Ralph Zuranski: Hi, this is Ralph
Zuranski. I’m on the phone with Tom Beal. He is one of the
leaders of internet marketing.
Ralph Zuranski: I’ve seen Tom at quite a
few internet marketing seminars. Being a leader in the
industry himself, it’s just really a pleasure to talk with
him. How are you doing today Tom?
Tom Beal: Doing fantastic Ralph. I feel
honored to be speaking with you today and looking forward to
this conversation.
Ralph Zuranski: I know you are a real
hero. You were actually a war hero on the front lines. You
were a marine weren’t you? Can you tell us a little bit
about your life?
Tom Beal: Sure, sure. Simper fi, that’s
the “always faithful” marine slogan. But a little bit about
myself Ralph I guess it starts back to being born to
teenagers. I was born to a 17 year old mother and a 19 year
old father and grew up around some adversities.
Tom Beal: There were four divorces and
six marriages between my two parents. I went to 9 different
schools by 8th grade in two separate states.
There’s a whole list of other fun things that occurred, the
alcoholism, abuse, neglect and on welfare as a child.
Tom Beal: Yet through that I was able to
become a national bicycle champion winning nationals in
1989. Now it’s called X Games. So I was doing tricks on
bikes.
Tom Beal: From there I went to college
to wrestle and ended up hanging out with the wrong crowd,
dropped out of college and then found myself at Paris Island
Marine Corp Boot Camp. From there I figured out that system
and ended up graduating the number one honor graduate from
boot camp.
Tom Beal: Then going on to attain some
good achievements in the marine corp. in the four years that
I spent there. I was able to earn three merit choice
promotions in the four years and also had a stint as an all
marine wrestler down in Quantico, Va. After the four years
was up I felt I had a little more to accomplish in my life
so I left the marine corp.
Tom Beal: I ventured into sales and in
sales similar to Marine Corp. Boot Camp I kind of figured
out about the system and how to win and I ended up earning
the number one spot in 5 sales organizations. Then from
there went on to publish a book called “The North Carolina
Home Book” that was down in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Tom Beal: It was a resource for anyone
looking to remodel their $1,000,000 plus home in the
Charlotte, Greensboro or the Raleigh-Durham area. That was a
fun project. I had a fun time doing that.
Tom Beal: Then I heard about internet
marketing in 2001. The events of September 11,2001 to be
precise is what triggered in me that it was time to start
fulfilling the answers to the questions people had always
asked me. Namely “How do you do it?”
Tom Beal: Whether it was the Marine
Corp. or whether it was the sales organizations where I rose
to the top or publishing the book. It seems that I was able
to reach the top in a short time in whatever I chose to get
into.
Tom Beal: I remember sitting on 77 South
when I was hearing on the radio what was occurring that
morning of September 11.
Tom Beal: It hit me that now is the time
to take the years of studying Tony Robbins & Brian Tracy and
the whole gambit of personal & professional development
experts & my own success & my own stories and start sharing
it with people to let them know that it doesn’t matter where
they came from or where they are right now.
Tom Beal: There are steps they can take
to fulfill their dreams and desires. It was there that I
started asking myself questions. If you are listening to
this call right now I think as Mark Victor Hansen put in his
book, “The Aladdin Factor”, is the proper questions you ask
yourself, your mind and the universe as a whole will give
you the answer.
Tom Beal: The more you fine tune your
questions the more you’ll fine tune your life. So the
question I asked myself was in all those unrelated fields,
bike riding, marine corp., wrestling and all the sales
fields, “How did I do it? What steps did I apply in each of
those unrelated fields that has allowed me to go in with
little or knowledge and become number one in a very short
time?”
Tom Beal: My mind responded with an
answer that I didn’t like. It responded with too many
different scenarios. What I did in the Marine Corp. was
different than when I was riding bikes and it was different
from what I did in each of those unrelated sales deals.
Tom Beal: So I asked a better question.
Once again I jot that note down “Ask yourself better
questions”. If I had to narrow it down to five things that I
applied in all those unrelated areas, “What would they be?”
Tom Beal: Immediately my mind began to
respond and from all those years of studying Napoleon Hill,
The Seventeen Principles of Success that he shares, Tony
Robins, Jim Roans, Brian Tracy and all the things I put into
my mind & all the experiences I’ve had.
Tom Beal: I was able to create what I
call “The Success Magnet System”. It is simply five steps
with none more important than the other, which have allowed
me to overcome the adversity and reach greatness in those
unrelated areas in my life.
Tom Beal: That’s my passion, to share
with people these five steps, The Success Magnet System to
assist them in understanding that they can take their life &
accomplish their dreams just by applying these five steps.
Ralph Zuranski: What are the five steps?
Tom Beal: That’s a great question.
(Laughter) The suspense is coming to fruition. The five
steps, and I do a whole presentation, an hour long
presentation, but I’ll give you the five steps right off the
bat.
- The first is vision.
- Second is belief.
- Third is identify and align.
- Fourth is commitment to action.
- Five, which I call the secret step, is have fun.
Tom Beal: Those five steps helped me to
overcome the rough childhood and reach the level of success
in wrestling, then go on to the marine corp. and have that
success and the bicycling and all that fun stuff. Those are
the five universal principles that allowed me to overcome
the adversity and reach the top in those fields.
Ralph Zuranski: Wow, that’s amazing Tom.
I’ve got some good questions for you also.
Tom Beal: Oh, cool!
Ralph Zuranski: What is the worthy ideal
you are pursuing with honesty and integrity according to the
Napoleon Hill model?
Tom Beal: The best way for me to answer
that is what I stated earlier, to assist people in
understanding that it doesn’t matter where they came from or
where they are now, they can take steps to reach their
destiny.
What do you want out of life in ten words or less?
Ralph Zuranski: What is the dream or
vision that sets the course of your life?
Tom Beal: The dream or vision is to
really impact children that are going through rough times.
It is very clear in my mind the difficulties and experiences
I had as a child. At times thinking I was alone and thinking
that I had no one to go to.
Tom Beal: And as your doing with IN
Search of Heroes to give people a hero & give them someone
they can look to in times of trouble and difficulty. Whether
it’s on-line, whether it’s a toll free number or a “live”
operator. Some type of 24 hour support system for most
importantly in my mind, children who are going through
difficult times.
