Zig Ziglar is one of my favorite persons to listen to for energy, solid advice, and just plain knowledge. I like him because of his humor, his southern ways and tactics, and how he just strictly tells it like it is. This article is an adaptation of one of Zig’s recordings.

Zig starts out explaining that we are where we are today because of the choices we have made. I know I personally dislike it when I speak with a person and they tell me about a goal that they have and when we get to discussing their progress, they have all the excuses in the world. I can’t work with people like that because my father used to tell me, “You can make excuses or you can make money, but you can’t do both.” And Zig says something pretty similar when he said that People who don’t take step one, generally don’t take step two, so terminate until the first step is completed.

Zig describes four steps if you will that you need to understand fully if you want to win in life.

The first is accepting responsibility for your actions and know that you do have a choice in your life.

The second is its not what’s going on out there, but what you do. Lots of people like to blame their failure on the economy. But you are the direct reflection of what happens to you, good or bad. In every economical struggle this nation has ever seen, there have always been people who were flourishing. Profiting in the very same economical struggle you are complaining about.

The third thing Zig says we must understand is that its not what our mother or father did, or how they lived, but what kind of legacy will you leave to your children? People have lived in riches and glory, and people have been used, mistreated and abused. And if that has happened to you, which is unfortunate, but maybe a little counseling to help you move on from that pain and hurt would be needed. Not to sound insensitive, but holding on to old hurts and pains only gives those people who have hurt you power over your life. They have either passed away or have moved on with their lives and you can’t bring any real joy to your life until you let go and forgive. You do not want to bring that misery to your children and the new life you are living. Seek the help if needed, but create a joyous and happy life for your children.

The last trait Zigs describes is its not what happens to you, its how you handle it. I remember in college, both undergrad as well as grad, the registrar was no one to play around with. They were no joke. And although lots of times, the registrar who handled your schedule, money on your account and things of that sort truly in deed would mess you up. You’d have to stand in long lines for lengthy periods of time, get sent in other lengthy lines, and nine times of out ten, it would be the registrar’s error. But you ALWAYS had to keep your cool, because if you would become irate, the registrar was who you would need to come back to at some point, and they will remember your face. Its there seal of approval you need in order to go to classes. They could give you a hard time. So college was pretty much my first learning experience about how to handle “trying” situations. You can’t always say what you want to say, and you have to kill them with kindness.

Zig tells a story about how after a long weekend speaking at a conference someplace, his flight is cancelled. And as the flight personnel explains to Zig that his flight has been cancelled Zig says “Fantastic.” The lady couldn’t understand why he would say such a thing, so she asked him, “Why would you say ‘Fantastic’ I just told you your flight has been cancelled?” Zig told her “There are only three reasons why a flight is canceled…something wrong with the plane, something wrong with the pilot, or something wrong in the sky. If its anyone of those three reasons, I don’t want to be on that flight.” The lady understood, then continued to tell Zig that the next flight wasn’t until 6pm, which was a considerable time difference away. Zig says “Fantastic!” yet again. The lady paused and said “Now Mr. Ziglar, I can maybe understand why you would say fantastic about the plane, but I just told you you’ll be stuck in a airport for quite sometime, why would you say ‘Fantastic’ to that?” Zig explains to her, “Well I never been to XXX Airport before, its dry, roof over my head, lights and electricity works, I do have some reading and work that I can do. And I can do that right here in this fine space, rent free, and you have a very nice coffee shop right over there, so if I get hungry or want something to drink its available to me.” The lady smiled as did Zig, and he went on about his day.

Zig could have been sarcastic or yelled and explained how he had his tickets for months in advance, and the next flight still wouldn’t of been until 6pm. He could of asked to speak with management, requested compensation, but the next flight still wouldn’t of been until 6pm. When things are out of your control, you have to learn how to not let it take hold of your life. Make the adjustments. It wasn’t that lady’s fault nor managements fault that the flight was cancelled, so “letting them have it” is not going to fix the problem. And you certainly can’t let them ruin or take hold of your whole day. Because now you’ve given them power over your whole day. Sure Zig was displeased inside, sure he didn’t really feel the way that he said, but the flight is still going to leave at 6pm