Elevate U - Al Duncan - The Millennial Mentor

Words of Wisdom 18: Service to Many

2008-12-10T10:20:00.001-05:00

What will you do today to be a better servant?“Service to many is the prerequisite of greatness.” -Al “The Inspiration” DuncanRelated Articles:A Leadership Lesson from Jackie RobinsonBuilding a Culture of Citizenship, Service, and ResponsibilityInside the Mind of Dr. Sherle Boone

Words of Wisdom 7: Identity Theft

2008-12-03T06:28:00.000-05:00

Do you have a bank account? Where? Regardless of where you bank the real question is do you have identity theft protection?Be sure to sign up for some form of identity theft protection with your bank, credit card provider, or some company that specializes in identity theft plans.Related Articles:4 Keys For Smart Credit Card UseAfrican Americans and Identity TheftPervs, Politicos and Prey:Protect

Words of Wisdom 35: Leadership

2008-11-26T06:48:00.000-05:00

One crucial key to becoming an exceptional leader is to make sure your people are inspired more by the mission than your individual greatness.Related Articles:A Lesson on Leadership from Jackie RobinsonTips for Developing Leadership StylePerfecting Your Leadership Qualities

Words of Wisdom 12: Money Smarts

2008-11-19T16:31:00.001-05:00

When comes to credit cards and loans be sure to check the facts about the annual percentage rate (APR) before signing on the dotted line. Is fixed or variable? Under what circumstances can it be raised?Related Articles:4 Keys for Smart Credit Card UseCollege Debt 101Avoid the Credit Card Trap

Words of Wisdom 74: Emotional Mastery

2008-11-12T06:54:00.001-05:00

It takes 3-5 seconds for the chemicals that produce emotions to flood your system. So the age-old aphorism about counting to ten before you respond has an equal amount of science and common sense behind it.Related Articles:Taming the Beast: 9 Keys for Master Your AngerWith Friends Like TheseEmotions and Your Health: AngerWhat is your EQ? (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)

Invest in Real Estate?

2008-11-12T00:09:00.002-05:00

Q: What's up Al? I need some advice... I'm livin here at school and I just recently rented a house... my old land lord currently wants to sell my old house for about 78k. I was thinking if I bought the house then rented it out it would be a way to get a income... what do u think?A: Owning rental property is a good and profitable idea. Here a few things to consider: 1. Make sure you do a thorough

Words of Wisdom 6: Identity Theft

2008-11-06T15:24:00.000-05:00

When is the last time you checked your credit report? Have you ever checked it? Here's a tip:Be sure to check your credit report at least once a year. Get a free credit report from www.annualcreditreport.comRelated Articles:4 Keys For Smart Credit Card UseAfrican Americans and Identity TheftPervs, Politicos and Prey:Protect Your Credit Rating – It Can Impact Your Future!

Inside the Mind of Celeste Francine Jackson

2008-11-03T08:45:00.009-05:00

“Tolerance leads to cooperation; cooperation leads to unity, and unity leads to progress.” –Celeste F. JacksonA couple of years ago I was having a great time conducting a seminar on personalities and thinking styles. During this interactive seminar I used a few of the students as examples. Out of those students, one young lady in particular stood out and the end of the seminar we started

Words of Wisdom 23: Productivity

2008-10-29T08:35:00.001-05:00

People always ask me a question: "Al, where do you find the time?" They want to know how I am able to have over 100 speaking engagements per year, write dozens of articles, maintain two blogs and two websites, run two businesses (currently starting a third), serve on two boards, chair a steering committee, volunteer for over hundred hours per year, mentor students one on one, and make time for

Words of Wisdom 97: Conflict Resolution

2008-10-22T12:08:00.000-05:00

When it comes to conflict and disagreement, what’s more important to you: Proving that you are right and justified or resolving the conflict? “The relentless pursuit of self-justification makes conflict resolution extremely elusive.” -Al “The Inspiration” DuncanRelated Articles:Conflict Resolution in the Workplace Dealing with

Inside the Mind of Dr. Sherle Boone

2008-10-17T14:53:00.019-05:00

"You can live a good life and still be committed to the well-being of other people.”–Dr. Sherle BooneIt has been said that “You judge a man by the company he keeps.” It’s equally true that you judge a man by the impact he makes on the lives of others. The positive impact of Dr. Sherle Boone, activist scholar and founder of The W.E.B. DuBois Scholars Institute, will be felt for many generations to

Words of Wisdom 31: Productivity

2008-10-15T11:56:00.013-05:00

“Plan tomorrow’s actions today.”- Al "The Inspiration" Duncan Before you go to sleep every night plan (in writing) the ACTIONS you will take tomorrow. This increases your focus and productivity because it keeps you from thinking about what you’re supposed to be doing and actually doing what you’re supposed to be doing.Related Articles:Prioritizing and Time ManagementStruggling After Blowing

Words of Wisdom 5: Identity Theft

2008-10-08T12:18:00.006-05:00

What do you do with all of those unwanted credit card offers? Shred, burn, or destroy all unwanted documents with your personal info on them. Especially credit card offers that you do not accept. Cancel ALL unused credit cards. To stop receiving all offers (including the good ones) call 1-888-5-Opt-Out.Related Articles:4 Keys For Smart Credit Card UseAfrican Americans and Identity TheftPervs,

Words of Wisdom 17: Fulfillment

2008-10-01T12:08:00.004-05:00

One of the keys to greatness is finding a way to do something you love to do, not just something that's "safe" to do. Many people have experienced a high level of achievement but are stuck in professions they hate.What kind of sense does that make? None."High achievement without fulfillment is a broken way of life." -Al "The Inspiration" DuncanRelated Articles:A Poverty of AmbitionGot Purpose?