Tom Beal: Because as a child I know in
today’s times it’s been always that the decisions they make
could impact the rest of their lives. If they are going to
make very important decisions it can either lead them toward
their dreams or away from their dreams.
Ralph Zuranski: How important is it to
stay focused on your primary goal?
Tom Beal: Focus is very important. In
all those stories I shared, in bicycling for example, I
lived, breathed, walked, talked and everything I did
revolved around bicycling. Hence I was able to go from not
knowing how to do a single trick like you see on the X Games
to becoming a National Champion with 3 years.
Tom Beal: It’s that focus that allows
you to reach the top in your game. For awhile I wanted to be
everything to everybody. Then I started to really understand
and appreciate the power of focus.
Tom Beal: Like a laser beam, the more
you can focus and instead of trying to be everything, be the
best that you can in that particular area.
Tom Beal: That’s when you will pull
yourself much farther and much more quickly instead of being
distracted by other things. Focus is very important.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you follow your
hunches and intuition.
Tom Beal: (Laughter) Yes I do. There is
a fun story here. I mentioned I dropped out of college. I
partied too much and went there for the wrong reasons. I was
17 years old in college and ended up dropping out.
Tom Beal: For the first time my mother
and I agreed. She agreed she was kicking me out and I agreed
I was leaving. So that was our mutual agreement. I got in my
car. It was a 1982 Volkswagen Rabbit with 180,000 miles and
I had $60.00 to my name and I was 18 years old.
Tom Beal: The intuition or hunch that I
had was, I got in my car and really had no where to go. I
can’t stay here and I really have nowhere local that I can
go.
Tom Beal: My intuition and my gut said
drive to New York City. Keep in mind that I didn’t know
anybody in New York City and I didn’t have any destination
but I followed my gut and my intuition.
Tom Beal: In this Volkswagen Rabbit I
drove the six hour trip. I left my house at 9:00pm EST and
arrived in Manhattan not knowing the exact directions but
just knowing that’s what my gut was telling me at 3:00 am in
the morning.
Tom Beal: All the way there I didn’t
have a radio and at this time I didn’t have any spiritual
background or upbringing in the church or anything like
that.
Tom Beal: On the 6 hour drive I said
“You know what God, it’s me and you. I don’t know why I
going to New York City. I don’t know where I’m going to stay
when I get there. I don’t know what I’m going to do.
Tom Beal: If I’m going to have to live
in my car and that’s what you have in the cards for me then
that’s what I’ll do. If you want me to live on the street
that’s what I’ll do. If I’m supposed to die in New York City
that’s what I’ll do.
Tom Beal: I’m just going there on
intuition, on my gut. That’s where I feel I need to be
going.” So I did that. I talked for 6 hours to nobody but to
the universe, to God and it was in his hands. At 3:00 am I
get to Manhattan.
Tom Beal: I’ve been there like once
before and didn’t know where I was going. I was going from
the high numbers like from the 180’s down to the lower
numbers. On the way I saw a Chinese restaurant. I said “Well
I’ve nowhere to go so I’ll just pull in and have a little
bite to eat.”
Tom Beal: I didn’t have much money so at
the same time when I walked in I looked at my money and I
had $60.00 minus some gas I had to pay. It was a diesel
Rabbit by the way. The waitress came and I said “You know
what I’m just going to have a bowl of rice.”
Tom Beal: She looked at me and said “We
have no rice.” Like a movie I looked around and said “This
is a Chinese restaurant right? You don’t have any rice.
That’s what you do, right?” She said “Yeah we are out of
rice. Anything else?”
Tom Beal: I said “Well I guess not. Do
you have a restroom I can use?” I went into the restroom and
washed my hands and splashed water on my face. I went back
in my car and went one block and came to a red light.
Tom Beal: At 3:00 in the morning my
ex-stepfather was walking across that intersection. I
couldn’t believe it. I rolled my window down and I’m yelling
out “Hey Cliff. Cliff!” and he keeps walking. I yelled his
full name out and he turns around and says “What the heck
are you doing down here?”
Tom Beal: I said “What the heck are you
doing walking the streets at 3:00 in the morning?” Now keep
in mind I hadn’t seen Cliff in a couple of years and had no
clue he was in New York, none the less in New York City. But
the circumstances that lead to that was he said “Where are
you staying?” I said “You are looking at it.”
Tom Beal: “I just left the house, me and
my mom got in a fight and I’m here.” He said” You are
staying in your car?” He says “No your not you are staying
at my house. I’ve got a place right around the corner.” So I
stayed with him for three months in Manhattan. That is a
long winded answer to “Do I follow my gut and my intuition.”
Tom Beal: That’s a story from a few
years ago obviously. But I do feel strongly that when you
have that burning desire that you know this is what your
supposed to do then take that step boldly. And just one step
after the next. I do consider it a miracle.
Ralph Zuranski: What specific philosophy
or philosophies guide your life and decisions?
Tom Beal: In the marine corp. I learned
14 principles in leadership. Real quickly here they are
judgment, justice, decisiveness, integrity, tact,
initiative, enthusiasm, bearing, unselfishness, courage,
knowledge, loyalty and endurance. That’s a quick run down of
those 14 traits but I feel that if I’m doing the best that I
know how today and I can do a little bit better tomorrow;
that’s all I can ask for.
Tom Beal: I try to do everything
honestly and ethically I try not to cross any of those
lines. In my mind I know what’s right and what’s not and I
try to do my best every single day. My goal is to be a
little bit better tomorrow than I am today.
Ralph Zuranski: What is your perspective
on goodness, ethics and moral behavior?
Tom Beal: I feel that every person has
an inner thermometer about what’s good and what’s bad,
what’s right and what’s wrong. But I also know that we also
choose whether we want to partake in things that are good or
things that are bad, or things that are right and things
that are wrong. It all boils down to the power of choice.
Tom Beal: No matter where you are in
your life you can continue walking that path or you can
choose to take a different route.
Ralph Zuranski: What place does the
power of prayer have in your life?
Tom Beal: I pray pretty much all day
long. I have an inner talk and am always communicating and
just try to be in touch with myself and God and the
universe. While I’m driving and while I’m sitting I’ll try
to have conversations. I feel it’s very, very important
part of my life.
Ralph Zuranski: What principles are you
willing to sacrifice your life for?
