SAL Self-Action Leadership Seminar: Full Seminar

The following video is the full Self-Action Leadership seminar presented February 21, 2015. It details the background, theory, and model of this groundbreaking new self-leadership field.

SAL Book: Self-Action Leadership Variables

Have you ever faced a debilitating challenge only to hear someone say: “You just need to think positively, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, and make it happen!” Over-simplifying human problems can be as problematic as over-complicating or ignoring them altogether. Self-Action Leadership does not translate into human omnipotence. Other variables, both internal and external, exist to produce a variety of human difficulties and problems, as well as opportunities and potential. There are at least 16 variables that produce limitations and benefits to your human potential. The life experiences of every human being are uniquely impacted by one’s own singular blend of these 16 variables.

1. Forces of Nature
2. Congenital Physical Variables
3. Congenital Familial Environment
4. Genetic & Mimetic Inclinations
5. Initial Opportunities for Education
6. Congenital Social Environment
7. Choices of Others
8. Time
9. Structural Inequality
10. Geopolitics & Macroeconomics
11. Good & Bad Luck
12. Supra-rational Intervention
13. Hierarchy of Needs
14. Self-leadership Intelligence and Talent
15. Self-leadership Desire
16. Self-leadership Will

In explaining these 16 variables, I should note that "limitations" and "benefits" should be interpreted primarily as potential limitations and benefits. Just because a person has a circumstantial limitation or benefit at birth, does not mean it will always exist. You have probably met someone who has, over time, either transcended a limitation or squandered a benefit with which they were born.

1. Forces of Nature

Limitations: Natural disasters of all kinds, heat, cold, etc.

Benefits: Some geographic locations have a more conducive climate to living and working than other areas. 

2. Congenital Physical Variables

Limitations: Congenital defects, disorders, and illnesses. Height, weight, natural physical appearance, lack of athletic ability, and other physical talents.

Benefits: Height, weight, natural physical appearance, athletic ability, and other physical talents.

3. Congenital Familial Environment

Limitations: Poverty, abuse, neglect, broken homes, single-parent families, no parents, etc.

Benefits: Abundance, two-parent families, love, support, safety, encouragement, guidance.

4. Genetic & Mimetic Inclinations

Limitations: Bad habits and inclinations, or learned practices (including laziness, irresponsibility, dishonesty, disrespectfulness, cowardice, bad tempered, etc).

Benefits: Good habits and inclinations, or learned practices (including discipline, focus, hard work, honesty, integrity, love, compassion, emotional control, etc.).

5. Initial Opportunities for Education

Limitations: Limited educational opportunities, uneducated or undereducated parents/guardians/role models, limited educational reinforcement at home.

Benefits: Opportunities for private schooling, tutoring, and/or extra-curricular education, strong educational reinforcement at home, well-educated parents/guardians, role models.

6. Congenital Social Environment

Limitations: Growing up amongst people who predominantly demonstrate examples of anger, hatred, bitterness, abuse, revenge, unfairness, deception, substance abuse, sexual impropriety, etc.

Benefits: Growing up amongst those who predominantly demonstrate examples of respect, empathy, compassion, forgiveness, generosity, fairness, love, emotional intelligence, good communication, conflict management & resolution skills, etc.

7. Choices of Others

Limitations: Abuse, neglect, abandonment, isolation, wasted resources, etc.

Benefits: Love, support, positive role models, well-invested resources, etc.

8. Time

Limitations: Short, poor quality lifespan.

Benefits: Long, high quality lifespan.

9. Structural Inequality

Limitations: Stifled opportunities due to race, culture, religion, or other group affiliation.

Benefits: Expanded opportunities due to race, culture, religion, or other group affiliation.

10. Geopolitics & Macroeconomics

Limitations: Residence in a war-torn or otherwise conflicted area; political/social/economic strife; economic recession; resource dependent economy.

Benefits: Residence in a stable and secure area; relative peace and prosperity; strong diversified economy.

11. Good & Bad Luck

Limitations: Unfavorable circumstances or situations (not of your making) to overcome.

Benefits: Unexpectedly favorable opportunities for action.

12. Supra-rational Intervention

Limitations: Lack of aid from a Higher Power—a Lack of Serendipity. (Open to perception and interpretation).

Benefits: Aid from a Higher Power—the Presence of Serendipity. (Open to perception and interpretation.

13. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs [1]

Limitations: Circumstances that require you to focus on more basic levels of fulfillment (survival, safety, love).

Benefits: Circumstances that enable you to address higher levels of fulfillment (esteem, actualization).

14. Intelligence and Talent

Limitations: Little natural intelligence & talent in a given area(s).

Benefits: Lots of natural intelligence & talent in a given area(s).

15. Desire

Limitations: Little or no natural desire for Existential Growth.

Benefits: Lots of natural desire for Existential Growth.

16. Will

Limitations: An unwillingness to expend effort when you don't feel like it.

Benefits: A willingness to expend effort regardless of how you feel.

As you review this list, you will notice that some limitations and benefits are congenital, meaning a person is born with them. Others depend on what you do after you are born. These 16 variables can therefore be divided into three basic categories.

Category 1: Variables you cannot control:

• Forces of Nature
• Congenital Physical Variables
• Congenital Familial Environment
• Initial Opportunities for Education
• Congenital Social Environment
• Good & Bad Luck
• Intelligence & Talent

Category 2: Variables you may have some influence over:

• Genetic & Mimetic Inclinations
• Choices of Others
• Time
• Structural Inequality
• Geopolitics & Macroeconomics
• Supra-rational Intervention
• Hierarchy of Needs
• Desire

Category 3: Variable fully under your control:

• Will

In reviewing this list, I’m sure you noticed that of all 16 of these variables, you only have full control over one of them. At first glance, it might be disappointing to realize just how much you can't control in your life. Our inability to fully control the other 15 variables explains why bad things sometimes happen to good people. While negative events sometimes occur in life because you are at fault, it is also true that bad things sometimes happen as a result of the actions of other people, events triggered by the omnipotence of Mother Nature, or other forces beyond our control. This is the bad news.

