This article appeared in 2024 MMA Operations Conference event program. Learn more about MMA events.

Dale Carnegie, the “father” of the Self-Help Movement, began his formal work and research in human behavior in 1912. He pondered the questions of what differentiated happy, successful people from those that were not happy or successfully fulfilled.

During the 1910s he learned that the two things people were most concerned about in the United States was their health and their relationships with other people. Here we are, over one-hundred years later, and people’s top concerns are still their health and their relationships with other people. Even with the advent of technological advances in fields like Artificial Intelligence, our concern is still for our health, our wellbeing and our relationships with people.

Through his research, Dale Carnegie found humans are creatures of emotion at their core and use logic to support their feelings. When we understand this, it truly helps us to put ourselves and artificial intelligence into perspective. Artificial intelligence is logic. We must ask ourselves how we will utilize this logic to help us feel that we are leading a better life.

To do this, you must first define what a better life is for yourself. Create the clearest vision you can for yourself, understand the feelings living out that vision will create within you. Dale Carnegie found that you must first have the confidence to believe in yourself to act on your vision. It all begins with the confidence within you.

Once you have found your confidence, your next step is to ask yourself do I know “how” to make that vision a reality which in turn will create the feelings you desire once achieved. This is now when you seek the knowledge and leverage tools, like artificial intelligence, to help you build a plan for you to act on.

You will need to remind yourself of the feelings you will have once you reach your vision to keep yourself motivated on your journey and stay the course.

About the Author

Phil Zeller is the Owner/CEO Dale Carnegie SW Michigan. He may be reached at phil.zeller@dalecarnegie.com.

Phil Zeller was a speaker at the 2024 MMA Operations Conference. Learn more about MMA events.

Dale Carnegie Training offered by Ralph Nichols Group Inc. is an MMA Premium Associate Member and has been an MMA member company since November 2021. Visit online: dalecarnegie.com/en/locations/sw-michigan.