SYNOPSIS

THE MIRACLE OF MOTIVATION

The action guide to happiness and success.

GEORGE SHINN
Submitted by- Kapil mahajan (18021)

Credentials of Author- George Shinn was born on may 11, 1941 in Kannapolis, N.C. He graduated
from high school, and then attended Evans Business School in Concord, N.C where he earned
$100 for each new student he enrolled. After that he worked in textile mill, a car wash and as a
school janitor. After graduating from Evans, he bought a school and other small colleges that
offered 18- months to two year programs, consolidating them under the name Rutledge Education
Systems. In all he owned about 30 schools that he sold in 1980’s for $30 million. In 1987 he paid
$32.5 million for an NBA expansion franchise in Charlotte. The Hornets are now his main business
venture. He also had written half-dozen marketing manuals and inspirational books, including The
American Dream Still Works and You Gotta Believe! The Story Of Charlotte Hornets and many
more.

The author said, 'I believe that faith is the prime motivator of man...I have complete faith that God
has a plan for me and that he will reward me if I work to do what is right.'

Contents-

I. Believing in yourself

What motivation can do for you, you must believe you can, discover
your hidden talents, get excited about life, keep growing.

II. Looking, Feeling and Acting your best

Cultivate good health habits and increase your energy, make appearance an asset, Develop a
magnetic personality, how to build successful relationships.

III. Overcoming obstacles

You can overcome worry, doubt, and fear, Master your tensions and learn to relax, You can
overcome failure, Learn from your mistakes and struggles, Solve your Problems.

IV. Preparing

Prepare and your chance will come, Use your time more wisely, know the secret of success,
Develop an ability to communicate, be independent but be yourself, you can succeed in business.

V. Use your faith as power source

Change your life with good attitude, your mind is an unlimited source of power, Explore the
unknown, Love yourself and others, the strongest force unknown.

VI. Motivating yourself into action

Set and reach your personal goals, Become a self-starter, Give it all you have got, Dare yourself to
act now, I challenge you to improve your life.
 BELIEVING IN YOURSELF

Self-motivation- There are two parts of self-motivation. The first is mental: you conceive in your
mind where you want to go. The second part is physical: you take actions to get there. Self-
motivation- thought and action- is the key to success. “The self-motivated person pairs nouns and
verbs: he determines his goals (nouns) and acts to achieve them (verbs)”.

You must believe you can- No one can but you can make you believe in yourself. Belief in one’s
self is the very basis of successful self-motivation. Regardless of who you are and regardless of
your education or station in life, your attitude about yourself can be totally positive- if you believe
in yourself. “In order to be motivated, you must be self-confident: if you believe in you, others will
too”.

Discover your hidden talents- There is nothing more wasteful than unfulfilled potential; it has no
practical value at all until it is released from storage to kinetic energy- energy to help you reach
your goals. “You can think positive thoughts all your life; you can read books on positive thinking
all your life; you can go to school and get your BA, MA and PhD; you can great ability, many
contacts and abundant knowledge- but you will never become what God expect of you until you
act. AND THAT IS MOTIVATION”.

Enthusiasm- It means “full of God” or “God in you”. Enthusiasm is an attitude of curiosity,

confidence, and expectation, along with a bit of risk and daring. “An enthusiast is a fanatic about
life. And because the enthusiast has the attitude that good things will happen, good things do
happen”.

What you can do with enthusiasm- Enthusiasm changes problems to challenges,

Enthusiasm creates enthusiasm in others, Enthusiasm ventilates the minds, Enthusiasm
improves self-knowledge, Enthusiasm bring realization to your goals.

Growth and Change-To participate is to grow. Nothing grows that does not change. We watch tiny
blade become a tall grass, the bud becomes flower, the egg hatches into a bird and a child
becomes an adult. The very act of living is change and growth. And those who accept and adjust
to change and keep growing are the winners, the successful- the fittest. Those who cannot
accommodate change do not grow; they die by the wayside a mental, physical, or spiritual death.
“The self-motivator has a thirst for growth. He or she realizes that growth means change and
change involves risks, stepping from known to the unknown”.

