Og Mandino was one of the motivational speakers and authors I followed while honing my sales skills many years ago. He believed we need to live each day by a set of principles that could help ground us and give us direction despite the obstacles we may encounter.

His principles were about seizing the present. His creed included doing the following today:

I begin a new life. I will fill my mind with good thoughts.
I will persist until I succeed. I was not born into this world for defeat; I was born to win.
I am nature's greatest miracle. I will believe in myself.
I will be master of my emotions.
I will laugh at the world. I will stop taking others and myself too seriously.
I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
I will act now. I will not practice procrastination.

I strongly believe in all these concepts and have written about them in my books and columns. These principles are as true today as they were 50 years ago.

Filling your mind with good, positive thoughts has no negatives. Positive thinking changes the way we behave. And I firmly believe that when I am positive, it not only makes me better, but it also makes those around me better.

My favorite day is today, because every morning when I wake up, today is what I have to work with. Today is the only day we can take action and have an impact. Sure, we learn from yesterday. And of course, we plan for tomorrow, so that is what I challenge you to exploit to the max.

Persistence and determination are what keep us hammering away. I don't know anyone who has achieved any level of success without those two traits. When you have a dream that you can't let go of, trust your instincts and pursue it. Persistence pays off.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish your goals. Who says you're not tougher, better, harder working, smarter and more able than your competition? It doesn't matter if they say you can't do it. The only thing that matters is if you say it. You must believe if you want to achieve.

Controlling one's emotions is a challenge for people of all ages. But it can be done. No one makes you respond in a certain way. Attitude is the mind's paintbrush — it can color any situation.

Laughter and humor are not only good for people, but they are healthy for companies. I've always thought that kidding around at work is a good thing, which is why I've encouraged it for years at our envelope manufacturing company. We don't start a sales meeting without a good, tasteful joke or story.

What is really important to you? How do you want to conduct your life? What are you willing to do — or not do — to have the life you want? Is there a line you will not cross? Having an established value system takes the guesswork out. Because you have already thought about how you want to live and be perceived, your responses and reactions can often be automatic.

Mandino had another precept that I saved for the end: I will live this day as if it is my last. Living with urgency doesn't mean living in a hurry. It simply means making the best of every day we are given.

Mackay's Moral: There is no time like the present to make a better future.

Harvey Mackay is a Minneapolis businessman. Contact him at 612-378-6202 or email harvey@mackay.com.