CONFESSIONS OF A POOR, INSANE, FUTURE MILLIONAIRE

Realizing That No One Really Cares

2012-08-05T05:58:00.000-04:00

The sooner that you learn that no one cares the better off you will be. When I say no one cares, it doesn’t mean about you or your well-being but you and your dreams. It applies to entrepreneurs. It doesn’t apply to Olympic athletes. It doesn’t apply to help you need for your 9 to 5 job, if you’re sick, or if your car breaks down. It applies specifically to your entrepreneurial vision.

HOW COME NO ONE CARES? I DON’ GET IT

No one cares because they can’t see what you see. If they could, they wouldn’t be slaving away at a job that they hate every day of their lives. If they cared, they would be trying to help you, asking how things are going, and calling you up with suggestions.

It’s not their fault. It doesn’t’ mean they don’t love you, it’s just that your dream is not tangible to them.

WHAT’S TANGIBLE VERSUS INTANGIBLE

If you were working toward a promotion at your 9to5, that’s tangible. As a society we are conditioned to that behavior. Work hard and get a crappy 5% raise, maybe 7% or 2% in this economy. People believe that will happen. They are trained to work more hours and you will most likely get a raise. We are even trained that 5% is good. There is no problem getting help to support that.

However, if it’s a situation that society is not conditioned to, like starting your own business…most people don’t get it, and some people who do just want to see you fail. HARSH, but true.

If you are creating a website of some sort, don’t expect anyone to be on board until it takes off and start bringing in revenue. If you are starting a brick and mortar, don’t expect anyone to pay attention until you land a client, get a big check or do something drastic like Mortgage the house to pay for your first years expenses. Oh…I bet people are all ears now.

If you think I’m joking, let me prove it to you. Go right now to facebook and write about what you are currently working on and see how many people send you something encouraging. Maybe 1 or 2 if you are lucky. Then wait a few hours and post a Meme (a funny viral picture), half of your friends will be hitting like, and sharing that mess making all types of dumb comments. You get more support from a shaved cat, then you launching your own enterprise.

Again, on facebook if you are launching a website and you write, “Hey guys, I’m launching my new site today, check it out www.yourownhustle.com”. You might get 10 or 15 hits. But if you put, “Wow, just stumbled on to this site and it’s off the hook!”. If there is no clear association to you and people realize that you are not benefiting from it, then they will visit it, bookmark it, and visit that site every day.

Believe it or not, subconsciously people won’t visit your site because they don’t want to see you get ahead. They don’t even realize that they are doing it. SCAREY!

HOW SHOULD YOU ACT ON THIS?

The reason for this post is to help you focus more and conserve energy. As a hustler you need everything you can muster to sustain your work load and keep yourself focused. If you are working a full time 9to5 then you need your energy even more. This means you can’t waste energy trying to convince and prove those around you how good your idea is. How hard you’re working. Just how things are coming along. You have to stop wasting time trying to rationalize to them, why you need to work, or how much work is left to be done. They won’t understand because they don’t want to understand.

Those who do understand, keep them close, and use them as fuel. Keep them updated on your milestones and progress. Value those people, because they are rare and they care.

WHAT IF YOUR SPOUSE OR LOVED ONE DOESN’T GET THE VISION?

This is a doozy! This is easily the 2^nd biggest problem for an entrepreneur. Money is first, significant other ‘s /family support is 2^nd. If you significant other gets your vision, believes in you and your goals whole heartedly, then you already have a distinct advantage. You have your Michelle Obama and are ready to take over the world.

If not, my first suggestion is to try to bring them on board. Tell them and show them what you are working on, and explain your long term vision and how it will benefit you, him or her, and your kids. Try again and again.

HOWEVER…..

If they can’t see the vision, my advice is to stop talking about it as much. If your wife or husband sees your entrepreneurial endeavors aka “Your Hustle” as “time away from the family” or “you getting to do what you want to do”, you “Playing Games”

If he or she understood how serious this was, and how if it worked out, it would benefit the whole family they would be on board. There would be no convincing. When the topic of support is brought up you wouldn't hear things like, “Well I don’t say anything when you sit on the computer for hours”. That’s called tolerating. Tolerating and supporting are not the same thing.

Support is when you are working and they ask if you need anything. They ask if you are hungry, they ask if there is something that you can do to help. Supporting is not whining for them to come to bed, complaining that you don’t get to fall asleep next to them. That is called making them choose between you and their dream.

Do what I’ve done, simply cut them out. Until you get to a point where they understand your vision and how big it is, don’t talk about. It will only drive a wedge in between you two. You want more then anyone in the world for this person to believe in you and be on board but it can’t happen so don’t force it.

It will be hard at first because this is all you are about. You are sleeping, eating , sh@#tting your dreams and you can’t share them. But you will see that once you refrain from talking about it, and just quietly executing your mission, they will then grow interested. Then you only give them a little. Play that game all the way to the bank.

I’m speaking from experience. Ever since I stopped talking about my projects with my fiance’ we have found peace. Once she sees how much money everything is earning she will then believe and start to support instead of tolerate. Then I will be stronger then ever.

-MJL

Striving in Arnold's World is the Key to Success

2012-02-02T11:30:00.002-05:00

A huge part of your success, in becoming a future millionaire will be your ability to Separate the Real World from Arnold’s World.

HOW I CAME ACROSS ARNOLD’S WORLD

Arnold’s World is a place that I have just recently entered. A reader of this blog Deuce Carter has a Tumbler site with some interesting motivational pictures.

One of them is the Screen saver below of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Despite his recent issues – here is a man that has conquered everything he’s ever tried. Physically, mentally and politically. A man who barely spoke English ended up being the Governor of this country’s largest State. In Arnold’s World physical & mental perfection along with financial freedom were mandatory. Once I removed my computer background and replaced it with Arnold – I conceptually entered Arnold’s World.

In order to stay motivated, you must separate Arnold’s World from the Real World.

Living in – Arnold’s World

If you are doing what it takes to push yourself to the next level, you should feel special, but unfortunately that “specialness” won’t translate to the real world until you have reached real world success. Confused?

In the Arnold World people are rated on a different scale. People are rated on their ability to push themselves to the limit in all aspects of their lives. In Arnold’s World, when a person gets home from their 9 to 5, they are expected to further their education, take care of themselves physically and strive for financial Freedom. Those are the expectations. In fact, that should be the criteria for reading this blog.

Let’s list those again shall we: AWE (Arnold’s World Expectations)

1. Further their education

By no means does this mean grad school, college etc. This could mean learning about your business, reading forums, magazines, anything that will make you better at whatever you will end up doing for your financial freedom. Learning about your craft.

2. Take Care of yourself physically

This doesn’t mean hitting the gym every day, but it does mean doing some physical activity a few times a week, and eating healthy. A healthy body goes hand in hand with a healthy mind.

3. The Strive for financial freedom.

Basically working to be a future millionaire. That’s why we are here right? Google the term “Future Millionaire”? Guess who comes up in the number two spot in the search results???

If you are here, you are at the right place because there is no place on the internet where the struggle is understood better then here. Period.

You can remember the three expectations by simply keeping in mind: Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.

HOW DOES ARNOLD’S WORLD COMPARE TO THE REAL WORLD?

To be great in the Arnold World you are doing items 1 thru 3 to the best of your ability, until you reach success. Constant effort over time! Now let’s compare yourself to your fat, out of shape co worker. You and him are in the little kitchenette area at work – you know that annoying little place with the microwave and toaster oven, and over packed refrigerator with everyone’s labeled lunch bags. You are there heating up vegetables and chicken and your co-worker is heating up a left over cheesesteak and fries.

When he went home last night, he watched 4 hours of TV, ordered 2 cheesesteaks from the delivery joint down the street, talked on the phone to his buddy about the weekend for an hour and then played Star Wars Old Republic for 3 hours and then crashed for the night.

When you got home last night, you hit the gym, showered, cooked dinner for yourself and made lunch for today. Then you started working on your main project until about 10:00. Then you attended a Webinar for an hour, and then Skyped with your programmers in India until 2:00 AM.

In Arnold’s World – you are like the Mayor! You are revered because you are able to stay focused, eat right, hit the gym and survive on almost no sleep. Your co-worker is seen as a lazy piece of crap. He’s the equivalent to someone who is unemployed, on welfare and refuses to even look for a job, because welfare is covering his bills. He’s everything that you Arnold’s World hates!

If you translate that into the real world – You and your co-worker are even. Huh? Doesn’t sound fair does it. Although you accomplished a lot last night, you are not earning money with your projects. In fact you are losing money because you are investing in time and resources. Your co-worker is shoving money without thinking in his 401 K. He drives a better car then you, and hangs out after work with the rest of your co-workers so in fact, his status is higher than yours.

That is your challenge. Day in and day out, you have to accept that in society, until your bank account has grown to the KMAM (Kiss My ASS Mark), you are on par or less than that of the guy who does the same job as you do at work. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s also why you know that you need to be doing more. Let that thought fuel you to push yourself to succeed. If you quit it will all be for nothing, You won’t fail unless you quit.

DANGER ZONE

Being able to separate the worlds are key. You are no better of a person because you are in Arnold’s World. Everyone doesn’t want the same things as you do. It doesn’t make you better than them, and they don’t deserve less respect. It’s a choice. Because your mom doesn’t go to the gym, doesn’t mean you don’t respect her less. We live in the Real World and everyone deserves respect until they un-earn it. (But in Arnold’s world, YOU ARE BETTER THEN THEM).

If you are reading this and don’t have a “project” – GET ONE!

Like the great Jim Rohn says,

If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much

The Re-reading of Rich Dad Poor Dad.