Words of Wisdom 21: Failure

2008-09-24T12:08:00.003-05:00

No matter what happens or what mistakes you make--be it a bad grade, a bad interview, a bad relationship, bad credit, or just plain old bad decisions--always remember...“Failure is only permanent if you quit.” -Al “The Inspiration” DuncanRelated Articles:A Lesson on FailureSix Ways to Turn Setbacks into ComebacksHandling Self-doubt & the Fear of FailureWhen Things Go Wrong, Try, Try, Again

How do you retire with an extra million dollars?

2008-09-18T09:19:00.005-05:00

Q: "You did a money management session today at Georgia State University…do you have any books you would recommend to[young people] for money management and investing? Lastly, what was the calculation that you did to figure out the millionaire question, in case I wanted to retire earlier? Thank you.”A: I had a great time at Georgia State. Here's a Millionaire Formula: Starting at age 22 (or

Words of Wisdom 27: Flexibility

2008-09-03T07:15:00.001-05:00

Learn to be more flexible and adaptable under stress and pressure. The more you can be flexible and adapt to the situation the more power you will have in the situation. According to the Harvard Business School adaptability rates as one valuable skills a leader can have."The crocodile lives in the waterand yet he breathes air." Denkyem – the 'crocodile' represents adaptabilityRelated

Words of Wisdom 15: Money Smarts

2008-08-22T08:27:00.002-05:00

Do you know the highest credit score a person can have? Do you know the five determining factors for your credit score?Your credit score can range from 300 (poor) to 850 (excellent). 35% is determined by your credit history, 30% Debt, 15% length of credit history, 10% new credit, 10% type of credit used.Related Articles:4 Keys for Smart Credit Card UseAvoid the Credit Card TrapCollege Debt 101

Words of Wisdom 25: Money Smarts

2008-08-12T09:55:00.005-05:00

This is how most people think: I'll trade some time for some dollars. Every time I do a task, project, or something similar I get paid for it.This is how entrepreneurial minded people think: How can I do something once and keep getting paid for it even if I NEVER do it again?That's called residual income. Residual income, doing something once but getting paid for it over and over, is one of the

Words of Wisdom 4: Identity Theft

2008-08-05T09:09:00.003-05:00

Have you ever purchased something online? Here's tip to make sure that when you're buying a product online nobody's stealing your identity.When shopping on line check to make sure that the page is secure before giving out your personal info. Look for https (instead of http) at the beginning of the URL in the address bar.Related Articles:African Americans and Identity TheftPervs, Politicos and

Words of Wisdom 28: Networking

2008-08-01T05:19:00.003-05:00

One of the most powerful questions you can ask a person when networking is- What would make a person/company an ideal client/customer for you?Related Articles:10 Powerful Networking QuestionsNetwork Your Way Into a JobThe Basics of NetworkingNetworking Really WorksWomen Find Nontraditional Ways to Network for Advancement

A State of Mind Called Time Pt. III

2008-05-09T18:20:00.007-05:00

“In all our deeds, the proper value and respect for time determines success or failure.”–El Hajj El Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X)Have you ever met somebody that’s always late for class, work, and everything else, but has the nerve to be mad because he or she didn’t get to leave on time?Please tell me that’s not you. Are you one of those people that likes to be “fashionably late”?I know this

Words of Wisdom 11: Self-Sabotage

2008-04-11T11:05:00.005-05:00

Most of the obstacles people face in life are self-imposed. So remember... “You are guaranteed to win once you defeat the enemy within because…It’s ALL mental!” -Al “The Inspiration” Duncan Related Articles:The Dirty Dozen: Career Paralyzers You Should AvoidSeven Habits of Highly Effective EmployeesSelf-Assessment: Finding Out Who You Are Before Deciding What You ...

With Friends Like These...

2008-04-09T07:21:00.005-05:00

"Emotion can be the enemy. If you give in to your emotion, you lose yourself. You must be at one with your emotions because the body always follows the mind." -Bruce LeeEmotions are the guardians of your well-being. They are your friends and their primary objective is to ensure survival. They are arguably the most powerful force governing our behavior. There is an old adage, however, that rings

Words of Wisdom 22: Goal Getting

2008-04-06T09:40:00.003-05:00

There's a BIG difference between goal setting and goal getting. Here's a tip to make sure you're practicing the latter and not only the former.Break large goals into small, easily achieved steps. This will create a pattern of success and provide you with you milestones to celebrate.Related Articles:Seize the Opportunity(Procrastination)Time for actionWhat comes first, action or motivation?