Dealing with disabilities, bad luck, mistreatment, or structural inequality is undoubtedly difficult. Such obstacles can be so huge as to overwhelm and disillusion the best of us. But these things are largely outside of your immediate control and influence, especially with regards to the tasks of daily living. Oftentimes, all you can do is strive to make the best of what you have, and maybe improve the variables to some degree for the next generation.

In many cases, your control over other people and things is either non-existent or drastically limited. Your control over your own thoughts, speech, and actions, however, provides a perpetual opportunity for achievement and Existential Growth. This opportunity may dramatically improve your external circumstances over time, if you take advantage of it. The good news is that you can control the most important variable of all, and the one that matters most in the end--your individual will. How you choose to exercise your will often makes all the difference in the long run. It is also the primary catalyst that determines what you become in the end. Your will is the greatest power you possess for the simple reason that is the only thing you can really control; it is the one variable force that is entirely of your own making. No one else is responsible for it. For as long as you live, you must ultimately call the shots.

FAULTS VS. PROBLEMS

As a high school classroom teacher, when things would get difficult for us teachers, and especially when it came to dealing with issues that were not of our making (i.e., poor parenting, broken homes, negative peer and culturally influenced bad behavior, etc.), administrators had a mantra they would repeat to us as teachers. It went like this:

It may not be your fault, but it is YOUR problem! 

This is one of the best SAL reminders of reality I’ve ever heard. Translation: I didn’t make all of the problems in my classroom, but if the problems are in my classroom, it is my responsibility to work to try and solve them. The same principle applies to you, me, and everyone else in the world. All of your problems may not be your fault, but they are your problems. Life, therefore, is a series of recurring questions that ask the following: What are you going to do about the problems life has presented you with? You can't change who you are, where you started from, or what you had (or did not have) when you came into this world. But we at Freedom Focused enthusiastically affirm that you always have the freedom to do something about it. When the final chapter of your life is written through your actions, will your story be one of victory or victimization?

“Highly proactive people … do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling … [For proactive persons, their] honor becomes greater than [their] moods.”[2]

– Stephen R. Covey
(1932-2012)

We live in a nation and world of victimization and blame. It seems that people everywhere are eager to find a scapegoat for any and every problem life presents them with. Such people would have you believe that their problems are everyone and everything else’s fault, but never their own. It’s their parent’s fault, their spouses’ fault, their families’ fault, their neighborhood’s fault, their boss’s fault, their coworkers fault, the fault of generations gone by, their communities’ fault, their States’ fault, their Nation’s fault, the world’s fault, the government’s fault, the Republican’s fault, the Democrat’s fault, the Libertarian’s fault, the Stars’ fault, God’s fault, the weather’s fault, their DNA’s fault, the lottery’s fault, etc.

“Henry Thoreau made, last night, the fine remark that, as long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way, governments, society, and even the sun and moon and stars, as astrology may testify.”[3]

– Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882)

Please don’t misunderstand; I am not saying that external forces do not play a role, sometimes a significant role, in the events and circumstances in our lives. Of course they do. Making this point explicit is the primary purpose of this chapter; that’s why I introduced the SAL variables. It is a truism that bad things happen to good people beyond their control. However, even when bad things happen to good people, good people have the freedom to choose what they are going to do next, meaning how they are going to respond to whatever bad things happen to them outside of their control.

One of my favorite high-profile examples of SAL in action over time comes from the media mogul Oprah Winfrey. Oprah is the first African American woman to become a billionaire. She has influenced hundreds of millions of persons as an actress, talk-show host, and philanthropist. Most, if not all, educated adults in the world know who Oprah Winfrey is. She is one of the most influential women on Earth.

What some do not know about Oprah is that she was born into poverty in one of the poorest states in the U.S. (Mississippi) at a time (mid-1950s) when segregation and prejudice against Blacks was still institutionalized. Oprah’s childhood in Mississippi and adolescence in inner city Milwaukee was marked by troubles of all kinds, including sexual abuse. Oprah’s start in life didn’t portend the kind of greatness she would eventually achieve. But give a determined self-action leader like Oprah a few decades of time and the freedom to direct her own thoughts, speech, and actions, and what you get is a beautiful miracle.

The key is effective Self-Action Leadership and time—usually a lot of it. In the meantime, you—like Oprah—must remain persistent, consistent, and determined. In the words of Napoleon Hill, “when defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit, [and] that is exactly what the majority of [people] do.”[4] If someone has the opportunity to learn about Self-Action Leadership and the cognizance and health to exercise it, yet ends up in the same place—or worse—at the end of their life, they ultimately have themselves to blame.

“We are responsible for our own effectiveness, our own happiness, and ultimately, I would say, for most of our circumstances.”[5]

– Dr. Stephen R. Covey

(1932-2012)

Notice that Covey says “most of our circumstances.” Not all, but most. It is true that you can’t change where you started out in life. You can’t always avoid every bad thing from happening to you against your will or desires. Life often isn’t fair, especially in the short run, and that’s just the way it is. There is nothing you can do to change your life's beginning—where you started out in life, and with whom. But there is much you can do to shape your life's ending.

Two choices remain after birth for you, me, and every other self-action leader on the Planet. You can do nothing and complain about your lot in life and blame others for your misfortune, or you can choose to take advantage of any and every opportunity you have to learn, and then act on your newfound knowledge.

