Vincent: Look in the mirror. Paper towels, clean cab. Limo company some day. How much you got saved?

Max: That ain’t any of your business.

Vincent: “Someday? Someday my dream will come?” One night you will wake up and discover it never happened. It’s all turned around on you. It never will.

Suddenly you are old. Didn’t happen, and it never will, because you were never going to do it anyway. You’ll push it into memory and then zone out in your barco lounger, being hypnotized by daytime TV for the rest of your life.

Don’t you talk to me about murder. All it ever took was a down payment on a Lincoln town car.

That girl,you can’t even call that girl.

What the fuck are you still doing driving a cab?

It’s a very insightful book. It’s the result of a 5-year research effort by Jim and his team. What I love about this book so far is that it is tailored for the everyday reader.

Jim didn’t bombard the book with charts and numbers and such. In fact there’s hardly any within each chapter. All the numbers are tucked away at the appendix at the end of the book.

Good to Great talks about how some companies are able to turn around their fortunes and become great companies beating many of the Wall Street giants many times over and how these companies are able to sustain it…or lose it.

Jim talked about the importance of Level 5 leadership…about getting the right people on board first then decide on the goals after relentless brainstorming, amongst other things.

But what hit a rhythm with me is the chapter on Culture of Discipline, and specifically the following quote.

It takes discipline to say “No, thank you” to big opportunities. The fact that something is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” is irrelevant if it doesn’t fit within the three circles.

Those “three circles” is referring to the Hedgehog Concept, which is the following.

The diagram above pretty much sums up what this concept is all about. One of the important characteristics to becoming a great company, and consistent throughout all the great companies Jim and his team identified, is to:

• Do something which you are deeply passionate about

• What you can be  the best in the world at

• Identifying what drives your economic engine

While this book is talking about companies, I found that it applies to the individual as well, and in this case people who are new to internet marketing.

Many folks who started out in internet marketing are not doing the 3 things I listed above.

Some people who started out simply followed what got them started in the first place…internet marketing. They started out in internet marketing promoting internet marketing ebooks, courses, tools.

Some got started after reading a self-development book or two and proceed to start a new blog about self-development.

But are they passionate about it? I’m not sure. I’m guilty of this too. And can they be the best in the region…much less the world…at teaching others about internet marketing? Did I thought about this?

Nope. Guilty as charged.

But some make it, but most don’t.

Referring back to the quote above…many of us new to online marketing…or any home-based business…did not spend some time to figure out what they are passionate about…whether they can, at least, be among the best in the region…or identifying the critical part of the business that brings in the cashflow.

They still got started nonetheless. I did too.

A few made it big…some made some bucks…but most don’t.

• If you don’t do what you are passionate about, the lack of fire is going allow common problems such as lack of time due to work or commitment get the better of you.

• If you don’t know what drives your economic engine, you’ll probably spend time working on parts of your business which isn’t going to bring in the money (such as chasing and implementing the latest and the best SEO techniques), when they should spend time straight on acquiring customers.

• If you don’t know what you can be the best in the world at…you’ll probably be competing against established competitors without a plan and fighting a losing battle. A painful lesson I learned back when I first got started out. I paid $5,000 for that mistake.

Sure, we don’t know all these when we got start. I didn’t. I guess part of making a difference in our lives and taking action involves us “Just Doing It”.

Whatever new niche I’m going into, or whatever business I start in the future, this Hedgehog Concept will be among the first thing to check…after I got the right people in my team.

And if you are new to building an online home-based business…be sure to use this concept. PERIOD.

I’ll BET it’ll save you TONS of time and money down the road.

This is one of the most creative campaigns I’ve seen, especially one coming from Microsoft.

Microsoft!! The same company that came up with that rather lame “The WOW Starts Now!” campaign for their Windows campaign just slightly more than a year ago.

The very first guy, hits out at Apple’s intepretation of PC users. PC, acted by John Hodgman, is interesting and the ads by Apple is certainly interesting.

However, to be frank, I just find Apple’s ads interesting and entertaining, but not reflecting the truth.

Not all PC users look like the one acted by John Hodgman. I wear glasses, but I’m not John Hodgman PC.

