If goal setting is so easy, why doesn’t everyone do it?
I will preface this by saying that we like to consider ourselves as rational and logical human beings. As long as we do not acknowledge, accept and embrace our subconscious we will continually be perplexed and frustrated by our efforts at setting and then failing to achieve our goals.
A good analogy is likening our conscious (logical mind) to the visible part of an iceberg. This is the 1/10th of the entire structure that we see floating in the ocean. The other 9/10th that is submerged is basically the all powerful subconscious mind with its many programs that run us.
One such powerful program that stops us from setting goals is the fear of failure. Fundamentally the fear of failure can be summed up as the fear that other people will discover that we are inadequate and therefore undeserving of acceptance, respect and ultimately love and affection. Ouch!
That of course, is untrue but the faulty programming for this erroneous core belief was installed when we were young, innocent and impressionable.
The good news is that we do not have to labor under the weight of these non serving core beliefs if we choose not to.
How?
Click on the link below to listen to this podcast and start making a change for the better today.
Goal setting and the fear of failure
Book Review-7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness
A timeless classic by Jim Rohn a motivator extraordinaire, that is written in an easy reading style for anyone who has had enough of being average (read beige) and wants a better life.
This includes health, material success and most importantly a deeply satisfying sense of contentment.
Click here to listen Book Review-7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness
or read on
Jim Rohn’s own journey started when at the age of 25 he met his mentor Earl Schoaff who asked him the uncomfortable question of where his life was headed.
To his credit, Rohn replied with an honest “No where” and that was the start of the years of learning everything he could from his mentor.
He has distilled his years of experience into the seven strategies of goal setting, being a sponge and soaking it up, having the determination to change and forming new habits, staying on top of your spending, making time a priority, seeking out like minded associates and learning the art of living well.
These strategies if faithfully applied are your keys to a magnificent life.
The Secret of Success
The secret is that there is no secret.
Click here to listen to the full 60 minutes Audio of Secret of Success on my program \”Your Money and Your Mindset\”
Below is the synopsis if you can’t wait!
It is a series of sequential steps that anyone can take if they so choose and success will almost be guaranteed.
Step1: write down your goals on a piece of paper. Just thinking about it means that what you desire is still an intangible concept.
The magic starts when your goals take on a physical form.
Use the SMART method as a guide to help you (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timeframe)
Step 2: start moving-literally get off from where you are sitting and start doing (this constitutes activity).
The good thing is that motion will quickly tell you if you are heading in the right direction towards your goals or not.
It is essentially a feedback mechanism that indicates to you in no uncertain terms if you are on the right track.
Step 3: know that there is an art to setting goals. The most efficient way is to divide them into four sections and I have listed some examples in each category i) physical (losing weight or getting fit); ii) mental (attending professional development courses to improve your career prospects); iii) emotional (making time to regularly spend with people who are important in your life) and iv) spiritual (communing with Nature and getting in touch with you, the real person).
Step 4: create a vision board or goal book where on one page you have images and pictures of your goals and on the facing page, write in the present tense what achieving this goal looks, feels, smells and tastes like. Always have a start and finish date, and a reward for when you reach that goal.
Investing the emotional energy into this activity engages your subconscious into putting you in the right spot (sometimes literally) for the opportunities as they present themselves to you.
And here is the real bonus, as you go about on a daily basis achieving small victories in regard to the steps you take towards achieving your goals, you discover your life purpose.
This is the person you were always meant to be.
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
Financial Education for Kids: 3 Tips For A Great Start
I believe that you are never too young to learn how to wisely manage your money.
Just imagine if this was a compulsory subject taught in grade school would the global financial crisis have been less severe if not altogether avoided?
That wasn’t a rhetorical question, folks.
Instead, what we have in our education system is the mantra that is continuously drilled into our heads that we should knuckle down, study hard and get good grades so that we can find ourselves secure jobs that see us to retirement.
Anybody notice what is wrong with the previous statement?
For one thing, the employment landscape has changed so much in the last 25 years that if you are 22 years old and reading this, you will very possibly be on to your third job before you reach 30.
The pace at which technology is changing and the rate business models are evolving means that you may want to revise your thoughts on having only one job for life.
So, back to the topic at hand; as parents how do you model to your kids on the issue of money. This means that what you say, and do with the money you earn will to a large degree determine how your children deal with their own hard earned when they are old enough to do so.
Here are some tips to get them on the right track
1. The 70:20:10 Rule
Disciplined saving of 30 cents into the piggy bank for every dollar that they get as pocket money or for the older kids what they make on paper rounds etc.
Explain to them that they are allowed to spend 70 cents on anything they want but 20 cents has to go into the bank.
Kids will ask why and the answer is that it is seed money that they will lend the bank and the good thing is that the bank has to pay them extra (interest) for borrowing their money. This is empowering for your child to know that they are doing the banks a favour, not the other way around
2. Tithing: the other 10 cents
This 10 cents teaches your child the idea of giving to charitable causes and creates generosity of spirit. One great way is to discuss with your kids that by tithing they can help people less fortunate then themselves and it makes for a better community when everybody pitches in. It is a fantastic way to build your child’s self esteem.
