It All Matters

2The Journey Begins

Lessons on Positive Thinking

I arrived at Southwestern with $300 in my pocket for the entire summer. After paying for the hotel in advance for the week, my balance was down to $162.18, and I had not yet eaten my first meal. Uh‐oh, I said to myself, these people had better teach me how to sell pretty quickly, or I'm in trouble. Richard kept advising me not to worry, but I believe that this was my first introduction to what you would call financial fear.

I reminded myself of a powerful lesson my grandfather had taught me about fear years earlier in one of his famous fencepost lessons. “Do the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain.” It was time for me to try out that philosophy and see if it was in fact true, because I was scared to death.

Focused on my first objective, I decided to calm down, believing that my fear would soon be replaced by excitement, knowledge, and a pressing need to master everything that I was going to learn. Over the next six days, I would interact with some incredible people who would forever shape my destiny. I would be introduced to life‐changing concepts and mind‐bending information. I would hear dynamic speakers and see presentations that left me awestruck and yearning for more.

I would be introduced to other young people who had also “rolled the dice” and decided to do something unique with their summer. I would immerse myself in the value of positive thinking and affirmations. I would learn how to run my own business ...