Foreword

For more than thirty-five years I've pursued a career in excellence. This subject has intrigued and challenged me both as a professional athlete and as a coach to hundreds of thousands of individuals and hundreds of the best corporations in the world.

Today more than ever, excellence is an elusive quest for most of us. Information has never come to us with such swiftness and abundance. Our thoughts are overloaded with cell phones, texting, CNN, FOX News, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and other social media. Chaos is increasing while excellence and, ultimately, productivity are decreasing.

The average Fortune 500 CEO, for example, receives more than 175 e-mails on a daily basis. Wow! That's overload. This increase in thought has stolen our simplicity and life balance. It also threatens our ability to achieve the extraordinary while living a fulfilling life.

Extraordinary performance and a balanced life, for my clients and seminar attendees, has been my life's work. Occasionally in my career, I come across rare individuals who not only think differently but also live and teach others how to do the same. Jim Murphy is one of those individuals. His clients have achieved tremendous success, and that is no accident.

As soon as we met, I immediately recognized his passion for excellence and the art form of achieving it. After spending a lot of time with Jim, I understood that he lives his writings and his talk. He is inquisitive, determined, intelligent, and open-minded. His ideas on what holds us back are profound. Jim has captured the essence of excellence in a manner that's both engaging and powerful.

We all face adversity and have fears that constrain us. Jim shows us how to use that energy to be totally engaged in the moment. His approach to surmounting the obstacles in our highest pursuits not only is simple and clear but also is backed by compelling stories of people who have achieved the extraordinary.

Jim's success in turning teams around has been phenomenal, and Inner Excellence shows you how you can do the same with your life, career, and entire organization. Managers and employees will learn the powerful techniques Jim has taught to Olympic and professional athletes, such as how to lead with your heart, expand your vision, and perform with passion in the most pressure-filled moments.

As you read this book, you will learn to overcome your fears and embark on a journey of great personal and professional achievement. You'll gain a clear understanding of the pathway needed to find true inner peace and happiness.

 

Jim Fannin

"Change Your Life" Coach

Author, S.C.O.R.E. for Life: The Five Keys to Optimum Achievement