Tom Beal: What’s right? I have a scar on
my knee and on my eye because while I was in the marine
corp. Mike Tyson had a comeback fight and we had a party in
our apartment. When we went outside there was a group of
people, because he fought McNealy, and I remember it because
there was an event that occurred afterward that I’m leading
up to.
Tom Beal: Mike Tyson knocked McNealy out
very quickly. We went out to our car. There was several
marines and a couple of there wives. There was a group of
other people who were apparently not satisfied with ending
of the fight so they all circled up from different
apartments.
Tom Beal: They were having ultimate
fighting championships and they were fighting one another.
It happened to be right near our car. We stop and all of a
sudden they start picking on us. Saying “You guys think your
tough?” We said “NO, no everything is good.”
Tom Beal: But then one of them pushed my
friend’s wife. Without even thinking I just grabbed that guy
and my wrestling came out and I took him down. What I didn’t
think about was that we were out numbered at least 5 to 1.
So what I would sacrifice?
Tom Beal: I would stand up for what is
right. If I have to have surgery a couple of times
afterwards so be it. I was kicked in the head and had to
have seven stitches in the eye and had to have knee surgery
and all that fun stuff. But what’s right is right.
Tom Beal: The guy chose to push my
friends wife and I had to stick up for what’s right. I’ve
since hung up my fighting shoes. There was a lot of
testosterone going on back in those years. I try to talk
things out.
Tom Beal: Hopefully I am able to
communicate things a little better than choosing physical
aspects like that. But I will not sit back and keep my
tongue tied if someone is doing wrong to someone else.
Tom Beal: Actually just recently at one
of the seminars I saw you at we were in the back of the
plane and one airport was shut down, Chicago/O’Hare and this
guy was just going off on the stewardess.
Tom Beal: Saying “This is unacceptable.
This is why your airline is going out of business, blah,
blah, blah.” She said “Sir I apologize. It’s out of my
control.”
Tom Beal: He’s saying “I’m so disgusted
with this!” I said “Sir I’m disgusted with the way you are
talking to the stewardess. You need to put yourself in check
here and give her some appreciation.”
Tom Beal: His wife agreed. I’m just not
the type to sit by if someone’s being treated wrongly I will
communicate that.
Ralph Zuranski: Are your goals
consistent with your beliefs?
Tom Beal: 100%. I feel that to achieve
any greatness or to achieve any goal you need to be
congruent with your beliefs. Your goals need to be very
congruent with your beliefs in order to fulfill them, is my
belief.
Ralph Zuranski: Are your actions
consistent with your beliefs?
Tom Beal: Yes, and many times as a child
my walk didn’t equal my talk or vice versa. I feel the
people you see achieving the great results, and there are
exceptions to the rule, but the majority by far, people’s
walk equals their talk. I feel that’s a goal. To be
congruent you need to have your thoughts, words and actions
be congruent with the beliefs that you have internally.
Ralph Zuranski: Is it valuable to have
highly charged emotions about achieving your goals?
Tom Beal: Emotions are extremely vital
to achieving your success. There’s a movie out now, that if
you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. As a matter of
fact it should almost be required in my opinion for
teenagers, for kids growing up and adults to watch. It’s
called www.whatisthesecret.tv. That’s an awesome
documentary. Have you seen that yet Ralph?
Ralph Zuranski: I have not had a chance
to yet.
Tom Beal: I feel it’s a “must see” for
everybody that is serious about achieving any type of goals.
What it talks about is the secret obviously. When Dr. Joe
Vitalie was telling me about this on the cruise last
November he and I were on and a few other marketers I asked
and he wouldn’t tell us what the secret was.
Tom Beal: He wouldn’t tell us what the
movie was. I said “I know what the secret is. From Earl
Nightingale he had the strangest secret in the world; we
become what we think about most of the time. The thought
that is most in your mind is what will fulfill or manifest.”
Tom Beal: That’s exactly what it is
about but it goes into more detail about what’s called “The
Attraction Factor” which is a book by Dr. Joe Vitalie. Your
thoughts mixed with emotions, mixed with enthusiasm produces
the end result that you’ll manifest into reality.
Tom Beal: Because you can have a thought
but if you don’t have emotions to back that thought it’s
like an impotent thought. You need to have that potency by
having the emotions to back it up. That’s where you will
begin to see you are what you think about most of the time.
Ralph Zuranski: Is it useful to take a
positive view of setbacks, misfortunes and mistakes?
Tom Beal: There is a quote from Napoleon
Hill that says “Every adversity carries with it the seed or
an equivalent or greater benefit.” Those aren’t comforting
words when you are going through adversity. They aren’t even
comforting to me and I live by that quote.
Tom Beal: But as I described some of the
adversity I went through as a child I thought I was the only
one going through that. As we grew up we noticed everybody
has that type of stuff. Guess what, there is no such thing
as a functional family, they are all dysfunctional.
Tom Beal: Everybody has their problems.
Now working with best selling authors and working with top
athletes, I’m working with the “cream of the crop”. I even
asked a NFL Hall of Fame quarterback, “Just because you have
reached that success does that mean you don’t have any
problems?” He laughed no problems? His son just died at
eight years old because of a terminal illness. Try handling
that problem.
Tom Beal: One of the people I work with
here is Jason Dinner. He said and which is very true “If you
are in a big room with all these people and everyone throws
their problems in a big pile you are going to want to get
your problem out because you don’t want what the other
people are going through.
Tom Beal: Until you put it in
perspective and just recognize that you are going to do the
best you can with the circumstances you’re going through
right now. That’s all you can do. You can worry about two
things.
Tom Beal: You can worry about things you
can control or worry about things you can’t control. If you
are worried about things you can control, control it and
don’t worry about it. If you are worried about things you
can’t control then what’s the point about worrying because
you can’t control it.
Tom Beal: So the point is if that
doesn’t make sense, go get a book by Dale Carnegie called
“How to Stop Worrying and How to Start Living”. Dale
Carnegie wrote that in the early 1900’s because he had a lot
of people coming to him that just had tremendous worry
problems. If you look at society today, look at all these
people on these pills to diminish the worry that they have.
Tom Beal: I recommend reading that book.
Then you understand that’s there is two things to worry
about and neither one of them is not worth worrying about.
It’s an awesome book! That one and “How to Win Friends and
Influence People”.