2011-12-20T15:27:00.002-05:00

As a Future Millionaire it’s something that you should do often. Mainly because it’s a hard concept to embrace. It tells you everything that you ever learned about making money is false….similar to what I do here on this blog. When you get through the first two chapters you start feeling one of three ways:

1. Rober Kyoski is full of sh*T

2. Why didn’t I read this sooner, I feel so dumb.

3. Glad to know I’m on the right track.

In no uncertain terms, Mr. Kyoski basically says that going to work everyday makes you a Jack Ass. He portrays it as having a carrot dangled in front of you while you pull the cart. You identifiy yourself with that donkey, pulling the corporate American cart. I shouldn't say that going to work makes you a Jack Ass, but going to work and expecting to make it something it's not makes you a Jack Ass.

That’s not where you want to be.

In the middle of the book you start to think, “I want to be the farmer with the carrot”.

That’s not toally true either. You are still working everyday. You still have to get up in the morning, load the cart, put the carrot on the string and dangle and walk for hours.

Yes you have all the carrots you can eat so you are better off then the mule, but you still had to get up at the butt crack of dawn to make that happen.

WHERE DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE?
You want to be the guy who owns all the farms. You buy and work the first farm. You get it to the point where it is making $2000.00 per month. You streamline the process and pay someone $1500 per month to run it.

Move to the next farm. You get it earning $2000 per month, you pay someone $1500 to run it. Move to the third farm and fourth farm. You are good at this so you do it with less work in less time. Now you have four farms, with four farmers working them. Each one is happy to make $1500 per month, and you are making the same $2000 you were making before, but you get up at noon now.

You play golf and spend time with your family. You have four farmes with their mules handing out carrots.

The Owner, the Farmer, the Mule. Don’t kid youself, just because you hanve an MBA, a big office and a good job, but a slong as you have to go to work every morning you can still be a jackass!

-MJL

You Must Be Crazy to Dream Big

2011-10-19T16:12:00.002-04:00

I realized the bigger your dreams are, the crazier you must be. Period.

Over the past week, week and a half I have been reading and watching about Hitler and Steve Jobs. Not to compare the two, because as we all know comparing anyone to Hitler will get you kicked off of ESPN, however there are similarities. Ouch!! Wait…..hear me out.

There was a show on the History channel that dove into Hilter and the architecture that surrounded him in the 1940’s . That man was crazy. You couldn’t tell him what to do or what not to do. He wanted a dome over his capital building that was so big you could fly a mini helicopter in it. He would not take no for an answer . Steve Jobs, same thing. He wanted to do away with the keyboard, and I think if you gave him five more years, he would have done it. I have to imagine Thomas Edison, Leonardo Da Vinci, these guys were visionaries cut all of for the same cloth.

How Does this Apply To Us?

The world pushes you into what it thinks you should be, what it thinks you should do, how it thinks you should act. The more in line you are with that the less crazy you have to be. If your dad went to college and became an Engineer and you want to be an Engineer – that’s not crazy. That’s normal.

If you want to be a Lawyer and your dad was an Engineer, that’s ambitious but not crazy.

If you want to be a Rock Star and tour Europe, that’s Crazy. If you want to be a multi-billionaire. That’s considered crazy. Get it?

Crazy is Good

If you are not the right level of crazy then you won’t make it. The bigger your dream the crazier you must be. I want a net worth o 1.4 billion dollars. So how crazy am I? I’m down right nuts. I sleep, eat, and crap this dream. I don’t have regular friends anymore, I don’t watch Sunday football, I sleep 3 to 4 hours per night. I’m insane. I won’t take NO for an answer. You WILL NOT tell me this dream is not going to happen. Period.

I’m INSANE! You need to be INSANE. If you want a promotion at work, you just have to be a little crazy, so there is no reason for you not to get it. If you want to quit you job and start your own company- YOU HAVE TO BE CRAZY. The amount of sacrifice, and hard work cannot be summed up in a book . You will be working hard with no payoff for a long time. Saving money, going without sleep, getting setbacks all while you are pushing ahead. You must not take NO for an answer. Move smart, but move crazy. You will know when you can quit your day job. You can layout a plan that is safe, but crazy to execute. Then GET CRAZY and execute it.

There will be more to come on this.
-MJL

Surviving Time in Corporate America for the Entrepreneur

2011-03-29T15:57:00.006-04:00

“Surviving” is a difficult task because it is a conflicts with our current goal and mind set. We spend most of our time plotting our escape, that we don’t actually focus on “how to survive” (until we can escape). This is an essential ingredient because by surviving well, we expend less energy, that we can use to then better plot our escape.

Got it?

The thought actually came to me while watching a prison show on “Hulu” that was on The National Geographic Channel. They were profiling an inmate who was a shear mastermind. He was your standard white guy, baby faced, imprisoned with Blacks and Hispanics (race will play a part in just a second, that’s why I’m mentioning it). He looked like he couldn’t hurt a fly. They showed him in the dining area eating, showed him in the yard playing softball, depicting him as a pillar of the prison community. In every scene he actually appeared genuinely happy.

Then they hold up pictures of some guy that was bludgeoned almost to death. Then they show another, and the voiceover states that the Baby-faced white guy was responsible for every one of those beatings. WHAT!?!?!!

Then they pan to a shot of this guy in his cell. On top of his bunk he has a variety of snacks. Honey Buns, BBQ chips, Reeses, Snickers and any other snack you could think of. He proceeds to explain how he gets his cell floors swept and waxed for the price of a few honey buns. He gets his prison uniform cleaned and pressed, for a few bags of BBQ chips and a Snickers bar. That night he was hosting a dinner party in his cell where they were having Mexican food. They found a way to cook tortillas right in the cell. This guy was hosting dinner parties in prison!!!

How did he do this? All by the power of persuasion, keeping his emotions in control and bending a seemingly rigid prison system, to cater to his needs.

That’s how you survive in Corporate America. As an Entrepreneur your goals have changed. You don’t want to be a CEO. You don’t necessarily want to be moved up. You just want to earn your check – do an adequate job, and get home to work on your other endeavors. Instead of letting the place frustrate you with its policies, procedures and politics, use them to your advantage and mold them to help you in your journey out of there.

WANT EXAMPLES? “Sure”

Although the place I work is frustrating and the people are frustrating there are a few really bright, really experienced people who work there. Gain the trust of these select few and talk with them frequently. Run ideas and business strategies by them. It’s like free counsel. Trust me, if they are really intelligent, they will welcome the discussion and began to vicariously live through you, thus really wanting to see you achieve your goals.

Printers, Xerox Machines, Fax machines

They are all accessible to you to a certain extent. Use them after or before hours to give things you are working on a certain professional flare.

Company laptop

It’s a laptop. Great!!! Now you can postpone buying one and use this one for generating your business plans and excel spread sheets for your ideas. Use it for a change of scenery when you are home working, and take it to the local coffee shop so you can keep working. Keep grinding, keep getting it in!

HAVE FUN

You are launching a new business; you have a great idea that’s going to take off in just a few months, or years (whatever your particular sentence is). Knowing that should put you automatically in a good mood. It’s as if, someone told you that in January, you would be inheriting 800,000.00. Not enough money to quit, but it’s a nice chunk of change! That would make coming to work a lot easier, you would be a lot happier, and everyone around you would notice. You wouldn’t stress out over reports, presentations, or reviews. You would just make it happen to the best of your ability and let the chips fall where they may.

Hopefully this makes sense, and it can help you survive the day to day at your 9 to 5. It’s frustrating to work on a spreadsheet when you are secretly planning to launch the next facebook, but until you do it’s necessary.

Make the best out of your prison and save that energy for “The Launch” of the next best thing!

-MJL

Celebrity Apprentice - A Lesson In Boardroom War by Richard Hatch

2011-03-09T17:58:00.001-05:00

As some of you know I tried out for the Apprentice twice (both times getting call backs for the remaining 500 slots). I remain with the opinion that had I gotten picked for the show, Donald Trump would have held me back. So in retrospect, I’m quite happy for the experience of trying out and kind of glad that I didn’t get picked.

I wasn’t a fan of Celebrity Apprentice because the desperation to succeed hasn’t always been there. This season however, they have picked just the right line up of characters who want to be seen, need to be seen and would also sincerely like to earn money for their charities.

As great leaders it’s important to watch these competitive reality shows and watch how some of the greatest minds of our time work. They become a lesson in people management, persuasion, body language and numerous of other attributes that when skilled at, can help the road to success.

In comes Richard Hatch. This guys is a manipulator extraordinaire. He makes Russell from survivor appear humble. In his mind, he has already won. In some ways dangerous but in some ways necessary.

Richard had no qualms about stepping up to be the leader of the first challenge. He is surrounded by some of the greatest names in music, acting and sports and he was not impressed. In fact, it was as if he was resentful of them and their fame. He shouted orders out like a drill sergeant. The interesting part is that I think some of them not only didn’t mind it, but felt they needed it.

There is no doubt that his arrogance got the best of him when he pushed David Cassidy during the pizza challenge. The other thing that was obvious was that Donald Trump wanted him to stay in the game. When Richard had to pick two people to come back into the boardroom he chose Canseco and David Cassidy. When questioned for the third or fourth time about physically contacting David, his tune changed slightly, he said, “If I did push David, then I’m sorry and I apologized”. That’s a lot different then “I did not push David”. No one called him out on that. Or at least it appeared that no one called him out on it (not sure what is left on the cutting floor). That’s no different then David and Jose Canseco both agreeing that he didn’t’ take any breaks, and then state a moment later that he took 2 breaks….and he was called out.

Richard also picked up on the fighting part of the argument. Young Don, says that David was not possessing the energy to fight to stay in the game. As soon as “energy” was mentioned, Richard’s body language change sharply to portray a new sense of energy – to convince everyone that young Don was right. At that point you can even here him stating how mad he wanted to be there.

As a Project Manager that essentially got his ass handed to him, he did a remarkable job staying in the game. I bet he also learned a lot about the people he’s playing with from that one instant.

