Success From Within

New found savings

2017-01-06T08:43:00.000-06:00

New found Savings

I'm always on the lookout for new places to save money and give me a better return than the local bank can.

In my short time at home, I spend most of it on my desktop and some of it working on moving my office. The treasures I've found just by cleaning up is amazing. It brought back so many memories, both good and bad. Looking through statements and receipts took me back to the wild ride we had over the past several years. Watching two of my children graduate and turn into young adults. How we had such a rocky climb back out of the hole we had dug so deep. Now I watch my own children encountering similar financial struggles. Of course as I did at their age, they don't listen to anyones advice. They know it all and will figure it out for themselves. Lucky for you, you've decided to expand your knowledge and ended up here. What better way to learn is from experience and that I have.

Years ago I started with an ING Direct account. A little bit put into it and eventually became 6 different accounts for many purposes. One is for insurance deductibles. How many people have the deductible set aside just encase they have to use their insurance policy? I ran into it once where there was an accident and the insurance would pay the rest after I met the deductible. It took me months to get that money together so the truck could get fixed. At that point I started saving into it and keep that account always at the amount needed to meet any deductible. It gains interest and once a year I move the interest into another account. I have a Christmas account, money set aside for gifts. It is another thing that saves me at the end of the year. We determine a value per child and stick with it. Then through the year I save up to that amount. When we start getting presents the money comes out of that account to pay for them. An emergency account, all unexpected income goes into this account. Any money from overtime to bonuses and even tax returns go into this account. This has been a big plus for me. If there is any kind of emergency that pops up such as a home or auto repair I'm covered. Then we have the checking/debit card account. This usually has some undetermined amount in it and it is where the funds from the other accounts go into if I need to use them for some reason. Please note that my emergency account is just that, for emergencies. Going out to eat, buying something nice and so forth is NOT an emergency. I know it can be tempting to pull from it when it grows but remember it's better to be prepared than not. I had set up some kids accounts so my children could learn about money and have a place to save. They get their own debit card that they can use to access the money. A few years ago, ING Direct was bought by Capitol One and became Capitol One 360. It still earns interest the same and works great. I finally have a credit card through Capitol One and earn points to put towards payments or travel. I also started an IRA account with them which is easy to fund from any of the accounts I have. Remember, there are no limits on how many accounts you can have. I like to save money so I pay for my car insurance for the 6 month period. To do this I take so much a month and set it aside in the appropriate account.

The new account I found though can help you save up that emergency fund and gives you rewards for doing so. I've been getting emails from Brightpeak Financial for some time now with so much useful information and helpful tips on saving money. They have a way to save for emergencies and reward you for reaching the goals they set. Signing up is easy and the only commitment is the initial deposit, minimum $1 and a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly automatic deposit. The weekly deposit minimum is $13, by-weekly $27 or monthly at $50. The goal is to help you have $1000 saved in a 24 month period. The rewards are fantastic as they give you money for reaching set goals. You can actually get some nice sums which beat any returns any bank could offer you. Basically they will give you up to $100 over the 24 month period for reaching the goals set. This is all done through Thrivent Federal Credit Union's Emergency Savings Share Account. Check it out, you won't be sorry. The interest rates are very nice as well. There is one catch but a good one. There are no fees as long as you don't make more than one withdrawal a month. This may seem harsh but it insures that you will only use this money in a true emergency.

I'd like to keep going on but have some more things to do. I have a couple other accounts that you may want to check out but I'll leave that for tomorrow.

Welcome the possibilities!!!

2017-01-02T19:38:00.000-06:00

Welcome the possibilities!!!

If I've learned anything over the past few years, it is to welcome the possibilities and be open to new opportunities.

Opportunities present themselves in oh so many ways and it's up to us to figure out what they are. Many opportunities scare us so we shy away from them. This of course causes us to miss some golden opportunities to advance us towards our goals. Successful people take risks and risks are taken in opportunities. So many people want to play it safe and stay within their comfort zone. These people totally miss the opportunity boat as others hop on and enjoy the cruise. Now I'm not saying you should take your life savings and place it all on one bet in Vegas but you do need to reach outside of your comfort zone. I mainly do better when pressured into something. When I have no other choice but to act is when things start moving. This is where procrastination is a goal killer. We can waste countless hours of energy thinking about what we'd like out of life but if we never act upon it we'll never see it come to be.

Goal setting is a very important part of finding our success. It took me a long time to turn things around but finally realized that the process wasn't as hard as I thought it was. Every financial books advice kept saying the same things over and over. The problem some people face is that they think if they find abundance, someone else will lose it. This isn't the case at all. More and more money is being printed everyday. Mines still produce silver, gold and diamonds, plus other precious metals and gem stones. The world is full of opportunity for prosperity. A little effort can lead anyone up into the top few percent of the elite wealthy. Do you need that kind of wealth? Not really. I look at what it will take for me to live comfortably and without further worries. I know I can't predict the future but being prepared for it is half the battle. I people everyday complain about their situations and still do nothing different to change it. This is what I call Virtual Insanity, looking for a different outcome without changing anything. We need to be continually tweaking our lives, making changes to achieve a better outcome. If I would have sat back and did nothing over the past few years, would life have become better? Maybe a little but not to the extent that it has to date. Although things look good now, did I stop making adjustments or pursuing new goals? No, not at all. We can't grow and achieve more if new goals don't replace the old ones. We literally have to trick our subconscious mind into a new reality. Force ourselves to move forward into the unknown.

I had recently read the book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. It had many strong points on how we are creators of habit. Ever notice that your morning always starts and plays out the same way and if something should change how that schedule goes it messes up the rest of the day? We create habits and follow those habits, good or bad we follow them. Pets will follow our habits as well. They know precisely when they will be fed, when you have to leave and when you'll be home. This is because we formed a habit of feeding them at the same time everyday, we tend to leave and come home from work at the same time everyday. Here again like writing in this blog. It needs to be a habit, something that is done everyday without fail. Like wise not writing in it has been a habit for the past few years. Out of sight, out of mind kind of thing that unless it became a goal and formed into a habit, it wasn't going to get done. Let me get out my soap box one more time. This is where I strongly recommend Simpleology. Mark Joyner the creator has done a fantastic job at laying out the framework for goal setting and motivation. I have started using it again daily with great success and will continue to keep you informed on how it has helped improve my success. It starts out with Start my day and walks you through the whole process of setting up your day with daily targets. You can choose to do it yourself or delegate to someone else or even schedule it for another day. There is also a dump it feature that allows you to say forget it, I would get to that today anyway or possibly something that isn't in line with your goals. The Dream Catcher feature is fantastic for jotting something down the pops into mind for you to ponder on later. You can set a goal for how many times you'll log in and it keeps track of it. It even has a place for your major goals and asks you to fill out why it's important to you. It's free so give it a try and please leave me a comment on how it works for you.

On another note, I've been doing a lot of cleaning up the past two weeks and must say I'm quite the hoarder of paperwork. My wife has been after me for some time to get my stuff together and get organized. I finally see it coming together but still have quite a way to go. I'm relocating my office to another room so it's been more like making a mess out of a mess. I'll have way more trash than usual to burn this week. I'm actually very impressed with the progress I've made. It will hopefully prove to be great help in my productivity. I guess we'll find out but thanks to the above mentioned Simpleology I've been able to stay on track with getting it done.

Well I hope everyone has had a great start to the New Year. Tomorrow I may not have a chance to blog anything since I will be traveling tomorrow evening to a customer for service but will be sure to post something on my return to the office.

Happy New Year!!!

2017-01-01T21:48:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!!!

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!

As the new year begins I have worked on keeping the procrastination down for the last couple days of my vacation. Using Simpleology on a daily basis helps tremendously. I strongly recommend it for anyone looking to achieve success in what ever they choose to do. It's a great way to stay focused on what needs to be done for the day and keeps you on track for future goals. It's free to sign up and is constantly improving.

Here's my disclaimer for the above*** I do not solicit, or work for Simpleology, nor am I compensated in any way for mentioning them in my blog. I truly believe in and use the system, so I recommend it to those who can benefit from it.***

On that note, I'm off to finish a few tasks before turning in for the night...

I do hope everyone has had a safe and happy holiday...

Saying Goodbye to 2016

2016-12-31T13:32:00.000-06:00

Saying Goodbye to 2016

Well this is it... The final day of 2016. A look back and a look forward for success.

Sitting here writing this causes me to reflect on the past year but also look towards the new one. I believe we shouldn't dwell on the past but learn from it. At times I find myself falling back into the same old habits that drug me down into financial despair. This is why continually reading books relating to personal finances is so important. Even if you only take 5 minutes a day to read a couple of pages. You'll find yourself advancing towards your ultimate goals. Remember that when you reach a goal, reward yourself and set a new goal. We can only move forward if we always have a goal in front of us. This takes time, patience and practice but is very achievable.

