Before You Quit Your Job - Kiyosaki

You might believe you just weren't born to be the Henry Ford of your time, but the truth is that anyone can be an entrepreneur, according to Robert T. Kiyosaki, author of 'Rich Dad's Before You Quit Your Job: 10 Real-Life Lessons Every Entrepreneur Should Know About Building a Multimillion-Dollar Business' (Warner Business). Given that Kiyosaki believes that everyone has the potential to create a thriving organization, it may seem ironic that one of the major motifs of his book is 'failure.' Failure, however, is part and parcel to becoming a successful entrepreneur, ("Humans are designed to learn by making mistakes," he writes) and only those willing to risk failure should attempt to create their own industries. To help determine whether you should try to become an entrepreneur, he offers 10 lessons he learned on his journey to becoming one himself: Lesson 1: A Successful Business Is Created Before There Is a Business All too often, new entrepreneurs get so excited about a new product or opportunity that they forget to invest the time designing the operation around the product or opportunity. Before you quit your job, study the lives of industrialists and the different types of companies they created, Kiyosaki advises. Better yet, keep your daytime job while starting a part-time business -- for the experience. "Not only will you learn about business, you will learn a lot about yourself," he says. Lesson 2: Learn How to Turn Bad Luck Into Good Luck Rather than wallowing in the anger or sadness of making a mistake, take the opportunity to learn something new from that mistake and turn a bad experience into a good one. Lesson 3: Know the Difference Between Your Job and Your Work Work is what you do to prepare for your job, and doesn't necessarily mean getting paid. "Do your homework," Kiyosaki stresses repeatedly. Creating a lucrative enterprise entails five jobs: delivering a good product, knowing your legal rights, establishing a system, establishing communications and managing cash flow. If you aren't qualified to do all of these jobs, be prepared to work until you are or hire others -- such as an accountant and a lawyer -- who are. Lesson 4: Success Reveals Your Failures "Before quitting your job, know that your most important job is to develop yourself," Kiyosaki says. A business that is initially booming is still inclined to fail if the company does not continue to develop. It's not enough to cover every aspect of launching a business; you must constantly strengthen those elements in order to maintain the prosperity of that undertaking. Lesson 5: The Process Is More Important Than the Goal If you approach a business venture as a learning experience, rather than a get-rich-quick scheme, it will be that much easier to bounce back from mistakes and achieve long-term success. "High expenses are an everyday challenge in business," Kiyosaki says. Consult an experienced accountant before you begin to help you anticipate how much money you will need to both support production and cover additional expenses. If you're not willing to face these challenges, you should not become an entrepreneur. Lesson 6: The Best Answers Are Found in Your Heart ... Not Your Head Make it your company's mission to work for others, not just itself. Working towards a mission that goes beyond simply making money will ensure the best quality of work and greater likelihood of success. "If it had been just about the money, there are easier things the three of us [himself, wife Kim, and Sharon Lecter, the founders of The Rich Dad Company] could have done," he says. Lesson 7: The Scope of the Mission Determines the Product While designing your business, determine how big you want it to be. Deciding whether you want to own a small business or a big corporation will set the stage for how you produce and market your product. Lesson 8: Design a Business That Can Do Something That No Other Business Can Do "Simply put, focus all your efforts on your core strength, your unique product," Kiyosaki writes. Kiyosaki uses Domino's Pizza as an example of a business designed around a unique tactical advantage: offering a pizza in 30 minutes or less. By offering something no other pizza vendor did, Domino's immediately began taking market share from its competitors. Lesson 9: Don't Fight for the Bargain Basement "Ultimately, the most important job of an entrepreneur is to be first in the mind of your customers," Kiyosaki writes. While almost everyone knows that Lindbergh was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic, almost no one remembers who flew second. Market your product as No. 1. "If you are not first in your category, then invent a new category you can be the first in." Lesson 10: Know When to Quit Sometimes it is best to cut your losses. Not everyone should be an entrepreneur, and only those who love it and accept it as an educational process should do so. Understand that becoming an entrepreneur is a process that involves failing. Certainly, Kiyosaki's mission in writing this book is to prevent others from making all the same mistakes he did, but there will be times when quitting will seem like the easiest and best thing to do. "Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing."

A Man's Journey (p.s.- you have to look the part.)

