Skip to main content

See You At The Top

In this episode - See You At the Top . . .


 


"You can get everything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want."


Do you believe that? If not, why not? This quote comes from the book See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar, first published in July 1974.

While poking around in my library looking for something to share with you, I came across this old book. My book is copyrighted in March 1987 (Forty-first printing), still has its worn dust jacket, has been thumbed through my times, and is highlighted throughout the pages with a RED pen. I can hear you saying, "So, what's the BIG deal?"

The deal is this, "Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness."

In today's hectic world of instant gratification, I'm reminded of the importance of building a life one success at a time. And it was this book back in 1987 that changed my life for the better when I finally understood - "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson.


And - "You are the only one who can use your ability. It is an awesome responsibility."


It's an extraordinary book. Here's how it starts:


"The End - Perhaps an unusual way to start a book – but this is a "usual" book. It's about you, your family, your future, and how you can get more out of them by giving more to each of them.


We believe that this is "the end," or at least the beginning of the end, of negative thinking, negative action, and negative reaction; the end of defeatism and despondency the end of settling for less than you deserve to have and are capable of obtaining; the end of being influenced by little people, with little minds thinking little thoughts about the trivia that is the stock and trade of Mr. and Mrs. Mediocrity. In short, it is the end for you of the world's most deadly disease – "Hardening of the Attitudes."


Welcome to a more prosperous life.


See You at the Top is filled with stories that will grab your attention, make you laugh, fill you with positive emotion, and unleash the value of your untapped ability. And over the next few weeks, I will share some of these timeless lessons through stories from this book.


In the meantime, check it out; See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar. You'll be glad you did. Be safe, keep the faith, enjoy your summer, and challenge your dreams. "Your success and your happiness start with you."


"Won't you be my neighbor?" If you enjoy our visits, please share them with a friend.


I'm Patrick Ball; thanks so much for listening. I'll see you in the next episode.

Comments

Most Popular of All Time

The Compass of Cuba: Mom

🎄  Preview of this week's  On the Fly  blog: A Holiday Tribute to Mom. As the holidays hustle with pixels and beeps, the world scrolls along in a smartphone-y sleep. I log off for a moment—just one little minute— To breathe in the past and to sit myself in it. My mind doesn’t wander to faraway places, Or trips full of tickets and new airport faces. Instead, it drifts backward, as memories do, to Cuba, Illinois, where the best moments grew. To a home full of warmth, in the wintry Midwest, Where my mother—dear “Marcie”—put love to the test. With a smile that could melt the most frigid of dawns, and hugs that hung on you like shivering fawns. She came from La Rochelle in France, brave and bright, Across oceans and war shadows, into new light. A town full of strangers soon felt like her own, And her courage built up the foundation of home. “Oh yes, we know Marcie!” the locals would say— “It's Doc Ball’s French lady! She brightens the day!” She cleaned, and she cooked, and sh...

Feeling Human Again

In this episode, The Unexpected Thankfulness of Feeling Human Again I’ll be honest with you: My triumphant return from France was not the glamorous homecoming I had imagined. No graceful glide back into routine. No cinematic jet-setter moment where I lift my suitcase off the carousel and wink at life like we’re old pals. Instead? I came home and immediately launched into a two-week performance piece titled The Great American Couch Collapse. My days blurred together in a haze of soup, hot tea, tissues, and desperate negotiations with the universe for just one nostril—one!—to function properly. The living room sofa became my emotional support furniture. And any creative idea that dared tiptoe into my congested brain was gently shown the exit with a firm but courteous, “Not today, friend. Try again later.” When life hits the pause button like that—when you’re exhausted, sick, and mentally unplugged—how do you find your spark again? Somehow, today, I felt it. A tiny shift. A clearing of th...

Patience: the Only First-Class Ticket

In this episode, Patience: the Only First-Class Ticket They say travel broadens the mind. After eight days sailing the Rhône with 140 fellow luxury vacationers, I can confirm it also tests patience , calf strength, buffet strategy, and one's tolerance for people furious that France insists on being French. Don't get me wrong—I adored this trip. The river shimmered like liquid optimism. The villages looked hand-painted. The pastries could negotiate world peace. But somewhere between Ship Horn Hello and Bon Voyage, we'd inadvertently boarded a floating behavioral research study disguised as a holiday. Our ship was less a cruise and more a ferry for the Sailors of Status. Some passengers approached relaxation like yogis. Others treated leisure like a final exam with extra credit. I came to believe certain luxury watches emit ultrasonic signals that only their owners can detect. A frequency calibrated to trigger rapid movement toward any line forming for any reason. I saw more ...

Up the Rhône

Up the Rhône by Patrick Ball We booked a fine cruise up the Rhône — what a treat! With iPhones, lanyards, and schedules so neat. They promised us peace and a mind that would mend, But each calm beginning had chores at the end! "Now breakfast at seven! At eight, take the view!" At nine, there's a lecture on ' What Tourists Do!' At noon, there's a tasting (you must love the cheese), Then hurry to nap time — as corporate decrees! I followed that plan till my patience ran dry. The Rhône softly chuckled, "Oh my, oh my, my! You've missed half my sparkles, my ripples, my tone— You're busy pretending you've peacefully grown!" So I fired my planner and banished my clock. I tossed my agenda right off the dock! I let the wind tickle my schedule away, and drifted through hours that danced where they may. I chatted with swans, had no notion of when, I'd nibble, or nap, or go roaming again. No Wi-Fi! No meetings! No planning! No fuss! Just me and ...