Ralph Zuranski:
What is your definition
of heroism?
Alex Mandossian:
The definition of
heroism to me is leading
from behind. Let me give
you some examples. A
mother leads from
behind. A quarterback
leads from behind. A
great general leads from
behind. A President or a
Prime Minister leads
from behind. Gandhi led
from behind. Jesus led
from behind.
Alex Mandossian:
I don’t care what
spiritual influence
you’ve ever had in your
life, whether its
Mohamed, Confucius or
anyone else, any person.
The great leaders, the
great heroes, who are
leaders in my view,
always lead from
behind.
Alex Mandossian:
Sometimes their
leadership quality is
anonymous and sometimes
not, but I believe that
is the best definition.
It is someone who leads
from behind and does it
for the sake of
leadership and not for
the sake of gaining
notoriety.
Ralph Zuranski:
Who are the HEROES in
your life?
Alex Mandossian:
Like Napoleon Hill, I
had many heroes.
Usually the heroes faced
their own adversity.
For example, the
Rothschilds! Here’s a
family that grew up in
the Jewish ghetto and
all the sudden they
became millionaires then
became billionaires
because they never gave
up.
Alex Mandossian:
There’s that speech that
Winston Churchill once
uttered which was “Never
ever give up!” It was at
a commencement ceremony.
I believe at Harvard or
Yale. I forget which
University, but that’s
all he said. That was
the key to life for
him. That was his key
to success. Winston
Churchill was a great,
and still is a great
example for me.
Alex Mandossian:
Abraham Lincoln! There
is another leader from
behind…what he did for
this country, abolishing
slavery and having the
leadership quality of
humility, you know, a
great, great leader
Alex Mandossian:
Stephen Covey, is a
great example. Here’s a
person who was nothing
more than an obscure
professor at Brigham
Young University. Look
what he did because his
teachings were so
principle-centered that
people embraced them. He
became a
multi-millionaire just
teaching, as an
academic…not even as a
marketer but as
academic.
Alex Mandossian:
He really had two
different reasons for
that. I believe Stephen
M.R. Covey, his eldest
son, had a lot of
influence with that. My
good friend Greg Link,
who was Stephen Covey
Senior’s handler, had a
lot to do with it.
Alex Mandossian:
These are leaders who
are alive and heroes for
me because they are here
and they are people I
can count on.
Alex Mandossian:
Mark Victor Hanson is a
hero. You know some
people look at him and
in doing business with
him they say “Wow, he
has so many ideas! Does
he have marketing ADD?”
Alex
Mandossian:
I don’t know if he does
or doesn’t. But, I know
he is one of the most
brilliant minds I
personally know and have
met because there’s so
many ideas that fled
through his mind.
Alex
Mandossian:
He’s a starter. What he
needs is a finisher. And
that’s what Jack
Canfield is and always
has been. Jack Canfield
is another hero of mine
because they get stuff
done.
Alex
Mandossian:
There are these teams of
leaders.
Alex
Mandossian:
For example, I am a
finisher and Armand
Morin is a starter.
Armand is a hero even
though he is a
colleague.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, there doesn’t have
to be a “no longer with
us” definition for
heroes. These guys are
alive and well. They are
still heroes in your
eyes because of the roll
they play in your life.
Alex
Mandossian:
Sometimes a hero has
hero qualities that you
don’t know about. Once
you observe it quietly,
then you say “Wow, I
really like this guy.”
I had the chance and the
good fortune to speak on
the platform with T.
Harv Eker. He gets so
many people in the
audience. I mean, 2,500
or 3,000 people. This
particular event had
about 600 people and it
was a small event for
him. It was my first
event with Harv so I
didn’t really know his
philosophies and what he
really, really, really
thought, you know,
behind the curtain.
Alex Mandossian:
I was just astonished at
the love he has, for his
audience. He would call
me up and he would say
“Are they getting it?
Are they getting it?“
What are they missing?
What is the disconnect?
What can we do to
improve this?”
Alex
Mandossian:
And he’s telling me this
as I’m speaking and I’m
thinking, “Man! I wish
I could be broadcasting
this.” and I am right
now so Harv, if you’re
listening I hope you’re
smiling because I love
the man that you are.
You really care about
your students and your
colleges and I really
appreciate and admirer
that.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, these are some of
the people in my life.
There are many, many
more who I haven’t
mentioned like Les
Brown, Brian Tracey and
Joe Polish. Joe Polish
is one of my heroes.
He’s younger than I am.
He shares my wife’s
birthday, to the day.
Both parents, both
mothers were giving
birth the same day in
history.
Alex
Mandossian:
You know I don’t know
what that’s about but
what I do know is that
it is most important to
me. Joe is a loyal
friend and he is a hero.
And loyalty has a lot to
do with being a hero to
me.
