Tag Archive for Winston Churchill

Are You Truly a Grateful Person? 10 Lessons for Living a More Grateful Life!

July 4, 2012 Achieve Success Academy 2 comments

imagesCAQK2P9Z Are You Truly a Grateful Person? 10 Lessons for Living a More Grateful Life!In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy ~Unknown

Are you grateful?

Have you ever sat quiet for a few moments or even a few hours to let your mind wander? To reflect on things? What do you think about? Do you wish you had a bigger home, nicer car, money in the bank, better job, being thinner, more vacation time, larger salary and the list goes on…right?

Some of my best thinking is done on the beach watching my little girl have the time of her life? Watching her make friends, running into the water, boogie boarding or body surfing. As I sit there watching I allow my mind to wander, “Wow if I only had my daughter’s life when I was growing up.” What if I did? Where would I be now? Have you ever thought about this? We always want a better life for our children than what we had. Do you ever remember being grateful for what you had instead of what you didn’t have?

I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual… O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment ~Henry David Thoreau

We all know someone that has to keep up with the Jone’s. Is it the society we live in to always want something that someone else has? Have you ever noticed someone’s attitude change when they see someone that just may have more than them? Why do people begrudge someone that has more than them or something a little nicer? Why not be happy for someone that may be more successful, richer, better looking or all the above? Instead of begrudging someone for what they have, how about we abjure and are happy for them. Give credit where it’s due! When you show people that you are genuinely happy for them, it comes back to you in more good ways than one.

When people look back on your life, what do you want to be remembered for? This is the question you must have on the forefront of your mind at all times.

Here are 10 tips to help you live a happier, healthier and more grateful life!

1) Realize how truly blessed you are- Be happy with you. Accept yourself as you are. You’re born into this world the way you are. Be grateful for what you are and have, you will end up having so much more!

2) Surround yourself with positive people- It will be hard to be happy and grateful if you associate with negative people. So NO to the Losers and YES to the Winners!

3) Maintain a “Gratitude” journal- Take 15 minutes each night to write what you are most grateful in your life. For example, I’m most grateful for my health, my family and friends, my career, my spirituality. It’s okay if you repeat yourself over and over again.

4) Look for the good in people- We as a society are drawn to the drama and negativity of others misery. Stop that at once! The small things in life matter. Start doing them more often. Turn off the radio and television.

5) Realize the good health and prosperity you have- Our standard of living is by far the best in the world. Treat your body like the temple it is! Eat right, exercise more often, drink enormous amounts of water and get the proper sleep.

6) Realize how rich you really are- We often think that we need more money. This is one of the main reasons why we are not grateful. But do you realize how rich you are now? Just go to Global Rich List, enter your annual income, and see the result. Chances are you are richer than billions of other people. In fact, you most likely sit in the top tier of the world’s richness ranking.

7) Practice how grateful your are- In order to be really good at something you must practice, practice, practice. Take a few minutes each to think about all that is good in your life.

8) Realize you are free and live in peace- There are countries that are being bombarded with bombs. There are people that are scared to death to walk outside of their home. We are blessed that we don’t live in fear and misery.

9) Be a giver instead of a taker- By focusing on giving it just makes more sense that you will be more grateful. Your mind focuses on what you have instead of what you don’t have.

10) Commit today to be more grateful- The above 9 tips can only help you become a more grateful person but in order to be truly grateful you must commit yourself to changing. It starts with you. It starts today. No one can do this for you. If you resolve today to make a commitment on being a more grateful person, your life will change for the better forever!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Leadership/Overcoming PTSD Expert, Author and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident. Passionate about leaving people better than I found them.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

Do you possess the Success Attitude? Do you have what it takes to truly be successful?

June 26, 2012 Achieve Success Academy No comments

imagesCABYINYA Do you possess the Success Attitude? Do you have what it takes to truly be successful?

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. Thomas Jefferson

Do You Possess the Success ATTITUDE?

What is your attitude like? Is it positive or negative? Is everything a disaster in your life or is everything a success in your life? You determine what attitude you wake up with. You’re either a positive or a negative person. Being positive is so much easier. I believe being negative takes work. Let me explain: Being negative puts you in an angry mood. Think about this for a minute: negative people generally are bitterer and less successful. I can honestly say that out of all the successful people I know, not one of them looks at the glass as being half empty. It just feels good being positive. Having a positive attitude makes you happier which in turn attracts better things in your life.

I can remember back in the early 2000′s, after my shooting incident, my attitude started getting worse and worse. I became more cynical. Everything was an uphill battle. I hated being around people. I felt my life spiraling out of control. Nothing was going my way. I knew that if I wanted to crash and burn, I had to change something and I had to change it fast. So, I committed to working on my attitude. I began to slowly weed out everything that caused my attitude to be negative. Let me give you some examples of the things that gave me a negative attitude in a blink of an eye. Watching television, reading the news, watching the local/national news, being around people that were negative. Once I cut these things out of my life I started feeling better, more positive, and healthier. I consider these things that I just described like cancer. It was eating me from the inside out.

Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character. Albert Einstein

In order to be a positive more optimistic person you must surround yourself with positive people and things. I know, you’re probably thinking easier said than done, right? Wrong! If I can do this, so can you. Below are lists of things you must do in order to change your negative, unsuccessful attitude into a positive, Successful Attitude.

1) Negativity- Whatever makes your attitude negative, stop it at once. If you feel your attitude changing for the worst, for example watching the news or hanging with a friend whose always crying about their problems, cut them out of your life immediately.

2) Do things that make your happy- Whatever makes you smile, do it more often. If it’s buying someone behind you in line at your local coffee shop a cup of coffee, do it.

3) Exercise- Just about everyone hates to exercise. Exercise is a prerequisite for a happier, healthier life. Start out slow and work up to your pace. You will see almost instantly what this does to your attitude.

4) Get 8hrs of sleep- If you want to be refreshed and feel alive you must get enough sleep. Sleep is as important to your attitude as a boat is to water.

5) Stay Hydrated- Drink a lot of clear fluids. No soda, coffee, tea. This is okay in moderation but you must drink plenty of water throughout the day. It will keep your brain hydrated and make you feel energetic all day which in turn will make your attitude more positive.

6) Eat Healthy- You must eat a rainbow a day. You must eat plenty of vegetables along with a protein at every meal. Eat your biggest meal in the morning. The saying goes like this, eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch like a prince and eat dinner like a pulper. Eat nothing after 6pm but do drink water.

7) Love what you do- You must love your profession. You have to wake up every day knowing that you are doing what you are passionate about. Do not choose a career for the money. Choose a career that you are so passionate about and believe me the rest will follow.

8) Read/Watch positive things- Take 30 minutes when you wake up and 30 minutes when you call it a night to read something that makes you happy.

9) Have a gratitude journal- Take 15 minutes each night to write in a composition book of all the things you are grateful for. Remember, it’s the small things in life that matter.