Kudos to Mark Burnett and his casting team. This cast of characters should make for a great season of Celebrity Apprentice

MJL

Success as Interpreted by The Greats

2011-02-20T20:00:00.002-05:00

Every issue of Esquire comes with a section where they ask famous people their meanings of life. It's one of the most thought provoking but yet profound reads and is the key to many of might thoughts and motives on obtaining ultimate success.

Here are my favorite three from an interview with David Brown.

DAVID BROWN
Producer, interviewed in June 2001 by Cal Fussman.

WORK YOURSELF to death. It's the only way to live.
GOOD HEALTH is beautifully boring.
NEVER BE the first to arrive at a party or the last to go home, and never, ever be both.

Those are some good thoughts to start the week right.

-MJL

Doing what you love, I get it now!

2011-02-05T18:57:00.004-05:00

Ok, it’s been since October since my last post. But if anyone knows anything they know I have been around the internet. This blogger blog was my baby, and it still is, therefore I have to return where it all started. Right?

So what have I been up to? I have been carving a piece of the net out for myself. I have started an Internet marketing company and I’m making it happen. I have about 40 websites and still counting. Some are what I call premium brand and some are just booster to the premium brand.

I'VE SEEN THE LIGHT!!
Recently the light went on. I realize now when people like Oprah, Dr. Phil, Jim Rohn, and all these super successful people say, “You have to do something you love first?” I used to think, “That’s easy for you to say – you’re making millions doing what you love”. Then I realized, if not for money, but for your sanity – you should do what you love. But maybe take a two pronged approach. First do what you have to do to get a check, then do something you love and try and monetize it. This is actually critical to living the quality of life that you deserve. Critical? Sounds severe doesn't it? We it is!

Let’s take the 97% of you out there that don’t like their jobs. Let’s split up your day and see how much out of the 24 hrs do you really truly get to enjoy.

Sleep 7 hrs.

Working a job you hate: 9 hrs.

Commuting and prepare for work: 1.5 hrs.

Gym (Exercise) 20 minutes at a minimum

Eating: 1 hr.

Chores for living (dishes, bill pay, ironing, etc.) 40 min

That’s 19.5 hrs out of 24 that you are not enjoying yourself. What do you do with the other 4.5?

How scary is that? Over 81% of your day is spent doing things you don't want to do. Sounds like a prison sentence.

You have 4.5 hrs to enjoy yourself per weekday. Now, If you enjoy your job, that goes up to 13.5. 3 times more. The numbers don’t lie.

If you throw children into the equation, all the numbers change drastically. The 4.5 can go down to 1 depending on the age of your children. One after school sport, help with homework, and a bedtime story can turn that 4.5 hours into 30 minutes. Then the guy working a job he loves is enjoying life 18 times more then you are.

That’s what I call a better quality of life. Think about it and take action.
If that doesn't motivate you to take control of your life then nothing will.

I’m not back – I never left.

-MJL

Let Tiger's Third Swing Change Be Inspiration for Your Self Improvement

2010-10-26T17:29:00.002-04:00

As a sport fan (not a fanatic), I tend to equate many of life's trials and tribulations to those which occur in sports on the playing field.

Golf is no exception. Observing Tiger struggle for the 3rd time changing his swing, I thought to myself, "That is true commitment to self improvement".

Let's look at this a little further. In 1998 Woods only won one PGA Tour event. This was the first "Tiger Slump" we heard of. He was with his old coach Butch Harmon at that time, and was going through the first of what would be 3 swing changes. After the first change...well you know, the rest is history. He had a record 2000 and continued his dominance over the sport, and was crowned athlete of the decade.

Compare that to you, in your career. In preparation for the next level of your career, you attend a seminar or training class that really impacts you and helps you reach that next level. In this new management position, with your new swing you hit a rhythm and start to perform well. This new rhythm is clearly at a level above your previous performance, so you begin to feel comfortable with the success and praise that you are receiving. This feeling of comfort is "The Tipping Point" 85% of us love this comfort zone and will stay here forever. 10% will fall out of the comfort zone; for some reason or other they cannot sustain this new level of performance. The last 5% will dominate this zone, get bored and look for new challenges.

WHO BENEFITS THE MOST FROM CORPORATE TRAINING?

We have all seen people go through various corporate funded training classes and come out totally unaffected. Some of the meanest nastiest SOB's I know have been to "Play to Win" training over 5 times.

Human Resources and management at your job, do not know what percentage you fall into. They might have an idea, but it's hard to detect the upper 5% from the pack of Eighty five Percenters. They don't know if you will stay, fall or continue to rise, so they send your entire department to anew training class. After this training you are faced with a decision, "Do you want t reach the next level and make a change, or stay exactly where you are".

Most of us are comfortable and will choose to stay put. For example, many of us play golf. We shoot in the 80's or 90's. In order to go lower, we would have to change something drastic. Little tweaks and tips from your buddies are not going to work anymore. In order to shoot into the 70's we will need to possibly change our grip, or perhaps change our stance, things we have done over and over for years! These things are incredibly hard to change and takes dedication and practice, with the risk that you might not reach your goal and possibly screw up what you already knew.

Do you see the parallels? All these things are necessary if we want to get to that next level. Tiger is now in the process of doing this for the 3rd Time! His dedication to self improvement is driving him to make a third swing change, in the middle of the PGA Tour, Fed Ex Cup, & the Ryders. He knows that if he pulls this off, he will be unstoppable. Not to mention, he couldn't live with himself if he didn't try.

Now back to you and your training class. You've learned something in this new class that could make you superstar. In order to implement these changes it will take a huge effort on your part. To modify your behavior takes dedication and practice, drive and focus. Every day. This is what's necessary for you to reach your next level. Sure it's easier to stay where you are but you have to ask yourself, "Am I a pussy (cat) or a Tiger".

Self improvement is a difficult never ending journey, and few people are willing to make that trip or they take it, but decide not to continue after a certain point. That's why the road to the top is a pyramid. There is very little of us at the top. Only some of us are brave enough to correct our swings, and a few crazy enough to do it 3 times.

*****************************
They wouldn't let me post this in Ezine articles because they didn't like the way I was promoting my webiste in the Signature. Well guess what??This site is mine, and I can promote any way I want:
Baby Bjorn Travel Crib
Baby Bjorn Travel Crib
Kindercare
Partition Magic

So There!
-MJL

BALANCING A TYPE A PERSONALITY IN THE WORK PLACE

2010-08-31T13:37:00.002-04:00

By: Eric Smitts

One of the Keys to success when working in Cooperate America is learning how to work with and deal with other types of personalities. If you are an A type personality then it’s extremely hard to balance sensitivity with your own personal objectives. The most famous A-type personality that we know can be seen in the actor Jeremy Piven as his Character Ari Gold. If you watch Entourage Season 7 Online, you can see all of the issues that having a Type A personality creates in the workplace. Most of his issues stem from ruined personal relationships from running over people in pursuit of professional goals.

BE AWARE OF OTHER TYPES
In a balanced work environment you will find 8 basic types: Reformers, Directors, motivators, Inspires, Helpers, Supporters, coordinators and observers. Reading these types I am sure you can see where you fit in. Depending on your role in your organization some types are perfect matches, and these people tend to perform better, and like their jobs more because they are in roles at which they were born to do.

If you are in R&D then you are more of an “observer”. If you are in Human Resources then you are more of a Supporter, or Helper. Most aggressive leaders tend to be Directors. Once you are aware of your “type” then you will have to adjust your behaviors to when dealing with others, based on their types.

EXAMPLES:
As a type A personality you have little patience, and very little tolerance for excuses. You like things brief and you like to be in control. Now to get the best performance out of your co-workers, employees or even your supervisor, being aware of and controlling your style is extremely important. Type A’s love being in control, but when dealing with your boss, you should be aware of this, and say to yourself, “I’m giving my boss control, so I can have it later”. This will help you accept direction.

When dealing with Helper’s they are more concerned with helping other people, and the softer things that you could care less about. Showing outwardly that you don’t care is very discouraging to the helper so this will turn this person off, and you might not get their full cooperation. Being aware of your impatience and lack of sensitivity will allow you to “grin and bear” the conversation with a smile, so you can in turn solidify a relationship that you may need to leverage over and over.

It’s playing a part to get what you want. Hopefully this will only need to happen in your professional life but there are many instances where you will have to play the part in your personal life as well.

As Type A, you have to remember that accomplishing your goal is the main objective and doing whatever it takes, even if it means not being yourself is sometimes necessary. Start practicing with the small everyday situation so then when you really need to leverage this skill set, it’s already dialed in.

To take a quiz to find your type, Google "Myers Briggs Test".

Author Resource:-> The author has been earning a full time income online for 3 years, read his latest Review on the Britax Marathon Car Seat and visit his newest enterprise for Free iphone Apps.

For more on Jeremy Piven's character Ari Gold Watch Entourage Season 7 Online.

Article From Articlear.com

YOU’RE NOT GREAT, UNTIL YOU ARE GREAT - Introducing NSG Tiger Woods

2010-08-09T12:17:00.004-04:00

So I watched Tiger play the British Open & The Bridgestone Invitational, and finally it was a different Tiger. He didn’t win, or even get a top 10, but it was a Tiger who had finally accepted that he was no longer GREAT and with that acceptance he also accepted the challenge to rise back to Greatness.
Let me explain……Tiger knows that he is the Best, possibly the best that has ever played the game ever! He is used to showing up and having people so afraid that they stop playing their game and play his. He was crushing the competition, but a lot of that was because things went his way. Officials called things his way, the people in the galleries rooted for him and remained quiet when he was teeing off (not always, but mostly), tee times, and practice times seemed to be all in his favor. He hosted half of the tournaments and every Sunday was his day. His only job was concentrating on putting that ball in the hole; this is A mental luxury that only a few golfers ever have.
This is very similar to a company CEO. When they walk in, the tide moves with them. They don’t have to ask people 8 times to do something, or use some kind of angle to get people to do what they need them to do. They just do it. There is no pressure to get the job done a certain way, they just need to make sure they get the job done. It doesn’t matter, how they format charts, or how they display information, if they have a late lunch, if they pissed somebody off, if they are talking on the phone too much. It just doesn’t matter and without all those distractions, the CEO can focus on only one thing, running the company. This makes his job, in some cases much easier then being in middle management.

