8 Traits that lead to be great

A self-described average guy who found success doing what he loved, Richard
St. John spent more than a decade researching the lessons of success -- and
distilling them into 8 words, 3 minutes and one successful book.

Why you should listen to him:
Richard St. John knew how he had found success -- through his marketing company, the St. John Group, which boasted clients like Nortel and BlackBerry/Research in Motion. But he couldn't get away from the question: Why him? He thinks of himself as an average guy, not talented at school, not terribly handsome or particularly lucky. So he spent more than a decade interviewing 500 people he defines as successful -- from architect Frank Gehry to non-celebrities successful in their own lives.

The resulting book, Spike's Guide to Success: Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky and RICH, has spawned a new avenue of success for St. John as a motivational speaker and talk-show star. His newest book is 8 to Be Great: The 8 Traits that Lead to Great Success.

"It's so great. It's such a boost of confidence. This book really gives you
a lot of self-esteem about who you are, and that you really can be
somebody."Thomas Fischer, Habitat for Humanity

If you have 3 minutes, you will enjoy this presentation at a gathering of the worlds thought leaders (TED).

The Last Lecture - what would you say?

There are limitations in my ability to eloquently introduce Dr. Randy Pausch.

We all have a use by date. Unfortunately, we don't know what it is. Dr. Randy Pausch was given a best medical guess - and it was 3 months. Here he is sharing his unique message with students and faculty of Carnegie Mellon University. The lecture series that he is invited to talk in is ironically called "The Last Lecture."

Imagine you are sitting in this lecture theatre and now see the world as Randy sees it.

This talk has been seen by over 3 million people around the world and counting. Randy has touched millions others with his message on Oprah, Good Morning America and more recently with the release of his book "The Last Lecture".

Suggest you keep a full hour and fifteen minutes free to enjoy the whole piece, then have your children do the same, or your loved one. I promise you, this has the potential to change your life.

Do leave a comment below and tell us what this experience meant to you. Or just click on the e-mail symbol below and send it to someone you love.