Monday, October 31, 2005

Mark and Jack, a dynamic duo……

Every Saturday morning, my wife Sue jumps out of bed at 6:45 a.m., throws on some clothes and races out the door to begin her weekly adventure. Sue loves garage sales, and every weekend she finds dozens of them in virtually every neighborhood in North Phoenix and Scottsdale.

After a couple of hours, Sue returns with her booty. Usually, for $15 or $20 total, she ends up with a trunk full of stuff. If she spots a book or tape set that she thinks I’ll enjoy, she’ll get it for me as her gift.

This week she found a book called “Dare to Win”. It’s co-written by 2 of my favorite authors and speakers, Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield. You might know them as the authors of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books.

If you aren’t familiar with Mark and Jack, you should be. Individually, each is a brilliant speaker, trainer and author. Together, they are a dynamic duo. They have a talent for telling entertaining stories that illustrate their points brilliantly, and inspire their audience to take their lives to a whole new level.

Thus far, I’ve only had the opportunity to read the first chapter, but I can already tell that I’m going to enjoy reading this book. The theme that Mark and Jack have taken with this book is that we can have, or be, or do anything we want in life if we can learn to act in spite of our fears.

Of course, this isn’t a unique or novel concept. Many books have been written about this very topic. At Peak Potentials Training, Harv Eker designed “Enlightened Warrior Training Camp” specifically to help individuals develop the habit of facing their fears and acting in spite of them.

In the opening chapter, Mark and Bob point out that when we fear something, we usually come up with every excuse imaginable why we can’t do it. So the critical difference between successful and unsuccessful people is that the successful ones won’t allow any excuse to stop them, while the unsuccessful let any excuse derail them from their goals.

Here’s the exercise they urge you to do whenever you become aware that you’re being stopped by your fears. They suggest that you repeat the following phrase over and over again…”Oh what the heck, go for it anyway”.

I firmly believe the concept that what you focus on expands. Because of that, I purposely saturate my mind with ideas designed to stimulate my thinking, create new success files in my subconscious, and motivate me to Dare to Win. I sincerely hope that you will adopt this attitude as well, and Dare yourself to Win too!

Namaste.

Jeff

Friday, October 28, 2005

I love this man.....

When I was 15 I read a book that changed my life. The book was by Dale Carnegie, and it was called "How to Win Friends and Influence People". My life would never be the same again.This book is a classic, and I believe anyone who reads it and APPLIES the principles in this book will lead a happier, more successful life.

Today I got an email from one of the many newsletters I subscribe to and saw the following by my first mentor....."Are you bored with life? Then throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it, die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be yours."- Dale Carnegie

Find something you are PASSIONATE about, COMMIT to it, and the rest will take care of itself.
Since reading How to Win Friends 36 years ago, I’ve read hundreds of self help books, listened to thousands of hours of self help tapes and cd’s and attended countless seminars. I do it because I love it. Personal growth is my PASSION.

Certain themes surface time and time again. Find something you are PASSIONATE about doing. I see this over and over again. I’ve experienced it in my own life. I know this to be true for me, and I believe it is true for everyone who is ready for it.

Don’t just Want it. Don’t just Choose to have it. COMMIT that you will never quit until you get it. Take on a Warrior mentality. Dream about it. Focus on it. Bring together allies and resources to help you get through it.

Harv Eker says in Secrets of the Millionaire Mind….”What you focus on expands”. I’ve seen the exact thought expressed numerous ways. But I see it constantly. When you focus yourself to the attainment of your dreams with PASSION and a WARRIOR mentality, nothing can stop you. And if nothing can stop you, what choices do you have? All the choices!

My life has been transformed by the likes of Dale Carnegie, Harv Eker, Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightengale, Tony Robbins, and so many others I’ve lost track. I am grateful for having found these folks and used them as my mentors.

Even today, I am constantly on the lookout for new mentors who are proven experts in the areas that I am passionate about. I look for the best of the best. After a while, in any field, you find them. I believe that if you learn from the best and then follow through with ACTION, the results will take care of themselves.