3. Delayed gratification
We all want it NOW!
Advertisers know how to push all the right buttons but as we have seen, there are a lot of under 25’s who are declared bankrupts from using the instant credit offered by retailers for the latest gadgets only to find that they cannot repay the debt.
Personally I think that having a bad credit rating is as bad as having STD; no one will want to do business with you and even worse when you realise that you had the chance to buy into a great business but cannot get finance to do so.
If your child desperately wants something now, and has the money saved ask them to sleep on it for 2 whole days before they go to the store to get it.
It is not being cruel to your child, but getting them to think about their wants versus their needs.
Above all, have open and honest communication with them about money-it’s not a dirty word.
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
Goodbye Corporate World, Hello My Own Heart Centered Successful Business
Hello all
I had the pleasure of interviewing Blanca Vergara sometime ago. Her story is inspiring, and I hope it will give you that little push to take action and change the course of your life.
Enjoy the read and click on the live link at the end to hear her truth.
Blanca Vergara had it all- the power, prestige, a plum executive management position in one of Europe’s leading companies. But that was not enough and eventually she broke free of the golden handcuffs to start her own executive business performance consultancy.
She listened to her internal wisdom, one that manifested spectacularly as a vivid dream, so startling that in her own words, she ‘jumped out of bed to write this vision down”.
Having found her authentic self Blanca’s business underwent an extraordinary growth, as her perfect clients began beating a path to her door.
Today she coaches people who recognize that they want more in their lives and have up until now been trading their life force for a paycheck.
Her clients are people who want to follow their passion and purpose and make a meaningful contribution to this world.
She guides and leads them in this transition process where their souls are enriched as they do what really moves their heart whilst giving them the practical marketing, positioning and business tools to not only survive but thrive in their chosen business niche.
If you a budding heart centered entrepreneur who is ready for the next step, this is a sign to connect.
Interview with Ms Blanca Vergara (unlinked)
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
Entrepreneurial Spirit of Me Inc
We are AGAINST scarcity that says that everything you receive was forcibly taken from somebody else.
Entrepreneurship is about making new pies, not dividing up old ones. Perry Marshall
I took this quote out of Perry Marshall’s newsletter.
Many of you know him as the man who figured out Google Adwords.
There is a common but erroneous belief that for you to profit in a business deal, there must be a poor sucker elsewhere who loses his shirt.
Somehow we feel that we have to hold our breath whilst divvying up the pie lest we accidentally inhale the tiny slice that is our portion.
Would it not be easier, like the man says to make a new pie?
Now, there’s a thought.
We live in the best of times, in this century where so many opportunities abound.
Most of us live in democracies that give us the freedom to choose businesses and enterprises that were not available before the advent of the phenomenon known as the internet.
The magic word is abundance as opposed to scarcity or more specifically the “scarcity mentality”.
I use this term used to denote someone who sees the hole instead of the donut.
Abundance has the connotation of being expansive, generous and giving.
I don’t know about you but I like to think that my business offers something valuable to my clients, a product or service that will improve the quality of their lives.
When I think along those lines, I am making a new pie and certainly no one has lost their shirt over this deal.
No one was ripped off, and there was no driving of a hard bargain that resulted in a winner and a loser.
We both won.
Yours in wealth, health and happiness
Your Money and Your Mindset: Interview with Mr Paul Blackburn Part 2
Paul Blackburn’s brush with prostate cancer was his wakeup call to becoming serious about wealth creation for himself. He has written this book to share the strategies that have made him a millionaire today.
In this interview he describes some of the success characteristics of his millionaire clients. These include being unafraid to ask for help with their finances. They are unconcerned with what others think of them for their frank admission that they do not know everything.
This group of people is willing and happy to pay for financial and life coaching if that is what is required to get them to the next level of achievement.
Another practical tip he has for us is to save a percentage of our income that becomes the foundation of investing in a business. This slow and steady strategy helps a person acclimate to being wealthy. In his words, “They have time to be comfortable around a lot of money and are less inclined to squander their wealth”.
Paul’s take home tip: “A well kept secret of the wealthy is that they take time out from their businesses to recharge and re-energize. This freshens their business practices and they come back to make even more money!”
Interview with Mr Paul Blackburn Part 2 (unlinked)
Retirement: What happens after the farewell speech and gold watch gift
I was speaking to this lady in her mid 50s the other day about her retirement plans.
“Retirement, what retirement?” she snorted.
No, sir-she was launching herself into a new home based business after spending a better part of 30 years as a cog in the wheel of a giant multi national corporation.
The first thing that struck me was that her attitude of “let’s get going on something new” as opposed to some people who view retirement as buying a one way ticket to the morgue.
What a refreshing way to see the rest of her life as one filled with new possibilities and potential.
But, with a bit more conversation, I picked up on the language she was using. Most people would not notice this however, she spoke of success in her new business in terms of “if I get x number of clients” rather than “when I have x number of clients”.
Subtle but this is the difference between growing a successful business and crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.
