Free Seminar on Public Speaking

How to Use Public Speaking To Grow Your Success
Public Speaking Seminar
featuring
Jim Cathcart, CSP, CPAE
Professional Speaker and Bestselling Author

Wednesday, November 14, 2007
1:30p.m - 3:30p.m.
Registration: 1:15pm
California Lutheran University
Lundring Events Center

ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED,
no charge to attend
To RSVP, please contact Susan Seale at
(805) 988-0196 ext. 110
or via email at sseale@vccf.org.

In celebration of the
National Speakers Association's
"Spirit of NSA Day"
to honor the 100th birthday of its founder, Cavett Robert,
this event is being cosponsored by
The Ventura County Community Foundation,
Resource Center for Nonprofit Management
and by the
California Lutheran University, School of Business,
Center for Leadership & Values
plus Cathcart Institute, Inc. on behalf of the 101 Leaders Alliance.

How to Use Public Speaking To Grow Your Success
Growing Demand by Growing Your Brand

Nationally Known Professional Speaker shares his Speaking Secrets.
Speaker Hall of Famer and past national president of the National Speakers Association, Jim Cathcart will conduct a FREE seminar on "How to Use Public Speaking to Grow Your Success".

Cathcart, the author of 14 books including the Bestsellers "The Acorn Principle" and Relationship Selling, has delivered over 2,600 paid presentations around the world. Come and learn the techniques that professional speakers use to Capture Attention, Motivate and Inspire, and Incorporate Humor. Discover how to Overcome Fear and Speak with Confidence.

Bring your colleagues and friends to hear this world renowned speaker tell how you can do what he has done.

Jim Cathcart
In professional speaking, Jim Cathcart has done it all!

Past President of NSA, Cavett Award winner, CPAE Speaker Hall of Fame, CSP, Lifetime Achievement Award from NSA of Greater Los Angeles, Toastmasters International Golden Gavel recipient, author of 14 books, countless audio and video products, co-founder of three Institutes plus an online learning corporation. He has delivered over 2,600 professional speeches around the world, earned millions of dollars in speaking fees and more.

He has his own TV show on The Success Training Network, TSTN. And Jim is the author of NSA's professional development system known as "The Professional Competencies". He has been a member of Speakers Roundtable, 20 of the nation's top speakers and authors, since 1986.

Jim joined NSA in 1976 when there were only 200 members (today it has almost 4,000) and has served on virtually every committee and council. In fact, the San Diego NSA Chapter has named its member of the year award "The Jim Cathcart Service Award."

On the personal side, Jim is an avid motorcyclist, having toured Europe, Canada, and the Rocky Mountains on sport touring motorcycles. He has written and recorded songs and performed in clubs nationwide. He lives in Lake Sherwood, California in the mountains above Malibu where he regularly does endurance hiking.

Directions
California Lutheran University
Lundring Event Center
From the 118 Freeway to the 23 South

Exit Olsen Road. Turn Right and Head West. Turn [right] Onto Mountclef Boulevard. [Turn left into the parking lot for the sports complex. Enter the building at the far left corner of the parking lot.]
From Ventura (101) Freeway South

Take Lynn Road Exit. Go North Across the Freeway and Follow Lynn Road to Campus. Turn [left] onto Mountclef Boulevard. [Turn left again into the parking lot and enter the building at the far left corner of the lot.]
From Ventura (101) Freeway North

Take Hwy. 23 North. Exit on Olsen Road. Turn Left and Head West. Turn [right] onto Mountclef Boulevard. [Turn left into the sports complex and enter the building at the far left corner of the parking lot.]

To Register
This event is FREE, but registration is a must!! Space is limited.
This is NOT a promotional seminar to sell you something else. It is a special service offered jointly by Cathcart Institute, Inc., California Lutheran University and the Ventura County Community Foundation to help you become a better communicator.

Enroll now!! Space is limited so only the first responders will be assured a spot at this exciting event. To RSVP, please contact Susan Seale at (805) 988-0196 ext. 110 or via email at sseale@vccf.org.