Namaste,

Jeff

P.S. Dale Carnegie may be thought of as old generation today, because in fact he is. The incredible thing about Dale Carnegie is that his principles and ideas are as true today as they were the day he wrote them. They’re timeless. Read his books or listen to his tapes, you won’t regret it.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Thoughts from "The Automatic Millionaire".....

Here’s a terrific column I read this morning written by David Bach, author of “The Automatic Millionaire”. Some great stuff here…..

In my previous column I shared with you the story of the McIntyres, a very average couple who despite their very average income became millionaires. By simply watching the small stuff and saving their money automatically, they were able to retire comfortably in their early 50s.

A few readers of that column asked in my message board, "Well, did they have kids? It must be the lack of children that made it easier for them to be rich!"

In fact, the McIntyres have two children. Both kids went to college and are now debt-free college graduates.

So what's the secret? How did the McIntyres become self-made millionaires on less than $40,000 a year? It starts with a simple truth.

It's Not What You Make, It's What You Spend

How much you earn has almost no bearing on your ability to build wealth. Ask anyone who got a raise last year if their savings actually increased. In almost every case, the answer will be "no." Why? Because more often than not the more we make, the more we spend!

Jim McIntyre taught me the trick to getting ahead financially was watching the small stuff, the little spending habits we're better off without.

How important is it to learn this lesson? Take a minute and consider these numbers. An astonishing 70 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, according to a poll I conducted with Temple University. Thirty percent of those polled had less than $1,000. On average, Americans have less than three months' worth of expenses in the bank.

The Latte Factor

Most of us don't think about how we spend our money. If we do, we focus solely on the big-ticket items. Even worse, we don't realize how much wealth we might have if, instead of dribbling our income away, we invested just a little of it.

By coming to understand what I call the "Latte Factor," you're going to become more aware of how much you're wasting on small things and how to redirect that money to help you build a fortune. Regardless of your income, you can start to build wealth and, ultimately, more freedom. You can finally start doing what the rich do: Get your money to work for you instead of you working for it!

Before you get up in arms about giving up coffee, let me be clear: The Latte Factor isn't about coffee at all. It's about learning how to "find your money" and redirect it toward savings. I came up with the concept about 10 years ago after a woman taking one of my investment courses stopped me in my tracks.

"David your ideas are good in theory, but they don't have anything to do with reality," she said.

When I asked her what she meant, she explained that I talked about saving $5 to $10 a day like it was no big deal. Well, for her, she said, it was impossible, because she was living paycheck to paycheck.

We then went through her expenses for a typical day. What did we find? Well, her double non-fat latte was $3.50, non-fat muffin $1.50, juice $3.95, juice boost $.50, PowerBar $1.75 -- that was $11.20 already by 11:00 a.m., not including lunch or anything else for the rest of the day!

I pulled out a calculator and showed her that if she could save even $5 a day and put it into a retirement plan, that $5 would become $150 a month, nearly $2,000 a year. Figuring a 10 percent return, the stock market average over the last 50 years, I asked her how much she, being 23, might save by the time she was 65? She guessed $100,000, then $200,000, then $500,000. She was shocked when I told her it was almost $1.2 million. These lattes suddenly looked very expensive.

The point of the Latte Factor isn't for you to give up coffee at Starbucks. Millions go to Starbucks everyday. I visit them too. The moral is this: You've got more money than you think and you're spending it on lots of small things. Maybe it's bottled water? Maybe it's cigarettes?

The Latte Factor is about realizing that you can save more money.

What's Your Latte Factor?

To reveal your Latte Factor, get a notebook and carry it with you for one day. Write down every penny you spend, including cash, checks, credit, and debit cards. This may seem simple, but this exercise can be life changing. There's something about seeing in black and white how much you spend and what you spend it on that motivates you to change.

Trust me when I tell you that regardless of the size of your paycheck, you probably make enough to become rich. The first step is finding just $5 to $10 you can cut from daily spending.

Decide right now that you can live on a little less and start to save today. I promise it will be worth it. All those little things add up fast to your financial freedom.

