POSITIVITY

The Bible says we are to accomplish the three blessings of being fruitful, multiplying, and having dominion.  First we are to be fruitful.  Fruitful means we have mind/body unity.  Our minds are God-centered and our bodies are directed to have Godly character.  Only Jesus and now Rev. and Mrs. Moon have reached absolute mind/body unity.  The Messiah teaches mankind how to reach moral perfection where a person's words and deeds are in harmony with God's laws of the universe.

We each have a responsibility to push and stretch ourselves to become like the Messiah.  Each of us should as Brian Tracy says, work hard to make our life a "masterpiece."  An essential characteristic of being fruitful would be to have a positive personality.

One of the most published and famous books ever written is Norman Vincent Peale's, The Power of Positive Thinking.  The opposite of positivity is negativity.  We should, as the popular song goes:

Accentuate the positive,
And eliminate the negative.
Latch on to the affirmative,
And don't mess with Mr. In Between.

Being positive doesn't mean we ignore the bad.  It means we have an upbeat, forward, optimistic attitude.  There is a famous book called Positive Mental Attitude.  Some abbreviate it and say "PMA."  Because Satan has ruled this world for all of human history, it has been primarily tragic.  But God will eventually win against against Satan and there will be no more of Satan's negatives -- no more locks on doors.  Everyone will be safe and can blossom and reach the their fullest potential.

Characteristic of being positive is being hopeful, grateful, persevering and cheerful.  One of the 12 Boy Scout laws is to be cheerful.  Deep in our hearts we are attracted to those who have a dream.  We are moved by stories of those who persevere through obstacles.

Victor Frankl experienced Hitler's death camp at Auschwitz and survived.  He wrote in Man's Search for Meaning that those who had a goal, a dream, a purpose to live -- those who something to look forward to, outlived those who gave up in despair.

Persistence

God wants us to be indefatigable.  Never quit!  There is a famous quote by President Calvin Coolige who said:  "Nothing in the world can take place of persistence.  Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men of talent.  Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.  Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

When the Bible says "love is patient" doesn't that mean love is optimistic and positive?  In the long run, goodness overcome evil.

Motivational speakers

There are motivational speakers who have book, audio tapes and videos.  They teach some of the universal principles of personal empowerment and success.  They all teach that a person who has achieved a high level of success has a positive mental attitude.  They walk their talk.  I enjoy listening to and reading these teachers of success.  They explain that only 5% of the population ever reaches financial independence and wealth.  Only 5% of Americans have their blood cholesterol below 150.  Only 5% of Americans write down their goals.  Satan is for failure in every area of life.  God is for success in every area of life.  Motivational speakers study the characteristics of successful people and teach the common, universal laws they live by.

They usually don't push Jesus, even though some of them are ministers and others are very religious.  But to be truly successful we need to be reborn through the Messiah and live by the principles he teaches.  The most successful people have found peace of mind and meaning in religion -- in being a spiritual person.  A truly successful person prays and studies sacred writings.  I begin this book with the chapter on patriarchy and it is the longest chapter because it is the basic, core law of the universe.  It is the essence of leadership.  It is the essence of God.  It gives order and direction.

Zig Ziglar

The only motivational speaker that talks about the law of patriarchy is Zig Ziglar.  The essence of leading a successful life is to live by the law of true patriarchy.  Ziglar's best-selling motivational book is See You At the Top.  Along side Think and Grow Rich it is the Bible of motivational books.  He mentions patriarchy in one paragraph.  In his list of books for further study he mentions Aubrey Andelin's Man of Steel and Velvet.  This is not enough.  I read Ziglar's book in my twenties.  If he had talked more of patriarchy I would have achieved success much faster.  I don't blame him.  This is the core element of success and Satan wants it buried.  Ziglar is a devout Baptist who attends the largest Baptist church in America in Dallas, Texas.  He is focusing on presenting a secular focus in his motivational speeches and books.  But to be really successful we need to do the twelfth law of the Boy Scouts.  We need to be reverent.  And more importantly we need to be focused on the person who has been the most influential in history -- Jesus Christ.  Sadly, he is interpreted in many ways.  Many think he is not for people being wealthy.  Ziglar, quite rightly, disagrees.

