Are You Putting Out Fires or Growing Your Company?

As your startup grows the business challenges (i.e., the fires) you face will grow two-fold.

Your daily to-do list can be determined by the newest fire, the fastest growing one, or the blazing fire you simply can’t seem to put out. This is make or break time – are you simple putting out fires or are you going to get focused and grow your business?

The good news is that every challenge you face is another way to learn. But, the way you solve it can also have a long-term impact on your business (no pressure). There’s a very important question you need to ask yourself before you jump into firefighting mode:

What is the actual problem I’m trying to solve?

Stop, Drop and Problem Solve

This sounds simple, however sometimes you may be moving so quickly that you’re at risk of making changes for the sake of change. Remembering to stop and truly identify the underlying issue will enable you to stay focused and create a powerful solution that will last.

Here’s an example, and it’s one that you may have already faced: Let’s say you’re receiving complaints about customer service, especially when a customer is upset about their ordering experience. This frustrates you to no end because you built this business by always taking care of the customer and making sure they had a smile on their face—no matter what.

The correct firefighting solution is this: Identify specific customer service reps who are tied to the issues and provide refresher customer service training on how to handle complaints.

The powerful, lasting solution comes next. Once you look back at how you handled customer complaints you realize that you spent your entire day interacting with customers and never “bottled” your approach.

After reviewing your customer service training materials, you recognize they walk employees through handling a complaint in a generic manner. There is none of your passion and commitment to taking care of the customer regardless of what the issue such as listening, not being defensive and most importantly, not taking it personally.

So, now what?

You can now create new, simple training methods that begin with your company’s customer service mantra: Listen. Empathize. Do Whatever It Takes To Make It Right. You have everyone in the company take part in this training, including you, so your staff knows that it starts at the top. This mantra then becomes an integral part of every employee’s onboarding, regardless of their role.

Putting Out Business Fires, Permanently

This question, “What is the actual problem we are trying to solve?,” can be asked for nearly any business challenge you face and it can be modified based for the matter at hand. Beyond solving problems, it can also help you frame areas for growth. In some cases you’ll need to ask yourself, “What is the true opportunity ahead of me?” It will make you think big . . . maybe even bigger.

The key when going through this exercise is to peel back the layers and look beyond the surface. Don’t be fooled, this is definitely not the easy solution. It’s the one that budding entrepreneurs follow if they want to evolve from volunteer firefighter to a great business leader.

Source: http://yfsmagazine.com/2014/10/14/are-you-putting-out-fires-or-growing-your-company

5 Habits of Self-Made Millionaires

1. Snowball Your Money

People who end up very, very rich, think of money as material.  It’s not, first and foremost, the gateway to wacky hijinks or to excess.  Instead it’s a tool for building more money.  Millionaires look for the kind of money that allows them to safely do what they want , sums large enough to pass on to the kids, to amount to power and independence.  It’s not about getting just enough money to buy some fun and fine things.
Therefore, millionaires begin putting money away as soon as they can, a bit more aggressively than others, investing in funds more than just opening savings accounts, engaging in more and more risk as the snowball effect kicks in.

2. Ride The Wave of Uncertainty

Steve Siebold, author of How Rich People Think,” says, “Physical, psychological, and emotional comfort is the primary goal of the middle class mindset,” In other words, people with middling incomes who stay that way have comfort and safety as prime goals—they’re not achieving great riches because they are afraid to try, feeling it would be a shame to lose a decent position in life due to a failed business or a bad investement.
The goal of those who become ultra-rich is to do so.  They aren’t attempting to be sure not to suffer in any way, not to have to ride out waves.  Self-made millionaires don’t get there just because they think it’d be fun; rather, they earn it by dealing with great uncertainty.  Yes, they sometimes fail, but they know how to pick themselves up afterward, rather than feeling only the need to regain some certainty.

3. Choose Not to Choose

We’re taught about yin and yang and about making priorities.  If you want to become very rich, you’ll have to sacrifice time with your family.  Or perhaps it’s idealism or part of your soul or peace and quiet, or time for church.  To some extent, this relates to the desire for comfort—the average person wants to be able to comfortably find balance.
Those who go on to be millionaires find a way to accomplish that which others would find impossible—it may involve rushing around, deftly juggling schedules, paying people to do certain tasks, but they do the things other people don’t have the stomach for.

4. Money Isn’t For Money’s Sake

Any good card player will advise to think of the chips as chips not as real money.  Even if you’re at a buddy’s house with actual money on the table, think of what you’re betting as a game piece—if you think of actual cash value, you’ll get too conservative, which can mean making the wrong moves.
Similarly, while self-made millionaires do wish to be very rich, they’re not thinking of the money itself.  As I mentioned above, they think of money as a tool—for freedom, choices, not having to be beholden to others.  For many ultra-rich, money isn’t for many small things like shoes and mp3 players, but fewer big things like voyages around the world, homes, and perhaps that pro sports team they’ve always wanted.

5. Hang Out With Millionaires

Being around other millionaires, of course, encourages networking and opportunities.  But it also gives one the chance to see for themselves the habits I’ve been describing.  It will give one a chance to emulate people in a way that will lead to success.

Source: http://frugalentrepreneur.com/2014/09/5-habits-of-self-made-millionaires

All Great Leaders Exhibit These 3 Qualities

When asked to describe characteristics that great leaders have in common, the list is endless. And while they all make for a good read, none of them fully capture the essence of what makes a great leader.

“Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.” – Jack Welch

Great leaders may possess a myriad of attributes, not the least of which are intelligence, charisma and natural charm. All of these things matter. However, you can be a great leader and not be naturally charming or very intelligent. While launching and growing my company, PeoplePerHour, I’ve learned a lot about leadership. I have come to the conclusion that there are three key attributes that great leaders must possess.

1. Vision

   “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.” (Jack Welch) The ability to amass a great team, motivate and inspire them is plain useless if you don’t have a clear vision of where you need to go.
   Leadership starts with seeing the future and then figuring out a feasible path to get there. It means doing the one right thing rather than doing many things right. It is about being different, not following the herd, being controversial, and seeing what others don’t see. It is having a nose for what’s coming and the eyes and ears to react before others do. Without vision, you can empower people all you would like, but you won’t get anywhere. You’ll have a following, but no direction.

2. Influence

   Once you have a clear vision you need a following. That requires the power of influence. Whether you are in an existing leadership situation or the creator of a group, this is a very hard thing to do. In either case, the odds are against you.
   A vast majority of people are resistant to change, no matter the odds. In order to fulfill any grand vision, you need to drive change. Otherwise you are just a puppet master holding the strings, waiting for the show to end. You have to learn how to influence people across the board — explain to new hires the benefit of leaving secure jobs to join you; convince investors to give you money; get customers to buy from you; influence a bank manager to give you an overdraft; get your landlord to give you an office space lease and rent-free period; and convince your significant other to put up with sleepless nights, cold sweats and no pay. Carry that burden of influence with you. If you go down, you take more people with you than yesterday.

