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?

Retention can make or break any Network...7 ways to help your business

In MLM, retention is keeping new business partners active for the long haul.

An unfortunate statistic on MLM is that on average, three out of four new distributors lose interest in their first 3 months and quit the business. A whopping 90% of new distributors do not survive their first year!

This leads to a major drain on your income because retention is where the long-term residual income in the MLM network marketing industry comes from. The good news is that even a modest increase in your retention rate can lead to a dramatic increase in your income.

It is important to note that of new business partners who do quit, better than half of them do so in the first 90 days in business. This is the reason it is so important to start new team members quickly and help them have success in their early days in business.

For many years, I focused on prospecting and sponsoring in the network marketing industry. But, for the last several months, I concentrated more on retention. I found the results to be almost immediate and long-lasting, too. Improving the number of business partners that I hang on to has had a greater impact on increasing my monthly check than the number of new people I recruit each month.

Much of our team training now focuses on retention. Here are the keys to increasing retention in your MLM.

1. Bring top-quality people into the business the proper way. We teach our team to enroll new partners that ask to join the business. We do not teach our team to use warm-market tactics like approaching friends, neighbors, and relatives who are not even interested in the business. We do not teach our team to sell or close leads on the business. When you have to close people to get them in, you'll have to close them every time they hit a small obstacle. They are the first ones to become quitters.

2. New team members need to submit their goals in writing. Make sure their goals are realistic. Both you and your new business partner will need these goals to measure their success. Each team member's success is measured against their own goals.

3. Fast start approach. New team members need to make money early in their career for both their belief in the business and for credibility with others. Earning money quickly is the most effective retention tool!

4. Be a true servant-leader. Helping a new team member is more important than even your own prospecting. Make yourself accessible. Encourage business partners to reach your upline in your absence.

5. Proper communication. Provide necessary information, without flooding new partners with information overload. Regular emails from an autoresponder have helped keep partners in the game and help them get back on track if they've become sidetracked.

6. Recognition. For many people, recognition is an even bigger motivator than money. Even quick recognition like a telephone call is important. Recognition in front of a group has been an industry standard for years. Find ways to recognize business partners regularly.

7. Training. Effective training should be available by several means, both live and recorded. We've had best success offering training via a mix of live webinars, recorded webinars available 24/7, training videos, email series, and individual mentoring.

Shift more of your focus to retention in your network marketing business. You will enjoy a big increase in your long-term residual income.

MasterMind Groups- What's in it for you?

What is a MasterMind Group?

There is synergy of energy, commitment, and excitement that participants bring to a MasterMind Group. The beauty of MasterMind Groups is that participants raise the bar by challenging each other to create and implement goals, brainstorm ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. MasterMind participants act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues.

The concept of the MasterMind Group was formally introduced by Napoleon Hill in the early 1900’s. In his timeless classic, "Think And Grow Rich" he wrote about the Mastermind principle as:

"The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony."

He continues …

"No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible
intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind."

In a MasterMind Group, the agenda belongs to the group, and each person’s participation is key. Your peers give you feedback, help you brainstorm new possibilities, and set up accountability structures that keep you focused and on track. You will create a community of supportive colleagues who will brainstorm together to move the group to new heights.

You’ll gain tremendous insights, which can improve your business and personal life. Your MasterMind Group is like having a objective board of directors.

What Will You Get From It?

* Experience, skill and confidence
* Real progress in your business and personal life
* An instant and valuable support network
* A sense of shared endeavor - there are others out there!
* Design things to be the way you want them to be, not as you’ve been told they "should" be

Who Should Attend?

People who:

* have a similar interest (such as a group for self-employed people, or
a group for spiritual thinkers, or a group for people in a certain corporation or industry)
* have a similar skill and/or success level
* have the desire and inspiration to make this year extraordinary
* want a supportive team of MasterMind partners
* want to reach or exceed their goals
* are ready to let their desire to be passionate about their life and work overcome their fear of change

How Does It Work?

MasterMind Groups can meet in person, on the telephone, or via online message boards. For those groups that meet in person or on the phone, typically a once-a-month meeting is scheduled.

Because of the group nature, a commitment is required. Look for highly-motivated people who are willing to ask for—and give—help and support.
How Do You Screen Applicants?