Tom Beal: You can get the double book by
Dale Carnegie and it has both those in it, “How to Stop
Worrying and How to Start Living” and How to Win Friends and
influence People.” Those should also be recommended learning
material for anybody who’s serious about becoming the best
they can be in this life the brief time that we are here.
Tom Beal: When I didn’t have much I was
a student of life and going to the library. You can go the
library for free. Unfortunately only about 3% of the U.S.
population has library cards. But you can get all this
information free. You don’t need anything.
Tom Beal: There are stories of Og
Mandino living on the park bench that went to the library
and started studying and ended up becoming a multi
millionaire many times over from learning. If you want
success, study success. If you want happiness, study
happiness.
Tom Beal: If you don’t want to worry
study how not to worry. Just like Napoleon Hill had his
virtual Master Mind. He had a Master Mind with all the big
wigs, F.W. Woolworth and Henry Ford. You can have all these
people virtually like Abraham Lincoln and you can consult
with them.
Tom Beal: You’ve seen these bands today
that people are wearing that say “WWJD?” what would Jesus
do. Some people can’t grasp that but “What Would Abraham
Lincoln Do?” What would your role model do in this
situation?
Ralph Zuranski: How important is it to
have optimism?
Tom Beal: Optimism, man life will get
you down if you read the papers and watch the news. You
think the sky is falling. Chicken Little is a movie that
just came out in cartoon but I tell you what if you watch
the news and read the paper you’ll think the sky is falling
and everyone is out to get you. You would lock yourself in
your room.
Tom Beal: You have live boldly. Stuff is
going to happen. Back to that Attraction Factor here’s
something that I personally, internally know, there is a
conspiracy. Everything is conspiring to help me, assist me
in accomplishing all my goals and to attract everything that
I desire.
Tom Beal: That’s a spin, yes there’s a
conspiracy, but it’s a positive one if everything is working
exactly the way it needs to assist me in fulfilling dreams
and desires that I have. I may not understand why things
happen but I know that all things work for good.
Tom Beal: There are certain times I
can’t interpret or understand, like my friend Jim Kelly
whose son passed away at eight years old was born with life
threatening illness. Why does that happen? Jim even says why
me? I go to church and I’m a good guy so why me?
Tom Beal: There have been studies and in
the short eight years that Hunter was alive that disease he
had is going to save thousands of lives and lives of kids
that haven’t been born yet. That eight year old life
impacted more lives than people who lived to be a hundred
years old. There are things we aren’t meant to know or we
can’t understand.
Tom Beal: And all we know is what can we
do? Do the best you can do. If you do the best you can do
and everybody takes that upon themselves to do the best they
can then the world’s problem would kind of dissipate.
Tom Beal: There wouldn’t be any
problems. If everybody’s being the best they can then that’s
all we can be. We can’t be any other thing than that.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you maintain your
sense of humor in the face of serious problems?
Tom Beal: You have to. At least I have
to. I choose to. I have the optimism and I have the positive
thinking but there are things that others might interpret as
“bad things happen” and I say “WOW! I didn’t see that one
coming. Wow!” but you have to laugh and as I mentioned in
the fifth step, you have to have fun.
Tom Beal: When you enjoy doing what you
love there’s going to be other people that interpret things
as a problem and things like that. There are all challenges.
It makes life more exciting. The more you progress up that
level of consciousness the more other people would see these
problems get bigger but your capabilities to handle them are
more so.
Tom Beal: If I was up to bat and there
was a major league baseball pitcher pitching to me I’d
strike out for sure, if not be shaking and pee in my pants
cause that would be scary. But you know to jump from not
knowing anything to jump up to the major leagues you have
progressive steps.
Tom Beal: Just like school has 1st, 2nd,
3rd and 4th, you graduate to different
levels of how you can handle communication skills and how
you can handle adversities.
Tom Beal: You will never be given a
major league baseball pitcher problem if you are only in the
minor leagues or only at the tee ball level. You are only
given the obstacles and challenges that you are capable of
handling in life. Sometimes I feel like there’s a major
league pitch and I’m not ready for it.
Tom Beal: But it wouldn’t be happening
if I wasn’t ready for it. As we are speaking right now I’m
going to share some personal things. There are a lot of
people that already know but my wife and I have been married
for five years but we are currently separated right now.
Tom Beal: You’ve been talking to me for
awhile and you can tell I still have optimism and I still
have happiness. Here’s my belief on that. I know that
everything is going to work out exactly the way it needs to
work out. I don’t know what the end result will be but I
know it’ll work out exactly the way it needs to.
Tom Beal: Here’s a little history. My
wife and I have been married five years now. On July 10th,
2002 her father passed away. On July 13th, she
spoke at his funeral. On July 20th at the same
church we had our wedding, a Greek wedding. So that just
puts things into perspective.
Tom Beal: I had a conversation with her
father prior to this saying “Look man this wedding is
ridiculous at this time.” He told me “Tom I don’t care if I
die.” That puts things in perspective.
Tom Beal: Let’s talk about something you
may or may not know Ralph. On Sept.11, 1998 I was in a car
wreck. My car rolled four times and I was ejected from the
sun roof and laid there with severe head trauma and had a
“near death experience”. The car wreck was about 10:00pm. I
had severe head trauma and it was a miracle I lived through
it.
Tom Beal: Just laying there I thought
“No one is showing up.” Then it hit me, I’m going to die
here in this field. I was out in the field and during the
roll my battery flew out so my car was laying in this field
way off the road. People were driving by and no one knew
someone‘s laying there dying.
Tom Beal: So it hit me, this is the way
it’s going to end. Next thing you know I’m laying there and
I see someone in the field and I’m up in the air. I’m like
“Whose that?” I focus in and see that it is me.
Tom Beal: Next thing you know I’m pulled
up in the sky. It’s just like you see on TV, the bright
lights. I’m standing there and I’m really confused. I’m
trying to figure out what’s happening.
Tom Beal: Then someone comes up and puts
their arm around me and it was so comforting and I just felt
like everything is ok. Then we turn around and we’re facing
this big huge door and we start walking towards this door.
Tom Beal: I stop and am shaking my head
and I said “I know this is not how it’s supposed to end. I
know you had more for me to accomplish. Send me back.”