3. Courage

   Once you have clarified a vision and built a following, after all this work you will realize that it’s only day one. Now you have your raft and your compass. But you still need to cross the ocean. This is the final and truest test of great leadership — courage.
   Intelligence and knowledge are advantages, but without courage they are wasted. Courage alone could and would get you there, albeit slower and with more pain. So, the key question is: Do you have the courage to keep going when everyone tells you to turn back; to know you’re right when everyone says you’re wrong; to stick to your instincts when people call you crazy; to carry other people’s weight when they fall; to set the tempo and beat the drum despite how tired you may be?
   It is your job as a leader to keep people together when they are drifting apart and losing faith, to give them courage, but not false hope, to let go of some to save many, and to weather the storm, but not bask in the sunlight when it ends — because it never does.

Vision and influence will make you a well equipped captain. But courage is what gets you there. On the other hand, courage alone makes you a fighter without a cause. You may be good at creating lots of noise, but to paraphrase Sun Tzu’s Art of War, that’s just “the noise before defeat.”

Source: http://yfsmagazine.com/2014/09/15/all-great-leaders-exhibit-these-3-qualities

How Stress is Slowly Killing You (And How to Avoid it)

Let me guess…
You clicked on this article because your guilty conscience is telling you that you stress too much.
And you’re worried that all this time, you’ve been causing damage to your body (without even realizing it!)
Well, it’s no secret anymore. Chances are, it’s true. Stress is a killer and at its very least, it will lower your immune system and make you more prone to serious illnesses.
But…there’s some great news!
You can do something about it. You can live a healthy, balanced and happy life and you can avoid the nasty effects of stress.
To help you do that, I’ll be sharing with you 13 highly effective ways to drastically lower the stress in your life as well as ways to restore your body of stress related damage.
But first, find out how stress is one of the leading causing of death.

Stress is designed to protect us…not kill us!

Stress is actually designed to protect us. Also known as the fight or flight reflex, stress is our body’s way of protecting us from danger or predators.
When in danger, hormones, adrenaline and the stress hormone ‘Cortisol’ flood your blood stream which gives you more energy, makes you more alert and helps you to better deal with the situation.
Imagine you are being chased by a scary bear whose only intention is to fill his hungry stomach. Well, it’s that same stress response that will hopefully push you to make it out of there alive!
By now, you are probably wondering how stress can also kill you.

The shocking truth about stress

Surprisingly, that same fight or flight reflex that we experience in times of danger is also triggered every time we experience stress in our day to day lives.
Perhaps for you, your stress response is being triggered by work, financial or family related stress.
Whatever it may be, the problem with these ongoing stressful situations is that our bodies literally become accustomed to functioning at a highly stressed level.
This causes irreversible damage to our cardiovascular network such as our heart and blood vessels.
This is how stress can kill you.
First of all, stress speeds up the aging process in your body, particularly your blood vessels. As we stress, our blood pressure hits the roof. High blood pressure damages cells in the artery walls making them thick and stiff.
This restricts blood flow and our heart is forced to work harder to pump blood throughout our body. The more we stress, the more we damage our blood vessels.
As a result, you can experience:

• A heart attack as blood struggles to get to the heart
• A stroke, as high blood pressure can cause blood vessels to burst

Did you know that stress increases the risk of heart disease by 40%, a heart attack by 25% and a stroke by 50%?
Pretty shocking isn’t it?
But wait, stress can also cause your brain to shrink!  Extreme stress events reduce the amount of grey matter in our brain, mostly in the areas related to our emotions and psychological functions. Not only does this shrink your brain, it can also lead to psychiatric problems.
Stress can also cause;

• The immune system to shut down
• A reduce in white blood cells, and
• An increased susceptibility to disease

Believe it or not, but stress is the basic cause of 60% of all illness and disease. Three out of four people who visit the doctor are there because of stress related illnesses.
By now, I imagine that you are feeling determined to lower the amount of stress in your life.
Am I right?
And you’re probably thinking “wouldn’t it be great if the perfect guide to lowering stress could just be handed to me?”
Well, you’re in luck!
Below are 13 extremely effective ways to dramatically reduce stress in your life and to restore your body from stress related damage.

The only guide to tackling stress you’ll ever need

Step 1: Eliminate daily influences

1. Change your lifestyle

This is potentially the most important step in reducing your stress levels. The main reason that we are constantly stressed is because of our busy, competitive and overly productive lifestyles.
Think about the things that cause you stress and try to eliminate them.
Are you working too hard? Are you trying to multitask and be more productive? Multitasking is actually less effective than doing things more mindfully.
Other things you might try to eliminate are;

• Getting stuck in traffic (this is a big stressor)
• Being late for things
• Overwhelming yourself with too many tasks or goals
• Leaving things to the last minute
• Time constraints in the workplace

The power is in your court. Do you want to be extremely productive but feel stressed out on a daily basis, or rather do less, have more time for yourself and live a more relaxed and healthier life?

2.  Consume less caffeine

Caffeine literally puts your body in a state of stress. As your body adsorbs caffeine, you get a big adrenaline boost, your heart pumps faster, your blood pressure rises and the level of ‘cortisol’ (the stress hormone) can also increase.

 3. Eat less sugar and fatty foods

Sugar and fatty foods can increase blood clotting, blood pressure and can stimulate high levels of stress hormones in the blood stream.

4. Control your thoughts

Constant negative thoughts and worrying will higher your stress levels. We have approximately 50,000 thoughts per day. Just imagine, if only 10% of those thoughts were negative, that’s 5,000 negative thoughts a day!

5. Get enough sleep

Having too little sleep will cause you to feel naturally more stressed. Not only will your body have to work harder to complete its daily functions, you will be fatigued and less able to cope and deal with whatever gets thrown your way. And then you’ll probably want to drink more coffee too!!

Step 2: Take advantage of these natural stress relievers

 6.  Oxytocin

Oxytocin, also known as the cuddle hormone is believed to help reduce the stress response. It relaxes your blood vessels and helps to restore your heart from stress related damage.
How can you produce oxytocin? Well, it is released during positive social interaction and while caring for others so all you need to do is spend more time with others.

7.  Exercise

Exercise is a great stress reliever. When exercising, your body produces endorphins which makes you feel happy and reduces anxiety.

8. Playing with children and pets

Studies show that people who play with children and pets are dramatically less stressed.

 9. Laughing

Did you know that laughing is actually a form of therapy?
That’s because laughing has such a powerful influence over how happy and relaxed we feel. Not only does laughing lighten our load mentally, it causes changes in the body to take place including the release of endorphins, causing us to feel more positive.

 10. Meditation, yoga & breathing exercises

Simply put, stress is something that causes tension and strain. Yoga, meditation and breathing exercises are all proven ways of releasing stress and tension mentally and physically.
Yoga, meditation and focusing on your breathing helps you to feel in touch with yourself, clear your mind and resist getting wrapped up in your thoughts and the drama in your life.

