Make 2009 Your Best Year Ever - Take a Good Hard Look Behind You

It’s not uncommon for this time of year to focus on goal setting and strategy implementation for the beginning of the next year. This article by Rich Schefren touches on the process of how to come up with those items. I was amused by his stating he has a list of 62 items to incorporate into his "New Year’s list. I too, have numerous things to accomplish so the key is at the end of his article…. be sure and schedule the items in. As with many "resolutions" there can be a tendency to come out of the shoot, full of enthusiasm, only to tucker out after a few months - so be realistic with your time and pace yourself. Example: I use the first few months to focus primarily on my business goals, and then add my "personal" goals during the second quarter….and continue to add thereafter.

(Article by Rich Schefren of Early To Rise )
I discovered long ago that if I wanted to continually improve my company and my own performance I need to leverage my past experience for all it’s worth. Stated more simply - to make 2009 the best it can be, you need to continue reading »

Is It Realistic to Make $20K per Month in 90 Days?

Well, it probably isn’t if you work for someone else, but the saying, "the sky is the limit" when you work for yourself in the right home-based business had to come from somewhere!

First of all, squelch the myth that all network marketing and home businesses are scams. There truly are legitimate, serious, and honest opportunities available. Like anything you research, it may take some time to find the right one for you.

Here are some suggestions of what to consider when looking for a business opportunity to generate $20K or more per month: continue reading »

5 Keys to Reinventing Yourself

Most people I know have reinvented themselves throughout their careers, some more dramatically than others. I too, have taken steps to shake things up, get out of the old box, learning new skills that will allow me to follow my passions and be marketable in this ever changing world. If you make a decision to start your own business working from home it’s even more necessary to continue reading »

Are You an Information Addict?

To read this entire article by Michael Masterson click here.

If you’re short on time here’s Michaels’s tips…. the difference between an information addict and an information user…

An information junkie is addicted to the process of buying information. Although he may delude himself into thinking otherwise, he has no intention of ever using the information he buys. An information user is very practical about his purchases . He buys information for specific, pragmatic purposes. He uses the information he buys to achieve specific goals - to start or grow a business, to learn a new language, to improve his negotiating skills.
An information junkie is happiest at the moment he is buying the information . His enthusiasm soon wanes, however. Within hours or days of receiving it, the information junkie is on to other things. The new product goes up on the shelf with the old products. He’s excited about the next new one.
An information user makes progress . See him reading a book about nutrition, and there’s a very good chance (if he likes the book) that his eating habits will change in the immediate future. The information junkie, in contrast, may have 26 books about nutrition in his living room. He may have even read them all - while he was lying on the couch eating potato chips.
An information user is someone who consumes information to profit from it . If he invests $100 in learning about some subject, he expects to see a substantial return on that investment - perhaps a thousand dollars’ worth of value, material or spiritual. An information junkie consumes information like drugs or candy bars. It gives him an immediate rush and then nothing afterward. That’s why he needs to buy more.
The information user has long-term expectations when it comes to knowledge . He believes the knowledge he acquires now will compound over time as he learns more and is in a better position to leverage what he has learned for greater benefit. The information junkie is in it for the here-and-now . He doesn’t believe in saving. He’s always on to the next hot thing.
What about you? Are you an information junkie? Take this test and see…
1. In the past year, I’ve purchased more than 12 books that I haven’t read. (If your answer is Yes, give yourself 2 points.)
2. In the past year, I’ve purchased:

• Only information products that I have used. (Yes = 1 point)
• Between 1 and 3 $100 information products that I haven’t used. (Yes = 2 points)
• Between 3 and 5 $100 information products that I haven’t used. (Yes = 3 points)
• More than 5 $100 information products that I haven’t used. (Yes = 5 points)

3. In the past year, I’ve purchased at least one $1,000 information product that I didn’t use. (Yes = 5 points)
4. I am most excited about the information that I buy:

• When I am ordering it. (Yes = 3 points)
• When I receive it. (Yes = 2 points)
• When I begin using it. (Yes = 1 point)

