The book takes you through the process of listing the things that light your fire, buzz you, sizzle your snag, fizz your fandangle and overall make you tingle.  That’s a hard process in itself.  But after going through the process, they take you through a scoring process so you can prioritise the things most important to you.  And it may not be what you initially think! 

 So after reducing your passions to your Top 5, you then determine how well you are currently living your passions, then work through a process of how to increase the likelihood of you being able to in the future. 

The book takes you through some basic envisioning and belief techniques such as Passion Cards (Bob Proctor fame), Vision Boards (from John Assaraf’s glory and story), the creating of Markers (or milestone measures), and the old 100th Birthday speech.  There’s also some really nice stuff in the book such as The Appreciation Game (which I did with my partner and after me appreciating him, he went on to appreciate himself also – not quite the intent Janet had in mind I don’t think . Anyway, he got loads out of it!   There’s also lots of interviews which fall out some valuable lessons that make you reassess and cogitate.  Which is always a good thing.

All up, I love the book!!  A great read, and terrifically thought provoking, especially since some of the concepts I’ve seen before.  A new slant with new meaning.   I’m currently re-reading a massively highlighted and well dog-eared copy.  A great book and well worth the read and re-read, even if you’re a seasoned self development junkie!

Go to www.passiontest.com to take a sneak preview, or order online from Amazon

I wonder if there is any money being stockpiled to give?  I certainly hope for everyone’s sakes that he honours his promise here … otherwise there will be plenty more people added to the list of cynics when it comes to believing anything he might say.

And if David is truly wanting to spread the message of The Secret then he’d better make no secret of how those who are owed can collect.  In fact if anyone is game, they could always try camping out at his new offices (123 Camberwell Rd, East Hawthorn) on D-Day – let’s hope the press are there at the very least, to provide No 4 in the ACA series.  Could be an interesting day?

After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: “When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as! other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?” 

The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. “I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.” Then he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they’ll let me play?” Shay’s father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. 

Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, “We’re losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.”  

Shay struggled over to the team’s bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father’s joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay’s life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. 

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman’s head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, “Shay, run to first! Run to first!” Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. 

Everyone yelled, “Run to second, run to second!” Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball … the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher’s intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman’s head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, “Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay” Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, “Run to third! Shay, run to third!”

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, “Shay, run home! Run home!” Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team. 

“That day”, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, “the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world”. Shay didn’t make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day! 

A wise man  once said every society is judged by how it treats it’s least fortunate amongst them.

“May your day, be a Shay Day.”  

The lessons that have impacted this week have been about getting clear on vision, focus, and being productive.  Bob Proctor’s program is terrific.  With all the unfortunate press around one of his Secret colleagues, it has led me to listen to the recordings with a critical and objective ear.  Whilst I have never tainted Bob with Schirmer’s wrong-doings, I wanted to be clear that the SGR program was truly aligned to my personal beliefs. 

Any program that gets me thinking about how to improve the quality of my life, and that of those who rely on me can only be good.  And any program that challenges me to use my skills in a more fulfilling way can only be good.

My boy also said that he loved speaking in front of his class.  That he enjoyed it and got a thrill from it.  Seems he’s also picked up his mother’s genes for presenting. 

We discussed how important it was to grow and develop and to continue learning all through your life.  And what a gift it is to comfortably present in front of groups.  And that the biggest privilege is being able to see how your words can positively impact and inspire someone else. And what responsibility that brings.

 We had a good discussion today.  I feel proud of my son.

As they were loading the plane to return, the pilot said the plane could  take only 4 moose.

The two lads objected strongly. “Last year we shot six. The pilot let  us take them all and he had the same plane as yours.”
Reluctantly, the pilot gave in and all six were loaded.
However, even on full power, the little plane couldn’t handle the load and went down.
Somehow, surrounded by the moose bodies, Paddy and Mick survived the crash.
After climbing out of the wreckage, Paddy asked Mick, “Any idea where we  are?”
Mick replied, “I think we’re pretty close to where we crashed last  year.

And whats with banning the ACA team from the Mind and Money seminar?  That also stinks.  What happened to the VIP tickets?  Perhaps David was worried that Ben Fordham was going to heckle him from the front pews.  I’m keen to hear David’s stance on making money at the moment … ?  I want to know what kind of advice I could expect if I were to invest in his seminar … would it follow ethical, legal and moral practices?

What I felt disgusted at was some of the behaviour of some other young ‘adults’ who attended the gig.  There were plenty of young guys there who turned up drunk at 8pm.  And only got worse as the night progressed.  A couple of trouble-makers decided it would be ‘fun’ to throw champagne glasses off the balcony and watch them smash.  And even more ‘fun’ to see how close they got to people who innocently happened to be standing on the lower level.

Then we found the trouble-makers had lined up wine glasses in the gents and proceeded to urinate in them. Revolting!

Then at the end of the night, we found out that the same (we think) troublemakers thought it would be ‘fun’ to rip the hand-drier off the wall in the gents, rip tiles from the wall, and pull out the electrical wiring so that it was exposed and dangerous.

These 2 boys were banned from the event earlier in the night, but kept coming back in and causing more trouble.  It seems they come from extremely conservative families, that you would the least expect such irresponsible and reprehensible behaviour. 

Everyone else was pretty well behaved.  Having fun and doing what young people do.  Why is it that these 2 decided to go out from the norm and behave so badly? 

My question is this … how is it that we seem to breeding youth with no morals, who are happy to vandalise other people’s property without a second thought and who think it is ‘fun’ to do things that shock and are downright dangerous?    Or is it an age-old problem … ? 

I have tears in my eyes, but gratitude in my heart.