Your goal is unimportant... yet absolutely necessary.

Seem confusing? Paradoxical? Actually, goals (or as I like to call them, "intentions") are a paradox in that they're nothing more than an illusion. A transparent veneer behind which true reality hides. What do I mean? Well, we've been conditioned to believe we must control the physical plane. The more money, toys and possessions you have, the more valuable you are as a person. This is totally false and yet... somewhat true. (It's OK if you're totally confused right now.) Stick with me as I pull it together for you... What you have and what you possess have nothing to do with who you are. Not really. And yet, your accomplishments are a valuable measuring device of your level of consciousness. It takes a bigger person to beat the odds like Donald Trump, going millions of dollars in debt and still rebounding. It takes a bigger person to go bankrupt several times like Walt Disney and still build a Disneyland... ...To build a Microsoft like Bill Gates and then becoming even more active in pursuing your creative passion. ...To overcome a childhood of abuse and molestation like Oprah Winfrey, turning it around to become the world's first African-American woman billionaire. A bigger visionary to carry a $10,000,000 check in your wallet and visualize receiving it while living in your broken down van... ...Jim Carrey's visualization became his realization. Are these people perfect? I can't be the judge of that, but what I do know is that their physical accomplishments are indicative of their intentions and the level of power and consciousness in the area that they pursue. Intentions are a paradox in that they ultimately are unnecessary and yet absolutely necessary. Regardless of who you are or how you're applying yourself... you and I ultimately have ONE goal: GROWTH! And growth is what's hiding behind the veneer I mentioned earlier. Your intention is only a means to an end (the ultimate end)... your full self-actualization and growth! In the grand scheme of things, do you think it really matters how much money you make? What kind of car you drive? The title you have? The neighborhood you live in? Not really. It only matters to the degree that you apply yourself to something that creates passion in your heart, mind and spirit. And of course, that it necessitates your growth. Consequently, as you choose your intentions, measure them against the following criteria: Does this intention create passion in my heart and soul? Do I have a burning desire to achieve this intention? Does this intention (and its due date) scare me and excite me at the same time? Is it "teetering edge"? Will this intention cause me to stretch and grow? Do I need to become a bigger person to accomplish it? Will achieving this intention bless and provide value to others? If I achieve this will I be able to give more? Will I need help from my Higher Source to accomplish this intention? If you answer yes to these 5 qualities, put it in high gear and get moving! If you answered no to ANY ONE of them, reevaluate your intention. Remember a few key principles about intentions: You are worthy of any intention you choose... You must answer the question, "Is this intention worthy of me?" Are you willing to trade your life (time, energy, commitment) for it to be accomplished? Growth is the only intention, so learn to enjoy the journey. Once you achieve your intention, it'll automatically be time for a new one. The process of getting there is where the wealth, excitement and experience lie. Make sure your intention is a BHAG (Harvard's "Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal") that you aren't quiet sure HOW you're going to achieve. By doing this, you'll build your creativity and faith. Have a big, hairy, audacious week and make your life magnificent! And if you haven't yet, check out Success Certain Coaching... It's designed to help you achieve your intentions in 21 days, and you can save 20% on it for a limited time. To your continued wealth and happiness, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International P.S. Be sure to catch me as a jugde in tomorrow night's Miss America Live competition on TLC... And for those of you wondering why in the world I chose to do such a thing, here's my answer... P.P.S. The poncho I received in Peru and gave to Tom Green is now up on eBay... The auction ends January 28th! And if you don't know what I'm talking about, watch the entire show here...

It's been 21 days, have you achieved your Resolutions yet?