10) Write down your goals- Before you begin to read something positive when you awake each morning, be sure to write down your goals on the things you want to accomplish, short term and long term. By writing your goals each day, you have something to look forward too, something to work towards. By doing this, you’ll see your positive attitude and success go through the roof!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Leadership/Overcoming PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Expert, Author and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident. Passionate about making a difference in the lives of others and leaving people better than I found them.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

Suicide! Why is it becoming more prevalent among Pro-Athletes?

May 4, 2012 Achieve Success Academy 3 comments

The doors fly open when you’re a professional athlete~ Dennis Rodman, Retired NBA Player

As a retired defensive football player myself, you can’t help not notice such players like Lyle Alzado, Junior Seau, Ray Lewis, Jack Lambert, Dick Butkus, Brian Urlacker to name a few that play or have played professional football. Great athletes with size, speed and talent.

I played in high school and college but it wasn’t in my deck of cards to get to that level. The man upstairs had another plan for me. I dreamt about it at as a kid to play in the NFL just as so many other kids do. The fame, the fortune, the lifestyle seemed all so attractive to me. The chances of getting to that level are so slim however having a 6’3″; 250lb frame with some athletic ability does help. The only thing I didn’t have was the height. My high school coach once told me that if I was 6’2″ or taller I would have played on Sundays. Well, do I really agree with that? I’m not too sure if I do. There are some, not many, playing in the NFL at 5’11″ at the Linebacker position. Again, we are put on this earth for a reason and playing in the NFL wasn’t meant to be for me.

You’re on this beautiful planet for a short time. Nothing last forever. Enjoy every minute of it with the people that matter most to you. ~John R. Salkowski

Thinking about mortality is not what young people do. Young people feel invincible like they will live forever. Thinking about mortality hit me when I turned 40. Having a child and watching her grow up so fast. Life goes by so fast. When I hit 40, I realized that I had already lived half my life. It just amazes me what people do to their bodies. We are only on this earth a short while, so why not take care of the only one you get. It’s reported that the average life expectancy for an average adult male is 78 while the life expectancy for an NFL player is 50-55. Why is this? Is it the trauma their bodies go through, is it their lifestyle, it is the pain medication they take to get back on that field sooner? It amazes me that playing in the NFL cuts 30yrs off their lives.

With all the hype about concussions and head trauma in the NFL today, you can’t help and wonder what the long term affects are to these athletes and their long term health. I’ve had several concussions over the course of my life and I will tell you that they just get worse after each one. It takes longer to recover. I’m not sure what the average number of concussions an NFL player gets over the course of his career but I have to stop and think how the hell can a concussion in a contact sport be prevented? Tackling with your shoulder and not your head can help but how can the NFL prevent them all together? Maybe the NFL is not trying to prevent them all together but taking the necessary measures to prevent most of them.

There are two types of collisions in football. The player hitting its target and the player’s internal organs hitting their body. The latter is what causes the concussion and/or injury. Being a retired police officer and investigating hundreds if not thousands of vehicle accidents over 15yrs, the one impact that kills people the most is the internal organs slamming against their body. It’s the same premise in football.

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle ~Napoleon Hill

With the recent headlines of the future Hall of Famer, Junior Seau committing suicide, one must wonder what’s going on with the increase in suicides amongst professional athletes. Seau had fortune, fame, 3 children, and great personality and to take his own life at the age of 43 with so much more ahead of him, simply blows my mind.

We may never know what drove Junior Seau to take his own life but there are talks about the physical trauma of pro football that leads to so many brain injuries and early deaths. Last year another retired NFL player, Dave Duerson also committed suicide in the exact same way Seau took his live. Duerson left a note behind indicating that he wanted his brain examined after his death. The examination revealed that he did in fact suffer from neuro-degeneration. The NFL is under attack from lawsuits filed by some 1,500 former players that are alleging the NFL concealed the links between concussions and permanent brain injury.

There is also talk about Seau not being able to cope with life outside the limelight. Going from being a rock star from his college days to his incredible 20yrs in the NFL with 80,000 screaming and cheering fans, getting ask over and over again for his autograph is a culture shock when that stops to say the least. When you no longer have that adrenaline rush, history tells us that the loss of that defining part of your life leads to destructive personal behavior. Thoughts and acts of suicide haunt people from all walks of life and all corners of society. Sadly, football players do not hold a monopoly on tragic lives that end early. We shouldn’t pretend that they do. Maybe Seau was haunted by issues and problems that had little to do with his career in the NFL.

I know that when I was at the peak of my suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the thoughts of suicide and homicide often crossed my mind. The depressive state that you get into sometimes is irreversible for some. There were times I would be sitting in my patrol car, isolated and tucked away so no one could find me with my hand on my gun. The thought of ending my torment was such a great feeling. No more suffering and dealing with the everyday bullshit I was faced with. The very one thought that kept me from pulling that trigger was my daughter. That very little special beautiful girl that lite me up like a Christmas tree when I would see her made me not do it. My relationship with my daughter means more to me than anything on this planet. She is why I continue to press on-ward and up-ward, face challenges head-on, struggle through my failures, fight to overcome adversity and fear. She is my WHY power.

I wish for so many people in this world to find their why power? Everyone on this planet has a reason and a purpose to live. Our struggles are temporary not permanent. They’re only permanent if we allow them to be.

It’s the small things in life that matter most. It’s not the fame, fortune, autographs that make us who we are. It’s our WHY that makes us who we are!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

A Great Leader Never, Ever Quits and Here is Why?

April 23, 2012 Achieve Success Academy One comment

Before success comes in any man’s life, he’s sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and the most logical thing to do is to quit. That’s exactly what the majority of men do~Napoleon Hill

“Leaders Never Quit”

Leaders never quit. They persist through any challenge they are faced with. Great leaders have the ability to stick with a difficult task or situation and work through it. They cope with the frustration that is brought upon by challenges.

The importance of never quitting and persisting through difficult times is one of the most important qualities a great leader must possess. They take every measure to bring their challenges to fruition. We are all faced with the naysayers who tell us to give up or forget about it and move on. This can be very demotivating. We cannot allow ourselves to be faced with people like this. These are the people that do not belong in our lives. We are better than this. We must persist and never quit.

“If you live long enough, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. It’s how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit.” — Bill Clinton

Achieving success through leadership cannot be done overnight. It takes long hours and tons of hard work. There will undoubtedly be hurdles and obstacles that we must overcome. We, as great leaders, must hold the vision of our destination in mind and inspire others by rolling up our sleeves and continue to work on making progress. Someone must lead so why not let it be us.

Never quitting and persisting through difficult times takes a positive attitude, strong belief system and the confidence to continue our fight. Great leaders realize that without these qualities one can never be a great leader.

What separates a Great leader from others is the will to never stop persisting onward and upward. Great leaders do what the others won’t. Continuing to push and fight through the difficult times will take will power. The stronger your resolve, the more you will persist and the greater chances of your success.

“Never, never, never, never give up.” “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense” ~Winston Churchill

Below are some of the qualities that a Great leader should never quit or stop persisting at:

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A great leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity.
Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.

Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are only opportunities to achieve something great.
Magnanimity means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about them and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.

Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than anyone else. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone. Leaders with humility also understand that their status does not make them a god. Mahatma Gandhi is a role model for Indian leaders, and he pursued a “follower-centric” leadership role.