Tom Beal: Next thing I know I woke up
and had been Mercy Flighted, which is a helicopter lift. A
couple of hours later they got there. I had been lifted to a
hospital and woke up with respirator breathing for me in
Intensive Care.
Tom Beal: I was in the hospital for just
less than a week and the Dr.’s were telling me and my family
“Tom will never walk and talk again properly. I wouldn’t
accept that. The Dr.’s were getting real upset. I said “NO,
I’m walking out of here.”
Tom Beal: They had a meeting with my
family and said “We are really upset. Tom does not
understand the fact that he may never walk or talk again
properly the rest of his life.” My family sat down with me
and said “Tom this is serious and you may not walk or talk
again properly.”
Tom Beal: I said “I’m walking out of
here” the best I could. I had to learn to speak and
everything and there’s a whole weird story behind that. But
you think I’d say “I’m going to walk out of here” but cat,
red, blue, car would come out of my mouth. It was really
weird.
Tom Beal: I checked myself out. I signed
a whole bunch of release papers against Dr.’s orders and
left the hospital because they were trying to tell me I
would never walk or talk again and I didn’t want to hear
that. Thankfully I didn’t hear that because I am walking and
talking.
Tom Beal: There were a couple of years
where my leg dragged. I had what was called “drop foot” and
they never knew when that nerve damage would go away or if
it would. Now I can walk, you’ve seen me, Ralph I walk and
talk. I wrestled Russell Brunson a couple of times. I ended
up going back and winning a couple of wrestling tournaments
after that car wreck.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you invest time into
daydreaming about what your life
will be like when you attain your goals?
Tom Beal: Absolutely! I’m living my
dream right now. I’m doing exactly what I dreamed. It
doesn’t happen over night but when you have that and it’s a
reality no matter what situation you’re in, and I’ve already
envisioned this.
Tom Beal: People ask “Tom when were you
successful?” I was successful when I was homeless. I was
successful when I was living in my car. I was successful
when I didn’t have but $60.00 in my pocket.
Tom Beal: I’ve been successful it’s just
a matter of the material world manifesting it around to make
it a reality in this time. It’s just a time difference.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you think that goes
back to having a worthy ideal as expressed by Earl
Nightingale?
Tom Beal: 100%! I spend most of my time
daydreaming because my life right now is a daydream even
though I am still having tremendous adversities. Other
people still look at me and say “Tom how can you be happy?”
Tom Beal: It’s difficult but from that
experience I had I truly feel I’m doing the best that I can.
I have a second chance right now. This is my time. I’m
living life full steam ahead and taking one bold step after
the next enjoying every step ethically and honestly.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you feel it is
important to make positive statements about yourself...the
type of person you are and the your goals?
Tom Beal: Yes as a matter of fact go to
Zig Ziglar.com and he has a little piece you can download.
It’s a little PDF report that I suggest you print out. It’s
an affirmation called “A Life Changing Process” which it is.
Tom Beal: I just took it out of my
wallet. I go through spurts where I’ll read it for months.
I’ll read it in the morning and read it in the evening. It
talks about “I AM” and all these positive attributes. When
you are not congruent with them it’s hard to look yourself
in the eye in the mirror while you’re reading it.
Tom Beal: For instance it says “I am
sober”. There was a time in my life I wasn’t sober. If you
are incongruent with it, it’s weird how your mind is a self
regulator. When you start reading those affirmations you
will take on all those traits and characteristics. I just
feel that’s a natural law.
Tom Beal: If you can boldly state those
looking at yourself in the mirror you will attain those
i.e., I am timely, I am responsible, etc you will pick up
all those positive attributes and begin living them and you
will be the embodiment of them. Going back to Think and Grow
Rich Napoleon Hill told Andrew Carnegie this one statement,
“Andrew Carnegie I’m not only going to equal your
accomplishments I’m going to surpass them.”
Tom Beal: This was back when Andrew
Carnegie was the only billionaire on the planet. Napoleon
Hill said “There was a time I couldn’t look myself in the
mirror. I was laughing. I had my fingers crossed. I said who
am I kidding he’s a billionaire. I will never equal his
accomplishments.”
Tom Beal: But he ended up believing it
and he’s created more millionaires and continues to do so to
this day. He passed away in 1973 or something like that. In
those future generations he will still create millionaires
and he passed away a couple of generations ago.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you take time out of
your day to feed your subconscious positive thoughts about
you, your goals and dreams?
Tom Beal: Yes, through self-talk and
through reading the proper material & watching programs like
www.whatisthesecret.tv. I’m looking at the library of
success I have over here. I’m looking at this one, you may
or may not have seen this, and it’s called The Master Key to
Success.
Tom Beal: It was one of the first
Nightingale Conant products that are actually a two VHS tape
that’s over 3 hours of Napoleon Hill talking in black and
white as if you are sitting there at his desk. He says “Oh,
it’s a pleasure to see you today. Please be seated.” He
talks like you are sitting there across the desk from
Napoleon Hill. And things like that.
Tom Beal: Also listening to Brian Tracy,
Jim Roan and Tony Robbins and attending live events. Getting
around people who are like minded. You heard my one trait,
identify and align. Find someone who is doing what you
desire to accomplish and do your best to get close to them.
Tom Beal: You can do that through
reading books, listening to tapes, watching videos and more
importantly going to live events and meeting with these
people one-on-one. I’ve been able to meet and work with my
heroes and that is the quickest way to get pulled from where
you are to where you want to be.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you have the courage
to pursue new ideas?
Tom Beal: It’s like a muscle; the more
you work it out the more easily it will come to you. In the
beginning as in anything when we had to learn how to peddle
a bike it was a very difficult task. When we learned how to
walk it was a very difficult task but the more you do it the
more you get used to it.
Tom Beal: You need to exercise that
muscle. First you need to exercise your power of choice and
your power of decision. Then once you get that muscle worked
up then you can choose quickly and correctly.
Tom Beal: You can decide on good manners
fast. Then you’ll also be able to take action upon your
ideas. Everybody has good ideas. People listening to this
have probably had many $1,000,000 or plus ideas.
Tom Beal: But the fact of the matter is
not many of them have taken action upon it. So it’s a matter
of choosing. It’s a matter of narrowing it down.
Tom Beal: You talked about focus. Take
all your ideas and see what’s the most fulfilling and
satisfying one that you could choose to become real. Act as
if it’s real all ready then take steps to make it and
implement it.