I eagerly encourage you to take the latter route, even if you have been unjustly treated by individuals, groups, or society-at-large in the past. Oprah didn’t transcend poverty and abuse by merely cursing her abusers and condemning the injustices of American society; nor did Gandhi secure freedom for the Indian people by cursing and condemning King George the 5th and 6th and the rest of the British Raj and Empire. While both could have easily felt justified in doing so, they both were also smart enough to realize that treading the pathway of the complainer would not lead to a better life. The pathway to a better life was in education, personal growth and development, and the cultivation of their unique skills, talents, and leadership capacities. They both chose to work extremely hard, avoid making excuses, and never, ever, ever gave up. The result? They both changed the world in positive ways and left indelible impacts on society that generations to come will admire and learn from.

“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

– Sir Winston Churchill

(1874-1965)

“But,” you may say, “Oprah is an outlier. You, Jordan, are simply cherry-picking an unrealistic example to try and make your point. Oprah has ten times the natural talent and ability of most people!” You are right that Oprah is indeed an outlier, and you are also correct in recognizing that Oprah was born with an unusually gifted talent and skill-set. You must consider, however, two essential facts. The first is that, existentially speaking, Oprah is no better than you or me. As such, you have as much freedom to direct your own thoughts, speech, and actions as Oprah. Second—and this is good news—Existential Growth does not mean you are competing against Oprah. You are only competing against your own potential for growth, which (like Oprah's potential) is limitless. This idea of competing with your own potential instead of against other people is called "intrapersonal competition," and will be addressed in greater detail in BOOK THE THIRD.

“Before success comes in any man’s life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps some failure…. Remember that all who succeed in life get off to a bad start, and pass through many heartbreaking struggles before they ‘arrive’”[6]

– Napoleon Hill

(1883-1970)

THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY IN THE WORLD

Next to life itself, the greatest opportunity each of us possesses is the freedom to direct that life.[7] There is no more important information than the knowledge that empowers you to effectively lead your own life. It is wonderful beyond comprehension to have such liberty and potential for freedom. But as is usually the case, freedom come with a price—a price that must be paid for in taking responsibility for your thoughts, speech, and actions. Whether you like it or not, or know it or not, natural consequence will flow from each thought, word, and deed you ever think, speak, or act out. And regardless where you start out in life, or what happens to you along the way, you are ultimately sovereign over your individual choices along the way. This means, therefore, that…

Nothing goes until you go;
       Nothing works until you work;
            Nothing happens until you start happening.

What will you choose to do with this, the greatest opportunity that Life has endowed you with? I invite you to go to work by reading this book and applying its principles and practices in your life. If you will do that, you life will start to happen in ways you never, or only, dreamed possible in the past. So, with the introduction to Self-Action Leadership now completed, let’s dive together head first into BOOK the SECOND where you may being a serious study of the SAL theory.

SAL Mantra

Nothing goes until you go;

Nothing works until you work;

Nothing happens until you start happening.

Notes:

[1] Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs refers to a model of human progress developed in the early 1940s by the American psychologist, Abraham Maslow (1908-1970). Maslow’s famous theory states that all human beings are motivated by a hierarchy of needs, and that lower needs must be met before higher needs will motivate. His hierarchy is often presented visually as a triangle model with basic human needs forming the base and higher human needs forming the point. His five basic needs include Survival needs (Level One), Safety needs (Level Two), Love needs (Level Three), Esteem needs (Level Four), and Actualization needs (Level Five).
[2] Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York, NY: Fireside. Pages 71 & 92.
[3] From his personal journal, October 1842. Ibid
[4] Hill, N. (1960). Think & Grow Rich. New York, NY: Fawcett Crest. Page 23.
[5] Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York, NY: Fireside. Page 93.
[6] Hill, N. (1960). Think & Grow Rich. New York, NY: Fawcett Crest. Pages 23 & 39

[7] This principle was taught in a spiritual context by the religious leader David O. McKay, who, in an April 1950 address entitled, Free Agency … A Divine Gift, said: “Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man.”

SAL Book: The Power of Personal Experience

We live in a world where scientific inquiry and quantitative measurements form the basis of human knowledge. Nevertheless, we must not neglect the wisdom borne of personal experience and visceral wisdom in our quests to understanding truth and our own existential development. In truth, the biggest questions in life cannot be answered by science alone. If you choose to rely strictly on science for your understanding of reality, you forfeit rich storehouses of wisdom that can only be accessed internally and experientially.
Nearly five decades ago, British existential philosopher Paul Roubiczek argued that science is insufficient in understanding the totality of the human condition. In his words, "we have to admit experience as evidence." [1]

The powers of reason have strict limitations; ... a purely logical, rational, scientific way of thinking illuminates only a strictly limited sector of reality. ... Science, being impersonal, cannot help us when we want to deal with personal experience. ... [For example], Think[ing] in a purely objective way cannot help us to deal with feelings [because] feelings described in an impersonal way cannot be understood. If, for instance, we are given an exact scientific description of pain, physiological and psychological, including all the processes which take place in our body and all the nerve reactions, we shall still not know what pain actually is unless we experience it. [2]

Our experiences profoundly influence who who we are and what we become. Like it or not, we are all products of our experiences. No matter how similar two people may be to each other, each person's experiences are remarkably unique. Experience matters, not only because it shapes who you are and how you see the world, but because the ore of wisdom can be found in experiences. If you are willing to mine your experiences for this ore, you will be able to refine it to obtain insights worth their weight in gold (wisdom). Just as importantly, if you are willing to seek out new experiences that may be challenging, but will provide you with opportunities to learn and grow, you will reap all sorts of new riches.