LOOKING, FEELING AND ACTING YOUR BEST

Cultivate good health habits and increase your energy- you have noticed that successful people
have one thing in common-Energy. Their ages makes no difference. They got that energy because
they themselves took care of their minds and bodies. And sadly, you have seen many people at
the very point of reaching their goals fail to do so because they became victims of ill health.

Good diet and exercise are without doubt the two most important factors that contribute to
well being, youthfulness, and long life. And one is never too old to begin an exercise program.
“Self-motivated action occurs only when you have a pool of energy to draw from. Therefore, your
success will depend on your health, your fitness, your mental well being, and the amount of rest
you get”.

Make appearance an asset- Appearance is all important because it communicates something. The
key is appropriateness. How you dress depends on the occasion, whether it’s a football game, a
family picnic or a business meeting. Clothing runs a gamut of style. Some styles give the
impression of being underdone, others of being overdone, but in between there is always a happy
medium that is neither too extreme nor too conservative.
“To act right, you have to look right and feel right”.

The “untouchables”- Avoid nervous habits or mannerisms- such as chewing gums,

smoking, rubbing your face, talking too loudly. Avoid careless diction or grammar- the kind of
language we use in a football game may not be appropriate for the board room or dinner table.

Develop a magnetic personality- A magnetic personality- that inward and invisible “appearance”
you convey to others about yourself- can exert great power in making others want to act in your
behalf. If you want to be successful, you need the help of others people. “There is no such thing
as a self made man. You will reach your goals only with the help of others”.

Personality and love-A magnetic personality is one of love. Love embodies good character,
gratitude, honesty, forgiveness, humility, and a sense of humor. Love is power and action, love
can opens all doors, for it reproduces your love in others. “A bell is not a bell ‘till you ring it, a
song is not a song ‘till you sing it. Love in your heart is not put there to stay; love is not love ‘till
you give it away”.

Self-worth- self-worth is how you think and feel about your own self. Loving one’s self is not
egotism. It conveys no selfishness whatsoever. It is recognition that you are a child of God, a
unique and rare individual. “Without real friends even a millionaire is poor FORBES”.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

Overcome worry, doubt and fear- These three are the worst mental enemies you have to conquer.
You face them daily. There is probably nothing else in life that can, if you let it, waste so much of
your time and strength as do these three negative feelings. Yet, with proper motivation you can
conquer them. In fact, you must conquer them or else they will destroy your desire and ability to
reach your goals. “Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow”.

“You must be able to handle tension-not let it manhandle you. Relax! Calm down, stop
rushing around, and take hold of your life”.

Overcome failure- Failure is the bridge. Some people in the middle of it and jump off, but others
recognize that the bridge has a brand new plot of land at the other end. Just keep on walking. And
don’t be afraid if you find yourself on another bridge some day, and another, and another. They all
lead somewhere. The idea is not to stop walking and most important, to know where it is that you
want to go.

“Many people consider themselves failures because they failed some subjects in
school, or failed to make the team or club etc. Failing means you are not as prepared as you could
have been- but keep trying because you are never a failure until you completely give up”.

Learn from your mistakes and struggles- Believe that mistakes and struggles are valuable
learning experiences. Life is struggle, a constant struggle. And where there is not struggle, there
is no life-only death. Success isn’t the opposite of failing. A runner may come in last, but if he
beats his best record, he succeeds. ROBERT SCHULLER”.

“The motivated person views problems as challenges: you’ll be successful if you

allow problems to motivate you to find simple, productive solutions”.

PREPARING

Don’t wait for success. It is waiting for you! When opportunity knocks, you are the one who must
open the door. Life is full of opportunities, some of which we generate ourselves and some of
which are available
to us through the grace of God. “A wise man will make more opportunity than he finds”.

Use your time more wisely- “yesterday is a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note. Only
today cash is cash in hand”. You’ll find that restructuring your time and using it efficiently is itself
a motivational aid. It will enable you immediately to get more done-i.e., to be more successful.

How to communicate- Time –tested ways to communicate – Tell the truth, Get the point quickly
and directly, Respect the receiver’s point of view, Criticism will get you nowhere, Don’t take
people for granted, Listen and see, Ask questions to be certain the receiver understand you. Good
communicators often become great leaders. You, too, can become a leader through precise,
thoughtful communication. Remember: a boss says, “Get going!” A leader says “let’s go”.