Ralph Zuranski: Were you willing to
experience discomfort in the pursuit of your dream?
Tom Beal: Discomfort? I put my self in
discomfort because the more you become comfortable I feel
the less you are moving forward. If you are not
uncomfortable many times a week your life is too complacent
and you’re not going to reach great things. I deal with top
people.
Tom Beal: I deal with Hall of Fame
quarterbacks, movie stars, singers, and top marketers. Not
everything works for all these people. They make mistakes.
They have things that fail. But they don’t quit, they just
keep going.
Tom Beal: Ok that one didn’t work out,
how can I learn from it, how can I get better results?
You’ve heard about all my accomplishments but we don’t have
time to hear about all my failures. That would take 3 or 4
days if not 3 or 4 weeks.
Tom Beal: I’m just too darn stubborn to
quit. So put yourself out there. The more uncomfortable
position you can put yourself in, obviously ethically and
honest and following those proper guidelines, you’ll get
used to it and work your muscles up. Then you’ll be able to
choose more wisely on projects where a couple of years ago
you may have turned that project down.
Ralph Zuranski: Is it beneficial to make
decisions quickly?
Tom Beal: Oh, 100%! Napoleon Hill had an
egg timer to answer the question whether he was willing to
pursue the study of success not compensated by the richest
man in the world. That doesn’t sound like a pretty logical
choice to make but he took it on.
Tom Beal: But he had an egg timer and
little did he know that Andrew Carnegie, he found out later,
as soon as he posed the question to him & after a couple of
days of downloading what this would require & how Andrew was
going to make the correct contacts, he had an egg timer.
Tom Beal: The ones that said “Let me
check with my wife, let met me do this.” they didn’t make
the cut. You have to be decisive based upon full
information. Once you have full information then make up
your mind, yes or no. The more you can flex that muscle of
decision making the more quickly you can rise to the top.
Ralph Zuranski: Are you slow to revise
or reverse an important decision?
Tom Beal: It changes with information.
For instance I can make a decision right now based on the
information I have and believe it whole heartedly and would
die for that decision but then new information may come up.
If new information comes up that turns the table on it then
you can decide again or choose differently.
Tom Beal: But obviously for ethics,
beliefs and honestly you have to have a foundation on those.
Otherwise if new information arises I’m open to hear. If I’m
walking this way and somebody says I can walk this way and
get different results I’m willing to hear them. But based
upon that I can continue to walk in the direction I’m in or
choose to go off a little bit.
Ralph Zuranski: How were you able to
overcome your doubts and fears?
Tom Beal: How do I overcome fear? I go
back to the statement of two things to worry about, things I
can control and things I can’t control. If I am doubtful or
fearful over something, what information is making that
doubt or fear? Is it something I can control? Or something I
can’t control?
Tom Beal: Also what can I do to overcome
it? The best way I overcome it is through prayer and through
knowing that I’m making quick decisions based upon the
information I have. I’m confident I’m going to walk boldly
one step at a time.
Tom Beal: Just like at night when we’re
driving with the headlights you can’t see all the way to
California but you can see a couple of car lengths ahead.
All you need to do is just focus on those couple of car
lengths ahead and you’ll make to wherever you are going
eventually. All we can do is focus on that little bit.
Tom Beal: I’d probably scared to death
if I could see a couple of years ahead because I’m not at
that level where I could understand the decisions I’d be
making 2 years from now. I can only do the best I know right
now.
Tom Beal: So doubt and fear you have to
work those muscles to be able to overcome those. If you’re
not putting yourself in some fearful or uncomfortable
situations you’re probably not pushing you’re full
potential.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you readily forgive
those who upset, offend and oppose you?
Tom Beal: The person that’s hurt the
most by not forgiving is you and me. If I’m willing to hold
that energy and not forgive somebody and hold that inside
its only self-limiting. They are living their lives and they
have no clue.
Tom Beal: It’s one of the most important
things I had to overcome. I thought “How could my family do
the things they did?” But in reflection I can look back and
say they did the best they could with the time and place
they were. No one was out to get me.
Tom Beal: People make decisions and they
did the best they could or the best they were able to at
that particular time. They probably made wrong choices just
as I have made wrong choices.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you experience
service to others as a source of joy?
Tom Beal: Oh yes. Absolutely! That’s the
most fulfilling thing in my life. I speak at churches and
events. I went to an event not too long ago, and I told you
about my car wreck, and there’s an organization called
PRAYWIT and I forgot what it stands for but it’s basically
for people who have gone through severe head trauma.
Tom Beal: I went there and spoke and
gave my 5 step Success Magnet System as well as my story
about the car wreck and being able to overcome it without
giving them a sense of false hope because there were people
in there that brought tears to my eyes.
Tom Beal: I remembered immediately that
I’d walked with a walker like old people walk with. To see
these young kids in that position still, it reminded me how
thankful and blessed I am.
Tom Beal: It also put things in
perspective. I wasn’t going to give these people false hope.
I don’t know what their circumstances are. I don’t know how
I was able to overcome it but I wanted to at least give them
some hope that they can take steps to be a little better
tomorrow that they are today.
Ralph Zuranski: When was the lowest
point in your life and how did you change your life path to
one of victory over the obstacles you were facing at that
time?
Tom Beal: Wow, the lowest point. That’s
a good question. Here’s one and it’s a weird one. I was the
number one honor graduate in boot camp and had three merit
choice promotions in 4 years, I was the man. I was like the
kid on the block. I was like the epitome of a marine.
Tom Beal: I was up for MECP, Marine
Enlistment Commissioning Program. They were going to take me
out of the enlistment and put me in college and have me come
back as an officer. At the same time we had just been
transferred from Cherry Point, North Carolina to Yuma,
Arizona.
Tom Beal: Little did we know there had
been a circumstance there with hazing. This was right around
the time of the movie with Tom Cruise called “A Few Good
Men”. So hazing is like what fraternities do and all that
fun stuff. But we didn’t know that since that event occurred
they said the next time something occurs like this we are
going to set a precedent.
Tom Beal: We didn’t know that. We picked
up a couple of dead beats that got passed over to our
platoon and everyone wanted to get this one kid. I didn’t
and wasn’t for that stuff. Basically I was there to make
sure it didn’t get out of hand.