Alex
Mandossian:
Predictability and trust
are important. Trust to
me is about
predictability, and this
is not a segue. This I
believe has a lot of
relevance If there’s a
dog that I know will
bite my hand, I trust
that dog, because I know
that dog will bite.
Alex
Mandossian:
So I don’t put my hand
in the vicinity of the
dogs mouth. If I can
trust that the dog will
not bite me and will
lick my hand, then I pet
the dog. The dog will
get my petting maybe
underneath her mouth or
tapping on his or her
head because I trust the
dog. The dog is
predictable.
Alex
Mandossian:
But, if I cannot predict
the dog; if the dog
bites or if the dog
licks, and I don’t even
know if that’s going to
happen or not, then I
don’t trust the dog. I
have a distrust for that
dog. There’s no
judgment. I just
distrust the dog because
the dog is no longer
predicable.
Alex
Mandossian:
So I believe
predictability creates
distrust and that’s what
a great leader is. A
great leader is someone
you can trust because
they are predictable.
Alex
Mandossian:
If someone is
chronically late then I
trust that they are
going to be chronically
late and I show up 15 to
20 minutes late.
Alex
Mandossian:
You see? So you adapt.
I kind of get upset and
it gets on my nerves
when I hear people talk
about judging trust.
Like, “I don’t trust
them.” And I say “Why?”
Alex
Mandossian:
Because he is a good
person or he is not a
good person. Trust is
about predictability.
It has nothing to do
with good or bad, in my
view.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, I hope that nugget
means a lot to others
because it means leading
a cleaner life and
you’ll get along with
more people who are
chronically late and are
predictable only they
are predictable in
different ways.
Alex
Mandossian:
Ralph, you are one of my
heroes for putting this
program together.
Ralph Zuranski:
What is your perspective
on goodness, ethics and
moral behavior?
Alex
Mandossian:
Goodness, ethics and
moral behavior to me is
predictability. If I
can predict you, you
maintain your
agreements, you live
with integrity, which to
me means keeping your
agreements, then, I
trust you. There are no
small agreements. There
are no small
commitments. If you
maintain those, then
that to me is what it’s
all about. That is what
makes a relationship
worthwhile. I can
predict and therefore I
can trust.
Ralph Zuranski:
What principles are you
willing to sacrifice
your life for?
Alex
Mandossian:
For me, the people I
trust and love the most
are the members of my
family…Gabriel and
Brianna, my two kids,
and my wife Amy. It
wasn’t always that way.
You know, I’ve fallen
from grace and have not
given them the attention
they have deserved.
Alex
Mandossian:
In fact, I probably
would have lost my
marriage if I would have
stayed in New York and
stayed the workaholic
that I was. In looking
at my relationships, my
family is most important
because they’ve allowed
me a certain lifestyle.
My wife, Amy, has
coached me to live a
certain life. Lifestyle
is important.
Alex
Mandossian:
I’d like to take one 1
week vacation every
quarter. That is not
easy to do. I take off
1 week, so every 12
weeks that’s 1 week
off.
Alex
Mandossian:
That is not easy but I
have been pulling it off
and do I work hard?
Yes, some days I work 6
hours a day, today I am
working 4 hours.
Alex
Mandossian:
Last week I was
preparing for a seminar
and I was working 20
hour days to prepare for
it. I was given the
curriculum last minute
so I was working round
the clock to get
prepared. You know with
my seminars there are
handouts and things so I
wanted to make sure
everything was set so
sometimes you’ve got to
power through the
obstacles.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, for me, since
family’s most important,
I try to revolve
everything around them.
At 7 AM, my son Gabriel
comes through the door.
At 7:10 AM, my daughter
Brianna comes through
the door and whether I
am on the phone or not
they take precedent.
Alex
Mandossian:
It happened this
morning. Someone called
me at 7 AM. Between 7
AM and 8 AM those are
not prime time hours for
me. So, when my kids
came through the door, I
excused myself from the
phone.
Alex
Mandossian:
I came back to my office
chair and they sat on my
knee. They were making
noises in the background
as I was talking. Now,
the person on the other
end had a problem with
that and I am willing to
sacrifice that
relationship. Its not
that I have a problem
with them, I totally
respect them having a
problem with that but, I
have to pick, you know,
what is most important.
Ralph Zuranski:
How Important Is
Loyalty.
Alex
Mandossian:
Another thing I will
choose, and I will die
for, is the sense of
loyalty from friends and
colleagues.
Alex
Mandossian:
I believe a deal is
easier to find. A good
relationship is not.
Finding someone with
common sense and loyalty
is in the top one
percentile.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, looking and hunting
for this, and I have, I
feel like I have a great
team of people. They
have made the cut and I
have to stick to my
agreements. Otherwise, I
am hypocritical under
pressure, if I’m not
maintaining what I’m
looking for.
Alex
Mandossian:
I will give up a deal if
it means sacrificing a
relationship. I will
not do a deal if it’s
going to hurt a
relationship.