These teachers of success all mention that a person needs to read their books and especially to listen to their tapes over and over again.  Father mentions we are to read the Principle and hear lectures over and over again.  We are read, reread, and study Father's words our whole life.  We can't just read it once and think we got it.  Two writers that have influenced me and countless others on how to read, and I mean really read, is Clifton Fadiman and Mortimer J. Adler.  I encourage you to read Adler's How to Read a Book.  Motivational speakers are like trainers and coaches.  They all say that the most successful people listen to success tapes while they drive instead of listening to silly radio commercials.  So much of life is repetition.  We need to repeatedly hear God's truth.   Satan is constantly bombarding us with lies.  We must inundate our lives with the Divine Principle and Father's words.  We need to study it in Korean.  We should not become TV addicts, but do our homework instead.  We need to constantly fill our head with truth instead of the negativity and lies the press dishes out every day.  The media is so out of it they cannot see that Rev. Moon should have got the Nobel Peace Prize long ago.  After 25 years in America, 60 Minutes, does a show on the problems of Father Moon's eldest son instead of the monumental work that the messiah has done.

We need to smile a lot and be as Zig Ziglar says "good finders."  Look for the good.  Expect the best even though we prepare for the worst.  Lift up people.  Praise people more than criticizing them.  Even yourself.  We all make mistakes.  But we must not wallow in guilt.  Make up for the past mistakes by working to restore them and helping others.

This is truly a day of hope.  Let's look at things as being half-full, not half-empty.  Let's sing praises to God and the Messiah who have given us truth that has set us free to grow spiritually and build a physical paradise on earth.

God wants every person to be successful.

Success

William Bradford used the word "success " in the 1620s when he wrote his classic Of Plymouth Plantation. They spent the first three years being unsuccessful. They almost starved to death. He discovered a principle of success that America embraced. It was called capitalism. When he switched from socialism he said they finally achieved "success." To be successful we must live by the laws of the universe God has created for proper human relationships. We can learn from others who have great insights on how to become fruitful, i.e., successful.

Successful Marriages and Families

To be truly successful and happy we must have successful marriages. Father often explains how it is through marriage and family that we find the most happiness. The goal of all young people is to get married and have a family. He even says that is the number one goal of students: "Marriage opens the door to human happiness. Studying in order to open the door to happiness is very good. However, if that study is for the purpose of becoming rich or powerful, it is a mistake. Study must be for the purpose of attaining true love."

"Why do you go to school? Happiness cannot exist without love. Therefore, we say that the purpose of going to school is to shorten the road to love."

"When young women go to the university to earn a degree, ultimately it is in order to meet a good husband. There is no other reason. No matter how great a man is, he would be an unhappy person if he could not form a family that is united."

"The reason for studying is to meet a true man and to become a true mother. In order to become a true mother, a woman must study for the country and become a true wife who can serve her husband as a true man. If you cannot gain this stature as a person, you will not be able to serve your true husband or have a true son. A woman must become a true wife, and, as the homemaker of the family, must get along well with the husband until old age. If the study is for the purpose of becoming a good wife, then wouldn't all university graduates eventually be gray-haired couples? However, among university graduates are there more gray-haired couples or people who get divorced? Needless to say, people who are uneducated live together happily for a longer time."

Christian Authors on Family

The most popular books used by Christian ministers in marriage counseling that discuss questions of sex are the LaHayes. Mrs. LaHaye is the president of the largest Christian women's organization in America. She writes eloquently of the traditional family, but the most thorough books are by the Andelins. Every member should own and deeply study their books. Helen Andelin's book, Fascinating Womanhood, has circulated in the church but has not been understood very well. Aubrey Andelin's book, Man of Steel and Velvet, is a must for every man. It teaches men how to be real men. Mrs. Andelin's The Art of Raising Children is absolutely the best book on how to raise children. Nothing comes close.

