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How to affect other people with words. That's the greatest art in the world to learn how to affect other people with words. Before we dive into today's lesson on words that influence, I have something special for you. The Self Discipline Hacks playbook. Turns the steps you're about to learn into daily habits so your actions match your words. If you're ready to apply this episode and see real change, tap the link in the show notes and get your playbook. Now, let's begin. Key phrase don't be lazy in language. If you learn to use the gift of your own language wisely, it can make you a fortune and build an incredible life. Here's three other things I learned. One is to train. Training people how the business works. And then I've used another word called teach, train and teach. And only to say this. Training people how the business works. Teaching is how life works. Because here's what all of us need for the 21st century. Business skills and life skills. The life skills are leadership skills. The life skills are learning how to set goals. Now here's the ultimate skill to learn that can transform your life and the life of whoever will listen. The ability to inspire. Inspire means help people to look up a little higher than where they are and wish they could get there and inspire them that it's possible. Here's how we inspire by our own testimonial. If I can do it, you can do it. Here's how else we inspire by others testimonial. If they can do it, Mary, you can do it. Getting people to see themselves better than they are. Getting people to see themselves richer than they are. Getting people to see themselves more capable next year than they are this year. Getting to see themselves in the future. To help both your kids and your people, here's what you must learn to do. Number one, Help people to see themselves as they are. If people have made mistakes, they got to know it. You can't go on making mistakes and hope to achieve. Mistakes have to be corrected and you've got to do it with your children. Help them to see themselves as they are. If they've messed up, here's what you've got to say you've messed up. But here's what's important as a parent. Don't leave them in the mess. Some parents, you know, tell their kids they've messed up and then they leave them in the mess. They don't paint a better picture. Here's what you could become with just a couple of more changes rather than this, here's what you could be. So we must help our children see themselves as they are. But here's the greatest gift. To help our children see themselves better than they are. To transport them not only past to see their mistakes, but transport them to the future to see their opportunity to see the person they can become. My mentor had that greatest gift to help me to see myself better than I was. At first, it was difficult to see. Then I started to believe. And that's how I got here today. He said, one of these days, Mr. Rohn, you'll walk into a room full of people and you will hear some of them say, that's him. That's the famous man. I said, well, that could never happen to me. He said, trust me. If you keep working hard on the disciplines, like you're doing right now, that'll happen. You'll walk into a room full of people and you'll hear one say, that's him. That's the famous man. He saw it, and he tried to get me to see it. And now, finally it's happened. I think when I walked in here today, I think I heard someone say, that's him. That's the famous man. It happened for me. And if it can happen for me, it can happen for you. Just master these skills to inspire. Here's what else I learned. The skills of building an organization. Learn to work with the people who deserve it, not the people who need it. You must be like life itself. Respond to deserve, not to need. It doesn't say, if you need, you will have a harvest. It doesn't say, if you need a harvest, you'll have a harvest. It's not what it says. It says, if you plant, chances are good you'll have a harvest. If you plant, you will reap. Not if you need, you will reap. So we must be like life itself. Respond to the people who deserve it by planting, by taking the first step. Even God himself says, if you move toward me, I'll move toward you. That's the condition. You move toward me, I'll move toward you, says the Almighty. Now, he could also say, you don't move. I don't move. You say, well, that's arbitrary. Well, when you're God, you can set it up that way. Now, learn to work with the people who deserve it, not the people who need it. Now, here's what's the next step. Teach people how to deserve your time. Teach people how to deserve your attention. Teach people how to deserve a phone call. Say, mary, you just take this one step, and I take Two steps. You take two steps, I take five steps. You don't step, I don't step. But this isn't hard. Now, you step, I step. You respond. I respond. You try. I try. You make a call, I back you up. Right? Learn to teach people how to deserve your time and your attention. Next. I learned to work by group more than individual. Here's why. 80% of the people do 20% of the business. So 20% of the people you can work with, individual. 