Alex
Mandossian:
I’ve gone as far as
telling someone I am
going into competition
with them. Unknown to
me, I didn’t know that
they were in the deal.
Alex Mandossian:
I told them “Hey, im
going to do this deal.
Do you have a problem
with it?” They said,
“Yes. I do have a
problem with it.” I
stopped and they went on
to make a lot of money
and I didn’t.
Alex
Mandossian:
There have been
situations where they
went into competition
with me after they knew
that I was doing what I
was doing. They didn’t
ask me. They ended up
making a lot of money as
a result of the sweat
off my back. But, you
know what? Its not a
conditional thing when
I’m calling them up and
I say “I’m going in to
competition with you.”
Or, “We are doing the
same thing, do you
mind?” They’re giving
me “Yes, I do mind.”
Ralph Zuranski:
When was the lowest
point in your life and
how did you change your
life path to one of
victory over all
obstacles?
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, Ralph, I’m very
lucky. I’ve only had one
really low point and it
happened early in my
life. I was 25 and I
had lost everything,
which in this case was a
little over a quarter
million dollars. The way
I overcame that was
simple.
Alex
Mandossian:
I read biographies of
other self-made
millionaires and
billionaires and the one
pattern that keeps
reoccurring over and
over again was, “They
had it. They lost it.
They got it back again.”
Alex
Mandossian:
Usually, it happens two
and three times. I have
been very fortunate. It
only has happened once.
So, my low point, other
than death in the family
of people I absolutely
loved, which is a
natural thing to occur,
I had one low point
financially.
Alex
Mandossian:
It happened in 1989 and
I overcame it. It took
about 3 years to
overcome it emotionally
and 6 years to overcome
financially. I believe
I’m a better business
person as a result of
it. If I see it
happening to someone
else, I’m usually one of
the first to stick my
hand out because I
remember the pain and
the humiliation of the
whole process.
Ralph Zuranski:
Do you have a dream or
vision that sets the
course of your life?
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, the dream or
vision for me is to
maintain humility
despite my success. It
is really easy to get
cocky in this business
and I often do. My wife
Amy reminds me I’m a
monkey just like
everybody else.
Maintaining that level
of humility, I mean true
humility not false
humility, is difficult.
Alex
Mandossian:
I mean true, true
humility…boundary based
humility. That is the
biggest challenge that I
face every single day as
success comes to me more
and more.
Alex
Mandossian:
Success is momentum
based! I mean, it’s very
funny, but it
accelerates. Success
accelerates.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, as it is
accelerating for me
right now, I feel as
though I deserve it. I
am grateful for the
people who assisted me
to get here.
Alex
Mandossian:
I have had people who
feel they’re absolutely
responsible to be the
only ones who got me
here. I don’t
necessarily disagree
with them, but I like to
give credit where credit
is due.
Alex
Mandossian:
There were many people
involved. I’ve done my
part too. My brand has
been to deliver
content. It’s difficult
for anyone to say after
listening to me speak
that I don’t deliver
content.
Alex
Mandossian:
I’ve had a commitment to
content. I know what
content feels like. I
know what it sounds
like. I’ve always wanted
to hear it from others
who taught me so I do my
absolute best. I think I
do meet that criteria.
Alex
Mandossian:
I have set for myself to
deliver and over deliver
on content. So, as long
as I continue to do
that, and maintain
humility, and not get
cocky and arrogant about
it, then I think my
family will do well and
I think I will do well.
Ralph Zuranski:
Do you take a positive
view of setbacks,
misfortunes and
mistakes?
Alex
Mandossian:
I think a positive view
is important but a
positive view is
judgment. I think a
realistic view or an
accountable view is more
like the language I
would use.
Alex
Mandossian:
Accountability is
acceptance. In any
twelve step program
recovering from any
disease always starts
with acceptance. A
power greater than
yourself is going to
make these things happen
in your life. It doesn’t
have to be recovering
from any “ism,” whether
its “workaholism” or
“over-eatingism” or
“alcoholism” or “drug
addiction” or any kind
of “ism” that is out
there.
Alex
Mandossian:
What’s important is in
looking at how to have
an outlook on what’s
happening in your life
towards the road to
success which I am
assuming everyone
wants. It’s looking at
it from an accountable
view.
Alex
Mandossian:
The only beef I have
with people who teach
self-improvement and
personal development is
many times their
students are almost
urged to be
unrealistic. They’re
shooting for the moon
when they should really
be shooting for the
clouds. Okay! What ends
up happening is that
they are overcharged on
their credit cards
because they have these
dilutions of grandeur.
They keep getting deeper
and deeper in “doo doo!”
It’s not necessary.
Alex
Mandossian:
What’s necessary is to
know, “hey, this is my
budget.” Instead of
saying, “I cant afford
it!”