No matter who you are, life is full of opportunities to gain worthwhile experiences. Sadly, many people fail to recognize opportunity when it is staring them right in the face. Sadder still is when they recognize opportunity, but fail to take advantage of it. The great business philosopher, Jim Rohn, once talked about his aged farmer father who, even in his last days on Earth, was still out and about well into the evenings attending the ballgame or going to the rodeo. Rohn's advice was to take advantage of every worthy opportunity that crosses your path. "If you live well," he said, "You will earn well." [3]. Notice he didn't say, If you earn well, you will live well. Rohn got the equation right. Living well is the key to earning well (financially or otherwise), not the other way around.

LIES, DAMNED LIES & STATISTICS

It has been said that, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." [4]. If you turn on your television, you will quickly perceive the insight of this statement. If you go online, you will find it corroborated even further. One Internet expert, Michael Maslansky, [5] recently put it this way: "You can go to Google, [and] find whatever facts you want. You pick any story out there, give me 15-minutes on Google, [and] I can give you facts that support both sides of the story." [6].

From media and politics to marketing and litigation, a diminishing ensemble of truth tellers face an uphill battle in their efforts to expose and indict the capable, determined, and well-funded 'spin doctors' who are far more interested in proving 'their point' than they are in revealing the true picture and the facts that support it. It is a tragic waste of intelligence and a perpetual embarrassment to our Country.

With the exception of BOOK THE FOURTH, where I present data collected from my own Action Research, I have intentionally chosen not to use statistics to support the arguments, points, and premises put forth in this book. I do this for two reasons. First, I am not a statistician, and I make a habit of not speaking, writing, or commenting professionally on topics of which I am not an expert. I am an educator, poet, philosopher, and amateur historian; my message, therefore, will be communicated through the lens of pedagogy, verse, philosophy, and history.

Second, no matter how reliable cited data may be, the veracity of the SAL theory and model cannot be validated strictly empirically. The honest consultation of heart and conscience must play a role. If you are unwilling to listen to your conscience and be honest with yourself, you will find little value in this book.

It is ridiculous to watch otherwise intelligent persons cite, and then spin, statistics in every which way--their only real intent being to protect and advance themselves and their agenda. Oftentimes the exact same statistics are used by opposing persons or organizations to champion entirely contrary conclusions and causes; it is an absurd insult to our intelligence. Individuals and organizations often selectively--and seductively--use statistics to provide so-called empirical data to corroborate whatever ideological, social, political, or marketing point they are paid to promote. It is nauseating.

In an effort to avoid such sophistry, I have chosen to steer clear of statistics altogether. Instead, I rely on the intuitive, visceral, common sense-based, experiential wisdom of my readers to determine for themselves the veracity of the message. This involves approaching the material with an honest and open mind, listening to your heart, and tuning into your conscience throughout the process.

THE POWER OF A WELL CULTIVATED IDEA

"It is funny how mortals always picture us [devils] as putting things into their minds; in reality our best work is done by keeping things out."
- C.S. Lewis
(1899 - 1963) 

Never underestimate the power of a well-cultivated idea. One idea properly planted in your mind and heart and then nourished with action can change your life. I have experienced this phenomenon time and again. For example, the ideas planted in my mind and heart as I read and studied Stephen R. Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People changed my life as a young college student. Not only did it produce many of the seeds that eventually grew into the tree of this book, but it has also indirectly been worth tens of thousands of dollars to me in my career. In fact, one of the reasons I landed my first professional seminar training position was because I was able to effectively teach the 7 Habits model spontaneously during a pre-audition phone interview. I wouldn't be surprised if those same seeds planted by Covey's 7 Habits are worth millions of dollars to me before I retire.

Communication is, among other things, a process of planting the seeds of thought in the mind of another. Leadership is about putting the right ideas into the minds, hearts, and spirits of those you lead, and then inspiring them to act on those ideas. Individuals can become capable and powerful beyond measure when truth is allowed to properly germinate within. The proliferation of right principles was the foundation of Churchill's genius during World War II. Constantly planting thought seeds of liberty, freedom, resilience, resolve, calmness, endurance, patience, personal power, national identity into the minds of his people, Churchill the leader, "Mobilized the English Language and [successfully] sent it into battle,"[8] to the benefit of all of us.

This book provides a storehouse of ideas you can ingrain in the mind, heart, and soul of yourself and those you teach, lead, and love. We invite you to plant these ideas by reading and pondering the words. Then water and fertilize them by setting goals, working hard, and exercising persistence. Finally, allow the sunshine of Serendipity to nourish your newly sprouted knowledge and skills. If you will do this, you will come to find that over time, the tree of your life will bear many bountiful bushels of delicious fruit in the form of personal freedom, existential growth, and achievement.

EXISTENTIAL GROWTH IS NOT SET AT BIRTH

I am not a perfect human being, and I do not claim to have all the answers to the mysteries of life. I do, however, place enormous confidence in the SAL theory and model because it has been developed, tested, and refined through the fiery crucibles of my own experiences. Existential Growth, like emotional intelligence, is not limited by your genetic makeup or mimetic influences alone. Others who have humbly and diligently learned and practiced SAL principles over time have likewise experienced great success. They wouldn't have known them by this name, but that is okay because I didn't invent the principles or practices; I merely organized and articulated them into an original package and gave it a unique name. The beauty of SAL philosophy lies in the fact that there are no limits to how much you can grow existentially. This fact engenders enormous hope for anyone interested in, and willing to, apply it. It means you are able to move forward as long as as far as you are willing to keep trying. The questions to ask yourself then are:

How much will YOU choose to grow? and...

How far will YOU choose to go?
...........................................................................................................................................................

