The image above is the cover from the Learning Guide for this program

This is the book that comes with this program as an optional extra

Program Summary

Soar . . . If You Dare – 10 Secret Powers to Make Your Dreams Come True! is a program that energizes organizations, inspires people to greatness, and gives individuals the fundamental tools they need to stay positive and be successful.

This program boosts self-confidence and the belief individuals have in themselves, their abilities, and their potential for being great and doing great things. This program recharges and revitalizes teams and organizations. It jolts people out of the doldrums and inspires them beyond negativity and limitation thinking.

This program turns pessimists into optimists, makes believers out of doubters, and transforms dream snatchers into dream sowers. Individuals who attend this program leave inspired and ready to reach for the stars.

This is Jim Ball’s most popular keynote. The content comes from his popular book, Soar . . . If You Dare®.

In addition to Jim’s keynote, we offer half-day and full-day seminars. In the seminars, participants dig deeper into the concepts and techniques and learn more about how they work. In small group exercises, individuals get hands-on experience exploring and applying what they are learning.

We also offer Train-the-Trainer resources for this program.
This program is flexible to meet the size of your group. We have provided programs for groups as small as twenty or so individuals and for large groups of several hundred.

Download a one-page PDF summary of this program.

Frequently Asked Questions

A quick and effective way to tell you more about our It’s About TIME! program is to show you our answers to the questions we are most frequently asked. These questions are listed and answered below.

1. Why did we create this program?
   
   
2. What will this program do for your organization?
   
   
3. What will participants learn?
   
   
4. What are the outcomes of this program? What will participants do differently after attending this program?
   
   
5. What is the content of this program?
   
   
6. What’s so special about this program?
   
   
7. Who should attend this program?
   
   
8. How long is the program?
   
   
9. Who presents this program?
   
   
10. Do you customize this program?
    
    
11. What take-home resources and implementation tools are provided?
    
    
12. What organizations have benefited from this program?
    
    
13. What do people say about this program?
    
    
14. How much is this program?
    
    
15. What do I need to do to make arrangements for this program?
    
    
16. What is your Train-the-Trainer approach and how does it work?
    
    
17. Do I have to have my people attend this program? Can I just buy them book?
    
    
18. Where can I buy Soar . . . If You Dare and how much is it?

1. Why did we create this program?

We created our Soar . . . If You Dare program to inspire passion and fire in the lives of people and their organizations. Our goals are for each person to become aware of his or her potential for greatness; inspire individuals to pursue their potential; and, show people how to dream big dreams and achieve them.

Our underlying motivation for developing and offering our Soar . . . If You Dare program is fourfold.

First, one of our goals is to help people appreciate and achieve their potential. Most people do not recognize, understand, or believe just how great they are. They cannot comprehend how much they could accomplish if they would just try. Many people are coasting. They do just enough to get by. As a result, those individuals and the organizations they are working for are not pursuing or achieving the results they could be achieving. Some individuals may be underperforming so much that they are jeopardizing or hampering their career possibilities and the success of their organizations. We believe our program and message resonates with people and motives them to pursue higher levels of success.

Second, a major obstacle many people face is we live in a world of negativity and limitation thinking and they have come to accept those negative thoughts as the limits of what they can achieve. These mental barriers, coupled with the setbacks and disappointments that people experience, work together to cause individuals to have less confidence than they should have. As a result, they set and achieve only low goals – goals they feel they can achieve safely or with ease. We created our program to identify and point out these obstacles head on, name them, and tell people what they must do to avoid or overcome them.

Third, we created our program to help our clients nurture a positive culture in their organizations and motivate and inspire their people to greatness. We believe the concepts we teach and the tools we provide will help our clients inspire their people and increase their results.

Fourth, while there are many motivational books, programs, and speakers in the market, we believe our perspectives and offering are different. Our approach is built upon a foundation of 10 Secret Powers to Make Your Dreams Come True!. Each of these 10 Secret Powers is an important underlying principle for success that people should know and understand. We use these 10 Secret Powers to inspire people and help them appreciate their potential. We use these 10 Secret to teach them what they must do to be successful.