We're already 21 days into 2008... Have you achieved at least one of your Resolutions yet? I know you're probably getting flooded with emails by every diet, quit-smoking and New-Year's-Resolutions guru on the planet promising ways to make 2008 your best year yet. And you know what? To be quite frank, most of their promises are a bunch of bunk. This is different, and it'll only take a short time to prove it. All I ask is for 21 days. Just 21 days. Write it down... put it on your calendar... Because I promise after the first 21 days, not only will 2008 be your best year yet, but 2009 will be better than that, and 2010 will be even better than that. Just 21 days! It couldn't be any easier than that. Here's what I'm talking about... It's my famous Success Certain Coaching program, and tens of thousands of my students have already used it to achieve their biggest aspirations... If you haven't yet experienced it for yourself, what better time than now to see for yourself how it can literally transform your life for the better? This system doesn't let you blow off your goals like you may have so many other years in the past... Or like you may have already done in 2008. Working through this program is like having me as your personal coach, helping you accomplish your most sought-after goals. On Day One, we'll work together to choose your biggest goal, formulating it and making it crystal clear. Following that, we'll check in with each other daily for twenty minutes a day to make sure you're wildly successful at achieving your goal by the end of the 21-day period. Each and every day, I'll give you specific action steps for you to implement that will bring you closer and closer to your goal. By the end of the 21st day, it'll no longer be a goal but a firm reality. You tell me what you want, and I'll tell you how to get it. It couldn't be any simpler than that... but the results will be out of this world. Go here now to learn all about it. Here's just a preview of what you'll master: How to program your unconscious mind for guaranteed results... How to vanquish procrastination once and for all... How to get past the nasty trick your mind plays on you that keeps wealth away from your life... The single most important factor of visualizing that most teachers don't know and can't teach you... And that's just the beginning... You really need to go here to get the full details... Don't even think for a second that once you've obtained your goal that the system is ready for retirement... This phenomenal program can be used time and time again for any goal you choose... Your secret weapon for a lifetime of success. Because I want you to get a jump start on your most successful year yet, I'm offering a full 20% discount on Success Certain Coaching for the next 21 days as my New Year's gift to you. Just go to http://jamesray.com/products/success-certain-coaching.php to get all of the details, and together let's start right in on achieving whatever you dare to dream... To your continued wealth and happiness, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International P.S. Remember, you're only 21 days away from outrageous results. Act quickly to take advantage of my special offer. (The discount ends on February 12, 2008.)

How do I make my resolutions realistic?

After my recent interview on how to set effective New Year's resolutions on America's Nightly Scoreboard (check out the blog if you haven't seen it), I received a whole host of questions on how to do step number 2: Specify Realistic Intentions. Most individuals set goals at the stroke of midnight and never check in to see how they're doing until the stroke of midnight the following year. This sets up a cycle of feeling like a failure, being disappointed with ourselves, and eventually, our minds, our friends and the universe at large begins to disregard our words because all of them realize (ourselves included) that there is no integrity and no power in them. The greatest promise you'll ever keep is a promise to yourself... ...Because it's your own personal test of integrity (similar to integrated). When we're out of integrity, we're fragmented and lack harmony in our life physically, mentally and physically. We're not whole. The answer resides in the problem itself. We have a tendency to overestimate what we can do in a year and underestimate what we can do in a decade. Therefore, I encourage all to set what I call "teetering edge" goals and intentions. "Push the edge," but don't "go over the edge." In other words, intentions on the teetering edge stretch you but aren't so ridiculous that you know you won't do them. An intentions that says, "I'll workout every day," is over the edge for someone who hasn't worked out a day all year. One that says, "I'll workout three days a week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5 PM," is teetering, specific, measurable and therefore achievable. "I'll make $100K from $40K..." Over the edge. "I'll make $50K..." Teetering. "I'll lose 50 pounds in 3 months..." Timber! "I'll lose 50 pounds in 17 weeks (3 pounds per week)..." Teetering. When we create intentions that are achievable (albeit not mediocre for the human spirit will not invest itself in mediocrity), then we set ourselves up to feel in integrity with our own hearts and minds. We feel accomplished and successful. Success perpetuates success. To your continued wealth and happiness, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International P.S. If you have any questions about achieving your intentions in the New Year, then ask me live on tomorrow's Ask James Anything teleseminar... Sign up free at http://ask.jamesray.com. Spots are limited, so be sure to hop on early!

Make effective New Year's resolutions...

Join me on Fox Business Network's America's Nightly Scoreboard as I discuss how to make effective New Year's resolutions: Click here to podcast.

Are you using the Curly Principle?