Openness means being able to listen to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Great leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

A great leader never, ever quits, however he or she must remain integral, dedicated, magnanimous, humble and open.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Why You Need a Mentor to Improve Your Life

April 17, 2012 Achieve Success Academy No comments

PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is becoming an epidemic amongst cops and military personnel. You see it all over the news, in the newspapers by our returning heroes. This disorder is affecting hundreds of thousands of lives across this country and we as a society need to do something about it before it becomes worse than it already is.

Too often when someone experiences the symptoms of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) they turn to different avenues of trying to overcome it. Let me give you a few examples of what I mean: Turning to self-medicating or drug abuse: whether prescription drugs, alcohol or any other illegal drug to soothe the feelings of anxiety, depression, anger, irritability and any other feelings they are experiencing. Self-medicating doesn’t help. It makes the symptoms worse which in turn leads to the person acting out. What do I mean by acting out? The self-medicating or drug abuse only enhances the feelings that one is going through. This leads to the next epidemic of PTSD sufferers. Committing suicide and often homicide. Why?

Why are Police Officers, war veterans and military personnel not seeking help from the powers to be? The command staff, human resources department, mentors. Because we are trained that asking for help is weak? We are trained to act as if we have no emotions. Nothing is supposed to bother us. Who are they kidding? This thought process makes me sick. Makes me want to vomit! The machismos, the egos in these professions need to be checked at the door. We are human beings for Christ sake. Things do bother us? When they bother us, we need to be trained to seek help and not be afraid of what people will think of us. Instead, they throw you out like a bag of trash in a dumpster. They get rid of you. It’s easier to turn your back on a problem then face it head on. This mentality is for the cowards of the world. Police Officers and Military Personnel are there to help, correct? There to serve our communities and country, correct? Then why is it that when one of us needs help, they turn their back on us?

Don’t rely on help or assistance within these organizations. Why rely on them for help when they need help more than you do. My advice to you is to seek out a mentor or a mentoring program. A person or place you can go to confide in to helping you through your road bumps or adversity. Seek out a person or program that you can trust. Use your gut instinct, listen to your inner-voice when seeking out a mentor or a mentoring program. Seek out someone who has been there and done that is now in a place where you want to be. Seek out a mentoring program that has proven results. If you’re afraid of what people may think then keep it to yourselves. It takes a man to admit we need help. It takes a man to admit that you are at your breaking point. It takes a man of courage and strength to admit this. Don’t let anyone tell you different and if they do turn around and walk away. This type of person you don’t need in your life anyway.

Trust me on this please. You are important. You matter in this world. There are people who love and care about you. For all you parents out there, do it for your kids. They need you more than anyone or anything. Do it for them.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com™, Retired Cop, Survivor of PTSD stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident, Expert on Leadership, Success, Overcoming Adversity, Fear & PTSD, Entrepreneur, Professional Speaker, Author of 3 books; Leadership in The Line of Duty™: 50 Leadership Lessons for Making Split-Second Decisions from a Cop Who Has Been in Life and Death Situations, Leadership in The Line of Duty™: Success Thoughts and Quotes for Leaders and Nothing But Net: Top Secrets to increase your bottom line, Health, Wealth & Success.
Copyright © 2012 Achieve Success Academy™. All Rights Reserved.
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Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved

Top 10 Tips to Overcome Adversity and Achieve Your Goals

April 17, 2012 Achieve Success Academy No comments

You will live the rest of your life with regret if you give up on your dream, your goal, and your mission. This is what I live with every day of my life. I had a one in a million chance of playing football for the University of Alabama from 1989-1993. For those of you who know me, you know I was a walk-on under Coach Bill Curry as a Linebacker. I was one of the 5. They said that their walk-on program was one of the hardest in the country amongst Division 1 teams. I was told,” You have everything against you son, size, height, speed”. I was told.” these are men amongst boys out here”. There were 50 young men from all over the country who attempted to earn one of the 5 spots on the roster. The 5 week program was Killer to say the least. They were dropping like flies, carried out on stretchers, walking away. Quitting! Giving Up!

I gave up on my dream the second year under Coach Gene Stallings. I walked away. I went home. I Quit! I said, “I Give Up”. I regret it every single day. Don’t allow yourself to live the rest of your life with regret!

Here are 10 ways to help you achieve your dreams, your goals, and your mission:

  1. Talk to someone you can trust in the field: Explain how important this goal is to you. Explain how you are feeling. Ask for their advice if they were faced with X. I didn’t have this. You NEED to do this before you give up.
  2. Ask your family, friend(s) who know you and know how you are for their opinion. Stay away from the Nay-Sayers, Negative Nellies, and Jealous Jackie’s.
  3. Take a step back: Take the time you need to think about the consequences if you stop pursuing your goal/dream. What will the outcome be if I stick with this? What will the outcome be if I walk away?
  4. Practice Positive Talk: I can do this! I can make it! I am important! I am a great person!
  5. Learn everything you possibly can: Seek out someone that has accomplished what you want to accomplish. Take them out to lunch and learn from them.
  6. Commit to goals, short term and long term. Start with the end in mind – long term goal – and work backward when writing goals.
  7. Work on your dream every day of your life. Fill all the minutes and hours you’ve allotted with serious determination one day at a time.
  8. Give it all you can. There will be days when you don’t feel like giving it your best. Give it your best anyway for that day. Do not cheat yourself by not pursuing your dream. Give it everything you’ve got. If you have to walk away, know that you gave it your all. Live with NO Regrets!
  9. Keep a journal. Write down what you accomplish every day. Just a few words will do, or else you will create yet another job, which you don’t need.
  10. Celebrate your achievements!  Reward yourself with pre-determined gifts. Treat yourself. For your ultimate goals, give yourself the greatest reward. And then set new goals. You CAN achieve more!

Associate with people like yourself who enjoy the same kinds of pursuits. During your friendships, offer support to your peers. They will then be there for you when you need it.

Without dreams we have nothing to look forward too~John R. Salkowski

Live your LIFE with NO Regrets!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved

Tips for Achieving Success Faster than You’ve Ever Thought Possible

April 17, 2012 Achieve Success Academy No comments

What does it mean to you to be successful?

Don’t worry about society’s standards for success. Just consider how you would define success — for yourself. Based on your own definition, are you successful? Are you living up to your own values and ideals? Are you fulfilling your true potential? If you’re truly successful by your own definition, there shouldn’t be any doubt or hesitation. You could answer with an easy and obvious yes. Maybe other people would consider you successful. Maybe you’d like to think of yourself as successful. But do you really believe that about yourself? Do you feel you’re living up to YOUR potential? Are you doing your BEST? Before we can grow beyond this point, we have to admit the truth to ourselves first. It’s okay if it’s an unpleasant truth, but we still need to face it. Denying the truth WILL NOT help we grow. No truth, no growth, right? The truth is that most of us actually end up living pretty mediocre lives. We know we could be doing much better, but we constantly slack off. We distract ourselves. Most of us regret tomorrow before we’ve even lived it.