You can say, “Its not in
my budget!” You can move
on and be very
realistic.
Alex
Mandossian:
I believe in spending
100% of what I make! I
just spend in my
investment account. I
spend in my play
account. I spend into my
expense account and so
on and so fourth.
Alex
Mandossian:
I manipulated in my mind
so that it seems good
and it feels good and I
just reword things so
accountability is what I
look at and knowing
where I’m at. That is
the single most
important thing.
Alex
Mandossian:
If you are on a plane
and you crash in the
middle of the Sahara
desert and you’re the
only survivor, once you
get the food and the
water to survive, the
single most important
thing you need to know
is if your going to make
it to Cairo.
Alex
Mandossian:
Can you make it and live
on the two weeks worth
of water and food that
you have as the only
survivor? You have to
know where you are at.
You have to know where
you are at because if
you’re running east
looking for a sunset,
you got a big problem.
Alex Mandossian:
Ralph Zuranski:
What is your concept of
optimism?
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, optimism to me is
that there is hope! If
you look at the great
spiritual leaders in
history, Confucius,
Muhammad, Moses, Jesus,
or some of the more
contemporary leaders,
even those who have not
had any spiritual basis
and have had a negative
impact on society
through war and toil,
they all sell the same
thing. They are all
promoting one thing.
Alex
Mandossian:
It’s a four letter word
and it’s called HOPE!
They sell hope.
Optimism is about hope.
Hope is sold in various
different ways. Hoping
there is a better way
leads to something else
which is expectation.
Alex
Mandossian:
I believe the lowest
level is having hope.
That’s the starting
point. Then it goes to
expectation.
Alex
Mandossian:
Now, when I ask you to
hope to have something,
that is a whole
different frame of mind
than expecting to get
it. But, it has to start
with hope. It has to
start with a seed of
hope. Then it leads to
expectation. So that is
optimism…going from
hope, to expectation to
having an optimistic
point of view.
Ralph Zuranski:
Do you have the courage
to pursue new ideas?
Alex
Mandossian::
Well
courage, as Mark Twain
or Sam Clemens said, “Is
not absence of fear.
Courage is mastery of
fear, a resistance of
fear.”
Alex
Mandossian:
You must be fearful,
otherwise you won’t be
self preserving. So, if
courage means resistance
to fear or mastery or
fear, as I believe it
is, then bottom line is,
it does take courage.
Alex
Mandossian:
You have fear and you
just beat the fear you
have. Okay! Now let’s
say for example, I made
a mistake during this
interview. I’m just
going to tell on myself,
you called me and I
forgot to put the call
waiting on hold. Okay,
so I’m going to do it
right now so we don’t
have anymore
interruptions.
Alex
Mandossian:
When I call someone, I
usually do it. But, I
didn’t do it when you
called me because I just
forgot. So, then we have
these little
interruptions.
Alex
Mandossian:
Okay, now by stating
that, “I didn’t put the
call waiting on hold”
we’ve had a few
interruptions. You heard
the beeps. I am now
telling on myself. By
telling on myself, that
makes me human. Somehow
I think it breads more
trust.
Alex
Mandossian:
Now I didn’t do it on
purpose. So, I could
state it but here’s an
opportunity, and I’m
taking advantage of it,
and it allows me to
exhibit humility,
because I am a little
bit ashamed that this is
happening, because, this
is exactly what I teach
people not to do during
a call.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, hang on a
second….Okay, so what I
did is I pressed the
flash button, I pressed
* 70. Now we wont have
anymore interruptions.
So I saw the problem. I
took accountability. I
just solved it. So from
hope, to expectation to
optimism in real time,
how’s that?
Ralph Zuranski:
Were you willing to
experience discomfort in
the pursuit of your
dream?
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, to me discomfort
is delayed gratification
and those two words are
the key to success.
Delayed gratification,
if you can accept
delayed gratification
you will be successful.
Alex
Mandossian:
Think about the concept
of compounded interest.
It’s just as easy to
make one dollar and
compound the interest as
you have two dollars, as
it is to go from one
million to two million.
It’s just doubling your
investment.
Alex
Mandossian:
However, going from one
to two dollars, is not
as significant as going
from one million to two
million. Now, you had
to delay some
gratification to get two
million bucks, in most
cases.
Alex
Mandossian:
To double your net
worth, if you have a
thousand bucks net
worth, then you can make
two thousand. Then from
two thousand you go to
four…four to eight,
eight to sixteen. Then
you are going to go from
a hundred thousand to
two- hundred,
two-hundred to four,
four-hundred to
eight-hundred. Finally
you can get to one
million.
Alex
Mandossian:
But, how long does it
take to double your net
worth? It requires
delayed gratification.
Alex
Mandossian:
Now, here’s what’s
awesome, because there’s
a certain standard of
living, if you wait a
few years, sometimes a
dozen years, sometimes
three years, it took me
about three years to
become a multi
millionaire.
