THE TWELVE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM GREAT MEN ON MONEY AND CAREER

1.       BE TENACIOUS:

“Anybody who can be a halfway, man but the one who rises above this class, is the one who keeps everlastingly pushing.”- J Ogden Armour.

More than any other , one lesson stands out from the books I have read: Never Give Up. If you have a goal or a dream, pursue it. If there is a cause that you truly believe in, then fight for it. That is not to say you should doggedly chase greed or gluttony, but that you should do your best to achieve those things that are important to you. Great men struggle through daunting obstacles to reach their destinations. In everything that you do, do your best. And remember, the road to wealth is paved with goals.

2.       EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL:

“Tis easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follows it”. Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin famously attempted to codify his quest for self-control. Franklin committed himself to thirteen virtues and he developed a system for tracking how disciplined he was in his daily pursuit of these ideals. There is nothing wrong with an occasional indulgence. But when the indulgence become a habit or worse, a vice this can affect your life. Even destroy it. If you have habits that prevent you from fulfilling your potentials, find a way to boost your self-control.

3.       DO THE RIGHT THING:

“To be truly rich, regardless of his fortune or lack of it, a man must live by his own values. If those values were not personally meaningful, then no amount of money gained can hide the emptiness of life without them”.-John Paul Getty

Have a code of honour and live by it. Your code of honour might come from your faith, or from your education or from your family. Whatever soured, live by these values. Life is filled with temptations. The more you accomplish, the more people will tempt you with offers for quick gains or passing pleasures. Many men succumb to these but those who rarely achieve what they might have if they had stuck to their principles. The books I have read are filled with stories of men who have resisted the urge to compromise and who believe that this has been a key to their success. Don’t cheat, be honest, work hard and embrace the golden rule.

4.       EMBRACE THE GOLDEN RULE:

“Good will is one of the few really important assets of life. A determined man can win almost anything that he goes after but unless, in his getting, he gains good will he has not profited much”.- Henry Ford

Success could be measured by how a man treated others (James Penny). In his book, Fifty Years with the golden rule, he describes his life-long adherence to this maxim: “Do unto other as you would have then do unto you”. Other great men believed the same. They believed that their fortune came not from pursuing money itself, but by producing something of value to others. But this principle also holds true outside of business. In your dealings with your friends, your family and with a stranger, treat others as you would like to be treated. Doing so builds social capital, strengthening the fibre of the community.

5.       PAY YOURSELF FIRST:

“Many a man is poor today, although he has worked like a slave, simply because he could not save”.- Orison Marden

Another common thread in most of these books and in personal-finance classics like the richest man in Babylon is the importance of saving. “Pay yourself first” the old adage goes and it’s a great advice. If you will set aside ten or twenty percent of all that you earn, your fortune will grow far beyond that of your peers. Some of these money should be invested in a manner that makes you comfortable. (You should be able to learn about the concept of asset allocation and diversification, if you haven’t already) some of your money should be set aside on a high-interest savings account to act as an emergency fund. When you save, when you pay yourself first, you are using the strength of your youth to insure your uncertain tomorrow.

6.       AVOID DEBT:

“Be assured that it gives much more pain to the mind to be in debt than to do without any article whatever which we may seem to want”.- Thomas Jefferson

Debt is slavery. When you owe money to another man, you are obligated to work for his benefit, not yours. Many young men struggle with debt. I did so myself. But those who are not able to overcome their spending habits are likely to find themselves always poor. When you pay interest to some else, you cannot earn interest for yourself. When you’re in debt, your options are limited. You cannot choose, you cannot quit a job you hate. If you do, how will your bills get paid? To be sure, a certain amount of debt is useful in business but make it a policy in your life never to borrow for something that will decrease in value. And if you’re already behind, make it priority to get out of debt as soon as possible.

7.       KEEP WELL:

“The foundation of success in life is good health: that is the substratum fortune; it is the basis of happiness. A person cannot accumulate a fortune very well when he is sick”.- P.T. Barnum

Your health is your greatest asset. If you lack health, you cannot work and cannot produce an income. Health allows you to engage in productive activities at work and at play. It allows you to enjoy the company of your friends and family. And it allows you to live with vigor. Guard your health. Do not neglect your body. Eat well. Exercise regularly. If you drink or smoke, do so in moderation. You will not live forever but with some care and foresight, you may get a little closer.

8.       DO NOT COVET:

“By wishing to be what he calls up-to-date as his friends or boon companions, many a young man mortgages his future”.- Orison Marden

If never pays to compare yourself to others. For one, you can find yourself longing to own the same things they do. Your best friend buys a new ford mustang and suddenly you want one too. The guys from work go out for drinks on Friday night but your are broke, the temptation to join in, to have what others have can be unbearable. Focus on only yourself and how the things you own and do relate to your goals. Don’t be jealous of others. (This is one message in the famous essay, “Acres of Diamonds”: instead of looking elsewhere for wealth, look at your own life.)

9.       LIVE MODESTLY:

“This, then is held to be the duty of the man of wealth… to set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or arrogance”-Andrew Carnegie.