Barriers to Success
Success can be very rewarding, but it’s not an easy path to take. There are many obstacles and problems to confront along the way. Some of these problems are in fact getting worse.
Do you find it difficult to focus? You’re not alone. You may have noticed a major increase in distractions in your life within the last few years. There are more things clamoring for our attention than ever before. Another challenge is that we have more opportunities than ever before. We live in a time of rapid change, and change brings opportunity. From all of these possibilities, how do we pick something to focus on? How can we possibly feel confident that our decisions are correct? These challenges can be overwhelming at times. So quite often, we check out. We distract ourselves. We spin our wheels and run in circles. Life passes us by. And we wonder where all the time went. With each passing year, you may feel you’re slipping further and further behind, relative to where you’d hoped to be. There’s a gradual feeling of dread that builds over time… a sense of loss and regret — and maybe some guilt as well. If only you’d made better use of your time while you were younger… One year you have a job. The next year you’re trying to start a business. You don’t find the work very fulfilling, but it pays the bills. University students often have this problem as well. They switch majors like they’re changing their clothes. First it’s psychology, and then a year later it’s engineering, then philosophy. What’s the point of paying for school if you’re not going to finish what you start?

The 3 Key Challenges of Success

Let’s clarify the 3 critical challenges of success — challenges that everyone must face if they wish to become very successful.
Here they are:

 

1. You need to figure out what to do with your life.
If you don’t decide what to do with your life, chances are you’ll end up working for someone who does. You can run your own life, or you can have someone run it for you. Most people end up having their lives ran by someone else. They spend most of their lives working to achieve someone else’s goals. Is that you?

 

2. You need to COMMIT to being successful.
You don’t need to commit yourself to any particular path forever, but you must at least stick with your projects long enough to make serious and meaningful progress.
You can’t keep starting and stopping. You can’t keep quitting. You can’t keep distracting yourself.

 

3. You need to get yourself to take action repeatedly.
If you want the results of success, you’d better get used to taking a lot of action. No action, no results.
Most people fail the first challenge miserably, so they never even make it to the second and third challenges because they give up. But even those that do have a clear idea of what they want to do rarely get very far with it. Suffice it to say that mediocrity is a LOT more common than success.
Why is that?

Because Success is hard, very hard.

I think you deserve to know the truth. It’s not that easy to succeed. It can be a serious struggle at times. Very successful people know this, and they know it well. At least in the short run, it’s easier to be mediocre. If you want the easy path, you’ll have to settle for mediocrity. Trying to succeed will only frustrate you. You’ll find it too difficult. If you aren’t fully committed to success, you’ll give up too soon. I’m not here to serve the people who are okay with mediocrity. I want achievers. Achievers are people who want to better themselves. They want to grow.
But here’s the good news: It’s definitely possible to improve. Success is both learnable and teachable. You don’t have to settle for a mediocre life. Yes, success is harder than mediocrity, but it’s not impossible. Great success is achievable if you commit yourself to it. You really could be doing better. You could be succeeding much faster than you are now — and in a much bigger way.

Having vs. Being
There’s a difference between having certain results and being an achiever. Try not to get too riled about the having aspects. That isn’t a good place to root your self-esteem and self-worth. Money and possessions are nice, but they won’t fulfill you by themselves. When it comes to success, the being part is much more important. What does it mean to be successful? Success is a certain feeling you have about yourself. It’s a very positive, energetic, motivating feeling — a feeling of ambition, drive, determination, confidence, and forward momentum. You look in the mirror and feel happy and excited. You feel motivated to get going. You’re inspired to take action… lots of action. For many people, days like this are few and far between. Some people can barely recall a day when they felt inspired and motivated. That’s truly sad and disappointing. Conscious human beings can do better. When you’re at your best, life flows with passion and possibility. Your goals and projects are motivating and energizing. You take lots of action because you’re inspired to act. It wouldn’t feel as good to delay. When you end a successful day, it’s a great feeling. You barely want to go to bed because you’re enjoying such wonderful flow. When you do go to bed, you sleep restfully and peacefully. Real success is a state of being, not a collection of possessions or a number in a bank account. You can tell when you’re in the flow of success or not. If you’re not sure, then you’re not in the flow. Being in the flow is undeniable. When I’m in this successful flow state, the having part largely takes care of itself. When I do my best work, I create value for others. This can create an abundance of income for you, which makes it easy to pay your bills, meet your needs, and enjoy the experiences that make life worth living. Resolve today to commit yourself to be an achiever!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved

The Top 3 Qualities That Are Essential For Your Success

April 17, 2012 Achieve Success Academy No comments

In order to be successful, these three words are paramount to your success. If you don’t live and breathe by these three words, your success is virtually impossible.

 

Here they are: Passion, Push, and Perseverance

 

Passion:

 

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you ~ Oprah Winfrey

 

My definition of Passion is the burning desire you have inside you to achieve more, be more and do more. Whatever you are passionate about should keep you up at night. Whatever you are passionate about should be on your mind 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. Passion wants success just as bad as you need the air you breathe. This is Passion.

 

Push:

 

I always wanted to be the best I could be at whatever I did. I didn’t want to be the number one golfer in the world. I just wanted to be as good as I could be. I work hard, I push myself hard, and I probably even expect too much of myself ~ Greg Norman

 

You must push yourself to the breaking point when you want to achieve something. If you want something so bad you must be willing to run through a brick wall to get it, achieve it, and accomplish it. Sounds crazy, huh. Well guess what, if you don’t feel this way then you is leaving it all on the table for someone else to grab. If you cheat yourself one time, this will carry over into everything you do in life. For example, if you are in the gym and you have a goal of doing 30 minutes of cardio and you quit after 20 minutes, you just cheated yourself. Cheating in the smallest task will carry over in to all you do in life. To push you need discipline. By cheating yourself, you are failing to create discipline in your life. In order to succeed in anything you do, you must have the discipline to push through the feeling of giving up. It takes 21 days to create or break a habit. Over the next 21 days, push yourself to the limit in everything you do and watch and see what happens in your life.

 

Perseverance:

Football is like life – it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority~ Vince Lombardi

Perseverance is the steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. You must possess the mentality that failure is no option. You must encourage failure. You must persist through failure because failure is guaranteed along your journey. Learn from it, embrace it and persist through it. If you lack perseverance you will never be successful. Did you know that Thomas Edison, the world’s greatest inventor failed over 10,000 times. Where would this world be had he quit.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved

6 Steps in Overcoming the Fear of Success

April 17, 2012 Achieve Success Academy One comment

Fears are nothing more than a state of mind. Napoleon Hill

The one quote that resonates with me that has changed my mindset in overcoming fear is, “Do the thing you fear & the death of fear are certain. We all have a fear of something. The majority of the population fears success. Why? I believe people fear success because it not only takes hard work, discipline, dedication and perseverance it also takes courage to overcome the 6 Fears of Success. Below are the 6 Fears that play an iatrical part in NOT achieving great things. Follow the solutions, work on them, implement the strategies and encourage failure. You will fail along the way but know that failure is a stepping stone to your success. Once you conquer the 6 Fears of Success, your success is virtually guaranteed.

The Six Fears of Success and How to overcome them.