"Any time I have seen someone accomplishing something magnificent, they have been a monomaniac with a mission. A single-minded individual with a passion." --Peter Drucker You may recall the movie City Slickers from a while back starring Billy Crystal and Jack Palance. In it, we observed the story of a man (Crystal) who because of a midlife crisis decides to go out with some buddies and rustle cattle for a week. Curly (Palance), the trail boss to whom they report, really seems to have his head together, and Crystal's character keeps asking him what the secret is. Curly's only reply is to hold up his index finger and say, "One thing." Finally in frustration, Crystal asks, "Well, what is that one thing?" To which Curly replies, "That's what YOU have to figure out... No one can do it for you." This "Curly Principle" teaches us the same lesson that the renowned management consultant Peter Drucker has observed in highly successful people: Monomania. In other words, a single-minded focus and passion for that "one thing." Jesus taught us in Luke 11:34, "When thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light." What are you singularly focused on? Frequently, I meet individuals who want to have their dreams and yet aren't willing to give up anything to achieve them. This is self-deception. Choosing to become great in any area means choosing to not be great in another area. There will always be a price to pay. There will always be a sacrifice. You can only ride one horse really well at any one time. Yes, you may be able to ride two, but nowhere NEAR as well as you can ride one. Nowhere near as agile, responsive or quick. Understand the difference? "The secret to success in life is making your vocation your vacation." --Mark Twain Several years ago, I was in LA with some good friends attending an Elton John concert. I was asked what seems to be a frequent question among acquaintances, "What do you do for fun and recreation?" This is always a difficult question for me to answer, because I know there's an unspoken expectation that I come up with a whole list of activities I'm involved in. Bottom line... I am a monomaniac. (And not in the clinical sense of the word either.) My work is my passion as well as my "re-creation" (notice the true meaning of the word). When asked the question, "How is work?" I can honestly answer, "Work is play." I absolutely love what I do, and if you can say that too, then that goes a long way towards creating Harmonic Wealth®. I can think of nothing more fulfilling and re-creating than to meditate, study, read, learn, write, create, help and coach others, talk with you and share insights. Yes, I do hike, workout, ski from time to time, go to movies and I even played golf poorly once. But these are not the things that make life meaningful for me. Many see their work as a "means to an end," but for the monomaniac, their work is an end unto itself. Not just a job... a meaningful, passionate mission. Your work is your passion and your love made manifest through action. Is this the right approach for you? I'm not qualified to answer that question. What I am qualified to do is to check my own observations and experiences and agree with Drucker and Curly. To accomplish anything of consequence, anything magnificent and great, you must be willing to literally trade your life for it. To be so passionately focused and committed that nothing will divert you. Nothing and no one can stop you. My wish is that you find that "one thing" in your life: Your white-hot passion that brings you tremendous meaning and purpose. To your continued wealth and happiness, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International P.S. Need help applying the Curly Principle to your goals? Success Certain Coaching will take your goal from start to finish in 21 days... And it's on sale through August 29, 2007. Click and save 25% off the retail price. P.P.S. Attention Texas and Arizona: I have free live events in your neck of the woods in the next couple of weeks. Seats are filling up fast, so reserve some for you and your friends today.

All goals are spiritual goals.

If you've attended the Harmonic Wealth® Weekend, you've heard me say this before. People usually aren't quite sure how to respond. Often, they make comments like, "But James, you teach harmony and success in all areas of life: financial, relational, intellectual, physical and spiritual." This is true... AND they are all spiritual! If you are familiar with my book The Science of Success, you know that of the Seven Laws that govern our Universe (and your success), there is one great law... Namely, "Energy Is." A theologian would state this as "God Is." Either way, the result is the same regardless of the language you choose. Science tells us that at the quantum level everything that seems to have form is actually 90% space (yes, this even includes you and I). This means that what our senses perceive to be "solid" is actually empty or, as science would put it, "a vacuum." The great quantum physicists David Bohm states in his book Wholeness and Implicate Order that, "There is more energy in one cubic inch of vacuum than in the entire physical universe." This tells us that our senses reveal a very small amount of "reality." My preference is to call this vacuum "Spirit" instead of space. This vacuum is a thinking, moving, creating, intelligent entity which is actually the Creative and Infinite Power. Again, all goals are spiritual goals. This makes more sense as we realize that EVERTHING is spiritual. Everything comes from this Spirit and ultimately returns to Spirit. Yes... Money is spiritual. God is spiritual. (Even sex is spiritual!) Spirit has one objective: fuller expression and expansion. The car, the house or the raise you want is only a stepping stone in your journey of fuller expression and spiritual expansion... A mere means to an end. Certainly not an end in-and-of-itself. Therefore, since you and I are spiritual beings living in a physical body, we MUST continually expand and grow. Again, if you're familiar with my material, you'll remember me saying, "If you're not growing, you are dying." There is no staying the same. Spirit will not have it. Your sole (soul) purpose is to continually re-member your true infinite and abundant Identity. This is who we truly are... A physical manifestation of the One Source. Your prime objective on this planet is to fully merge with this Source. "I want to know the thoughts of God. All the rest are details." -Albert Einstein To the degree that you do this, everything else will fall into place as a by-product of your one true spiritual goal: fuller expression and expansion. All you have to do is recognize it. Have your best week, and make your life magnificent! To your continued wealth and happiness, James Arthur Ray President/CEO James Ray International