11. Fill your nutritional gap

Consume more essential fatty acids and vitamin B and C. Essential fatty acids help to produce the hormones that help your body deal with stress. Vitamin B helps to ease stress by supporting the stress response and vitamin C feeds the adrenal tissues in your body.

12.  Take a two minute vacation

Close your eyes and take a two minute vacation in your head. Think about and imagine your favorite place for example. This will help you to take a step back from whatever stress you are experiencing and feel more rested.

13.  Take a real vacation

Now days, people literally work their life away. Life becomes about work and money. To stress less, it’s important to live a balanced life. Taking vacations from your busy life is necessary to lower your stress levels.
However you choose to relieve stress in your life, the important thing is that you take action!
Stress really is a killer, and at its least, it will cause irreversible damage to your body.
You may have to do a little shuffling in your life to lower the amount of stress you experience, but it will be well worth it.  Not only will you be healthier, you’ll be a lot happier too.
So I challenge you to take control from today onward. Don’t give into the temptations of a super productive lifestyle where your stress levels constantly hit the roof.
Rather, make the choice every day to put your health and happiness first by giving your body time to relax and restore itself.
Make the choice to live a healthy, balanced and stress free life.

Source: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/stress-slowly-killing-avoid/#E1jM2TidTYwCwj3U.99

Three Types of Activities

Three types of activities are keeping you busy:

Type 1: Bad

These are the things you should not be doing. They are wasting your time but still you do them. Stop it! For example, I just received a message from someone who never received the package I sent her. Now I have to spend my valuable time sending her another package. This sucks. I’m a writer and speaker, not a fulfillment agency. This is not how I want to spend my time. The challenge here is to figure out how to get rid of the bad activities.

Type 2: Good, But…

These are the things you should be doing, but they take too long. They are also wasting your time because you’re being inefficient. For example, I received a message from someone asking me about pricing for my keynote talks and I spent a few minutes answering it. This is silly, because I work with standard fees. The request is great but my response is slow. The challenge here is to figure out how to be more efficient.

Type 3: Good, And…

These are the things you should be doing, and you’re not doing them well enough, probably because you’re wasting your time with type 1 and type 2 activities. For example, I received a message from someone offering me to collaborate with Happy Melly. Wonderful! Sadly, I hardly have time to schedule a call with him. I merely sent a brief note (for now) while he deserves a deeper conversation. The challenge here is to figure out how to be more effective.

Which types of activities are sucking up your time?

Source: http://www.noop.nl/2014/08/three-types-of-activities.html

"Success comes in many shapes and sizes"

4 Ways to Systematically Replace Your Limiting Habits with Empowering Habits

Imagine this scenario…

What if you could systematically break down all of the bad habits that are currently holding you back from achieving your goals?

What if you could then re engineer those habits so that they actually supported your goals?

There are some habits that move us closer towards our goals in life, we’ll call those empowering habits. Then, there are some that move us further away from the achievement of those goals, we’ll call those limiting habits.

Your goal should be to constantly reduce the limiting habits, and maximize the empowering habits.

How do you accomplish this?

Step 1: Identify Your Limiting Habits

The first step is to simply identify which habits are limiting your success.

You identify these limiting habits by first knowing what goals you’re currently trying to accomplish. After you know your goals, ask yourself which actions you perform on a regular basis that are holding you back from achieving that goal.

For instance, say you have a goal of losing weight, but you also have a bad habit of eating unhealthy fast food. That habit is limiting the achievement of your goal.

Step 2: Identify The Cue for Your Limiting Habit

Once you know your limiting habit, the next step is to identify the cue for that bad habit. What is the trigger that sets your bad habit in motion?

Cues can come in many different forms, so it helps to narrow your focus on a few areas:

• Time – What time is it?
• Location – Where are you?
• Emotion – How are you feeling?
• Other People – Who are you with?
• Preceding Action – What did you just do?

The next time you catch yourself performing that limiting habit, take quick second and look at these 5 areas. You’ll eventually start to notice a trend.

Maybe your bad habit shows up every day at 2:00pm. Or maybe every time you’re with you one of your buddies, that bad habit shows up. Or maybe whenever you get upset or sad you fall into your limiting habit.

Pay close enough attention, for a long enough time, and you’ll eventually see the pattern.

Step 3: Identify the Reward for Your Limiting Habit

Once you’ve recognized the pattern and found the cue that’s setting your limiting habit in motion, you want to identify the reward you’re receiving from the habit. What’s the big, positive thing you get from performing that habit?

I know, this may seem a little confusing. I told you that limiting habits are moving you away from your goals, but now I’m saying they provide you with a reward?

Let me explain.

A reward is anything that brings pleasure. But just because something brings pleasure, doesn’t always mean it provides a positive outcome.

For instance, overeating is limiting habit many people deal with. It provides the pleasure of eating delicious food and filling up your body, but then there are also negative consequences, like gaining weight, and destroying your health.

The reward for your limiting habit could be social, like someone telling you “Good Job!” The reward could be something tangible like getting paid. And some rewards occur naturally as a result of habit. For instance, if you walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, you’ll burn 300 calories.

Do quick “pulse check” on your limiting habit and see what reward it’s providing you with. What’s the good feeling coming from that limiting habit? Why do you keep doing it?

Step 4: Find a New Action

Once you’ve found your cue and your reward, the only step left is to then replace the negative action, with a positive one.

But there’s one caveat, whatever new action you choose, must provide the same reward and be triggered by the same cue.

Putting It All Together

So let’s look at an example that ties everything together.

I had a goal of increasing my health, but I also had a bad habit of snacking on junk food. Every time I caught myself slipping into the bad habit, I began to pay close attention to those five areas (time, location, emotion, other people, preceding action).

I eventually found the pattern. Every time I was hungry and tired, I opted for junk food instead of a healthier alternative.

So my cue was being hungry and tired at mealtime, and my reward was getting something quick and easy to eat.

I replaced that limiting habit of snacking on junk food, with a different, empowering habit, of eating a smaller, healthier snack that would hold me over until I actually cooked something healthy. I used the same cue, and the same reward. I just replaced the action I was performing.

Source: http://addicted2success.com/success-advice/4-ways-to-systematically-replace-your-limiting-habits-with-empowering-habits

The Importance of Being a Genuine Person In Real Estate

Real Estate investing is a numbers game. For anyone that has ever thought about purchasing just one property, all it takes is a few quick calculations and you’ll begin to see the dollar signs $$$.

It’s pretty simple math too. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t enjoy cashing checks each month and really feeling their investments pay off. Just like with any investment vehicle, you need to weigh the risk and the more money you invest the higher the potential return!