Namaste.

Jeff

Sunday, October 23, 2005

An interesting week

I just returned from LA where I’m assisting a client with their financial controls. They’re a major Japanese auto builder, and their corporate culture was a revelation to me.

The entire work environment is about as quiet as a vacant library. Everyone speaks in hushed tones. No music anywhere. No paging system. Even the phones are set at the softest levels. In a room with hundreds of staff, you can hear a pin drop.

I wonder if that is typical for Japanese companies, or unique to this one.

During the week, I had supper with an acquaintance from Phoenix who I’ve known for the past few months. Kurt is a successful entrepreneur who is destined for great things with his current company, and we have been discussing our involvement together for a while.

When I first met Kurt I really didn’t know what to make of him. But after knowing him for 3 months, I believe Kurt has a millionaire mind. And while he has been educating me on his business and his plans, I’ve had a chance to see first hand all of the characteristics that separate Kurt from the masses. In return, I’ve introduced Kurt to Peak Potentials and Harv Eker. Without any encouragement from me, Kurt has virtually memorized Harv’s best selling book “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” and is planning on attending the MMI in LA next month with 10 other friends and associates. Having worked with Harv, I see many similarities with Kurt.

On my return flight to Phoenix, I sat next to an entrepreneur who has his own Sales/marketing training company. Talk about a quick flight home. It was really a pleasure to hear his insights and thoughts on marketing and sales, as well as real estate investing and other topics. You just never know who you’re going to meet along the way. We exchanged business cards, and I will stay in touch with him.

It’s football Sunday, and Sue and I have been busy all weekend fixing up one of our rental homes. The tenant moved at the end of September, and we’ve been upgrading the property this month. Now the question is do we rent it, lease/option it, or sell it? If we sell it, what do we do next?

I fly back to LA tomorrow on the 6 a.m. flight, which means I need to get up at 3:30 tomorrow morning. The joys of working on the road.

Hope you all have a great week, and I’ll post when I have a chance.

Namaste.
Jeff

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

How to make your dreams a reality…

I remember listening to the late, great Earl Nightingale discussing the concept of success. He defined success as the “progressive realization of a worthy goal”. He explained that any person ACTIVELY engaged in pursuing a worthy goal is a success.

A worthy goal is something you actually have to WORK at in order to achieve it. For most people, getting up in the morning is hardly a worthy goal. Coasting through life, doing just enough to get by, settling for the minimum and simply accepting what life dishes out to you is not the mindset of a successful person.

Getting in great shape. For many that’s a worthy goal. So is…..maintaining a healthy weight….having a healthy diet…..creating a great marriage…….being a terrific parent…developing and maintaining fantastic friendships….making a positive difference in the lives of others….becoming financially free….building your own business….learning to be an expert in your field….traveling the world….playing a musical instrument…learning a new language….retiring young….volunteering your time…running a marathon….and on and on…these are all worthy goals.

The one thing all of these have in common is that you actually have to take some ACTION to turn your goals into reality.

Since you get to choose your goals, choose them carefully. Prioritize them. There are only 24 hours in the day, so you can only accomplish so many goals at a time.

Is it worth it to take the time to identify the goals you want to accomplish in your life? In the opinion of the world’s most successful people, not only is it worth it, without it, life has no meaning.

If you want to have a life of purpose, a life of happiness, fulfillment, fun, energy and passion, take the time to identify the things that are worthy of your efforts. Make your list and read it every morning and every night. Think about your goals frequently. Dream about them. Imagine how you’ll FEEL when you achieve them, and what your life will be like when you reach your goal. Over time, you will develop a BURNING DESIRE for its attainment.

Once you have your list, add all the details to each goal. If you want to be financially free, decide how much you want to earn, and when you intend to earn it. If you want to lose weight, decide how much you want to lose, and by when. The more details you attach to your goal, the better.

Finally, research has shown that less than 3% of all people have written goals. And for the most part, these 3% accomplish more than the remaining 97% combined!

