Bart Simpson of the Fox Network show had a prayer that went like this: "Dear God, we pay for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing."

In his forthcoming book, psychiatrist Louis Cady makes this observation: "Thanks For Nothing. Whether or not one believes in a Supreme Being, the notion that there is nothing to be grateful for outside of the self is, in my professional opinion, the first step down a very slippery slope to nihilism, despair, self-pity, isolation of the self, depression and death. If we have 'nothing to be thankful for' we must by definition not feel grateful for the beauties of nature, marvelous sunsets, snow-capped peaks, peaceful sandy beaches, green and peaceful forests and the melody of the wind.

"If we have nothing to feel grateful for, let us abandon gratitude for the miracle of new life that emerges every season as the trees and flowers bloom, and the cries of every newborn baby. If we have nothing to be grateful for, let us forget about looking into our sweetheart's eyes, walks on the beach together and the experience of campfires. If we have nothing to feel grateful for, let us abandon all love, respect, admiration and devotion to our parents, who did the very best they could for us.

"If we have nothing to feel grateful for, let us state unequivocally that we care nothing for our marvelous bodies that, for most of us, carry us wherever we want to go and are capable of athletic mastery. Let us forget that with a moderate amount of exercise we can stay in finely tuned shape and live a minimum of our three-score and 10 years on this planet enjoying our 'holiday on earth.'"

Dr. Cady has reminded all of us of something to be thankful for, and the reality is if we express gratitude for what we have, we will have more to express gratitude for.

Take that approach, and I'll see you at the top!

Opportunity is Where You Find It

In America, one of the most priceless commodities is a seat at the Final Four of the NCAA basketball championships. Those seats sell for literally hundreds of dollars, and it's every coach's and every team's dream to make it to the "Final Four."

In the championship game in 1991, a group of investors came up with a novel idea that would be the envy of every entrepreneur or speculator in America. After the title game was played in Indianapolis on April 1, they invested $65,000 in buying the floor on which the Final Four games were played.

Most people would think of salvaging that floor, but these investors did just the opposite. They cut this brand new basketball court into 22,000 little pieces. There are those who would have considered that approach a foolish and wasteful thing to do. After all, only three basketball games had been played on it, and using it for basketball games was the original purpose of the floor. However, these investors sold those little 6-inch by 5-inch pieces of floor to 22,000 fans as souvenirs for $24.95 each. This creativity turned their $65,000 investment into $548,900 in less than a week.

Chances are good this particular opportunity will never come up again — at least, not at such a bargain price! However, all over America there are countless opportunities for creative minds to produce bonanzas. Those opportunities are everywhere, and we need to recognize them and take action. So, keep your eyes open, let your imagination work and be open to new concepts. If you do, I'll see you at the top!

To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. Subscribe to Zig Ziglar's free e-mail newsletter through info@zigziglar.com.

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