Self-help Books

Two of the greatest best sellers of all time is Norman Vincent Peale's The Power of Positive Thinking and Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. Each one's wife wrote a book on how a wife is to help her husband. Ruth Peale wrote a book that should be required reading for women, The Adventure of Being a Wife. We will look at one of Mrs. Carnegie's chapters in her book How Help Your Husband Get Ahead about how women can help their husbands by cooking nutritious meals in the next chapter. Both wives lived the traditional role. There have been many books throughout American history on how to build Godly, traditional families. America has rejected these wonderful truths and suffered for it. Mary Pride writes of how Christianity has not taught these values for the last few generations. Bill and Hillary Clinton say they are Christian, but no Christian in the first 140 years of America would believe it.

Motivational Speakers

Earl Nightingale is the dean of motivational speakers. He is famous for his speech, "The Strangest Secret. " He built a company in Chicago called Nightingale-Conant (pronounced co - nant. Their website is www.Nightingale.com).   It is the leading company producing audio tapes and videos of some of the most inspiring speakers on success in America.

He died in 1989.  His wife, Diana, wrote a book about their life called Learning to Fly as a Nightingale.  One reviewer wrote, An intimate look into the lives of two people who have inspired audiences around the world. Their messages of inspiration have lifted minds to higher levels of personal and professional success while touching hearts with their personal love story. Diana Nightingale tells of her journey to Earl, with Earl and then finding her wings again after his death."

In her book she writes, "No journey is without detours, disappointments or delays. Few of us would call off a trip for any of these reasons. The same must be true in life -we simply must keep on going, making the best of each and every day while appreciating those who come into our lives to share our journey - even if they cannot be with us the whole way. Life is a personal adventure - exciting, but not without confrontations with the devil himself. With courage and faith we can grow stronger with each challenge and find our way
back on the road to the rest of our journey. When we reach our final destination we will have had many adventures and received many scars. But hopefully, we will have left behind something of value and perhaps, inspiration to others."

Brian Tracy says, "This is a wonderful, moving story of the relationship between America's greatest success philosopher; Earl Nightingale, and the woman he loved. It will move
and motivate you and put you back in touch with the things that really matter in life."

Ruth Stafford Peale says, "Learning to Fly as a Nightingale is a fascinating book which everyone should read. Earl Nightingale was a legend in his time. Diana Nightingale brings him
alive again for all of us."

Two of the most popular motivational speakers today are Zig Ziglar and Stephen Covey. Ziglar is a conservative Christian, and Covey is a devout Mormon. Both downplay their theology and present their ideas on motivation, goal setting, and time management in a more secular way. Covey says America's first 150 years were a focus on "character" and the next 50 years America focused on "personality". He says everyone should write their values in a constitution. What he doesn't say is what are true values. I ordered his other books that are written for his church and found that his number one value is patriarchy. He lives that ideology. He has nine children, and his wife is a homemaker. This is what gives him the power to speak. Zig Ziglar in See You at the Top at least has the guts to say that men will have more personal power to become successful when they are the head of the house. In several of his books he refers the reader to Aubrey Andelin's Man of Steel and Velvet.

The Meaning of Success

I looked under the heading of "success" in Books in Print. There were almost a thousand books. Some are best sellers such as Robert Schuller's excellent Success Is Never Ending; Failure Is Never Final. They mentioned one that is a favorite of mine. It is Brian Tracy's Maximum Achievement: The Proven System of Strategies & Skills That Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed. He has many videos and audio tapes. One good one that has the word success in it is The Psychology of Success. He is an excellent teacher of goal setting and time management and other skills for success. UC brothers should be listening to him in their car as they drive to work. They need to have clearly written goals and achieve them.

Please be humble to these authors. Don Sardella wrote an article in the UNews called "Never Stop Training For Your Success. "  He encourages everyone to listen to motivational tapes. He says, "Transform your automobile into a University on Wheels. Start every day and use your drive time to listen to well-researched, educational recordings." He mentions only one speaker, Tom Peters and quotes from his book Thriving on Chaos, "Workforce training must become a corporate obsession ... and it is on this variable that the ... competitive struggle may most strongly depend."

Brian Tracy says in his audio cassette series, The Psychology of Achievement, that he has never met a highly paid achiever who does not listen to tapes in his car.  Let's use success principles and build an American church in which we can successfully witness and finally give Father a billion dollars and a million members.