Alex
Mandossian:
I am very fortunate, but
some people it may take
ten or twenty years.
Some people it may take
forty years. It doesn’t
matter.
Alex
Mandossian:
Once you reach
millionaire status, you
could have twice as much
money, which is the same
jump from one to two
dollars, ten to twenty
bucks in the same time
period, but you will
have an extra million
bucks.
Alex
Mandossian:
It requires delayed
gratification for that
to happen. Now, if you
can have that accepted
in your life, then you
will be successful. No
question! That’s one of
the traits I have
noticed among
multi-millionaires and
billionaires. They are
willing to deal with
delayed gratification as
they ascend the hill of
prosperity.
Ralph Zuranski:
Did you believe your
dreams would eventually
become reality?
Alex
Mandossian:
The only way you can
delay gratification is
to have the power of
belief working for you.
See, “What is faith?”
Alex
Mandossian:
Faith or belief is not
knowing that you’re
going to get from point
A to point B. I refuse
to believe that that’s
the definition of faith
or having a belief.
Alex
Mandossian:
It’s not knowing your
going to get from point
A to point B. Its just
simply knowing that
there is a point B, that
it exists. That’s what
faith, or belief is.
Alex
Mandossian:
There’s just simply a
point B. “When will I
get to it? Who knows?”
Alex
Mandossian:
In the path that is the
quickest it is not a
straight line. A
straight line never
works. You know, the
shortest distance
between two points is
not a straight line.
Alex
Mandossian:
That’s not the way the
universe works. It’s
the path of least
resistance, and that may
be going around a
mountain. But, the
bottom line is that you
get to it because it’s
the least resistant.
Alex
Mandossian:
For me, my belief in
something means, “Ok,
how can I make my first
dollar the fastest?”
Alex
Mandossian:
My good friend, mentor,
colleague, business
friend and partner, John
Reese, says, “How do you
make your first
dollar?”
Alex
Mandossian:
For me, it’s not only
making your first
dollar, its making your
first dollar the fastest
possible way because
that is a feed back
system. Its giving you
evidence that what you
are doing works.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, don’t work on the
biggest idea you have!
Work on your first
dollar. You’ll be amazed
at how much more belief
and faith you have in
yourself.
Ralph Zuranski:
How were you able to
overcome your doubts and
fears?
Alex
Mandossian:
Model those who have
also had shortcomings in
their lives and have had
fears and doubts.
Interview them. Find
out how they overcame
it.
Alex
Mandossian:
They have a recipe for
success. They have a
recipe for overcoming
failure. They find for
themselves what fails.
Discovering as fast as
you can is good.
Alex
Mandossian:
Failing slowly is bad.
So, interview people who
have failed. Interview
people and study people
who have had success.
You will find lots of
failure along the way.
Ralph Zuranski:
Who helped give you the
willpower to change
things in you life for
the better?
Alex
Mandossian:
My wife is the biggest
influence in my life.
She just is! I’m closest
to her. I live with
her. She has been very
significant in raising
our kids. I admire her
and if you know me or if
you don’t know me and
get to know me you know
that that’s not fluff
Alex
Mandossian:
I’m not saying this for
the “In Search Of Heroes
Program’s” benefit or
for Ralph Zuranski’s
benefit. That is the
truth. Nothing is as
persuasive as the
truth. So, I am
fortunate enough to have
what I want and want
what I have, which to me
is the definition of
happiness.
Alex
Mandossian:
She is the one I look up
to most because she
taught me how to be
truly intimate with
others. I mean, you can
love someone, you can
communicate well, but
there are other people
out there with intimacy
issues.
Alex Mandossian:
Both in marketing and
personal life, she
taught me how to really,
really want what I have
and to really be
intimate with myself as
well as with others.
So, she is the one I
look up to.
Ralph Zuranski:
Do you readily forgive
those who upset, offend
and oppose you?
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, when you forgive
someone you’re not doing
it for their benefit in
my view your doing it
for yours. You are just
letting that go, the
spiritual baggage that
you have created, the
drama around that
discontent or that upset
that you have, whatever
it may be.
Alex
Mandossian:
You know when you let
that go you release
yourself from the ball
and chain that is
keeping you down in
holding a grudge. So
forgiveness is not for
them, it’s for you.
Alex Mandossian:
I believe that it’s
extremely important and
powerful to forgive.
Forgive, what does it
mean, to give up. To
give up a grudge, give
up discontent, give up a
pet peeve, just give it
up, and when you do you
become free. You are
released from the
shackles of that
spiritual binding that’s
keeping you down. You
can grow again.
Ralph Zuranski:
Do you experience
service to others as a
source of joy?
Alex
Mandossian:
It’s a source of love.
Giving to others is the
greatest source of love
in the universe. There
is no other word for
it. It’s not respect,
its not admiration, it
is love.