People ask me all the time “How do you find such great deals? I also want to buy similar properties.” For this I ask “What are you looking to achieve and what is your end goal?” I mean, if all you want is a check each month there are many other investment opportunities that can provide just that. So many see Real Estate investing as an easy alternative to other financial products, for anyone who thinks this, I give a word of caution.

Warning!

Yes, it is simple math. Yes, you can make a lot of money.

Yes, it is the best thing I have ever done in my life and so rewarding AND I have made a lot of money. I emphatically ask: Do you like people? Not just people, but strangers? Are you committed to developing long term relationships? Do you enjoy being fully responsible (well mostly) for the conditions in which another family will be living? Would you get yourself out of bed at 2am to go fix someone else’s broken toilet only to find that they caused the problem and not even get a “Thank you”?

I have met so many investors that got into Real Estate only looking at the numbers and completely ignoring the people factor. Folks, people are responsible for making those numbers work. They pay each month so we can feel good about cashing the checks. Many of the great deals I find come from those same investors that didn’t think about building relationships with their tenants and where only focused on the figures. They couldn’t stand the interpersonal aspect side of the business. They provided little communication and where unresponsive to maintenance issues because they just didn’t care about the tenants, only the “return.”

When you have a property and accept a tenant you are assisting those individuals to provide for their basic need; shelter. Now don’t get me wrong, this IS a business and if they stop paying, you need to be firm and find the best solution for all parties. You’ll need to check your emotions at the door for some of the similar heart wrenching personal issues I have dealt with over the years, but even at those times you can only do so much.

In Conclusion

I have learned that the majority of people respect themselves and are prideful of their residence, even if they don’t own it, they pay up every month as long as you keep your end of the bargain. Part of that agreement is being able to communicate with them, at times help them out, and even sparing a few moments to share a laugh.

In Real Estate, you’re not required to be friends however, you are rewarded if you’re friendly! Above all, YOU MUST LIKE PEOPLE to build a sound and sustainable investment portfolio. A property is just a building, the people pay the rent.

Are you a people person? Do you focus on building trust and relationships?

I’d like to hear your comments below and thanks for reading!

Source: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/08/22/importance-genuine-person-real-estate

Red or Blue Pill: You Live and You Learn

If you are familiar with the Matrix then you know about the red pill and the blue pill theory. If not let me give you a description of them both.

Red Pill = painful truth of reality

Blue Pill = bliss ignorance of illusion

So how does this relate to your own life?

Either you have awaken from the dream like state of believing the world is as is presented or you have taken control of your own world. The world we live in today; we are constantly monitored, tracked, grouped and defined by our position along the financial ladder. Why is this the case though? Why are we constantly being monitored for the collection purposes of powerful entities? It is because we are a commodity within a system that has to be compensated immensely in order to sustain. It consist of a deep rabbit hole that has many different holes that sometimes intertwine in order to make the common goal of financial harvesting possible and efficient. And the shocking aspect of it all is that most people do not know how their actions allow this harvesting to proceed forward without interruption. 

What are some of these entities? Credit monitoring, IRS, the judicial system; anything that imposes jurisdiction over you from the time you were birthed. You are instructed to follow certain guidelines and to strictly abide by them or else you will face certain consequences that can make your life hell. And one the most effective consequences people can be faced with are those which affect their finances. This is a known fact which is why these sort of institutions are able to remain in power; because they have power over your mobility in the world you are plugged into. Every movement you make has to be thought about because you are constantly thinking about how it impedes your ability to progress in the “real” world.

Now what I am saying does not correlate to disregarding common sense and becoming a criminal. What I am saying is that you have to beat the systems in place at their own game. The problem that persist for most people though, is that this involves intricate thought and a little sacrificing. Instead of financing a dream under heavy debt and slaving away in a rigged system, play by your own terms. Using myself for example: I will now only pay for purchases with cash, no more unneeded debt. I am creating my own economic production system that is reliant solely on my capabilities and hard work. Instead of letting my community be run by corrupt systems, I will place myself within the process and leverage my power for real accountability to be upheld. Small incremental steps that lead to big results.

Stop living in ignorant bliss! But no need to even rant any further. It is your choice as to which pill you choose to swallow… 

Source: http://entrepreneurialambitions.com/2014/07/31/red-or-blue-pill-you-live-and-you-learn

Are You Playing to Win...or Not to Lose?

If you have a habit of not finishing what you start, you may have attributed your lack of results to disorganization or a lack of focus. For some individuals, however, this habit is signs of an underlying psychological pattern of playing not to lose.

Stuart Emery, author of Life is Not a Dress Rehearsal and Success Built to Last, noted that where most people tackle situations with a goal of winning, others approach life with a goal of avoiding losing. Somewhere in life, they decided that they were incapable of winning and have lowered their expectations to merely not coming in last.

The groundwork for this pattern is often laid in childhood. For example, if a father raves over his young daughter’s drawing, she may have next colored on the wall, not recognizing that the wall is not an appropriate place to express artwork. After repeated incidents of getting in trouble in such a way, she may have drawn the conclusion that she couldn’t win. She didn’t like the pain of not winning, so she unconsciously adopted the strategy of trying not to lose in the future.

Not finishing what you start is one of many habits you fall back on when playing to not lose. The reason this has worked for you in the past is that if something is incomplete, it cannot be judged as not good enough. You can just say that it’s not “finished.”

Other ways we ‘play not to lose” include:

•     Playing the Judge.  By being the judge, you never have to be the participant. By pointing out how imperfectly others are dancing, for instance, you get to avoid dancing yourself, which could open the door to you failing at the task.
•     Being perfect. With this approach, you attempt to not lose by doing everything as perfectly as you can… or at least by presenting a front that you are “perfect.” You never really relax or let your guard down. Instead, you overdo everything instead.
•     Becoming a “problem.” If you take on the role of the identified problem, others will need to stop and take care of you. This is a form of sabotage. Because others are directing their time and energy into helping you and are less likely to win themselves.

If you recognize that you’ve been playing not to lose, it’s time to shift the behavior.

Embrace Feedback

Your decision to stop playing to win was most likely unconscious. You received feedback that you interpreted as being a condemnation of your abilities and who you are.

An important step in shifting this pattern will be recognizing feedback for what it is: Information that tells you whether you are on course or off course.

When you get negative feedback – such as lack of results, little or no money, criticism, poor evaluation, inner conflict, and unhappiness – it’s a sign that you are moving away from your intended goal.  Evaluate what you’re doing and make a course correction.

When you receive positive feedback, such as praise, happiness, money and results, you’ll know that you are back on course.

Sharpen Your Focus

Another thing you can do, particularly if you’ve developed a habit of not completing what you start, is to train yourself to sharpen your focus.

In the Achievers Focusing System, Les Hewitt, author of The Power of Focus, teaches his clients to focus their attention only on what they want to accomplish in the next three months. They select one goal in each area of their lives during that period.

Then, each week, they identify the three most important things that must be accomplished during that 7-day period to move them closer to their goals. A weekly check-in with your accountability partner helps to keep you accountable for achieving these tasks.