Now with Microsoft hitting back with the same creative valor…it will be interesting to see what Apple’s response will be like.

“I’m a PC and I sell fish!”

NICE.

Master Wu Gui:

“You are too concerned

with what has happened,

and what is to come.

There is a saying…

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow is mystery

Today is a gift, that’s why they call it Present.”

Nice.

This computer science student graduated from his university and from his experience in his job so far, he found that his education is lacking in 3 key areas.

I’m not a computer science student, and so I can’t really relate to the first 2 points he wrote about. But I can certainly feel for the last one.

3. Corporate Politics/Building Relationships

It may not seem so to most people, but I believe that this is by far the most important point where my CS degree let me down. So much emphasis is placed on technical subjects that you never get to find out how life really works in the corporate world. Of course this is the hardest to figure out on your own.

So yeah…just another good reminder why we always have to keep learning. Graduation is just the beginning.

Here’s the original article.

Was just able to add in my link to OnlineMLMSystem.com….then all of a sudden Facebook seems to recognise what I was about to type in and it automatically inserted…

…the link WHICH I NEVER ADDED IN BEFORE…

…my business photo WHICH I NEVER UPLOADED TO FACEBOOK BEFORE…

…my subheadline WHICH I NEVER UPLOADED TO FACEBOOK BEFORE.

How in the world Facebook know about my business which I never entered into my profile? How come it has my business photo which I did not add to Facebook before?

VERY scary.

Need to get to the bottom of this…

Down again.

Came back from helping out at my University freshmen orientation camp…and found that my computer is acting up.

Again.

Damn irritating.

My comp seems to be giving me problems once every six months. Not sure why’s that…not that I abuse my comp a lot through.

Just managed to plug out some stuff and putting them back together. First the system claims that the graphics card is not plugged in properly…then it gave me some disk read error.

Now after spending almost the entire day fixing it…it’s back online. With no apparent reason or me doing anything other than unplugging and replugging in the power lines. Found nothing in the troubleshooting either.

From the looks of it…my guess is the motherboard is giving me problems again.

Gonna see how things turn out for the rest of this week. If my system goes down again…gonna have to purchase an entire new system. Can’t possibly be exchanging my mother board constantly every 6 months…especially when the warranty is running out.

Damn irritating to have my computer acting up just when I’m getting started with the home study course…

ARGH.

I purchased Magnetic Sponsoring, Black Belt Recruiting and finally MLM Traffic Formula after almost 2 and half months of “sellducation” by Mike Dillard.

I subscribed to his newsletters, and basically learned so much from him that I just had to purchase his products, and so far they didn’t disappoint. In fact, I highly recommend them. One thing just leads to the next…one product helps to open up new perspective on how I should build my MLM business.

In fact, I just finished writing a review of Black Belt Recruiting, including some photo shots which you can take a look here.

AND THERE IS SURE HELL A LOT TO ABSORB. Gonna take at least a month to go through the entire course and implement the lessons. The following 6 months will be packed with rereading, re-listening and implementing stuff I’m sure I gonna pick up as time passes. Can’t possibly uncover all the gems from the entire $722.30 curriculum in a single shot.

Next…Clayton Makepeace.

I just happen to run into him while I was searching for good stuff on copywriting. Copywriting is a skill is VERY IMPORTANT which unfortunately I found myself lacking.

My style of writing is currently towards convincing professors to give me an A for my report…not working up my customers’ emotions purchase from me. Gotta do something about it, and after looking around, found Clayton Makepeace, John Calton and Yanik Silver.

It was a hard time deciding which of the 3 masters to purchase from. But after researching on several forums and comparing…I found Clayton’s to be the most appealing for the moment.

First of all…Clayton Makepeace is one guy who generated 1.5 BILLION in sales from his copywriting work. You can DEFINITELY learn something from a master who has so much credit to his craft. Second, it was the cheapest of the 3, since it was new and launching with a promotional price. Third, they are offering me free 2hr consultation service for the each of the next 6 months.

For SGD$1,282.55, I thought it was a pretty good bargain, compared to the SGD$1,600+ that I have to pay for the other 2 masters.