Before agreeing to let any new applicants into your group, it’s important to screen them to make sure they’ll fit into the existing group and that their commitment level is high. Decide in advance how many people should be in your group (5-8 is recommended), and only allow new members into the group with the unanimous consent of everyone in the group.

* Do you have a personal or business mission or vision statement?
* What are your five-year goals?
* Where will you find time to participate in the MasterMind Group?
* What is your commitment to moving forward in your business and personal life?
* Why should you be chosen to participate in this group?

Even with a screening process your group is likely to run across people who say that they’re committed but then don’t participate, or who say that they’re honest but then fail to keep the trust of the group.

Be prepared to ask people to leave the group who are not participating up to the group standard and do it quickly once the poor behavior becomes evident. A "slacking" member will bring down the energy and fun level for the whole group.

MasterMind Groups create a win-win situation for all participants. New friendships develop and everyone grows because of the support and encouragement of the MasterMind Group.

As an Entrepreneur you should surround yourself with successful people that provoke thought and evoke an unweilding sense of personal accomplshment, the MasterMind Group is that tool to take it to the next level and beyond.

A Vital Key To Building A Healthy Network

No system, no plan, your dead. The system is a plan to follow, allows you to know if your on track or not. A good leader should be able to outline their complete system before you start with them. What is the game plan, what does it cost in terms of time, investment and skills you need to obtain.

What composes a good system? Make sure you have one for success. So read the next few paragraphs carefully. Your time and your money are at stake. And losing time can cost you thousands in lost income.

New distributors suffer from the same things.
1. Some have poor people skills and poorer marketing skills.
2. They need to make their new business WORK, this can tend to make them desperate.
3. They do not know that a mentor is vital to their success.
4. They have no idea why their prospect signed up.
5. They usually under funded.
6. They always need prospects, always, but talking to people scares them.

The good news is your mentor can teach you these skills and you really can make it in networking.

This is not theory for me.


Here are the key points to a good system.

1. Training-mentoring Group and one & ones
2. Prospecting - lead generation
3. Quality company with doable pay plan
4. Presentation(s) that work
5. Functions - Online and Off

There are other things that comprise a good system, but these are the driving forces of a good system.

Lastly, it is important that you understand the costs involved in various on and off-line systems. No matter what, the system should do one thing, create an ability for anyone to prosper if followed.

Systems are for one thing and one thing only, good business for all, everyone. Me, you, your team and their team. I use the exact same method to building my team as what I teach.

So before you join anyone, understand what the key tool (their system) your upline uses to build with. It has to be available to everyone at reasonable cost. It has to be the same system they use, as well as you.

No system, no SUCCESS. I cannot be more clear than this.

Stop Networking and Start Building Relationships

Creating working relationships should be the goal of networking, not meeting as many people as possible.

At traditional networking events and online networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn, the focus is simply connecting you with as many people as possible. We need to shift our networking goals from numbers and volume to quality and relationships. After all, the point of networking is to connect yourself with others who can help you, as well as you help them. Relationships, communication and trust are fundamental for this. Simply exchanging business cards doesn’t build communication or trust.

"The formula for success = your human capital (what you know) times your social capital (who you know) times your reputation (who trusts you)."

When you build relationships you are increasing your social capital and reputation. You may even build your human capital too because you can learn a lot through your relationships.

Building Relationships 101
When was the last time you've met an excellent contact and developed a relationship at a networking event? It's probably been a while, if it has ever happened to you at all. Networking situations aren't always conducive to creating relationships. There are many distractions, expectations and information hustlers – the people who collect massive stacks ofbusiness cards.

After you've met someone, when you call or email, do you have to explain how and where you met? If so, does that count as a contact and is it worth having? By building meaningful working relationships, you will know your contacts and they will know you. This builds trust, which can lead to amazing opportunities.

Relationships blossom in non-networking, low stress, situations (dinner parties and social settings) because nothing is expected. This environment allows everyone to act natural. If you aren't expected to connect with someone, when you do connect it's genuine and authentic; the spark is there and the ideas flow. Through these connections, relationships are formed. You should always be ready to start a new relationship. Here are some tips to help you:

Make New Relationships

Starting a relationship is like inspiration, you never know when it will hit. Taking a moment now to prepare will help you when your next relationship starts.

