Three Feet from Gold ... finding your true value

by Dale Shumaker
Spirit Savvy Network
www.spiritsavvy.net

Three Feet from Gold by Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid brings us an update of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich Classic and how it still is having a revolutionary impact on business success today. The authors interviewed the highly successful of today as Napoleon Hill did in the early 1900's. They found most attributed their success to being students of Napoleon Hill's works.

To establish the theme for the book, Three Feet from Gold, they told the story of how a speculator went looking for gold. He made a discovery, invested in more excavating equipment, but then ran out of finding enough gold to pay back his investment. He gave up and sold his land to a junkman. The junkman hired a mining engineer to help evaluate their mining and he directed the junkman to go perpendicular from the direction the original mines were going.

It turned out they were only three feet from a major gold fault line. The previous miners were digging the wrong direction. The point is don't quit and get expert advice when you run into a snag.

The rest of Three Feet from Gold is a review of Greg's journey to write the book and his encounter with other great successful people, many from the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Here's a run through of his notes and insights this produced. You will see a review of Napoleon Hill's principles throughout.

Some quick quips:
"The most common cause of failure is quitting."
"Before success comes, you will surely meet with temporary failure."
"To succeed you must have stickability."

He cautions us... do not make major decisions in a valley. Write down your dreams, review and revise constantly and keep pursuing new avenues from your failures and setbacks. The direction we choose every day is up to us.

The success formula is
(P + T) x A x A = success.
P... what's your Passion.
T... then add your Talent.
A... multiply this by your Associations.
A... then multiply all this by Action.
Later on they added faith to the formula as the book was nearing being a published reality.

One unique point is the problem of overplanning. Most overplan they say, and it is important to keep taking action as you know what to do next. Learn from each step and from that determine your next best action step. Each experience trains you and leads you to another. Keep climbing safe. Focus on people more than profits.

More of Greg's discovery nuggets from his interviews.

Be Goal Driven. Set high standards.

Use master mind groups. Use intelligence and accomplished experience from others who know something about what you are attempting to do.

When you are right, stick with it... and keep reminding yourself that success is the reward for setbacks. Most people give up too soon.

Do common things in a common way to get uncommon results. If you know you are right, keep doing what you're doing until it works.

Every wealth creator is crystal clear about two things... a vision and a mission.

You need two kinds of courage... First the courage to start, and then the courage to never quit. Replace your wishbone with backbone.

Believe in yourself. Find others who believe in you... even if only one person. Run from people with negative attitudes.

Opportunities surround you. Be a job-maker, not a job-taker. Make your own opportunities.

Adjust your attitude. If you want something to change then change the way you look at it.

Build energy, idea stimulating associations. Most important... find good ones that harmonize with you and that inspire you. Never let people stand in your way.

Turn adversity into advantages. Turn your doubts and doubting people into a catalyst to persevere. Be willing to change. A dream is a reality waiting for you to get there. Don't quit. (Keep saying this. We need to hear it a lot.) Never let mistakes define who you are. Make diversity and defeat motivators. Every adversity carries a seed of a greater benefit. It's the way of thinking of the achievers, accomplishers of visions and dreams.

It's always a new beginning... sometimes the worst situations turn out to be the best opportunities.

Act as if your dream is already happening, and never believe in never. Don't quit five minutes before your miracle. You're three feet from gold.

Add Faith to your success equation.
Passion plus talent times associations times action... adding faith...
equals success.

This inspired me to do my own talent evaluation and calculate my net worth.
In the 70's I completed two advanced degrees in educational communications and educational administration.
In the 80's, went to biz boot camp... built a media/video production business.
In the 90's, I was exposed to thousands of hours of personal skill development audio/video courses published by the best achievement coaches in the country.
In the 2000's completed and published summaries of over 100 best selling biz books.
Add to this wisdom (that's knowledge simmered by experience) and a special Spiritual practicum of life.
And considering the contribution I have made in my life time to hundreds of people from individuals, entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies, professionals...
I figured my intellectual, experience, Spiritual intelligence assets to be worth over $1,000,000 in accomplished value.

Add yours up... you'll be amazed. Now, pass it on as I do through the Spirit Savvy Business blog. And the Spirit Savvy Network. We can change the world.

At the end of Three Feet From Gold, there is an outline for creating your own personal success equation.
http://www.threefeetaway.com/

Intercessory prayer is prayer on behalf of others. This idea that we can affect people's lives other than our own is an awesome idea. Many have a specific gifting in interceding in prayer for others, to pray for others and see a positive change in the life and circumstances in the person.

In Intercession: the Throne Ministry by T. Austin-Sparks, he outlines the characteristics of the intercessor.

The Intercessor....
1. must know the Word of God.
2. be in His Spirit.
3. identifies himself with the Body of Christ.
4. is concerned about the Full Purpose of the Body of Christ.
5. will birth and bring Christ forth in fullness in other believers by the Holy Spirit.
6. will have discernment on how and what to pray.
7. will yield to the Holy Spirit for God's thoughts.
8. is not an escapist from trials of his own, so he will understand the trials of others.
9. stands against wickedness in heavenly places.
10. is an enemy of God's enemies.
11. is known in hell.
12. is a fighter who comes into active Spiritual warfare.
13. knows the authority of Christ and his position in Christ.
14. pours out his complaints before God and not men.
15. goes to his closet and becomes one with Christ.
16. knows much is required of his role.
17. is meek and lowly.
18. is a bondservant to the Holy Spirit.
19. is a person who is entrusted in the care of the Body of Christ.
20. will let Christ and the Holy Spirit pray through him.
21. is a Spiritual father to others.
22. involves one's whole life.
23. recognizes spiritual conflict in the heavens.
24. prays and intercedes in the night hours.

In If You Will Ask by Oswald Chambers, he advises us that the one we are praying for knows nothing about it. But after passing time, the life of the one prayed for shows signs of unrest and disquiet. But after praying for a while, they will begin to soften and desire to know something.

The battle is in prayer. We pray not because we are helpless, but prayer is where the power is. It is God the All Mighty one at work. All power is given through Jesus who defeated all the elements of earth. We share in this.

Also remember delays in prayer may not have anything to do with God not answering prayer, but God wanting to come closer to us. This is what He is doing in delays in answer to prayer. So delays increase our intimacy with Him and Knowing Him. We are all called to pray and prayer is where we win battles.

Learn the art of prayer and be diligent in prayer and you will change the world and bring the Glory of Christ to earth.