This is the flip side to “Do Not Covet”. Just as you should not allow the behavior of your friends to influence your spending decisions, so too, be conscious of your influence on them. If you have money don’t flaunt it. And if you don’t have money don’t pretend you do. It’s fine to buy quality products, but don’t be flashy. Live simply and well.

10.   PRACTICE PATIENCE:

“No matter how great the talent or the effort, some things just take time: you can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant”- Warren Buffet.

Too many men want to “get rich quick.”  They are on the lookout for fast money. They also want to lose weight now, to be great golfers now, to be in management now. This obsession with “now” is a problem. In his new book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell writes that the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is in 10,000 hours. That is, those who achieve mastery have patiently practiced their craft for at least 10,000 hours which is the equivalent of five years of full-time work. When people ask me why my personal finance blog is so successful, one of my responses is that I have worked at it 60+ hours a week for the past three years. Practice may not “make perfect” but it certainly breeds success.

11.   GIVE GENEROUSLY:

“Thrift does not end with itself but extends its benefits to others it found hospitals, endows charities, establishes colleges and extends educational influences” – Samuel Smiles.

I was not raised in a culture of giving. Its only something I am beginning to learn in middle age. But as I read about the choices of men have come before me, it is clear that they have derived satisfaction (and done a lot of good) by giving generously not just money but also of time and knowledge. Do not hoard the things you have. Share them so that others might profit too.

12.   LEARNING FROM THE AVERAGE JOE:

Over the past few months, I have enjoyed reading the real-life stories of how great men became great. But I have also found it enlightening to read about the experiences of the average day guy the fellows like you and me. One book I strongly recommend (especially considering the state of the economy) is Hard Times by Studs Terkel. Hard Times is an oral history of the Great Depression. Terkel interviewed scores of men and women about their experiences during the 1930s. their stories are amazing and they can offer great insight about how we can live better lives today.

Go forth my friends and do great things.

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond
measure.
It is our Light, not our darkness, that most frightens
us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small does
not serve the World.
There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so
that other people won’t feel unsure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God
that is within us.
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
As we let our own Light shine; we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the
same.
As we are liberated from our own fear; our
presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson

Who Am I?

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me,
And I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done,
And after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men
And, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though
I work with all the precision of a machine
Plus the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin;
It makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me
And I will put the world at your feet.
Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?



I am habit!

Speak to Boost Your Business and Career

Forget that speaking in front of others is the Number One Fear. Instead, look at it as an opportunity to get your message to many people simultaneously and sell yourself within your organization and to clients and customers. It can be one of your most effective marketing tools when you have honed your message and know your target market. It can also be a good way to grow your network and your database, with permission, of course.

Become a subject matter expert. Your first task is to define your areas of expertise. What do you do? How do you it differently? If self-employed, what service or product do you sell? If employed by someone else, do people seek you out as a resource or for advice on a topic? When I was at AT&T (the first one!), my name became synonymous with public relations. Today, my areas of expertise are business networking and communication skills. What’s your area?

Describe your topic. Choose a title or titles (use your creativity!) and write a short overview and learner benefits. Show people you are for real. Look as if you are an expert on the topic and a seasoned presenter. Never say, “I am thinking of speaking on thus and such topic.” Instead, “I speak on thus and such topic.” While employed at Bell Labs, a friend challenged me to develop my first class in communication. It was his opinion that I knew a lot; however, I didn’t have a beginning, middle or end. I picked up the gauntlet and developed an internal 10-week communication course for employees. And one thing lead to another …

Determine your target market. This is a major marketing ingredient that takes forethought and time. Make sure the people in the audience can use your services/products or refer you to people who can. Internally, choose audiences that can help further your career and enhance where you are and where you want to go.

Approach groups, organizations and internal entities that include your target market. If you are willing to speak for free (and most beginners do), you will find infinite opportunities. Suggestions include:

• Chambers of Commerce. Usually, you need to be a member to be considered, and you are a prime candidate since many chambers choose not to pay their presenters.

• Service Clubs. There are a plethora of Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs that meet frequently and are looking for pro bono presentations.

• Not-for-profits (and their boards!). I cut a few teeth speaking on behalf of AT&T for the United Way in Chicago. These are eager audiences, and you also get satisfaction from giving as you get.

• Networking groups. Seek out local groups that are not part of a national, multi-chapter organization. They frequently are looking for specific subject-matter presentations at no cost.
• Other industry/professional/sorority-fraternity/interest-specific groups that meet monthly. Almost all of them offer programs to their members and most have a meager speaker budget, at best.

• Internal opportunities. Volunteer to head projects like the United Way, blood drive, and other outside activities your company supports. You’ll gain valuable experience and exposure speaking in front of your team and, sometime, the entire company. Also, jump at every chance to do business presentations in front of peers, managers, vendors and customers.

Benefits are myriad. First of all, it will help you conquer your fear of speaking. Secondly, it will increase your visibility and credibility as a subject matter expert. Thirdly, it will probably lead to more sales and more career success. It helps put you in the drivers’ seat!