80% you have to work with by group. But group is very powerful, less confrontational. Then here's what's important for all of you to learn as a sponsor. Helping other people. You can help a thousand, but you can't carry three on your back. You can help a thousand, but you can't carry. Carry three on your back. And I'm sure all of you have already gotten that experience, even though you've been here a short time. Some people will try to get on your back. That's where we got that expression, get off. That's where we got that. A guy discovered somebody on his back and said, what I can't carry, you get. Now, if you're like some. I see here, you know, 6 foot 4, and you weigh 300 pounds, you might carry one. And if. If you were really big enough, Kareem Abdul Jabbar or something, you might carry two, but you can't carry three. When babies are born, they were not designed just to be carried. Babies were not born to be carried all their life. Someday you got to try your legs. Someday you got to try your wings. Someday you got to try. Even if you fall down, you got to try. Cause you can't just crawl around all your life. You can't be carried all your life. So as quickly as possible, you can help a thousand, but you can't carry three. Next. Don't expect the pear tree to bear apples. I used to try to change everything. You can hang apples on a pear tree. I'm telling you, it won't help. You can put up a sign, this is an apple tree. Sure enough, come the season, pears. Here's what I learned. You cannot change people, but they can change themselves. You cannot change people, but they can change themselves. Capital in your business isn't what matters, okay? It's not the money that buys you a future. It's your skills that buy you a future. Money and no skills. And I'm telling you're still poor. Money and no ambition. Where are you? Money and no courage. You're broke. A little Bit of money and a whole lot of courage. That's all we need. I'm looking for people when I'm recruiting. Back in those days, the money didn't matter. What mattered to me was somebody's willingness, somebody's ingenuity, somebody's willingness to try, right? If they had a dollar to invest, that was plenty for me. A dollar and some ambition, and I can show you how to get rich. And it'll be one of the classic stories of the company. I go to recruit somebody, they say, I don't have any money. See, I've been looking for you for six months. Let me show you how to do it without any money. Because here's the rules of capitalism. Jot this down. You can either buy and sell, or if you're in certain circumstances, you can sell and buy if you've got ambition. Now, if you haven't got ambition, we can't cure that. And money won't cure lack of ambition. But if you've got a dollar and some ambition, I'll show you how to get rich. And even if you don't have a dollar, I'll show you how to get rich. Because you can sell and buy. Somebody says, as soon as the product arrives, I'll sell it. Then you don't understand. You don't understand the magic of fortune if you say, I have to wait till it gets here to sell it. And you probably don't understand the value of your own story. Once I understood that, I knew I was going to be wealthy. That's why right in the beginning, I started giving big tips. I knew I was going to be wealthy. Say, wow, this guy tips like a rich man. That's right. He tips like a rich man. Even in the beginning, I tipped like a rich man because I knew I was going to be. Isn't this fun? Jot these phrases down as I close. Number one. The greatest value in life is not a bank account. The greatest value in life is not a car, a home to live in. The greatest value in life is this. Make a note. Living a good life in the midst of all of our achieving and recruiting and building and growing, helping other people, being a part of society, in the country, in the world, being all of this stuff. Here's what you must figure out. All of your life. How to continually live a good life. So let me give you my short list. I'll cover the long list the next time I see you. Here's the short list on a good life. Number one, productivity. If you don't produce, you won't be happy. Here's number two. Good friends. The greatest support system in the world is good friends. You got to work on that. Don't be careless here. Friends are those wonderful people who know all about you and still like you. Here's next. Spirituality. I'm not asking you to be a believer. I am a believer that humans are more than an advanced form of the animal kingdom. I'm a believer that we're a special creation. I don't ask you to be a believer. But here's what I do ask. If you are a believer, here's what you must do. Study, practice and teach. Whatever is valuable to you. Study, practice and teach. Repeat it after me now. Again. Study, practice and teach. Here's why. It builds the foundation, that builds the country, that builds the nation, that helps us to compete among the nations of the world in the 21st century. And this is one of those subjects to study, practice and teach. Next. My parents taught. Don't miss anything. Don't miss the game. Don't miss the performance. Don't miss the show, the movie. Don't miss the words. We're all inspired by the words. Elton John says she lived her life like a candle in the wind, never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in. You can't miss those lyrics. You can't miss the music. You can't miss the song that nourish the soul. You can't describe how brief and fragile life is. Much better than that. George Harrison, one of the Beatles sings, if not for you, the winter would hold no spring couldn't hear a robin sing. I just wouldn't have a clue if not for you. Wow. You got to remember the words, the words that reflect the experience. Barbra Streisand sings It used to be so natural to talk about forever, but used to be's don't count anymore. They just lay on the floor till we sweep the them away. You don't sing me love songs. You don't say you need me and you don't bring me flowers anymore. Illustrative of all of our experiences, Winston Churchill said, the truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. You got to use that. Feast on someone else's comments. Because, see, you could stay up all night and not think of that. I'm asking you to do your research. I'm asking you. Don't miss anything. Don't miss the play. When my father was 93, just before he died. If you would have called him at 10:30, 11:00 clock