Breakthrough to Success Weekend

Have you ever felt lost?

Before last weekend I was the definition of LOST! I had no motivation, no direction and worse I knew there was something better "out there" but I was struggling just to make it through another day.

Then I got a call, a call that has already changed my life. It went like this...

"Hey, what do you have going on this weekend?" It was a family friend who just last week I had been complaining to about my situation.

"The kids have basketball games on Saturday and the family is planning on going to see grandma in the nursing home on Sunday," I replied.

"Well, I have an extra $895 ticket to a Christopher Howard Breakthrough to Success seminar, right in your backyard (Tacoma) - I think you should go"

"An Breakthrough to Success seminar, seriously?" I questioned.

"I know you aren't into the rah rah motivation kind of thing, but when we were talking the other day it seemed like you were really looking for something, the tools they teach might just spark something, you never know until you try it," he persisted.

"Even if I wanted to go, I can't afford to buy the ticket from you," I said with a 100% lack mentality.

"I'll give you the ticket, just get to the Tacoma Convention Center Friday morning at 8:00 a.m. and see if this is for you."

"Okay, I'll see if I can make it..." I said knowing that I could always back out because of the kids or grandma.

"That's not good enough," he responded, quickly cutting me off. His forcefulness startled me and quite honestly pissed me off a bit, but it got me to commit to at least showing up for the first day. I am forever grateful!

I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect there were already hundreds of people at the Tacoma Convention Center Ballroom and the music from inside already pumping and it was only 8:30 in the morning - the event didn't even start until 9:00.

As the doors opened I let the others rush in to find good seats, I was sure this wasn't going to be for me and I just wanted to find a quiet seat near the back of the room and at the end of the isle so I could make a quick escape at the first sign of "touchy-feely craziness."

As I sat down I started to scan through the 80 page Breakthrough to Success Manual I was given when I registered that morning. Looking back I am sure I was doing this because I was uncomfortable and didn't want anyone to talk to me or sit next to me - a defense mechanism I have perfected over the years.

Then the lights dimmed the music got louder and I could literally feel the energy in the room raise - the hairs on my arms actually tingled at this point.

The co-trainer burst onto the stage (I was sitting so far back I have no idea where he had come from) and worked on getting the rooms energy level even higher. Then it started the high fives, uughh! Or so I thought...

The first segment I felt like was directed right to me - the "will see" mentality. I took it to heart and agreed (to myself) that I would participate fully (play at 100% as they say) and that I would have fun.

So I did it - I committed to get everything out of the weekend I could. IT WAS THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE!

Midway through the second day I had already had several unbelievable shifts in my attitude and energy levels and it was only going to get better.

Playing at 100% during the 1st day of the seminar I had already begun to get clearer on my goals in several areas of my life and had dug up several negative emotions and limiting decisions that I was committed to eliminating from my life.

After lunch on the second day we began the process of releasing our worst limiting emotion - mine was FEAR. This was no garden variety fear - this was a debilitating fear of everything from death to being rejected to having my friends judge me to having other laugh at me because I put myself out there.

After a 30 minute Emotion Obliterator I was speechless (and tearless). I had never felt so light and free. All through our dinner break I was trying to make myself feel the feelings that I once associated with those fears and they were gone. I know it sounds far fetched... and if it hadn't happened to me I wouldn't have believed it myself. AT THIS POINT I WAS TOTALLY HOOKED!

During dinner break I called Emily (my lovely wife) and proceeded to ramble for 30 minutes about how awesome the seminar was and how I had just freed myself from this fear and that I couldn't wait to get back to the rest of the seminar.

I returned to the meeting room well before session was to start - by this time I was arriving earlier and earlier and sitting in the front row so I could get every ounce of information possible.

My FACT OR CRAP Experience... Christopher Howard Coaching

When you come back from a lunch or dinner break in the training they get the energy up by playing a game called "FACT OR CRAP". Everyone who attends the seminar has their name entered into a bucket and when it's time a name is drawn and the person gets a chance to win some unbelievable prizes. There is a catch though...

You have to do a celebration dance on the stage (all by yourself) and the rest of the crowd gets to vote if your dance was done with enough energy and excitement.