HOW THIS APPLIES TO US
We have to look at ourselves like CEO’s that aren’t CEO’s yet, or better yet, CEO’s that have been laid off and must start from management level. We know we are CEO material because we already did the job, but now we have to do it all over again. This is similar to where Tiger is now. The important part is knowing that we can and will get to where we belong.

He’s the “Not So Great” Tiger.
The NSG Tiger went through a learning phase his first few tournaments back, and has learned that everybody isn’t scared of him anymore. Now, he has to deal with all the bullcrap that everyone else has to, and STILL win. When he played in his first three tournaments this year he thought he could just walk in and be back on top, during the British Open he realized that he has to go back to 1999 and grind his way to the top again.

YOU ARE NOT GREAT, IF YOU ARE NOT GREAT!
His demeanor during the British Open demonstrated that he understood the challenge and was ready to face it head on. The acknowledgement was there that he knows now that he isn’t Great, unless he’s great. No one is going to give him anything. He must prove himself
all over again. All his past accomplishments are just fairy tales for Youtube. The respect, money and power will only come again with accomplishment.

So that’s where I am. That's where most of us are. Entrepreneur's stuck at our 9 to 5's. It’s not going to be easy. I’m going to have to show everybody and grind my way to the top. You are not Great until you are great. Until you are a CEO, then you are not a CEO. It’s just that simple. The key is to “know” that it’s a process, and be patient, and “know” in your heart that it’s just a matter of time

Tiger might have it easier because he's been there before, so there is very little doubt (at least in his mind and mine) that he will get there again, but there is also very little doubt that I will be there. ….. Trump went bankrupt and was rose right back on top, because once you are there on top and then fall –yes, you have to go through that initial realization process that you have to start again, but it happens quicker because you know exactly how to get there. Becoming a millionaire is great, not because of the money you make but what it makes of you to get to that point. The person and lessons you learn getting there. You have learned the skills required to be successful. You can lose the money, but the skills are much more valuable and much harder to lose. The tricky part is knowing when you must use them. Using them is not easy, and you might have thought you would never have to use some of those skills ever again. Don't worry, part of being successful is knowing when to dust off those skill and "Do Work".

The other alternative is to be like most people and say how great you are, and never really push yourself to do a damn thing. Talk is cheap that’s why there is plenty of it.

Very few can afford to pay the price to be great!
Me, I can’t afford not to!

-MJL
An FTB Bloggers Blog

I Can't Fail - Not: I will try to Succeed - Big Difference

2010-07-06T13:02:00.004-04:00

On my way to the book store this weekend I saw a huge Garage Sale. Hardcover books for $.50 Cents. Why Not? I went and took a look, and found a book called Power Thinking. It basically gives insight to how the mind, and our thought processes set us up to fail before we even start playing the game.

One of the stories that really stuck with me was that of George Dantzig. From some internet snooping, I discovered this cat was a pioneer mathematician that did his thing. There are reports that some of Good Will Hunting was based off his life. George passed away last year; he was known as the inventor of the simplex algorithm and is considered the father of linear programming.

All that's nice, but the best story comes from his college days. Georgie boy was a student at Berkeley, right at the peak of the Great Depression. Soup lines and hard times for everyone. He was poised to graduate with a mathematics degree. George knew that it would be impossible for a mathematician to find gainful employment. He learned that the person who scored the highest in his mathematics class would get a job as an assistant teacher. Now this was motivation for "Dat Ass". All he had to do was kill this course and he would have an instant job.

Now Georgie boy knew he wasn't the brightest kid in the class but he had what we all have. The "Grind" factor. He was going to grind out the best grade possible. He grinded every night until he felt comfortable for the exam. In fact, he put in so much work that he lost track of time and ran late for the test. He ran to his desk and looked at the test. It had eight problems. "That's What's Up" he thought to himself ( or "Golly Gee Willikers, 8 Questions" I forgot he was a nerd). He knocked all eight questions out the box. Then he noticed that there were two additional questions on the blackboard.

He wrote them down and started working them. After trying to solve the first one he was at an impasse so he started working the second equation. No luck and time was running out. When the bell rang, he went to the professor and asked if he could have a little more time. "Sure G, You have until four o'clock on Friday, but your paper must be in by then."

George knew that there were crazy smart people in his class and that he had to solve these two problems in order to stand a chance at the teaching gig. He took the paper home and started grinding. He knew that he had know choice if he didn't want to be in the unemployment line. Tuesday & Wednesday he had no luck. Thursday afternoon, BOOOOYAH, he solved the first one. This gave him crazy confidence, and by Friday morning he nailed the second. He turned his paper in on time and went home wondering if he was going to have a job.

Early Sunday morning, George heard a knock on the door. "What the fu...", "Who Dat?" He opened the door and it was his Professor. 'What up Doc? " . The Professor said, George! George! You made mathematics history". George said, "What you talkin' bout Willis". The Professor said, "George, I was thinking as I came over here. You came to class late for the test, didn't you?" He continued, "Eight problems were on the test paper that you picked up off my desk. You solved them all correctly. The two problems I had written on the board were not a part of the test! I told everyone that if they had a love for mathematics to keep playing with these two famous unsolved problems for a lifetime of fun. Then I put those two problems on the blackboard. Even Einstein, to his death, played with those problems and couldn't solve them. You solved them, you solved them both. Not only have you made history, you also have the job". George gave a fist pump and started thinking about his future dough stacks.

That story shows you how we mentally beat ourselves. If George would have heard the statements made in the beginning of the exam, not only would he have not solved the problems, he probably wouldn't even have attempted. That's huge. I'm sure you can apply this to something in you past or present. Believe in yourself. You can achieve much more then you think. It's OK to fail but try again. It's Ok to be disappointed but don't be discouraged by it. Use it as motivation. If you have never been disappointed you were probably aiming too low or moving too slow.

-MJL

An FTB Bloggers Blog

EINSTEIN WAS A PIMP

ARE THOSE 22 INCH SPINNERS?

IS THAT THE NEW ROCAWEAR BUTTON UP?

ALBERT, HOLLA AT YOUR BOY!

Feed the Need to Suceed

2010-06-20T17:17:00.006-04:00

Some days I go from wanting to give up to wanting to work harder and push myself further. I’ not sure what accounts for the severe swings but they do happen. The important thing is my desire to succeed easily outweighs the desire to give up. It’s important to take account of how you are feeling and monitor it closely. What just happened to make you feel a certain way? If it resulted in a bad feeling, how do you counter that to make those negative feelings stay as short as possible? I want to make sure that I starve the negative and feed the Need to Succeed.

In my world things need to be extreme, if you are not extreme then you are just like everybody else, and your results will be just like everybody else’s. If you are extreme; you will achieve extreme results.

STARVING THE QUITTER

1. I tell myself “You haven’t lost or failed until you Quit”. Did you know that ants can’t quit?
Have you ever read the famous of Tammerlane, a famous Asian conqueror who once was going to quit. He was hiding out contemplating surrendering when he saw an ant. The ant was trying to get a piece of corn up over a wall. The kernel of corn was much larger than the ant and try as he may the ant could not get the kernel over the wall. So Tamerlane began to count the futile efforts of this ant, to see how many times he would try until he gave up. He counted 10, 20, 40, 60, 69, but on the 70th attempt the ant succeeded. Sixty-nine times the ant tried to carry it up over the wall, and sixty-nine times he failed. But on seventieth try he succeeded and pushed the grain of corn over the top. If an ant has 70 times in him, then I at least have a 100 in me.
2. If I quit, I will always have regrets – I hate regrets!
3. If I quit, then I am no longer worthy of the 272 posts that I have listed in this blog

FEED THE NEED TO SUCCEED
1. I actually look at people who are the opposite of what I want to be in life. I look at fat, lazy, unmotivated, people and critique them to myself. This might sound harsh, it might sound extreme, but you are in this by yourself, fighting for your goals everyday. You have one life to live so you must give it your all. If you feed your mind and body right it will take you where you need to go. Looking at people that you DON’T want to be like is a reality check. It helps you remember where you came from spiritually, mentally and monetarily on a daily basis, and being thankful where you are now. It helps you stay hungry.

2. Healthy living, Eating well, Working out
Subconsciously you see sexy people on TV and we relate the perfect body with success. If you are working out and getting yourself in shape and eating right you will subconsciously relate yourself with successful people. This might not be healthy mentally, but...

I’m already crazy. If my goal is to have a body like Tyson Beckford and I fall short, I’m still doing well. If my goal is to have a body like Al Roker and I fall short I’m a health risk. So why not shoot for the stars and feel like a winner.

3. Act as if.

This one is huge. Act as if you already reached your goal. How would you treat people? what would your attitude be like every day? Have you ever seen a millionaire, a CEO, an actor and he is the nicest person in the world? Immediately your response is, “I would be nice to if I had that kind of money”. Well then that’s what you need to be NOW! Would you be singing and dancing on your way home if you were rich, if you were a millionaire? Then sing and dance now. Would you greet everyone warmly, bring in bagels for the crew in the morning? Then do that stuff now! Don’t wait; because you are already there, time just has to catch up with you. Treat your car like it’s the Ferrari that you have always wanted. Treat your apartment like it’s the 8000 sq ft mansion you’ve always known you would live in. Clean it, care for it as if. The same goes for everything. If you were rich beyond your wildest dreams, you would be eating healthy because you would want this life to last forever. Act as if.

Watch and read about successful people. What makes them tick? The common thread between all of them isn’t intelligence, it isn’t socio-economic status, or race….it’s that fact that they didn’t quit!

Just posting this I’m already back to the succeed side of my pendulum swing. Matter of fact I have 4 other posts just like this to keep me focused, as well as 15 or 20 bookmarks of other blogs. You can’t talk as much s@#t as I do and be a quitter.