at night. He wouldn't be home. He's at the rodeo and he's watching the kids play softball. He's at church. He's watching the concert somewhere every night. My parents taught me that. Don't miss anything, even little small things. Don't miss big things. Don't miss, don't miss, don't miss. It's part of living a good life. Here's why. Jot this phrase down. It'll serve you well forever. If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well, it'll show up in the texture of your voice. If you live well, it'll show up in your face. If you live well, it'll show up in the magnetism of your personality. If you live well. So don't miss the nourishment of all the things around you that could help you live a good life. Next is the inner circle. Take care of them, they'll take care of you. Inspire them, they will inspire you. Nothing more valuable than the inner circle. That's where the power to conquer the world comes from. The inner circle. If a father walks out of the house and he can still all day long feel his daughter's kiss on his face, he's a powerful man. That nourishment of the inner circle is so incredible. If a husband walks out of the house and all day long he feels the imprint of his wife's arms around his body, he's invincible. Who can touch him? One person caring for another, the old prophet said, is the greatest of virtues. There's many virtues and values, but the greatest is love. One person caring for another. Better to live in a tent on the beach with someone you love than to live in a mansion by yourself. People caring for people. And especially that inner circle where the power is so magnificent that if you draw from it, if you nourish it, and then it nourishes you. Now here's my last comment. Ask for God's help. We could all use a little help, but my whole seminar was what you can do. A man took a rock pile, turned it into a fabulous garden. Somebody came and saw it and said, you know, you and the good Lord have this fabulous garden here. The gardener said, I understand your point, but you should have seen it a few years ago when God had it all by himself. So we do play a part. So make this the last note. Now we have a chance as human beings to participate in the miracle process. We have a chance as human beings to participate in the Miracle process. And you can go do that every day, as often as you wish. Changing somebody's life, rescuing somebody from oblivion, building an organization second to none, so that your name will appear in many people's testimonial. And. And that's why I came today. So that, by chance, I don't need the money. It's not why I'm here. I take the money, but I don't. I don't need the money, but here's why I'm here. By chance, perhaps if I've come along at the right time. I don't know what time this is for you, but if I've come along at the right time, just maybe a week from now, a month from now, a year from now, five years from now, you might say Jim Rohn came by and gave us a little piece of information that started me down the road. Here's what's happened to me. And my name might appear in your testimonial. Now, here's the drama as we finish. How many of you have my name in your notes? Here's the part of the drama. Then I go with you when we all leave here and the lights are out and the place is dark. I go with you because you've taken my notes and hopefully some of the spirit. Some of the stuff I had besides just the notes. So I go with all of you. But here's the big drama. All of you go with me. See, that's so unbelievable. So as I leave here, I promise not to leave you behind. I will take you with me in my thoughts and in my heart. God bless.
Podcast: JIM ROHN TALKS
Episode: Words That Influence: Steps to Affect & Inspire Anyone
Date: May 9, 2026
Host: Jim Rohn
In this impactful episode, Jim Rohn shares timeless wisdom on the power of language and how words can be used to influence, affect, and inspire others. Drawing from personal anecdotes, mentorship lessons, and key philosophies for living a fulfilled life, Rohn offers listeners actionable advice on leadership, communication, and self-mastery, all with his signature blend of humor, candor, and inspiration.
[01:10]
[02:10 – 04:40]
Inspiring others is about helping them "look up a little higher than where they are and wish they could get there.”
Inspiration comes by sharing testimonials—both your own and others’.
“If I can do it, you can do it. If they can do it, Mary, you can do it.” (Jim Rohn, [03:22])
[05:00 – 09:45]
Help people see themselves as they are (honest feedback), but don’t leave them there—paint a better picture for them.
Tell your children or people you lead when they’ve messed up, but also show them what they could become.
Shares a formative story from his own mentorship, where his mentor made him visualize his potential future.
“If you keep working hard on the disciplines like you’re doing right now, that’ll happen. You’ll walk into a room full of people, and you’ll hear one say, ‘That’s him. That’s the famous man.’” (Jim Rohn recalling his mentor, [07:50])
[10:00 – 14:00]
Don’t spend your time trying to save or “carry” everyone.
Respond to those who show effort and take action themselves—not solely to need.
“You can help a thousand, but you can’t carry three on your back.” (Jim Rohn, [13:40])
Use this principle to guide leadership and organization-building.
[14:10 – 15:40]
[15:45 – 17:05]
[17:10 – 19:08]
[19:10 – 20:50]
[21:00 – 23:08]
[24:00 – 32:10]
[32:20 – 34:15]
Jim Rohn weaves philosophy, practical advice, and personal stories into a powerful lesson on the influence of words and the imperative of living a good, inspired life. His guidance is clear: to truly influence others and build an extraordinary legacy, focus on developing skills, nurturing relationships, and living with intention, all while mastering the art of communication.