The Resilient Mind - The 3 Questions That Exposed My Entire Life (Original Seminar) - Jim Rohn

Episode Date: July 8, 2026

A timeless message from Jim Rohn®Jim Rohn was a renowned motivational speaker who has been widely regarded as one of the best in his field during his time. He had an incredible ability to inspire and motivate people from all walks of life with his speeches and teachings. One of his most notable achievements was serving as a mentor to Tony Robbins, one of the most successful and well-known motivational speakers in the world today.SUCCESS® presents: Jim Rohn®. To discover more powerful messages and timeless teachings from Jim Rohn, visit: 👉 https://www.success.com/subscriptions/.Licensed for use from https://mindsetdrm.com/.Take action and strengthen your mind with The Resilient Mind Journal. Get your free digital copy today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/Download_JournalExplore tools from past guests of the podcast. Some links below are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you:💓 HeartMath: https://www.heartmath.com/resilient🧠 Muse: https://choosemuse.com/resilientmind🌿 Brain Ritual: https://www.brainritual.com/THERESILIENTMIND🌍 The Resilient Mind Podcast is a proud member of 1% for the Planet — building resilient minds and a resilient planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's talk about reasonable time. Here's number one at the end of the day. You can't let more than a day go by, but what you check off some things, you don't have to check off making a fortune. No, you don't have to do that at the end of the day, but there are some things you've got to just get done within the scope of a day.

It says an apple, a day, not once in a while in between Hershey bars, no. An apple every day. Now, not just for your good health, but for your self-esteem. Now, it doesn't have to be an apple. You know, I'm asking you only to act on your own shoulds. I say you should. You've got to come up with what you should, but don't neglect your shoulds.

If you should and you could, now for your own self-esteem, let alone the value that's going to come later, make sure you get that done, some of it within a day. A call you've got to get done today. Some people you've got to see today. Work on the line today. A conversation you've got to have with your daughter today, tomorrow, too late. It's got to be done today. The ancient prophet said if you're angry, solve it before the sun goes down.

Back then when the sun went down, that was the end of the day. What it said was don't carry anger over for another day. It's too heavy to carry. If you carry it for a week or two, it'll drop you to your knees. Anger needs to be solved in a much shorter period of time. like the going down of the sun. So a day, next is a week. We usually get paid with a week.

A week is to do what? Add up our value? See what we're worth to the marketplace? Now within the scope of a week, we ask for two things. Number one, activity. Number two, productivity. Activity proceeds productivity. So at the end of the day, or at the end of the week,

we may ask first just for activity. John joins this little sales company. Supposed to make 10 calls first week. Just to get acquainted in the neighborhood. Would it be legitimate to call him in on Friday and say what? How many calls? You know, that's an easy deal. That's not out of reason.

The week has passed. Supposed to make 10 calls first week. John, how many did you make? John says, well, you say, John, well, won't fit in the little box here. I don't need well, I need. A number. Now John starts with a story. And you say, John, the reason I made this little box so small is so a story will fit. I don't need a story. I need.

And here's why. I'm so brilliant if you'll give me the numbers, I can figure out the whole story. Key phrase, numbers tell us the whole story. Shof started right away, my mentor, asking me some questions on numbers. And he asked me a lot of questions, but let me give you three of them. This was to help me evaluate the past and see what I could do to change it for the future. Let me give you three questions he asked me. Here's question number one. So said, Mr. Rohn, in the last six years you've been working, how much money have you saved and invested?

How much money have you saved and invested the last six years? And I said, what do you suppose? Zero. He said, not a good number. He said, you want to build a financial wall around your family? Nothing can get through. You want to be champion leader for the future? Zero, the first six years, not going to cut it.

He said, I wouldn't want you for a business partner. That was the first question. Here was the second question. He said, Mr. Owen, in the last 90 days, how many books have you read? You want to be able to articulate, become a champion, entrepreneur second to none? How many books have you read in the last 90 days? And I said what?

Zero. He said, not a good. Third question. He said, Mr. Owen, in the last six months, How many classes have you attended to improve your skills or to develop new skills? And I said what? Zero. He said not a good number. He said, Mr. Owen, I promise you.

If these numbers don't change, the next six years of your life will be just like the last six. But he said, if you'll start the process right now of changing these numbers and some more, the next six years of your life will be totally different than the last six. Interestingly enough, that turned out to be so extraordinarily true. The first six years of my life, I wound up broke. Second six years, I wound up rich. What was interesting about the second six years was the second six years of my economic life, the government was about the same.