The past couple weeks I have been home with my family to celebrate the holidays. Come Tuesday, January 3rd, I'll be off and running again. Although I still work to make ends meet, I have set new goals to replace the old and am on a direct path to reach them. This brings me to one of my greatest downfalls, procrastination. Procrastination has plagued me my whole life. I will sit there thinking of all the things that need to be done and put it off until the last minute. Sometimes I perform better when pressured into doing something, having no choice but to tackle it. Other times I need to self-motivate. I'm sure many of you have the same problem as I do. We look for the easiest path and when we can't find one we step aside and hope for the best. I know it can be hard at times to find motivation. Believe me, I know how hard it can be but people who "Just Focus and Do It" achieve so much more. Now for my disclaimer... "Just Focus and Do It" is derived from my training at Rapport Leadership International. If you ever get invited, and you can only attend if invited, do not hesitate to go. I had sent my oldest child and intend on sending my other two as time allows. It is a very mind opening experience that gets you to dig deep into yourself and find the leader qualities we all have. What you take away from it is up to you. Some have gone and really find nothing. They are happy with how they live and the situations they are in. Others have revelations of great proportions that forever change their lives such as I did. When things get tough, I look back on what that has taught me as well as the books I've read. Much like this blog, I had put it off for so long. I have come to realize that this is truly a great way for me to journal my progress and help others discover their own "Success from within".

As far as today goes, we finish some holiday cookies, cheese balls and Chex Mix. I'll make some bacon wrapped smokies later. I'll cut up some summer sausage, cheese and veggies. It'll only be my wife and myself but we will toast in the New Year as we do every year. Since moving to the Mid-West, I don't watch to ball come down but I'll still toast to everyones health and good fortune for the coming year. I've already prepared for tomorrows dinner from Honeybaked Ham. We'll be having Prime Rib as our first family meal of the New Year. A prosperous year helped make that a reality. I've prepared for my trip to Kansas on the 3rd so I don't have to worry about that. Very little left to do except so sprucing up around the house.

What does 2017 have in store for me. Well in the next couple weeks I'll see an addition to the family. Our first grandson will be brought into this world. My oldest daughter will be coming back to Iowa for that event. With all the traveling I do, I was able to book her first class on Delta for the week visit. This too is a result of a prosperous 2016. I do wish she would listen to us and move back here but she is old enough to make her own decisions and mistakes. I will no undoubtedly be traveling when the baby arrives but I know he'll be surrounded by family and loved ones to welcome him into the world. New goals for the year is to really make progress on the house and a new savings goal. It is tough at times to say no to buying something when the money is there but really has another purpose. I also have been looking at new ways of relaxing. Ways to let me unwind with the week after week travels I've run into the last couple years. The money is good but it shouldn't come at a cost of personal health. With that I've been working on getting the funds together to follow some passions of mine.

Allowing yourself to pursue your passion can be a great personal healer. Finding a way to monetize your passion also opens up a whole new world of opportunities. It creates extra income or even a fall back if you lose your position in economic unrest. Allows you to be creative in your own way. Brings happiness and self piece because you are doing something you enjoy. Personal satisfaction since you may even be sharing it with others who enjoy the same thing.

Well I'm going to get back to getting rid of some more office clutter, so I can start the New Year with a fresh outlook and a cleaner working environment...

Wishing everyone safe travels and Happy Holidays!!!

2 Days left until the New Year...

2016-12-30T16:31:00.001-06:00

Only 2 days left of 2016!!!

Are you ready for it? In eager anticipation, waiting for a fresh new start. Hoping that this coming year will be better than the last or at least not worse. Let us delve into what 2016 has done for me...

2016 has proved to be a much better year from those past. I have saved more than I ever imagined. Gave more than I ever did before. Earned more than I ever have in my entire life. I have been able to get things for my family that I probably would never have if I didn't follow some tried and true financial steps. All in books I continue to read. I have a lot of time to do this on my numerous flights through the year. It still might not have been the perfect year but it leads me to believe that I am better prepared than ever before for any financial challenges that might occur.

In December of 2015 my wife had weight loss surgery. Even the whole year of preparation for this was life changing for the family. Our eating habits have changed and the foods we get have improved. Ingredient checking is a must, even more so than in the past. Part of the process is that my wife needs to exercise everyday. Having a back issue can cause this to be problematic. Way back in 2009 we bought a pool, against my better judgment, and have been paying for it since. This is one of the last loans I need to clear before being pretty much free other than our mortgage which has tax saving qualities. To help with her exercising, at least in the summer months, I decided I'd open it. It had not been used in two years and now needed a liner. In the past this would have been a problem financially but I was able to afford it because I had spent the last few years taking steps to insure funds for unexpected projects. I will elaborate further at a later time on how you can accomplish this as well. The problem that confronted me next was how to empty the now very pungent and stagnant water that was still in the pool. This had to be done in order to remove the old liner and install the new one. More funding was needed to obtain a gas powered trash pump that could siphon out the bad water. This investment proved to be worth while since I used it again at the end of the season to bring the level down to close the pool for the winter. Another project that cost a bit of cash was the new garage door. Our old door was built by a company that was no longer in business and from the 1950's. I had to special order the door since only a commercial size door would fit. Some time was involved in assembling the door and my son helped a bit. Our schedules didn't match very well but in the end a new door was in place. I once again attempted to install my new set of windows that I had boarded up but found I needed some more materials to rebuild the frame. Our 2005 Yukon XL had seen better days so I started looking for a 3/4 Ton from 1999 to replace it. I was able to get a great deal on a low mileage '99 GMC Suburban in CA. I flew out, spent the night in a Double Tree near the airport. Used Uber for the first time and paid cash for the truck. I then proceeded on the 24 hour drive home. This may sound crazy but I was able to see parts of the country I never would have if I didn't. Needless to say, if I hadn't followed some of the learned strategies that my books had offered, the opportunity would have been missed.

2016 also allowed me to help my son get another car and I lent the 2005 Yukon XL to them until he can get his truck fixed. None of this would have been possible a few years ago. I continue to watch what I spend and caution the wife on items she's looking at but we have been freer to buy things unobtainable in the past.

So let's recap on how you too can achieve this kind of success...

Pay Yourself First... You've earned it, worked for it and deserve it!!!
Give... Of yourself either time or money to help others, it will come back to you ten fold.
Have a goal... Where do you see yourself in the next 5 yrs, 10 yrs? Write it down!!! No goal is too big... New house, car, career... Only you can decide this.
Find your passion... What are you passionate about and how can it help you succeed?
Focus on your goal(s)... How can you achieve it? Is what you are doing now going to help you get there?
Reward yourself... When you reach a goal, you need to give yourself something back. Our minds work better when we know that there will be some reward to the hard work we've done.
Stop worrying and start living... What's the worst that can happen? What will the result be if it does? We sometimes think and then worry about the worst but 9 out of 10 this never comes to pass. So why worry about it? Except the worst and breath easier when it doesn't.
Make even the little things in life count... When you wake up, take a deep breath and thank God or the Universe for another day.
Change the "I'll try" attitude to a "I Will" attitude... If you continually tell yourself "I'll try", nothing will be accomplished. There is no such thing as try. Your mind works with "I will" and having a strong "Will do" attitude brings in many positive things into your life.
Reduce the clutter... I'll admit I'm a bit of a hoarder and need to channel my focus at times. So I've created a journal to keep thoughts in. In the process of doing this I have found a system that seems to work very well. It's called the Bullet Journal and is very effective at organizing your life.

I could probably go on with many other things to help you get closer to your inner success but these are some things that helped me over the past few years.

Tomorrow we will say goodbye to 2016 so be safe and Happy Holidays...

The New Year is getting closer...

2016-12-29T13:48:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for the New Year?

I'm on a roll here, so can I keep it going? I am inclined to think that anything is possible provided you put your mind to it. So let's continue with what I learned from my own personal experience. I know I'm guilty of wasting time and as I get older time is becoming more valuable. Don't let it slip through your fingers...

As I look back, yet again, I wonder where the time has gone. So as not to waste any more precious time, I'm sharing the last several years of personal experience in growth. As the blog states "Success From Within", it truly does generate itself from within our on existence. It may take some poking and prodding from outside sources to get us motivated but it's possible for us to better ourselves in ways we'd never imagine.

2012 brought it's own challenges. More house work, vehicle issues and the ever slow recovery of the economy. I continued reading and applying what I learned to my everyday life to improve my situation. My traveling was getting more extensive as business started to pick up. I found that almost every book I picked up all said the same thing. Set goals, focus on the future, save and give to create abundance. My two oldest children were now out on their own, although I still supplied them with insurance and vehicles. The nest had shrunk and so did my out flow of cash. I concentrated on my savings and found more places to stash it. Hiding it away so I'd never have to face the multiple years of stress I had when the recession hit.

2013 threw a curve ball as my company was sold to a huge corporation. The finalization was at the end of the year. We felt it was for the good of our survival in the industry but wouldn't know for sure until the conversion was complete. Business continued to grow and so did the traveling. I continued on making improvements to the house. I had another section of roof leaking that needed to be replaced. There were other changes around the house. The exact year this happened eludes me so sorry if I'm jumping back in time. Our neighbor across the highway sold their property to the same gentleman who bought the acreage next to us. He is the local banks CEO and was starting to cattle farm. I rent my well to him since it runs over to his acreage and I let him graze the cattle behind my house just to keep the grasses down. Near years end we had a meeting in Maryland where the new company made all the usual announcements. The bad news of big corporate running was evident. That feeling of needing to move on was sinking in but for some reason I decided to tough it out.

