Jim Whitt provokes people... on purpose. Jim is an unapologetic people provoker. For more than 20 years as a consultant, writer and speaker, he has provoked people and organizations to reach their full potential.

Transforming lives, leaders and organizations requires a purpose-based approach to motivation, 
leadership and change.

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What's Your Purpose in Life?

Doug Hickey had achieved phenomenal success in business and Gerald Daniels was serving a life sentence in prison. But they both wanted to know the answer to the question every human being asks. The question may take many forms but it always boils down to, "What is my purpose in life?" Click on their names and you'll hear them describe how their lives were transformed by the power of purpose.

Doug Hickey
Gerald Daniels

Read more about your purpose in life

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The Transformational Power of Purpose

Finding and Fulfilling Your Purpose in Life.

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Riding for the Brand

The Power of Purposeful Leadership

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Road Signs for Success

99 Purposeful Principles to Guide You on the Road to Reaching Your Full Potential

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Purpose Unlimited Blog EntriesView All Posts

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How to Break an Old Habit and Build a New One

The following was originally published January 22, 2001
 By Sondra Whitt 
When we develop a habit or routine, we’re creating a neurological pathway in our brains. Each time we repeat the routine the same way, we strengthen the pathway, or connections between the neurons. This is what creates a habit. The more repetitions, the stronger the connection.
So how do we break an old habit and create a new one? We have to throw a “road block” in the neurological pathway by breaking the routine. When we break the routine, we stimulate the brain to create a new pathway instead of just… Read More

August 5th, 2010 at 9:52am

The 80/15/5 Rule

By Jim Whitt
You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 rule of business — 20% of your customers account for 80% of your revenue. So, you pay close attention to the 20%.
I discovered a variation of this rule years ago that applied to organizational development that I call the 80/15/5 rule of people. It goes like this. 80% of people who work in an organization have a pretty positive attitude and show up at work every day to work hard and do a good job. 15% tend to be lukewarm. They have good days and bad days. 5% are so negative they… Read More

July 27th, 2010 at 7:54am

Medals, Degrees, Diplomas & Scars

By Jim Whitt
“God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas but for scars.” — Elbert Hubbard
In his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl wrote about his experiences as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. Dr. Frankl, a psychiatrist, had developed a theory he called logotherapy. At the core of this theory is the belief that man’s primary motivational force is his search for meaning.
As a Jew in Austria prior to World War II he saw thousands of German Jews being shipped to concentration camps. He had the opportunity to flee Austria… Read More

July 21st, 2010 at 9:13pm

Basement People & Balcony People

By Jim Whitt
“A tough lesson in life that one has to learn is that not everybody wishes you well.” —  Dan Rather 
My friend Becky Teeter shared a book with me written by Joyce Landorf entitled Balcony People. It describes people as either balcony people or basement people. She uses a metaphor comparing life to a glass sphere, much like a fish bowl. In the bottom two thirds of the sphere is dark, murky water. In the top third is clean, fresh air.
The basement people reside in the murk and the mire. They not only are on a dead end street… Read More

July 14th, 2010 at 8:54pm

Don’t Sell Yourself Short

By Jim Whitt
Years ago I attended a writer’s conference where the attendees consisted of people who wanted to be writers and a few people like me who had gotten their feet wet but weren’t quite swimming in the sea of publishing. The conference speakers were those who had already attained varying levels of success as writers.
Attendees could sign up for a one-on-one coaching session with one of the speakers. I had been publishing a weekly faxletter for a couple of years and had an idea my articles could be turned into a book. In my coaching session I shared some… Read More

July 7th, 2010 at 7:41am