As Dr. Norman Vincent Peale wrote Jim about Jim’s book, Soar . . . If You Dare, “You are a benefactor to your readers. You tell them what they can become. Then you show them how.”

Background

The original starting point for this program was the unpublished work Oh Great Swami, a fable Jim Ball wrote for his daughters when he was in the venture capital business. Jim wrote this story to convey the key principles he had learned and believed were required for success in one’s career and life. Later, with the encouragement and assistance of his business partner, Jennifer Kuchta, Jim transformed his original fable into a book that presents the core principles he had included in the story. That book is Soar . . . If You Dare and it has been published, updated, and reprinted many times.

Jim initially began speaking about the concepts in Soar . . . If You Dare at the request of a friend, who asked Jim to provide a brief talk on the concepts in the book for a group of mid-level and senior managers. Soon thereafter, another friend made a similar request. Then someone who did not know Jim called and made a similar request.

Encouraged by the feedback of the participants in these programs, Jim polished and began offering his Soar . . . If You Dare keynote presentation to large corporations. Initial clients were AT&T, Dominos’ Pizza, Texaco, Verizon, and Volvo.

During the same time frame, Jim and Jennifer began teaching the principles in Soar . . . If You Dare at George Mason University in a course they created and offered in the management department of the business school. This course was entitled Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset.

Based upon the expanded materials they created for their course at George Mason, Jim and Jennifer subsequently developed the Soar . . . If You Dare seminar for The Goals Institute.

Soar . . . If You Dare is our most requested program. It is available in a variety of formats and comes with a robust set of tools and resources for implementation.

2. What will this program do for your organization?

This program will recharge and revitalize your organization. It will jolt people out of the doldrums and inspire them to get beyond negativity and limitation thinking, and it will inspire them to reach for the stars.

Very importantly, this program will have a long-term and lasting effect. Those who attend will remember the concepts and techniques. They will adopt many of the techniques they learn as good habits and tools for life.

Individuals who attend this program will leave inspired and knowing how to:

• Hold on to their dreams and reach for the stars!
  
  
• Get unstuck if they are stuck!
  
  
• Cast off stress, negativity, and self-doubt
  
  
• Feel better about themselves and reinforce their self-confidence
  
  
• Be more effective and make progress each day
  
  
• Stay happy and positive
  
  
• Fend off toxic people
  
  
• Be more energetic and put more fun into their lives
  
  
• Grow personally and pursue and achieve greater goals

3. What will participants learn?

The most important concept individuals attending a Soar . . . If You Dare program will learn and act upon is that they are greater than they thought they were before they came to the program. They will leave knowing they can achieve near term and lifetime goals and results that they may never have conceived or thought possible. They will also learn that whatever they achieve in life is up to them to achieve. They will appreciate that they are all they need to start and continue their quest for greatness and happiness.

Some specific examples of what individuals who attend this program will learn are:

• 10 proven success strategies for identifying and achieving their true potential in life!
  
  
• How to defeat the 6 Anacondas In Life that likely are holding them back
  
  
• One simple, yet powerful technique for replacing self-doubt with self-confidence
  
  
• The two best techniques ever for increasing daily results
  
  
• How to build stronger relationships with the people they care about most
  
  
• The #1 technique that separates wildly successful people from those who want to be but who are not
  
  
• How to replace bad habits that are holding them back with positive habits that will propel them forward
  
  
• How to dream big dreams and reach for the stars!

4. What are the outcomes of this program? What will participants do differently after attending this program?

There are two big outcomes from this program.

First, the individuals who attend will be inspired and motivated immediately following the program and for a long time afterwards.

Second, they will know about and use concepts and tools that will help keep them and their co-workers motivated and on track. Many people will refer to some of the key concepts they learn in this program throughout their lives, and they will adopt many of the tools as habits.