2014 was a much better year. The best I'd had in a long time. The reading, saving and giving were starting to pay off. I'm not one to budget my money but with sticking too my guns I was able to start getting things that I normally would not have been able to in the past. I sent my youngest on some trips that the other two didn't have the luxury of but also she is more out going than the others were. I had replaced two exterior doors and had central air installed for the house. Vehicle swapping was a little more easier since I had cash to deal with it. Our savings grew and the pressures of paying on time were gone. I was finally able to get a credit card again and made sure that it was paid in full every month. I found new ways to get extra cash such as shopathome. Buying through their website allowed me to get cash back on purchases. The Ibotta app also was a great way to get cash back from grocery shopping. A positive outlook on things and always looking at new opportunities pushed me forward to a better, more relaxed life. Not to say that all is perfect but many worries went away. I am left with only one loan other than the mortgage but I set up an accelerated payoff plan and am happy with the results. I did have a fight with them since they had taken over the loan and were mishandling the funds I was sending. I simply made copies of all my canceled checks and sent them a nice letter stating where they missed my payments. I also sent it registered with a statement saying if it wasn't handled in a timely matter, my lawyer would be receiving it. Needless to say they came through rather quickly to fix the issue and there has been no issues since.

2015 was an all out better year. As usual there is always something that will spring up and steal your cash but overall it went well. I hit my goal of how much money I wanted in the bank. Traveling was getting pretty extreme. Spent very little time at home but it paid the bills. Nothing really done with the house this year but a new set of windows was bought. I bit too much for me to put in alone so they sit for now and the old ones are boarded up to keep the elements out. My new company was again put policies into place that made no sense for our industry. Seemed as though they were doing everything in their power to destroy what ever profits we are generating. As the small group of guys I work with tried to stay under the radar, we still felt the little pricks and pinches the big corp was rolling out to us. I had multiple accounts set up for various things so nothing would take me by surprise again. At years end I had made the decision to do the 52 week challenge. You can find out about it yourself @ 52weekmoneychallenge.

I figure I've ranted enough for today... Tomorrow I'll finish up with 2016.

Regards and Happy Holidays!!!

Another year passes by....

2016-12-28T19:33:00.000-06:00

Another year is reaching its end!

For anyone who has stumbled upon my blog and has read any of it. You will know that I have not stuck with it and only write once a year. Commitment is part of success. I've had ups and downs over the last few years and am now ready to share what I've learned.

At times life tends to catch up to us. We miss small opportunities that would lead us to a better, more fulfilling life. I travel for a living and have for the past 8.5 years. I have relocated my family to provide a better living environment and made every attempt to improve our lives. I've made several mistakes along the way but have been able to learn from them. In the interim, I have read several books to help with finances and gathered much knowledge to advance my goals. Does this qualify me as an expert? Probably not but does it allow me to help someone else avoid the same mistakes? Most likely but as the old adage goes "Opinions are like @$$holes, everyone has one". If I offend anyone, that's good, means you're reading, listening and learning. It gets you out of your comfort zone, causing you to form your own path to success. If you're easily offended, then "Suck it up Buttercup" because the road to success doesn't get any easier and isn't for the soft hearted. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be kind at heart or caring but you will need thick skin to advance. You may feel I'm pushing your buttons at this point but that is also good. Everyone needs a little poke now and then to get up and moving towards their goals. Every year I make new commitments. Some I keep, some I lose and forget about. Kind of like this blog, seems to get lost in the shuffle of everyday life.

So lets get started....

First off, my thoughts tend to be a little scattered at times and the order of events may vary from what is told. I will do my best not to jump around but I can't guarantee this. Secondly, although spell check is available for this, my grammar isn't always the best either. As most anyone may know the English language isn't the most friendly to learn. Thirdly, I don't believe in or perform "Political Correctness"! You can see for yourself what political correctness has done to USA so if that's what you've come looking for then you've arrived at the wrong location. Please take your ball and go home, with your tail between your legs or what ever you feel necessary to shield yourself from the offensiveness I may spew out. Don't worry though, I'm an equal opportunity offender and won't discriminate when I do offend.

With the disclaimer out of the way, lets continue....

In 2007 the economy headed into a tailspin that would last what seemed a lifetime. I was actually making more than I had my entire life but still like most living paycheck to paycheck. We lived in PA and over my life the area progressively went down hill. The bad elements from NJ and NYC were slowly moving in as the older generations moved out or died off. My home which had been my grandfathers since 1948, went from having a latch hook on the garage door and a skeleton key for the back door all had to be dead bolted. A security system was installed to reduce the threat of break-ins but to no avail. Security systems had to be installed on the cars that use to be left unlocked only a few years earlier. This was the breaking point. As much as I liked the home and wished to keep it in the family I quickly realized it was time to move on. My wife had prodded my for years about leaving and now was the time. I told her pick a state and I'll find a job there. Our first original focus was on Maine but a recruiter called with a position in Iowa. If I had been a little more knowledgeable of the countries events, I probably would have passed on the opportunity. It was in the automotive parts manufacturing industry. When I interviewed there, it seemed like a golden opportunity to get my family to a better part of the country but little did I know that the industry itself was about to spiral into a bottomless pit. It was the end of 2008, I excepted the position and used my life savings to move the family to a fixer upper farm house in rural IA. At first the position itself paid well with the overtime but then the cutbacks started. Reduction of hours yet to mention the temporary shutdowns that mirrored car manufactures which meant temporary layoffs. I should have figured that there was something up with the new employer when everyone I met and heard where I was working suggested other places that could use my expertise. Needless to say, there was way more drama there than I wanted to deal with. After 8 months, enough was enough and I was in search of something better. In mid 2009 I lucked out and found a position that I already knew the equipment and some of the people that worked there. The pay wasn't as high as I'd like but I figured it would work out. Unfortunately the economy was worsening and everyone was tightening their belts including my new industry. What made matters worse was that I had dug a hole that was a bit of a challenge to dig out of. The car and house were behind and I couldn't afford to lose either one. Another thing that went against me was that the IRS had audited my move and were nailing me with some new taxes for the money I used to buy my house. Life seemed to make a turn for the worst. We were close to losing everything just when things should have been getting better.

The next couple of years almost seem like a blur. 2010 led to many sleepless nights of worry. The problems compounding themselves like catching up on payments and the fixer upper house needing way more than anticipated. Our electric had issues and I had started a claim that didn't turn into anything payable for insurance but my insurance company decided to drop us. Now was a panic to find a provider and after several I finally found one that would work with our otherwise non-insurable house. I had to resort to hiding our vehicle to prevent repossession. My new company gave us 2 weeks of unpaid furlough which didn't help matters. Our church though, gave us some money towards our bills and took a collection that paid our propane for the winter. A change in how we shopped also proved to help in cost cutting. This is when we went to a Thrift Shop that was missions based. Everyone working there were volunteers and all proceeds went towards bible missions. We bought the kids a ton of clothes and I picked up a handful of financial books. Can't be reading material for a quarter. This is what started me on a new path, a new path to financial awareness. This isn't the only thing that helped. My Dale Carnegie coarse also added great value to my knowledge of our financial situation. Due to my hard work ethics and being dependable my salary increased to more livable levels for the family. Also the kids were growing up and moving out.

2011 was the getting over the hump year. It was still tough but the light started to shine brightly at the end of the long tunnel we were in. The Yukon was finally paid off freeing up a substantial amount of cash and lifting a very heavy burden off the family. I was able to slowly make the changes mentioned in the books I was reading to secure financial stability. I pretty much broke even that year with at least making on time payments. The older 2 kids were the new problems where they needed transportation so I forked over money I really didn't have to get so vehicles. Of course this placed new added costs to my bottom line that I wasn't ready for. Let alone things that had to be fixed on the house such as the porch floor, stairs and roof. Seemed like every time I had a plan to save something else would pop up to take it away. This is were I became creative and used forced savings. So before I continue with my trials and tribulations, lets look at what some of the financial books said.

Pay yourself before all else

This is in every book. You work hard for you money so you should get to keep some of it for your own wants and desires. We are too quick to create bills and make that the focus a priority in our lives. In todays society everything is direct deposit. We don't get a paycheck and then run to the back to cash it, split it up between savings, checking and cash in the pocket for shopping. Those days are long gone. The ATM and credit cards are the norm. With that being the case we have a bad habit of going to the ATM, looking at what's in the account and judging how much we can suck out for cash and what needs to remain to pay bills. This is where forced savings really helps. I have a couple accounts that aren't easily accessible. They aren't with a local bank that I can just go to a grab the cash. I know when my check is deposited so I have a portion automatically rerouted to these "other" accounts. If you start with a small amount, you will never miss it. Once you realize that it doesn't hurt you and you see the cash growing, you'll find more ways to add more. I get paid twice a month on the 15th and 30th every month. So on both those dates I have $5 transferred from my main account to my forced savings account. I also had a written goal of how much I wanted to have in the bank. This amount can be what every you feel comfortable with. I also looked at tax advantages such as my companies 401K that has a match percentage up to a certain amount. That's like getting free money and you should take as much advantage of that as possible. Here again I started small with 1%. Every year when my raise comes up I'll add 1%. I never miss the few extra dollars that are being deferred plus it helps shelter some of my earnings at tax time. I also started putting towards and IRA. I started out small and keep working my way up.

Give to your church or charity

I understand that this can be as challenging at times the same as paying yourself but it plays a very important part of how money works. The funny thing I've found about this is that although I didn't give regularly, every time I did things seemed to improve. After our church had given to my family to get through the tough financial situation we were in, I made a conscious decision to give back. I had never had an institution give in such a way. I have successfully increased my contribution to them every year since. You can feel good knowing that the money you are giving is going to help others. Along with this it is tax deductible and will help when the tax man comes knocking the following year. Here again it is best to start out small and comfortable.