In the final analysis, if you truly want to live your dreams, decide on your goals, write them down, add as many details as you can, emotionalize them, think about them constantly and develop a BURNING DESIRE for their attainment. The day that you do, your life will be changed forever.

Namaste.

Jeff

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Did you make your list?

In my last post, you were asked to spend 10 to 20 minutes making a list of the things you would want to have in your life if you knew you could not fail.

Did you do it?

If you’re like most people when asked to do an exercise, your conditioned mind says….”exercises…shmeckerscizes….I don’t need to do any stinking exercises”. That’s your mind trying to take you out and keep you in your current place.

The human mind is conditioned for SURVIVAL. It is not conditioned for SUCCESS. That’s why if you really want to reach your true potential, you will have to stop listening to that “little voice” inside your head, and ACT in spite of it. Sad to say, but your “little voice” is often your worst enemy and is the primary reason that you aren’t already as successful as you’d like to be. If you understand this concept you are way ahead of the game.

So if you haven’t made up your list of the things you really want in your life, then STOP reading this immediately and DO the exercise. You have to begin to develop the HABIT of taking ACTION and following through even when you don’t feel like it.

As I mentioned previously, how you do anything is how you do everything. If you don’t follow up on the little things, you definitely won’t follow up on the big things, and you will never see the success you want.

Commit that from now on you will follow through on the things you need to do regardless if you are in the mood or not.

Reading and learning what to do to be successful won’t get you there. Knowledge is only “potential” power. “Applied” knowledge is power. You actually have to DO something!

If there is one overriding concept that you will hear over and over again here, it is that until you develop the HABIT of taking ACTION and follow through on your sound ideas, you are just a dreamer and not an achiever. My goal is to educate and inspire you to achieve all the success you want for yourself.

In their best selling book “Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude”, the authors Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone point out that the starting point for all success is a positive mental attitude combined with a definite purpose (knowing what you want). In his book “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind”, Harv Eker suggests using “power” thinking instead of “positive” thinking. The difference is slight, but profound.

Regardless, having an attitude that helps promote you to move forward combined with knowing what you want is the beginning place for all of your achievements.

But knowing what you want isn’t nearly enough. Lot’s of people want a million dollars. Lot’s of people want to retire early. Lot’s of people want to live in nice homes, drive nice cars, take nice vacations. There’s a huge difference in wanting something and having something.

As Harv Eker explains, everyone wants things. That’s just not good enough. Some people take it to the next level and CHOOSE to have something. It’s a step in the right direction, but only a step. At least these people are making a conscious decision to achieve something.

For those who really want success, they COMMIT to it. They RESOLVE that they will do whatever it takes to reach their goals. They leave no room for failure.

You might as well understand this right now. Until you develop a burning DESIRE for what you truly want, you will not have the drive necessary to push you through the challenges that you will surely face on your journey.

So look at your list. Do you COMMIT to achieving those things on your list, or do you simply want these things?

In the next post, we’ll talk about what you can do to internalize your wants, so that you condition your mind to take the steps necessary for your success.

Namaste.

Jeff

Saturday, October 15, 2005

What would you do….

If you knew you could not fail?

Seriously, what would you do?

Let your imagination run wild. If you believed that whatever you set out to do you could accomplish, what kind of accomplishments would you shoot for?

Well….guess what? What’s stopping you now?

Only 3% of all people achieve financial freedom. Do you want to be one of them?

Less than 10% of all people are truly happy. Do you want to be one of them?

You can be. You should be. And if you continue to read my blog and other self help information you will have absolutely no excuse for not reaching your peak potential.

Here’s a secret that can change your life. The only thing that is stopping you from being the most amazing person ever…..is you. Your mind. Your ego. Get out of your own way, and let your life soar.

You need to know that once you make up your mind about what you want to be or to have or to do, forces will come to your aid to make it happen. All of the solutions to all the challenges you face are there for you.

Do you want to become financially free? Lots of people are doing it today. So can you.

Do you want to travel around the world? Lots of people are doing it. So can you.