Once you do your dance you are asked a question - the answer to the question is either FACT (if it is true) or CRAP (if it is false) if you get the answer right you get to roll to huge red furry dice up the isles and the number you roll corresponds to a number associated with some great prizes.

Now as you can imagine from my attitude and negative emotions I entered the training with only 1 1/2 days before having my name drawn was something I wanted no part of, even if I could win something valued at almost $12,000 - being on stage making a fool out of myself wasn't an option.

But, after having release the FEAR of "looking" like a fool in front of other no matter what the cost (fun, excitement, financial) I was actually not worried at all about what I would have to do (or how that may look to the others at the weekend event) to claim a prize if I was fortunate enough to be drawn.

Then it happened...

As I was up cheering like a luntic (something I never thought I would be doing - let alone admitting online) for the "Fact or Crap" game, my name was called as the next contestant! HOLY CRAP this was my first true test of whether or not I had actually Obliterated The Emotion of FEAR that had held me back for so long... I was on the stage faster than anyone was ready for and dancing (I guess you could call it that - when you are afraid to dance you don't often do it, and when you don't often do something you aren't usually very good at it) CRAZY DANCING... ARMS AND LEGS FLAILING DANCING... I think I even through in some sprinkler into the mix... CRAZY! NO FEAR whatsoever.

I answered the question correctly and was given the first big red die -- I rolled a 5 (at the time I wanted to roll a 12 or a 7 those were FREE TUITION to the Billionaire Bootcamp a 7 day training that costs $11,995) so I was hoping for a 2 when I was given the second die to roll down the isle. After hopping right over the 2 it landed on the 6 so I had a total of 11. The prize for rolling an 11 was 3 months of Breakthrough coaching. At $525 per month for the coaching this was worth $1,575 PLUS they threw in membership into the mentors circle valued at $1,750 -- ALL THAT AND I WAS A BIT DISAPPOINTED! Over $3,000 in rewards all for dancing, but it wasn't the grand prize.

Then I called my wife...

I told her about the game (and my dancing, which she didn't believe at first) and how I ONLY got coaching, then she said something unbelievable to me.

"Of course you got the coaching, it is what you need right now much more than 7 day course in Hawaii."

"WHAT?"

She then proceeded, "You are great at starting things, but you have had challenges sticking to things. Isn't that exactly what ongoing coaching will do for you?"

DUH! Of course she was exactly right, I guess to quote the Rolling Stones - "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometime you might find. You get what you need!"

Here I was I had attended the training for free at the suggestion of my friend and now I have access to the greatest achievement coaches and mentors, I have over come deep seated long-term FEAR and it was still only Day #2.

I can't do the remainder of the training justice here, it was transformation, a breakthrough, affirming and all the other hypey slogans you can think of - THIS COMING FROM A CERTIFIED SKEPTIC!

One of the best content pieces, illustrated that there are 4 elements to living a rich life.

1st Element: Doing what you love - before I attended the Breakthrough to Success Seminar I had no idea of what this may be. Since the training I got my hands on Chris's "Design Your Destiny" program and I am working to clarify my life's purpose, vision, mission and legacy. It feels awesome to have a growing level of clarity in my dreams for the future.

2nd Element: Be Rewarded Magnificently for Doing What You Love - anything less is not truly living a rich life.

3rd Element: Live in an Attitude of Gratitude

The bridge from the 3rd Element to the 4th Element is "Paying It Forward" - just like the movie.

4th Element: Contribution

So as I left the training late on Sunday night (after 7:00 p.m. and I was actually bummed to be leaving) I dedicated myself to living a rich life by putting these principles into place in my life. That is why I am writing about my experiences with this Weekend training - to PAY IT FORWARD!

As part of PAYING IT FORWARD I am able to offer all those interested in experiencing these incredible transformational tools for free.

Breakthrough to Success Weekend

Take it from a former skeptic "will see'er" that this is a no-hype, step-by-step training weekend that will stimulate your mind, electrify your enthusiasm and give you the cutting-edge technologies to take charge of your thinking, and therefore, your results.

I hope to see you there!

Just an update. I have had my first phone coaching session with Kate McCormick.

I really didn't know what to expect from the phone call, because other than sports I have never been coached.

IT WAS AWESOME.

I will be inlcuding more as the coaching progresses over the next 90 days.