Barriers to planning

There are two people, among many, I admire. Normally one wouldn't necessarily speak about these two in the same sentence or context, but their combined experiences reflect the kinds of qualities that anyone needs to reach some form of success in life. When I was a teenager, I used to actually confuse these two individuals with each other--just because their names began with the sound of Zig.

Florenz Ziegfeld, who had a short but incredibly full life, loved show business. Founder of the Ziegfeld Follies (whose last member Doris Eaton Travis died this year at the age of 106), he said of "his" girls: "And, I may add, from what totally unexpected sources come many of those who from the comparatively modest beginning in the chorus rise to the heights of really great achievement in the theatrical profession."

Regardless of one's profession or pursuits, it is helpful to remember that greatness comes out of modest beginnings and the only obstacles that prevent an individual from success--can be summed up in Zig Ziglar's words when he reminds his audiences that
"Every sale has 5 basic obstacles: No Need, No Money, No Hurry, No Desire, and No Trust."

Whether we are trying to sell an idea, product or business or trying to assess our own abilities and self-worth to find motivation, we cannot succeed without at least clearing three of these: need, desire, and trust.