The Power of an Audio Book and a Little Bit of Magic: Getting From Where We Are to Where We Want to Be

As she looks forward to expanding her Pathways to Success for Youth Team even further and looks forward to working with school administration to implement the success principles into classrooms, Trish reflects back to how it all began ... 
 
Manifesting Dreams and Goals Into Reality: A True Story
By Trisha Jacobson
9/3/2011

It's official ... I've just been accepted into a pretty exclusive year long mentorship and training program with author and transformational leader, Jack Canfield! 

I set the Success Principles Train the Trainer course as part of my five year plan a year ago when I participated in my first Breakthrough to Success live event in 2010. I had no clear idea, given my life circumstances, how it would be financially possible. But instead of focusing on doubt, I trusted that my passion, purpose, vision and taking action would fuel the Universe to figure it out. And it did ... in ways that are still beyond my comprehension!

Today, in just a year of applying Jack's Success Principles to my life and implementing his Daily Disciplines for Effortless Success, my goal is now a reality.

I first met Jack thirty years ago when I heard him deliver a talk at my first professional development conference. That day I purchased, what I now know was, his very first cassette tape series called Self Esteem and Peak Performance. It helped me immensely in my early career days. Little did I know we would reconnect years later and share the same vision to get the success principles into the classroom to young people.

Several years ago, I was connected to Jack's work again during a session with a teen who cited Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul by Jack Canfield as being the one thing that helped her get through a very difficult period in her life. 

I was connected once again to Jack's work in the June, 2010 in a synchronistic sort of way. I was kayaking with a friend who told me about a book she was reading and suggested I check it out. I joked with her and told her that I was having trouble adjusting to my fifty year old eyes and didn't enjoy reading much because it forced me to admit that my eyesight was changing. She quickly suggested audio books and gave me a website to visit. 

Seriously, I was planning to take care of the vision thing, but I was also thinking that listening to audio books would be a very cool thing to do while kayaking on the lake near my house. The first book that popped up on the audible.com website was The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. I was going through transition without clear direction and the title struck me. Then I recognized Jack as being someone I knew from a long distant past. And then, I read further. The book was being offered for free that day with a new audible.com membership. It felt like a sign. I forgot about my friend's recommendation for a novel and downloaded the Success Principles onto my computer.

It was bright and sunny outside and I had the whole day off to spend kayaking on the lake. I wanted to get out, but I also wanted to get started on the book. I went next door and consulted with my teenage neighbor, my official technology consultant, and checked into what MP3 player would be best for me to download the Success Principles so I could listen as I kayaked. In just a few minutes, I was off to town with Liam and within an hour I was back home syncing the book onto my new MP3 player while I got my kayaking gear ready. 

Three months later, despite the fact that I didn't have the resources to support tuition, travel, etc., and as a result of a very generous benefactor who believes in my vision, I was in the training room live with Jack Canfield as Breakthrough to Success began.

I've been living, teaching and coaching around the success principles ever since. Now, beginning in November, I will be working with Jack personally to help me get better at what I do and to support him in bringing his work to teens and adults in a much bigger way!

There's really something to be said about starting your days with gratitude, following your heart, being clear about what you want, taking consistent action toward your vision, harnessing the power of the subconscious mind and believing that miracles really do happen. Because they really do! 

Epilogue: I finished Train the Trainer in October 2012 and conducted a pilot in middle school classrooms shortly thereafter. The feedback was amazing! I expanded the project and implemented a pilot in high school health classes beginning in the spring of 2013. And the momentum continued.

In August 2014, the first 8 members of the Pathways to Success for Youth Team joined together and attended Breakthrough to Success. Classroom implementations continued and discussions with major stakeholders and potential funders began. Those conversations are ongoing, sustainable funding is on the horizon and we are planning several implementations over the course of the next year.

On August 8th, fourteen team members, including teens, young adults and adults, will attend Breakthrough to Success and bring our team up to a total of twenty members, each with unique skills, talents, experience, expertise and perspective that will support the project as we move forward with the vision to bring this work across the US.

As I reflect on all that's transpired since I first walked into the training room 5 year ago, I am humbled, excited and enormously grateful for the lessons, the growth, the support and the powerful impact of this work and my team.

Learn more about what we're up to at
www.pathwaystosuccessforyouth.com

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