Earl Nightingale had such a gravelly voice, deep and husky and energetic.
Millions of us thrilled to hear him share one of the most magical secrets of all time,
which he aptly called, "The Strangest Secret," comprised of only six small words!

He said, "we become what we think about."
He quoted holy books with their versions.
Many religions teach we move towards our thought.
Didn't Siddartha, called "Buddha" by so many, agree?
Didn't Siddartha teach that, just as a fletcher (arrow-maker)
straightens an arrow shaft, so does the discerning man straighten his mind?

Earl Nightingale spoke the truth, and there is no doubt he was speaking to you.
Your endlessly repetitive excuses for so ardently embracing your daily mediocrity,
are nothing but excuses, because there is, as Artie Marzig taught, one reason for failing.



Inadequate effort.


Until you get so hungry for something that anything less is unacceptable, we stay mired in mediocrity.
Why even bother living if you are not going to live at the highest levels of what you claim you "could" do?
Helen Keller used to say that life is an exciting adventure or it is nothing at all, and she was blind, deaf, and mute.
Helen Keller actually went to school, and graduated as valedictorian, earned college degrees, wrote best selling books,
and served for more than half a century - get this - "people who have much less than I do." You are out of acceptable excuses!

Whatever your excuses, it is time for you to engage your own Shortcuts Way of Living attitude.
Everything gets easier, more productive, infinitely more satisfying with the Shortcuts Way of Living.
This simply means that, most every waking minute of the day, you look more at answers than at problems.
Yes, yes, of course you need to identify the obstacles. Think of these less as problems, and more as "obstacles,"
because problems tend to be very rough on each of us, whereas obstacles are only something that needs removal.
On those rare, genuinely rare occasions where an obstacle cannot be moved, learn to move around or over it, then.

Since most of our dreams and goals are accomplished with at least some help from others, it means asking more.
When you ask more people more times each, you do not merely increase, no, no, you MULTIPLY your success rates.
This is easily the single greatest power of a human, the power to become a thousand times more than what you are.
When you secure the cooperation of other people, particularly the decision-makers who have the power to say "Yes,"
you are securing the opportunity for your mind and body to be free of petty distractions, between you and your power.

The greatest of your powers has yet to be seen, and the Shortcuts Way of Living wants you to use and show that power today.
Ask more people more times each. Know precisely what it is you want so that you can move closer to it with each of your days.

With love from the Godfather of Shortcuts, and your Shortcuts Way of Living.