Teachings from The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle by Jim Rohn



Change comes from 2 sources:
1.) Desperation
2.) Inspiration


1st Piece to the Life Puzzle- Philosophy

Thoughts + Ideas + Information = Philosophy

- The way that each of us thinks makes the major difference in where each of us arrives.
- We are all artists, with but only one canvas to paint. That canvas is our lives. Some paint garbage, others masterpieces.
- What we think determines what we believe; what we believe influences what we choose; what we choose defines what we are; and what we are attracts what we have.
- Failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated everyday.
- Motivation is not how people change their lives. To change a life we must first change our thinking habits.
- If a person is a fool and becomes motivated, he is merely a motivated fool.
- Success is easy; however, things that are easy to do are also easy not to do.
- Everything we would ever need to become rich and powerful and sophisticated is within our reach. The major reason so few take advantage of all that we have is simply neglect.


2nd Piece to the Life Puzzle- Attitude

Our lives are greatly affected by what we know since what we know determines the decisions we will make.

Philosophy = Logic
Attitude = Emotion

The current moment is where our better future begins.

- Our goals and ambitions of the past are bringing to us present rewards. If our current rewards are small, then our past efforts were small. And if today’s effort is small the future reward will be small as well.
- What our future holds will simply be a mirror image of our current philosophy and life.
- What stops us from recognizing our inherent gifts and talents is a poor attitude about ourselves.
- Success moves toward those who search for progress not toward those who need or want its rewards.
- Attitude determines how much of the future we are allowed to see.


3rd Piece to the Life Puzzle- Activity

Life is not designed to give rewards in proportion to our level of needs; it gives them in proportion to our level of deservingness.

- Whether we actually achieve our goals is ultimately determines by our activity.
- We must find ways to demonstrate on the outside all of the value that we possess on the inside.
- We all say that we want to succeed, but sooner or later our level of activity must equal our level of intent.

We will all experience one pain or the other- the pain of discipline or the pain of regret- but the difference is that the pain of discipline weighs only ounces while the pain of regret weighs tons.

- It is not what we get that makes us valuable; it is what we become in the process of doing that brings value into our lives.
- … with diminished labor comes diminished rewards.
- The punishment for excessive rest is mediocrity.
- We must remember that discipline is a requirement for progress, and that affirmations without discipline is the beginning of delusion.
- It is so easy to mistake motion for progress and movement for achievement.
- We must become wise enough to use today to plan tomorrow.


4th Piece to the Life Puzzle- Results

Past efforts = Results

- Results are the harvest that comes from our past efforts. If the farmer has planted only a handful of seeds in the spring, he cannot expect to reap a very bountiful harvest in the fall. Likewise, if a person has engaged in only minimal activity in the past, he should not expect significant results in the present.
- Results are always in direct proportion to effort.
- If we are not happy with our current results, then the place to begin is with ourselves. The answer to the good life lies in becoming more than we currently are so that we can attract more than we currently have.
- We cannot have more without first - becoming more.
- We grow personally and then we advance materially. Unfortunately, the vast majority seems to have the plan reversed.

There is no shortage of opportunity in America. There is only a shortage of those who will apply themselves to the basics that success requires.

The great challenge of life is making measurable progress in a reasonable amount of time.

Results are the BEST measurement of human progress.


5th Piece to the Life Puzzle- Lifestyle

Life change doesn’t come from inspiration; life change comes from perspiration and preparation.

We don’t have to be rich to live richly.

Happiness is an art, not an accident.


The Fundamentals of Success:
- What we know.
- How we feel about what we know.
- What we do with, and about, all that we feel and know.

Today is yesterday’s tomorrow!