5. What is the content of this program?

This program content is the 10 Secret Powers to Make Your Dreams Come True! that are in Jim’s book, Soar . . . If You Dare. For keynotes, we cover several, but not all powers. The secret powers covered under these topics are:

1. You are the Whale!

Believing in yourself, taking responsibility for your actions, understanding your potential for greatness, and appreciating the great gifts and abilities you already possess

2. The Anacondas In Life

The obstacles and challenges that come our way in the form of negativity, toxic people, limitation thinking, doubt and despair, and how to avoid them or overcome these negative forces and stay positive

3. Genie Power!

The ability we each have to dream big dreams and really believe in them

4. The Power of Your Choices

The power we each have to create our destinies and become and achieve whatever we desire through the process of setting and achieving specific goals

5. The Power of Your Imagination

Our ability to make our hopes and dreams into tangible realities by first creating vivid mental pictures of what we desire and then holding those images in our minds

6. The Power of Your Actions

What we must do to create a roadmap to guide us and take the actions necessary to get what we want

7. The Power of Your Concentration

The importance of selecting a few things to pursue and sticking with them and the importance of spending our time in uninterrupted chunks

8. The Power of Your Habits

Transforming concepts into skills and skills into habits that keep us on track and guide us to lifetime happiness and success

9. Your Ultimate Secret Power

The importance of helping and caring for others

10. The Sky Is Always Blue

Tomorrow is always another day. Never, never, never quit.

6. What’s so special about this program?

Four things set Soar . . . If You Dare distinctly apart from other motivational and personal growth programs. They are content, Jim Ball’s experiences and know-how, Jim’s stories and examples, and the handouts and resource tools.

Content: The content for Soar . . . If You Dare is the 10 Secret Powers to Make Your Dreams Come True! and all of the related examples, tools, and tips that go along with them.

These are not just ten ideas or concepts that we threw together to create a program. They are not just ten good ideas that are fun to hear about and learn. These are the ten concepts that we believe are the essential keys to success that everyone should know and apply in the pursuit of lifetime success and happiness.

Jim learned and observed these principles of success during his successful careers in public accounting and as a venture capitalist. As one executive said, “Jim knows how to make dreams come true.” Jim took a great deal of time to organize these important concepts into a short list of ten. He then took time to illustrate each concept and develop tools for applying it in plain language.

These 10 Secrets are not casual thoughts or strategies we think are worth a try, they are proven concepts we have seen work repeatedly for many people time and time again.

Jim Ball’s experiences and know-how: Jim has had many business and personal experiences that he calls upon to bring his Soar . . . If You Dare keynotes and our seminars to life.

In addition to the hundreds of clients Jim has served by providing keynotes and seminars, Jim was the founder and CEO of a successful venture capital firm where he helped launch and finance more than twenty new businesses, including the Discovery Channel.

Before that, he was a managing partner at Arthur Andersen. During his career there, he was responsible for leading and developing many managers, partners, and associates and providing services to over 100 companies and organizations including well-recognized companies like Marriott Corporation, and Mars, the candy company. Through observation and his own trial and error, Jim knows what works and does not work in real work environments in real companies that people recognize and know about.

Jim’s stories and examples: In addition to his experiences, Jim has a great ability to translate what he knows and has observed into colorful teaching stories and examples that are full of content and fun to hear. People relate to these stories and make the connection of how to apply the concept in their own lives.

Handouts and resource tools: The handouts and resource tools for Soar . . . If You Dare are unique in many ways.

Each of the 10 Secrets is represented by a unique metaphor that Jim designed and created to capture the essence of the principles involved. Each metaphor is illustrated by a special image that Jim commissioned an artist to draw.

