Stay positive. Feed yourself so you can feed others. These are the key messages of Jon Gordon, author of bestselling book The Energy Bus and today's guest. 

Jon and I met a few months back when we shared a stage at a client event. I've always loved the transformative fable he shares in The Energy Bus (about what happens when you change your mindset when entering "the bus of life" each day) and was excited to hear more about the man behind the story. Today, you're invited to hear this discussion! 

Jon shares "stories even his closest friends haven't heard!" Many about the little known challenges leading up to his best-selling book career (the book was rejected 30 times before it was published; it had little reception for the first 5 years).

Jon's story is about being positive and feeding yourself so you can feed others. Here are a few of my favorite takeaways: 

• "Sometimes you have to lose a goal to find your destiny." - Gordon
• "There is one song and we are part of the symphony." - Gordon
• "We are positive not because life is easy. We must be positive because life is hard." - Gordon
  • Negative thoughts will always come in; you don’t have to believe them. Your faith must be greater than you fear.
• You must overcome negativity to become a successful leader.
• The "bus" story came to me during a walk of prayer and gratitude.
• People CAN become more positive! No one wants to be negative, we blame circumstances and that breeds more negativity. Realizing this gave me the concept for the Energy Bus and the idea that you have to be the driver of your own bus. You have to empower yourself.
• "Don’t allow life to define you. Define your life." - Gordon [Tweet this.]
• Why did Jon succeed? Faith and grit.
• A few ideas from Jon to become more positive:
  • Feed the positive, not the negative.
  • Learn to talk to yourself; not to listen to yourself.
  • Research shows you can’t be grateful and stressed at the same time. Spend timing each day being grateful: Gratitude journaling, take a gratitude walk, etc.
• "The media is the bible for the fearful." - Gordon
• "We create our world not from the outside in but from the inside out." - Gordon
• Enroll in Jon Gordon’s Positive University for free in January 2017. 

Jon Gordon's Live Inspired 7 

1. What is the best book you've ever read?

All the Places to Go. My main takeaway is that life is an open door; God puts doors in front of you.

2. Tomorrow you discover your wealthy uncle shockingly dies at the age of 103; leaving you millions. What would you do?

Invest in others continue to pour into Positive University and more for nonprofits I love: Homes for Hope in Mexico and FCA, the Dream Center in LA.

3. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be?

Pictures of my family and my grandparents’ pictures that sit on my desk. Pictures of my parents who both passed away.

4. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be?

Abraham Lincoln.

5. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Dr. James Guild's advice, talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself.

6. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself at age 20?

Don’t stress so much. Enjoy the ride. The message in my books Training Camp and The Energy Bus.

7. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read?

Positive.

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I can't wait to see you here next Thursday! Today is your day. Live Inspired.

Live Inspired with John everyday on Facebook & Twitter and get his Monday Motivation email: www.JohnOLearyInspires.com/Monday-Morning