So here’s an assignment for you to do. Immediately after reading this post, find a quiet place for 10 to 20 minutes and write down what you would truly want in your life if you knew you couldn’t fail. THINK BIG. And then rank them in terms of your priorities. You will now have a list of the most important things in your life that you would like to have or be or do.

At Peak Potentials Training, Harv Eker has a saying……”how you do anything is how you do everything”. If you read this and don’t do the instructions, then you can be sure you need to change your HABITS if you want to be successful. No one can help you if you don’t have a DESIRE to change for the better.

The list is a starting point for your exciting journey. It’s critical that you reach into your heart and soul and discover what it is you really want. Give it the attention it deserves. We’ll talk about what to do with the list next time.

Namaste.

Jeff

P.S. I’m heading to LA to begin some work with a new corporate client, and may not have a chance to blog for a few days. But keep checking in, I’ll be back again as soon as I can.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Staying on course….

Have you ever gone to a seminar and left all pumped up and excited, only to find that just a short while later you were back to your old self again?

Why does that happen so often? Why do we fall back into our old ways so quickly? Wouldn’t it be great if we could sustain our excitement and momentum?

In their best selling book “Success through a Positive Mental Attitude”, authors Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone talk about this very subject.

Have you ever heard of “Cosmic Habit Force”?

When we first learn something, it isn’t natural to us. We have to concentrate on the steps involved. After a short while, we do it naturally, without any conscious thought at all. For example, with men, learning to shave. Once we've done it a few times, we do it automatically every time, the same way, without thinking. With women, it’s the same thing with putting on makeup.

It’s like that for every part of our lives. Once we develop a habit for doing something, we automatically do it the same way over and over again without thinking about it. That’s why starting a new habit is so hard. It’s natural for us to do something a certain way. We actually have to think to change the way we do things and break old habits.

If you want to get on course and stay on course, you have to develop new habits, so that you do them automatically, the right way, every time.

When you attend a seminar, take a class or read a book, you learn exactly WHAT to do. If you’ve got incredible self-discipline and can hold yourself accountable, you can achieve everything you want by DOING what you learned. That means you need to develop new habits. If you don't immediately begin making those habits a new part of your life, you will never make it happen. Because of Cosmic Habit Force you will automatically go back to your old ways and old habits.

At Peak Potentials Training, Harv Eker has a great solution. Realizing that we all have a tendency to drop back into our old selves after awhile, as a Quantum member, you can return to another event within a short period of time, and capitalize on the momentum of back-to-back events. Eventually, by the time you've experienced a half dozen events in 2 years, your momentum has helped you in developing all the new habits that will take your life to a whole new level. You will automatically do the right thing in every circumstance, all the time.

For those who are really serious about taking their life to the highest levels, they not only attend the programs. They work with a coach. A personal coach is just like a personal trainer. A great coach can be the most valuable asset you have in your life. I realize this more and more as time goes by.

Make it a goal to change one habit a week. That’s 52 habits in a year. Once you see the benefits, I hope you’ll begin to reexamine every area of your life and look for new habits to cultivate.

Namaste.

Jeff

Monday, October 10, 2005

If you really want to be great…..

What separates the good one’s from the great one’s? If you knew that having this one quality assured you of being the best you could possibly be, would you want it?

Take a look at the most successful people in the world. Tiger Woods is the world’s greatest golfer. He started young, he had natural talent, and he had great coaching. But he also had the one ingredient that makes all the difference. He had PASSION. He loved golf. He loved playing it. He loved practicing it. Studying it. Even as the #1 golfer in the world, he was willing to step back and learn to play even better, and improve his game to a whole new level.

Lance Armstrong is the world’s greatest cyclist today. He started young, he had natural talent, and he had great coaching. But he also had the one ingredient that makes all the difference. He had PASSION. He loved cycling. He loved practicing. He loved improving. He did whatever it took to take his cycling to a whole new level.

Andre Agassi is among the world’s greatest tennis players. He started young, he had natural talent, and he had great coaching. But he also had the one ingredient that makes all the difference. He had PASSION. He loved tennis. He loved playing it. He loved practicing it. He loved improving. And he did whatever it took to take his tennis to his highest levels.