Alex
Mandossian:
I know by serving others
I take my mind off
myself which feeds my
humility which is nice
because that’s one of my
goals. It takes my
focus away from me. I
focus on me enough,
believe me, I’m all I
think about sometimes.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, I think giving is
not only a positive
force in life and within
universal laws but I
think it’s why people
teach because in giving
there is a sense of joy
that comes up. You are
willing, or at least I
am, to do it for its own
sake. I mean, if I
could I would teach
forever for free, if
there was no
capitalistic basis for
livelihood.
Alex
Mandossian:
If abundance, a lot of
times, was not measured
by personal wealth in
the form of money then I
would teach for free. I
often do, but the fact
is, I often have
boundaries with what I
teach.
Alex
Mandossian:
I’m seeking the truth in
marketing and with my
followers, students and
colleges who are
typically business
people. I’m a business
to business teacher. I
do love to teach because
it keeps me sharp. It
gives me feedback. I get
acknowledgement for it
too.
Alex
Mandossian:
I think I’m pretty good
at it. I’m wired for
acknowledgement just
like anybody else. So,
in teaching, when
someone says “Wow that
made a big difference”
sometimes I chase that
feeling.
Alex
Mandossian:
DeBeers, the diamond
cutting company and
brokers, you know the
biggest in the world, I
think they’re in England
still, do millions of
dollars worth of
research. They said,
“Why do men buy diamond
rings for women?”
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, it’s not for the
karat size. It’s not for
clarity of the diamond.
It’s not even for the
color or how good the
color of the stone is.
Alex
Mandossian:
They buy diamonds for
the look on her face
when she opens the black
velvet box. That’s why
they buy.
Alex
Mandossian:
I think I teach for the
look on their faces when
they get it. So, that’s
the joy I get, when I
see the lights come on,
that rivals any feeling
I can ever generate for
myself or that people
can give me.
Ralph Zuranski:
What place does the
power of prayer have in
your life?
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, you know, prayer
is misunderstood, I
think, often because
it’s deemed as
religious. To me a
prayer is an affirmation
or a declaration.
Alex
Mandossian:
A prayer is a personal
self-talk that is like,
“I can make it” or
“settle down”, “calm
down” or “this is going
to work”. So prayer has
a huge impact.
Alex
Mandossian:
Now from a spiritual or
religious point of view,
I think prayer is a way
to redirect energy in a
positive light toward
giving as in
contribution. So I
think it has a huge
place in people’s lives
and if more people do it
I think it would be
easier to live.
Ralph
Zuranski:
Do you
maintain your sense of
humor in the face of
serious problems?
Alex Mandossian:
Well, there’s an old
adage, and I think it
comes from the Arabic
traditions, “Happy is he
who can laugh at
himself, he will never
cease to be amused.” I
think humor is huge. I
think you can laugh your
way out of sickness. I
know, and I have read, I
think Norman Cousins
laughed himself or
humored himself out of
cancer.
Alex
Mandossian:
People have lived longer
because of humor. I
think it sends these
neurological electronic
impulses through your
body and your nervous
system that things are
good and there is hope.
Alex
Mandossian:
I think it causes people
to live longer so, I
think, based on that, if
you buy into that, it
plays a huge role.
Ralph Zuranski:
Why are HEROES so
important in the lives
of young people?
Alex
Mandossian:
They are good role
models. Young people
need good role models.
It’s no question to me
why adults pick paths of
destruction. It starts
with their parents, by
what they observe.
Alex
Mandossian:
If not their parents,
then it is what they see
in school. It is
nobody’s fault. It is
what they observe. When
a child observes
something, I firmly
believe they accept it
as true.
Alex Mandossian:
They don’t have the
mental apparatus to
judge it, “Is this good
or bad?” or “Is this
true or false?” They
just accept it. They buy
it.
Alex
Mandossian:
Let’s say for example,
you’re in the basement
of your home and your
watching your father cut
some wood for a cub
scout race. You know
they have these little
derbies where they have
these blocks of wood and
you make cars out of
them and then the
fastest car wins.
Alex
Mandossian:
You put a little weight
on the wooden car and it
goes down the little
chute, I forget what
they call them. So, lets
say your watching your
father with a hacksaw
cut off some wood. Then
suddenly the hacksaw
slips and digs into his
thigh and his thigh
starts bleeding.
Alex
Mandossian:
Then, you as a child,
male or female, it
doesn’t matter, you say
“Dad doesn’t that
hurt?” And dad says
“Yes it does, yes it did
hurt.” And you say
“Well why aren’t you
crying?” and he says
“Because men don’t
cry.”
Alex
Mandossian:
Now, he may not have
meant anything from
that, however, you may
buy it for the rest of
your life that men don’t
cry. If you’re a woman,
you find a man to marry
who never cries.