In fact I’ve already succeeded – I just have to wait for my bank account to catch up with my attitude.

My swag is back on full – Get some!

-MJL
An FTB bloggers Blog

Entrepreneurs, Don’t suffer from B.H.S. - Battered Housewife Syndrome

2010-06-07T23:12:00.000-04:00

Battered Housewife Syndrome

I used to work with this older guy who had seen it all and done it all…..twice in fact. He used to say "at the end of the day, all this is, is a bunch of guys playing factory. "

That is a true statement. Part of what holds people in their current surroundings is the fact that they get caught up in all of the hype. They build their 9 to 5 jobs into something that absorbs all of their time and energy. It becomes this enigma that is used to impress your family and friends. At my job people walk around like they are ER Doctors! Their families think they are out saving the world. We make Sun Tan lotion for crying out loud. People are wheeling in bags filled with binders and laptops, we have teleconferences, nightly conference calls and enough meetings to design the next I-PAD.

Part of me understands the hype. I mean really, who wants to come home at the end of the day and tell their wives that they spent the day filling out paperwork, doing expense reports, typing emails and copying and pasting regurgitated crap into Power Point presentations. Ha ha…..I just summed up 85% of my job right there

A real man wants to say, "Honey, I rolled out my new Corporate restructuring program and the board loved it. I just got the corner office with the bathroom and a 10% increase”

Our job as future millionaires is not to get caught up in our jobs. This doesn't mean don’t kill it. You still have to be the best (don’t be a scape g.o.a.t), but don't waste unnecessary time obsessing over it or expelling extra emotional energy that can be used to achieve your dreams.

During a recent interview with Puff Daddy. He explained how he used to clean bathrooms during his unpaid internship. At the end of that statement, he said that he was "the best" at it. That's the mind frame that we have to keep. That's the perfect analogy. He knew he would move on to bigger and better things but he still had to be the best at what he did. I'm sure at the end of the day, he didn't call himself a Sanitation Engineer, or a commercial disinfectionist. He wanted to diminish the effect that this job had on his life. He was about to start Bad Boy records, Sean Jean clothing line and produce a slew of number 1 albums and TV shows and be one of the most famous people in Entertainment. Do you think he let that job be any bigger in his mind then it needed to be. Yeah, the bathrooms stunk, it was a filthy, $hitty job (Pun intended) and he hated it, but all the complaining, and getting angry would be a waste. He was a kid cleaning bathrooms and gave it the energy it deserved, not a ounce more. His energy was spent on bigger and better things.

THE BATTERED WIFE

Honestly I find myself taking crap from the job I have every day. Although I make a decent living, it's far below my capabilities but I gave up caring to the point where I let it affect me one ounce more then it needed to. I gave my last job everything I had and what did it get me…..a pink slip. A foot in the ass out the door. A one way trip to the parking lot, without so much as a severance check. All the extra hours, the skipped vacations and the thinking about the well being of everyone in that place just to get laid off.

If I let that happen again, I would be just like a battered wife. (I realize I'm a man, but stay with me for the analogy). Just because I’m getting a check now, I’m supposed to be romanced back into thinking that I need this man named job….thinking that I love this (man)job, thinking that I’m nothing without this (man)job. Then the moment that I think everything is...
OK…..SLAP! what happens. I get (abused) fired again, and the cycle starts over.

THE BATTERED WIFE’S INDEPENDANCE
But I’m much smarter then that. Slap me once and I call the cops and cut your balls off! You dig?

I’m like the once battered housewife who has come to her senses. I understand that I’m independent and the only way to completely free myself is to work outside of the job and slowly develop myself. So now my job sees me every day and thinks that I love him. I play the role, but I’m emotionally detached. He doesn’t have a clue. I use him for his money, his benefits, and material comforts. Now when I get yelled at, or berated or made to do chores that I don’t agree with, I’m laughing inside because I’m secretly plotting. I’ve actually stepped up my game so he is not suspicious of anything. He’s keeping me so busy, how could I ever be doing anything else or seeing anyone else. He’s so cocky now he doesn’t even think that I would ever consider leaving him. But while no one is looking – I’m studying, I’m developing, I’m learning, I’m training, reading and working hard. I’m up until 3:00 AM making it happen and I’m awake in the morning with everyone else. It’s the emotional detachment from the job and the emotional attachment to my independence that keeps the fire burning. All of the energy that I used to waste getting frustrated, complaining to my friends, family and co workers about my job is now converted into action. The closer I get the hotter the fire and desire burns until one day – I have enough money, knowledge and security to break free. Without any notice – I’m gone! I’m not worried about job, he will find some other poor bastard to take my place and I feel sorry for that person, but I’m gone. I will send the next poor guy a link to this post.

Project X is my freedom, FTB Inc. is my security, and I can taste it.

Let’s Go!!
-MJL
An FTB Bloggers Blog

Project X is a software program that I’m developing while trying to run and maintain all my other lines of business: FTB Bloggers, Wash and Roll, Nuff Said Outfitters; Money Saving Mikes Online Gifts. Tune in weekly for updates on my progress and for words of inspiration!

Hard Work - Part Deux

2010-05-25T18:41:00.006-04:00

I don't know why I'm on this "hard work kick", but while I'm here I figured I might as well blog about it.

THE TRAINING WHEELS ARE OFF
I think people actually forget that it takes hard work to reach your goals...the more amazing your goals are the harder you will have to work to achieve them. I say we forgot because once upon a time we knew this. We lived it, and we are where we are because of it. You are where you are today either from the lack of hard work, or because of your hard work.

The problem is, now, there is no structure to guide you through the “work toward your goals process” which could be good or bad. Good because there are no boundaries and bad because there is no coaching. The training wheels have been taken off and your dad has just removed his hand from the seat post; it's all up to you now.

When you're out with your child or someone younger and you see someone who is not doing well in life; maybe a homeless person or a pan handler, you immediately say, "That person did not work hard in school" or “See what happens when you don’t work hard?” Exactly!! …..but it was easy to work hard in school for a few reasons:
One: You were surrounded by people doing the same thing as you, which always makes things a lot easier (like going to the gym, it's always easier with a partner).

Second: You fail many times in school and don't give up. You get C's, D's and sometime F's and you are pushed to do better and of course with hard work, you do improve and do better. These should be life lessons not just classroom lessons.

Once you are in the real world with no boundaries, if you fail, no one is pushing you to try again. In school the mindset is....
that you WILL graduate. In more affluent households the mind set is that YOU WILL GO TO COLLEGE.
For kids whose parents have college degrees in 1992, 65% of those kids enrolled in a 4 year college after high school, versus 21% whose parents had a high school diploma or less. (From a 2001 Condition of Education Report)

YOU WILL SUCCEED - YOU HAVE NO CHOICE
In affluent households, parents don't give their children a choice to think about failure. That's the mind-set that you need to have. You are GOING to reach your goal. Yes you will fail, and have to work harder. Yes you will have to sacrifice but if you are focused you increase your chances of success everyday.

So just like those who study hard on Fridays and sacrificed by not hanging out, smoking and drinking; just like those who got after school jobs to buy that bike; you have to use your free time wisely. After spending family time, working your 9 to 5, and going to the gym there is little time left for sleeping and pursuing your dreams. The time is there...it’s just hard to come by. If you make your dreams a priority you will find the time.

Remember there are no boundaries, that means there are no limits to your dreams, how fast you can reach them and how hard you can fail and comeback. You can score lower then an F and you can graduate in 6 months. There are no rules. You will need coaching but you have found it. This blog, I am a coach. Blogs, books, and anything motivational are like your parents pushing you to reach your goals. Then use your small successes as promotions from one grade to the next. Since I started this blog, I have started and continue to run 3 businesses, overcame unemployment in 16 weeks, and have increased my annual earnings by over $60K. That’s Hard Work!

More Proof – Forever 21 CEO Do Won Chang
Chang's entrepreneurial bent became apparent in Korea. Three years before moving to California, he says, he started the first coffee and natural juice delivery service in the Myungdong neighborhood in Seoul. When Chang, now 54, emigrated, he initially worked three jobs at once, working in a coffee shop, doing janitorial work and pumping gas. It was his job at the gas station that led him into the fashion industry. "I noticed that the merchants had the best cars," he says. In 1984, the couple opened a clothing store in Los Angeles.
Today that business is one of the U.S.' fastest-growing retailers, Forever 21, known for its trendy, affordable fashions that often replicate styles of more expensive brands. He is chief executive; and his wife is chief merchandising officer. 2009 estimates sales of $1.7 billion and net income of $135 million for the fiscal year ending February 2009, up 37% and 25% respectively. The retailer has 460 stores in 13 countries, including one in Korea and one in China that both opened last year.

That's what hard work is all about.
Let's Go!
-MJL
An FTB Bloggers blog

Working Hard? No one cares until you are a Success!

2010-05-17T12:25:00.008-04:00

Sometimes I would like to think that I work hard. Sometimes I would like to think that I work harder then the normal guy; that guy who thinks he wants to be rich. At the end of everyday, I go to bed when I can't even think straight. I barely brush my teeth, and then I pass out. I wake up the second,….. no the milli-second that I think I have enough sleep and again try to out perform the entire world.

As I talk to people, I start to hear things like, "I'm just sooo busy", or "I just had a 12 hour day".

What does that mean?

These people are actually sincere and do believe that they have worked hard. In their minds they have just killed it. They have done more then the average person, and have "left it all on the court" as they say in basketball.

Then I look in the mirror at myself. At the end of the day, you turn to yourself, because only you know what is real and what is not. I ask myself, " Self......are you like all of the other people who think they were so busy". Am I really working that hard? Do I really give my all, everyday, or have I just gotten so accustomed to saying so, that I actually believe it. You tell yourself you are skinny long enough, you start to believe it, until someone shows you a picture from last summer. Am I like a rapper who rants and raves he’s the best and richest when he knows the record company owns his cars, his jewelry and his girl.