He's survived bankruptcy, two marital breakdowns and a persistent habit of referring to himself in the third person: Ozwald Boateng remains a force to be reckoned with. The first black tailor on Savile Row and former creative director of Givenchy, Boateng this month releases A Man's Story, his 12-years-in-the-making film of his remarkable career. "I'm not nervous about the film, I'm excited - it's like the first time I sold a suit," he explains to GQ.com, sitting in an elegant café in London's Mayfair. "I was always the youngest one around. When I went to Paris for my first catwalk show I was always the kid. Now I'm 45 years old. I've got mileage in the tank." Here he explains how men should wear colour, why Giorgio Armani still inspires him and why everyone should follow the sartorial example of ageing rockers… Confidence can sometimes be misconstrued as arrogance. I had a suit made for me when I was five. It was double-breasted, mohair and purple. My mother was very particular about clothing - it always used to have to go back into the plastic and it used to drive me insane. American Vogue's André Leon Talley came to my second showing in Paris. He came to me afterwards and said, "I really like what you do." I said, "Yes, I'm a tailor". He replied, "No you're not. You're a couturier, you're a designer - you're much more than that". At that point I had a realisation that I was a fusion of two things. That's why I came up with "bespoke couture", this fusion of two different elements. Anyone can wear any colour.The question is about finding the right shade. There is a momentary trend to dark colours because when the financials are not that great, people go for black, navy and grey. Shirt collars are very important to me. Putting a very soft shirt collar with a formal suit doesn't work for me at all. I haven't been to a job interview since I was 16 years old. When I was approached by Givenchy it was more like a courtship. Will Smith introduced me to Jamie Foxx. Obviously at that point [when Foxx was nominated for an Oscar for Ray] there were a lot of people who wanted to dress him and there were a lot of politics. Our relationship and his love of what I did changed that. On the day we were in the Four Seasons and ended up going through the kitchens and taking the catering lift up to his hotel room. We're in Jamie's room and he puts the suit on. That magic is what I work for. I took a little bit from the movie and put it into the suit, so when he stood up it was definitely Jamie but it reminded everyone of the film. The shoulder line is key on a bespoke suit. Once you have a strong understanding of that, the rest flows from there. The idea of an ill-fitting suit is something I cannot register. If I register it once then it goes off and destroys! It starts interfering with the mainframe of my computer. It's like dust in the lens - you grow accustomed to the dust and it starts building up. Dressing well on a budget is about what we call "strategic shopping". Spot what you like and then be first in the queue when the sale comes. Be patient enough to rummage through the rails. Sort your basics out and then save up for the key pieces. Make sure you always spend money on shoes though. The most common style mistake men make? The guy who sits down with his buttons closed and doesn't know he has to relax the jacket. I understand that the harness of the jacket creates [a particular] shape but there are some rules. Release the button. If your suit is not handmade, get the other elements really right. Make sure your shirt is pressed and has that sharpness of line. It demonstrates that you pay attention to the way you look. Style is about consistency and not having just one great day or one great photograph. Paul Bettany always looks good. He's got a good presence about him. I haven't seen him slouch and it's easy to slouch. What's funny about men is when they enter the world of casual and it's not their natural state. Casual just doesn't mean jeans and jacket - think how the whole thing fits together. It requires you to delay in the mirror and consider whether the whole outfit works. The key thing is about being comfortable and enjoying what you're wearing. I've seen some old rock stars wearing old pieces and you think "God, you're still wearing that now!" But because they're so established in themselves, their confidence radiates out from them and you accept them. Casino - that movie really sang for me. It was beautifully shot and you could feel the colours jump off the screen. They must have been in my store when they did that film! The suits were immaculate and there was real attention to detail about the clothes - when [De Niro's] sitting down he doesn't want to get his trousers creased. If you love what you wear, that's what you do. Men are evolving all over the world. In Russia they're finding their own voice and fashion. Initially it was just brands for brands' sake. Now they're more opinionated. It's still driven by the women - the men are not as discerning - but that is changing. The rulebook says for black tie it should be a black suit with a satin lapel. But there are lots of things you can do to make it different. I like to play with the traditional themes - it doesn't have to be black, so I've got my signature dark purple tux. It's a bit boring that the women have all the opportunity and the guys don't. Americans have an uncompromising belief in themselves. You go to the States and talk to designers who have got 30 businesses. Here, you're not allowed to do two things. You can't imagine how it feels as a designer taking your daughter to a shop when she doesn't like anything you pick for her. You feel like saying, "Hang on, Daddy does this for a living." We're going to have to set up a system of bespoke promwear for the boys. I'll do a deal with some High Street [chain] and educate these 16-year-old guys. We can't afford for their first experience of a suit to be one with really wide lapels and buttons that are just thrown on the jacket. My best-dressed British man is Sir Ben Kingsley. What I love about him is that he can do anything - he was Ghandi! But then he was absolutely genius in Sexy Beast. He's quite a unique individual. Giorgio Armani is my template. He is 77 and he has energy like no-one else. I'm just getting started

Economics is the root to all of the World's conflicts.....