Found Your FLOW in 2015 yet?

Are you familiar with FLOW theory? I recently read a fascinating article on the subject by Dr. Bruce H. Jackson that I would recommend to you. If you are interested in this useful concept that can dramatically enhance your life, I invite you to visit Dr. Jackson's -- a leading expert in FLOW theory -- website where you can read some of his articles and sign up for his newsletter. It can be accessed by clicking HERE.

One of the things I love most about my work is that I regularly find myself in FLOW states. Learn how you can better Find your FLOW in life by visiting Dr. Jackson's webpage today.


Notes:

[1] Roubiczek, P. (1964). Existentialism: For and Against. Cambridge University Press. Page 5.
[2] Ibid. Pages 1, 4-5.
[3] Rohn, J. (2000). Building Your Network Marketing Business. VideoPlus.
[4] Attributed to Mark Twain and Benjamin Disraeli, among others.
[5] Michael Maslansky, author of The Language of Trust: Selling Ideas in a World of Skeptics.
[6] Micahel Maslansky speaking on The O'Reilly Factor. Fox News Channel. January 6, 2015.
[7] Lewis, C.S. (1995). The Screwtape Letters. New York: Bantam. Chapter IV, Page 11.
[8] President John F. Kennedy said this of Churchill upon granting him honorary U.S. citizenship nearly two decades after the end of World War II.

SAL Book: The Freedom to Change Part 5

THE EXISTENCE OF RIGHT & WRONG

“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”
– Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

The existence of right and wrong is an incontrovertible, but often inconvenient, truth. It is perennially out of style, and countless human beings from all walks of life seek endlessly, but fruitlessly, to escape its penetrating presence in our world and universe. You don’t have to align yourself with a specific philosophy, or belong to a certain religion, to recognize and accede the reality of right and wrong. As mentioned earlier in this chapter, everyone has a conscience, which serves as an existential guide to all who are willing to listen.

RIGHT: Thoughts, speech, & actions that create positive and constructive long-term consequences for self and others.

WRONG: Thoughts, speech, & actions that create negative and destructive long-term consequences for self and others.

According to M. Scott Peck, M.D., evil is a form of mental illness, and is the “ultimate disease.”[1] Evil begets lies and deception—especially self-deception—and is therefore characterized not so much by doing wrong, but by a person’s “refusal to acknowledge”[2] his or her actions as being wrong.

Peck points out further that evil harbors a perpetual “desire to confuse.” [3] Rightness and goodness, on the other hand, continuously seek to clarify and illuminate.

Everyone on this planet has thought, said, and done things that are wrong; but not everyone is evil. The opportunity to avoid evil is possible for anyone who is willing to accept one’s own propensity for doing wrong while continually striving to do what is right.

The purpose of this book is not to try and proclaim what is and is not right in every particular. That is the purview of pure philosophy and the integrity of individual minds. [4] This book’s aim is merely to affirm in general terms that right and wrong do exist, and to encouraging self-action leaders everywhere to listen to their consciences in an authentic effort to embrace the good and eschew the evil for the sake of personal growth and the wellbeing of others.

SAL MANTRA

Right is right and wrong is wrong, and never the twain shall meet.

It is vital to note that the key words in the aforementioned definitions of right and wrong are “long-term.” There are many wrong decisions that will bring seemingly positive short-term consequences. And there are many right decisions that will bring seemingly negative short-term consequences. Indeed, some consequences take years, decades, a lifetime, or even centuries or more to fully flower (or decay) into easily recognizable “right” (or “wrong”) choices. As a result, it becomes relatively easy to justify wrong behavior on the premise of pleasurable and preferable short-term consequences. However, if you wish to be happy and successful in the long run, and if you desire to leave a lasting legacy for others to admire and benefit from, you must choose the right. It is the only way.

Perhaps the simplest way to distinguish between right and wrong is to observe and measure their impact on your Existential Growth (X-Growth) or Existential Atrophy (X-Atrophy). Simply stated, Right choices lead to X-Growth. Wrong choices lead to X-Atrophy. Do you wish for your enlightenment and humanity to flourish, or to diminish? The choice is yours, but you cannot wish away the existence of right and wrong any more than you can wish away your own existence. Similarly, you cannot circumvent consequences of your decisions any more than you can wish away the natural laws of motion and gravity.

SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP & EDUCATION

Making SAL real in your life requires that you learn and then do. It starts with education, advances with action, and continues with consistence and persistence.

This book provides a Pedagogy of Personal Leadership in the form of the SAL theory and model. This information provides the education necessary to successfully change and grow existentially in an effort to become all you are capable of becoming as a human being.

Exercising self-discipline is harder than giving in to what feels natural. Authentic change requires a total commitment of body, mind, and soul. As a result, changing can be extremely difficult. How much do you want to change; how hard are you willing to work for change; and how long are you willing to wait for change to become real in your life? The answer your actions give to these questions will be the ink that writes your life’s story.

The good news is that change is possible. Weak people can become strong. Diffident people can become confident. Poor people can become wealthy—financially or otherwise. Bitter, vengeful people can learn to forgive. The adversities of your past do not have to define your present, nor are they destined to shape your future—unless you allow them to. You can choose to change the direction of your life’s journey at any moment along that journey. In so doing, you can write a whole new story for yourself that generations to come will venerate for its grace and nobility. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, and believe me, some will try cleverly and diligently to do so.

SAL MANTRA
To err is human. To repair and to change is divine.

Notes:

[1] Peck, M.S. (1983). People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil. New York, NY: Touchstone. Page 264.

[2] Ibid. Page 69.