In any field, the best are the one’s who have a passion about what it is that they are doing.

Do you think that Harv Eker has a passion for his mission in life and Peak Potentials Training? You better believe that he does. It is no accident that he has achieved the level of success that he has.

So let me ask you, are you really passionate about your mission in life? Are you even clear about what it is that you even want from life? Until you have a definite purpose in life, and until you can get completely passionate about that purpose, you will struggle to see the level of success that you really want for yourself.

So make sure that you’ve got something to get passionate about in your life. Most skills are learnable. If you’ve got natural talent on top of that, so much the better. But with a passion to be something or to accomplish something special, and the right coaching, you increase your chances of success enormously. Besides, living a life of purpose is much more gratifying than just coasting by, at least it is for me.

Namaste.

Jeff

Saturday, October 08, 2005

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving...

Columbus Day in the U.S.A. falls on the same day as the Canadian Thanksgiving. To all of my family and great freinds at Peak Potentials Training, hope you have a terrific Thanksgiving. Have some turkey for me, and I'll be thinking of you guys.

Namaste.

Jeff

Some weekend chuckles....

It's a beautiful Saturday here in Phoenix. Blue skies. Sunshine. As we move into October, the high's drop into the 80's and for the next 8 months, it's paradise here.

I received the following about Red Skelton and thought it was pretty funny, so I'm hoping you can get a laugh or two from it...

Red Skelton shared his humor with us for decades.

He did so without four-letter words and raunchy antics. Throughout his career, he gained the respect of his fellow performers and audiences alike, and always was considered a top entertainer in his field. As we deal with our myriad day-to-day problems, a little levity is a welcome respite in today's world. Below are Mr. Skelton's tips for a happy marriage...

1. Two times a week, we go to a nice restaurant, have alittle beverage, then comes good food and companionship. She goes on Tuesdays, I go on Fridays.

2. We also sleep in separate beds. Hers is in Ontario and mine is in Tucson.

3. I take my wife everywhere, but she keeps finding her way back.

4. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our anniversary "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!" she said. So I suggested the kitchen.

5. We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.

6. She has an electric blender, electric toaster and an electric bread maker. Then she said, "There are too many gadgets and no place to sit down!" So I bought her an electric chair.

7. My wife told me the car wasn't running well because there was water in the carburetor. I asked where the car was, she told me, "In the lake."

8. She got a mudpack and looked great for two days. Then the mud fell off.

9. She ran after the garbage truck yelling, " Am I too late for the garbage?"The driver said, "No, jump in."

10. Remember, marriage is the number one cause of divorce.

11. Statistically, 100% of all divorces start with marriage.

12. I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always.

13. I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months. I don't like to interrupt her.

14. The last fight was my fault. My wife asked, "What's on the TV?" I said, "Dust!"

Hope you have a great weekend.

Namaste.

Jeff

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Do you know Blair Singer?...

I first got to know Blair through reputation. When I was first involved at Peak Potentials, I heard about the man who taught Harv Eker the skills of being a trainer.

Then I learned that Blair taught at the Train the Trainer program. And I was able to watch him on stage several times, either as a staff member working the event, or as a participant.

Not only is Blair a terrific trainer. He has his own successful business with international clients, and has written best selling books as a part of the "Rich Dad Poor Dad" advisory board. Blair is a very talented man.

If you go to his site, http://www.salesdogs.com/ you can learn more about Blair and his material.

I subscribe to his weekly newsletter. This weeks is terrific. Here's what Blair had to say...

