On December 5th, 2009, the world lost a little brightness.
Jim Rohn, author, speaker and mentor to so many, passed away.
Considered to be "America's Foremost Business Philosopher," Jim transformed the lives of people around the world through his books, audios, and live teachings.
I, as well as so many others, have been touched and-as cliché as it may sound-my life changed by what Jim so graciously taught.
From a man who said the following, little else could have been expected: " I wish for you a life of wealth, health and happiness; a life in which you give to yourself the gift of patience, the virtue of reason, the value of knowledge, and the influence of faith in your own ability to dream about and achieve worthy rewards."
I was also blessed to have him interviewed for my other magazine, Healthy Wealthy nWise. My partners at the time, Chris Attwood and Janet Attwood, arranged it, and Chris Widener was the interviewer for us.
After re-reading the transcript from the interview, I felt it was fitting that we hear from Jim-in his own words-what was most important. So here are some sections, word for word, from that now irreplaceable interview with Jim Rohn.
I hope you find it as impactful, insightful and, yes, helpful, even in this time of mourning, as I did.
JIM ROHN: As you know, I've enjoyed this career since it started back there 45 years ago, sharing ideas that make such an incredible difference in peoples' lives. One of the greatest returns for me, as well as fortune-that, of course, aside-is an experience all of us can have, but I've enjoyed it so much all these years. It's when your name appears in somebody's testimonial.
I guess that became a passion of mine. It's when someone says, "Here's the person who's found me, here's the person who got me started, here's the person who wouldn't let me quit, here's the person who gave me more reasons for staying than for leaving, here's the person who believed in me until I could believe in myself," and then they mention your name.
As you know, Chris, there isn't a much better feeling because you can't buy it with money. It's something you have to earn by sharing your life experience and seeing what it can do for another human being.
CHRIS WIDENER: Yes, and I can testify to how many people look at you that way. I'll be out and about doing my business, and I'll mention that you and I have done some things together-the weekend event and our upcoming book-and they always give testimonial to you. They say, "Oh, Jim Rohn! I love him, and I've been listening to…" and they'll name one tape series or one book. You are definitely achieving the lasting legacy part.
JIM ROHN: Also, part of it, in the things we do, whether it's sharing an idea from the podium or in books, tapes or videos, is a chance to have a bit of immortality after we're gone. I've got this vision of someone, after I'm gone, up in the attic of an old home, going through a box of old, dusty books, and there's one of my books. Sure enough, they dust it off, they read it, and maybe they use it as a guideline to teach others.
After I'm gone, the words I said that got printed or recorded may benefit someone, I'm sure, on and on for years to come. Someone once said, "An idea never dies." Even after you're gone, it lives on. One person tells 10, those 10 tell 1,000. There's no telling how many people can be directly and indirectly influenced if you just take the time to share. You don't have to give lectures and seminars for it to happen.
If you recommended a book to someone you cared about, on a Tuesday morning at Denny's, years later, someone might say to a person, "Wow, you've got some success going. When did it all start?" They say, "Strange you should ask. A few years ago, on a Tuesday morning, I was having breakfast at Denny's with this friend of mine. He recommended this book and said it really benefited his life.
"I got the book that started me on a brand new journey, and here's part of the reason for all of this success today." It's not like you have to give big seminars or talk to 1,000 people to affect somebody's life. Just pass along something valuable at breakfast at Denny's on a Tuesday morning.
CHRIS WIDENER: If you had one last speech you got to give, there were 1,000 people in the audience, and you had a few minutes to say the most important thing to those people to make a difference in their lives, what's the one single thing you'd like to leave with us tonight?
JIM ROHN: It's in two parts. The first is: success is something you attract by becoming an attractive person. The idea of personal development has served me so well all my life, to get better at what I do, developing the skills. The last idea is to let all of that serve you well in designing this extraordinary life, especially with your children, your family and the inner circle. The drama is in the details. When my mother was gone, my father lived another eight years.
While I was traveling, I used to try to call him while he was having breakfast at the farm or at a little place called The Decoy Inn in Southwest Idaho overlooking the Snake River. It just takes five minutes to make a special day. My son called me this morning from Israel. I know he had to get up in the middle of the night to make the call. I had visions of my father walking down the lane to the mailbox and opening it up. I've got to make sure it's not empty, even if it's only a postcard.
The drama is in the details. My father would save those postcards, and when I would come home from my travels I would get together with him. He had all these postcards. We'd go through them, and I would fill him in on the story that there wasn't enough room on the postcard to share. It's all those details, that inner circle. If you bless them, they will bless you. If you inspire them, they will in inspire you. That's really what makes life worthwhile.
Jim, speaking as one of the many you've inspired, you've done what you wanted to do, and I for one am grateful. On behalf of myself, my family, and everyone else you've touched, thank you for living a life so worthwhile.
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