Published August 2017

I want to talk to you about the power of a mind made-up.

You know, I believe one of the keys to accomplishing anything is when you decide―which ends with “icide” like homicide, which means the death of something―when you decide you’re getting it done. When you develop a made-up mind, strength in your “I’m making this happen mentality” becomes resolute! It is amazing how this happens.

You know, years ago when we were trying to get Primerica safe at the height of the Great Recession, we had to make up our minds that failure was not an option. IPOs aren’t happening―well, we better make one happen. No one wants to invest in financial companies―well, we better find people that want to invest in financial companies. When a door closes, go through a window.

Related: Why You Should Keep Pushing Through Your Setbacks

Look, sometimes I know I’m tough, but I believe you’ve got to be tough to win. There are two things in life. There are results and excuses. And I never wanted to become an “excuse-a-holic”.

Most people are excuse-a-holics. Some people are alcoholics, some people are drugaholics, all those things. More people in this country suffer from excuse-a-holism than any of those other “isms”.. There’s always a reason, there’s always somebody else’s fault. Somebody made this happen. You have to develop a vision for your life, a plan for your life, and then go fight like a junkyard dog to make it happen.

By the way, that’s no guarantee of success. You can make your best effort sometimes and it just doesn’t work out. But I always wanted to be the person that laid it on the line, left it on the field and did my darndest to make it happen. So use the power of a made-up mind in your life.

Related: Why What You Think About Matters