The package arrived while I was away at my university orientation camp last week, and when I got back I was a little taken aback by the SIZE of the whole package. Gonna post some pics when I get have the time.

Over 1000+ pages and several audio and videos to go through. DEFINITELY going to take some months to go through and implement.

Finally…John Reese released his Traffic Secrets 2.0 this month. At SGD$643.88, it was SERIOUSLY a steal considering the material is coming from a man who is one of the pioneering specialist in generating online traffic, and make his fortune from his craft.

He owns a HUGE home with a aquarium that can hold a whole person in it, and the clearer literally had to “snorkel” in the tank to clean it up.

Plus, as a promotional launch package, I’m getting several bonus which are REALLY powerful, more than enough to justify the SGD$643.88 asking price. A great deal.

WOW.

3 home study courses from 3 masters. I guess I just brought myself 3 additional “modules” on top of the current ones I gonna have at my university, for the next 6 months.

One intense road ahead. Gonna make this count.

First one.

A man who read AT LEAST 10 FULL BOOKSHELVES of marketing, leadership and human psychology books to built the $20 million dollar information marketing business he is running today.

Eben Pagan repeat his kindergarden education, dropped out of high school, worked in a metal workshop earning scars over his body…worked and learned hard to built his business and his multi-millionaire status that he is today.

To top it off…he has EXCELLENT presentation skills. He is really good with bring ideas across to people. Don’t believe me?

Go to http://www.gurumastermindvideoblog.com and watch his free videos he posted there.

Those videos are actually a promotional package for his GuruMastermind training program where he will be teaching people how to build their business. The application for his program is now closed, but the videos are still there. So check them out before they are taken down.

The next guy is someone who spent 6 years slogging hard building his network marketing business. His story of working damn hard is one of the most humbling I have come across. Calling 100 leads per day and working as a waiter in a resturant (far away from where he live to avoid being spotted and laughed at by his friends) during the day to survive…just imagine that.

Well, now Mike Dillard is one of the leading experts in the network marketing industry, and his free videos have taught thousands (myself included…I watched them again and again over the last few weeks absorbing every cranny bit of information) a new way to build their network marketing business, where prospects call the prospector how to join him or her.

I have already implemented some of his teachings along with what I have learned from the $100 eBook I purchased last month. And it has shown RESULTS.

Watch his videos. Highly recommended.

http://resources.magneticsponsoringonline.com/

It’s always GREAT to find REAL EXPERTS who have slogged hard and long to get to where they are now, and who are willing to share their lessons for free. It like striking gold….I’m honestly telling you.

These 2 guys are REAL diamonds among the piles of bulls**t out there. Guess I’m very lucky this month to have come across these 2 powerful business builders.

Okay…back to re-watching their videos.

Till next time.

I had finally started reading a book which I purchased last July but haven’t touched till now. And it’s was a pot of gold sitting on my bookrack for the past 9 months!

John Caples’ Test Advertising Methods

http://www.OnlineMLMSystem.com/resources/testedadvertising

FANTASTIC BOOK about copywriting. Everything page is packed with information, and the data in this 5th edition written in 1997 is as relevant as it was written around 50 years ago. A GREAT CLASSIC.

Also spent another US$100 on another ebook about building an online network marketing business…focusing on a particular strategy using Web 2.0 technologies. Again without calling any leads. Another great buy for this 3 months holiday.

It was a great for the past 3 weeks…first attending the National Achiever’s Congress held by Success Resources. Got a great motivational recharge and learned lost of great stuff about sales and going after goals. Many thanks to Roger who gave me a free ticket to attend this event!

Next it was re-listening to an audio interview of a very successful internet network marketer, which I first downloaded and listened to last Dec. Now armed with his ebook on using Web 2.0 technologies…I building up and improving my own prospecting system, coupled with a back-end training system for my team mates, a project which I contributed with Roger while school was still going on.

A back end training system set up and a front end prospecting system nearing 1st stage of completion.

And coupled with John Caples’ great book, the information on how to write copy and ads properly to communicate with prospects is going to improve my work tremendously.

Always keep learning and applying!

Things are rolling along quite well. Can’t help feeling excited!!

Alright! Back to work!