It has been said that the greatest fear for most people is the fear of 'public humiliation or embarrassment'. Number two on the list is rejection by your peers. And number three is untimely death. Wow! No wonder people dread speaking in front of groups. It also explains why so many people have such distaste for sales. The evidence is clear. The single most debilitating 'little voice' that you have is the one that worries about what other people think about you or what they don't think about you. It is truly the biggest block to wealth that I have ever seen. I have seen great talent lie dormant, great plans get dusty and more than enough mediocre results because of concern about what others will think, what others will say or what others will do. Stop worrying about others!!! The greatest leaders and most effective salespeople I have witnessed don't care what others think. They care about others...but not what they think about them. I have seen so many people allow their fragile egos get in the way of greatness. Looking silly, awkward, stupid or making a mistake is not nearly as silly or stupid as living a life as a victim of the suspected thoughts of others (many of which may even be fantasy!). Make your mission in business or in life bigger than your concerns about yourself, practice speaking in front of groups and practice tons of "Little Voice Management." Your wealth and sanity depend upon it!

Thanks Blair.

Namaste,

Jeff

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

The power of laughter....

I love to laugh. Laughing and having fun is one of my greatest joys in the world. Everyone who knows me will confirm that I enjoy telling jokes. In fact, if you can tell me a good joke, you’re my friend for life. If there’s a good comedy movie in town, I’m there.

Some of my most favorite people are those who I know I’ll share a laugh with and enjoy their sense of humor.

On the road to success, I believe you increase your chances incredibly if you’ve got a great sense of humor. Not only is a good laugh healthy for you physically; it’s also healthy for you emotionally. It creates a favorable bond with you and the people you share your humor with. If you want to make a positive first impression with someone, make sure you get them to smile or laugh in the first few minutes. Trust me on this one, it’ll get others on your side.

When I was growing up, I used to visit my cousins Howie and Michael in Toronto. Big Sam is their Dad, and he's an amazing man. Big Sam is the toy king of Canada. As a kid, I remember going to his warehouse and watching him sell. The man always had a smile on his face, and he made sure that when you were with him, you always had a smile on your face too. He could deliver a joke with the best of them, and he had an endless supply to keep you laughing. All the while, he was selling toys by the boatload. I always considered Big Sam the greatest salesman I’ve ever known.

My cousins Howie and Michael are the same way. They know how to have fun. They know how to make others laugh. They do it all the time. Maybe that’s why I love those guys so much, and why I always have a great time with them. Now that Big Sam is slowing down a little, the boys are managing their successful family business using the same MO Big Sam did.

So, how’s your sense of humor? Do you have a few good laughs everyday? Do you share a good laugh everyday? If you don’t, it’s time to lighten up a little and remember the value of laughing. And if you’ve got a great joke to share, I’d love to hear it.

Namaste.

Jeff

P.S. When I used to visit my cousins in Toronto, I got to know their gang of buddies. One of them ended up being my long time friend and mentor, T. Harv Eker of Peak Potentials Training. Strange how we make life connections huh? Harv is perhaps the only person I know who is a better marketer than Big Sam. That’s saying a lot.

Big night tonight.....

To all the hockey fans out there, let the fun begin! Best of luck to your team.

Namaste,

Jeff

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

I hate to see it...

I’m working with a large corporate client who is about to acquire 14 resort hotels from a major prestigious chain. My role is to work with the management and finance/accounting people through the purchase date in the Phoenix site.

The look of apprehension is everywhere. Rumors are flying. Morale is terrible. Everyone is fearful of losing their jobs.

Ever been there?

In my 20+ years of Corporate America, I’ve been in this exact situation many times. Virtually everyone I know who’s been working for a while in a large corporation has experienced it. Between mergers and acquisitions where jobs are lost, and “rightsizing” where jobs are lost, if you don’t have a revenue generating position, your job will always been in jeopardy.

Why?

If you are not generating income for the company, you are overhead. You do not contribute directly to the bottom line. In the minds of the management folks who decide how to reduce expenses, the rule is to keep overhead to a minimum. For example, the information provided by accounting may be useful, but it doesn’t create income. With automation and software systems that can create multiple reports, there isn’t a need for large staffs anymore. Are you in a revenue generating position?

Let’s not forget outsourcing. We live in a global economy where we can now have services done through outsourcing at a cheaper rate than doing it ourselves. Not just outsourcing here in the good old U.S. of A, but all over the world.

Why am I writing about this? In my experience, I’ve witnessed this situation for the past 2 decades, and it isn’t going to change.

