Motivational Icon Zig Ziglar Dies at 86

Renowned motivational speaker Zig Ziglar died today at age 86. Zig was revered by many as the "father of motivational speaking," and helped millions of people succeed in their personal lives and careers with his humor and lessons grounded in Christianity. Zig wrote over two dozen books, including his famous "See You at the Top."

While so many of our speaker friends did, I never had the privilege of getting to hear Zig speak in person. I wanted to share the following video clip, as it features one of Zig's famous "attitude" stories. I watched this today, imagining being in that very audience. Soaking up his every word and meaningful nugget. With his Southern charm, he was talking directly to me as I sit in the front row (hopefully next to the guy with the thick, seventies mustache, that would have been groovy)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRMogDrHnMQ

And you'll probably recognize some or all of the quotes below. They are Zig's Top 10 quotes, and he said they have the power to completely change the direction of one’s life. Given the example he set for a life well-lived, I'm inclined to believe him. RIP Zig.

10. “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”
 9.  “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
 8.  “People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.”
 7.  “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”
 6.  “People don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons.”
 5.  “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”
 4.  “If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find 
       them everywhere.”
 3.  “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”
 2.  “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
 1.  “If you can dream it, you can achieve it.”