To download a free copy of the Achievers Focusing System 3-month planner, click here. (For your convenience, we’ve also posted a filled-in version of the form so that you can see what type of information should be entered in each field.)

Chunk It Down

The final word of advice: As you begin to build a new habit of completing what you start, you may feel overwhelmed and lost about what to do next when you look at your list of goals. The best approach is to chunk down your goals into small, manageable steps.

Interview people who have already accomplished what you want to do and ask them to share all of the steps they took. If you can find a book or manual that guides you through the process, even better. Another approach is to imagine that it’s the future and you’ve already accomplished your goal. Start at the end and look backward. Notice what you had to do to get to where you are.

Capture all of these steps in a list or mind map. Then convert all of your to-do items into daily action items that can be plugged into your calendar. Start with the first item on your list, and when it’s finished, cross it off and tackle the next item. Before you know it, you’ll be completing projects and well on your way to playing to win.

Playing not to lose may protect you from the potential pain of negative feedback. But the cost is steep. Every time you fail to live up to the commitments you make to yourself and others, you undermine your self-confidence. Use the steps outlined in this article to identify why you’ve settled for simply not losing and to take the corrective action you need to complete what you start.

Source: http://womenentrepreneursecrets.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/are-you-playing-to-winor-not-to-lose.html

No One Told Me Entrepreneurship Would Be Like This

I thought I knew what I was in for when I took the leap to become a full-time entrepreneur.  I had read all of the books, taken online courses, and spent hours upon hours reading expert blog posts on entrepreneurship. “What I didn’t know was this: I was signing on to feel an acute sense of daily panic — all day — every single day.”What I didn’t know was this: I was signing on to feel an acute sense of daily panic — all day — every single day. At first, I thought I was merely decompressing after leaving a cushy job with a steady paycheck. However, slowly, but surely, I realized this anxiety was following me around and coloring my ability to think clearly and get things done. I wondered why no one had warned me about the fear and anxiety that many startup founders face. I had read all about “resistance” and “growth” and other nice descriptors people had used to describe the experience of becoming an entrepreneur, but really what the headlines should have read was “panic”, “terror”, and a “constant sense of impending doom”.

My Search for Startup Wisdom

But what was a girl to do? I was committed. I had left my job, set up shop, and told all of my friends and family that I was pursuing my passion. There wasn’t any going back. I knew that if I didn’t figure entrepreneurship out, and quick, I was definitely going to have trouble getting my business off the ground.

So, I started asking other entrepreneurs to learn what they had experienced. As a fellow entrepreneur, I feel it is my duty to pass on the wisdom I learned along the way:

• You will develop tolerance.

  Over and over again I was told that entrepreneurship gets easier. Not because the work gets easier (though that happens as you build momentum), but because feeling uncomfortable will get easier. You will build up a tolerance for the unknown, the resistance, and the growth. You will build confidence in your ability to figure it out as you go and land on your feet.

• You will develop new associations.

  In The Power of Habit, Pulitzer Prize–winning business reporter Charles Duhigg explains why habits exist and how they can be changed. Duhigg suggests that when developing any new habit, you have to create new associations, new rewards for doing the work that is in front of you. As an entrepreneur, the only way to experience a new reward, is to do enough work that you eventually experience a win. The practice of building successes, one upon the other, will change your perceptions around the work because you will begin to associate achievement with the tasks on your list. Soon, pitching that story, writing a guest blog, and asking for financial investment, will no longer be associated with the fear of failing, but with the possibility of success.

• You will let go of things that don’t serve you.

  You will learn that sometimes the feeling in your gut isn’t discomfort — it is intuition. With time, you will know the difference and then you will be able to identify when to let go of the things that don’t serve you … things that aren’t your strengths or your path. This is the art of being an entrepreneur and something you hone over time.

Now don’t get me wrong. Knowing these nuggets of entrepreneurial wisdom will not magically make the resistance go away, but they will reassure you that it is all part of the process. You will be stronger for buckling down and seeing your dreams through to the finish line.

Source: http://yfsmagazine.com/2014/08/13/no-one-told-me-entrepreneurship-would-be-like-this

Is the Law of Attraction Not Working for You?

Have you read articles and books about the law of attraction or took part in courses and workshops, but you see no results?

Do you wonder sometimes whether the law of attraction works at all?

Do all these books and workshops on the law of attraction, which promise great results, deliver what they promise?

In case you don’t know, the law of attraction is a term, which was popularized a few years back. It refers to the power of the mind, which can attract and create success. This is nothing new. The law of attraction is known as creative visualization, the power of thoughts, the law of opulence, and by other names, and has been used for thousands of years.

In simple words, your thoughts and imagination create your reality, and by using them correctly, you can change your reality. The truth is that everyone uses this power, positively or negatively, without knowing they are using the law of attraction.

Some people get results and some don’t. This has nothing to do with the law of attraction. This has to do with you, how you use this law and the goals you have chosen.

Is the law of attraction not working for you?

The facts are:

1. The law of attraction, when used correctly delivers results.
2. Most people are satisfied with small goals, with just improving their lives a little and living a comfortable life. They might sometimes dream about great success, but actually, they are satisfied with a simpler life.
3. Mostly, people wish, they don’t desire strongly. Here is what Napoleon Hill wrote in his book ‘Think and Grow Rich’: “I will burn all bridges behind me, and stake my entire future on my ability to get what I want.”
   
   “Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat. Only by so doing can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a BURNING DESIRE TO WIN, essential to success.”
4. It is not enough just to read books or participate in courses. There must be a burning desire, and most people don’t have it.
5. If you use the law of attraction in your daily life, in your relationships, job and for improving your life it will work.
6. To make major changes in your life is a different thing. It is possible, however, few people are ambitious enough, and have the necessary patience, perseverance and desire.

Why people get disappointed with law of attraction?

Sometimes, books and all kinds of products promise spectacular success, almost immediately. However, everything big requires work, effort and time. You also need a few skills, talents and knowledge. Without them, you won’t go far.

Suppose you never played tennis in your life. One day, you decide to learn to play. How much time would you devote to this sport? Maybe an hour or two, a few times a week. In time, you will improve, but what are you chances of becoming a Wimbledon champion?

To become a tennis champion you need to train for years, from an early age, and for many hours.

To become a great football player you need the talent and you need constant training.

To be able to speak fluently a foreign language you need to learn and practice a lot.

To stand out in any field or area, you need to have a strong desire, certain skills and the willingness to invest time and effort.

You want money. You want to be rich, but are you really willing to invest the necessary time and effort to get it? Well, you might win the lottery, but most often, money comes from other channels.

Making a lot of money requires a certain life style, behavior and actions, but not everyone is willing to make the necessary changes and live this kind of life.