For example, the Anacondas In Life is the second secret. The Anacondas represent a metaphor for all of the negative people and things in life that crush out our dreams, coil around us, hold us back, and take away our breathtaking moments. This metaphor is illustrated by a coiling snake. People vividly remember this metaphor and image and the underlying message it stands for. It would be rare for a person to hear Jim describe the Anacondas In Life and not remember this concept for the rest of their lives! Very few speakers or programs can produce this kind of result.

Also, for Jim’s keynotes and short presentations and as a supplemental handout in our seminars, we provide each participant with an assortment of fun reminders, tools, buttons, cards, and implementation aids in a Tabula Rasa envelope. We call these our Fun Packs because people have so much fun opening the surprise envelope and seeing all the goodies and free tools inside.

In addition, the Learning Guides we use in our seminar/workshops are chock full of stories, quotes, notes, and exercises that make learning the Soar . . . If You Dare material exciting, memorable, and fun. These Learning Guides are great for use during our seminars, and they include supplemental material for review and guidance after the program.

7. Who should attend this program?

Soar . . . If You Dare is a fantastic program with universal appeal for anyone in any situation.

Jim has presented this program as a keynote for presidents and senior leaders in organizations as well as individuals at the entry level. He has provided keynotes at the opening and closing of conventions and as a presentation or seminar for leadership groups.

Organizations have had Jim provide this program to build morale, eliminate negativity, and inspire creativity and big thinking. He has provided this presentation for groups that have had to lead their organizations through rapid growth, dramatic change, and downsizing, too.

We have provided Soar . . . If You Dare seminars and workshops for current and emerging leaders and managers, for individuals just beginning their careers, and for students at both the college and high school levels.

8. How long is the program?

We offer three program options.

Option 1 is a keynote presentation ranging from 45 minutes to 90 minutes. During a keynote, each of the 10 Secret Powers to Make Your Dreams Come True! in Soar . . . If You Dare is explained and illustrated with stories and examples.

Option 2 is a half-day seminar ranging from 3 to 4 hours. During a half-day seminar, each of the 10 Secrets is explained and illustrated with stories and examples. Participants work individually and in small groups to do a variety of exercises that drive home the concepts, techniques, and key points.

Option 3 is a full-day seminar ranging from 5 to 7½ hours. In addition to the content of the half-day seminar above, participants work in small groups to identify and discuss the unique challenges and opportunities they may be facing. They then discuss how they can use what they have learned to address problems and difficulties and pursue opportunities.

9. Who presents this program?

Jim Ball presents Soar . . . If You Dare as a keynote. Our Soar . . . If You Dare workshops are presented by both Jim Ball and Jennifer Kuchta.

James R. Ball, Jim to everyone, is CEO and president of The Goals Institute. He provides keynote speeches and seminars on leadership, goal achievement, motivation, professionalism, customer service, and performance improvement for clients.

Jim is the author of Soar...If You Dare®, DNA Leadership through Goal-Driven Management, The Entrepreneur's Tool Kit, ABCs for Life, and Professionalism Is for Everyone. He is the co-author with Jennifer Kuchta of World-Class Customer Service and It's About TIME!

Jim previously was co-founder and CEO of Venture America, a venture capital firm that helped launch and develop twenty companies, including The Discovery Channel. Before that, he was a managing partner at Arthur Andersen.

Jennifer is co-author with Jim Ball of World-Class Customer Service and It's About TIME!

Previously Jennifer oversaw finance, administration, investor relations, and services and support of portfolio companies at Venture America.

For more information about Jim and Jennifer, click here.

10. Do you customize this program?

Yes we do.

We customize and prepare for all of our programs by talking on the telephone with the meeting sponsors and a few people who will be attending the program to learn about current priorities, challenges, and opportunities. We then use stories and examples during the program that match the work and environment of those who will be attending. We also adjust the timetable of the program to place emphasis where it is needed most.

11. What take-home resources and implementation tools are provided?

We offer a variety of resources and implementation tools for this program and the specific items provided depend upon the program objectives, length of time available, and other factors. The primary resources and tools we offer are:

• Soar . . . If You Dare Executive Summary – for keynote presentations. This is a 5 x 7, 4-color, 8-page summary of the key principles.
  