If you are truly committed to financial success and happiness, you have to take control of your life. You cannot continue to be at the mercy of your boss or the senior management of your company. That's not to say that you shouldn't be loyal or hardworking to your employer. On the contrary, you should be an invaluable contributor. Just realize that in the Corporate world, job loss is a fact of life.

Begin now to make a commitment that you are going to take control of your life. Get excited about what your future can be. Don’t just let your life be at the mercy of others. Start a business. Take a class. Look for opportunities. Concentrate on doing your job as best you can, and adding to your skill sets at every opportunity. Continue to make yourself more valuable.

As my friend and mentor, T. Harv Eker of Peak Potentials Training teaches, “get into the corridor”. If you want to do something on your own, just get started. DO SOMETHING! Even if it’s part-time. Taking action is a huge step in the right direction.

As for the employees here at my client’s hotel, all I can do is empathize with them. They are all waiting to find out their fate in the next few days. I hope you never have to experience it. Decide for yourself that you won’t.

Namaste.

Jeff

P.S. Thanks to those of you who have written to me in the past few days. It's great to hear from you. I'd love to hear from all of you, whether we have met or not.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Financial Freedom in 3 years or less........

What’s your definition of Financial Freedom?

I like the definition that is taught by Peak Potentials……”Financial Freedom is the ability to live the lifestyle your desire without HAVING to work or rely on anyone else for money."

The key word here is “HAVING” to work. So if you work, you work by choice, not by necessity. It’s a dream that millions have, but only a very small percentage ever get to. Why?

Several years ago, my friend and mentor, T. Harv Eker, wrote a book called “Speedwealth”. The theme of the book is that if you follow certain principles and ideas, you can attain financial freedom in 3 years or less. In Harv’s case, starting with a credit card loan, he opened his own company, and in less than 3 years, sold half the business to a Fortune 500 company for $1.5 million and retired to San Diego. (Subsequently, he went on to start Peak Potentials Training, and continues to grow his business exponentially).

How many of you would like to start your own business and be able to retire in 3 years or less? I know that I would. And that is a part of what I’ll be writing about as time progresses.

Hopefully, you will not only follow along as I undertake this journey, but that you will use the same ideas and concepts to take your business and life to another level. In time, I sincerely hope that I’ll be hearing from many of you that have decided to take the plunge and shoot for financial freedom using the Speedwealth methodology.

The great thing about Speedwealth is that in order to overcome the challenges (problems) that we will surely face, we will need to grow bigger than our problems. It means we have to grow as people. It means stretching ourselves, moving out of our comfort zones and into our uncomfort zones.

You will transform yourself over time. Doing those things that make you uncomfortable will be difficult at first. But if you have the right attitude, you’ll become excited at the prospects of doing the things you fear.

Personal growth and development isn’t just listening to tapes, reading books and attending seminars. It’s taking all of that knowledge and putting it into use. ACTIONS are the most important ingredient in this process. An ounce of action is worth more than a ton of intention.

There are 2 key elements in success of all undertaking. It’s not only important to know what to do, it’s even more important to DO what you know. We’ll talk about both of those ideas in the coming weeks and months.

Maybe it’s just me, but as I explore all of my options for my future business venture, I see the Internet playing an essential role. For a lot of us, this will be the case. And since I am a rookie at a lot of the latest tools, this Blog is my way to begin to learn how to use the latest technology to communicate. Once I get this part down, I’ll learn how to podcast, since I see that as another powerful way to communicate. Besides, I can say a lot more in 5 minutes than I can type. It’s all a part of the learning process.

Today is the eve of the Jewish New Years. To all of my Jewish friends, I wish you a happy and healthy new year.

Finally, I would really like to hear from you regardless if we’ve met or not. One of my primary goals for this Blog is to connect with many like-minded individuals who are passionate about life, and want to stretch and grow into the best they can be in all areas of their life. I can tell you first hand that surrounding yourself with positive, success oriented individuals who have a high level of integrity and a passion for growth will only add to your pleasure in life.

Namaste.

Jeff