This is why the law of attraction, sometimes, doesn’t seem to work. It will work if you use it correctly, and are willing to do everything to succeed. It will work, if you use it for getting what you really and truly want. Often, these are simple things, like better relationships, better health, a better job, a better car, more money, and other similar things.

Source: http://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/law-of-attraction/law-of-attraction-not-working

How Not To Die Full Of Regrets

If you ask anyone what they want in life, chances are they will tell you one of the following things:

• More money
• Peace/happiness
• Better physical and emotional relationships
• A sense of purpose
• More freedom
• Passion for life
• Better health
• More energy
• Control over their time

These are all wonderful things and in a perfect world, we would have them all. How many of you can say that you wouldn’t like more of any one of them? Of course you do.
Everything on that list can change your life significantly for the better. So why aren’t we doing them?
We all want these things, but don’t think we need them. I beg to differ. Wanting is never going to bring us happiness. Wanting is for the lazy. If we make the decision that we need these things in our lives, amazing things will happen.
For example, if we needed $10,000 for an operation that would save the life of our child, we would find the money. Regardless if we were flat broke and $50,000 in debt, we would get that money. Why? Because we needed it.
You might be thinking “nobody is going to die if I don’t have freedom over my time or I don’t have a sense of purpose” but you’re wrong.
We are dying. Each and every hour we spend wallowing in mediocrity and in the servitude of someone else, we are dying. What’s worse is that it’s not a quick and painless death. No, it’s a 40 or 50 year painstakingly slow death that slowly transforms your mind and body into the living dead.
Our society has taught us that this is not only OK, but is the way things should be done. We should find a job and work our way up the ranks. We should allow others to control our financial futures. We should spend 40+ years working a job whether we actually like it or not.
That’s being responsible. That’s taking care of your family. That’s providing security.

That’s bullshit!

Working a shit job your entire life does not do anyone any good, especially you! Being unhappy for years on end because you’re “stuck” in a job you hate is no way to live.

The Age of Opportunity

There is no (good) reason that in this day and age that anyone needs to feel hopeless in their search for more meaning, passion, and excitement in their lives. I don’t care if we are in the middle of another Great Depression, there is always a way to make money doing something you have a burning passion for.
We have more resources, tools, and opportunity at our fingertips than at any other time in history. Yet, we are still sitting on our asses and waiting for things to change. The waiting game will cost you a lot more that you think.
It very may well cost you your life.
How many times have you put something important off because it was too hard? “I’ll do it tomorrow” you say. Well, tomorrow never comes.
Life will not give you a second chance. You have to make your life work for you, not the other way around.

Don’t Die Full of Regrets

If you enjoy your job and are happy with your current path, then great, I’m happy for you. I’m talking to the tens of millions of people who aren’t; the ones who celebrate TGIF, dread Sunday nights, and have to punch a clock for someone else every day.
If you subscribe to the theory that this is how life is supposed to be and “work” is not supposed to be enjoyable, that why they call it “work”, I have news for you.
It’s not. Not by a long shot.
Whether or not you agree with me is inconsequential. It’s a stone cold fact that the majority of people will piss away their lives working meaningless and unfulfilling jobs and it’s a travesty.
Do you envision yourself in your final years to be wishing you had done so many other things with your life? Of course not.
You believe that you’ll have lived a good life and will die with few regrets. We all want to believe that will be the case, but the sad fact is that we will die with some major regrets.
But you don’t have to…

Fear is Stopping You

The reason people die with significant regrets is because they lived in fear.
The only thing between living the life you want and living the life you have is fear. And it’s OK to be afraid, but if it controls you, it has won.
Fear has many faces:

• The fear of criticism
• The fear of failure and
• The fear of the unknown
• The fear of change
• The fear of dying
• The fear of living up to our potential
• The fear of poverty
• The fear of being alone

This list could go on in perpetuity. There are so many things that you allow yourself to hold you back and in order for you to move forward, you must face them.

Belief is the First Step

In order to make any change in your life, you must first believe it’s possible. The human mind is an incredibly powerful tool. Of course belief alone will not get you anywhere because it has to be followed up with action.
Because you are conditioned from a young age to believe that the best path in life is the one most traveled, many of you cannot comprehend the idea of living a life completely on your terms.
What if you could do something that lit you up inside and get paid well for it? What if you could feel confident and in complete control of your life? What if you wake up every morning with a sense of purpose and full of vibrant energy?
You can.
The only thing holding yourself back is you.
What are your fears? What’s really holding you back from living the life you want?

Source: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-not-to-die-full-of-regrets

How to Be Happy and Successful, Backed by Science

You might have heard Ben Sweetland’s quote before:

"Happiness is a journey,
not a destination"

However, people often behave like happiness is a destination. Many believe that if they work harder they become more successful and when they become successful then they will be happier. They reach their goal but immediately the brain raises its bars and wants more success and because of this they have not yet reached the destination of happiness. Have you experienced this?

If so I have very good news for you. This formula is backwards. The correct formula is that happiness comes first and it leads to success.

How a positive brain performs better

Research has indicated that when our brain is positive, it performs significantly better than when neutral or negative. Our intelligence rises, creativity rises, energy level rises, and in fact every single business outcome improves.

If we can find a way to be positive right now we can work faster, more efficiently and more intelligently.

5 scientific ways to be more positive

Thanks to several researchers, scientific ways to train your brain to become more positive have been found. These include the following:

• Write down three things that you are grateful for every day (new thing every day)
• Journal about your emotional experience
• Exercise
• Meditate
• Perform a random act of kindness

What do you say, is it worth taking time every day to perform the above activities and become more positive and successful?

How to get started

If you want to implement a new habit, it can be useful to connect it with something you are already doing. I connect two of these activities with having breakfast.

Before breakfast I follow a meditation program on my phone called Take 10 by Headspace, then I have my breakfast and afterwards it takes me about a minute or two to write down three things every day that I am grateful for. I love reading this book from time to time.

According to research we can rewire our brain in 21 days and I have noticed how my brain is now more often than before looking for the positive so I can write that down in my book :)

Another option is to receive an email everyday from Hapyr that reminds you of writing down three things everyday that you are grateful for.

What can you do right now to become more positive?

Will you set a reminder to meditate? Will you find a book and a pen to write down what you are grateful for? Will you make your exercise clothing ready for tomorrow? Will you perform a random act of kindness right now by sending someone a thank you email or even a link to this article?

You can learn more about the science of happiness in this great TED talk where psychologist Shawn Achor talks about the happy secret to better work:

(Video link)

Source: http://www.loromedia.com/be-happy-and-successful

Surprising Secrets of Entrepreneurs

Business success can mean accepting what others deny.

There are a lot of pieces of advice or information that a lot of us have heard.  In fact, certain bits of conventional wisdom are repeated many times over, readily available in dozens of business books.  But the biggest piece of information for an entrepreneur is to leave no stone unturned—look for and find ways to succeed that most people never would.  This can mean bucking conventional wisdom and doing things that are nearly the opposite.  Or, it can mean just being able to embrace certain strategies or methids that might seem too risky or even undesirable to less adventurous types.
In particular, certain things that not everyone is quick to admit about the world we live in can lead to success as an entrepreneur.  Aiming your business and your products and services to satisfy certain conditions is the key to success.  Here are those conditions.