  
• Soar . . . If You Dare Learning Guide – for half-day and longer seminars. This is an 8½ by 11, 4-color, 28-page Learning Guide that is used during half-day or longer programs.
  
  
• Soar…If You Dare book. This softbound 270-page book presents the ten key principles.
  
  
• Tabula Rasa! Fun Pack – used in keynotes and seminars. This is an envelope containing a variety of reminder cards, implementation tools, and fun items that reinforce the core Soar . . . If You Dare concepts.

12. What organizations have benefited from this program?

This is Jim’s most requested keynote and is one of our most popular seminars. We have provided Soar . . . If You Dare keynotes, seminars, and workshops for hundreds of organizations of all types and sizes and in many industries. A few examples are below.

Large Corporations

• ARAMARK
• Ernst & Young LLP
• ExxonMobil
• Freddie Mac
• GE Medical
• Landstar
• Marriott
• McDonald’s
• Nabisco
• Verizon

Mid-sized and Smaller Businesses

• Alternative Behavioral Services
• Don Richard Associates of Tidewater
• Golbon
• Miller Oil Company
• Pressed4Time

Associations

• American Specialty Toy Retailers Association
• Association of School Business Officials
• Financial Women International
• Institute for Real Estate Management
• National Association of Securities Dealers
• Optical Society of America
• Property Management Association

Government

• Bureau of Census
• Department of Interior
• Internal Revenue Service
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Department of the Treasury

13. What do people say about this program?

“A standing ovation is a rarity at an ASTRA event. In fact, I think yours was the first! Your presentation was awesome. The balance between content, inspiration, and fun was masterful. I know that you have inspired us all to set bigger goals and really achieve them.”—American Specialty Toy Retailers Association

“Thank you for making “WOW” the first word we thought of upon hearing your superb presentation. We were extraordinarily impressed with you. Feel free to give my name as a reference to those interested in having a highly motivational speaker who has a powerful and practical message to deliver.”―Financial Women International

“Your program was the catalyst that enabled each of us to push the envelope of our modest accomplishments to levels never before conceived.” —Don Richard Associates

“Thank you so much for delivering such an exciting and motivational speech for our convention!!” —ExxonMobil

“From the very beginning with working with your staff, to all the preparations and time you spent with us on how our office ticks and finally to the program, everything was perfect and first class. Your program touched our hearts, our minds, and our spirits.” —Nabisco

“As genetic Red Sox fans we love to see home runs and you whacked one. Our Strategic Partners are not easily pleased when it comes to conference speakers, they feel motivation is nice but quickly forgotten so they better be able to walk away with something they can use, and they did. Their evaluations at the end of the conference indicated you were one of the high points . . .thanks Jim.” ―Pressed4Time

“Your adaptation of Soar . . . If You Dare® to our theme made the presentation all the more effective. It was so compelling people here are slaying ‘anacondas’ left and right. Your ability to establish a rapport with the group and make your inspirational message actionable are remarkable.” —National Association of Securities Dealers

“Soar . . . If You Dare® received the highest ratings of our three-day program. It gave attendees a down-to-earth approach to overcoming obstacles and facing challenges.” —U.S. Department of Treasury

“Attendee reactions to your program was unanimous. You were a hit, scoring a 4.9 out of a possible 5. Your program was among the highest rated in PMA’s history.” ―Property Management Association

“I am not exaggerating when I say that this year’s conference was the best in its ten-year history. I attribute it largely to your efforts. Your leadership sessions were informative, entertaining, provocative, and high-energy. …we are already using the lessons and principles that you shared.” ―U.S. Department of the Treasury

 “I was hoping that your message would be timely and on target but with speakers you just never know. Well, I was pleasantly surprised! Not only did your speech hit the target but it was, as the British would say, “Spot On.” Your message and the manner in which you delivered it was so appropriate. You hit the attendees right between the eyes with the message of removing the stranglehold that people can have on their dreams.” ―Association of School Business Officials International

“Your program has helped us regain focus at a time crucial to meeting owners’ objectives. The fact that you reinforced our company’s sentiments that we have to “set ourselves on fire” and find the “hidden powers within ourselves” to be successful, helped us to obtain a better understanding of our roles as leaders of site teams. I’ve heard nothing but positive comments on your program and requests to have you back again.” ―Community Realty Management, Inc.