Tom Beal: To make a long story short, I
made sure it didn’t get out of hand but everybody that was
there was busted including me. So I went in the matter of
one sentence from being the top person in that whole base
basically to being demoted.
Tom Beal: Internally to be at the top of
your game and have the carpet pulled out from under you and
have the package ripped up was probably the toughest point
in my life.
Tom Beal: Because, I knew that I had
done good and physically stopped this from getting where it
shouldn’t have been. But I also chose to be there. I own the
fact that I was there and also own the fact that I did make
sure this kid didn’t get harmed in any way.
Tom Beal: But, I chose to be there. By
choosing to be there I chose to be demoted. It took me a
long time to own that. So that was the lowest point. I was
able to overcome it and getting meritorially promoted once
again.
Tom Beal: It took me a couple of months
to work through that. I had to learn it is what it is. I was
worrying about it but knew there was nothing I could do
about it other than be the best that I can today. I decided
to be the best that I could and I ended up getting promoted
again after that.
Ralph Zuranski: Was there anyone who
helped give you the willpower to change things in you life
for the better?
Tom Beal: Oh boy. Books, tapes, mentors
and my grandfather. My grandfather was probably the stable
rock I had in the chaos as a child. My mother was 17 so he
was at an age where people his age were having kids.
Tom Beal: Through all the adversity I
lived with him a lot. He owned a business, a hardwood
flooring business. I would go with him when I was about 7 or
8 or 9 years old with him and lay some hardwood floors and
he taught me.
Tom Beal: He’d say “Tom go clean up that
room up we were just in.” I’d go clean the room. He’d say”OK
everything is good but you didn’t clean this room over
here.”
Tom Beal: I called him ‘Papa.’ I’d say
“Papa we weren’t even in that room.” He’d say “Exactly, Tom
the lessen in life is to leave a place better than when you
got here.” And if we could all do that, leave this place
better than when we got here I think that pretty much sums
it up.
Ralph Zuranski: How important was it to
believe your financial dreams would eventually become
reality?
Tom Beal: Financial dreams, here’s the
thing, through all that adversity and poverty as a child
there was a lot of brainwashing as far as what people who
were wealthy did and how they did people wrong. All the
normal stuff people hear like money doesn’t grow on trees
and all the other negative stuff.
Tom Beal: But knowing and having faith
in the law of sowing and reaping and the law of cause and
effect, knowing that if you’re able to contribute value you
will be compensated. If you’re doing the best you can just
like when I was in the marine corp. Circumstances are the
way they are but if I can just continue to provide value
I’ll be rewarded.
Tom Beal: I was rewarded with promotions
and such. In the free world the more value you are able to
contribute to more people you’ll be rewarded. It’s just a
matter of how much value you are providing. You can do a
check by taking a look at your bank account. That will tell
you exactly how much value you’re providing people at this
particular point in time.
Tom Beal: It doesn’t mean you can’t
change it or improve it. Recognize where your starting point
is and then see how you can contribute more value. There’s a
quote by Zig Ziglar that says basically all your dreams can
come true by the amount of people you help their dreams come
true.
Ralph Zuranski: How important is it to
know exactly how much money you want to have in your bank
account and by what date?
Tom Beal: Setting parameters like that
are pretty important I feel. Because just saying I want a
lot and not putting a time frame on it doesn’t quantify it
and doesn’t give it the proper energy to create that or
manifest it. I think taking an exact figure in a time frame
is one of the smart things you could chose to do.
Tom Beal: I want x amount, pick whatever
x is for you because it’s all relative. What’s a lot to me
are pennies to others and vice versa. So what is your x and
by when do you want it? And how are you going to do that?
Tom Beal: Just by stating it, you better
have a plan because how are you going to do that? I’m going
to provide value. Ok, who are you going to provide value to?
Pick that crowd. What am I going to provide that is of value
that they are willing to part with their hard earned
finances to invest in?
Ralph Zuranski: What is your definition
of heroism?
Tom Beal: Whew, heroism. I think my
definition of heroism is going back to that other statement.
Someone who is doing the best they can and has a goal and is
committed to being better tomorrow than they are today. I
feel like that’s a hero.
Tom Beal: Kind of like the definition of
a goal like Earl Nightingale said, the pursuit of a worthy
goal or ideal. So anyone who’s in high school and going to
class and doing their homework is a success because they are
pursuing that worthy ideal or goal.
Tom Beal: As long as anybody is
committed to being better tomorrow than they are today, in
my min d that’s a hero.
Ralph Zuranski: Did you ever create a
secret hero in your mind that helped you deal with life’s
difficulties?
Tom Beal: I had a period when I was
younger and I named myself like Batman, Superman and my name
was like 10 super heroes in a row. I wanted everyone to call
me that. I tried being that but I love the American Legion
cartoons and stuff like that.
Tom Beal: I would always have little
toys and create conversations with some of these super
heroes. Also kind of like I explained “What would your
mentor do?” I’d think well what would superman do or batman
do in this type of scenario? I’d have fun with it as a kid
but also there would be some wisdom.
Tom Beal: I feel in some of those things
there would be some wise choices being made. If it was a
superhero that was being portrayed normally they were for
good and making good choices.
Ralph Zuranski: What were the qualities
and attributes of your secret hero or your real life heroes
when you were growing up?
Tom Beal: Helping others, being a
servant and proper decision making.
Ralph Zuranski: Who are the HEROES in
your life now?
Tom Beal: Right now there are a lot of
heroes I’m fortunate to be working with. I’m actually
working with some of my heroes, people I looked up to and
still look up to. Best selling author Jeffrey Gidemer, I
work with on a regular basis. He’s a hero. He has certain
qualities that I’m looking to emulate.
Tom Beal: A person I’m working with
right here in this office, Mike Filsaime and just the
attributes he has in assisting others in accomplishing their
dreams and goals. Jim Kelly, the NFL Hall of Fame
quarterback.
Tom Beal: In fact I’m the president of
the company I formed with him. To see the life of faith and
how to truly overcome adversity, the adversities I’ve stated
are nothing compared to Jim’s story. I did interview him and
you can see that at jimkellylive.com and he talks in depth
about a lot of adversity and how he was able to overcome it.
Tom Beal: So seeing someone who puts my
adversity to shame on a scale and here’s the fun part, it’s
not a competition everybody has their own. It’s all relative
but how are you dealing with it?
