|
January 28th, 2009 | Posted in Blog | No Comments
Several researchers have studied the lifestyles of Millionaires and come to the conclusion that the majority of them don’t live that way at all. That’s part of why they’re millionaires. Thomas Stanley and William Danko’s book “The Millionaire Next Door” revealed that most millionaires really could be the folks next door. They don’t drive a new car every year or jet around the world. In fact, sometimes they’re the least likely person you would suspect.
Stanley and Danko found that millionaires share a few common characteristics:
They live below their means.
Half of the millionaires interviewed did not live in high-status neighborhoods. Instead, they lived in average neighborhoods in average houses. That’s how they were able to save money. The other half that did live in high-status neighborhoods only moved there after they had become wealthy.
They lead frugal lifestyles.
Most do not buy $5,000 suits, expensive boats or even new cars. You might say they’re tightwads. They shop for bargains and always negotiate for a better deal.
They’re self-employed or own their own businesses.
They also love their work — they connect with their jobs and feel very passionate about them.
They plan and study investments.
The majority of millionaires invest heavily and spend a large amount of their time studying their investments or seeking advice from financial advisors.
They weren’t always at the top of their class.
Another surprising commonality among the millionaires interviewed was that they didn’t all have advanced degrees or graduate at the top of their classes. Some didn’t even go to college and a few didn’t even finish high school.
They’re self-made.
Finally, the majority of millionaires received no family money and do not plan to give their own children a lot of money. They want their children to succeed the same way they did — on their own.
We’ll look at what it takes to make a million dollars next.
Rich Blessings
Ettore
January 25th, 2009 | Posted in Blog | No Comments
Being the Best In Every Area
What is character? Your character is the degree to which you live your life consistent with high, life-enhancing values. A person who lacks character is one who compromises on higher order values in favor of lower order expedience, or who has no values at all. Your adherence to what you believe to be right and true is the real measure of the person you have become to this moment.
Define What “Excellence” Means to You
Let us say that one of your values is “excellence.” Your definition of excellence could be, “Excellence means that I set the highest standards for myself in everything I do. I do my very best in every situation and under all circumstances. I constantly strive to be better in my work, and as a person in my relationships. I recognize that excellence is a life-long journey and I work every day to become better and better in everything I do.”
Organize Your Actions
With a definition like this, you have a clear organizing principle for your actions. You have set a standard by which you can evaluate your behavior. You have created a framework within which you can make decisions. You have a measuring rod against which you can compare yourself in everything you do. You can continually grade your activities in terms of “more” or “less.” You have a clear target to aim at and organize your work around.
Decide What You Want for Your Family
It’s the same with each of your other values. If your value is your family, you could define this as, “The needs of my family take precedence over all other concerns. Whenever I have to choose between the happiness, health and well being of a member of my family, and any other interest, my family will always come first.”
Keep Focused
From that moment onward, it becomes easier for you to choose. Your family comes first. Until you have fully satisfied the needs of your family, no other time requirement will side track you into a lower value activity.
Shape Your Own Character
The wonderful thing about values clarification is that it enables you to take charge of developing and shaping your own character. When your values and goals, your inner life and your outer life, are in complete alignment, you feel terrific about yourself. You enjoy high self-esteem. Your self-confidence soars.
When you achieve complete congruence between your values and your goals, like a hand in a glove, you feel strong, happy, healthy and fully integrated as a person. You develop a kind of courage that makes you completely unafraid to make decisions and take action. Your whole life improves when you begin living your life by the values that you most admire.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to put this ideas into action immediately.
First, create a clear, written description of your values and what they mean to you. From that point on, resolve to live consistent with your own definition.
Second, discipline yourself to live in complete alignment with the values, virtues and qualities that are most important to you. This is the key to character.
Rich Blessings
Ettore
January 25th, 2009 | Posted in Blog | No Comments
We have the power to choose what we want in life. With proper planning and goal setting, we can design our lives to be exactly what we want. My article provides a six step career plan that is sure to bring fulfillment and meaning to your life!
Step 1
Self Assessment is the process of gathering information about yourself in order to make an informed career decision. Your values, interests, personality inventories, skill assessments, strengths and weaknesses are all critical components in determining which job and industry would benefit you. A self assessment is first and foremost when choosing an occupation. Learning about yourself helps you figure out what career to pursue. It is basically the process of where are you right now and where you want to go.
Step 2
Emotional Cleansing We miss great opportunities in life by carrying emotional baggage that we refuse to release. Negative emotions drain our positive energy and prevent us from focusing on good choices for not only our career, but our lives. We live in a constant state of pessimism carrying this baggage. There are many methods to help release these negative emotions. There are many methods for learning to release negative emotions (i.e., prayer, meditation, visualization, etc).
Step 3
Assess the market and industry Understand the conditions of the market and industry you choose. Many industries undergo changes at any given point in time. Understanding the state of the industry provides you with the knowledge of how to approach that specific market. Ensure the industry you choose aligns with your skills and passions.