Alex
Mandossian:
If you’re a man, you
never cry for the rest
of your life because men
don’t cry because you
looked up to that man
who said it. And that
man meant nothing by
that when he said it,
but the bottom line is,
you bought in to it.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, haphazardly we get
stimuli from others and
from situations. Role
models can shatter those
things. I mean, why do
people go to therapy?
They go to therapy to
undo or un-ring the bell
that was rung in
childhood.
Alex
Mandossian:
Something happened
between ages three to
seven. I know for a
fact, and this has been
done over and over
again. The greatest
producers, the top
producers of the world,
whether its Stephen
Spielberg, Opera Winfrey
or Tiger Woods, any top
producer, pick one, it
doesn’t matter, but they
produce results.
Alex
Mandossian:
In their lives between
the ages of three and
seven, and this is
documented, they had
some adult figure, could
have been a step-father,
father, mother, uncle,
aunt, grandfather,
grandmother, some
parental figure gave
them blind
encouragement.
Alex
Mandossian:
So they came up to them
and said “Hey I want to
be a fireman.” And then
that person said,” You
know honey, you can do
anything you want if you
put your mind to it.”
Alex
Mandossian:
So, they took that piece
of evidence. After let’s
say the kid grows up to
be twelve and says “Mom,
when I grow up I want to
be a stripper.” So, at
that point you can say
“Honey, maybe you ought
to consider something
else. How about waiting
tables?”
Alex
Mandossian:
So, after they get to a
certain age it is okay
to change the
encouragement and lead
them down a path that’s
a little more
supportive. But,
between the ages of
three to seven, blind
encouragement is a good
thing.
Alex
Mandossian:
I believe so. If I ask
my son Gabriel (Brianna
is not old enough, but
she would say the same
thing) “Gabriel, you can
do anything you want
right?” and he says,
“Yep” and I ask him,
“What do you have to
do?” he says “Just put
my mind to it.”
Alex
Mandossian:
So I have like
programmed him to know
that he can do anything
he wants if he just puts
his mind to it.
Alright? Now if he says
he wants to be a bungee
cord instructor at age
twelve I’m going to say,
“Gabriel, I think it’s a
great profession but,
can we look at something
else?”
Alex
Mandossian:
So, I think between ages
four to seven or three
to seven are critical.
People just take those
ages for granted
sometimes because were
living life. I have been
lucky enough to be a
teacher and a parent at
the same time. It is
giving me the ability to
look at how my kids are
growing up and what kind
of impact I can have on
them, to be a hero to
them.
Ralph Zuranski:
Who do you think are the
HEROES today that are
not getting the
recognition they
deserve?
Alex
Mandossian:
I think most heroes
don’t. I think there is
an anonymous mother
somewhere who is not
getting the recognition
that she deserves.
Alex
Mandossian:
I think there is a
politician who is honest
and who has always been
on the straight and
narrow who has not
received recognition. I
think there is a
governor out there or a
mayor who hasn’t been
recognized.
Alex
Mandossian:
There is a prime
minister who has saved
lives in his country or
her country who hasn’t
gotten recognition. The
reason we don’t know who
they are is because they
have not received
recognition. They are
leaders from behind.
They are heroes from
behind. They are
anonymous and that’s how
we started this
interview.
Ralph Zuranski:
How do people become
heroes?
Alex
Mandossian:
I think they are heroes
long before they are
labeled as such. I
think it starts by
knowing you’re a hero to
yourself.
Alex
Mandossian:
Mother Theresa was a
hero long before she got
any acknowledgement.
She helped a lot people,
assisted them to
transform their lives
from adversity to at
least living and
breathing.
Alex
Mandossian:
That was her mission.
So it wasn’t a matter of
curing diseases. It was
a matter of less disease
ridden children and
people in that part of
the world.
Alex
Mandossian:
So I think you’ve got to
be a hero to yourself
first, and then you can
be acknowledged as a
hero to others.
Ralph Zuranski:
How does it feel to be
recognized as an
Internet HERO?
Alex
Mandossian:
Well, its only as good
as the people who are
recognizing me. You
recognize me as such and
that makes me feel
good. So it feels very
good.
Ralph Zuranski:
Why do you think you
were selected for this
unique honor?
Alex
Mandossian:
I think I demonstrated
to you heroism, a
certain level of
greatness, which instead
of just talking about it
I demonstrated it to
you. You’ve taken
pictures of me over the
years. You’ve read my
materials. You’ve
purchased my materials.
Ee’ve gotten to know
each other over time.
You have seen a certain
level of consistency and
predictability and I
think that that got you
to trust me as I trust
you to regard each other
as heroes. Is that
true?
Ralph
Zuranski;
Well, absolutely that is
true, but you forgot
about generosity.
Alex
Mandossian:
That does help, but the
challenge with
generosity is usually
conditional. You know,
you give, give and give.