I asked if she’d ever read the book “Prince Charming Isn’t Coming” by Barbara Stanny. There is this funny/ironic line where it states that a man is no financial plan.
That raised a wry smile from this recent retiree.
Barbara in this book asks you to examine your beliefs about money and here was a classic case of a woman who had modeled her money beliefs on her upbringing.
No prizes for guessing that her father had controlled the finances and by default controlled the family. Women were left out of the decision making process and that had adversely impacted her general view of life and relationships.
The good news is that it is not too late to review and revise your view of handling money, but this time from an emotional perspective.
Your emotions will either help or hinder (read self sabotage) your efforts at building a thriving and successful business.
I have included a short list of 5 books that are educational (without being dry and hard going) and inspirational.
Remember, you can do a lot more good for your family, friends, church and community when you are wealthy. It is not a sin nor is it a crime to be prosperous.
1. Prince Charming Isn’t Coming, Barbara Stanny (Penguin Books)
2. Secrets of Six Figure Women, Barbara Stanny (Harper Collins)
3. Millionaire Women Next Door Thomas J. Stanley (Andrews McMeel Publishing)
4. Rich Woman (Because I Hate Being Told What To Do) Kim Kiyosaki (Rich Press)
5. Aspire (Discovering Your Purpose Through the Power of Words) Kevin Hall (William Morrow Press)
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
How to be your accountant’s best friend
In this article I am assuming that you, the reader are a solo entrepreneur who runs a home based business.
If we held a straw poll right now, I would bet that 9 out of 10 of those surveyed would rather have a root canal than keep track of the stock inventory, sales and accounts paper work in an organized manner so beloved by all accountants.
Yes, I know you can get software like MYOB to do most of this stuff, but really, wouldn’t you rather be out there connecting with your customers, shootin’ the breeze, wheeling and dealing. That’s what it is all about, isn’t it?
Every year you promise yourself that you will not turn up at your accountant’s office with a shoebox full of receipts and cocktail napkins scribbled with orders you took over the phone in your hurry to seal a deal.
I will also point out the obvious that the IRS takes a dim view of people relying on their fuzzy memories when making business expense claims.
Below are some suggestions that you may wish to use so as to avoid the same scenario next year.
If you hate technology and computers, invest in a stack of manila folders. Yep, it is that simple.
Colour code the folders according to:
i) income from clients, shares, property investments, managed funds, inheritance
ii) your utility bills,
iii) advertising costs,
iv) internet service provider, web hosting and domain name purchase costs
v) postage and stationery (as opposed to stationary as in standing still which where you don’t want your business to be)
vi) car repairs and running costs
vii) medical and dental care premiums
viii) car, home and contents insurance costs
ix) income protection insurance
x) supervised childcare fees
xi) accountant’s fees
xii) lawyer’s fees
This is by no means an exhaustive list but you get where I am going with this, yes?
If you secretly fancy yourself a techno geek then step up to the next level and use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to track your incoming and outgoings using the same categories as above.
My friend, in the eyes of your accountant your reputation will forever be redeemed because it reduces the amount of time he/she has to spend trawling through your paper trail.
Consequently the shorter billing time segments means that they charge less to prepare your tax statement.
If you are unsure about what expenses constitute a legitimate claim, do not be afraid to ask your accountant.
Remember tax laws are regularly reviewed and new rulings handed down so any CPA worth their salt should keep up to date with new developments.
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
Financial Freedom Mindset and You: Aspire and Emulate
If you want (aspire) to be wealthy, then copy (emulate) what wealthy people do, say, think and observe how they behave.
If you think this is a drag, then continue as you are and do not be surprised that your circumstances and bank balance remain the same.
One characteristic of successful people is that they have acquired a reading habit.
Success doesn’t leave cryptic clues but blatant and obvious signs. Case in point: I once heard a multi millionaire marketer say that “Leaders are Readers”.
Hey, when they offer free advice, take it.
This weekend head off to your community library and borrow a book.
Not just any book but take yourself to the biography section and load up on the stories of people (dead or alive) who have made, and in some cases lost and regained their fortunes. It is hard to go past the biographies of Donald Trump, Warren Buffet and Richard Branson.
Just to round out your education, pick biographies of people who are leaders in the very tangible sense of the word such as Gen Colin Powell. He of the Operation Desert Storm fame tells of his humble beginnings and how he rose to the top as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. My interpretation of his message is that if he can, anyone is able to do the same.
Or people who did not give up after what the average person would call having given it a red hot go and then still falling short of the mark. President Abraham Lincoln is the character who comes to mind (I won’t spoil it for you but the teaser is that he failed more than a couple of times to get elected to public office).
The other option is even more fun-approach a successful person (read millionaire) in the same field or business as yours and invite them to lunch or dinner (and pay for the meal!).
This may be a bit daunting for you but it is exactly what I did. I figured that if I extended the invitation and got a flat “No”, it’s not going to kill me-tomorrow the sun will still rise and set.
I took this millionaire couple to dinner, and had a first hand opportunity to ask them questions about their approach and outlook to running their business. The information I got was priceless.
And you know what, they are just normal and nice people like you and me.
Yours in health, wealth and happiness