Eugene Orowitz was a skinny, awkward kid from New Jersey. Painfully shy, very self-conscious and lacking self-confidence, Eugene nevertheless said yes when a high school coach half-jokingly asked him to try out for the track team, according to author Glenn Van Ekeren.

"Ugy," as his friends affectionately called him, discovered a talent for javelin throwing and committed himself to being the best that he could possibly be. What Ugy lacked in self-confidence, he made up for in commitment.

By graduation, Eugene had achieved a national high school record for throwing the javelin more than 193 feet. His commitment also resulted in a college track scholarship at the University of Southern California.

A torn shoulder muscle ended his javelin-throwing career and any hope of making the Olympic team. However, while watching a play, Eugene became intrigued by acting. Again, he committed himself to being the best. He was determined to make it as an actor, so he enrolled in acting class. And he changed his name.

You know Eugene Orowitz as Michael Landon, who went on to star in three of the most popular shows in television history: "Bonanza," "Little House on the Prairie" and "Highway to Heaven."

Eugene/� HYPERLINK "http://thinkexist.com/quotation/there-s_a_difference_between_interest_and/222268.html" �Michael demonstrated the difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it when circumstances permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.�

Comedian Bill Cosby dropped out of Temple University as a junior and became a starving comedian. But he was committed to becoming successful, staying up all hours of the night to talk to seasoned comics, research material and work on new routines. I had a chance to play tennis with Bill many years ago, and he told me: "Anyone can dabble, but once you've made the commitment, then your blood has that particular thing in it and it's very hard for people to stop you."

Commitment is a prerequisite to success. Commitment is the state of being bound -- emotionally, intellectually or both -- to a course of action. Commitment starts with a choice and is sustained by dedication and perseverance. Actions speak louder than words.

If you want something, but you're not motivated to do the work required, you will be frustrated and unsuccessful. So take action!

-- Make a list of everything you want. Write it all down. Don't leave out anything you want, from becoming a CEO to getting a date. Then rate each item according to its importance.

-- Consider your investment. Examine each of the items on your list and ask yourself: "Am I willing to invest the time, energy and resources necessary to achieve this?"

-- Make a decision. Look at your list and identify the items you want the most with the highest score for "willingness." Then start working on a plan for success over the next weeks or months -- and be sure to set a deadline.

Rev. Robert Schuller says there are four kinds of people: "First, there are the cop-outs. These people set no goals and make no decisions.

"Second, there are the hold-outs. They have a beautiful dream, but they're afraid to respond to its challenge because they aren't sure they can make it. These people have lost all childlike faith.

"Third, there are the drop-outs. They start to make their dream come true. They know their role. They set their goals, but when the going gets tough, they quit. They don't pay the toll.

"Finally, there are the all-outs. They are the people who know their role. They want and need and are going to be stars: star students, star parents, star waitresses. They want to shine out as an inspiration to others. They set their goals. ... The all-outs never quit. Even when the toll gets heavy, they're dedicated. They're committed."

To be committed, you must be "all in." You can't just do the best you can. You have to do everything you can. Remember, the difference between 100 percent all in and 99 percent all in is 100 percent.

When I think of commitment, I think of the story of the pig and the chicken who are walking down the road. The chicken says: "Hey, Pig, I was thinking we should open a restaurant!"

The pig replies: "Hmmm, what would we call it?"

The chicken responds: "How about Ham-n-Eggs?"

The pig thinks for a moment and says: "No thanks. I'd be committed, but you'd only be involved!"

Mackay's Moral: An ounce of commitment is worth pounds of promises.

Everyone is a salesperson, all of your life. Whether you are a mechanic, a teacher or a manager, you are selling ideas. You are negotiating. You are communicating, persuading, influencing.

If you don't believe you are a salesperson, I encourage you to rethink your position because the probability that you will become successful is significantly diminished.

This is the lesson I would give to people who might tell me that my most recent book is not for them. "The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World" is for everyone, especially now.

The hardcover edition was published in November 2011. The paperback version was just released and contains 10 new chapters and nine new "quickies," including sections on such important topics as relationships/networking and time management. I'd like to share a preview of the new material.

Networks are the foundation of business. Robert Kiyosaki, author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," hit the nail on the head when he wrote: "The richest people in the world look for and build networks. Everyone else looks for work."

Ace networkers learn to master the navigation and the niceties that earn them acceptance, respect and authority. Here are three road-tested tips:

1. Create timelines for your networking goals. Be patient. Understand that it may take one or two years to position yourself in a network. Always plan the supporting network routes to business objectives far ahead. Totally determined to sell a major prospect and ready to make a proposal in 18 months? Is the buyer an opera buff or dedicated to funding a dialysis center? Are you building a network path to mesh with those passions?

2. Don't stall answers. When you acquire a serious network presence, you'll be asked for favors in no time. Don't be slow to answer calls, even if you can't promise your contact much help. Networks telegraph who the fast responders are and who the slowpokes are. The biggest mistake you can make is not to answer a viable network member who is reaching out to you. That remains true even if it's just to tell the person "no" in a clear and polite way.