I know what you're thinking... I can't make ends meet now and you want me to give my money away. Even stash some for a rainy day. It seems ominous and near impossible but here I am today working on my new 2nd level savings goal. I've given more than I have ever given in my life and have put more away then ever before. I now have some cash set aside for true emergencies. Remember, you can have more than one account where you put your money away. I have several and the "total" of all accounts is what sets my goal. I can easily switch funds between accounts via on-line and have debit cards tied to them for true emergencies. A true emergency isn't the need to have Chinese or a movie night. It's for when you need the doctor, car repair or some other unforeseen issue arises. You'll be happy you saved it up. Also make sure there aren't any fees and you're getting interest on your money. If you're not gaining anything or you're paying out just for the convenience of have the money in an account, it's not worth it. Find a bank that allows you to truly save and earn.

I'm going to stop here for today but I hope this gives you some encouragement and a place to start your road to success and financial freedom.

Regards and Happy Holidays

Welcome to a New Year!

2015-01-01T12:45:00.000-06:00

Welcome 2015 and a prosperous New Year!

Today is the start of the New Year and a prosperous you! Do you believe that? I do! We all run into struggles as I have myself and which you can read in my past blogs. I see people struggle everyday but I also see the people who continue on to enrich themselves and use their struggles to become stronger. I like to learn from my mistakes and share them with others to prevent them from making the same mistakes. I think back on the things that I use to enjoy and wonder why I don't do those things anymore. I enjoyed model railroading but haven't in over 20 years. I loved working on my '67 Chevelle but rarely touch it these days. I like to work on the house and make changes that bring out my creativity. Looking back, I've spent half my life working for someone else and just scraping by. Some of the books that I've read have really made me think about my future, my direction.

Today is the start of a new beginning, for you and me. Some people have used dream boards or even post-it notes to have their dreams constantly in their view. How about you? I've been told that if you have these things around you, they will penetrate your subconscious mind and you will make unknown changes to achieve what you want. If you place negative things around you, your life will always be negative. I'm not the neatest person or the most organized but I know where everything is. Every time I clean things up, everything ends up missing and my time becomes absorbed by attempting to locate these items. Likewise, your vocabulary can effect your attitude. If you constantly say "I'll try to do that", the word try is really meaningless. You need to replace it with "I will do this", the word will is a powerful word to get what you want.

Today is the start to your prosperity and happiness. Make it a point to move forward. Forget the past failures but learn from them. Make a plan for the future and set goals for this year and the next 5 years. I might not be taking the vacations that I did in years past but that hasn't stopped me from looking and discovering new places that I'd like to go with my family. My work takes me all over the country as well as to other countries. I would have never imagined that I'd be suited for such a life since I never preferred traveling before. Now I don't think I'd be able to go back to the normal drive and work schedule. No one knows what their work future really is, so it is best to always be prepared for change. I'm making provisions for the eventual end of my present position but will have something in place that will allow me to continue traveling. Having my own business has always been in my sights and now incorporating traveling with it would be a plus. I know the many things I have learned can help others keep from falling into the traps of debt and dis-pare as had once been in. Tell yourself, "I will be prosperous and happy in 2015!".

Cheers to you and prosperous, Happy New Year!

It's been a while... but I'm back and ready for an exciting New Year!

2014-12-31T18:58:00.000-06:00

So here is the update that has been over two years in the making!

When last I entered anything into this blog, I was making great strides to a better life, brighter future and more success. I am happy to report that all of that and more have been coming to pass in my life. I have saved more and gave more then I have my entire life. I have truly been blessed these past couple of years and would like to share it with you. I have been for the most part reading many financial books as I've been flying. Needless to say when one spends about 16 hours a week traveling through various airports, it is best to have something that will help pass the time. What is interesting about all the books that I have read over the past couple of years is that they basically all say the same thing. Pay yourself first, this puts money away for that rainy day. My thought follows what many claim, but I don't have any money left to save. Every dime goes towards bills and food. This is where I'd like to point out the "Pay YOURSELF first!" Even if you only put $5.00 into a separate account each pay, it's at least something and believe me, you won't even miss it. I have an account through the former ING Direct, now Capitol One 360, and have X amount automatically withdrawn every pay period. I started out small and slowly raised the amount as I felt comfortable and as my bills were paid off. Yes, paid off! You can also create as many accounts as you'd like and set up as many different automatic deposits as you see fit. Each account then can be labeled for specific things such as, deductibles or Christmas fund. Typically you should be socking away 10% of your income. Next all the books pointed to giving of tithing. This too should be at least 10% of your income. Now I had barely given anything to anyone for all my life but since the gift that our local church had given us in our time of need, that was about to change. I made it a point to give something, every week or at least every pay period. Again I started small and worked my way up. Given that most people will look at their account balance and go from there, I never really missed the money that I saved or gave. I have been doing this ever since and this has actually help in some unforeseen situations.

Now you don't have to take my word for it but after reading about 10 different books on finance and getting out of debt that all mentioned the same thing, I had to believe there was something to it. Over the past couple of years, I have proved what the books had mentioned. I only have two payments that are loans, all else are regular monthly bills such as telephone, satellite, electric and gas. Of course we still have groceries and auto to contend with. The economy picked up which led to more traveling and longer hours which also contributed to socking away a few more bucks. My company began giving out bonuses again which also helped. On the downside of things my children are slowly growing up and moving on. My oldest has lived just over 1000 miles away but luckily I get to see her once or twice a year. My next graduated in 2013 so I've slowly lost some of my original tax advantages. With that being said I've recently started an IRA separate from my 401K plan to leverage some more tax relief from my growing income.

I'm sure I could go on and on but seeing how this is the last day of 2014 with mere hours left before the New Year, I'd like to leave everyone with this:

I wish everyone a Blessed and Prosperous Holiday and New Year!

January's gone!

2012-02-01T20:32:00.000-06:00

That's right, January has passed us and we are now starting February. As 2012 begins, some great things have been happening. I've joined the Personal Prosperity Project to enhance my learning of the Law of Attraction. This whole project has been set in motion by Ryan Harris, creator of Prosperity Radio. This 13 week coarse takes people from all over the world into a new style of coaching method focusing on the Law of Attraction to create prosperity. Ryan makes it fun and engaging to interact with others to learn from each other. He even schedules a few coaching a question calls each week. The weekly fun work assignments really get you thinking and doing "outside" the box. Joining Ryan in the Personal Prosperity Project has helped tremendously in setting a positive start to 2012.

So how is this year really shaping up? Better than last, that's for sure. To start with, I'm right on target if not ahead of schedule to get or Yukon XL paid off. This also gets our mortgage back on track. Our savings is growing and I haven't missed a week of church or giving. When I thought we might have a problem in the middle of January, a small miracle occurred that made everything alright. My eBay sales did well to fill in the gaps and 2012 is looking to be a very good year. The next few weeks will be crucial to the over all outlook to this year but with God willing we will have the best year we've had in a long time.

I've also been exploring the use of subliminal and binaural recordings to stimulate and enhance the Law of Attraction. This does seem be having a positive effect on my life. I utilize it everyday to enforce the desire for wealth and prosperity. Using this in conjunction with the Personal Prosperity Project has given me new direction and better focus on how I want 2012 to end. I believe strongly that this will be a great year and everything that I'm projecting will be my reality in the end. I have also been reading Wallace Wattles - The Science of Getting Rich. He states that if we do things in a certain way, we can get rich or simply put attract wealth, but if we don't we will actually repel it. I'm not sure when this was written but it was apparently written some time ago. The Science of Getting Rich translates strongly to the Law of Attraction and touches upon many key factors of how we can acquire wealth by doing things in a certain way. It is a worth while read at only 66 pages and recommend it, even if it is a bit dated.

Well that's about it for now, until next time, have yourself a great and prosperous day:).

Thrive! In 2012

2012-01-01T14:50:00.000-06:00

Thrive! Enter the year with an expectant heart! That was the message from Pastor Doug at this mornings service. As 2011 slipped away into oblivion at 11:59:59 PM last night, a sigh of relief came over me. It was finally over, done, gone and just a figment of my memory. I had thought that 2010 was a year to forget but I was wrong. 2011 presented itself as a year of hope but became a let down. When I went to service this morning, I did so with peace and more joy then I had in a long time. 2012 truly is a year of hope and great prosperity. How can I say this and know it's true? I realize, I was wrong about last year, but I also made some grave mistakes that cost me. The cost was mental, physical and financial, but I've learned from this. I've learned that I am repeating mistakes that I've made before and now was the time for change.

Pastor Doug went on to say that there are four things to expect this year...

Expect a prophetic word.

A new word and Proverbs 29:2 came to mind
Where the righteous thrive, the family will rejoice!

Expect a message.

Repentance
Forgiveness

Expect to be Fruitful.
Expect a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.

I've grown spiritually this past year and for that I am thankful for of last year. The strains placed on myself and my family weighed heavy through the year. I have created a plan and have been monitoring it and sticking to it. Making adjustments as needed to stay in line with my set goals for 2012. I've made positive changes and have created constant reminders to keep me on track. I see great freedom just around the corner and have the days marked on the calendar. Counting the days until I am free of some major debt. I've sought out knowledgeable people that can help me overcome my fears and get my creativity started. I've regained the confidence I had years ago that helped me climb to new success.

So if you're looking to make a New Years Resolution look no further. Make the first one a commitment to yourself, your dreams, your goals, your greatest desires. Take them all and make a plan to have a Happy and Prosperous New Year. This will bring you Success from within!