Determine which Fear is holding you back and resolve to take it back.

1. Fear of Failure. This is the greatest of all fears. Fear of failure keeps people from trying new ventures. The fear that they may fail therefore choosing not to take risk.
Solution: Do your homework, however do not over analyze to where it causes paralyzes. Once you learn more about it, be decisive in your actions. It requires a reframe that failure is a normal stage in achievement.

2. Fear of Embarrassment. People who fear embarrassment have typically experienced a time in their childhood that was humiliating in which they filed the memory and said to themselves, “I will never feel that way again or put myself in that position.” Solution: Practice self-talk, self-affirmations. “I can do this, I can accomplish this, I can achieve this”, are a few examples.

3. Fear of Rejection. People who fear rejection have experienced the feeling therefore resulting in low self-esteem. Solution: Realize that rejection is about the other person. It’s about their own insecurities. Know that you are a great person and that rejection is a part of life. Do not let rejection stop you from achieving your dreams. It takes a healthy ego to know that rejection is a normal part of life.

4. Fear of Hurting Others. There is a saying, “If you fail to plan, your plan will fail.” Solution: People who fear hurting others need to plan so that they can continue to meet the needs of others and still pursue their dreams. Make sure the people in your life know how much your Goal(s) mean to you. Do your homework.

5. Fear of Success. Some people have low self-esteem for whatever reason and may fall into the category that they aren’t worthy of success. They fear how their life will be different if they succeed. They decide to stay in the same old place to avoid their own potential for greatness. Solution: Positive Self-Affirmations, Self-Talk can do wonders in reprogramming your thoughts and mindset.

6. Fear of the Unknown. I call these people the “half empties”. There glass is always half empty as opposed as half full. People who fear the unknown usually catastrophism and fear the worst instead of counting on the best. Solution: I am a true believer of what will be, will be. Things happen for a reason. Place your fears in the hands of a higher power and understand what is meant to be will be.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved

Was Captain Edward J. Smith a Natural Leader?

April 16, 2012 Achieve Success Academy No comments

A tribute to Captain Edward John Smith that marks the 100th Anniversary of the Titanic’s Fateful Voyage.

What Makes a Natural Born Leader?

“The Olympic is unsinkable, and Titanic will be the same when she is put in commission.” He continued, “Either of these two vessels could be cut in halves and each half would remain afloat almost indefinitely. The non-sinkable vessel has been reached in these two wonderful craft.” “I venture to add,” Concluded the Captain, “that even the engines and boilers of these vessels were to fall through their bottoms, the vessels would remain afloat.” ~Captain Edward John Smith

Captain Smith was viewed as the stereotype of how a brave captain should act, working to the last to save lives before going down with his ship, yet he is also blamed by many for causing one of the worst maritime disasters of all time.

So why does the public continue to be fascinated by the captain of the Titanic, Captain Edward John Smith?

The son of a pottery presser and grocer rose to become ‘the millionaire’s captain’, the number one choice for the aristocrats of the day, many of whom chose to sail with him because of his reputation for safety and affability.

Captain Smith rose through the Edwardian social classes which was seen as an achievement in itself but he went on to captain some of the biggest ships of the day, including Titanic’s sister ship the Olympic.

Forceful Leader

“Confidence was quickly restored; all being convinced that the Titanic could not founder. Captain Smith nevertheless appeared nervous; he came down on deck chewing a toothpick. ‘Let everyone,’ he said, ‘put on a lifebelt, it is more prudent.’ Soon after midnight, Captain Smith gave the order to prepare the boats, but still no general alarm was raised.” ~Captain Edward John Smith

There were several books written about the Titanic Captain. Among the many myths surrounding the captain, the most famous and ominous is that he ignored ice warnings.

However, ice warnings were just that, simply warnings that ice was seen at X coordinates at a certain time which Smith may have registered rather than reacted to.

Captain Smith was undoubtedly a forceful leader who pushed his ships hard in conditions that may have scared other captains, it was a fact of history that the weather was calm and clear that very fateful night – it was not unusual for any captain to sail ships into ice regions at high speeds and several captains from other shipping companies testified to this.

I believe Captain Smith lived up to the stereotype, perhaps one that he himself helped to create, as to how ships’ captains should behave when disaster strikes, namely that they should stay with their vessel and either be the last man off, or go down with it.

Captain Smith’s actions were not far from the thoughts of many observers when the Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground on January 13th off the western coast of Italy with more than 4,200 passengers and crew.

Its Captain, Francesco Schettino, now faces possible charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning a ship in which 32 people were either killed or are missing.

Captain Smith’s leadership taught us all something. He left a yardstick not only for sea captains to live up to but for all leaders to live up to.

There’s no doubt that Captain Smith made mistakes. However, in the end there is one thing you cannot take away from him. He did not skirt his responsibilities or try to weasel his was out of them. He did what any great leader should do. He went down with his ship. In fact, there was witness testimonial that he dove into the frigid sea as the bridge went under water. Captain Smith paid the ultimate price as a result. How many of our leaders today would be prepared to do the same?

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

How Leaders Get Things Done

April 11, 2012 Achieve Success Academy 2 comments

It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off the fence. You cannot make progress without making decisions. ~Jim Rohn

Of all attributes of leadership, the one thing that leaders do more often than anything else is make decisions. Harry Truman once said, “The buck stops here.” This ultimately applies to every leader. You’re in charge, and after all is said and done, you will be judged by the decisions you make.

Analysis Paralysis

Analysis paralysis is where you can’t take any action due to over thinking about the details or over planning and is one of the best “action” killers we can possibly find. Planning definitely helps when you are starting a new project but it should not be to the extent that it overwhelms us and causes us to fail to make a decision and take action.

Vision and Goals

If art is to nourish the root of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him ~ John F. Kennedy

The best way to improve your decision making ability is to keep focused on the vision and goals that you want to accomplish. We know that things happen and plans change. Stop worrying about making perfect decisions. Stay committed to your vision and goals is the most important aspect of decision making.

Did you know that when pilots fly across the ocean, they reach something called, “the point of no return?” This is the point over the ocean where the combination of the fuel they have on board, the weather conditions, the condition of the aircraft, and other factors that play a role are such that continuing toward a destination is easier than turning back.

This same principle should apply to you when making decisions. Seize the moment. Be decisive in all you do. This is what successful leaders do. They make decisions.

During my tenure as a Police Officer, I was called upon hundreds if not thousands of times to make quick and accurate decisions. It could have been responding to a burglary in progress. Do I respond surreptitiously, potentially causing a traffic accident or do I respond with lights and sirens on risking giving myself away to the perpetrators on scene. The decision I made at the time was to use lights and siren, intermittently so I make it through traffic safely. Upon arriving on scene, do I direct Officers responding to certain locations around the perimeter of the property or do I have them take up positions at nearby intersections with hope of intercepting the perpetrators leaving the scene. The decisions I made could have potentially put Officer Safety in jeopardy. My point is, that making decisive decisions is the most important thing we do as leaders.

Making a decision and having it turn out to be the wrong one, is still better than making no decision at all.