An Overview of the American Economy

I really want you to have this information because I care about you and I see you as an astute citizen. It is pretty dense but I believe the linked video called the EndofAmerica2011.com is right on point based on what I have been seeing in the United States and what I have been seeing in the world economy from my travels over the last 20 years. Please take the time to watch the whole video. The links about when Capitalism Hits the Fan is about the history and how we got here and the End of America 2011 is about the current state and the probable future. Don’t be a skin bag like in the movie The Matrix… take charge of your financial life! I am going to make some moves based on what I have learned from this…



I am not sharing this information to endorse the sources or for you to buy anything it is about the information… Do what you like with it. The End of America 2011 gives me answers to what I noticed about the Euro, the European Union, a one world economy, currency, the rise of all these “buy your gold parties” and frankly University of Phoenix… Unfortunately this guy is REALLY long winded about making his point and you can ignore the sales pitch at the end but the information is invaluable to my sensibilities! I won’t tell you what to think… I just want you to think critically for yourself about the rug we are standing on that may be pulled out from under us and the advanced planning you may want to do about it.



I don’t get caught up with the Republican/Democrat stuff… I look at what they are doing so I see how both sides are contributing to this issue and how they are trying to “solve” it concerns me. I would really like to know what you get from it.





It’s More Than Just Money: When Capitalism Hits the Fan (The True Story of this Economic Meltdown)

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Davey D Quantcast


http://hiphopandpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/capitalism-bound-250.jpg?w=217&h=250This is an incredible lecture that everyone needs to peep that breaks down the current state of affairs with our economy. This cat Professor Richard Wolff is a beast when it comes to this as he lets us know that what is going down goes beyond money.. The quality on these clips aren’t all that great.. You can get better qualities at his website..http://www.capitalismhitsthefan.com/



Below is a more detailed description of what’s on these clips…They come in 9 parts

With breathtaking clarity, renowned University of Massachusetts Economics Professor Richard Wolff breaks down the root causes of today’s economic crisis, showing how it was decades in the making and in fact reflects seismic failures within the structures of American-style capitalism itself. Wolff traces the source of the economic crisis to the 1970s, when wages began to stagnate and American workers were forced into a dysfunctional spiral of borrowing and debt that ultimately exploded in the mortgage meltdown. By placing the crisis within this larger historical and systemic frame, Wolff argues convincingly that the proposed government “bailouts,” stimulus packages, and calls for increased market regulation will not be enough to address the real causes of the crisis – in the end suggesting that far more fundamental change will be necessary to avoid future catastrophes. Richly illustrated with motion graphics and charts, this is a superb introduction designed to help ordinary citizens understand, and react to, the unraveling economic crisis.

Capitalism Hits the Fan pt 1-Three Things the Economic Crisis is Not

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pOD7RFpOGI

Capitalism Hits the Fan pt 2-How We Got Here: American Exceptionalism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x_qnazVW_U

Capitalism Hits the Fan pt 3-History Interrupted: The Trauma of Flat Wages

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHL_jEY2LIw

Capitalism Hits the Fan pt 4-Coping with Trauma: The People’s Response

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-4Ot3SlyUU

Manifesting Abundance

Understanding the Law of Attraction

You likely know someone who is a great at manifesting. You may even have felt somewhat jealous of that person because it appears they have everything, seemingly getting these things with little effort as if they were born under a lucky star. Well, it may be that they very well were born with the knowledge of manifesting already intact. I say this because I believe once we learn something in another life (Yes, I believe in past lives, parallel existences) it is not lost, and that we can choose to bring those talents with us as we move into a new life experience.
Attracting Abundance is Knowledge
As any other skill people have, manifesting is no different from playing the piano or flipping pancakes in the air. How good you are at it depends on how efficient you have become at performing it. And, although some of us are better at certain skills that doesn't mean the rest of us, with practice, can't improve or even surpass the talent expressed by another. Those people who are efficient in attracting have trained their minds to focus on their desires. They have learned it so well that they often times don't even realize how they do it. Abundance comes to them naturally. They wouldn't blink an eye if someone suggested they don't deserve something, it isn't part of their reality.