The 30 second secret to blasting your energy levels through the roof in the morning

There is an underlying inner sleep system which the quality of your sleep and your daily energy levels highly depend on. It’s this inner sleep system that plays a key role in:

• When you go to sleep and when you wake up.

• How energized you feel in the morning, and throughout the day.

• When your body produces feelings of “sleepiness” to send you a signal that you later interpret in a way like… “I feel tired, I better get to bed…”

Most people don’t know how to use this system to their advantage…

You’re about to discover how you can use a simple ‘little-known-about’ method in the first 30 seconds after waking up to your advantage and boost your energy levels in the morning dramatically. You’ll be able to learn how this works very easily (you’ll fully understand in a moment), and notice results immediately when you apply it into your life.

Your body’s natural body temperature rhythm plays a key role in how much energy you have! In case you don’t remember let’s first review your body temperature rhythm. In grade 5 science class, most of us are taught that our body temperature stays at a constant 98.5 degrees Fahrenheit (36.6 Celsius). In reality, this is false. Your body temperature varies by about 6 degrees every day.

Your body temperature rises and falls by about 6 degrees every-day, this rise and fall of your body temperature is known as your body temperature rhythm, or as some like to call it your “circadian rhythm.” Your body temperature usually rises in the morning around 6 AM, and begins to rise until the afternoon, where it takes a slight “slump.” It then recovers from this slump and continues to rise until the evening hours, where it drops all through the night as you sleep.

Believe it or not, it’s this rise and fall of your body temperature that plays a major role in

• When you feel sleepy

• When you feel energized.

When your temperature is dropping, you feel “sleepy” and more towards the “tired” side. This is like a cue for your body to create feelings of sleepiness. When your body temperature is rising, you tend to feel energized, alert, relaxed, and more “awake”.

The 30 Second Method To Boosting Your Energy In The Morning

There is a hormone in your body called melatonin. It’s also sometimes called as the “vampire” hormone, or the “sleep” hormone. The longer your eyes are exposed to darkness, the more of this hormone is released inside of your blood. The instant your eyes are exposed to light, the level of melatonin in your blood begins to decrease rapidly.

It’s this hormone that contributes a lot to the drop in your body temperature. Melatonin also makes you feel “sleepy.” When you wake up in the morning, you have A LOT of melatonin inside of your blood. This is the main reason why you may feel like a “zombie” when you wake up. Combined with a low body temperature in the morning, most people are so low on energy that they mistake the tired and drowsy feeling in the morning as the need to sleep, and end up sleeping longer and doing more damage to their sleep systems. In reality, this is not the need to sleep, but actually the result of sleeping!

The 30 second trick to rapidly lowering your melatonin levels, and boosting your body temperature in the morning here it is…

When you wake up, you MUST expose your eyes to natural sunlight within 1 minute of waking up for AT LEAST 30 seconds. As you do this you will notice the drowsy and tired feeling you usually get in the morning fading away, as your body feels more and more energized. At first glance this sounds very simple, but hundreds of people who apply this technique from the Powerful Sleep system achieve incredible energetic results instantly in the morning.

Here’s How And WHY This Works

As you already know, when you expose your eyes to light your melatonin levels begin to drop and your body temperature begins to rise, as you slowly feel more awake in the morning. But… have you ever wondered why you feel less energetic on cloudy and rainy days?

Why does this happen?

Because LIGHT Comes In Many Intensities Most people don’t realize that spending the day in-doors is the equivalent for your eyes as spending the day in darkness. Let me explain… Light intensity is measured in units called “luxes.” 1 Lux is about the light your eyes would get if you were to sit in a pitch dark room with 1 candle.

• During sunrise and sunset, your eyes get about 1,000 to 5,000 Luxes of light!

• During the afternoon on a sunny day your eyes get about 100,000 luxes of light!

• Inside your home, or in an office, your eyes get about 100 to 500 luxes of light.

The level of melatonin in your blood always depends on the light intensity coming into your eyes.

For your eyes, being in-doors and not being exposed to high intensity light is the equivalent as being in complete darkness. This has huge effect on your melatonin levels and your body temperature rhythm. When you expose your eyes to high intensity light such as natural sunlight in the morning you drastically lower your melatonin levels right away, and your body temperature begins to rise as a result.

However, most people spend the first hour or two of the morning sitting in-doors, and wondering why they feel “so tired” while they gobble down another cup of coffee.(Later on, you’ll be shocked when you find out what coffee really does for your sleep system.)

When you’re sitting in your home in the morning, half of the light outside is being blocked by your windows, drapes and shades. Your eyes get at most maybe 200 to 300 luxes of light. This keeps your melatonin levels high, stops your body temperature from rising and keeps you low on energy. This does further damage to your sleep system in a perpetual loop, lowering your energy and immune system day by day.

I hoped you really enjoyed the information in this special report. This is just one of the MANY techniques and inner sleep system secrets you’ll learn in Powerful Sleep which you’ll use to supercharge your sleep system and blast your daily energy levels sky high, so you can wake up fully energized and live your whole day with passion!

The Powerful Sleep System also teaches you how to reduce your sleep and have more time and energy than when you slept longer.