Step 4
Set goals The first step in goal setting is to create your personal vision and mission statement and purpose. Your vision statement is “what” you want to accomplish in your career, and your mission statement is “how” you intend to accomplish it, and your purpose statement is why you do the things that you do. Your list of goals will be your roadmap for accomplishing your mission. S.M.A.R.T. goals are the best method for goal setting. Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Time bound goals have all the necessary components to achieve success. Also be sure to include a backup plan in the event that your initial plan runs into roadblocks.
Step 5
Resume and job portfolio There are many internet resources and books on the market to assist with creating a powerful resume. Many job seekers do not have a job portfolio. A job portfolio is a document that highlights your accomplishments. You can either create a leather bound portfolio to show, or you can create a “leave behind” document. Your job portfolio can be letters of recommendation, achievements, award certificates, or a couple of pages from an outstanding evaluation. It can be whatever you creatively want it to be. Research shows that a job portfolio is 75% more effective in landing your job.
Step 6
Network of contacts Your job search will not be effective if you don’t know anyone. It is critical to join several networking organizations, and always take business cards. And don’t just collect business cards, use them! Stay in touch with your network of contacts because you never know when they may have a critical lead for that dream job you’re looking for.
And remember you are what you focus on most of the time! FOCUS in meaningful things in your LIFE and they will expand.
Rich Blessings
Ettore
January 21st, 2009 | Posted in Blog | No Comments
“The automatic millionaire”. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Wouldn’t you like to get paid automatically, to become wealthy for doing… nothing?
As incredible as that sounds, it’s the basis of income building for wealthy people all over the world.
Most people work hard their whole lives for little results. Most people also prefer to work for an employer, to have the “security” of a job with a paycheck. There’s a high price on this security, though… the cost of being stuck in one spot forever. Living in security means living in fear of what would happen if you made different choices and that will never make you the millionaire next door you probably right now wishing was you.
Rich people choose to get paid based on results.
Poor people choose to get paid based on time.
When you own your own business, you make income based on your profits - commissions or percentages of revenue. Working for a paycheck means putting a ceiling on your income. When you work for yourself, there is no ceiling.
Whether you provide a product or a service, you not only need to sell what you have - you need to sell a lot of it. Poor people don’t just get paid for their time, they prefer to work with easily manageable amounts. And easily manageable amounts of just about anything means all too easily manageable amounts of profit.
Volume is key to wealth. If you make widgets for a paycheck - well, you’ll never get rich off widgets. If you sell ten thousand widgets, you can make a tidy profit. If you sell ten million widgets, you’re an instant millionaire.
There’s no slow road to becoming a fast millionaire, as wealth coach David Bach would tell you - you have to get out there and sell widgets, invest, find multiple revenue streams, and explore all available opportunities before reaching the point where the wheels you’ve put into motion make you the automatic millionaire to envy.
Here are a few tips for getting started on your road to extreme wealth:
# If you presently get paid an hourly wage or a salary, create and suggest a merit-based compensation plan to your employer. This means that you will get paid - at least in part - based on the results of your work.
# If you own your own business, pay your employees and supplies based on their performance and results, rather than their hours. You will be amazed to see what this does for you business.
# If you’re working in a job now and aren’t making what your worth (and that’s pretty likely) think about starting your own business, at least part-time. Consider independent consulting in your current field of work along with other opportunities such as network marketing, affiliate marketing and other online marketing techniques.
Whichever option or options you decide to explore, keep in mind that you are working toward creating great results, and getting paid for those results rather than the hours you put into making them. You don’t want to be paid for your time, because when you’re the automatic millionaire, your time will be invaluable so better then to get paid for results.
Rich Blessing
Ettore
January 21st, 2009 | Posted in Blog | No Comments
New Year’s is a unique holiday. It’s the only holiday that celebrates the passage of time.
Perhaps that’s why, as the final seconds of the year tick away, we tend to become introspective. Then we wonder: how did time get away from us? And why did all our hopes and dreams never materialize?
Inevitably, that introspection turns to thoughts of self-improvement and the annual ritual of making Resolutions.
We all do it. We swear to ourselves, “This is THE year” for transforming our lives and fulfilling our goals. We are determined to keep all the promises to lose weight, stop smoking, make more money, be more patient…just fill in the blanks.
Over the next few days millions of people from around the world will ask themselves questions as they figure out how to make 2009 the best year of their lives.
The following is a creative exercise for you to think about how to surpass your potential in the New Year.
In 2009, I’m finally going to__________________________!
How would YOU fill in that blank?
Go ahead, take a minute and give it your best shot… I’ll wait right here…
Now fast-forward to December 31st - New Years Eve, 2010. You’re reflecting on the past year, jotting down a few notes in your journal.
“I’ve got a lot to be thankful for this year…
I reduced my credit card debt by $______________________________.
I feel great and now fit into my________________________________.
I have increased my retirement fund by $________________________.
I have achieved a number of goals to include____________________.
I have exceeded my own expectations by__________________________.
I’ve got nearly enough money saved for a nice family vacation in ______________________.”
So, what did YOU write down? What are your aspirations for the coming year?
Are you ready to make 2009 the best year EVER?
Drop me an email if you need help on making the 2009 plan of action!
Rich Blessing
Ettore
|
