Derek C. Speck

“Losers are wealthy with excuses, moth-eaten, empty wallets, heads full of excuses. This is not an enviable wealth. An abundance of excuses guarantees a paucity of money. If excuses roll willingly from a person’s tongue, it’s certain money does not flow easily into his pockets. I’ve often said I can estimate a person’s bank balance if he’ll tell me about the books he reads and the people he hangs out with. But it’s even easier to accurately estimate his bank balance if I hear the excuses he makes. The habit of excuse making is the worst of all habits.”
― Dan S. Kennedy, No B.S. Wealth Attraction In The New Economy

“There is real, authentic confidence. There is fake, ginned-up, empty confidence. My friend Nido Qubein, now president of High Point University, and a highly polished but still “killer” platform sales pro, says, “Motivation without foundation only produces frustration.” The neuro-linquistic programming idea of “putting yourself in a state” is only valid if there is a solid foundation of competence underneath the mind play. If you take ginned-up confidence into a gunfight, with no gun, or absent the will to pull the trigger mercilessly, you die. As Glenn W. Turner said, “You want to be the bullfighter with steak sauce on his sword—but that’s best if you are also an extremely competent bullfighter.”
― Dan Kennedy, Speak to Sell: Persuade, Influence, and Establish Authority & Promote Your Products, Services, Practice, Business, or Cause

“There’s a fine line between wishing and dreaming. There’s an even bigger line between dreaming and doing. Most people wish upon a star. It’s fine and fun, but it doesn’t mean a thing unless you follow that star. In other words, do something about realizing your dream. It’s fun to build castles in the air, and keep your head in the sky. But it’s all a waste of time if you haven’t got your feet planted firmly on the ground. When you dare to dream, to visualize or make think-pictures, be sure they are realistic goals for you, and not nonproductive fantasies. I’m a dreamer. Aren’t we all?”
― Joe Girard, MASTERING YOUR WAY TO THE TOP

“Excuses for Not Doing Well in Business • “Everybody in my city buys by price.” • “Nobody in my town uses credit cards.” • “Everybody in my town is cheap.” • “There’s a giant advertiser in my town.” • “I never get the good leads.” • “It’s the time of year.” • “There’s already too many doohickeys in my town.” • “What I do is so unique, nobody understands it.” • “It’s the economy, it’s my spouse, my staff ...”
― Dan S. Kennedy, No B.S. Wealth Attraction In The New Economy