* Always Be Prepared - A business card is your most basic relationship tool, it allows others to connect with you. Step one is to make sure you always have your business card with you. This is the easy part and the challenge lays ahead.

* Shareable Ideas - Think of 3 interesting ideas and keep them in the back of your mind, current events and popular topics work well. These ideas will act as a springboard when you meet someone new. These topics allow you to open a dialog, which is the first step tobuilding a relationship.

* Empathize - Think not only of yourself. Try to imagine the other person's needs. How could you help them? What can you offer? By giving a little, you can get a lot.

* Spend The Time - Spend the time to get to know someone. Don't pressure yourself into meeting as many people as possible. Slow down and connect with those who are around you. Like anything of value, a relationship takes time to build.

Reach Out
Once you focus on building relationships instead of gathering business cards, following up with others is easy and fun. For starters, you'll have less people to contact because you’ve spent time communicating and sharing ideas. Also, when you reach out to your contacts, you'll have something important and interesting to say, based on your previous conversation.

It’s All About Relationships
Remember, the goal is to establish lasting working relationships. Reach out and talk to your peers, neighbors and those around you. Take an interest in them and you’ll be surprise with the results.

Home-Based Business/ Network Marketing, Who's getting Rich?

In the advent of so many MLMs/Network Marketing Companies, I always hear comments about "Pyramids" or "Get rich quick scheme"...It seems most don't have a grasp of the capitalist system, if you work in any field you are part of the capitalist "Pyramid", where the $$$ is funneled to the top, this short vid explains:

How to Raise Entrepreneurs: 3 Easy Ways to Prevent Them from becoming Worker Bees

Ever since my kids can remember, I’ve worked from home. Sometimes I have to remind them that I’m not sitting home playing with their toys or eating bon-bons when they’re at the babysitter or at school, but for the most part they “get it”. As they get older and are able to comprehend dinner table conversations, they are developing a business vocabulary: tax write-off, clients, firing clients, blogs, podcasts, etc. Now I’m starting to get hammered with questions like, “Why do you have clients and Daddy has co-workers? Why does Daddy work in an office and you work at home?”

At 4 and 6 years old, my sons are already noticing the differences between employees and entrepreneurs. I can’t help but wonder if they too will become entrepreneurs several years from now. Certainly they see some of the benefits–more flexible schedules (Mommy can get them on and off the bus in the morning and afternoon), Mommy doesn’t complain about the price of gas (I only need to drive to run errands), Mommy can watch school plays, help with kidwriting at kindergarten, chauffer them to doctor appointments and speech therapy sessions, and stay home with them if they’re sick without it being a major inconvenience.

I hope that as they grow up, they’ll be able to see the hard work and rewards that come with being an entrepreneur. I’d like them to be able to spend more time doing activities they enjoy, spending time with their family and friends and spend their working hours doing something they love. So how do we, as entrepreneurs, encourage our children to take the path of entrepreneurial freedom?

Entrepreneurial Lesson Number One: Have Your Kids Help with Your Business:
Even young kids can help you with very simple business tasks. A 3 or 4 year old can put some outgoing letters in the mailbox and raise the flag. A 5 or 6 year old can help you weigh a package on a home scale and tell you the reading (be sure to double-check for accuracy). Young kids can help pick up the house before a client stops by your home, or accompany you on trips to the office supply store and post office. Be sure to tell them what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.

Older children can help with filing and fulfilling orders, responsible teenagers can be taught to screen and respond to customer email or answer your business phone. If they have a knack for numbers, they could even help you with balancing your books.

Entrepreneurial Lesson Number Two: Encourage Children to Take Risks
I’m not talking about allowing your children to jump off a 20 foot wall just to see what happens. But “no” should not be the most common word in your vocabulary. If your child wants to try something new, let them try it, even if you think it will fail. It doesn’t matter if your child is the shortest one in the class and wants to try out for the basketball team, or wants to make a peanut butter and bologna sandwich that will definitely taste awful. Let them try and learn from their own efforts.

Haven’t you had some failed experiments in your business? I have. These periodic failures may knock you down, but don’t you get back up and try again? Teach your kids to do the same, and they will be on their way to developing an entrepreneurial spirit.