“Your program, Soar . . . If You Dare®, proved to be the highlight of the Conference; it was the topic of discussion by all in attendance. Your program not only fit the bill educationally, it was very entertaining.” ―Institute of Real Estate Management

“You did a great job at our Convention. You were highly praised in every comment I received, including comments from our Chairman, President, and CEO.” ―Landstar

“Your presentation was the highlight of our conference and provided an extremely positive and inspiring sendoff. The energy and “pure magic” transmitted through the ideas and strategies you gave each participant were electrifying.” —Internal Revenue Service

14. How much is this program?

We believe our Soar . . . If You Dare programs quickly pay for themselves through the increased energy, enthusiasm, and effectiveness of those who attend. This is not only in the short term, but also over the long-term as well as many people will continue to remember and use what they learn in this program for the rest of their lives.

Our Soar . . . If You Dare programs come complete with the handouts and tools described above. Our program fees vary depending upon the number of people who will be attending, the venue, date, time, length of the program, and the location.

We would be happy to provide you a quote for a Soar . . . If You Dare keynote or seminar for your organization. See the next section below for information on obtaining a quote for the program you are considering.

15. What do I need to do to make arrangements for this program?

We would be happy to answer any questions you have and provide you a no obligation quote for a Soar . . . If You Dare keynote or seminar for your organization.

Please call us at 703-264-2000 or send us an email and let us know:

1. What is your name, title, and organization?
   
   
2. What is the size of the group you are considering this program for and what to the individuals do?
   
   
3. Are you considering a keynote, half-day, or full-day program?
   
   
4. What are the dates and times you are considering currently?
   
   
5. What is the location for your meeting?

16. What is your Train-the-Trainer approach and how does it work?

In addition to providing keynotes and seminars on Soar . . . If You Dare, The Goals Institute offers Train-the-Trainer resources and support for organizations that want to offer this workshop themselves using their own trainers and facilitators.

The resources available include Facilitator's Guides for use in teaching Soar . . . If You Dare and facilitating the workshop, Learning Guides for participants in the program, PowerPoint® slides, and other teaching aids – everything you need to provide this workshop in your organization, all at affordable prices.

Pricing Information and Summary of Trainer Resources

We would be happy to provide pricing information and email you a Summary of Trainer Resources we offer for organizations that want to facilitate a learning program on this topic for their employees.

Just send us an email identifying the name of your company, your name and position, and the program or programs you would like to learn more about. Click here to email us.

17. Do I have to have my people attend this program? Can I just buy them the book?

If the individuals in your organization can’t attend our Soar . . . If You Dare seminar, we recommend investing in the book. Just giving the book to everyone in your organization will make a big difference in the attitudes that people have and in the way they approach their work and life.

18. Where can I buy Soar . . . If You Dare and how much is it?

We currently are out of the softbound copy of Soar . . . If You Dare. It is being reprinted. We have the original hardback version available for $21.95. Order below.


Click here to order Soar . . . If You Dare.

Just $3 for Shipping and Delivery: To simplify things, for shipments inside the Continental U.S. we charge a flat $3 shipping charge for each order to one location, no matter how many books you buy. If you are outside the Continental U.S. we will email you a quote for the shipping cost before we ship your order.

We ship single books and small orders by US Postal service and other orders by UPS. Orders are shipped the day received or the next business day. If you want overnight or special delivery, please email or call us.

Thank you for your interest in our program and resources.