Grasping a better understanding of how the "Law of Attraction" works is the first step in bringing abundance into your life.
Law of Attraction
We create our own reality. We attract those things in our life (money, relationships, employment) that we focus on. I wish I could tell you that it is as simple as stating an affirmation, but no affirmation is going to work if your thoughts or feelings are negating the positive.

When we focus on "having less" then we create that experience for ourselves. When we focus on "I hate my job" then we will never notice the aspects of our employment that might be satisfying. Basically, just wanting something isn't going to bring that to us when we continue to obsess on the not having of that something. All we will experience is "not having" and will be ultimately blocking our true desires.

Better to focus on a particular object or scenario rather than on winnings or cash.

Another mistake that we make is that we tend to think of abundance in terms of how much money we have in our bank accounts. I personally think focusing on winning the lottery is a fruitless event. Focusing on winning the lottery is kind of like focusing on "not having." I say this because of some discussions I've had with those who have held this desire, They have shared what they would do with the winnings if they won. Yet, some of the things they say they would do with the money they could actually already be doing with their current incomes on a smaller scale, but they don't. Why not? Because they cling to what they perceive as their "meager savings" with the attitude that they don't have enough out of fear. Here is an example of this:

A man's mother owns a car that is need of repair. The son says "If I won the lottery I would buy my mother a new car." But actually, the son has the means to take her car to the mechanics and pay out $400 needed in repairs to assure that his mom has a dependable car to drive back and forth to the market. When asked why he doesn't then just go ahead and have her current car repaired, he answers, "Well gee, I only have $800 in the bank, and doing that would knock out half my savings. What happens if my car needs repairs next week or my daughter gets sick and needs to see a doctor?"

So you see, the person's true focus is on "not enough" rather than being focused on winning the lottery. When we are focused on "not enough" it won't ever matter how much money we have, it will never be enough. Suggesting that he pay for his mother's car repairs brought his fears out into the open. It would be nice if the fellow could trust that by helping his mother and paying for the repairs he would not put himself at financial risk. But for the time being, while he feels he must hold onto that fear reality, I would suggest this man focus on visualizing his mother driving safely to and from the market in comfort and without experiencing any mechanical breakdowns. This would be a positive image/thought to get that picture to become a reality. Another suggestion would be to introduce the Law of Attraction to his mother so she can start attracting a new car for herself among other things she might desire.

Work Life Balance: The Gift Of Too Much To Do

On any given day I generally have more than enough to do. Sometimes I have so much to do that I hardly know where to begin. Yet the fact is that most weeks I work less than 40 hours.

People are always asking me how I get everything done. How do I find the time to read so much? How can I travel and attend trainings while keeping up with my practice? How do I manage to write my blog and Authentic Promotion newsletter? How do I maintain work life balance that has become the Holy Grail of our times? What's my secret?

There are many answers, but one in particular arose in the midst of one of my morning meditation. As usual, my mind was prancing around like a young puppy, willing to heel for only a moment or two before racing off to explore some enticing scent in the bushes. Also as usual, one of these enticing scents was my "To Do" list.

As I gave a gentle tug on my mental leash, I experienced a sudden shift in perception. It was as if I had slipped through the looking glass to discover that I was living in a world of abundant possibility as opposed to one of temporal scarcity.

I no longer had the problem of not enough time and balancing my life with my work; I had the gift of more than enough to do.

Why is this a gift? Consider this. When you are invited to a smorgasbord laden with more delicacies than you can possibly sample, you choose from among the offerings the ones that you want most. What you choose will depend on your needs, desires, and values. Do you want to try something new? Do you want to experiment with a new combination of familiar pleasures? Do you have allergies to consider? Is there a favorite food you want to make sure to taste again?

Sure, you could approach the buffet with resentment, frustrated that the thoughtless hosts had plotted to overwhelm you. But why on earth would you adopt that point of view? What would you gain?

As I sat with this notion of having more than enough to do, I knew intuitively that I did not have to do everything on my list any more than I would have to eat everything at a buffet. I also knew that accepting that I could not do it all was part of the pleasure of acknowledging the wealth of opportunity before me.