1. Lack of Drive and Energy

Consider the person who conceived of the Snooze button on an alarm clock.  This is based on the idea that people shouldn’t decide between getting up and just lying there with music on, but that they should be able to have both: nice, quiet sleep for five more minutes (since they set their alarm for five minutes before they really wanted to get up).
Ultimately, if you don’t want to hear the annoying music, you can get up (which is what the alarm clock is there for in the first place) and turn it off and get the day started.  But how well do alarm clocks with no Snooze fair in the marketplace?  Thus, designing your products, effectively, around the laziness of your potential customers, may be a good idea.

2. Learn as You Go

You’ll hear a lot about the business plan and the blue print.  Some people make it seem as though if you don’t have the next fifteen or twenty-five years of your business mapped out meticulously, you’ll fail as a result.  However, it’s great minds that succeed, not always great ideas.  That’s because the first several versions of whatever product you put out will need tweaking and recover spontaneity on your part.  How good you are at rolling with the punches will determine your success.

3. Names and Logos are Important

It may be the case that your customers have a certain intelligence or savvy that you’d be good to honor.  But they’ll exercise a lot of that actually using your product.  Your first have to pull them in, and this is best done with a simple name and simple logo.  Don’t try to dazzle customers with some arcane or overly-clever brand.
An article on the subject from Entrepreneur.com counsels starter-uppers to “resist the urge to name the company after the mythical Greek God of fast service or the Latin phrase for “We’re number one!”

4. Success Consumes Time

One mistake business starters make is to not realize how many hours they have to put in.  If you work really hard but not insanely hard, and still can’t make ends meet, you really just need to put more time in.  In other words, you have the option of trading some of your time for what it takes to bring in revenue exceeding expenses.
Perhaps this means doing—up to a point—some of the work you’d otherwise pay for, etc.
It’s absolutely true that it’s best to have a work-life balance, and it’s best not to run yourself into the ground or risk your sanity.  But if doing so, short term, is what it takes to turn that crucial corner, then you have little choice.  Don’t let your business go down because you don’t realize how much of your time it takes.
The secrets to successful entrepreneurship come at us from all directions. It’s all about figuring out all aspects and coming up with the best way of looking at each individual problem.

Source: http://frugalentrepreneur.com/2014/08/surprising-secrets-of-entrepreneurs

Is authenticity authentic?

Perhaps the only truly authentic version of you is just a few days old, lying in a crib, pooping in your pants.

Ever since then, there's been a cultural overlay, a series of choices, strategies from you and others about what it takes to succeed in this world (in your world).

And so it's all invented.

When you tell me that it would be authentic for you to do x, y or z, my first reaction is that nothing you do is truly authentic, it's all part of a long-term strategy for how you'll make an impact in the world.

I'll grant you that it's essential to be consistent, that people can tell when you shift your story and your work in response to whatever is happening around you, and particularly when you say whatever you need to say to get through the next cycle. But consistency is easier to talk about and measure than authenticity is.

The question, then, is what's the impact you seek to make, what are the changes you are working for? And how can you achieve that and still do work you're proud of?

Source: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2014/08/is-authenticity-authentic.html

Rich People vs Poor People: A Powerful Comparison

Sometimes, a person’s greatest barrier to wealth is their own belief system.

Your mindset about money, the value you put on your work, the principles you uphold in your decision-making, and how you react to life’s many circumstances can dictate how your financial future will be.

The following is a summary of how the rich think differently from the poor, as told in the book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T. Harv Eker.

Check yourself against this list, and see if you have what it takes to be rich someday.

Rich people believe: “I create my life.”

Poor people believe: “Life happens to me.”

Rich people play the money game to win.

Poor people play the money game to not lose.

Rich people are committed to being rich.

Poor people want to be rich.

Rich people think big.

Poor people think small.

Rich people focus on opportunities.

Poor people focus on obstacles.

Rich people admire other rich and successful people.

Poor people resent rich and successful people.

Rich people associate with positive, successful people.

Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.

Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their value.

Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.

Rich people are bigger than their problems.

Poor people are smaller than their problems.

Rich people are excellent receivers.

Poor people are poor receivers.

Rich people choose to get paid based on results.

Poor people choose to get paid based on time.

Rich people think “both”.

Poor people think “either/or”.

Rich people focus on their net worth.

Poor people focus on their working income.

Rich people manage their money well.

Poor people mismanage their money well.

Rich people have their money work hard for them.

Poor people work hard for their money.

Rich people act in spite of fear.

Poor people let fear stop them.

Rich people constantly learn and grow.

Poor people think they already know.

Now you know the powerful differences between the rich vs the poor. Now time to ask yourself… which one are you?

You can read more on the subject of the differences between rich and poor mindsets in the T.Harv Eker's book:

Source: http://fitzvillafuerte.com/rich-vs-poor.html

MONEY – The Dark SECRET

MONEY!..Sung about, dreamed about, loved and despised. No matter what you think about money, it does seem to make the World go round. However, there is a very DARK side to money which many people do not know.

MONEY – The Dark SECRET

Holding on to Money and not letting it go can actually make you poor.

Here’s why..

It can create a fearful mindset.

Although people describe money as many things… the people who tend to have most of it are those who are willing to spend it in order to make more. The opposite of this is when a person won’t spend it for fear of loss.

Holding on to money can almost become like an addiction.

Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the need to be being frugal at times. I’ve been broke, I know what it feels like – and I also realise that many people in the world suffer hardship that I’ve never seen.. however, there are also people who just won’t let go of money even when it seems a logical thing to do.

For instance. Most poverty (in the West) stems from a lack of education. When I say education, I’m not talking about the type that people learn in School, most people in the West have access to schooling. I’m talking about the type that builds a persons net worth.

“The richest people in the world look for and build networks, everyone else looks for work” – Robert Kiyosaki

The SECRET to money is learning to let it go in order for it to come back many times over. You need to invest in yourself, whether that is though education or a viable business model. TIP. Invest in a business that provides the education you need to be successful.

The secret to making money is not to hold on to as much money as possible and never invest any of it in your future, you probably spend money anyway on all kinds of things they don’t need.

Once you learn to let it go, take action in your business and don’t wait for miracles, money will find it’s way back to you a thousandfold..That is the secret…

Money, even with it’s dark secrets can make people happy. An abundant lifestyle begins with a good positive mind. Power up your mind daily by being around positive people who share the secrets to creating wealth.