Lord knows my negative relatives were the same. The weather and the traffic was about the same. Circumstances were the same. I mean, what companies paid was about the same. The unions and the wage scale were about the same. All of that stuff was the same. Then how come I got rich the second six years? I was not the same.

You say, well, the government say, no. Somebody says it's those Republicans. It's say, no, no. It's those Democrats. No. It's you and these numbers. And if you and these numbers don't change, your life won't change.

Developing a more level playing field is not going to make your fortune. Some people are counting on things that aren't going to count much. What if all of your negative relatives turn positive today? What would that do for your health and your fortune and your future? Answer, not much. If the Democrats finally get back in Congress, what will that do? Not much, I'm telling you.

If we finally have a Republican president, what will that do? Not much. We could probably get a good debate going here, but I'm telling you. Guess what the answer is? Not much. If the economy gets a little better, what will that do? For your health and your fortune and your future, I'm telling you, not much. And if you don't make plans of your own,

you'll probably always fit into someone else's plans. Guess what someone else may have planned for you? Not much. Most people wake up every morning with their fingers crossed hoping on this not much list. Guess what usually happens? Not much. If you would like the scope of that to radically change,

then you've got to just take personal control and say I might as well start with some easy numbers. Some numbers I've got some control over. And start with those easy numbers and see if you can't start to change it. start to change it. It's the name of the game. And here's the clue. You can't handle the more complicated disciplines till you can handle the small ones. So start with some easy numbers. We'll give you some complicated numbers. Later on if you can handle the easy ones. The guy says, oh, if I had a

great job, I'd really pour it on. But I got this lousy job. I'd just goof off. I'm telling you, that's not where you get a good job. You got to zero in on the job you got. My father taught me an extraordinary seminar in one sentence. Here it is when I was a kid. He said, Jim, always do this. Do more than you get paid for. Always do more than you get paid for. Now some unions would argue with us on that.

He said, here's why. To make an investment in your future. Wow, what a simple way to put it. Always do more than you get paid for to make an investment. Some people only do what they get paid for. Or try to do a little less than they get paid for. The guy stretches his break and stretches his lunch,

gets there a little late and leaves a little early and says, I got it made, I think I'm putting in half a day and collecting a full day's pay. Little does he know the seeds of his own disaster are already being sown. Don't let that happen for you. Handle a small disciplines first. Guy says, oh, if I had a fortune, I'd really take care of it,

but I've only got a paycheck, I don't know where it goes. I'm telling you, it's called disaster. Did you ever hear that expression? I don't know where it all goes. Oh, we'd love to have you run the company. You don't know where it all goes? Come on. Guy says, if I had a big organization, I'd really look after it,

but I've only got three or four. I don't know where they are. Come on. If you've only got three or four, you can know exactly where they are. Come on. Jesus gave the greatest key to success. Here's what he said.

Be faithful when the amounts are small. Be disciplined when the amounts are small. And we'll make you ruler when the amounts are many. You've got to handle the small numbers. If you can't take care of three or four, should we give you three or four thousand? And the answer's no. Should life give you a fortune if you can't handle a paycheck?

And the answer is no. Should we give you responsibility to run a major enterprise with all of the wealth that goes with it? If you can't handle the little pieces and the answer is no. The ancient prophet said, if the man can't rule his spirit and himself, we shouldn't give him a city to run. Now, we've turned that upside down.

And how often do we give somebody a city to run that can't run themselves? So I'm asking you. Take care of the small things. Take care of the small numbers. And I'm telling you'll be able to handle the larger numbers when they begin to flow. It's the name of the game. Now jot these words down. Every once in a while we should weigh and count and measure.

This is the name of the game. We should weigh, count, and measure. measure to see if what, to see if our philosophy is working, to see if our attitude is working, to see if these disciplines are working what we're doing. If it doesn't weigh well and if it doesn't count well and if it doesn't measure well, then here's where you look to see what's wrong, philosophy, attitude, or discipline. Now don't wait too long to weigh count and measure. We ask it of our children.

How many years do you want your child to spend in the fourth grade? About fun. You say, well, if they're nice kids, which you give them three or four. You say, no, no. You can't take three or four years to get through one grade. It's unacceptable. To get ready for the future, unacceptable.