Seasons Greetings 2011

2011-12-26T11:47:00.000-06:00

First I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, although a day late. It is tough at times to find the time to do all the things we'd like. So with that in mind I'd like to also wish everyone a Happy New Year as well. As 2011 comes to a quick close, I have been giving the past year a quick review. The start of 2011 was a rough one with great financial strains throughout the world. I had proclaimed that 2011 would be the year to overcome many of my personal challenges. Financially, 2011 was a roller-coaster ride from hell. Many of us fell off the ride, while others barely hung on to what we had. Here again, from personal experience, I too clung on for dear life. Yes, that's right, I did anything and everything to keep what little I had. January to March was a battle of keeping my home, job and car. Congress was playing with the taxes and delayed my return but in the end I still have all three. I had mentioned in my last blog that I learned many things from my Dale Carnegie training. Getting stressed out over things that might happen can kill you or in the least, make you very ill. Everything that I worried about never came to pass.

March to June looked promising and did fare pretty well, but with summer rolling in the financial woes started again. Robbing Peter to pay Paul seemed to become a way of life. I will tell you from this repeating experience, it DOESN'T work long and only make things worse. Lucky for me, things seem to turn out right, one way or another. July and August brought family issues and concerns that made for a very emotional time. The decisions made during this time governed September. We had to send my oldest daughter to stay with some friends over 1000 miles away. October was a settling month, trying to get things back into some kind of order. November is to be a month of thanksgiving. This is where the financial company for our car lowered the boom. When the statement came, my chin hit the floor. The loan hit it's maturity and I owed a balance of $6000.00 by the due date. Normally I would have panicked, but instead, I analyzed the situation and decided to try for a refinance to the balance. Although the vehicle is blue booked for twice what I owed, no one would refinance it. So I stuck to my guns and kept sending the normal payment. They haven't come for the car and the December statement only states the same as the last but with a lower balance. Again, here is an excellent example of why not to worry about things such as this. December is here and Christmas has come at last. Only days remain of 2011 and now I look towards 2012 with great promise.

So what's in store for me in 2012? Well first, the financial outlook is way better this coming year then last. The 2011 tax return will pay off the remaining balance on the car. This will free up all that money that has been going towards it all these years. With that we can follow some of the principals that I have learned through several financial books I have read this past year. I have vowed not to make the same mistakes that I have made in the past. This will mark a new success in my life and your invited to follow along. Discover the true meaning of Success from within.

Recently, sometime in October, I had traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico for a service call. When returning, I picked up a few gift items at the airport for my family. I did find an item that I had some time ago and thought I should pick it up. It's called a worry stone. I had one years ago, when worry consumed me and was taking a huge toll on my health. It came from an Irish stand at a mall that explained it's use and why you shouldn't worry. Since we moved several times over the years, my worry stone has disappeared. This presented me with opportunity to revisit it's use. Simpy put, I will use part of my Dale Carnegie training with the help of my new found worry stone. I write my worries down on a piece of paper and place it under the worry stone. If I have new worries I right them down and place them under the stone. After some time passes, a few weeks or a month, I check my list of worries. I have come to find that most of my worries are meaningless and come to pass with no real issues. This is a big key to finding success from within. If we burden ourselves with worries, we'll have no time to realize our successes.

Have a Happy and Wonderful Holiday Season!

What is your definition of success?

2011-11-07T13:36:00.000-06:00

What is your definition of success?

When I started this blog, I gave the definition that Websters Dictionary had for success. As noted by them, the definition changed. I know it has been a while since my last posting but on occasion, everyone needs time to reflect. Society today, looks very differently at success then we did in the past. The whole point of this blog is to show everyone that our perception of success is wrong. After spending 8 weeks in Dale Carnegie training, I have learned many things about getting my point across and giving my readers a true visualization of what I'm talking about. First off, how can anyone relate to what I'm trying to convey without proper examples? Real life examples, to show that everyone has experienced success at some point in their life. Stories of real people who found out that success is not just being wealthy or having that high paying career. I have also been travelling much of this year and found a lot of time to read several books on debt elimination. This subject can be tied into ones desire to discover success from within.

Let's start with the basics shall we... Success to me is setting a goal and seeing it through to it's conclusion. Resolving a problem or issue can also be called success. Why? Simple, if John needs some money to replace his tires he could go to the bank but if he doesn't have enough in his account, he will need to get the money somewhere. With this example, John has two goals. First is to get the money needed for the tires and second is to take the money and get the tires he needs. John can solve first situation in a few ways. John can save up the money, putting a few dollars away each pay period until he has enough for the tires. He can work more hours and use the extra money earned to get the tires. He can borrow the money, this is not recommended seeing how the value of the tires decrease over time. All of the debt management books I have read agree that using credit to buy such an item is finacial suicide. John can sell something he no longer wants or needs to pay for the tires. So you see John has many options to get the money. Once John has collected enough money to cover the costs, we can say that John was "successful" at reaching this first goal. Next is getting the tires. John simply needs to find a tire dealer, make the appointment and purchase the tires. John now has "succeeded" in replacing the tires he needed. Society doesn't see this as a success but John was successful in getting the tires by being successful in getting the money needed to purchase them. It is the little successes we have that lead us to greater success.

All the experts and guru's tend to agree, that we need to take little steps to reach a big goal. A hand written plan that lays out little goals that help advance us to our final goal. If a goal is set too big, we tend to get frustrated and give up easily but, if we set smaller goals, not achieving one is just a minor set back. I, myself, have been battling a finacial crisis for the last fee years. Every time I think I'm getting close to surmounting the situation, something new pops up to knock me down a few pegs. I use to worry about this constantly, causing many nights of lost sleep and stomach ailments. While attending the Dale Carnegie training, I was assigned to read How To Stop Worring & Start Living by Dale Carnegie. The information contained within this book was life changing. Sir William Osler was quoted "Live in Day-tight Compartments." Shut the doors on the past and the future, live the day and the day alone. With this the past is the past and should not be relived and the future hasn't happened yet so why fret over it? I also learned to write my worries down and stick them in a drawer. In a month or so pull them out and see the results. Most of our worries are for nothing, by writing them down and later seeing the outcome reassures us of that. I worried about my job, home and vehicle, just to see that my worries never materialized. Now I use what is called a worry stone. I take the worries I have writen down and place them under the worry stone. Now the worry stone can worry about them.

The last thing for today would be another quote from Dale Carnegie's book How To Stop Worrying & Start Living is "Thy will be done". All the books that I have read dealing with overcoming financial burden mentioned giving and accepting the will of God. Following the belief that if it is God's will for this to happen to me, than so be it. It is said in the Bible that God provides for our every need and rewards us when we are deserving. The mistake that most people make is that we, myself included, believe things are owed us but in God's eyes we truely are not deserving. I will leave the giving discussion for another day but want to point out that unless we are thankful for the things we have, the Lord may take them away. It has taken me many years to realize that I should be thankful for even the smallest things. By being thankful everyday, my life has greatly improved and brought me to greater accomplishments. With that in mind, be sincere and truely appreciative of the things and people in your life. This will bring great opportunity to your door.

In closing "God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change... the Courage to change the things I can... and the Wisdom to know the difference."

How to get what you want in life...

2011-03-13T12:51:00.000-05:00

How to get what you want in life...

The book I'm reading right now is How to Get What You Want in Life with the Money You Already Have by Carol Keeffe. I highly recommend getting a copy of this book if you are struggling financially on a daily basis. The book provides very revolutionary ideas for reaching your dreams while still paying your bills. Reading this reminded my of something that I had already done in the past but somehow became side tracked. Back in 2004 I was bringing in more money then I ever did in my life. Things were looking good and I had set up some accounts that had automatic deposits. I never missed the money that went into them and by the years end I had a nice chunk of change set aside for a family vacation. I did this for 3 years and never missed a beat. Bills were paid and we still went on a great vacation. By the end of 2007 I had found a new job in a better community. In moving I stopped the deposits, closed my checking account and opened a new one in the state we moved to. The biggest mistake I made was that I didn't restart my automatic savings deposits. I no longer had a safety net for the unexpected. 3 years later by the end of 2010 our financial outlook was very bleak. I made the determination that the situation had to change and I wasn't going to lose anything that I valued. Now midway through March our financial perspective is looking up. So what did I change? I went back to my basics and started paying myself first. Placing money from every paycheck into a savings account before paying bills.

Now you may think this is ludicrous when you're already falling behind on bills but believe it or not it works. You never miss the money and can still manage to get the bills paid. When we look at our checking account balances, we think of what has to come out and get paid. If the money already automatically comes out and is stashed away we tend not to miss it. That little bit, no matter how small, will then grow. When we see it growing, we start to find ways to add more. The book explains something that worked for me and I had simply forgotten it. The next part even sounded more ridiculous but I also seen the point of what I was doing wasn't working. Remember that if what you are doing doesn't work then you need to change your strategy. What I was doing evidently didn't work and hadn't for 3 years. It was time to make a change. I always felt that if only I paid something off it would get better. It didn't, it just became worse. I'd throw some extra money at the car payment or the mortgage but would fall short at the end of the month. So the bill that I tried to get ahead of would now fall behind. Carol Keeffe explains that if we concentrate on paying the minimum, we will have money to cover us until the next pay. Our bills follow us through our lives and don't go away. We get sucked into trying to pay them thinking we're getting ahead just to fall further behind. By paying the minimum my bills were payed and I didn't have to worry about those little extra things that would pop up.