[3] Ibid. Page 179.
[4] Ziff, L., Ed. (1985) Ralph Waldo Emerson: Selected Essays. New York, NY: Penguin Classics. A reference to a quote from his essay, Self-Reliance ("Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind." Page 178).   

SAL Book: The Importance & Power of Language

CHAPTER 2:
The Importance & Power of Language

I am currently writing a series of case studies for a new college textbook that will be used in coming years by budding entrepreneurs around the country. One of the entrepreneurs I interviewed for this project was my Uncle, Hyrum W. Smith—a co-founder of FranklinCovey Company. An extraordinary entrepreneur and salesman, Hyrum Smith has left an indelible mark on the fields of time management and personal development. As one of the finest public speakers in the World, Smith commands 5-figure speaker fees when he presents professionally. A lifelong entrepreneur, he was an ideal candidate for one of my case studies.

At the end of the interview, I asked him what advice he would give to young college students interested in becoming entrepreneurs.


I eagerly awaited his response, and felt sure he would have something clever to say about sales, hard work, ambition, or personal responsibility and character. To my great surprise, his reply had nothing to do with any of these things. In fact, his response had nothing to do with anything we would stereotypically associate with entrepreneurial success. This is what he told me:

"When I was just a boy, my father had me memorize a statement that said, You cannot think any deeper than your vocabulary will allow you to think. If you really examine anyone who has been authentically successful as an entrepreneur—or in any other field—you will discover they have a large vocabulary. As I reflect back over my career, I attribute much of my success to a love of the English language and my commitment to read deeply and widely, and to study speech and language. Anyone who wants to be successful in this world has got to read books, and lots of them. This requires a willingness to set aside electronic devices, social media, video games, and other distractions, and the discipline to stick at the task of reading—even when it seems boring. To learn independently of others and expand your vocabulary, books and the dictionary must become some of your best friends. There is no other way. The size of your vocabulary will, to a large extent, determine how much success you enjoy—or don’t enjoy—in your life."

I have visited Hyrum’s Ranch Home in Southwestern Utah. You should see the size of his library.

Language is potential power. When used properly, it becomes kinetic power enabling you to teach, negotiate, persuade, inspire, uplift, and do much good in the world. If you are interested in increasing your personal power and capacity to influence others as a self-action leader, you must make a commitment to becoming a better reader, writer, critical thinker, and presenter. I am not asking you to become a public speaker or professional writer. What I am inviting you to do is pay the price to work regularly on your communication skills—a skill set that Stephen R. Covey has called the most important skill we can be working on as adults. I would wager it is similarly important for young people to learn and master, and I’m sure Dr. Covey would agree.

Drawing Deeply From the Wells of Wisdom

As you read this book, you will notice I have gone to great lengths to include relevant excerpts from the timeless works of great writers, thinkers, philosophers, theologians, educators, scientists, leaders, politicians, and business figures. Another reason for this book’s length is my intentional decision to not merely garnish the text with such priceless additions, but to deluge and marinate it therein. These pervasive inclusions support and enrich the SAL theory & model. I hope they will inspire you in your life as they have in mine.

I express my gratitude to these enlightened and gifted men and women. They worked, struggled, and endured tremendous adversity to achieve extraordinary things in this world and produce timeless texts for us to study from today. I hope these selections will inspire you to study their lives and literature. I also hope it will help you to expand your own vocabulary. Without the teachings and literature of these great men and women, the Self-Action Leadership theory and model would not exist. Consider some slightly doctored words of the poet John Donne:

"No Literary Work is an Island, entire of itself; every text is a piece of a Collection, a part of the canon. If a sentence be washed away from a paragraph, the Chapter is the less, as well as if a Section were, or an anecdote of thy friends, or of thine own were. Every Author’s exclusion diminishes me, because I am involved in Authorkind. Never send therefore to know for whom the titles toll; They toll for thee." [1]

Learning the Lessons of Language

From associations with my Father—a high school English teacher—and other important figures in my life, I discovered the importance of language at an early age. My aunts and grandmothers would tirelessly correct my grammar. On road trips, my Dad and I would sometimes play vocabulary games, or study a “word-of-the-day.” In college, the most valuable notebook I kept was not for any of my classes, but contained an ongoing list of words and their definitions. As I would come across unknown words—and in college you are confronted with lots of them—I would write them down in my notebook along with their definitions and practice sentences. Not knowing a given word would fill my mind and heart with a positive frustration that would motivate me to look up the word—and keep looking up the word as needed until I owned it in my own vocabulary. It was a lot of hard work. It required patience, persistence, discipline, and focus; but all the effort has been immensely worth it.

Some people think you don’t need the dictionary much after completing your formal education. But even with a Ph.D., I still use the dictionary nearly every day. It is, without question, one of my best friends and greatest assets as a professional writer and speaker. “But,” you may say, “I am not a professional speaker or writer, nor do I ever intend to be.” While this may be the case, the fact is that in most fields, you are still expected to be a professional communicator, and the success (or lack thereof) of your communication skills could make or break your long-term success.

I know a man of science who has a Ph.D. in Chemistry. When he was in college, he didn’t think mastering writing was very important aside from passing his general education English courses. He was, after all, studying Chemistry and pursuing a career in Chemistry. Over time, however, he found himself rising through the ranks of his industry. As a man in his fifties, he confessed to me: “Jordan, I am now in upper-level management and about all I do is write.”

