America's Premier Membership Association

Congratulations Orrin Woodward!

In the honor of Orrin Woodward, we are posting an exerpt from his blog.

Dreams Do Come True – IAB Top 10 Leader & Paul Pilzer by Orrin Woodward

I am finishing reading Paul Pilzer’s book Unlimited Wealth for the second time after nearly 17 years and cannot help pondering the changes in my life from the first time I read Pilzer’s book.  I read it the first time back in 1993 on a Saturday afternoon, completing it in bed that night.  I couldn’t put it down as the ideas and concepts challenged me to think differently about wealth, productivity, and my future.  I dreamed of one day meeting Paul Pilzer and sharing with him personally what his book meant to me.  Today, as I wrap up his book, I look back over the last 17 years in amazement at what God can do with a life, having changed in nearly every area of mine and Laurie’s life: Spiritually, Mentally, Socially, Politically, Financially, and Physically.  

Two major dreams have come true in the month of February, 2010.  First, having Paul Pilzer speak on our stage to explain the concepts that began a revolution in my life was a huge dream come true. Second, being selected by the International Association of Businesses as one of the Top 10 Leaders in the World surrounded by a Who’s Who list of leaders that I have learned from over the years.  People who tell you that dreams do not come true today have to understand that their limiting beliefs become their reality.  Maybe I was naïve to think that we could become financially independent, run a large community that fills stadiums, learn to serve in a happy marriage, help thousands come home from their jobs, build a multi-million dollar company, but my naivety helped me believe what others said was impossible.  In defense of the critics, it certainly was a stretch to believe an argumentative kid with no people skills whose high school yearbook stated, “Arguing, arguing, early and late, if a line were crooked he would argue it straight,” could change into a leader at any level. 

One of my early mentors told me, “If the dream is big enough the facts don’t count.”   The facts certainly looked inauspicious when Laurie and I began our journey, joining a business that had topped out and started to decline in the US market, struggling in our marriage with our first child about to be born, a personality that was extremely choleric with little concern of how that affected others, few friends or family that I had maintained any contact with to start my community; but, what Laurie and I did have was a dream!  You might be thinking, hold on Orrin, a dream cannot change the facts.  You are correct in saying your dream doesn’t change the facts, but YOU can change the important facts through the efforts inspired by your dream.  Laurie and I immersed ourselves into a training system, reading books, listening to audios, attending leadership conventions, creating a transformation inside of us. So many super people, with outstanding potential do not accomplish jack squat because they do not have the courage to imagine their dream vividly and work to make it come true.  What is the use of a big dream, if you won’t endure long enough for it to come true?

Seventeen years ago, Laurie and I set out on a journey with a dream in our hearts and in the month of February, 2010, two of our big hairy audacious goals came true -  Paul Pilzer speaking at the major function in St. Louis and being selected by the International Association of Businesses as one of the Top 10 Leaders in the world surrounded by leaders like Jim Collins, John Maxwell, Stephen Covey, Ken Blanchard, Robin Sharma, Marshall Goldsmith, Tom Peters, Tony Robbins, and Jack Welch.  I have learned leadership principles from every single member of this elite list and will continue to do so.  One principle ingrained early in my leadership journey that has made a significant impact is to surround yourself with great leaders and the Policy Council epitomizes great character based leadership.  I would like to thank Chris Brady, co-author of Launching a Leadership Revolution for his tireless dedication to improving leadership. Also a special note of thanks to each member of the PC for bringing all of their gifts to the table to serve the entire community.

So if you are in the middle of your success journey, and you are wondering if dreams really come true, I am here to tell you that with persistent effort and God’s Grace they do.  Tell me what you are vividly imagining today, tell me about the courage you have inside, tell me about your persistence to finish what you start, tell me about your character inside of you, and I will tell you about your future. I am proud of every leader in the networking community for playing a part in the dreams accomplished and in the dreams to be accomplished. One million people here we come. God Bless, Orrin Woodward

Qualifications for Top 10 Leadership Sites:

- Originality of ideas
- Practicality of ideas
- Presentation style
- International outlook
- Impact of ideas
- Quality of web content, publications and writings
- Ranking of website in US and International

The Top 10 Leadership Websites include:

Jim Collins
John Maxwell
Stephen Covey
Ken Blanchard
Robin Sharma
Marshall Goldsmith
Tom Peters
Anthony Robbins
Jack Welch
Orrin Woodward