Entrepreneurial Lesson Number Three: Give Your Kids a Financial Education
As soon as your kids are old enough, start teaching them about money. Let them know that as employees, they can pretty much expect the same paycheck week after week with modest increases until they retire. But as an entrepreneur, they are in control of their own financial future. How hard and smart they work will directly affect their immediate income and their long-term wealth.

Teach your kids the amazing power of residual income. Whether it’s a photo they take for a stock photography website, or a book they write and sell 10,000 copies of, they can learn that they don’t have to trade an hour of their time for an hour’s worth of pay. They can do something once, and reap the rewards for years to come.

Teach your kids that there is profit and loss in business. Not every dollar you make can be spent. Some needs to be invested back into your business, some goes to taxes, and some needs to go to your employees’ salaries (if applicable). Show them your quarterly statements. Show them the difference between your gross and net income. All these money lessons will serve them well over the years, even if they choose not to be entrepreneurs.

Despite your best efforts, your kids still might decide to become corporate drones. You’ll love them anyway. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll have an extra sense of satisfaction if they take control of their own destiny and become entrepreneurs or business owners just like Mom or Pop.

So while they’re young, answer their questions, teach them the vocabulary, get them involved, and encourage them to take appropriate risks and not be afraid of failure. You’ll both be glad you did.

About the Author: Lauren Hidden is an author, a blogger, and the owner of The Hidden Helper (http://www.hiddenhelper.com), an editorial services firm. To read her blog, visit http://www.hiddenhelper.com. For more information, email her at Lauren@hiddenhelper.com.

Time Management Tips

Time is what you make it. It is the one thing you cannot get back once it's gone. Here are some simple ways to "get a grip" and move toward goals more effectively.

1) Realize that time management is a myth.

No matter how organized we are, there are always only 24 hours in a day. Time doesn't change. All we can actually manage is ourselves and what we do with the time that we have.

2) Find out where you're wasting time.

Many of us are prey to time-wasters that steal time we could be using much more productively. What are your time-bandits? Do you spend too much time 'Net surfing, reading email, or making personal calls? Tracking Daily Activities explains how to track your activities so you can form a accurate picture of what you actually do, the first step to effective time management.

3) Create time management goals.

Remember, the focus of time management is actually changing your behaviors, not changing time. A good place to start is by eliminating your personal time-wasters. For one week, for example, set a goal that you're not going to take personal phone calls while you're working. (See Set Specific Goals for help with goal setting.) For a fun look at behaviors that can interfere with successful time management, see my article Time Management Personality Types. Find out if you're a Fireman, an Aquarian or a Chatty Kathy!

4) Implement a time management plan.

Think of this as an extension of time management tip # 3. The objective is to change your behaviors over time to achieve whatever general goal you've set for yourself, such as increasing your productivity or decreasing your stress. So you need to not only set your specific goals, but track them over time to see whether or not you're accomplishing them.

5) Use time management tools.

Whether it's a Day-Timer or a software program, the first step to physically managing your time is to know where it's going now and planning how you're going to spend your time in the future. A software program such as Outlook, for instance, lets you schedule events easily and can be set to remind you of events in advance, making your time management easier.

6) Prioritize ruthlessly.

You should start each day with a time management session prioritizing the tasks for that day and setting your performance benchmark. If you have 20 tasks for a given day, how many of them do you truly need to accomplish? For more on daily planning and prioritizing daily tasks, see Start The Day Right With Daily Planning.

7) Learn to delegate and/or outsource.

No matter how small your business is, there's no need for you to be a one-person show. For effective time management, you need to let other people carry some of the load. Determining Your Personal ROI explains two ways to pinpoint which tasks you'd be better off delegating or outsourcing, while Decide To Delegate provides tips for actually getting on with the job of delegating.

8) Establish routines and stick to them as much as possible.

While crises will arise, you'll be much more productive if you can follow routines most of the time.

9) Get in the habit of setting time limits for tasks.

For instance, reading and answering email can consume your whole day if you let it. Instead, set a limit of one hour a day for this task and stick to it.

10) Be sure your systems are organized.

Are you wasting a lot of time looking for files on your computer? Take the time to organize a file management system. Is your filing system slowing you down? Redo it, so it's organized to the point that you can quickly lay your hands on what you need. You'll find more information about setting up filing systems and handling data efficiently in my Data Management library.