Father wants us to contribute our thoughts and to study the thoughts of others. One of the best books out now is Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He teaches that we must write constitutions. The UC needs to help Father and God by writing our values and goals in detail.

Passion - Enthusiasm

A popular motivational speaker is Tony Robbins.  Of all the speakers he is probably the most outgoing and excited.  He tells how he was overweight, broke and depressed until he went to hear Jim Rohn speak.  He became excited about life and is bursting with energy.  He teaches that we are to live with passion.  Norman Vincent Peale wrote a book on enthusiasm.  The root of the word means "in God."

If you would like to see some some more images of books and tapes by some motivational speakers and teachers click here (will load slowly).  Because there are many pictures it may load slow.  If you have any suggestions on other self-help books on personal growth you would like me to mention, please email me and let know.  (JohnGodwin@DivinePrinciple.com)

Sun Myung Moon - Greatest Motivational Speaker in History

Sun Myung Moon is the greatest teacher of success.  He is the most positive and upbeat person who has ever lived.  He goes to heights of personal development and teaches truths that go far beyond anything fallen motivational speakers have come up with.  But they have discovered many key laws of success.  In the future I hope to write a book about the kind of man Father Moon is.  Everyone should study him.  He has loved, worked, forgiven, and persevered beyond anyone in history.  He is the greatest man who has ever lived.  His words will ultimately be the truth that will motivate every person to find God and to reach their potential.

Father is the greatest teacher the world has ever seen. He is teaching us to master human relationships. He says, "There is nothing more difficult than personal relationships. Therefore, though you may not know it, I am training you in personal relationships in the most difficult places. I have already walked that path." There are so many stories of Father and how he perfectly relates to people. He knows just what to say to a fellow prisoner while eating lunch at Danbury Prison in Connecticut, fishing with Christian ministers in Kodiak, Alaska, or talking to leaders of Communist nations like Gorbachev and Kim Il Sung. Father has had several conversations with Christen, and he said the perfect thing every time. He is pure love. I hope someday leaders in the UC who have been around Father will write about their many experiences so the world will really know him.

Work Hard, Hard, Hard

Brian Tracy says that one quality of successful people is that they work very hard.  They are workaholics.  He says that we must "work hard, hard, hard."  No one in human history has worked harder or been more passsionate and enthusiastic than Sun Myung Moon.  He is 80 years old and has never got more than 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night.  Sometimes he gets none.  He is always alert and totally focused.  Satan has met his match.  Father Moon is stronger than Satan and any evil spirit or any person.  He has set the standard for working hard.  Someday they will make movies of him and everyone will be blown away by the absolute work ethic he has.  And he wants us to work very hard.  Evil people and spirits work hard.  Those on the side of God must work harder and smarter.

Mrs. Moon - Dr. Hak Ja Han

Mrs. Moon also gives speeches that uplift the soul.  Together they are True Parents who teach how each person can fulfill the three blessings.  They teach the truths that will enable every person to be fruitful, multiply and have dominion.  Every person, every family and every nation will eventually reach its full potential when mankind embraces the Divine Principle.

7.  Positivity Pledge

I pledge to have a positive mental attitude (pma), to be optimistic and to be goal oriented like Father.  This is truly a "Day of Hope."  Men should listen to motivational tapes and watch motivational videos by such great teachers of personal growth like Brian Tracy and Zig Ziglar to name a few.  God wants us to be successful.

The key factor to success is a happy marriage, family and community.  Women should study and learn from women who teach how to be successful in their career of being a homeworker.  Men should study and learn from men who teach how to be successful in their career of being a patriarch at home, their career in the marketplace and their duty to be or help leaders in society such as in politics and organizations that advance society to be Godly.

I look forward to the inevitable Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  I pledge to work to make it come as soon as possible.  I will do as motivational speakers teach and not get angry,  fearful and argumentative.  If I make mistakes, no matter how great, I will persevere for victory of our mission to teach and convert this world to God's ideology.  I will accentuate the positive and look for the good.  We need to be patient.  It will take time before everything is restored.  Until then, I will not let any obstacles stop me from fulfilling my dreams, the dreams and goals of our clan and from helping God fulfill His dream of an ideal world.

Signed___________________________________________________________________

Date ________________________________________________