I've spent several days now musing about what actions and choices arise from "behind the looking glass." Here are some of the practical ways this shift shows up:

* When I notice that I have more than enough, it is natural to look for how I can share it, giving a whole new twist to the notion of delegating work. Who would enjoy doing this work? Who would enjoy learning how to do this? With whom would I like to try this?
* When I notice that I have more than enough, it is natural to wonder what I want most and why. This invigorates the process of setting priorities. What would be the most fun? What would be the most nourishing? What can keep for another day of my life? What can I enjoy from a distance?
* When I notice that I have more than enough, it is natural to act from gratitude and to express gratitude through good stewardship. For the sake of what shall I make this choice? What makes the most sense or is most necessary in light of current life conditions? What selections support healthy ambition? How can I preserve or conserve opportunities for another person or another day? If I cannot use an opportunity, how can I be complete with it?
* When I notice that I have more than enough, I can trust the ebb and flow of natural abundance. I regard unused possibilities of balancing my life with my work as compost for the future. I appreciate that times of apparent emptiness are the seedbed for times of opportunity. I know that when seedlings grow too thickly, it is time to thin the garden, not to complain about the pressure of competing priorities.

I encourage you to notice your own relationship to time and the things you have to do. Check your work life balance and emotional weather report as it relates to planning either for the day or for a specific project over a period of days. Then notice the physical sensations that correspond to this weather report. How does this change when you play with the notion that rather than too little time you more than enough to do, an abundance of opportunity?

Once you have felt your way into this different frame of mind, see what new possibilities show up. What actions are possible (and how are they qualitatively different) from this place?

Small Things Create Big Results

We have heard it a million times in business, school, relationships and life in general.

It’s the small things that make the difference.

Then why do the vast majority of people keep searching for that magic bullet, that secret ingredient, that special something to catapult them to success?

Van Gogh said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

Vince was a pretty talented guy. You know, Starry Nights, Irisis and like a gazillion other amazing masterpieces. We remember him for great things. Monumental things. Brilliant things.

And yet he says it was all about the small things.

Thoreau said this, “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand. Simplify, simplify.”

Henry was a pretty talented guy too and produced some literary masterpieces on his own.

Now, I am not suggesting you go cut off your ear or go find a cabin in the middle of the woods and close yourself off from the world. I mean, if you think that’s what you need, go for it…but there are likely other routes to take.

In our insanely fast paced world, we often try and do it all. We imagine ourselves into this huge life and often think we are going to get their with one great leap forward as if there is that one thing that will propel us forward into greatness.

It doesn’t work that way.

Small forwarding, positive actions over time create enduring success.

Or as Jeff Olson calls it in his bestselling book…the Slight Edge.

It’s the seemingly insignificant things that when we do them don’t seem to make a difference that over time either create greatness or perpetuate mediocrity.

In relationships with ourselves and others…

It’s getting off work a little early once a week to pick your kids up from school and spend some uninterrupted time together.

It’s having family dinner consistently together so you can just talk.

It’s bringing home flowers on a Tuesday…that’s not her birthday, anniversary or mother’s day.

It’s rubbing his shoulders without being asked.

It’s setting aside “us time” and “me time” consistently…not just when you can’t take it any more.

It’s meditating, working out and reading…at least a few times EVERY WEEK.

It’s eating that one raw meal a day.

These are all seemingly insignificant things that add up over time…and over time they contribute to the body of work that is our lives.

In business and marketing…

It’s making new contacts and exposures to your business every single day.

It’s putting out 1 single piece of good content online every day.

It’s being of value in the social media space with your dialogue and interactions.

It’s stepping up to lead even when you may not think you are ready.

It’s stretching yourself past your comfort zone…and doing it with joy.

It’s doing the thing NOW, not tomorrow or next week, but NOW!

I know that we sometimes seem to get a lot of conflicting information in the world of personal development. Some advice teaches us to focus on getting the big parts of our lives in order, to focus on vision, to make sure the most important things are our priorities.

These things are all true.

But we don’t get where we are going by leaping the chasm. We get there by putting one foot in front of the other and simply taking a step forward.

It’s really not that hard.

And that’s the challenge.

It’s simple.

So most people miss it.

Do the small things anyway.

Choose what you want. Create the vision. Decide what things need to be done to move your forward towards your goals.

Then just get started…and stay consistent…even when you don’t feel like it.

Hold your vision in mind while focusing on what’s next. What is the next thing you need to do? Then just do it.

Check it off the To-Do list.

This is so much more than just staying in action. It’s adopting a belief system that success is the culmination of many small influences and actions. It’s “a knowing” that the thing you are doing right now is either moving you closer to or further away from what you want.

Let’s go get it done.

But please, please, please…do it with style. Put YOU into your daily actions. If you are going to show up…SHOW UP!

Show up with 100% of who you are – whether it’s parenting, being intimate, marketing, training, talking to a prospect, learning from a mentor, taking care of yourself, working out, being quiet or making a difference for someone.

So what are you waiting for?