I'm no longer going to say how busy I am, or how hard I work. People will never understand, and it's only frustrating to explain. There are certain things that can not be captured in words: passion, aggression, greed, anger. You can not get anyone to feel these emotions by just telling them how you feel. The worse thing to hear after you have gone through something is for some insensitive idiot to come and say, "Yeah me too, I have been working real hard lately too". Agghh!

I say, do what you have to do, and your results will speak for themselves. I am tired of justifying why I can’t go places or do things with my money. I am tired of trying to explain what s-a-c-r-i-f-i-c-e means. I’m either going to do something or not. Go to an event or not. No one cares what I have to do or how busy I am. No one cares if my money is tied up in investments or business ventures. No one cares if my businesses are losing money. So besides my blog, and the short list of people who actually do care, keep it to yourself. Only once you are rich do people care how you got there, that's why the Road to Riches is not only lengthy and filled with many perils; it's lonely as hell!!

If someone tells you that they have been working really hard, and are really busy, pull out a stack of $100 bills and smack them in the face and yell, "MEEE TOO"!

-MJL

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Fuel for Success: Disgust??

2010-05-04T18:03:00.004-04:00

I’m often asked two questions, “What motivates you?” and the second question is “Why do you call yourself insane”.

And the answer is simple, my insanity is what motivates me and my disgust makes me insane. As I delve into and post about the complexities that will be involved with launching project X I am hoping that you will get to see a more in depth analysis of what make me tick. My insanity and my disgust, but of course it all revolves around money and success. When people meet me they are blown away with my upbeat attitude and zest for life, but that is all fueled by this weird sort of disgust. I’m disgusted by all things I want to be and all things that I am not.

For instance, when I see someone driving a new Range Rover, I’m disgusted. They have one I don’t. When I’m trying to get to work, because I have to be one of the first people there, and there is a sweet dear old man, cruising in front of me. I’m disgusted. At that moment I don’t want anything more then to be at work with my first cup of coffee, kicking ass and taking names. Instead I’m behind Grandpa who’s cruising to the CVS for a pack of Depends! As cruel and harsh as that sounds, it’s honest, and that’s how I’m thinking at that time. I want nothing more then to take a shoulder holstered bazooka and blow his damn PT cruiser out of my way. I’m that bastard that blows by you during rush hour. That’s me, I am disgusted with myself because that’s me, but it is me. One day I will be that old guy and need adult diapers, but the difference is, I will be rich, a millionaire and my Huggies will be super absorbent Gucci diapers! I have a kind gentle heart but that is often over shadowed in my mind by my will to be the best at everything. That is the insanity. My compassion is overshadowed with my passion; my passion to be better then great.

When I go to the gym in the morning, I’m disgusted by how many people were able to get there before me. I’m disgusted at the fact that there is a guy my height my build, that can out lift me. WTF!!! How can this “muscle head” out lift me? Bastard! That in turns makes me lift harder. Maybe he can out lift me, but he won’t be as intense as I am and I will train harder then him and in a month he will be playing catch up to me. That’s how I think about everything. It even disgusts myself, but that’s what makes me tick and therefore I embrace it. The more Mark Zuckerberg's, Larry Page’s, Sergey Brin’s and Jeremy Schoemaker’s of the world the more disgusted with myself I am on a daily basis.

That’s the crazy man fuel that allows me to sleep 3 hours a night, get up and go to the gym at 4:45 and work 16 hours per day 7 days per week and still have a great attitude. I’m disgusted with myself, with what I don’t have and with those that have done more. People don’t want to embrace their disgust but I embrace it, nourish it, and attack it.

EMBRACE YOUR INNER DISGUST
I suggest looking at yourself in the mirror when you get a chance, look in your own eyes at everything you could be, and everything that you want to be and are not. Take responsibility for that, because you are the person responsible, nothing or no one else. Do you feel that? That’s disgust. Embrace that, don’t ignore it like you have been doing. Promise yourself that each time you look in the mirror you will be less and less disgusted with yourself, Start now. To wait is disgusting.

I just re-read this post and I’m disgusted with myself!
-MJL

GET THAT PAPER

2010-04-30T09:10:00.011-04:00

Wall Paper of the Week "Gordon Gekko"

If you read this blog then you are going to appreciate the Gordon Gekko Wall Street 20th Anniversary

Wallpaper. Happy Friday

1. Double Click

2. Right Click

3. Save as Background

4. Enjoy!

-MJL

An FTB Blog

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THE BIRTH OF PROJECT X

2010-04-28T18:49:00.006-04:00

Now that I'm on the fast track to being debt free (14 months tops!), it's time to get my hands dirty again, and I figure this is the best time to chronicle the experience. This is.....as Fred Sanford would say, "the big one"
Let's recap my current endeavors
1. Owner of the FTB blog network and Affiliates
2. Owner of Wash and Roll Mobile Wash & Detailing divisions
3. Co-owner of Nuff Said Out fitters
4. Owner operator of Money Saving Mikes on-line gifts
5. Owner of FTB Vending
6. Middle Management (Some Place in Corporate America)

Now it's time to launch Project X. Project X has been in development for about five years and it's now or never. Ever since my layoff recovery I've become an advid reader of Fast Company and INC magazines, guys like Mark Zuckerberg, Mint.com's Aaron Patzer and on line marketing Guru Jeremy Schoemaker, make me want to resign and just hustle for myself full time...but I'm no dummy.

So after the failure to launch Igarage (I ran out of money and repairpal.com beat us to market, read the post here), I'm throwing my hat into the software arena again. I've come up with another softwae idea and it's going to take me to the promiseland.

The first part of my execution is to partner up. I think I have found the right person and I have ptiched the idea. Preliminarily he is on board and as the vision becomes clear he will be just as excited as I am.

Why a partner?

Just because. No really good reason, I would just like to share the experience with someone. Why not get rich together, it's fun and that's what life is all about. Another good reason is, you need someone that you respect to hold you accountable, to call you on your bullshzit and keep you motivated. That somone has to also have the balls to tell you that "Your baby is ugly".

If my potential business partner wants in, if she shares this vision with me and understands how much work is involved, and is willing to do it, you will be witnessing the birth of Project X .

My palms are itching just thinking about it.

Let's Go!!
-MJL

How to Get Paid What You Are Worth.

2010-04-15T18:28:00.012-04:00

One of the hardest things to embrace is the fact that we get paid what we are worth; you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

That’s a rough thing to hear; depending on where you are in life. We hate hearing the truth. Like most things , there are exceptions but the majority of us are exactly where we are supposed to be in life. The salaries we make are what we deserve. This is a hard fact and when you forget this fact, you could be setting yourself back.

There are a lot of people who feel that they should be the
CEO of the company they work for. They will tell you 100 times per day that they could run this place, or that they should be the boss; BUT THEY ARE NOT. The answer why is simple: They haven’t done enough to be the boss. Now the “enough” is the tricky part. The “enough” isn’t really quantifiable. It’s easy to simplify things and think that being the boss, or being wealthy, means knowing the most and working the hardest. That sounds nice, but look
around you. How many people are making more money then you, working less hours then you and are about as smart as a box of rocks! The best example is your parents.
Some of us had the smartest mom’s and dads around, and no one works harder then my pops, and he has about $20 G’s and an old ass Lincoln town car for his retirement.

ARE YOU FEELING HELPLESS AFTER READING THAT?

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE MISSING INGREDIENT SHALL WE?

DETERMINATION. Blind dumbfounding, insane in the membrane Determination.

This is a skill that really can’t be taught. It’s a skill that can be identified and
hopefully you can hone in on your inner grit and tenacity to harness it in the right direction. The perfect example of this is Survivor. We can learn a lot from Mark Burnett shows. We are all familiar with Survivor. “The Tribe has Spoken” and all that jazz. When some of the contestant
s are voted off the show, they will often say, “I’m the best Survivor”. Really? They might be the most skilled athlete, the best puzzle solver, hardest working tribe member, but that doesn’t make them the best Survivor. As soon as you think it does, is when you go home. The game is to Survive so the best Survivor is the person who is there at the end. Get it? This person can be the laziest, un-athletic person in the world, but if he or she is there in the end, then they deserve to be. Your Manager co
uld make Homer Simpson look like Einstein but he managed to get to that position and that’s really all that matters. He is getting paid what he thinks, no….what he knows heis worth.

Maybe he knew somebody – does that make it wrong. No. They knew someone and you didn’t. Maybe someone got fired above them and they were at the right place at the right time. You have to play the game from all angles and that means playing your position well. If you get
out of position, you expose yourself and you could be fired. You have to play the game to get where you want to be. How you play the game is up to you, you just have to identify where you are, where you want to be, and start working to get there. Try not to screw anyone over in the process, but that doesn’t mean not to be relentless. I will guarantee, that if you don’t let anything get in your
way, then you won’t be stopped. ….That’s funny. Of course I can guarantee that, because if you overcome your obstacles you won’t be stopped anyway.

I hate to pick on former Govenor Rod Blagojevich but two weeks ago on Celebrity Apprentice, the former Governor of Chicago was crippled by his own ineptness. Not only could the man not turn on a laptop, but he couldn’t text on a cell phone or send digital pictures. After watching him struggle with the things that we do like breath, walk, and blink, I simply dismissed it to the fact that he’s been so busy and working so hard that he hasn’t had time t
o learn how to use these items. I figured, this man was Governor of our nation’s third largest city (2.8 Million People). He will show the world and more importantly Donald Trump how great he is by delegating and leading his team to victory. Well after spending valuable time napping on the plane he starts this victory march by putting Brett Michaels in charge. Really? Trump fired his ass faster then How can a man like this have run
Chicago you ask? How, because he knew what he was before he became governor, played his position and then didn’t stop until he got what he thought he was worth.