Next she has you make a list of your bills but list what you pay yourself first. That's the priority, it's your money, you worked for it, you earned it and it's yours. The bills will always be there so it's time to pay yourself so you can start enjoying life. Don't sell yourself short by thinking that you can't and there just isn't enough money to go around. In just 3 short months, I have been able to completely turn things around for the better. Just by paying the minimum, my one major bill will be history in 8 months. So why try to push it? Why jeopardize my family by trying to shave part of a month off? It is pointless and senseless.

I am half way through Carol's book and will keep sharing the advise she gives. I will also let you know how it has helped change my financial outlook. If you get a chance to pick up a copy I strongly suggest it. It truly is making a difference in my life.

Have you set your expectations?

2011-03-11T14:22:00.000-06:00

Have you set your expectations?

Quote of the day:

"The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least."

--Unknown Author

Remember when you were growing up and someone told you not to set your expectations too high, it will let you down? Why set yourself up for disappointment? Well I'm here to tell you, that is BULL! If you don't set your expectations high enough, how do you expect to succeed? Sure we are bound to be disappointed some time but by being confident and assertive we keep striving to reach our goals. Great expectations lead to great outcomes. Here is a wonderful story provided by Rich German and is a quote from his book

Keep Your Chin Up

by Jan Graham

About six months ago, I joined a gym. Every morning, there is one personal trainer there who works out at the same time that my little group does our workout. He does his routine with such a quiet determination that he makes it all look very easy, although I know all too well how hard he is working. When I am tempted to whine and quit, I watch him push himself to his own limits, and I find myself motivated to work as hard and without complaint.

One day, I was watching him do chin-ups. He made them look effortless. I broke away from my group and asked him if I could try a chin-up. I had never tried before, but he just made it look so easy. He eagerly stepped aside and encouraged me to step up to the bar. I pulled myself up without thinking … once … then twice. That was all I had in me; I had no strength left. I told him that was all I had, so he stepped up behind me and pushed me up for a third and fourth “pull.” It felt so good. I felt strong, and I smiled from ear to ear.

The next day, when I was done with my workout, I asked him to spot me again. Again, I did two. I did the same on day three and so on. I thought it was pathetic that I could only do two, but when I came to the gym at the end of the week, he was standing there just shaking his head. When I asked him what was up, he said he was impressed with my chin-ups. He told me that when they are training firefighters, the men are required to do five chin-ups, and women are required to do one or two. He explained that most people can’t do them at all and that he was impressed that I could. He further told me that if I practiced every day, I would be doing five or six in no time. At this point, I should probably add that I am fifty years old … and female.

The moral of this story … because I didn't know any better, because he told me I could, I saw no reason to doubt. I just jumped in and gave it a try—and I did it! I didn't see it as a great accomplishment because I didn't realize that it was difficult, and it became my goal to get stronger. No one told me I couldn't do it. In fact, I was encouraged to try. Had he told me initially how difficult it was, I more than likely would not have tried at all. Or, I might have tried but given it only half an effort, because failure would have been the expectation. I applaud him for letting me believe that for me, it was not only a possibility, but that success was a realistic expectation.

How many times have we decided not to try at all because we were told that we couldn't, that we shouldn't, that we had expectations that were too ambitious? How many times have we told our children, our friends, and our co-workers that they couldn't do something, that their ideas were impossible or beyond reach? How many times have we told ourselves that we would fail before we even started?

I started to ponder examples that I had witnessed and this came to mind: I recalled a conversation a friend of mine had with his daughter just prior to her heading off to university. He spoke to her (with good intentions) of how hard she would have to work in order to succeed. University wasn't like high school—this was the real world, and now she would have to grow up. This child quit after two years. Another friend spoke to her daughter of the adventure she was embarking on and how proud she was. I remember how we laughed because the mother already had her outfit picked out for convocation day! This child just graduated with her degree in physiology. Looking back, neither daughter was more intelligent than the other. Was it the silent expectations (or lack thereof) that predicted the outcome?

I have a new approach now. I have experience first hand how good it feels to rush in so innocently, to believe that we can do it, and go on to accomplish exactly what we set out to do, because no one told us we couldn't. I've learned how important it is to support others (and ourselves) in their endeavors and to let them know that we believe they can do it rather than telling them we think they can't.

I personally want to be like my trainer, standing there behind the people I love, encouraging them, believing in them, and being ready to catch them when they get tired. I will be the one who is there on the second and third day making sure they try again, because I know they can.

What a powerful lesson this has been for me. I'll be doing five in no time at all. Because I was told I can.

Message: Believe you can and you will.

Jan Graham is a full-time Realtor in Calgary, Alberta. Feel free to visit her Web site at www.jangraham.ca.

You can see that how we perceive our expectations relates strongly to our how the outcome will be.

Brain fitness-memory 43 second tip

2011-03-07T16:15:00.000-06:00

Brain fitness-memory 43 second tip.

Here again someone shared this with me and I thought it was some valuable information that could improve your ability to become successful.

Hopefully this reinforces the point I have been trying to make over the last few blogs. Simply put your mind and the way we use it plays a great part in how we direct ourselves towards our success. One of the greatest ways to achieve success is by starting with the correct mind set. Belief is over 90% of what is needed to reach our goals and dreams. Have you ever become so determined to do something or get something that it was all you could think about until you had it? Your mind constantly working on ways to reach that goal. Even when you consciously weren't thinking about it, your subconscious was formulating the next move. This move would just suddenly pop into your mind as an idea and you would rush off to try it. Ideas are dreamed up and our bodies work to fulfill that dream. If we can't seem to find the solution then our minds keep working on the problem to find it. Don't give up, don't give in, don't despair, for the answer may be just around the corner.

Ever since the financial upheaval started, I've been looking for answers to the problem. How do I get out of this mess and how do I keep from having happen again? The answer was so simple that I already had it and used it in the past. I went to some intense leadership training in the past for a former employer and used the information that they had given me with great success. Unfortunately somewhere along the last few years I had lost that mind set. The one that motivated me to do great things with my family. Now that I have delved back into my books and previous training experiences, I have found the key to it all. I stopped doing the things that made me successful and helped me to move forward. I had regressed back to bad old habits which brought back the same old devastating results as before, financial instability. My methods didn't work then and they sure weren't working now so it was time to change the situation. Remember if you aren't getting the results you desire then it may be time to change your approach. So now that I know what happened, I was able to change from an unsuccessful trend to a more positive and meaningful life. Everyone has a moment where they lose track of what's important. When we do this we give in to the negatives that brought us down in the first place. The object is to not let this happen. Make constant strides to move forward in a positive light. This one thing in itself will lead you to great success.

Inspiration

2011-02-28T09:10:00.000-06:00

Inspiration

"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. "

—Patanjali, (c. first to third century B.C.)

As you can see I have been focusing on how the mind can be used to get what we want - Success. We need constant stimulation, motivation, inspiration, encouragement and a sense of well being to move forward. I'd like to share another quote from an email I received.

Enlightenment Is About Being Available

By Jafree Ozwald

The most exquisite and enlightening experience of your life instantly shows up when you are fully open, receptive and available to the Universe. By being completely open, receptive and available to whatever the divine existence is offering you in this moment, the greatest experience of life simply pours in. Every deeply loving, successful, and magically divine experience will throw itself at your feet when you are open, available and receptive. This moment contains the magical state of enlightenment, and you can discover it spontaneously when you give up searching "out there" for the happiness, fulfillment or the "answers", and start trusting your ability to receive the grace that is inherently yours to be experienced.

Imagine you are like a wildflower, who is always opening and receptive to the warm gentle light from the Sun. The soft delicate flower petals must then also be open to experiencing the harsher elements, such as the wind, rain, fertilizer and competitive weeds for a growing life to persist. When you live your life like this wildflower, you root yourself deep into fertile soil and welcome whatever enlightening or not so enlightening experiences life brings you. You know that all the soft and hard elements you attract are necessary for your soul's highest evolution, and thus allow for each experience to enter you fully. As a result, a great strength and beauty is developed, and only is seen when you are consistently open and receptive to every experience life brings your way.

The experience of being open, receptive and available spontaneously happens when you have an unshakable trust that this highly intelligent loving existence always knows what's best for you. Unstoppable receptivity is your ticket into Heaven, and yet to open the door and walk through the gates you will need 100% trust. When you've reached absolute trust on your inner world, your outer world feels this divine quality radiating from you, and the spark of enlightenment instantly ignites within you.

Living in this supreme state of trust and enlightened availability means you need to be a spiritual warrior on your inner world. You get to constantly choose to be a radically free from all limitations that arise in the mind, and decide to live beyond the confines of every social belief the world presents. To go beyond the limits of your own ego/mind takes a very courageous warrior-like energy that is ready to die for freedom. This may be the most terrifying and/or a liberating experience you'll ever have in your life, yet it also means that you are ready to truly be alive, and live your truth on the deepest levels.

Inside your heart of hearts is a state of immense joy, unfathomable love and freedom that is independent of any outer cause or experience. This enlightening experience is found only through letting go of this constant struggle to attain some better, new and improved experience of life. As you slowly tire of the ego's constant outer search, you will naturally start being divinely receptive to the Light within and discover an exquisite infinite source of inner peace inside you. It is already here, at the core of your being, just underneath all your desires. This enlightening path leads you to a life that is naturally spontaneous, creative and devoted totally to this moment of existence. From here you don't have to search for any profound life experience, the enlightenment experience simply finds its way into you. As you become available to experienc e anything and everything that arises inside you, you'll see this enlightening existence naturally awakens within. Have a deeply profound and super enlightening week...enjoy!