One grade, one year. So we got to look off and see how we're doing. How often should you weigh the new baby? Fairly often to see if it's gaining weight or what? Losing. What if it's losing weight? The alarm bills have to go off. You can't let a little baby lose weight very long.

Why? It's too critical. And for some of you in this room, hey, today some of your numbers may be critical. I'm asking you to take a personal look. You don't have to let the world know. You don't have to let me know. That's not what's critical. It's not critical that everybody else around knows.

What's super critical is that you know what your numbers are and if they're headed in the direction you want them to go. So demand of yourself results here. Demand of yourself results. Society doesn't demand it. Society doesn't demand that you become wealthy. Society doesn't demand that you build a financial wall around your family. Nothing can get through. Society doesn't demand that you become healthy.

Society will let you have a heart attack and die. Society will let you go through all kinds of lack of disciplines until you croak, until there's nothing left of you. I mean, society doesn't demand that you be healthy. They don't demand that you become rich. They don't demand that you become responsible. You've got to learn to do that for yourself. Here's the clue for your notes.

Make demand. on yourself. If you're not healthy, someday, in my leadership series, I talk about nutrition. You know, sometimes an ancient script says that the spirit is willing, but the body's weak. What a sad combination that is. A willing spirit and a weak body.

You wake up in the morning, the mind says, let's go get them. The body says, I can't even get out of bed. One of those mornings you got to say body, that's the last time you'll tell me you can't. get out of bed. I'll drive you to the health food store. Right? I'll choke vitamins down you until you go dizzy. I'll make you read every health book until you go blind. This is the last day you're ever going to say to me you can't get out of bed and be a support system and making dreams come true. I mean, you've got to do that with yourself. Small disciplines, but disciplines that you demand. Okay. Numbers count. Key phrase, success is a numbers game. What is your cholesterol count? You don't know and you don't care. I wouldn't want you as a business partner.

Should I trust a part of my future in your hands if you're not going to take care of yourself? And the answer's no. So I'm asking you, take a look at your own numbers. How many books have you read? How many classes have you attended? These numbers are critical. Jesus walked along one day with his disciples.

Neat story. And he saw a fig tree and as he looked at this fig tree, he grew darkly suspicious. And he said to his disciples, does that fig tree have any figs? Do you think that's an important question? I'm telling you for a fig tree, it's the all important question. What other question is there? Does it have any figs? His disciples said, no, Jesus, of all the fig trees around here that you were to look out,

that particular tree doesn't have any figs. The story says Jesus lost his cool. One of the few times he lost his coup. Why? To make a point of fig tree without figs, unacceptable. Jesus said, if that fig tree doesn't have any figs, I suggest you promptly take it out. And he added, why let it take up the desk?

I mean the ground. So every once in a while we've got to get everybody together and say, today we're counting figs. What for? To see who gets to stay. Now, why do that? It's the name. So put yourself through the pecs.

Now here's number five, and I've had this urgency for the last 33 plus years, trying to translate and articulate to the best of my ability. Words are clumsy at best sometimes when you try to describe what's going on in your head, let alone your heart. But I struggle now for the language. I struggle for the vocabulary to try to translate to every audience I talk to, whether it's teenagers or college kids, whether it's Pepperdown University or whether it's, uh, often the ghetto somewhere in Chicago. Every audience is important to me to try to translate this stuff that so dramatically affected my life that I can't wait. Each audience is a high anticipation for me. I couldn't wait to get up this morning.

I couldn't wait to get here, knowing that I would have some very important upturned faces looking at me today and that if I said it well and articulated it well enough, it might strike a spark in several lives here today. that could turn out to be incredible superstars of the future. But even if it only helps you a little,

here's what I found out in the seminar business. You might jot this down. You can help a lot of people a little and a few people a lot. A lot of it depends on where you find someone. And I don't know where I've found you here today. Maybe you're just getting started. This is springtime for you. And maybe this is harvest time for you.

You're already cashing in. If I knew how well, I'd let you take this podium. And I'd be happy to sit and take notes. Maybe this is summertime for you. Maybe this is wintertime for you. That's why I haven't told you the latest 10 jokes today. This might be wintertime for some of you. And you're at the crossroads.