If someone is where you want to be, getting paid what you want to get paid then you can do it too! When it gets tough you have to ask yourself one question: “How bad do you want it”. If it’s bad enough then you will do everything in your power to make it happen.

-MJL

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Repost from 2006! Man, I knew what I was talkin' About!!

2010-04-06T02:23:00.009-04:00

This week I am away on travel so I figured I would pull from my 4 years of posts to find something inspirational and appropriate.

Since things are sarting to pick up along witht he economy and it's spring....I bring to you the Post Entitled:

WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING PREPARE FOR THE RAIN

I know it sounds a little depressing but it's true. People definitely do not do this enough.

When faced with adversity, we dig in deep, kick ass, take names and prevail. Once we are in the winners circle we forget the things that got us there. We forget the dedication, the focus, the struggle. We get complacent and end up in the same situation we've just fought our way out of. When you are just winning the first battle of the war you must continue to fight just as hard until the battle is over.

Let’s look at two real life examples:

EXAMPLE ONE: PERSONAL LIFE
You get one credit card paid off and you’re feeling good. You find yourself at Border's bookstore buying a book, or magazine
(a budgeted expense) and you see a night light for sale. You think to yourself, “It's only $16.99, It's only a night light!"
ARE YOU NUTZ!
You shouldn’t even be considering that. Are all of your credit cards paid off? You have gone 20 something years without this dumb-ass night light, but yet all of a sudden you need it. STOP FOOLING YOURSELF. This is the trap that got you in debt to begin with. Get back on........
the grind. Remember every penny counts. That night light is costing you 21%, in fact every penny not put down on your credit card is costing you 21%.

Once you have refrained from spending, go harder. Take another look at your budget, and your savings, and turn it up a notch or two. You knew nothing about your finances when you first established your budget, now you are an expert. Take another look with your experienced eyes and tweak another $10 per week out.
EXAMPLE TWO: BUSINESS
Your business is finally doing well. You feel like you can take $500 bucks and go buy some new company T-shirts.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!
You should take any extra money and prepare for repairs, maintenance, better equipment, or pay down overhead. You owe it to your business and your employees to do everything in your power to establish a solid foundation. Once that is completed, you then work on making sure your top performers are happy. Then and only then can you worry about T-shirts.

Then...you guessed it....GO HARDER!
While things are going well for your business take this opportunity to step up your game. Get better at what you do. Now that you are not worrying about profits, over achieve to over satisfy your customer base. Use that extra energy to think of ways to improve quality and cut costs. Do product research, implement processes and procedures that will insure the continuance of quality work. Stay hungry.

Keep this tip in mind. When you treat the good times not so good, then the bad times won’t really be that bad. Rich people have Great times and not so great times. There are no bad times. (Health issues excluded).

So when the rain comes you are prepared to weather the storm. Why shouldn't you be, you knew it was coming.

-MJL

An FTB Blogger Blog

Don't be a scape G.O.A.T

2010-03-23T19:20:00.010-04:00

Hello all of my over achieving readers. This post falls into the “How do I manage a 9-5 and still advance myself for myself? ” category.

Super aggressive entrepreneurs who still work for corporate America often suffer from the need to be the GOAT. What’s the GOAT? It’s the Greatest Of All Time.

I want to be the greatest of all times in making money. That’s how I’m going to get my millions. Not by being the greatest blogger, not by being the greatest Program Manager, the greatest online marketer or small business owner, but by managing my time and being one of the Greatest business minds of all time . Losing my job last year helped me see that by trying to be the GOAT at everything isn’t necessary to accomplish my goals.

You have to look at this like one of those strongmen competitions, sometimes the little guy is at a disadvantage when it comes to putting the big stones on the wall, but his shorter arms help him with all of the overhead lifts. In order to be the Greatest Strong Man he doesn’t have to be the Greatest at all the events, just good enough at most of them, and great at a few. That is the recipe for our success. Good at all, and great at a few.

YOUR 9 TO 5 MIND SET
At my last job, this was my big mistake. I thought that you should go into work every day and want to be the Greatest of all Time, the best that ever did what you do. It doesn’t really matter what the position is, just be the best ever. When I worked at McDonald’s, I wanted to be the best cashier and cook that ever did it. I wanted to be ranked World Wide Number 1 on Fries. The Tiger Woods of cashiers!! My last job, the same thing. I wanted to not only be the best Program manager in that place, but the best that anyone has ever seen for any company, ever!!!

That is all wrong.
That is the quickest way to burn yourself out. Corporate America is not set up to reward Tiger Woods. They are setup to reward decent performance. When you show up, and you are the best that’s ever did it. You shake things up too much. The organization isn’t ready for it and it will take a lot of mental tenacity to put so much effort out, and receive little reward in return. You might even be ridiculed, resented and possibly let go, as you might pose a threat to those you work for.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?You should do whatever it takes to outperform your peers. When you have outperformed them on a consistent basis, do no more. The reward for being t
he GOAT and for barely outperforming your PEERS will be the same. That’s the secret
that companies won’t tell you.

Yep, I’m telling you to work below your potential. I realize that goes against what we teach here at CIFM (Confessions of an Insane Future Millionaire) but there is a purpose. You do enough so that your boss realizes that you’re one of the best, best Project coordinator, best artist, best Engineer in the group and that’s it.

It’s a simple calculation. Being the GOAT requires all your effort and energy and just out performing the guy next to takes a little effort but results in the same thing. In essence you are “over” working for the same results. It’s the equivalent to overpaying for something. If I tell you that Subway has $5.00 footlongs and you start giving me $1.00 bills for the sandwhich. 1…2….3…4…$5. At this point I’m ready to hand you the sandwhich; why would you continue to give me money if you only get one sandwhich? Only a fool would pay $10.00 for a $5 sandwhich. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing all these years at my 9 to 5. For my 4% raise, I’ve been paying $10.00 when the guy next to me has been paying $5.00.

They almost tell you not to over pay. Think about your performance reviews. Does anyone ever get the highest mark. There’s Meets Expectations, Exceeds Expectations and Exceptional. They almost tell you, “No one gets Exceptional”. Hence getting an Exceeds Expectations is your highest obtainable mark.

Got it?

NOW…..REAP THE REWARDS, SILLY!
Now use this extra (time, mental freedom, etc) to focus on your next steps. Performing to the $5.00 level means you can leave when you have barely outperformed your peers. The GOAT, he or she opens and closes the place every day. The GOAT is there on the weekends, working at night, thinking about improvements to company systems, how to increase profit margins and decrease the company’s carbon footprint. That’s not you anymore, you have all that time to focus on something much more important….YOU!!!

Being the GOAT for yourself is what really pays. When you are working for yourself then being the GOAT is directly proportional to your financial reward and stability. In other words, you can’t overpay because the more output you get the more you get for it. If you give $10, now you get 2 $5 footlongs. If you give $20 you get 4. You can do this until you have enough $5.00 footlongs to last a lifetime. That’s called retirement baby!!!

That’s why everyone says you have to be in business for yourself. Being the GOAT pays off if you are a CFO, CEO or President of a company.
So if you must over achieve let’s make sure the pay off is worth it.

At the end of the day, I want to be the only one who gets’ my GOAT!!

-MJL

My Unemployment Anniversary and becoming Fearless!

2010-03-14T19:05:00.010-04:00

This week makes it a year since I was laid off. Wow, what a difference a year makes. I am so much smarter then I was then….and back then I thought I knew it all.

There were a lot of things that I thought about during my 16 weeks of “unenjoyment”. The lessons that I assumed I would learn, I really didn’t. In fact, it has done nothing but re-install a lot of the stuff that I already thought. I went from thinking to knowing.

I gave that job all I had, no vacation, 70 hrs per week, just to get cut with no severance. They just don’t give a crap about you. I used to think getting laid off was for non-performers but when you are the Business Unit Manager for HUMMER and there is no HUMMER then there is no position for you, no matter how good you think you are.

I think I rebounded pretty swiftly; two job offers in 16 weeks – literally the roughest 16 weeks of my life. Mentally, physically and emotionally. Here’s what I re-learned, because a lot of this stuff I already knew:

WORK HARD AT WORK
You would think that I would be against this, but let me tell you, I lasted a lot longer then most people in companies that were struggling. The automotive industry has been laying people off for the last 5 years and up until 2009 I was getting raises. The hard work that I’ve done is what enabled me to find a job in the worse job market that my generation will ever face and at least hold on to the job I had as long as I had it.

WORK HARD OUTSIDE OF WORK
Don’t let your job be all that you have. I happened to want to be rich so outside of work I work on making that happen. Whatever your aspirations are, when you get home from that 9-5, don’t hit the couch every night, hit your dreams. The best way to insure your dreams don’t come true is to not even try.

FAMILY OUTRANKS MONEY – (YEP I SAID IT!!)
I’ve seen husbands getting their company cars stripped away from them and returning home with their tales between their legs; tantamount to castration. When they get home they have the support of their loving wife and their kids still think they are the greatest! Family Is Key, not to mention if the wife is working and unemployment check can go a long way!

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO – REALLY!!
When I was out f work, I wanted nothing more then to get a job. I eat, slept, drank employment. I looked for a job, like it was my job....(click below to Read More). I divided my day into four parts. I woke up, showered and went to Panera Bread everyday. One Bagel and all the coffee my blatter could hold. From 8:30 to Noon, I used www.indeed.com and applied for every job that fit my 6 different job descriptions I fit into. From 12:30 to 3:00 I worked the phones, calling head hunters, friends and friends of friends, and then after 4:00 I looked outside the box, emailing people I didn’t even know on Facebook and linked if their company’s were hiring. I watched interviews on Youtube, reviewed resume writing tips, looked for job fairs, and studied job fair tips. Then I spent the rest of the night doing self hypnosis, listening to Jim Rohn, Tim Robbins and Earl Nightingale. I knew that after 3 weeks of this, and I didn’t get a call that I would start to feel discouraged. It was true. Then 3 weeks turned to 4 and 4 to 8. I tweaked my routine a little but stayed at it. If there were 20 people doing the same thing, when 19 of them quit I would still be around ready to get that job.