Here are some of the top tips I have used in helping me make quick and accurate decisions:

1) Experience Counts

Experience plays a vital role in decision making. As you grow, so does your experience and knowledge. I believe life experience is the best teacher. There will be a time when you will encounter something similar or know someone that has experienced the same thing.

2) Preparation, Planning and Mentorship

Being prepared and having a plan is also vital to decision making. Ben Franklin once said, “Failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Do your homework, read and study the topic, talk with people that have been in your shoes or have made similar decisions. Seek advice from someone you trust with all your heart. If you have no one in your life that you can go to, seek out a mentor to help and guide you in the right direction. Follow your passion, vision and goals.

3) Go with Your Gut (Inner-Voice)

Use your common sense, intuition and instinct to make quick and accurate decisions. Your gut is 100% right all the time. Take it from someone that has used his gut to make life and death decisions. Your inner-voice will let you know when that something feels right or wrong. When you get that feeling, move in that direction. Do not procrastinate. Be decisive, articulate and seize the moment.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Entrepreneur, Author, and Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity. Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

Great Leader’s Take Sincere Interest in Others

March 29, 2012 Achieve Success Academy No comments

“Taking interest in others is a sure way of making friends faster and building long lasting successful relationships” ~John R. Salkowski

Law of Attraction:

Do you believe in the Law of Attraction? I certainly do. The Law of Attraction will attract the people and things you want into your life if you put it out there to the universe to see and hear. I’ll tell you a story why I believe the Law of Attraction works for me.

My life changed forever on January 10th 2000. On this very day, I was involved in an on-duty shooting that involved me taking another man’s life. This incident stemmed from a Robbery incident where it eventually would turn fatal.

Following the years ahead, I felt my life spiraling out of control. I was acting in such a way that no one wanted to be around me let alone even know me. I was isolating myself from society because I began to hate people and just about everything out there. I looked through a glass that was half empty. This wasn’t me, however I allowed myself to be like this for years. It affected my life in such a way that if I didn’t do something about soon, I was headed down a tragic path. Unbeknownst to me, I was suffering from PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This carried on for 3yrs before I committed myself to making a change.

I began to read books on personal development like it was going out of style. I began to research people that were living a life that I could only dream about. So, I began to study people that basically came from nothing and had built huge empires for themselves. I studied self-made men and women. Books like, Think and Grow Rich, Laws of Success, The Secret, Anger Free, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Goals, Missed Fortune, Eight Steps to Seven Figures, A Christians Life Manual, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Little Book of Big Bible Promises and so many others. These books have changed my life. My attitude toward life, people, success, relationships with friends, family and loved ones began to change. With the help of these books and cutting out all negative things in my life that were affecting my attitude like the local news, newspapers, negative people, Television in general, my life began to prosper.

The Building Blocks of Leadership Success

“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these”. ~ George Washington Carver

I once read a quote from Gandhi, “You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist”. When I read this it hit me like a ton of bricks had just fallen on me. How true was this, I thought?

I have learned that one of the most important keys to a better life, if not the most important one, to building successful relationships is your ability to show a sincere interest in the lives of others. Not only to that person but also to the things that are most important to that person. By expressing genuine interest in someone’s qualities, background, stories, hobbies, career, family, children or anything else closely connected to that person, you will give them a gift- a sense of importance, wellbeing and value.

Here are a few things that I have learned over the years by studying Leadership, Success and Inspiration:

1) When Meeting Someone New or Running into a Friend~When you meet people for the first time or run into them again, you have an opportunity to make a positive impression on them. The key here is to take 10 seconds and make them feel like they are the most important person on this earth. Look them in the eyes with warmth and authenticity and offer them a friendly greeting. If appropriate, give them a firm handshake and/or hug.

2) Call Them by Name~ In all of your communication, written or verbal, first time or repeated, make it a point to use a person’s name. This is very hard for me at times, because I am one to forget a name but never forget a face. When I read Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends and Influence People it said if you want to win friends, make it a point to remember their name. If you remember their name, you make an impact on them which indicates that they have made an impact on you, adding a sense of importance.

3) Look That Person Directly in The Eyes and Listen Intensely~Have you ever met someone and while talking to them, there looking around at what’s going on around them. Literally paying you no mind. This is not only ignorant but very rude. It makes a person feel unworthy. By looking them in the eyes, this shows the person that you respect them and respect what they are saying. In order to get respect, you must give respect.

4) Inspire and Encourage Others~By inspiring and encouraging others, you lift their spirits, enhance their self-confidence and add fuel to their motivational fire. Perhaps more than anything you give them hope and inspiration. If simple words of encouragement can do so much to enhance someone’s life, why don’t we all do more of it? How long could it take? 10-20 seconds?

5) Acknowledgement~When you acknowledge people, you recognize their value and importance. How about hugging your child(ren) before they go off to school? Or saying “Good Morning” to your co-workers as you walk through the office? Or saying hi to an acquaintance you see dining at another table in a restaurant. When you go out of your way to acknowledge people you will make a positive impression on them.

When you genuinely show an interest in others, they too will show an interest in you. Make it your priority today to Take Sincere Interest in Others!

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill robbery incident, Author, Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

Leader’s Leave People Better Than They Found Them

March 28, 2012 Achieve Success Academy 2 comments

“Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.” ~Marvin J. Ashton

Be the One Who Inspires Others

It’s a great feeling making someone’s day. Have you ever just wanted to make someone feel good? I believe, for the most part, most people want to make other’s feel good. Making a positive impact in someone’s life inspires me beyond belief. I truly believe with all my heart and soul that I was put on this earth to make a difference in the lives of other’s.

You know the feeling you get in your gut when you love doing something so much that you would do it for free. That’s the feeling I get about leaving someone better than I found them.

So what is Inspiration?

Inspiration is about finding things that inspire us (amazing ideas, people, and nature), having that inspiration breathed into you and then taking action on it. Creating, doing, and inspiring others to ACTION.

If you’re looking for inspiration you can find it almost anywhere. The key to being inspired is to keep your eyes open. See everything around you as a possible source of inspiration. We are so busy thinking about other things that we miss out on inspiration.

You need inspiration on a regular basis as it isn’t just a one-time thing. When you practice the above method – allowing yourself to breathe in that inspiration by staying in the present and keeping your eyes open to everything – you get better at it. It becomes a skill you can use at any time, and you’ll use it often.

Here are some tips to keep you inspired:

Read daily – mix it up, from success stories, to blogs, to books and magazines of all kinds.

Go outdoors – being in nature is one of the biggest inspirations. Like seeing a rainbow after a storm, or the fiery colors of a sunset.

Get to know new people – they’ll always expose you to new ideas or interesting things, if you’re open to it.

Find time to meditate – creating time to sit and be silent can be more inspiring that you know.

Work with and spend time with inspiring people – find creative, positive, and energetic people that kick you into Action!

Break your routine – take a new route home. Go to a new coffee shop or restaurant. See things from a different perspective.

Exercise – or at least get out for a brisk walk. It helps get ideas moving around and the blood to circulate.

Inspiration isn’t a onetime thing. It’s just like bathing; you must do it every day!

Take Action!