Consider another example: President Barack Obama. Regardless of your political views on President Obama, one thing nearly everyone can agree on is that he is a gifted communicator. As the youngest President in U.S. History who had never served in either the military (JFK) or as Governor of a State (Clinton), Barack Obama had the thinnest leadership resume in Presidential history, yet look at what the power of speech did to his rise up the career ladder! I believe we can all learn a lesson from President Obama about the power that effective speech can have in one’s personal and professional success. If you study our present Commander-in-Chief’s early life, you will learn that he paid the price over long periods of time to become the polished communicator he is today. This price included early mornings as a boy that began before 5:00 a.m. when his mother would require that he spend extra time studying English and other subjects she deemed vital to his future success. Like any other teenager, he didn’t particularly like these ultra-early morning language study sessions, but the results in his life made history—literally. President and Mrs. Obama are also well known for placing a high priority on the education of their two daughters—Malia and Sasha—and enforcing a highly disciplined schedule that allows ample time for homework and studying. Such is a non-partisan practice that any reasonable person can admire and applaud.

In lauding the incredible merits and power of speech, I do not wish to overstate the point. The ability to communicate effectively is NOT everything. Just as paper currency must be backed up by the tangible strength of gold, governments, and healthy economies, speech must be backed up by character, courage, and competence if it is to create positive results that last. Moreover, we must never forget the words of Nathaniel Hawthorne: “Words—so innocent and powerless they are as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become, in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.” Only a basic understanding of the history of World War II is required to comprehend how prominently this truth was revealed in the epic polarity separating Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill—both masters of their respective language. Indeed, as history has amply evinced, the currency of language will only bring you short-term results unless it is backed by the gold standard of courage, conscience and competence. It is no surprise then, that the vast majority of the world’s noblest figures possessed bottomless capacities for both communication and conscience.

Like my Uncle Hyrum, I also attribute much of my success personally and professionally to my ability to communicate effectively. I am where I am today in large part because I was willing to pay the price in time and effort to learn how to effectively speak, write, and converse. Few things make a better first impression on a person or audience than intelligent speech. Similarly, few things make a worse first impression on a person or audience than ignorant speech. It is therefore in the interest of everyone to study language, speech, and vocabulary in a concerted effort to become better communicators, because regardless of your field, everyone is required to communicate. The extent to which you do so effectively will tremendously impact your overall effectiveness in working with people and achieving personal and professional success. It may even make the difference in whether you get hired, fired, promoted, demoted, or given a raise. And the good news is that language and communication is something everyone can work on and improve. It requires hard work, discipline, and focus, but the results can be profoundly impactful to your life in the most positive of ways.

In conjunction with striving to master your own, native language, it is also vital to study the English Language. This is because English is widely considered the international language of business. Most highly successful people in today’s Global marketplace speak English proficiently—regardless of their native language. An example of this is Jack Ma, the Chinese entrepreneur. Ma’s company, Alibaba, recently recorded the highest Initial Public Offering (IPO) in the history of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Ma got his entrepreneurial start as a boy riding his bike 45-mintes away from his home to a large, international hotel so he could learn English by conversing with foreigners to whom he gave free sight-seeing tours. Today, he is one of the richest businessmen in the world.

To further empower your language skills, I encourage you to gain access to a good computer or smart phone dictionary app. Looking words up electronically is more efficient than doing it the old fashioned way. I also challenge you to start keeping your own dictionary notebook and begin studying your own “word-of-the-day.” You can also sign up to receive a free “word-of-the-day” in your e-mail inbox by visiting www.wordsmith.org/awad. There are few better ways to start your day than to build your word power.

For those undertaking a serious study of this book, it is my sincere hope that you will come out on the other side not just motivated to better lead yourself, but to become more philosophically, historically, and culturally literate. Likewise, I hope you will obtain a greater understanding, appreciation, and command of your native language, as well as the English language.

I challenge you to develop your capacity for clear, concise, and cogent communication. Doing so will empower you with the authority and influence that follows all those who have superior command of the language in which they communicate.

Eighty years ago, two of the world’s preeminent authorities on speech—Charles H. Woolbert and Joseph F. Smith—wrote eloquently of the importance of speech. Their words are as important today as they were in the 1930s. I have taken the liberty to reproduce their quote here with slight variations that make it applicable to all mediums of expression.

"The one ability which grants to man preeminent superiority over all other animal creation is his ability to talk and write. … Communication is desperately fundamental to our civilization. So integral a part of civilization is it, that it has too largely been taken for granted by the people at large. We are strange that way. Things close to us we often neglect. The spoken and written word is so vital a thing that when it fails to convey its message the loss is great enough to cause distress. Consequently, in the presence of the mumbler, the droner, and the mouther of words, men are disappointed and pained. Bankruptcy in speech or script is a solemn affliction because language is the crowning achievement of the human mind and the very cementing principle of civilization. Our value as members of society is judged in large measure according as our language meets with the approval or condemnation of those who hear or read it." [2]

Language is both sacred and powerful. It is never too late to learn, improve upon, or simply brush up on a science and art that is absolutely indispensable to your short and long-term success—no matter what your life station or profession.

Footnotes:
[1] Donne’s actual quote reads: “No Man is an Island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away from the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a Promontory were, as well as if a Manor of thy friends, or of thine own were; Any Mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.” Booty, J. (1990). John Donne: Selections From Divine Poems, Sermons, Devotions, and Prayers. New York, NY: Paulist Press. Page 58.


[2] Woolbert, C.H., & Smith, J.F. (1934). The Fundamentals of Speech: A Textbook of Delivery. New York, NY: Harper & Brothers Publishers. Pages 3-6. Andrew T. Weaver, former Head of the Speech Department at the University of Wisconsin wrote: “Joseph F. Smith … [is] one of the outstanding leaders of our profession. He is an inspiring lecturer and a powerful interpreter of literature. W. Norwood Brigance, former Head of Speech at Wabash College said of Smith: “Joseph F. Smith is one of the half dozen top-flight readers in all America. A few may equal him, but none surpass him.” In the highest and finest sense of the term, he is an artist.”

