Imagine you've just returned from an all expenses paid 3 day seminar all about marketing/Windows Vista/ Sales or something else you're into to.

By using the methods and techniques you've learnt you'll improve your career or business.

But there's a secret that Napoleon Hill has written about. Let me explain...

'Normal' learning is just like the seminar you've completed,

It's the same if you go to seminars, read books, listen to tapes, CDs or DVDs. All of them work to some extent. But usually you retain less than 25% of what you've learnt in these ways.

Cute, eh? You've paid to be stuffed full of knowledge for three days and you only get to keep a few hours worth. It makes you want to ask for a large discount.

Just kidding. But you see what I'm saying?

Listen. I am not knocking these ways. Not at all. I use them myself. But, if you want to move forward saving yourself energy, time and money, these ways don't cut it.

Let's look at some vital facts about the usual way of learning, the reason it's so ineffective and yet, incredibly is used by more than 95% of business owners and entrepreneurs!

People who learn from books usually retain about 7% of everything they read. So to get anything of use from a book you need to read it again and again.

I know that, and it's the reason I, and other marketeers, re-read the marketing greats from history many times.

Others use cassette tapes and CDs to learn from. Their retention rate is better but still appallingly it's only 20%.

Like many people I do attend seminars. This way is almost no better and people tend to retain only about 25% of what they learn there.

Can you believe that most people I meet use one or all of these ways to grow their business?

I'm completely gobsmacked.

Or at least I am now.

If you'd asked me only four years ago I'd have said that learning using seminars was actually a highly effective way of learning stuff. This was despite compelling evidence to the contrary.

One piece of evidence was when I attended a Jay Abraham bootcamp at Heathrow about 6 years ago. It was a high priced seminar and associated expenses. Over three thousand pounds, excluding the costs of 3 nights at the Raddisson Edwardian hotel and British Airways flights from Manchester.

There were several people there who'd attended similarly priced Jay bootcamps 5,6 and 7 times before in the UK and the USA and were still learning stuff! The same stuff.

I had a dream, it was freedom. Both personal and financial. Maybe your dream is something similar?

Over the years I've bought wheelbarrow loads of audio tapes and CDs from Peter Thompson, Jay Abraham, Earl Nightingale and many others. Because I was convinced I was learning stuff. So that one day I'd run my own company helping other people realise their dreams too.

Eventually I got the secret. It's the one thing you need to do. I'll come back to that in a minute.

Think about your own dream. How close is it now?

If you seriously want to carry out your dream you begin by mapping out exactly where you want to go. Then take action and keep taking action towards the dream. Don't deviate, keep focused and you'll make it.

And the most effective way to make your dream come true is to work on it with other people. And they must be people who support your dream.

Always.

So what is the best way to learn?

And by the way, this way is pretty much 100% effective in helping you achieve your goals.

It's simple, but very powerful. It's an open secret. You need to work first with a mentor/coach and then also with a mastermind group to hoist you from your comfort zone and straight into action.

I've seen people who are convinced they're moving forward by reading books, taking courses, listening to Cds and attending seminars. But time and time again what lets them down is the missing element - CONTINUOUS FOCUSED ACTION.

You must act on what you know. By implementing what you're learning you're making it tangible and part of your own experience.

You'd not believe the amount of marketing and copywriting knowledge I've accumulated before I started running my own business full-time. Like so many others I was waiting for when I could afford it, when the time was right.

Eventually I got a mentor who showed me there is no need to get it perfect. The only need is to take the some actions, right or wrong.

You don't need all your ducks in a row before you start.

When you start you don't even need to know how you're going to get to your goal.

You must gain the subconscious confidence to trust a mentor to open you up to a new way. To help you create, focus and execute your ideas in your market place rapidly.

So here is a simple test for you to find out how wedded you are to the traditional ways of learning.

(1) Are you almost in the same position you were six months ago? (2) Are you almost in the same position you were one month ago? (3) Are you in the same position as you were one week ago?

If any answer was a "yes" you need to reflect on what you're doing.

Think about this. You're fooling yourself into thinking that a book, a seminar or audio programme is moving you forward. People in your business who know the reality know this is exactly the learning style that holds you back.

Don't do it anymore. Be resolute.

Take ACTION now.

Get yourself a mentor/coach, Find a mastermind group. Let them help you to create specific action steps to help you dominate your market, fast.

Failure to do so means you'll lose market share and you'll allow others to get the upper hand over you.

Wherever you are, start-up, struggling business, mature business or anywhere between. Your next steps needs to be these ...

1) Put away this email after you've read it

2) Make a personal connection with a mentor/coach. Call them now.

3) Vitally invest in it. Make sure that you pay him or her. Because a key point is people don't move forward until they pay.

You must do this.

Take action, do it now while you're thinking about it. Putting this to one side means you'll go back to your comfort zone and "forget" to follow through.

So my best wishes to you and I know you'll succeed.

For more marketing magic email web@acornservice.com with "go" in the subject line and you'll be sent a copy of the book. Try Jim's blog at www.acornservice.blogspot.com for further tips