Even though I listen to motivational tapes, read motivational books and receive and read a plethora of motivational newsletters, I have not attended a live motivational seminar in awhile. When I discovered that one of my favorite motivational gurus, Brian Tracy, was coming to Cleveland to present two three hour sessions, I couldn't sign up fast enough. I am glad I did!

In this article I share several of the epiphanies I experienced while listening to Tracy and thoughts that I have had since the seminar. The first session started with Tracy pointing out that we are now in the Age of the Mind and that the most valuable asset and product of the future is "Thinking." By using our thinking powers, we will succeed in this time of more change, more competition - and yes, more opportunities. It will be those who think who will succeed! The questions are the same. It is the answers that are different.

There are two kinds of minds: rigid minds and adaptive minds. And, I am sure you have dealt with both - and, possibly have vacillated between the two minds, yourself, at times. The number one quality that will bring us success, according to Tracy, is flexibility. We all get stuck at times doing our work and tasks one way, hanging around with the same people at the same places, following the same routine and thinking the same thoughts. I feel that some structure is definitely important, but I also know from experience the importance of being flexible. When a client says, "What if we tried this? What if we did it this way?" it is easy to point out that it just won't work - after all, aren't we the expert? We must, however, be flexible and adaptive enough to consider what might work about the idea. In this exciting age of technology and computers, there is no dearth of solutions. If you work with any of the computer programs, you know that there are dozens of different ways to reach your goal when working on a computer project. It is the same with all of the opportunities popping up around us. Ask yourself, "Can I adapt? Am I flexible enough to realize that the way I've always done something may not be the best way?"

Let's apply some "zero-based thinking" to our careers - our businesses and our lives as entrepreneurs. Tracy pointed out that accountants use this technique of preparing a budget, in which each proposed item is evaluated on its merits without considering any previous budget. So, how can this work for us?

Tracy challenged us to evaluate our lives and businesses by asking the question, "Knowing what I know now, is there anything that I wouldn't be doing? Is there anything I wouldn't get into?" What we are experiencing now will not change - it will not get better. He said this only results in stress, so think, "How do I get out and how fast?" You see, it has been proven that 70% of our decisions are wrong, so we all get into situations that are wrong. We start working with low profit customers that rob us of time and money. Tracy suggests firing them.

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