SAL Book: Final Prefacing Material

Dear Readers:

In preparation for Monday’s launch of the official online serial publication of Self-Action Leadership, I present the final pre-launch prefacing material. After reviewing this information, I invite you to encourage a family member or friend to sign up to receive the Freedom Focused blog in preparation for Monday’s launch.

-Dr. JJ

Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Personal & Professional Freedom

A Comprehensive Personal Leadership Training Resource for Governments, Businesses, Schools, Homes, & Individuals

By: 

Jordan R. Jensen, Ed.D

Table of Contents

BOOK THE FIRST: An Introduction to Self-Action Leadership

Chapter 1: What Sets This Book Apart from Other Self-Help Reads?

Chapter 2: The Freedom to Change

Chapter 3: The Price of Change

Chapter 4: Your Responsibility to Change

Chapter 5: The Age of Authenticism

Chapter 6: The Cause of Freedom

Chapter 7: Freedom Focused

Chapter 8: Ask Not

Chapter 9: The Essential Role of Education

Chapter 10: The Last Best Hope of Earth

Chapter 11: Things That Enslave

Chapter 12: Emancipation through Self-Action Leadership

Chapter 13: The Challenge & Quest to Become

Chapter 14: A Moral Imperative

Chapter 15: The Power of Personal Experience

Chapter 16: SAL Variables

BOOK THE SECOND: The Self-Action Leadership Theory

Chapter 1: A Theory of Existential Space Travel

Chapter 2: You and I are a Lot Alike

Chapter 3: My Story

Chapter 4: Your World

Chapter 5: Freedom & Consequences

Chapter 6: Taking Complete Responsibility

Chapter 7: Nat’s Story

Chapter 8: Paying The Price Over a Lifetime

Chapter 9: Leadership by Example

Chapter 10: Natural Laws of Acquisition

Chapter 11: Jason’s Story

Chapter 12: Creating Your World from the Inside Out

Chapter 13: Felicia’s Story

Chapter 14: Existential Growth is Difficult

Chapter 15: OCD is Hell

Chapter 16: The Rocky Road of Romance

Chapter 17: Existential Gravity

Chapter 18: Pete’s Story

Chapter 19: Your Existential Rocket Ship

Chapter 20: Inner Growth Creates Outer Transformation

Chapter 21: Famous Stories of Self-Leadership

Chapter 22: Right & Wrong are Real

Chapter 23: The Way Things Really Are

Chapter 24: The Power of Beliefs & Experiences

Chapter 25: Truth’s Greatest Mysteries

Chapter 26: Making a Commitment to Reality

Chapter 27: Finding Purpose & Meaning in Your Life

Chapter 28: Declaring War on the Enemy Within

BOOK THE THIRD: The Self-Action Leadership Model

Chapter 1: The Seeds of Self-Help

Chapter 2: A Construction Metaphor

Chapter 3: SAL Model Part I

Chapter 4: Drafting Existential Blueprints

Chapter 5: SAL Model Part II

Chapter 6: SAL Model Part III

Chapter 7: SAL Model Part IV

Chapter 8: Tips for Implementing the SAL Model into Your Life

BOOK THE FOURTH: A Pedagogy of Personal Leadership

Chapter 1: The Great Education Gap of Our Time

Chapter 2: Personal Leadership in the Classroom: Real Life Example 1

Chapter 3: Personal Leadership in the Classroom: Real Life Example 2

Chapter 4: Personal Leadership in the Classroom: Real Life Example 3

Chapter 5: Personal Leadership in the Classroom: Real Life Example 4

Chapter 6: Personal Leadership in the Classroom: Real Life Example 5

Chapter 7: Pedagogies of Personal Leadership: A General Template

BOOK THE LAST: You Are Sovereign

Chapter 1: Now What?

Chapter 2: Opening Yourself up to Grace

Chapter 3: Dream Big

Chapter 4: You are Sovereign

Chapter 5: The Art of Being Alive

Chapter 6: A Key to Everything

Afterword by Dr. David G. Anthony

Appendix A: The SAL Theory & Model in Brief

Appendix B: Books for Further Reading

Appendix C: SAL Mantras, Quotes, & Poems

Appendix D: SAL Task Tracker Template

About Freedom Focused

Freedom Focused Declaration of Independence

Freedom Focused Corporate Constitution

About the Author

Authors Note

This book is an abridged revision of the author’s doctoral dissertation, and other papers he wrote as a graduate student. To review Dr. Jensen’s full dissertation—including additional narrative detail and scholarly literature reviews of self-leadership, autoethnography, action research, and obsessive-compulsive disorder—visit our website at www.freedomfocused.com and click on Books & Free Downloads.

Throughout the book, the terms SAL and SAL-Philosophy are used to refer to Self-Action Leadership (SAL) and its accompanying philosophical underpinnings (SAL-Philosophy). SAL-Philosophy is essentially shorthand notation for all premises and paradigms contained in the SAL Theory & Model.

SAL

Shorthand term for Self-Action Leadership.

SAL-Philosophy

The philosophical premises undergirding the Self-Action Leadership Theory & Model. 

How This Book is Organized

This book is divided into FIVE parts. BOOK the FIRST sets the stage by providing a Freedom Focused introduction to Self-Action Leadership. BOOK the SECOND contains the SAL theory. BOOK the THIRD contains the SAL model. BOOK the FOURTH is dedicated to academic, business, cultural, and familial educators. It introduces a Pedagogy of Personal Leadership for use in classrooms (literal and figurative) everywhere. BOOK the FIFTH offers concluding remarks on SAL Philosophy and further fleshes out the concept of self-sovereignty.