Ventura County Community Foundation | 1317 Del Norte Road, Suite 150 | Camarillo | CA | 93010

Californian Building Boom Coming Soon

by Jim Cathcart

As my regular readers know, I'm an avid mountain hiker here in the Santa Monica Mountains between Malibu and Highway 101. A few years ago many of our regular trails were ravaged by fires much like the ones that are still smoldering nearby today. In the months following the fires I saw the trails go through the various stages of renewal. It is quite inspiring to observe.

At first there's nothing but ashes and charred remains, but then sprouts emerge and shortly thereafter, flowers. The contrast is striking and encouraging. I saw this same effect once on a motorcycle tour of Yellowstone National Park just after fires had devastated much of the park.

With the President's arrival in San Diego a few minutes ago the rebirth of much of Southern California will begin, even as some are still fighting the fires.
The evacuation of Escondido was lifted moments ago and residents can return to their homes or, sadly, home sites.

Aid centers and resource networks have already sprung up to assist the victims of these fires. Every aspect of our society is reaching out to help in some way. It renews my faith in mankind and especially in America.

On top of all this I received an email this morning with news of the USS New York, a wonderful new ship that was built from the scrap metal of the World Trade Center. Here is a link to the article about it on Snopes.com, the site to check when you wonder about the reliability of an email message. Rebirth and renewal is all around us.


So, the next time you get the impression that all is lost or that evil has prevailed, just remember the line from the movie Jurassic Park, "Life always finds a way."
We are loved and there is a God. Our job is to live our lives fully and give all of ourselves that we can to each other.

God bless you and God bless America.
Jim Cathcart

Qualcomm vs Katrina - how people are dealing with the fire crisis

by Jim Cathcart

San Diego, October 24, 2007
Fires have devastated the area and hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes and businesses. This is the worst natural disaster in San Diego's history and much of Southern California is experiencing a similar crisis.

Depending on where in Southern California you live this may be the worst crisis you have had to face. It is certainly worse than the earthquakes and mudslides of recent memory. And, when it is your home or property that is devastated, then the tragedy is at its worst.

Here is a link to the Reuters story on the fires today, and
here is another link to the Resources Available to Help Fire Victims.
Both of these are available from Roger Hedgecock's website. Roger is a national talk show host and former Mayor of San Diego.



Now let's look at what the people are doing in response to this crisis.
Qualcomm Stadium, known for hosting both the SuperBowl and the World Series in recent years, has been made available as the largest of the evacuation centers in the area.
Thousands of evacuees have come there for food, shelter and safety.
Volunteers are abundant. People have come to help distribute supplies, communicate information, serve food, and just be available to help. Businesses have donated goods, government agencies have provided supplies and security personnel.
And the crowded stadium and the acres of packed parking lot are...happy.

Happy? How can people in such a tragedy be happy?
Granted they are not gleeful but neither are they angry and rebellious. They are making the best of a horrible situation. They recognize that everyone who can help is attempting to do so and the fires and wind are beyond anyone's control. Naturally, there are individual exceptions but the general situation is very positive.

Check out this link to ABC News' report on the atmosphere at the venue.
Musicians are performing for the folks, therapists are providing massages, and the community is taking care of its own.

This is not our Federal Government saving us from a tragedy. It is Americans doing what they do. We are helping each other and doing our best to take care of ourselves. We are not waiting for someone to rescue us. We do not demand to be served or even saved. We are just coping and cooperating. That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is America!

Now, contrast this with what happened after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. They had chaos, anger, crime, looting and resources languishing from lack of use. They saw virtually no volunteering from among the victims and thousands of people sat and waited to be rescued without trying to help each other. Again, sure there were individual exceptions but the general situation was very negative.

Why? Was it FEMA? Was it the White House? Was it the Louisiana State Government? No.
The difference in the two scenarios reveals a much deeper origin. The origin was a victim mindset. New Orleans was filled with low income residents who had allowed themselves to become dependent on entitlements. They didn't take initiative, because until the storm hit, they didn't have to. Their mentality was one of being a receiver not a giver.

People say "we allowed them to become that way!" I say, don't be absurd. "We" didn't do anything to cause that. This is America; a country where education is available to everyone, even non-citizens in many cases. This is a place where people are eager to help ambitious and appreciative people who want to lift themselves up. We have agencies, foundations, scholarships, benefactors and teachers who would happily spend extra time helping someone who wanted to grow and improve.

