The Best Gift to Give Yourself and Others


I'm often asked the question, "How can I best help my children, spouse, family member, staff member, friend etc. improve/change?" In fact that might be the most frequently asked question I receive, "How can I help change someone else?"

My answer often comes as a surprise and here it is. The key to helping others is to help yourself first. In other words, the best contribution I can make to someone else is my own personal development. If I become 10 times wiser, 10 times stronger, think of what that will do for my adventure as a father... as a grandfather... as a business colleague.

The best gift I can give to you, really, is my ongoing personal development. Getting better, getting stronger, becoming wiser. I think parents should pick this valuable philosophy up. If the parents are okay, the kids have an excellent chance of being okay. Work on your personal development as parents; that's the best gift you can give to your children.

If you have ever ridden in an airplane, then you might have noticed the oxygen compartment located above every seat. There are explicit instructions that say "In case of an emergency, first secure your own oxygen mask and then if you have children with you then secure their masks." Take care of yourself first... then assist your children. If we use that same philosophy throughout our whole parental life, it would be so valuable.

If I learn to create happiness for myself, my children now have an excellent chance to be happy. If I create a unique lifestyle for myself and my spouse, that will be a great example to serve my children.

Self-development enables you to serve, to be more valuable to those around you; for your child... your business... your colleague... your community... your church.

That's why I teach development skills. If you keep refining all the parts of your character, yourself, your health, etc. so that you become an attractive person to the marketplace - you'll attract opportunity. Opportunity will then begin to seek you out. Your reputation will begin to precede you and people will want to do business with you. All of that possibility is created by working on the philosophy that success is something you attract by continually working on your own personal development.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine, go to http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com

MORE RESOURCES:
RELATED ARTICLES
Create Resistance or Creative Acceptance
Resistance is not a new word, but for many of us awareness of resistance is new. In Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, resistance is defined: "to withstand, to strive against, to exert force in opposition, to counteract, defeat or frustrate.
Time for Sunshine
Having spring around makes you feel different after such a long winter journey. How well do you feel when you have a little bit of sunshine in your life? What effect does it do have on our psyche? The power of sunshine brings us a lot of comfort, optimism, self-confidence and of course a smile.
He Who Laughs...Lasts---Where Has All The Laughter Gone?
I love to watch people at airports, malls and even at our church. I wonder, what got them here? What attracted those two people to be together at this time? What makes that one tick or that one over there work so hard? And sadly, I wonder where has all the laughter gone?Studies show that children laugh approximately 400 times per day while adults laugh as little as 15 times a day.
The Amazing Power of the Human Will
The human will is the most incredible thing. I believe it is the human will that keeps us going, when everyone else expects us to sit, or even quit.
Recipe for Success
"Desire is a tremendous force, and must be directed in the right channels (to work). - Florence Scovel ShinnTake one cup of Desire,Mix well with a heart full of Passion,Shake in a tumbler of Willpower,Add a full cup of Thought.
Lifes Purpose
To every life, there is a purpose; a purpose of will and a purpose of choice. A choice to make the right or wrong decisions and the will to act on the choices made.
Motivational Posters - A Source Of Inspiration?
What Inspires You? What motivates you to get up in the morning? Are you one of those people who have a burning desire to achieve something or are you drifting along doing your daily routine? This is something you may not have put much attention on or even any at all but, if you look closely, you may find that there may have been one or more people who have inspired you in your life.Any person who has been successful at something will tell you something like, my grandma always said?or my dad always gave me the best advice, or someone once said to me?! Get the picture?Words can be very powerful in influencing our lives.
Adversity, What Is It Good For?
As I sat down to write this article, I was reflecting back over the last week - a week filled with adversity. We all go through it and it is during those times that we may often wonder what is it all for anyway? What is the point? What is it good for?I decided to look up the word, adversity, from my old American Heritage Dictionary.
Fear Factor
What is it that stops you from jumping off a 5 story building, is it the fear of falling, the sudden stop at the bottom or knowing that you cannot fly?As a youngster you lay in bed at night fearing to let you leg or arm drop over the side of the bed lest the bed monster gets you. You knew there was a monster in your closet waiting to attack you the moment you built up enough courage to move out of your position.
Re-Developing Your Vision
One of the most important things we can do for our businesses, schools, and organizations is to have vision. Vision being a clear picture of a desired end result that you are aiming for.
4 Abundant Ways To Add FIRE To Your Passion!
How many times have you found yourself dreaming you were more passionate?What makes certain people so passionate? How come they seem to be on-fire for their cause? Why do enthusiastic people become leaders we are willing to follow?Maybe you once had a burning desire inside of your heart. If you have ever hoped to add more fuel to the F.
Full Disclosure
Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 21, 2003I hope you can talk me out of this bad feeling. I watched the Michael Jackson program where he was talking about how he was treated by his father.
Israel Is My Son
"And thou shalt say unto Pharoah, Thus saith the Lord, "Israel is my son, even my first-born. And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me;and if thou refuse to let him go, behold I will slay thy son, even thy first born(Exodus 4.
The Power of Courtesy and Kindness
I'm currently listening to The Secrets of the Power of Intention audio program by Dr. Wayne Dyer.
When Failure is a Gift
I wanted, for many many years, to be a mystery writer. Finally I wrote a mystery novel.
Computers and Internet: Inspiring Us to Create
The Internet is sometimes criticized (usually by parents who think their kids need to be outdoors more often) as leading people to be sitting in front of their computers all day growing bulbous, lethargic and (depending on who you talk to) stupid. I think that the opposite can often be true.
Stay Inspired
Two years ago I was in a wheelchair and told I would be paralyzed for life. Today I can jog on a treadmill.
A Time To Awake
What has become of your fondest dreams?If you were guaranteed success, what would dare to attempt?We all have dreams, deep inside?those moments when we take a voyage in our imagination, into a world where everything was possible. A world where fear is a strange concept, limits are non-existent and we are at peace with ourselves.
A Perfect World in the Making
The world is perfect the way it is. The world is a reflection of the thoughts of its inhabitants.
All You Want is Within Your Reach
If there is one thing that I believe with all my heart it is that you can have any life you choose to. You can live the life you have always dreamed of.