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Today, let's talk about how to handle those inevitable setbacks that occur, from time to time, in your quest to be a better human being. It is the rare person who gets it right the first time - or the second time or the third time....
 
If you are a regular receiver of the Winner's Circle, you know we talk quite a bit about affirmations because they are a wonderful way to help people change for the better.  (Now, affirmations are just positive, emotionally charged, present-tense statements describing a desired end-result.)  For example, an affirmation you could make if… >>>

How much control do you believe you have over what happens to you in life?  Today, let's discuss how feelings about who is in control can affect end results.
 
Some people believe they have very little control over what happens to them. When good things occur, they think it is mostly a matter of luck or circumstance. They do not set goals or plan very far ahead, because they believe that how things turn out is beyond their control. Their stress and tension levels are generally very high, and they often feel overwhelmed, helpless and hopeless. Strangely enough, when… >>>

Many people think that courage is an unusual act of bravery, but it is far more than that. Do you believe that courage is something that certain special people display in times of great danger?
 
For most people, the answer to that question would be a resounding, "Yes!" But, if we think about it a little more, we might also agree that courage needs to be an everyday fact of life, if we are going to use more of our potential and become all that we can be. In fact, there is a good chance that courage precedes all… >>>

Can the use of visualization techniques really help you achieve your goals in life? Perhaps you know someone who uses mental rehearsal, or visualization, to help them develop the behavior they would like to be a part of them?
 
There is nothing at all mysterious about how visualization works. You see, human beings think in the form of words, which trigger pictures and emotions - and our subconscious cannot tell the difference between something we imagine vividly and the real thing.
 
Whenever you look forward to something and create a picture in your mind of how you want… >>>

Labels are important, as they are the terms we use to put things into categories in order to help us understand them. Often, though, instead of helping us understand, labels cause us to make a mental checkmark in an imaginary box - and then stop thinking!
 
How many kids in the world have been called "slow learners" or even "learning disabled" when their only problem was teachers who lacked patience, or parents who didn't recognize genius when they saw it? How many people hear the words, "You have a fatal illness," and simply resign themselves to die?
 
How… >>>

Who is in control of what makes you feel good? Today, let's talk about how you can dramatically increase the joy in your life.
 
Everyone likes to feel good. However, too many people seem to believe feeling good is something that happens to them, rather than something they create themselves. When they feel badly, they just wait for it to pass, hoping something will happen to make them feel better.
 
What if they had a plan for pleasure? What if you had such a plan? You already know a lot of things that make you feel good when… >>>

"Who am I?"  This age-old question is one of the most important you will ever ask or answer. And, while you are answering that question, another similar, but substantially different, question might present itself: What parts of yourself do you keep secret from others?
 
What do you do when you are alone that you would rather no one find out about? Do you read trashy novels, talk to your plants, or consume ice cream by the quart? Do you indulge in self-destructive activities like illegal drugs or excessive alcohol use? Do you use language you would be embarrassed to… >>>

How important are beliefs and expectations in determining what happens to us in life? They may be more important than you think.
 
Have you ever noticed that people who expect the best in life usually seem to get it? And have you noticed that the reverse also seems to be true? Do you think it happens that way due to coincidence or luck? Or is something else going on?
 
One of the basic principles, built on the concepts Lou taught, is that we move toward and become like what we think about. We behave not in accordance with… >>>

Today, let's talk about the difference between confidence and self-esteem. If you are not certain there is a difference, read on. If you are certain, read on!
 
Confidence and self-esteem are not the same thing. It is entirely possible to appear confident in front of others without having much in the way of self-esteem. Lots of people do it, and some of them are quite famous. You see, the confidence is just a front, a clever pose - an act. It is like a sample cake in the window of a bakery that is made of nothing but icing.… >>>

How do you know when something is good? The answer may not be as simple as it seems, so let's talk about it. It doesn't matter whether it's a work of art, a movie, a restaurant or a new brand of laundry soap - how do you decide that something is "good"?

Many people decide what is good by listening to so-called experts. They will praise a painting they care nothing about because it is hanging in a museum, or the artist's work was favorably reviewed by a fashionable art critic. They will rave about a new restaurant because it… >>>