What caused the victim mentality in New Orleans was individuals accepting their "fate" and giving up before even trying. It was parents not holding their children responsible for their choices. It was grandparents not insisting that their offspring go to church or synagogue to develop their faith and integrity. It was teachers allowing kids to leave school before they learned essential skills. It was neighbors not caring about each other or looking after their common interests. And it's not only New Orleans where areas like this are found. These breeding grounds of attitudinal cancer are all around us.

When we allow ourselves to relax our grip on the development of each new generation. When we ignore the importance of a strong belief system. When we deny the importance of others in our lives...we all suffer.

Alexis de Toqueville once said of America that our strength lies in our ability to spontaneously organize around a need and cooperate to solve it. He was right. As a free society we have the ability to choose what we do and who we do it for. But when we start thinking that it is all about us, then we ignore the strength available to us through others.

I need you. And you need me. Nobody makes it through this life alone...even if they try. Culture means common beliefs and interests. It means that we must honor the dignity of others and build integrity in ourselves. If I stop trying to improve then I have cheated all the potential recipients of my good works. If you start thinking only of yourself then sooner or later the world will stop thinking of you.

Qualcomm Stadium or the SuperDome in New Orleans: every day you are choosing the path that leads to one or the other. Please choose the path of responsibility and self improvement. All of us need what you can contribute to the world. And we will thank you generously as you contribute it.

California Fires today Oct. 23, 2007

by Jim Cathcart

Today's news is filled with coverage of the devastation Californians are experiencing from San Diego (near Mexico) to Santa Clarita, (just north of Los Angeles). The area affected by the fires was reported this morning to be 385 square miles and that's not including the fire free areas in the region. Here is a link to some photos of the crisis in San Diego (150 miles south of where I live). These photos were taken by professional photographer, K.C. Alfred. My management team, SpeakersOffice, Inc. based in Carlsbad, near La Costa, had to evacuate their offices and their homes. The people are fine but the property is clearly at risk. Your prayers are welcomed.

As you can see, it is a horrifying mess. But there are good spots too. Thankfully my immediate family has been spared the flames. We live in Ventura County just 45 miles north of LAX airport on the way to Santa Barbara. Our home has been repeatedly coated with ashes and smoke filled the air here yesterday but right now the skies are clear and the wind has slowed considerably. The wind is the fear factor. It makes everything worse, and yesterday it was relentless.

On Sunday the Fire Department's Scooper Planes flew right over our home repeatedly to capture water from Lake Sherwood to use against the Malibu fires just over the hill from here. One of my neighbors, Tom Miller, took these photos outside his home.


I dropped in on the local fire department this morning and spoke with the Chief. I asked what kind of help they needed: volunteers, errand runners, clerical support, or just somebody to do the chores while they focus on fighting fires. He said that thankfully we are not in the path at present and their needs are covered. I left my cell number in case things change.

The coming weeks will reveal just how much our help is needed throughout this area. For now all we can do is stay alert, be ready to help or evacuate as the case may be, and keep our wits about us. This is a time when all other agenda items take second place. Human needs come first. And, please follow the directions of your fire and police personnel, they are striving to protect you and your homes.

We are not separated by gender, age, religion, politics, memberships, race or anything else at times like this. We are all Americans, neighbors, friends and fellow members of the human race. We're in this together so we must be willing to do our part to help everyone. In times like this, please let your local fire departments and public agencies know that you are willing to help. Even if you can't do much physical labor, you can still make phone calls, process information, do online information gathering, call friends to organize volunteer teams, pitch in to handle the simple chores that might keep the fire fighters and emergency personnel from being distracted, and more.

Tomorrow we will get back to business but today we need each other very much.
As Neil Diamond sings in his song "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show":
"Brothers & Sisters you've got two good hands and when your fellow man is in need, reach out one of those hands, 'cause that's what it's there for. And when you are in need reach that other hand to the Man up Above 'cause that's what He's there for."
Amen, May God watch over all of those who are in need today.

Here is a link to a YouTube performance that will truly inspire you. It lasts through two songs and is well worth the viewing.
In the Spirit of Service,
Jim Cathcart