#2. A student would exclaim to class that he/she has a “problem.” Pay a buck! for word “problem.” Replace “problem” with “challenge.” A negative connotation is attached to word “problem”, while “challenge” has a positive connotation. This is a much better use of our vocabulary and demonstrates a higher level of communication and expression.

#3. A student walks into training class and registers a “complaint.” Complainers suffer consequences and Pay a buck! They are asked to replace complaint with a request. This obliges student to abandon downward spiral of negative communication and make a specific request of what they want (or see improved).

#4. During middle of a role play, student makes a mistake and immediately justifies his/her actions or attempts to lay blame on another. They must Pay a buck! for justification or laying blame. The proper action would be to accept responsibility and move on.

#5. During any communication, a student uses any foul language. Pay a buck!

Other guidelines: •Make sure that all participants agree, in advance, to participate in Say What? Pay A Buck! program.

•Some of my clients may feel that Say What? Pay A Buck! program might be a little too much for their group. (This rarely happens). If this is case, take it in a different direction. Purchase Monopoly money or funny money for your group and initiate program. Distribute ten “bucks” in $1 bills to each person at beginning of your training or event. It will be very useful in watching Buck Bucket increase in size by hour. Remember, more bucks paid, more significant increase in awareness.

You can purchase inexpensive phony $1 bills from: Creative Presentation Resources, Inc 1.800.308.0399 www.presentationresources.net

•Utilize an on-site Gratitude Board or Acknowledgment Board for verbal rewards. A simple flip chart would suffice for this and post results on wall of training room.

•If you’re not using funny money, your “bucks” can also be used for: Student drawing – one winner for training class Training class party – have pizza and drinks delivered to class Quarterly party for all participants & their spouse/partners

•My personal preference for donating “bucks” is to this wonderful charitable organization: Angel Flight South Central http://www.angelflightsc.org

What is Angel Flight? If you or someone you know needs non-emergency transportation to medical treatment but cannot afford it, or if they cannot fly on public transportation for health reasons, or if public transportation is not readily available in your area, contact AFSC Office for information about Angel Flight and it's ability to assist. It is their goal that no one forgo treatment because of cost or inaccessibility to their required healthcare facility.

•Watch out for class “Buck Cop.” This person is usually a participant that is more concerned with “catching” a violator than paying attention to training curriculum and content. Each class has one, so make sure they stay focused on task at hand and do not disturb training.

Say What? Pay A Buck! can be easily implemented into mainstream of any company or corporation. It can be a regular method of operation, something new and different that most will embrace. Remember, many corporations are void of personal development – they’re spending all of their time on professional development. The Say What? Pay a Buck! program touches both sides of a person’s development.

The subconscious is a very powerful tool that our clients, family and friends carry as well as ourselves. Take to heart information shared throughout Say What? Pay A Buck! program. Rid yourself of foul language. Be sensitive to what you say and how you say it. Keep your awareness at a heightened level until superior vocabulary becomes a habit and a mainstay of who you are and what you represent. Say What? Pay A Buck! is an inspiring blueprint for what we can all do to rediscover values that our teachers and parents have taught us since we were children – communicate with utmost of professionalism and vocabulary with our friends, family, neighbors and clients. This type of practice places you on less crowded path; you separate yourself from masses and all whom you communicate with will see distinction between you. . .and rest of world.

If we sit still in our lives, we "create" personal challenges as a mechanism to keep us busy and to fool our souls into believing that we must remain stationary due to numerous setbacks. Many of these challenges have to do with unsatisfied desires and lethargy including absorbing problems of others and living in your head to satisfy needs of soul. However, when we're moving forward in life, we encounter challenges as a result of change and momentum where Universe must create balance in our wake. In long run, it is easier to only manage forward-moving challenges than to have to create and then manage our own challenges.

As you can see, challenges can be changed from "problems" by merely altering their purpose. It is a change in perspective that changes our attitude to those challenges that we face everyday. However, this change in perspective can only occur if you have a plan in place that allows you to look at things from a different angle. To do so, you must determine if resolution of a challenge will be a benefit to your desired direction. If not, then challenge might not be essential to resolve, except for purposes of ego. Yet, ego is only a false protector that comes into play when we lose our way. Once we have a direction in life, ego can be replaced with self-esteem to allow you a chance to build and move forward.

In long run your desire for someone else's life will merely bring on someone else's challenges. If you do decide to take on someone else's life, although their current destination might be appealing, their path might not be something that will satisfy your desires. Become your own hero and stop envying lives of others as, in most cases, they envy your life as well. As you plan and define your direction, you will find that your life is truly unique. Learn to love yourself and your life and take time to "turn it into" everything that you desire.