You're at the fork in the road. And some of the decisions you might make today, tomorrow, the next day or two or three, might be so vital to your life that for me to come by and just joke with you and try to pass that off and head for home, I would not feel good about that saying, hey, I might have left somebody without a little spark of something that could be so meaningful in their decision making process the next two, three, four, five days. So that's why I come to you with all seriousness.

That's why I come to you with intensity. I want this stuff to affect your life. Some teachers teach for others to learn. That's not me. Some teachers teach for others to accomplish. That is me. I want the stuff I'm talking about today. I want it to affect your bank account.

I want it to affect your life. I wanted to affect your health. I wanted to affect your fortune. I wanted to affect your income. I wanted to affect your relationship with your family. So that some later day, you will be able to say of me, the day you came by Mr. Rohn got me thinking, that led to something else.

Here's what's happened to my life. That makes it worthwhile. That's why I was intense about getting here today. Okay, here's number five of the five major pieces. I call it lifestyle. Lifestyle. That's the ultimate experience of life. is lifestyle.

And here's the best way I can describe lifestyle. The answer to it is to take your results and do this, jot this word down, fashion, fashion for yourself, like weaving a tapestry, fashion for yourself a good life. Now for 6,000 years we've been philosophizing on what constitutes of good life. And everybody must make their own study of what constitutes of good life.

It's a variety of things. It's enterprise. Humans were meant for enterprise. It's spirituality, my personal opinion. Friendships. We all need some friends. Those people that know all about you and still like you. You've got to have some of those.

A family's a major part of it. The greatest gift of all is love. The ancient script says there are many virtues and many values, but the greatest is love. One person caring for another? What would you substitute for that in terms of value? There is nothing. Better to live in a tent on the beach with someone you love

than to live in a mansion by yourself. I mean, the greatest success of all is love. But the balance of life, putting it all together. See, the paycheck is not the end of the deal. It's only a means, it's only a substance. So all of the pieces of life, here's what you must do, though. You must take the time now with your results to fashion a good life.

And I call that simply lifestyle living well. Now, I've used the word fashion on purpose. Mr. Schof gave me two phrases that changed my life forever. Let me give you those. I've never been the same since he articulated these for me. Here's number one. If you wish to be wealthy, study wealth. It's not part of our study today.

It's in my leadership series, but if you wish to be wealthy, study wealth. He just gave me that simple little phrase. When he said that, I said, to myself, my gosh, I don't know anyone who studies wealth. Where am I going to learn it? He said, here's what he said, never mind. Now that you've gone to work for me, get the little book, Richest Man in Babylon, and he said, I will teach you how to become wealthy. I went and got the book he taught me. By 31, I was a millionaire. And that was only the beginning. I recommend it. If you wish to be wealthy, study well.

What should a child do with a dollar? You won't believe even the mass confusion across America. What people's opinions of what a child should do with a dollar? Here's one opinion. It's only a child and it's only a dollar. What difference does it make? Well, where do you suppose a person's economic future starts? A child with a dollar.

Where else would it start? You say, no, you're only young once. Let them spend it all. Well, when would you hope that practice would stop? You say, well, wait a least 50 and broke like me and then he can learn. No, shouldn't we start earlier? Yes. If a child wants to spend a whole dollar, you've got to persuade him with all of your ability not to spend it all.

They'll say, why not? It's my dollar. I earned it all. I know you earned it all. But don't spend it all. They'll say, why not? Best way to teach him why not is visual. That's a key word visual.

Kids learn best by visual. Put them in your car and take them to the other side of the side of the same. town and show them where people live that spend the whole dollar. They'll get the message. Just drive them around. Say, would you like to live here? Kid says, no. Would you like to live like these people live? Kid says no way. Then you can't spend the whole dollar. They'll get the message. I've got a good note for you to make. Here it is. The best way to teach kids sometimes is from the pain of your own mistakes. Why? Because it's such a drama. It is so dramatic the pain of your own

mistakes. If you're not healthy, tell your kids why. If you're not financially independent, tell them why and give them the truth. It's not the Democrats. And then if you're so inclined after you've taught them from the pain of your own mistakes, now take them by the hand and say, we're hidden for the other side of town. We're hidden for health. Let's get busy. Let's start now. I've messed it up, but I'm telling you I don't want you to mess it up. Let's work together at it. I'm telling you no better way to teach children than from the pain of your own mistakes.

So if you wish to be wealthy, study well. Thank you for listening. Continue strengthening your mind by subscribing and listening to our other episodes.