Channel all that inspiration you get and turn it into something amazing. Take this new found inspiration to move you forward, use it, and do something to inspire others.

A Traffic Stop to Making a Difference

“The world is not interested in what we do for a living. What they are interested in is what we have to offer freely – hope strength, love and the power to make a difference!” ~Sasha Azevedo

Back in the early 2000′s, I was still patrolling the streets of Lower Merion Township. While on patrol, I was monitoring traffic at one of the busiest intersections on my beat. I was observing the flow of traffic checking vehicles for expired inspection stickers. In Pennsylvania, as in many other states, each year you have to get your vehicle inspected by a certified Inspection Station. To pass inspection, the mechanic would check your brakes; exterior lighting etc. to make sure everything was in safe working order. I noticed a black Chevrolet coupe with expired inspection stickers. The stickers expired the end of September and we were in the first week of October. Not a huge violation, but I wanted to stop the vehicle to make the driver aware.

I stopped the vehicle and approached the driver from the driver’s side door. As I approached the driver, I noticed through the driver’s side mirror that the young lady driver was crying. I reached the driver’s window and identified myself. I immediately told the young lady that she didn’t need to be upset that I was only making her aware that her inspection stickers had expired a few days.

The young lady had her driver’s license and registration card already waiting for me. I began to ask her if she was okay. The young lady told me that she was just laid off from work by her employer after almost 10yrs. She told me that she hadn’t missed a day of work in 10yrs and that she loved her job more than anything. She said that they didn’t give her a reason other than they decided to downsize. The feeimagesCAAPO6TG Leaders Leave People Better Than They Found ThemimagesCAAPO6TG1 Leaders Leave People Better Than They Found Themling of sadness along with a sick feeling in my stomach overcame me. I felt so bad for her.

Instead of discussing her minor violation, I began to ask her about her job and what she did for 10yrs. As she explained her job, you could see the joy on her face as she described it. You could just tell she loved her job. Not many people can say that.

I said, “May I ask you a question”. She said, “Of course Officer” in the politest and sweetest voice. I said, “Do you believe things happen for a reason”? She said, “I do”. I said, “You may not understand it at this very moment or even over the next few days but this was meant to be”. She said, “How do you mean Officer”? I said, “This chapter in your life was meant to be”. “The good Lord upstairs has something better in store for you”. “When one door closes, a much better door opens”. You could see her tears coming to an end. Her face began to brighten up and her smile began to shine. The young lady thanked me and told me that “I just made her day”. Before she went on her way, I told her, “To stay positive and to focus on the next door that’s about to open for her”. I felt deep down that something much better was in store for her. She thanked me again and began to drive off. I told her, “To drive safe and remember to stay focused and positive”. I stood there in the road for a few seconds, watching her drive away. I was very sad for her but I truly believe the short talk we had made a difference in her life.

So remember, true leaders leave that special someone or the person you just met, better than you found them.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) from a shoot and kill robbery incident, Author, Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

Military Scrambles After Staff Sgt. Robert Bales’ Shooting

March 26, 2012 Achieve Success Academy One comment

U.S. Government Officials Scramble

Just nine days after Staff Sgt. Robert Bale’s shooting in Afghanistan, a Top-Level Pentagon Health Official orders a widespread, emergency review of the military’s use of a notorious anti-malaria drug called mefloquine.

Mefloquine, also known as Lariam, has severe psychiatric side effects. Side effects of the drug include psychotic behavior, paranoia and hallucinations. The drug has been implicated in numerous suicides and homicides, including deaths in the U.S. military. For years the military has used the weekly pill to help prevent malaria among deployed troops.

The U.S. Army nearly stopped the use of mefloquine entirely in 2009 because of the dangers, now only using it in limited circumstances, including sometimes in Afghanistan. In 2009 the Army said soldiers who have suffered a traumatic brain injury should not be given the drug.

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, accused of murdering 17 of men, women and children suffered a traumatic brain injury in Iraq in 2010 during his third combat tour. According to statistics, repeated combat tours severely increases the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Staff Sgt. Bales’ wife, Karilyn Bales, broke her silence in an interview Sunday with NBC. “It is unbelievable to me. I have no idea what happened, but he would not — he loves children. He would not do that,” she said.

On March 20, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Jonathan Woodson ordered a new & urgent review to make sure that troops were not getting the drug inappropriately. The task order from Woodson, orders an immediate “review of mefloquine prescribing practices” to be completed by the following Monday, six days after the order was issued.

“Some deployed service members may be prescribed mefloquine for malaria prophylaxis without appropriate documentation in their medical records and without proper screening for contraindications,” the order says. It notes that this review must include troops at “deployed locations.”

The sudden violence and apparent cognitive problems related to the crime Bales is accused of mirrors other gruesome cases.

A former Army psychiatrist who was the top advocate for mental health at the Office of the Army Surgeon General recently voiced concern about Bales’ possible mefloquine exposure. “One obvious question to consider is whether he was on mefloquine (Lariam), an anti-malarial medication.” This drug is still used in Afghanistan.

“This medication has been increasingly associated with neuropsychiatric side effects, including depression, psychosis, and suicidal ideation.”

In 2004 in the United Press International stated that use of the drug by six elite Army Special Forces soldiers who took mefloquine then committed suicide. (Suicide is relatively infrequent among Special Forces soldiers).

“You’re ready to take that plunge into hurting someone or hurting and killing yourself, and it comes on unbelievably quickly,” said one Special Forces soldier diagnosed with permanent brain damage from Lariam. “It’s just a sudden thought; it’s the right thing to do. You’ll get a mental picture, and it’s in full color.”

UPI report showed how mefloquine use was a factor in half of the suicides among troops in Iraq in 2003 -– and how suicides dropped by 50 percent after the Army stopped handing out the drug.

In a case that mirrors the Bales’ case, that year the Army dropped charges against Staff Sgt. Georg-Andreas Pogany. Pogany had been the first soldier since Vietnam charged with cowardice. Like Bales, Pogany faced a possible death sentence. The Army dropped the charges after doctors determined that Pogany suffered from Lariam toxicity, which affected his behavior in Iraq.

In 2002, three elite soldiers, who took mefloquine in Afghanistan, returned to murder their wives and then commit suicide. These soldiers were described by friends, family and neighbors after taking the drug as incoherent, strange and angry.

What Does This Mean For Staff Sgt. Robert Bales

Does this mean, Bales’ charges will be dropped like that of Pogany’s? Does Bales’ suffer from a Lariam toxicity? Something affected his behavior that very day. He was pushed to a limit of no return. Was it the Four tours he served or was it the Lariam?

I certainly hope the truth comes out and this soldier gets the help he needs. Giving him the death penalty will not solve the problem. This is not the first case of homicide or suicide among our soldiers. What you read above is evidence that this is a reoccurring problem and this problem needs to be fixed.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) stemming from a shoot and kill Robbery incident, Author, Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity.

 

What Caused Staff Sgt. Robert Bales to Commit Murder?

March 23, 2012 Achieve Success Academy 3 comments

If you watch the news, have read articles I’m sure you’re familiar with Staff Sgt. Robert Bales. Staff Sgt. Bales is being charged with 17 counts of murder, assault and a slew of other charges from what’s being called a massacre of Afghan villagers by U.S. officials.