USING FAITH AS A POWER SOURCE

Change your life with a good attitude- Nothing can stop the person with the right attitude towards
achieving his personal goals in life. The right attitude directs one to use his abilities to gain the
maximum from them. “Not only positive attitude change your life, but it will change your world as
well”.

Eight steps that can change your mind- Believe you can do it, Think good things about your
future, Use common sense, Stop thinking negatively, Calm down, Stay alert and tuned in, Forget
mistakes, Open your mind to new ideas.

Faith- faith in God, in other people, in yourself and in our country. Faith in God will give you
strength of purpose, faith in people will give you strength of character and faith in yourself will
give you hope and concern for the world. “There is no stronger force known to mankind than for
human being to get down on his knees and ask God for guidance”.

MOTIVATING YOURSELF INTO ACTION

Set and reach your personal goals- Successful people often get motivated by setting goals. If you
want to be successful, you need to know where you are going. “By the yard it’s hard but by the
inch it’s a cinch”.

Goal setting checklist- Set specific goals in all areas, Reverse quite time for consideration and
formulation, Do your own thinking, Face up to obstacles, Goals should allow you to take actions,
Set your priorities, Review your goals often, Have a back-up plan if need be, Be a decision maker,
Be alert to opportunities of turning problems you encounter along the way into opportunities.

Give it all you’ve got- Do a little more than you’re paid to; Give a little more than you have to; Try a
little harder than you want to; Aim a little higher than you think possible; And give a lot of thanks
to God for health, family and friends. “When you think you have given it all you have got,
remember; yours best can always be made better”.

Dare yourself to act-Now- Result demands action, and goal oriented people know that action-
action now- is the only way their goals are going to be achieved.

STEPS to becoming a man or woman of action: 1. Be a goal setter.

2. Be a self starter.

3. Give it all you’ve got.

4. Act now.
CONCLUSION-The author says that motivation is a miraculous power because it is motivation
which helps you to succeed, to overcome problems, to achieve your goals, to work miracles in
your life. The author says that self-motivation starts with the dream of yourself as you would like
you to be.
The author has divided the book into six parts. The first part deals with believing in oneself. One
must have self-confidence. We must have the faith that we can do a particular thing, that we are
able to achieve a goal in life etc.. The author also emphasizes the power of good qualities like
enthusiasm, a good memory, creativity etc…
In the second part, the author says that we should look, feel and act our best. For example, we
have to maintain good health, do regular exercises, expand our energy etc.. The author also
emphasizes the importance of appearance. Good appearance is important and we should present
ourselves well.
The third part deals with overcoming obstacles such as worry, doubt and fear. He also says that
we should not be slaves of stress and tensions and we should learn to relax.
The fourth part deals with preparing. Preparation is important in life. We have to prepare
ourselves in order to achieve a goal. The author also writes about the importance of time and
advises us to spend time wisely. If we waste time, then we cannot prepare ourselves well for
anything in life.
The fifth part deals with using faith as a power source. A good attitude is important. The author
says that faith will change our attitude towards life. First of all, we have to have faith in ourselves.
The sixth part deals with motivating ourselves into action. The author teaches us to establish
personal goals, timing, to make a goal-setting check list etc...

CRITICAL APPRAISAL- This is one of the most practical book i ever had read. Every chapter takes
me another step to look forward and learnt so many ways to pave the way ahead. Motivational
memos helped me quickly recall valuable nuggets of advice. Personally, I liked this book very
much. The book is written in simple language and is easy to understand. The book is a sort of a
challenge. The author challenges us to dare to set a goal and reach towards it. He teaches us the
steps on how to motivate ourselves.This book is a tool which will fill a person with self-
confidence, motivation and inspiration.

GEORGE SHINN says, “you can turn your failures into brilliant opportunities. You too
can set imaginative and daring goals and reach them”.

He is today a self-made millionaire and the owner of some thirty corporations in such diverse
fields as career education, auto dealerships, sporting goods, oil wells, real estate, printing and
publishing, and of course, his own NBA basketball team. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.