3. Act confidently and take meaningful risks. In networking, as in anything else, the wise person isn't the one who makes the fewest mistakes. It's the one who learns the most from them.

Discussing time management, my favorite lesson comes from the late Peter Drucker, who said, "Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else."

We all start out in life with one thing in common: the same number of minutes and hours in each day. So why do some people accomplish so much, and others very little? Because so few of us have learned to beat the clock.

For a salesperson, time isn't next to money in the asset column. It IS money. Perhaps the most important lesson I ever learned is that not everyone's clock ticks to the same drumbeat. I poked around and learned that 9-to-5 didn't have to be 9-to-5. It didn't matter how my clock ticked. What mattered was how my prospects' clocks ticked.

Some buyers came in at 6 a.m. Some worked until 7 p.m. Some worked Saturday mornings. That boiled down to an edge, if I chose to use it -- for three hours every morning, two hours every afternoon and four hours on Saturday. This was invaluable competition-free time. Naturally, these time slots turned out to be my most productive opportunities.

So I changed the playing-field clock. Then I changed my contact tactics. Cold calls were out. I always called ahead to make sure the buyer was in. I made creative appointments and asked for only 300 seconds of the buyer's time. Sounds basic, but the message said my product was special. It was as special as the working hours of my customers.

Not only did these details help me manage my own schedule more efficiently; they helped guarantee that I was up to bat when the prospects were greatest for a maximum payoff.

Along with these two subjects, I've added chapters on topics including how to be prepared should you ever lose your job, executive intelligence and the importance of volunteering.

Will any of these ideas require major changes? Probably not, but I hope they help you see the importance of selling skills for success in any field.

Mackay's Moral: You've heard me say it many times: "Little things mean a lot -- not true. Little things mean everything."

"Do you know what today is?" a wife asked her husband as he left for work.

"Of course I know what today is," grumped the husband. "I can't believe you would think I would forget such an important day." And with that the husband rushed to his car to conceal his panic and embarrassment. Had he forgotten their wedding anniversary again?

That evening the husband returned home bearing a dozen roses and a beautiful dress from his wife's favorite boutique. "This should win me some points," he thought to himself.

His wife could barely contain her excitement. "My goodness!" she exclaimed. "A dress AND flowers. What a wonderful surprise. But tell the truth, do you know what day this is?"

"Of course," said the husband confidently.

His wife said, "Today is Arbor Day!"

Will he forget Arbor Day ever again? Probably not. But he will have a tough act to top on his anniversary!

Most people who claim they have a poor memory actually have an untrained memory. People remember things three different ways: by hearing, seeing and doing. But this isn't anything new. Confucius said 2,500 years ago: "What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand."

You have heard me say many times that pale ink is better than the most retentive memory. In other words, write it down. Brain clutter and interruptions can detour the best intentions to remember.

Ever had a great idea that you forgot almost right away? Most of us have, and it can happen more frequently as we grow older. It's often said you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but just about any healthy person can improve his or her memory.

Take, for example, Scott Hagwood, who follows a regimen to improve his memory similar to those athletes use to train their bodies. Hagwood suffered from thyroid cancer, and one of the side effects of his radiation treatments was memory loss. Hagwood, who describes himself as having been an average college student, entered a contest called the USA Memory Championship -- a sort of memory Olympics. Contestants memorize poetry, decks of cards, lists of numbers, words and so on. Hagwood won, and went on to win the event a total of four times.

You can improve your memory and keep it strong at any age by following a few basic tips:

-- Get plenty of rest. Lack of sleep can diminish your brain's ability to solve problems, think creatively and form memories. A good night's sleep is essential.

-- Exercise. Physical activity increases the flow of oxygen to your brain and keeps you healthy in other ways. You become more alert and relaxed, thereby improving your memory. Relaxation techniques can be helpful to improving memory.

-- Socialize. Stay in touch with friends. Good relationships are important to emotional health and mental processes because they provide stimulation and laughter. Volunteer, join a club or get a pet.

-- Reduce stress. You may not be able to eliminate all unpleasant situations and activities from your life, but do your best to manage your reaction to them.

-- Eat the right food. A nutritious diet can help you stay in shape mentally as well as physically. Research shows that foods with omega-3 fatty acids may lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease, and fruits and vegetables supply antioxidants that are good for your brain.

-- Organize your thoughts. Learning new material or retaining facts works best when you group related information until you have mastered it, and then move on to other concepts.

-- Spend extra time with really difficult material. Learning the names of a few new co-workers is a breeze, but when you need to identify every member of your new department, allow yourself a little more leeway. Study lists so the names themselves become familiar.

-- Keep your brain active. Spend more time reading and doing crosswords or Sudoku puzzles than watching TV. A good mental workout will keep your mind in shape to process and remember important information.

-- Minimize distractions. Pay attention. Distractions can make you quickly forget even simple items. The ability to concentrate and focus can't be understated. If you're easily distracted, pick a quiet place where you won't be interrupted.

Mackay's Moral: Exercise your brain so your memory doesn't get flabby.