success and happiness
are made.

  Yes, habits will either make or break us. Good habits are hard to acquire but easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to acquire but hard to live with. In reality, as in all the good things in life, it boils down to the choices we make. We can choose to be happy, healthy, pleasant, courteous, successful, etc. We make the choice when we choose our habits. After we make the habits, they make us. It has truly been said that we build our character from the bricks of habit we pile up day by day. Each one might seem like a little thing, but before we’re aware of it, we’ve shaped the house in which we live.

  Someone observed that success and happiness are not destinations— they are the entire trip. Life is exciting, and this trip to the top will get even more exciting to you with each step. It’s universally true that the closer we get to the objective, the more likely we are to “smell the finish line” and increase our tempo. I hope and believe that you’re feeling much of this excitement as you look at the Stairway to the Top and see yourself on Step Number Four.

  So here we are at Step Number Four and those glass doors on the Executive Suites of Tomorrow, with all the rewards they hold for us, are getting closer and closer. I’m proud of you and how far you’ve come. I’m even prouder of the fact that you’re continuing your climb to the top. Let me remind you, however, to keep using the Trigger Pages as I urge you to commit yourself more and more to excellence.

  Now, I think it’s time to display a little exuberance. So, on the Stairway to the Top, with the little man representing you, why don’t you write WHOOPEE! in big bold letters. Aw, go on, it’s your book.

  CHAPTER 19

  The Subconscious Mind

  THE “DREAM” EMPLOYEE

  Suppose—just suppose—you were an employer with a work force of one. What kind of employee would you want? If you were given the choice of ordering this employee out of a catalogue, what characteristics would you like for him or her to have? Would you like for him to be completely dependable, totally honest, always on the job, completely willing to follow instructions, extremely brilliant and capable, very pleasant and agreeable, and more than willing to work for room and board on a lifetime contract? Sounds like the ideal employee, doesn’t it? If you had such an employee, how would you treat him?

  The answer to that question is terribly important because this “ideal” employee’s performance is entirely dependent on his treatment. If you are courteous and thoughtful, he will work long and hard. If you are rude and inconsiderate, he grows stubborn and rebellious. Brag on him; tell him how bright he is and he will perform brilliantly. Call him lazy, stupid, or irresponsible and he will rebel. Tell him you love and respect him and he will stay up all night solving your problems. Fuss at him and tell him you don’t love him and he becomes so frustrated he can’t give you the time of day.

  Considering everything, if such a prospective employee showed up at your door looking for a job, would you hire him? Silly question, isn’t it? After you hired him, how would you treat him? We both know the answer to that one, don’t we?

  Oh, I almost forgot—this “dream” employee is easily influenced by the people around him. If he’s around negative “garbage dump” thinkers, he, too, will become a negative “garbage dump” thinker and he won’t be much fun, nor will he be very productive. Surround him with a bunch of positive thinkers, positive talkers, and positive doers, and it’s positively amazing how much he can produce—and how pleasant he is to be around. I’ll bet you just decided to carefully surround this dream employee of yours with positive people and a positive environment. I’ll bet you plan to be extremely nice and pleasant, and make it a point to carefully notice all the good things he does, so you can “brag” on him so he’ll do even more. There’s no doubt that you would think, work, plan, and maybe even scheme a little bit to get maximum production. You have everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose by being super nice to this super employee. You’d play that one smart, wouldn’t you?

  The answer to that last question is probably yes—and I’m certain you would “plan” to do exactly that. However, the chances are enormous that you would probably abuse and misuse this dream employee. I say this because, based on the misery and poverty that exist in millions of lives, most people do abuse and misuse this fantastic employee or servant— which is your subconscious mind. This incredible employee or “servant” will perform exactly like the “dream” employee I described. Honestly now, how have you been treating this prized employee, your subconscious mind, which will do exactly as commanded regardless of whether the instruction is positive or negative? It will bring you what you want, or what you don’t want, according to the instructions you give it.

  Now let’s take a look into this subconscious mind of ours—see what happens as we use it—and learn more about how to regularly and deliberately make it a better, more productive employee or servant. I’ll set the stage by using some examples and analogies selected at random from three different areas to give you a fast peek at the strength and versatility of this fantastic servant.

  THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND

  Charles Dennis Jones, a husky man, was actually about six feet tall but those who saw the incident I’m about to describe say he was a giant.

  A truck had run off the road and crashed into a tree with enormous impact. The engine was forced back into the cab and the driver’s body was twisted under the roof. His feet were caught between the clutch and brake pedals. The doors were crushed and bent out of shape. Wreckers were called and a supreme effort was made to open the cab and free the driver. However, the wreckage was such that despite the best efforts of skilled men, they could not attach hooks to the doors or roof, so the wrecker could not be used. To make matters worse, a fire had started in the cab. Concern turned to panic because it was obvious that before the fire engines could arrive, the driver would be burned to death.

  Although the situation looked hopeless, Charles Dennis Jones decided to see what he could do. Bracing himself against the door, he started to pull. Slowly, grudgingly, the door began to give way. The force of Jones’ effort was so great that the muscles in his arm expanded until they literally burst the sleeves of his shirt. Finally, the door was open. Jones reached inside and barehandedly bent the brake and clutch pedals out of the way. He freed the man’s legs, snuffed out the fire with his hands, and crawled inside the cab with the badly injured driver. Bracing himself in a crouching position with his feet on the floor and his back against the top of the cab, he lifted the roof by his enormous strength. This freed the driver and spectators were able to pull him to safety. Then Jones quietly and quickly disappeared.

  Later, when he was found, someone asked him why and how he was able to accomplish such a herculean feat. His reply was a very simple one. He merely said, “I hate fire.” He had a reason. A few months earlier he had been forced to stand by and watch helplessly while his small daughter burned to death.

  On another occasion, a 37-year-old woman lifted a car weighing over 3600 pounds, enabling her small son to be pulled to safety. She did that without thought or hesitation. She had a reason.

  This example is “light” by comparison, but have you ever been driving down the street, not thinking about anything in particular when, suddenly, a thought comes to you and you exclaim, “That’s it! That’s the answer. Boy, oh boy, why didn’t I think of that before?” You’ve just gotten the answer to a problem that you’ve been wrestling with for days, and you’re so excited you can scarcely contain yourself.

  Interestingly enough, Charles Dennis Jones, the 37-year-old woman, and you were all doing the same thing. You were using the stored knowledge of your subconscious mind. For years, man has dreamed of unlocking the enormous potential of his subconscious mind so it could be put to work on a regular basis. Throughout the centuries, man has been able to use this enormous asset only occasionally and accidentally. Until recently, little has been known about the subconscious mind.

  Let’s explore it from a layman’s point of view and see how
it works and how it relates to the conscious mind. Then I’ll give some steps that will help you draw from the subconscious information you already have.

  The conscious mind is the calculating, thinking, reasoning portion of your mind. It has the capacity to accept or reject whatever it is presented. Generally speaking, whatever you learn is learned consciously. However, if you are going to do anything well, you must move it from the conscious to the subconscious.

  The subconscious mind has a perfect memory. Everything you have ever seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched, or even thought about has become a permanent part of the subconscious mind. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, the subconscious mind is awake and responsive. It accepts, without question, what it is told and doesn’t analyze or reject any information. It accepts a command or instruction and fills orders just as surely as a computer keyboard will input any character you strike. The subconscious mind has both unlimited potential and storage capacity for all the information we feed into it.