EIG NEWSLETTER
Volume 6, Number 5 September-October 2006 Issue
A personal greeting and warm welcome to the latest issue of the Empowerment International Groups Personal and Professional Development Newsletter and a special welcome to all our many new subscribers worldwide.
The next couple of months are a very busy time for me
speaking wise. As of now, I will be speaking in Toronto and Grimsby, Ontario;
Montreal, Quebec; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Vancouver, British Columbia, in
Canada. Columbus,
Ohio; Detroit and Flint; Michigan; Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the USA and Manchester, Birmingham and
Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.
These events are closed corporate and association events and unfortunately not
open to the public, but if your company or organization would like to discuss
scheduling me in to speak while I am in your general area, please e-mail me
personally at charles@cmarcus.com or call toll-free at 1-800-837-0629 on North
America or for international calls at 416-490-6744. We look forward to hearing
from any interested organizations. My speaking schedule is also updated daily
on my website at www.cmarcus.com
RE Amazon.com Book Review of “Success is Not A Spectator Sport”.
Many of you have sent me
wonderful e-mails, letters and personally called me to tell me how much you
have enjoyed reading my best selling book over the past couple of years and I
am very grateful to you. I would like to personally ask for your help. If you
have enjoyed my book and would like to contribute a review on amazon.com, we
would be most appreciative. Should you wish to help out, and you are not sure
how to post a review, please respond to info@cmarcus.com with the heading Amazon
Book Review, and we will send you the easy steps to
post a review.
As a token of our
appreciation to you for taking the time to post a review on amazon.com, we will
hold a draw for one Charles Marcus Live! The Complete
Set. This
set includes a DVD, audio CD as well as my best selling book and two other
books I have co-authored, an attitude lapel pin and free shipping of course to
anywhere in the world for the winner of the draw. This set retails at $136.00
and is available on my website for $100 USD. But time is limited! The
draw will be held at the end of October 2006 and will be based on the reviews
that appear on Amazon's web site prior to October 29th, 2006. Thank you.
Watch
for our new, improved and informative website that is currently under
construction. It should be up and running within the next couple of months. We
will keep you posted, but please check the website for developments at www.cmarcus.com. Also included will be a new look to our
newsletter header. Watch for this in an upcoming edition.
You
will also notice below that we are now including a convenient link to Amazon to
order the books in our recommended reading section.
101 Great Ways to
Improve Your Life
“101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life” is still
available through the 101 ways website and includes many bonus offers. Click on
the link below to order your copy.
As the title implies, the book contains 101
articles by some of the best minds in the world of self improvement today,
including Zig Ziglar, Brian
Tracy, Jim Rohn, Vic Johnson, Bob Burg and Denis Waitley. It's a compilation of 101 insider articles and
secrets with practical, solid advice on how to finally take action and improve
your life. I am honored to have been included among this group of distinguished
self improvement experts and leaders.
I want a copy of "101 Great Ways"
Have a terrific few months.
To Your Success
Did someone forward you this newsletter? Would you like to
subscribe? Please click on this link: subscribe. Note that in keeping with our anti-spam
policy, you may receive an email message requesting a response from you in
order to confirm your subscription.
**Please do not forget also to notify us of any changes in your e-mail address so we can make the necessary changes in our system. We do not want to lose your valued readership.
In this Edition
1. Success In The Face of Adversity
2. Inspirational Quotes
3. Recommended Reading
4. Services
5. Privacy Policy
SUCCESS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
Many of you have asked me to share my personal story and journey with you over the past six years of me writing these newsletters. I was just recently honored to be asked to submit a story for consideration to the famous New York Times # 1 Best-selling Series of Chicken Soup for the Soul books. I thought I would share my submission with you. I hope you enjoy reading it. Please let me know your comments and feedback to info@cmarcus.com
I started stuttering when I was four and a half years old. It would sometimes take me several minutes just to say my own name. Some experts said my stuttering was a result of being lost in a forest while out on a day trip with my parents. During the course of the day, I somehow got separated from my parents and ended up wandering in the vast forest for many hours before being found. That traumatic experience, the catalyst for my stuttering, would affect my life for the next 30 years.
I always felt inferior to other people, always trying to overcompensate because of my stuttering, wanting to please other people, to be liked and accepted. I guess today you would call that low self-esteem, a lack of self-confidence. Growing up I felt I missed out on so much because of my stuttering, suffering much rejection and ridicule because of my speech. Kids at school were tough on me, teachers ignored my hand when I tried to answer questions in class, job interviews challenged me.
I eventually took a job as an apprentice hairdresser, because it seemed like a job where speaking would not be a prerequisite, and I went on to become a very successful hairdresser, training at the world famous Vidal Sassoon Company.
The time at Sassoon’s was very exciting for me. I learned so much there, not just about hairdressing, but about life and serving others. I also had the opportunity to meet the great Vidal Sassoon himself, who has had a lasting impression on me. My speech even improved while I was there because I became more confident. It wasn’t perfect, but at least I could communicate. The people at Vidal Sassoon’s were the first people who saw beyond my disability and were willing to give me a chance to prove myself.
I went on to open my own hair salons, however just when things seemed to be going so well for me I had a relapse in my speech. It was the worst it had been since I was at school. I could not control it no matter how hard I tried. The setback was devastating for me. I realized that drastic action was needed.