Now, I’m speaking on my
behalf, and then when I
don’t get back I say
“Darn it! He is not
recognizing me.” Okay,
so that is where
humility comes in.
Alex Mandossian:
You give, give, and
give. I don’t sense that
you expect something in
return. This interview
took a long time to
initiate, probably over
a year, and it was
canceled at least three
or four times because of
my schedule. But, you
patiently gave, gave,
and gave. Now, I am
trying to hit one out of
the park for you.
Ralph Zuranski:
How are you making the
world a better place?
Alex
Mandossian:
By
conducting interviews
like this and speaking
my mind. I don’t
typically part the
curtain as much as I
have or leave myself as
vulnerable as I have
during this call.
Alex
Mandossian:
This is just as much for
me as it is for any one
else listening. I hope I
have touched someone.
If I am touching you and
you’re listening right
now, I hope that you
nod, “Yes” and if we’ve
created any feelings of
joy or love, I hope you
are nodding “Yes” as
well. So, I think those
are the ways we make a
difference.
Ralph Zuranski:
Do you have any good
solutions to the
problems facing society,
especially racism, child
and spousal abuse and
violence among young
people?
Alex
Mandossian:
There is only one
solution and that is,
“Do your part by being
the best you can be.”
Alex
Mandossian:
Rather than looking at
the problem as outside
of yourself, look at
what part of that
problem do you own.
Then do something about
it from your own
perspective rather then
complaining or whining
about it.
Alex
Mandossian:
Start with yourself!
Start at point A. Know
where you are.
Acknowledge where you
are.
Alex
Mandossian:
If you’re noticing that
problem, there is a part
of that problem in you.
If you’re fighting
prejudice, fighting
racism, there is a part
of that in you.
Alex
Mandossian:
You don’t know where
that is but it’s in you
somewhere or it’s in
your family. Otherwise
you wouldn’t recognize
it.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, first do your best
to remedy and solve that
problem and then you can
start on others. If you
come out squeaky clean
first and you
demonstrate greatness
instead of just talking
about it or complaining
about it you will be a
lot more effective.
Ralph
Zuranski;
So you think the things
we dislike the most are
difficulties that we are
facing within our own
selves?
Alex
Mandossian:
Yes, I think we have it within us and we have to overcome it. That’s
why we are facing those
things. It’s a
projection; you know
when someone complains,
like “I don’t trust that
person.”
Alex
Mandossian:
That person who is
making that claim does
not trust themselves in
some way because
otherwise that would
have never come into
their consciousness. It
is within them.
Alex
Mandossian:
I firmly believe that to
be true. It has been
proven psychologically
to be true, both at a
spiritual and physical
level. So, I would
firmly, firmly not only
believe but acknowledge
that if you dislike
someone find out what
part of that person is
in you.
Alex Mandossian:
You dislike yourself as
a result of that. We’re
connected. If you have
a problem with something
or someone, find out
what part of that is in
you before you start
solving the problem
outside of you. If you
do that and if everyone
did that, wouldn’t the
world become a better
place?
Ralph Zuranski:
If you had three wishes
for your life and the
world, that would
instantly come true,
what would they be?
Alex
Mandossian:
Wish number one would be
to live to two hundred
years so I could make a
much bigger difference.
Wish number two would be
to have my family live
as long as I did so I
could enjoy them. Wish
number three is to have
an unlimited number of
wishes.
Ralph Zuranski:
What do you think about
the “In Search Of
Heroes” Program and its
impact on youth, parents
and business people?
Alex
Mandossian:
For those who want to
have it impact them I
think it’s fantastic.
For those who haven’t
recognized it yet, I
trust you will do your
best to put it in front
of them so that they
recognize it. So if
that part of us
recognizes the greatness
of this program we will
embrace it and hopefully
spread the word.
Ralph Zuranski:
What are the things
parents can do that will
help their children
realize they too can be
HEROES and make a
positive impact on the
lives of others?
Alex
Mandossian:
For parents to be a good
example, that is the
single greatest thing
they could do! In other
words, don’t give
reprimands if you’re
guilty of the same thing
that you’re
reprimanding.
Alex
Mandossian:
It happens all the time.
If a child is
misbehaving because they
are throwing a temper
tantrum and a parent
gets upset about that,
yet that same parent
throws a temper tantrum
when their spouse comes
home late or if they
don’t have date night or
whatever else, it is
wrong but it happens all
the time. We are all
hypocrites in our
pleasures, sometimes.
So the best way for a
parent to do their part
is to be a good
example. As a parent
that is what I have
found.
Alex
Mandossian:
A parting thought….
Alex
Mandossian:
The only parting thought
is this, “Greatness and
heroism is to be
demonstrated. It is not
to be talked about. It
is admired most when it
is demonstrated.
Alex
Mandossian:
So, if you demonstrate
greatness, then you will
make a difference and
that is what I attempt
to do. I try to
demonstrate as much
greatness as possible.