5. When I read a book, I feel compelled to read it from cover to cover. (Yes = 2 points)
6. I generally take notes when I read something. (Yes = 1 point, No = 2 points)
Well… how did you score?
If you scored 8 or above, you are indeed an information junkie. If you are an information junkie, don’t despair. You can convert yourself into an information user simply by following two rules:
1. When you buy an information product, set specific deadlines for reading it and implementing what you learn. For instance, set a goal that you will take one of its recommended actions within 24 hours of receiving the product. Then resolve to take at least one more recommended action each week thereafter.
2. Don’t buy another product until you have made some progress with the one you previously purchased.
That’s all there is to it. Obey these two rules and you’ll not only break your addiction, you will radically improve your life.

So, what are you…..leave a comment

Until next time, J.

"Take control of your destiny or someone else will"

Unemployment Rate Jumped to 5.5 Percent

This is the kind of negative news that the general public gets very nervous about reading. It also causes some people to freeze, become immobile, feel like a victim, and bottom line NOT TAKE ACTION to do something for themselves. To reference Trump and Kiyosaki again, they stress that we, as individuals MUST take responsibility for ourselves . In Kiyosaki’s quadrant example he explains why you won’t get rich by "playing it safe" as an employee, or as a self-employed individual because you can’t leverage yourself (and time). He recommends owning a business (current favorite - Network Marketing ), and becoming an active investor .

Here’s some sobering news quoted from an article today on MSN.
"The nation’s unemployment rate jumped to 5.5 percent in May — the biggest monthly rise since 1986.

A trio of crises — housing, credit and financial — have rocked the economy. That’s caused economic growth to slow to a crawl as businesses and consumers have tightened their belts. Spiraling energy costs are another negative force.

“For the average American there is not debate that the economy is in a recession,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com. “That’s because their net worth is lower, their purchasing power is lower and it is tough to find a job. If you lose a job, it is tough to get back in,” he said." Go HERE to read more.

What better time than now, to do something for yourself and not rely on others. Find your passion and look for a business to support that. Not only could it be the best financial decision you’ve made in a long time, it could also provide you with the freedom and balance in your life you’ve been looking for as well. What do you have to lose?

I’d love to hear your comments about creating your own opportunities in today’s economy.

Until next time, J.

"Take control of your destiny or someone else will"

Three Types of Investors

I’ve recently read there are three types of investors:

1. People who don’t invest at all
They may be the ones who feel they’re "entitled" to support from the government, or the companies they’ve worked for. Some might even expect their families to help out. Most certainly, this group has no desire to learn how to take care of themselves and their future.

2. People who invest to not lose
They are generally low risk takers. They want their money safe in CD’s or money market accounts. They might even allow their employers to choose for them where to place their 401K monies. This group usually does some research on their own, but it either intimidates them, or they just have absolutely no interest in managing their own money.

3. People who invest to win
This group doesn’t settle for "safe". They want higher returns and are willing to put forth the effort to learn more about various opportunities and investment vehicles available to them to participate in.

To quote Kiyosaki, "I realized the reason most people invest not to lose is because most people think investing is risky or that investing is gambling. Many also believe that to get higher returns means you have to take on more risk. Nothing could be further from the truth."

The key is to use "leverage", which is difficult to do if you’re an investor like #1 or #2. You need to create an asset base that will grow exponentially. Create multiple streams of income, so combined they work together, even when you’re not. As an "employee" you trade time for dollars and will only be able to earn as much as your hours worked. But leverage "yourself" by becoming a business owner (even part time to begin with), and an investor - and the entire scenario can change.

What would you do if you had more time and money? What is really important to you? I recently explored these questions with one of my clients. He attended a recent company event - had an "AHA" moment, and decided he wanted to be like investor #3. Of course, he heard from some of the best in the industry at that event, and his life will never be the same. Contact me if you’re interested in exploring those questions too…..

Until next time, J.
"Take control of your destiny or someone else will"