Ambassador of Possibility

This video is about your Rip-Roaring Influence^©!!

“Influence, not wealth, is the root of all greatness.” – Mark Victor Hansen (Rip-Roaring Influence^©!!)

Here are few thoughts to go along with the video about the great and influential Andrew Carnegie, the value of influence, and how to become influential yourself…

Andrew Carnegie has a story stranger than any that ever came out of The Arabian Nights. It’s the story of a poor Scottish boy who came to America, and step by step through many trials and then triumphs, became a great steel master who built up a colossal industry, amassed an enormous fortune, and then deliberately and systematically gave it away for the enlightenment and betterment of humankind. In the course of his career he became a nation builder, a leader of thought, a writer, speaker, friend of workmen, schoolmen, and statesmen.   He lovingly associated with the lowly and the lofty. He had great inspiration and aspiration to distribute his wealth, had a passion to create world peace and left us the American library system, Carnegie Hall, and the Peace Center in Hauge, which is in the Netherlands.

He went through many trials, but overcame them all through a strong work ethic, and a fair hand.  Andrew Carnegie was a calm man.  Everyone loves to work with a calm man.  The man who loses his temper burns many bridges through his anger.  The influential person must know where to place a raised voice.  He never allows himself to be out of control.  The influential person does not fight because arguing with someone is one of the fastest ways to alienate someone.  When you are talking to someone, and you tell them they are wrong, do you feel like they would be willing to help you, as they are passionately arguing with you about why they are right?

The accused person is always defensive, and will never be willing to help you.  If you find yourself in an argument, a very effective way of calming someone down is saying: “I hear what you are saying, but…”.  This sincere acknowledgement lets them know that you have been listening to what they have been saying.  People want to know that their input in honored, and that they are valuable.  Always let people not only know that they are special, but why they are special.  It is amazing what a simple smile can do to change someone’s mood and life.

It doesn’t take much to begin your trail to influence, it only takes one deal.  Someone once told me “people only care about the value of your last deal.”  Have you ever heard anyone say that the first million is always the hardest? Well, the hardest part about being influential is getting that first deal.  Here is some of the most valuable piece of advice I could give you.  I used it, Henry Kissinger used it, Stephen Covey used it, are you ready?  To become influential, you must hang out with influential people.  You are the total of the five people you hang out with the most, so the more influential those people are, the more influential you will become!

-Mark