Source: http://askthetipster.com/money-the-dark-secret

Richard Branson: 'There's No Shortcut or Magic Recipe to Success'

Q: Are there any quick ways to succeed in business without spending a huge amount of money on marketing? -- Geraldo Kandonga Fillipus, Geraldo Financial Solutions, Namibia

Source: Google+

Unfortunately there’s no shortcut or magic recipe to success -- or if there is, I haven’t found it yet. Creating a successful and profitable business takes time, since you build your reputation as customers learn to trust and rely on you, one by one.

Also, there’s no guarantee that spending a huge amount of money on marketing will slingshot your business forward. If you spend your time looking for shortcuts, you will find one -- right out of business.

While there are no set rules for succeeding in business, over my 40 years as an entrepreneur I have embraced some rough guidelines that can be very helpful:

1. Create a Useful Product or Service

Above all else, you should not go into business purely for financial reasons. Running a company involves long hours and hard decisions; if you don’t have a better reason than money to keep going, your business will more than likely fail, as many new businesses do.

So it’s important to create something of use that is going to benefit society as a whole. If you do something you truly care about, you will be in a much better position to find customers, connect with them, and keep them coming back.

Once you have decided on the type of product or service that interests you, focus on how to do things differently from the competition: Do your research, find a gap or an area ripe for innovation, and position your business in a way that sets it apart.

2. Simplify Your Message

Customers don’t just shop for a brand and its products, but also identify with its core values. Ask yourself, why did I start my business? Be honest -- this will help you establish an authentic value and voice. Then distill your message into something simple.

At Virgin, we stand for great customer service, good value and innovative alternatives to our competitors’ offerings. Most importantly, we view business as a force for good. Knowing who we are and what we stand for ensures that we don’t waste time or money on messaging that doesn’t represent us or resonate with our customers.

3. Market Yourself

Marketing is a powerful tool, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. My mentor, Sir Freddie Laker, a man who had started a company to challenge British Airways on their home turf, gave me some invaluable advice when I was starting up Virgin Atlantic Airways. Knowing that we couldn’t match the more established airlines in terms of marketing budget, he encouraged me to drive the publicity myself: “Use yourself. Make a fool of yourself. Otherwise you won’t survive.”

I took his advice and I’ve been thinking up fun ways to stand out from the crowd and draw the media’s attention to our company ever since, from breaking world records to pulling pranks.

While I’ve always been interested in sports and physical challenges, that might not be the route for you. Find your tone, know your brand, do things your own way, and create waves. The free advertising will follow.

4. Embrace Social Media

Tools like Twitter and Facebook are wonderful ways to get your message out to a wide audience. Social media is not only more cost-efficient than advertising, but it also offers great opportunities for innovative engagement with your customers. Use it to your advantage.

Remember that there is a difference between selling and marketing. In my experience, selling a product through social media doesn’t work -- it’s better to simply communicate with your customers in an authentic way and have fun. As you build an online profile that people can identify with and trust, you’ll find that they will soon become customers.

The feedback you receive on social media can be invaluable, especially when your business is just starting out. Listen to your customers’ comments about your company’s offerings to gain an understanding of what you are doing right and wrong. You can also use this feedback to sharpen your social campaigns and measure the effectiveness of your calls to action.

5. Keep On Enjoying What You Do

If you genuinely love and believe in what you do, others will take notice and share your enthusiasm. Geraldo, in your case, this might prompt people to take out a loan with your company instead of another provider, or encourage them to recommend your company to a friend.

If you find your interest flagging, it’s time to make a change -- switch from operations to management, move on, expand into new territories, anything that interests you. To find success, you need to be fully committed or your work will show it.

Good luck!

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235955

How to Become a Millionaire by Age 30

Getting rich and becoming a millionaire is a taboo topic. Saying it can be done by the age of 30 seems like a fantasy.

It shouldn’t be taboo and it is possible. At the age of 21, I got out of college, broke and in debt, and by the time I was 30, I was a millionaire.

Here are the 10 steps that will guarantee you will become a millionaire by 30.

1. Follow the money. 

In today’s economic environment you cannot save your way to millionaire status. The first step is to focus on increasing your income in increments and repeating that. My income was $3,000 a month and nine years later it was $20,000 a month. Start following the money and it will force you to control revenue and see opportunities.

2. Don’t show off -- show up! 

I didn’t buy my first luxury watch or car until my businesses and investments were producing multiple secure flows of income. I was still driving a Toyota Camry when I had become a millionaire. Be known for your work ethic, not the trinkets that you buy.

3. Save to invest, don’t save to save. 

The only reason to save money is to invest it.  Put your saved money into secured, sacred (untouchable) accounts. Never use these accounts for anything, not even an emergency. This will force you to continue to follow step one (increase income). To this day, at least twice a year, I am broke because I always invest my surpluses into ventures I cannot access.

4. Avoid debt that doesn’t pay you. 

Make it a rule that you never use debt that won’t make you money. I borrowed money for a car only because I knew it could increase my income. Rich people use debt to leverage investments and grow cash flows. Poor people use debt to buy things that make rich people richer.

5. Treat money like a jealous lover.

Millions wish for financial freedom, but only those that make it a priority have millions. To get rich and stay rich you will have to make it a priority. Money is like a jealous lover. Ignore it and it will ignore you, or worse, it will leave you for someone who makes it a priority.

6. Money doesn’t sleep. 

Money doesn’t know about clocks, schedules or holidays, and you shouldn’t either. Money loves people that have a great work ethic. When I was 26 years old, I was in retail and the store I worked at closed at 7 p.m. Most times you could find me there at 11 p.m. making an extra sale. Never try to be the smartest or luckiest person -- just make sure you outwork everyone.

7. Poor makes no sense.

I have been poor, and it sucks. I have had just enough and that sucks almost as bad. Eliminate any and all ideas that being poor is somehow OK. Bill Gates has said, "If you’re born poor, it’s not your mistake. But if you die poor, it is your mistake."

8. Get a millionaire mentor. 

Most of us were brought up middle class or poor and then hold ourselves to the limits and ideas of that group. I have been studying millionaires to duplicate what they did. Get your own personal millionaire mentor and study them. Most rich people are extremely generous with their knowledge and their resources.

9. Get your money to do the heavy lifting. 

Investing is the Holy Grail in becoming a millionaire and you should make more money off your investments than your work. If you don’t have surplus money you won’t make investments. The second company I started required a $50,000 investment. That company has paid me back that $50,000 every month for the last 10 years. My third investment was in real estate, where I started with $350,000, a large part of my net worth at the time. I still own that property today and it continues to provide me with income. Investing is the only reason to do the other steps, and your money must work for you and do your heavy lifting.

10. Shoot for $10 million, not $1 million. 

The single biggest financial mistake I’ve made was not thinking big enough. I encourage you to go for more than a million. There is no shortage of money on this planet, only a shortage of people thinking big enough.

Apply these 10 steps and they will make you rich. Steer clear of people that suggest your financial dreams are born of greed. Avoid get-rich-quick schemes, be ethical, never give up, and once you make it, be willing to help others get there too.

 

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234454