As if intended, around that time I was surfing on the
television and came across a program on the BBC about a man in
In 1986 I enrolled on that one week intensive speech course
in
Mr. Bell’s methods of teaching were unorthodox, tough and uncompromising, but I personally felt were totally necessary for success and I have nothing but gratitude, admiration and respect for Andrew Bell. Total discipline and 100% commitment was required at all times. Different though his approach might be, his methods worked for me, and at the end of the course, although I was speaking very slowly, I was not stuttering for the first time in over 30 years. My confidence was sky high and I had new hope for the future, but I was under no illusions of the task ahead. I knew old habits die hard and I was going to need all my resolve and discipline to use the techniques I was taught and to do the 2 hours of practice necessary each day to reinforce my new way of speaking and thinking. I enlisted the support of family and friends to help and encourage me along the way because I knew it would be far from easy. This network of people helped me tremendously along with Andrew Bell and my fellow course attendees.
It took me a couple of years to learn how to use my new voice and find my comfort level. There were setbacks along the way, but I was determined to maintain my fluency and succeed. I refused to let these setbacks defeat me as they would have done in the past.
Once I found this comfort level, to challenge myself, I went on to a new career in sales, working my way up from sales representative with my company to National Sales Manager within 18 months. I was pretty good at sales tripling sales in my territory, and earning several prestigious awards along the way.
When I was on my way to that speech course, many years ago, I visualized speaking in public. I used to close my eyes and imagine myself on a stage, speaking in a way I could only dream about, looking at the smiling faces in front of me, and hearing the warm round of applause from the audience. I set this as my goal, and never let that dream go. Today I am living my dream. I am president of my own company and make my living as a professional speaker. Ironically my voice and my speech have now become my best friend.
I look back now at my struggles with my speech in a strange way as a blessing, as it has taught me to be more tolerant and respectful of other people with differences, and has made me very grateful and appreciative of everything I have in life, I take nothing for granted. I say to people, whatever challenges you are facing, you can overcome them. The only limitations are those that you impose on yourself. Believe in yourself, find your inner strength, have courage, and dream big dreams, they really do come true.
“Inside of a ring or out, ain’t
nothing wrong with going down, it’s staying down that’s wrong.
Muhammad Ali
“There are no shortcuts on the road to a great
experience”
Fast Company
Magazine
“If you are on the road to nowhere, find another
road”
RECOMMENDED
Treat Your Customers
by Bob Miglani
I picked this book up at
Little Black Book of
Connections: 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to RICH Relationships by
Jeffrey Gitomer
Jeffrey Gitomer is not
everybody’s cup of tea. His style is brash and in your face both with his
writing and if you see him speak live. I, however, am a big, big fan of Jeffrey
and his best selling books on sales and customer service, I like his style. If
you get an opportunity to see Jeffrey Live at one of his public seminars…make
the investment. This latest book is about making connections. It is a fresh take
on networking and connecting your way to success. Jeffrey Gitomer
is a master at sales and business and in my opinion one of the very best and
most knowledgeable people around on the topic of sales and service. Sales
people especially, but really anyone involved in business will learn much from
this very colorful and informal book. Highly recommended.
Click here to order this book
Success Magazine
Terrific re-launch of one of my all time favorite
magazines. I am so happy to see it back.
This magazine is tailor-made and dedicated for anyone interested in achieving
success in business and life. It has lots of great content and articles,
including success stories showing the faces of real people who have achieved
success in business and how they have done it. This is a very well put together
and classy magazine. .. Buy a copy at your favorite newsstand, at any airport
or go to www.successmagazine.com
for more information.
To
order Charles’ national best selling book, Success is Not a Spectator Sport, and to check out his other
learning resources including DVD’s and Audio CD’s please visit his website: www.cmarcus.com/onlinestore.htm
or call toll-free in
And
for our subscribers in the
Did someone forward you this newsletter? Would you like to
subscribe? Click here to subscribe. Note that in keeping with our anti-spam
policy, you will receive an email message requesting a response from you in order
to confirm your subscription.
Have you missed earlier editions of the EIG newsletter? All previous editions are available on our website: www.cmarcus.com through the "Articles" page.
Charles Marcus is a success strategist, motivational keynote speaker and seminar leader. He works internationally with organizations that want to motivate and inspire excellence in their people and maximize performance potential. To Book Charles for your next important event, or for more information on Charles and his services, please contact him personally at:
Telephone: 416-490-6744 or Toll-Free in
OR YOU CAN BOOK
CHARLES DIRECTLY THROUGH YOUR FAVORITE SPEAKER BUREAU WORLDWIDE
Email: charles@cmarcus.com
Website: www.cmarcus.com
Bureau Friendly Website: www.charlesmarcus.net
Charles is also available for telephone consultations on personal and professional development and success and how to make it in the professional speaking or writing world. He also takes a very small group of committed people each year for personal coaching. For further information on how these services can work for you, please contact him directly.
© Copyright 2006 Charles M. Marcus: All rights worldwide reserved
Permission is granted to reproduce this newsletter in whole or in part provided the following byline below appears along with the article and that a copy is sent to me after publication. Thank you: To check previous issues for publication, please go to www.cmarcus.com and click on articles/newsletters.
Charles Marcus is an international motivational
speaker. To subscribe to his FREE personal and professional development
newsletter, please send an email to subscribe@cmarcus.com.
An electronic copy will be sent out to you every two months. For more
information on how Charles, his book and how his programs can benefit
your organization or group, please call 416-490-6744. Toll-Free in
Copyright 2006. All rights worldwide reserved.
Please rest assured that your name and email will NEVER be sold or shared with another. It will remain private.
Please DO NOT FORGET to notify us of any change in your e-mail address
We appreciate and welcome your feedback and suggestions. Please send a message with your comments to info@cmarcus.com