11) Don't waste time waiting.

From client meetings to dentist appointments, it's impossible to avoid waiting for someone or something. But you don't need to just sit there and twiddle your thumbs. Always take something to do with you, such as a report you need to read, a checkbook that needs to be balanced, or just a blank pad of paper that you can use to plan your next marketing campaign. Technology makes it easy to work wherever you are; your PDA and/or cell phone will help you stay connected.

You can be in control and accomplish what you want to accomplish - once you've come to grips with the time management myth and taken control of your time.

Money and Debt, Understanding the Cycle

In this "New World Order" we have seen many things come to pass. Increasing debt and decreasing employment has put most the World Economy in a tailspin and from Tokyo to Dubai defaulting or bad loans have most governments scrambling to recover before possible financial collapse. Most of us have been unknowing (and unwilling) participants in this centuries old "juggling act"....time to educate yourself and opt-out.

The 80-20 Rule...

The 80-20 Rule-Pareto's Principle

In 1906, Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto created a mathematical formula to describe the unequal distribution of wealth in his country, observing that twenty percent of the people owned eighty percent of the wealth. In the late 1940s, Dr. Joseph M. Juran inaccurately attributed the 80/20 Rule to Pareto, calling it Pareto's Principle. While it may be misnamed, Pareto's Principle or Pareto's Law as it is sometimes called, can be a very effective tool to help you manage effectively.

Where It Came From

After Pareto made his observation and created his formula, many others observed similar phenomena in their own areas of expertise. Quality Management pioneer, Dr. Joseph Juran, working in the US in the 1930s and 40s recognized a universal principle he called the "vital few and trivial many" and reduced it to writing. In an early work, a lack of precision on Juran's part made it appear that he was applying Pareto's observations about economics to a broader body of work. The name Pareto's Principle stuck, probably because it sounded better than Juran's Principle.

As a result, Dr. Juran's observation of the "vital few and trivial many", the principle that 20 percent of something always are responsible for 80 percent of the results, became known as Pareto's Principle or the 80/20 Rule.

What It Means

The 80/20 Rule means that in anything a few (20 percent) are vital and many(80 percent) are trivial. In Pareto's case it meant 20 percent of the people owned 80 percent of the wealth. In Juran's initial work he identified 20 percent of the defects causing 80 percent of the problems. Project Managers know that 20 percent of the work (the first 10 percent and the last 10 percent) consume 80 percent of your time and resources. You can apply the 80/20 Rule to almost anything, from the science of management to the physical world.

You know 20 percent of your stock takes up 80 percent of your warehouse space and that 80 percent of your stock comes from 20 percent of your suppliers. Also 80 percent of your sales will come from 20 percent of your sales staff. 20 percent of your staff will cause 80 percent of your problems, but another 20 percent of your staff will provide 80 percent of your production. It works both ways.

How It Can Help You

The value of the Pareto Principle for a manager is that it reminds you to focus on the 20 percent that matters. Of the things you do during your day, only 20 percent really matter. Those 20 percent produce 80 percent of your results. Identify and focus on those things. When the fire drills of the day begin to sap your time, remind yourself of the 20 percent you need to focus on. If something in the schedule has to slip, if something isn't going to get done, make sure it's not part of that 20 percent.

There is a management theory floating around at the moment that proposes to interpret Pareto's Principle in such a way as to produce what is called Superstar Management. The theory's supporters claim that since 20 percent of your people produce 80 percent of your results you should focus your limited time on managing only that 20 percent, the superstars. The theory is flawed, because it overlooks the fact that 80 percent of your time should be spent doing what is really important. Helping the good become better is a better use of your time than helping the great become terrific. Apply the Pareto Principle to all you do, but use it wisely.

Manage This Issue

How can the Pareto Principle help me in life and business?

- Have a product range? Have a look at how much of your profit comes from each item. Put your effort into the 20% that give you 80% of your sales - your winners.

- Selling products or services? Most likely, 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers- the ones who make the big purchases and are repeat-buyers. Cherish that 20%.

- Have a sales force? Have a look at how much of your profit comes from each person. Make sure you reward and retain the 20% that are your winners.

- Have an affiliate program? Find the top 5-20% who give you 80% of your income, and make sure you support, encourage and reward your winners.