There was no choice. I was able to keep all my businesses running, and pay all my bills. I laid awake at night dreaming about the day I would get the call for an interview. When I got an interview I went over every possible question in my head, I went to Barnes and Noble and read interview books until they kicked me out.

Some people, who were laid off, knew people in the right places and were able to obtain gainful employment super quick, some are still unemployed. I was prepared to work for it until I got it. How bad do you want it?

FEARLESS!
That’s why I know I am going to hit the million dollar mark. If you asked me a year and 1 week ago, what my biggest fear was. Honestly, I would have told you losing my job; by far my biggest fear.

I’m no longer afraid of that. Now if you asked me what my biggest fear is, I honestly couldn’t answer you.
I’ve already failed at many things many times, I’ve been so close to losing everything I’ve ever had many times, I’ve been forced to move out of my home because I couldn’t pay my bills, I’ve been divorced, I’ve been fat, I’ve been so many things except the one thing I am now. Fearless! (Fear of God doesn’t count). Getting laid off has removed one of my biggest fears….and for that, I’m Most Thankful.

So thanks to that crappy company, with crappy management, and my crappy boss for doing what I thought couldn’t be done….removing my Fear!! Now it’s time to Do Work!

P.S. When you think Fearless - Think Jet-Li not Taylor Swift!

Eitherway I've attached links to WallPapers of the Post. Click them and make these your inspirational Wall Papers of the week.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!
-MJL

Being a super hero 101 - Part 2 of a Series.....

2010-03-01T18:47:00.006-05:00

We find ourselves back at super hero school! Question: If you are a superhero, do you have a lunchbox of yourself? Ha ha.

Welcome to Class. This is “Being a super hero 101”
In order to be eligible for this class, you have to have already completed “I am a Superhero”. If you need to be refreshed, click the Super hero badge to go back to the first part of this series.

Let’s get down to business…….

UNLOCKING YOUR SUPER ABILITY
Unlocking your superpowers is not easy! A matter of fact, it’s so hard that only a few of us will ever have the courage to do it. That’s where I come in.

Let’s take a normal day in your life. Not a terrible day a typical day. If you have no kids, in your 20’s then you are a Super Duper Hero. A typical day for you might be,
7:30 AM Wake UP
9:00 AM Work an 8 to 10 hour day,
7:00 PM Go to the gym
8:30 PM Shower, eat dinner, watch some TV.

Life is Good – but you are not using your Super Powers.

Now unlocking your super powers depends on what your goals are. Hopefully you have some goals that you want to reach. Things that you want to accomplish. No matter what the scale. Let’s pick a hypothetical goal or a dream. It must be somewhat realistic, but it’s Ok if it’s a stretch. For instance, if you are a decent bowler and want to go on the Pro tour, if you want to be a motorcycle mechanic and own your own shop, or if you want to be CEO of a fortune 500 company.

THE POWER OF MENTAL D-DUCTION!!!
Ok so let’s pick one. A Tour Pro bowler, on the PBA Tour. Let’s say you can easily bowl a 200 game. In order to qualify for the PBA, you must carry a 200 or better average for 36 games in a USBC (United States Bowling Congress) sanctioned league.
You have just used your super powers of deduction to make your problem simpler – add 20 points to your game.

Now this might seem impossible to most people, but you are a super hero! Difficult takes a day, impossible a week. We do the impossible, you had a bowl of impossibles for breakfast. Ha!

If this is really what you want to do, you go after it! PERIOD!!! You start by going to the library and reading how the greats got started, reading Bowlers Weekly, Bowlers Digest, reading anything you can get your hands on. Are you in good enough physical shape to be on the PBA tour? You tailor your workouts to get you in Pro Bowling shape (which is round). You stop drinking your paycheck away and upgrade your equipment and hire a Pro-trainer. You look for a better bowling league to join so you are surrounded by better players. You spend your morning and nights at the bowling alley. Instead of taking that ski vacation, you take a week and enroll in one of the best Pro Bowling schools. You EAT, BREATH, SLEEP bowling. Do you get it?

Your super powers allow you to do this. You have the mental capacity and the physical capacity to make yourself better.

No need to pray to God for it…he’s already given you everything you need to Go GET IT. You should start thanking God already for giving it to you, and act like your dream is already come true. It's a a matter of how bad do you want it!!

A REALISTIC EXAMPLE
If you have a family, living paycheck to paycheck – you are a superhero but just not like “Super Single Twenty Man”, instead you are “Family Man! “

Let’s take a more realistic example, one that is very real to me. I have a buddy who is working as a security guard and he wants to be a motorcycle mechanic. The school that will certify him costs a seemingly ton of money and he barely makes enough to pay his bills as is. After talking to him; I find out that once he’s completed his first year of school he can get a job that pays more then the security job and they will pay for the rest of his school. The more we talked the simpler the problem became. At the end of the conversation, after using our powers of D-duction all he needed was $5000. That’s it. His dreams were on hold for a mere $5000. How bad does he want it?

The solution is there; you work 3 jobs, collect cans, eat franks and beans, do what you need to do to get the $5000. If I had the money would I give it to him?
It depends on what he was doing. Was he going out to the club every weekend spending $30 at the bar. Yep, I said $30 dollars. If your dreams are on hold for $5000, $30 is .6% of your dream. $50 is 1% of your dream. If I called him on Saturday and instead he rented a movie and cooked dinner, staying in, trying to save money, then I would easily give him the money. Does he need to Pray to God for the Money. NO. He needs to Thank God! God has already given it to him. He lives in America, he’s healthy, he’s intelligent i.e. he’s a super hero!!! Use your powers and make it happen.

IS THIS CONCEPT EXTREME?
I know it sounds extreme, but life is extreme. Extreme people make it happen. Extreme people have uncovered their super powers. Anyone or anything that is not helping you is hurting you. Attack them with trying harder, pushing harder, being more clever. Finding out ways around your obstacles, using everything that God has already given you.

Hopefully you get it. You are a super hero – it’s just up to you if you want to use your powers or not.

Next lesson we will review Actual Seemingly Impossible real life Examples of superhero’s doing their thang!!

-MJL

THE TRUE SECRET TO SUCCESS - REVEALED!!!

2010-02-22T12:41:00.004-05:00

I am reposting this for three reasons:
1. It will eventually fall in line with this months superhero theme.
2. Because sometime I need to be reminded of certain things
3. It's a powerful piece so this is it's 2nd Re-posting
4. Because I wrote it dammit, and I can do that! THIS IS MY HOUSE!!! (Like my dad would say!)

Re-read and enjoy!

THE TRUE SECRET TO SUCCESS - REVEALED!!!

I think I have found one of the key ingredients that make successful people successful. This is such a profound thought because in all of the numerous mind numbing literature I have read about success, self improvement, leadership etc. I have never been privy to this information.

Now I’m passing it on to my readers free of charge.

Here goes:

How many people actually give 100% of themselves at anything? You can always say you tried hard, but can you really say that you gave 100%? 100% is usually used for a select group of people like Olympians, recovering addicts, and professional athletes.

We tried to dissect ourselves to try and rationalize the reason that 100% effort is not given. The only thing that we could come up with, is the fact that the pay off is not guaranteed. I think the other reason why 100% isn't given is because on most all occasions 85% is more then enough to propel you to society’s definition of success.

If someone told you that they would give you a million dollars to run a 6 minute mile 3 months from now, your life would change immediately. If you seriously signed a contract and the money was put right under your nose, you would put down the large fries and start training. Per the agreement you are not allowed.....
to quit your job, or spend any less time with your family, but you can do anything else to prepare for your six minute mile. Somehow, you would make time to train. You would replace all your reading material with running information. You would have sweat suits in your car for a run before you got home and before work. You would replace all of your internet browsing bookmarks with running sites, messageboards and blogs. You would be fitness crazy. Only a fool wouldn’t give a 100%

This is the mind game that some worldclass athletes are brainwashed into when they are young. A perfect example of this is in the Spike Lee movie "He Got Game". It's about a basketball prodigy, Jesus Shuttlesworth (played by Ray Allen), and his relationship with his father, Jake Shuttlesworth (played by Denzel Washington). During the movie they show flashbacks of the basketball prodigy and his father. They are shown on the basketball court at night, doing running drills. Jake is running with a young Jesus telling him, "The only two people up right now are you and Michael Jordan, and what is Michael doing, training. ". Then he beginns to instill the guarantee of success in his child, " What are you gonna by your mama, What kind of house? ". So Jersus is brainwashed into thinking that if he gives 100% he would be the best basketball player in the US. There was no doubt, so that 100% is not hard to do.

Tiger Woods had this same advantage since he was a kid and continues to enjoy it. He can give 100% daily because he knows that he will win and become the best in the world. Players like Phil Mickelson, find it hard to give 100% working on their game because Tiger has already defeated them mentally. Why give 100% when you know you will never be better then Tiger. Phil can give 85% and still be one of the top players in the world. For fat Phil, that is good enough.

What does all this mean?

The reason that we don't give 100% is fear of failure. Fear that we would give everything we possibly have, to reach a goal and not hit it. We would rather give 85% percent and fail, saying at least I tried, then to go hard for 100%.

This applies to me and my resistance to give 100% to my outside endeavors. What am I afraid of? I will try and concentrate on the reward rather then the failure. If I realize the reward as concrete then I should be able to go 100%.

Sounds good in theory but can I apply it? 85% has been good enough to make me moderately successful in the past. Am I all talk and no action?
Knowing this information has put the responsibility of my success on me not any outside excuses.

If you are reading this, you know it’s true, and your success has now been placed in your hands and know one else’s. I have chosen to accept this responsibility because I need to be successful, by our definition of success. There is no other alternative for me. Rich or nothing.

LET’S GO!

-MJL

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