Staggering Statistics from Studies and the Veterans Affairs

Did you know that 1 in 5 returning Afghan and Iraq war veterans suffer from PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Major Depression according to VA (Veterans Affairs).

Nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan — 300,000 in all — report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment, according to a new RAND Corporation Study.

In addition too, researchers found about 19 percent of returning service members report that they experienced a possible traumatic brain injury while deployed, with 7 percent reporting both a probable brain injury and current PTSD or major depression.

Many service members said they do not seek treatment for psychological illnesses because they fear it will harm their careers. Being subject to ridicule. Being considered unfit for duty. But even among those who do seek help for PTSD or major depression, only about half receive treatment that researchers consider “minimally adequate” for their illnesses.

In the first analysis of its kind, researchers estimate that PTSD and depression among returning service members will cost the nation as much as $6.2 billion in the two years following deployment — an amount that includes both direct medical care and costs for lost productivity and suicide. Investing in more high-quality treatment could save close to $2 billion within two years by substantially reducing those indirect costs, according to RAND study.

Here’s another staggering statistic. Suicides among returning soldiers are up 26% according to the VA (Veterans Affairs). There are an estimated 30,000 suicides in this country alone and 20% of those suicides are committed by our veterans according to the VA.

We Have an Epidemic on our Hands

We all know that there is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unless they receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be long-term consequences for them and for our nation. Unfortunately, there are many barriers preventing them from getting the high-quality treatment they need.

Researchers concluded that a major national effort is needed to expand and improve the capacity of the mental health system to provide effective care to service members and veterans. The effort must include the military, veteran and civilian health care systems, and should focus on training more providers to use high-quality, evidence-based treatment methods and encouraging service members and veterans to seek needed care.

Since October 2001, about 1.6 million U.S. troops have deployed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, with many exposed to prolonged periods of combat-related stress or traumatic events. Early evidence suggests that the psychological toll of the deployments may be disproportionately high compared with physical injuries.

The epidemic that is running wild among our returning troops is PTSD and Major Depression. More of our troops are suffering mental illnesses than physical injuries. This is not the first time you have heard one of our returning soldiers committing homicide, suicide, turning to drug & alcohol abuse, marital problems, unemployment, homelessness, committing crimes etc.

Is Staff Sgt. Robert Bales a Killer or a Victim of War?

Is Staff Sgt. Robert Bales a murderer? Is he really a cold blooded killer? Is he a true menace to society? Or is he a victim of circumstances? Did he wake up one morning and say, “I’m going on a murder spree? Who knows? Please understand something, I’m not condoning what Robert Bales did by no means, however you have to stop and think about something. There is definitely something going on with this soldier. You have just read the staggering statistics above. This is a man that has done numerous tours in Afghanistan & Iraq. To be exact, Staff Sgt. Bales served (1) tour in Afghanistan and (3) tours in Iraq. This is a man that has seen more violence, been in involved in more violence than anyone you can imagine. Yes, there are thousands of others that have been exposed to what Robert Bales has been exposed too as well. However, everyone is different, therefore what they experience and how they handle that experience is different as well.

This is a man that is a victim of our war. A victim in the sense that he suffers a major case of PTSD and/or a traumatic brain injury. He was experiencing stress beyond explanation. This is a man that was pushed to his breaking point. Yes, he turned to committing murder on innocent Afghans. People that didn’t deserve to die. But what if Bales would have taken his own life? Would he be considered a hero or another victim of circumstances? This is a man that should not have done (4) tours of war.

As a retired Police Officer and suffer of PTSD myself for shooting and killing a man in the course of a robbery & defending my own life, I can only imagine what Staff Sgt. Bales and the rest of the troops have experienced. I was second guessed, Monday morning quarterbacked, my past picked apart just as Bales’ past is being picked apart. This is unfair. Bales served his country in war not just once but four times. Enough is enough. There should be limits and guidelines on how many tours our troops serve. Where are our Commanders, our Leaders? There in the background not doing what the front-line is doing. Their not in the trenches like they are. Do they really care about them? One can only wonder what their mindset is. Understandably, the job needs to get done but it shouldn’t be at the expense of our fellow men and women. It not only affects them, it affects hundreds of thousands of others. Their families, friends, co-workers.

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales is not a killer. He is a victim of war.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and Author, Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity.

I can be reached via email at John@JohnSalkowski.com

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

 

 

The Top Skills You Must Possess for Leadership Success

March 21, 2012 Achieve Success Academy One comment

“It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.” – Winston Churchill

Successful leaders understand that one of most critical keys to success is possessing a positive self-image and outlook on life in general.

Feeding you mind daily with positive materials such as success quotes, leadership development training and self-development books and audio-tapes/cd’s will enable you to stay determined and focused.

Quotes have an amazing way of hitting the right nerve at the right time. They are short and pithy, making it easier for us to make our decisions of our day with more clarity and purpose.

“Affirmation without self-discipline is the beginning of delusion” ~ Jim Rohn

1) Self-Discipline~ In order to succeed in any facet of life you must possess and master the skill of self-discipline. Discipline is doing what you must do whether you feel like it or not.

“One cannot manage too may affairs: like pumpkins in the water, one pops up while you try to hold down the other”~ Chinese Proverb

2) Time-Management~ There is no such thing as multi-tasking. You simply cannot do two things at once and do them effectively. Have you ever tried to chase two rabbits at the same time? It doesn’t work. Create a list. Work on the most important task first and work your way down in order. All else should be delegated.

“Indecision Breeds Mediocrity” ~ John R. Salkowski

3) Decision-Making~ Nothing else like indecision breeds mediocrity. In order to be a successful leader you must be decisive in your decision making. You heard the saying analyses paralyses, right? Don’t over analyze. The key to a successful decision is to make sure your thought is well reasoned and thought out properly.

“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go” ~ William Feather

4) Accountability~ Accountability plays a very important role in your leadership success. If you want to be respected and admired, you must take full accountability of not only your successes but your failures as well. This is a form of confidence and self-belief which is a major ingredient to your success.

“He can who thinks he can, he can’t who thinks he can’t” ~ Orison Swett Marden

5) A Positive Attitude is Everything~ Being positive in all you do is essential for your success. A positive attitude is entirely self-determined and can be helped by accentuating the positive in everything you do. Don’t see the problem, see the solution.

“You need a system to succeed. Talent is never enough.” ~ William Shakespeare

6) Self-Presentation~ If you truly want to be successful you must learn how to present to others. Not the way YOU want to present but the way THEY want to be presented too. The radio station you must tune into when presenting to others is “WIFM”. WIFM means “What’s In It For Me” meaning what’s in it for your prospect. If you learn how to present to others, you’re success is virtually guaranteed.

Leadership success will be yours to take if you follow and master these top skills.

I’m John R. Salkowski, Founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, Retired Police Officer, Survivor of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and Author, Speaker on Leadership, Success and Overcoming Adversity.

Copyright 2012. Achieve Success Academy. All Rights Reserved.