- Do advertising? Have a look at where the sales come from. Then identify the few ads that really pull, and the few places where you run them that really produce. Then refine your winning ads, and run them in those few places that give you the best results.

- Check your web traffic logs! Which keywords are bringing you the most traffic? Which search engines? Which websites? You'll find that a small number of keywords, search engines and websites give you the lion's share of your traffic. Nurture them, and build on those strengths!

These are only few examples of the use you can make of the Pareto Principle.

Pareto's Principle, the 80/20 Rule, should serve as a daily reminder to focus 80 percent of your time and energy on the 20 percent of you work that is really important. Don't just "work smart", work smart on the right things. F.J.Reh

Ownership starts from within....

Welcome, this is the first of many "conversations" I will give on developing and maintaining the Entrepreneur/Employer/Business owner Mind. The only requirements I have to ensure your success is:
Open-Mindedness (a closed mind cannot develop)
Motivation (potential is wonderful, but without action..the word becomes stagnation)
Consistency (you must till the soil, plant the seed, and tend the crops...to reap the harvest.. in other words success is not a one-step process)
Intelligence (don't be intimidated, I didn't say degreed/You have to know your product, client, market, field, self, resources, etc. to last in this World Economy)

I will also offer this disclaimer,
I will not promise, give, reference, or show you anything that I haven't read, experienced, seen in action, or has not worked for myself and/or people I personally know.
The purpose of this blog is actually just to change a paradigm/ bridge a gap between the job, employee, worker mindset to the business owner, employer, boss mindset and this is a tool to begin and hopefully maintain that process.

Is there anything wrong with the employee/worker mentality?
Absolutely not, if you are financially comfortable, love what you do, and exactly where you want to be in life, heading exactly where you want to go. This blog is not intended for you and I respect the fact that all the pieces of this puzzle called "Life" was placed exactly where they needed to be for you.

Now, for the rest of us.
Most of us at this very moment are fortunate in many ways in our lives, but there still are the things causing:

• stress
• anxiety
• relationship issues
• parenting problems
• financial issues

Like any other "illness" we have to discuss the symptoms, to properly diagnose what is wrong with us individually, to properly cure ourselves of our "afflictions"....My Dad used to say "It ain't easy." When I was going through some challenge in life and I figured out a formula (from my experiences) for Life as I saw it. Life is all about OPTIONS, the more you have the more likely you dreams, ideas, needs, wants, will become a reality. This, my friends, is what this blog is really all about, expanding your options....


Open-Mindedness (....eliminating fear)

I will begin this topic quoting Robert Kiyosaki's book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad"....."If you want to learn to work for money, then stay in school. That is a great place to learn to do that. But if you want to learn how to have money work for you, then I will teach you that. But only if you want to learn."
"Wouldn't everyone want to learn that" I asked.
"No," said rich dad. "Simply because it's easier to learn to work for money, especially if fear is your primary emotion when the subject of money is discussed."

This sums up most of Capitalist America, "if fear is your primary emotion when the subject of money is discussed." Changing this thinking is the first step to where we diagnose the root of most of our primary ailments. Fear is quite a strong illness when it comes to our financial health..Much like the medical profession big $$$ is made off of our fear or lack of knowledge to cure ourselves. In terms of finance we are raised, taught, and guided directly into debt like it's a good or normal thing..Credit is not normal, it's exploitive, in history it was called "indentured servitude". If you think it's normal. How does it feel to owe one neighbor? 4 neighbors? 20 neighbors? To get products for which you do not presently have the $$$ for....when that becomes "normal" what becomes of the mentality of the people? Are you the debtor or creditor on your job? In your marriage/friendships? Can everything be broken down into owing and what's owed to you? Do you see just from this brief example how we are boxed into stressful situations in Life, where the "fear" comes from.

Now, in contrast....to have the $$$ to pay for exactly what you receive without a balance, food, clothing, shelter basic needs all paid in full, let's not forget...mortgage, school tuition/loans, vehicle(s), comforts (HDTV, Vacations, Dream car) in a society that pays in full for all of these items. Do you see the contrast in even imagining the reduced level of stress, tension, anxiety? See people the formulas are simple enough, it's the road out of the so-called, "Abyss" of debt that we seemed trapped in.


.....to be continued