As you can see that this message holds great meaning and is inspiring. Find your inspiration and let it enlighten you to great success.

Think Bigg...

2011-02-26T23:30:00.000-06:00

Think Bigg...

I mean BIGG -- it's a simple process that leads to success all the time. Most people don't think BIGG... they just think and wonder why their lives never change or get better. Thinking BIGG is simple... you're probably wondering what BIGG is or what's the BIGG deal. When you think BIGG and stay on track you'll succeed, no matter what your goals.

Here's what thinking BIGG really means:

B - Believe in Yourself.

I - Inspiration from others.

G - Goal setting.

G - Go for it.

There is a process that you need to apply in order to make thinking BIGG work for you and today I'll show you exactly how to apply the process of thinking BIGG so that you get the results you want. It's pretty simple and straight forward and when you follow what I outline you'll get the results you want. So read on and enjoy...

When you think BIGG you get your subconscious mind focused on bringing you the people, situations and circumstances that will help you succeed. Thinking BIGG is more than just having a few thoughts and big ideas.

The first step is to believe in yourself.

A lot of people want to make more money, they want to be in a great relationship, they want to have a great career, they want to enjoy life but they really don't believe they can. Believing means you absolutely know that you can and will succeed. Wanting is a yearning. You want something to fill a void, it's a good starting point but you need to go from wanting to believing. When you believe you basically tell your subconscious mind that you're ready for success and that you expect nothing less than success. It's not about saying I will instead, believe that you are succeeding and getting what you want (filling that void).

Next: Inspiration from others.

Draw inspiration from others. I do this all the time. Hey if they can succeed so can you. You can do anything that they can do and you may even be able to do it better. Learn from them but be inspired there are new achievements being made everyday and your achievements are just around the corner. Every 4 years we see Olympic records being crushed. Those athletes believe in themselves and they dray inspiration from their predecessors. When you're inspired you basically light up your subconscious mind, you give it some extra energy and extra drive; it realizes that what you want is important and begins working harder for you. When you see somebody succeed praise them and be inspired because you're next. It's a message your subconscious mind picks up and drives you to succeed.

Step 3 - Goal setting.

Believe it or not this is where a lot of people fail. They don't set clear goals, they don't know what they want and they don't have measurable goals. So set a goal. Be clear and be specific. Understand why you want this goal. The why helps you be clear and stay motivated. Make sure you can measure your success otherwise you won't know if you're making any progress. Then check your progress and make adjustments. When you have clear goals, you can stay focused. When you're focused on something and repeatedly give it attention you begin to draw the positive people who will help you succeed. Your subconscious mind sees this as a clear instruction and it understands that it needs to get this done. Your goal needs to be achieved. Your subconscious says this is so important we have to make this happen. At this point your subconscious begins to work overtime to help you achieve your goal. But success won't happen without the final component.

That's the second G - Go for it.

You have to go for it. You have to take action. You can't sit around and wait for everything to come to you. That's not how you succeed. Olympic athletes train everyday for years... their success doesn't come overnight. They have to keep going for it; even when they were tired, when they have setbacks, when they get sick or injured, they keep going. You have to keep going for it. You have to keep pursuing your goal because the minute you give up you fail and that's a certainty. When you keep pursuing your goal, when you believe in yourself, when you draw inspiration from others, when you set clear goals and you go for it; you mind, subconscious mind and the universe get the message. They realize that this is something that must happen and they have to make it happen for your. You're doing everything you can to succeed and they have no choice but to help you.

Start thinking BIGG today.

Start achieving your goals today.

When you think BIGG you succeed. When you direct the full power of your mind an subconscious mind you enjoy success sooner and it becomes a habit - so you succeed and achieve your goals more and more often. Think of it as a way of programming yourself to get more of what you want.

Right now you've likely programmed your mind and subconscious mind to create more and more of what you don't want. That's why nothing changes. You may want change but your subconscious mind is programmed to create the same thing over and over again. It's time to change the way your mind and subconscious mind works. It's time to re-program your subconscious so that it creates more of what you want. Begin applying a new thought process. Begin seeing things differently and begin directing your mind and subconscious mind to create more of what you want.

Remember if you don't do anything - if you don't change the way your mind works and direct your subconscious mind to create the life you want - everything stays the same - nothing changes. This is you life - make the most of it - begin working with the power of your mind and subconscious mind to create the life you want and deserve.

Super Manifesting Video

2011-02-25T19:50:00.000-06:00

Super Manifesting Video

This is such a powerful video that I had to share it with you. If you enjoy this video then go to Enlightened Messages to view more.

How badly do you want it?

2011-02-25T10:13:00.000-06:00

How badly do you want it?

That is the question of the day. How badly DO YOU want it? How badly do you want Success? I recently found myself asking that question. When I look at how the past year turned out, I realized that it was time to change the strategy. I had written down in "My book of knowledge" that you can't expect a change if you don't change the strategy. If the results you are getting now are not what you want then you'll need to make a change. How big of a change? You may only need to make a small adjustment in order to get your desired results. When I look back at the past few years I realized that I had made many mistakes. I didn't stick with what was working for me. I didn't even realize that I made that change until the results were near devastating. I took a step back and formulated a new game plan to make this year the best yet. It still comes down to how badly I want it.

I had mentioned in the past about conviction to yourself and your goals. This still holds true and correlates to how big your desire is to achieve something. I also spoke about perseverance and this also ties to your conviction and your desire for success. This is why Writing your goals down is essential and placing reminders in plain sight. This keeps that burning desire to drive forward towards your goal. Success does not come from thin air. I wish at times that I could just wave my magic wand and say "Abra freakin' cadabra" *POOF* your a success but that just isn't realistic. I have had such burning desires to accomplish a task that I couldn't sleep at night. My mind constantly thinking about the problem at hand, searching for a solution. Sometimes the solution is so simple that is often overlooked. So how badly do you want it, the success, the achievement, your dream, your goal? Do you have that overwhelming desire and drive to see it through? Here again I'm on top of the soap box, preaching about things I have found to work for me. You may get tired of hearing it but I can't drive this home hard enough that everyone and I mean everyone runs into a state suspended animation. By this I mean we literally stall out and float with no motivation to move forward. Inspiration does not always just come to us, we need to find it.

I enjoy receiving The Daily Energize sent out by Rich German or receiving my daily Enlightened Messages. They both help to keep me focused and on track. They have a way of picking me up when I have fallen into a state of inactivity. People like Rich German or Patric Chan are an inspiration by overcoming the obstacles and reaching a level of life that they enjoy. So as I had mentioned in a previous blog along with a Stevie Nicks video, don't let the "Landslide" bring you down. Here is to all of your future successes. Cheers!

The power of positive thinking!

2011-02-23T15:50:00.000-06:00

The power of positive thinking!

"Expect your every need to be met, expect the answer to every problem, expect abundance on every level, expect to grow spiritually. You are not living by human laws. Expect miracles and see them take place. Hold ever before you the thought of prosperity and abundance, and know that doing so sets in motion forces that will bring it into being." ~Eileen Caddy

Every once and a while I receive an email that truly moves me. The message above was received first thing this morning and I just had to share it with you. I have been testing different products that deal with the mind. These principles utilize many different aspects of how we think and perceive things. Subliminal messages and brain entrainment are two of the many ways people have been trying to adapt their minds for a more positive outlook. I have downloaded and listened to many of these programs. I have been discovering some great results in how my everyday thinking has changed. I have become more positive and outgoing. I have been able to stay more focused and concentrate more on the tasks at hand. I have also been able to reduce my over all stress that the last few years have presented me with.

Manifestation has been a topic of discussion for decades. The purpose is to will what you want to happen or materialize in your life. The object being that if you want something bad enough the universe will work in your favor to achieve it. Everyone emits an energy or ora that is either positive or negative. This energy effects things and people around us. If start out positive, this energy can be transferred to other people and things throughout our day to create more positive energy. Take for instance a simple smile. Just by smiling at someone can cause a contagious reaction that will spread. While on the other hand, negative energy, can bring other people and things around you down. Both energies are equally powerful and have great effect on how your day may progress. Though certain techniques you can actually learn to train yourself to manifest your way to a positive and glowing life. Reduce stress and anxiety to produce a healthier outlook on life. Once your reduce the negative, you can focus on producing the positive. With creation of the positive energy and proper direction, your goals and dreams become unstoppable.

Imagine that you can write out your deepest desires and withing no time at all achieve them. Once trained to think positively it will become second nature and you will automatically produce positive actions in your life. You will only need to re-enforce those thoughts through occasional supplemental training. The initial training may take days, weeks or even months to produce results. This all depends on how truly receptive you are to the training program. Belief is over 90% of the course. Only through true belief that the program will work can a quick change be realized. If you are sceptical then the training will take longer but your subconscious mind will slowly change to bring you the results that you desire. Some downloads are free, so try it out for a few weeks and watch your life change for the better.

Perseverance!

2011-02-21T09:30:00.000-06:00

Perseverance!

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

—Thomas A. Edison, on inventing the light bulb

These are words to live by and tie into what I had discussed earlier about conviction. I'm not sure if I shared this following story before but even if I did, I believe it is well worth repeating. It is an excellent example of how perseverance along with conviction would have made someones dreams come true.