Tom Beal: How am I dealing with it?
That’s all that really matters. It doesn’t matter how
anybody else is dealing with it wrong or right. How are you
dealing with it and how can you make it better.
Ralph Zuranski: How important is it to
have trusted friends or a master mind group to bounce your
ideas off?
Tom Beal: Master mind is extremely vital
to success. I talk about Jim Kelly. In his Hall of Fame
induction speech he didn’t get up there and flex his arms
and say “I’m Jim Kelly and I made it to the NFL. I deserved
it.”
Tom Beal: He gave credit where credit
was due. He gave credit to his coaching staff, to his
linemen, his team mates, his receivers who were able to run
the routes and catch the ball and his running backs. In life
you need to have your team.
Tom Beal: One of the lessons I learned
in studying all these success things at an early age was how
to become a self made millionaire. I think that’s a total
fallacy. I think it probably can be done but it takes ten
times longer than if you were to choose to be a team
millionaire. How can you assemble the proper team to assist
you in accomplishing your goals much more quickly?
Ralph Zuranski: How does the master mind
team make a positive difference in your life?
Tom Beal: The master mind is there to
help you in times of difficulty, to overcome adversity and
also pushes you and holds you accountable with some of the
goals and stride to achieve your goals.
Ralph Zuranski: Who do you feel are the
real heroes in our society today that are not getting the
recognition and rewards they deserve?
Tom Beal: Oh boy. The heroes would be
the firemen, police, teachers and all those people are
creating so much impact. The military are in some cases
taking a lot of heat yet they are protecting the freedoms we
embrace. Also those teaching the kids proper things whether
its teachers, firemen, police officers, those people I feel
are a little under appreciated.
Ralph Zuranski: Why are HEROES so
important in the lives of young people?
Tom Beal: Heroes give hope. I think
people especially children need hope. Especially in my
circumstances reflecting on my childhood, I needed some hope
thinking is this how it’s going to be? As a child you don’t
know any better.
Tom Beal: You only know the
circumstances you are surrounded by so I thought everybody
was going through the difficulties I had until I reached a
point where I thought I was the only one who thought these
circumstances were occurring. I feel hope is something as a
society as a whole needs.
Ralph Zuranski: What are the things
parents can do that will help their children realize they
too can be HEROES and make a positive
impact on the lives of others?
Tom Beal: Exposing them to the proper
things. Not letting them watch the movies that have all the
violence and the bad things occurring and the TV programs
that have the same things.
Tom Beal: But, exposing them to the
empowering books and videos that can show them heroes. That
can also give them hope and give them people and things to
aspire to look up to.
Ralph Zuranski: How do people become
heroes?
Tom Beal: By choice…choosing to build a
foundation of ethics, honesty, belief and faith. There’s a
quote and let me see if I can get this right, “I’m going to
improve myself for you. I love you so much I’m going to
improve myself. To choose the best you that you can be is
all it takes to be a hero.
Ralph Zuranski: How does it feel to be
recognized as an Internet HERO?
Tom Beal: Humbling. I’m just a normal
person. The funny part is dealing with all these other
people I’ve been able to be ok with that because they are
all normal people too.
Tom Beal: Whether it’s Jim Kelly or
Jeffery Gidemer they are just doing the best they can with
what they know how. I feel that’s all I’m doing and that’s
all anybody that’s listening to this is doing.
Ralph Zuranski: Why do you think you
were selected for this unique honor?
Tom Beal: By choosing to be in the game.
Just by choosing to attend seminars your life can and will
be changed. By getting in the game and going out and being
with other people who accomplishing great things. That’s the
simple answer.
Ralph Zuranski: How will being
recognized as an Internet HERO change your life?
Tom Beal: Hopefully it will fulfill my
burning desire which is to assist the people and
understanding that there are steps you can take today to
achieve your dreams and goals.
Tom Beal: Hopefully my story has been
inspirational to someone whether they’ve gone through
similar circumstances or have heard something in my story
that would trigger them to strengthen their power of choice
muscles and their decisive muscles and willingness to take
action.
Ralph Zuranski: How are you making the
world a better place?
Tom Beal: I think by choosing to be in
the game and by choosing to put this energy out. Also
choosing to tell my story. And as you heard choosing to tell
some situations that may make some people feel
uncomfortable.
Tom Beal: That goes back to being
uncomfortable. Some people have actually asked me, Tom why
did you tell that story? Why did you tell about your wife
and the car wreck?” I feel it’s a story that needs to be
told because someone out there needs to hear it. My hope and
my prayer is that it is out there and it’s going to open up
someone’s heart.
Ralph Zuranski: Do you have any good
solutions to the problems facing society, especially racism,
child and spousal abuse and violence among young people?
Tom Beal: Yes I think that goes right
back to what other heroes have told you, start with
yourself. There’s nothing we can do, not one thing can I
change in another person.
Tom Beal: I can only change things in me
I can only choose within the spirit of influence I have
which is through me. If I can be that light house making the
right moves and making the right choices and setting an
example then that’s the best I can do.
Tom Beal: If everyone were to take that
responsibility and to choose to set an example in their own
sphere that would solve most if not all the problems.
Ralph Zuranski: If you had three wishes
for your life and the world, that would instantly come true,
what would they be?
Tom Beal: I wish that everyone could
have the inner peace that I’m searching for. Or at least
make the choice to begin that journey of inner peace. Have
the faith knowing that everything does work for good.
Tom Beal: Also, to boldly live the life
to fulfill the destiny that they each have. I see a lot of
people living half lives and walking sheepishly forward
instead of boldly forward in their lives. I think that would
be a tremendous thing to witness.
Ralph Zuranski: What do you think about
the In Search Of Heroes Program and its impact on youth,
parents and business people?
Tom Beal: I was real excited to hear
about it in March 2005 when you first told me about it. I
was really excited to hear that you were putting these
things together for years. The wisdom that’s going to be
shared I think is going to dramatically impact people’s
lives.
Tom Beal: Similar to when Napoleon Hill
studied all the top experts of the 1900’s. I think the
wisdom you have captured and are willing to share with the
youth and society as a whole will positively impact future
generations.
Ralph Zuranski: Tom, thank you so much
yours was an astounding story.
Tom Beal: Thanks for the interview. I
appreciate it. Talk to you later, bye.