During the gold rush, a prospector staked a claim on a piece of property that he felt had a large amount of gold buried on it. He started digging and found various bits and pieces but nothing very significant. He invested every bit of money he earned to buy equipment to dig his mine. After years of digging the prospector started growing weary of his claim. A man visited him one day with a proposal to buy his claim and all his equipment. The prospector thought for a moment about all the years of hard work he had put into his mine but thought this was a way to recoup his lost money. The prospector took the money joyfully thinking that this poor guy will find nothing as well. Now the man that bought the claim had no intention of digging himself, in fact he hired a geologist to study the land. He was very pleased when the results came back. It seems that if the prospector would have stuck it out and dug about another 3 feet, he would have hit one of the largest veins of gold ever found.

So you see, perseverance pays off. If Thomas Edison would have given up inventing, many of the great inventions that revolutionized our world today may not exist or may have taken many more years to be discovered. Think about the light bulb, telephone, phonograph and even motion pictures all were invented because someone believed that it could exist. In this day and age we tend to take for granted the modern conveniences we have. Just visit a country that doesn't offer the electric, transportation or even the clean water that many of us enjoy today. You will see how the perseverance and conviction of many great people in history has helped to mold the world in which we live in.

If you are facing challenging times and are about to give up, don't! Your salvation may be just around the corner. I have been tested during these financially tough times. I believe through my constant perseverance I will come out ahead and with that I want you to be able to say the same thing. I realize that my definition of success is a little different from what many believe. This brings to mind another topic I will share with you in the future about the concept of money and what it represents. I have recently read some information that opened my eyes about the way I think and feel about money. I have come to a part of my life where it is make it or break it. The pinnacle of a new beginning of financial freedom. To have one of the biggest debts payed for in full. To be down to counting the months left until that fateful last payment is sent out. To finally be on a cash for everything basis. Now that is a success in my mind. I have followed programs, guru's and advice from so many on how to handle a situation that came out of nowhere like a landslide. Just to emphasize the point I have included an excellent version of Stevie Nicks singing "Landslide".

Remember not to let the landslide bring you down. Perseverance will prevail.

What Time Is It?

2011-02-06T13:12:00.000-06:00

What Time Is It?

This is a popular question that comes up on Cartoon Network. What time is it? It's Adventure Time! That's what Jake on Adventure Time exclaims as he's off on some new, wild adventure. For most of us though when asked "What Time Is It?" we just look for a clock or our watches for the actual time. We don't really realize that time is more valuable then we perceive it. How quickly time seems to pass us by. Another quote that comes from a teachers wall above their clock is "Time Will Pass Will You?". This quote made you think of your not so distant future of being able to pass or fail the class. The truth in that statement is that time will pass. Time is infinite and will never stop so what we do with our time is so very important. So why am I bringing time up now in the midst of helping you focus on creating your convictions? The answer is simple, there is no time like the present to get your life in order and make a difference in your success.

Tom Hanks as Forest Gump had said "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get". This is true to a point and that point is whether or not you make the active decision to do what it takes to make a change in your life. So many of us are constantly picking through the box of chocolates searching for what's best. It's hard to figure out which one is the one we are looking for unless we are given a map to which chocolate is which. This is why writing down our objectives is so important. With out a map we become lost. So what does time have to do with all this? We can not reach our goals with the map alone, it takes time and effort to reach the end. If we do not set a time to reach a goal we may never achieve our objectives. Our mind will think that it's OK because there is no sense of urgency. If we set a time to reach our goal then our mind will start to work on ways to reach the objective.

I have set many goals for 2011, some are very ambitious and others are not so but with one month down already I am on track. Hopefully you have set your goals, have your objectives in sight and are on track with your resolutions as well. If you haven't started yet then there is no time like the present to get started. Goal setting and time management are a big part of a successful persons life. I have personally started using several tools to strengthen my conviction towards my goals and objectives. Better organizing my time and energy so I can be successful in achieving my goals sooner. I have even looked into different programs that will strengthen my weaknesses and make me a better person in the future. I have checked my lists to determine which goals are still valid and where I need to focus my attention so I can reach my objectives. You will find yourself doing the same thing. You may find that a goal you had set last month no longer applies and you will need to rethink your strategy to achieve your new goal. As life goes on our goals and desires change as well.

I'd like to leave you with a song that's been on my mind a lot lately Joe Walsh "Life's Been Good".

Personal Convictions

2011-02-02T20:50:00.000-06:00

Personal Convictions...

Have you created your Personal Convictions? Have you made a list of what is important to yourself? Are you living your dream? Have you created that burning desire to succeed no matter what? At the end of last year things looked pretty bleak but I made a commitment, a conviction to myself that this was going to be my year. The year that I reach a new plateau in my life.
Many of us have been faced with great challenges and have found it hard to keep our faith about our future. I have prayed for guidance and even questioned my beliefs, finding no answers. Many sleepless nights and mounting health issues due to over whelming stress. I started to utilize the tools available to me through great speakers and motivators. Rich German's The Daily Energize, Patric Chan's Success Trace, Mark Joyner's Simpleology 101, Enlightened Messages super manifest manual and another great inspiration that I stumbled upon Merry Riana, who had conquered great adversity. These people have brought their lives to fantastic levels of success and are willing to share their knowledge with anyone that is willing to learn.

It has been many years since I have made such a conviction. When I had done so in the past, great things formed in my life. Somehow I lost that in recent years and have been working hard to regain it. Now I have found it! I am using it and working towards the goals that seemed unattainable. I have found my conviction, my passion, my place, my destiny, my true light at the end of the tunnel. Yes I was down and out but using what is available to me, I am able to overcome the obstacles that were laid out in front of me. Even using little known Mind Secrets to help manifest a new reality pushes me closer to my goals. Dreams and desires can be reached with proper devotion (conviction) and focus. I had accomplished it once before and will do it again. If I can achieve my desired level of success then anyone can. I personally challenge you to check these people out. Follow them like I do on Twitter and Facebook. Get to know them, think like them and all your dreams and desires will become a reality.

Rapport International in Nevada changed my life forever. It was an intense 2 1/2 day event that brought out a part of me that I never knew existed. When I lose focus, I go back through my notes and the team list. I visualize my experience, relive it in a sense within my mind. I remember the changes that occurred in me and I focus on bringing that back out. I believe that I was sent there for a greater purpose. Not just because my company wanted me to be a better employee but that I was destined to be a better person. Many people when they reach their 40's either have a mid-life crisis or have a great revelation that changes their outlook on life. I feel that I don't truly know how long I will live so I don't know when to have a mid-life crisis. With that in mind I can easily avoid it with my messed up logic and focus more on having a great revelation. The revelation I am having is this, life is too short no matter how long you live. Live as though everyday is your last. So make everyday count towards your convictions. Believe in yourself and your ideals. Have faith that what you are doing here is important. Just as every grain of sand in an hour glass is important, so is your purpose in life. No one ever thought that the sand on a beach was important until it was nearly all gone and washed away by the ocean. We are but grains of sand in time on a beach and the ocean is life trying to wash us away with our dreams. One tiny grain of sand is nothing to the power of the waves but put all the grains together to make a vast shoreline. Some times life is winning but other times we ourselves, joined with a vast array of others can win at the game of life.

May your convictions be true to your nature. Hold you up when life gets you down. Pick you up when you fall and never,ever, ever fail you.

The Daily Energize

2011-01-24T13:10:00.001-06:00

The Daily Energize

I opened my email today and BAM, there it was an email from Rich German. It is The Daily Energize that I receive from Rich everyday. It always has some sort of inspirational story, video or text but today's was special. The theme for this week is CONVICTION. Ironic how just only yesterday I decided to do a blog on creating convictions to live by and now this email comes to me as the theme of the week.

"Which is stronger: your belief or your circumstances?"

--Rich German

So what is your motivation? What is driving you to continue from day to day? Are your circumstances causing a wave of disruption in your life? Rich sends out The Daily Energize to start your day with a dose of energy and inspiration! Sometimes that is all that is needed to kick start our day, get our mood set and get us underway to the opportunities that lie ahead. Are you manifesting problems or solutions? Is your passion and beliefs strong enough to help you overcome adversity? These are questions that you need to answer and answer truthfully. If not you are only lying to yourself about the direction your life is heading. I've created this blog to show you how to learn by your mistakes and strengthen you pursuit of you goals, dreams and hearts desire. I like to show you the people, places and literature that has inspired me to reach for greatness.

The Daily Energize has help me realize my potential, the potential within. The potential of success and what it truly means to myself and my family. I don't need to be a millionaire to find happiness. I enjoy a fairly simple lifestyle with a few toys and some luxuries. I don't need a mansion or a yacht, just a nice modest home and some water craft. Land to look out upon and appreciate the wonders of the world. A nice vehicle that I don't have to worry about breaking down when travelling around the country. I enjoy my career and would keep it since I like what I do and the people I meet. I would give back to my community that has showed my family kindness and support like no other. These are the things I look for in my own success. My success is truly unique and so is yours. Only you can create the path you wish to travel. Maybe a mansion and yacht are your thing. Leaving the hustle and bustle of everyday life to do as you please. Not worrying about money or waking up to an alarm clock. Travelling the world and seeing sights that many dream about but never realize. Yes, The Daily Energize will give you that motivation, power and inspiration to create a desire to achieve greatness in your life.

I've been working on another addition of this blog titled "Are you destined for greatness?" May people are but haven't tapped their full potential yet. They need direction and guidance to lead them down the correct path. In order to be destined for greatness you must create your convictions and stick by them, live by them and utilize them in your everyday life. I will be following Rich's Daily Energize and share with you his views on conviction.