Most people think that the purpose of a business is to make a profit. I don’t agree.

Profits are part of business, for sure—a very important part. But if profits are looked upon as the main reason for being in business, it’s unlikely there will be much in the way of earnings—at least not in the long haul.

I see profits in business being akin to eating in life. Eating is important to sustain life. But it’s not the PURPOSE of life. You can go without eating for awhile, but eventually you need to fuel your body or you won’t be around to fulfill your purpose.

In my own life and in my business, I’ve found that when I’m focused mostly on income or profits, they have tended to be much more elusive—sometimes nonexistent.

But when we focus on adding value, solving problems and truly serving our customers, the profits come almost automatically.

If you want to earn a lot of money, then find ways to add a lot of value.

Now, if you have a really flawed business model, you can provide good value and still not make a profit. You have to be smart about it.

And there have been times when I was so focused on my passion, my dream and my cause that I didn’t pay enough attention to generating sufficient profit to maintain the engine of business. There has to be a balance.

In these difficult financial times, it’s easy to lose focus and concentrate too much on financial performance. As we strive to survive, we can lose sight of providing the real value that brings in the business.

As customers become more careful in their buying decisions, it’s more important than ever for us to give them enough value for them to see it being greater than their seemingly limited finances.

I’ve seen way too many business owners blame their customers for not patronizing them like they have before. There’s almost a sense of entitlement.

It’s like the Scott Trade commercial about the stockbroker losing clients to the discount brokerage house. He has an expectation that they should continue to do business with him regardless of the changes in the market or his competition. Instead of looking for ways to add value to his services, he thinks business should simply be like it was.

No one owes you their business. You have to earn it every day.

You have to be aware. You have to innovate. You have to serve. Because they get to vote—and they vote with their feet.

And that’s why I think service and value is the purpose of business.

Don’t get me wrong. I like Facebook. My wife and I are both active on it personally and we also have a SuccessNet Fan Page.

But there are differences between Facebook and SuccessNet.

It’s unlikely SuccessNet will have millions of users. There just aren’t that many people who are serious about being successful.

The new social (or business) networking features we recently added to SuccessNet.org will also not keep up with all the bells and whistles that Facebook has. It’s very simple—and we wanted it that way.

So why do I say it’s better?

In a word . . .

. . . RESOURCES.

Over the past 15 years, SuccessNet has published thousands of articles, audio files, helpful links, videos and eBooks all designed with one purpose—to help you and your business grow.

We’ve been helping great people and great companies become even better since 1995.

And now, in addition to being able to access all of these resources (almost all at no cost), you can also interact with, network, share, communicate with and “friend” other people who join our site.

And very shortly, you’ll be able to invite your friends to join the SuccessNet Network with an automated feature—and at no cost.

So just in case you may be saying to yourself, “Why would I want to add yet  ANOTHER social network into the mix?” consider this . . .

Business is all about relationship. In fact, LIFE is all about relationship. And with SuccessNet, you can learn success principles and philosophies and hang out with other people of like mind.

We like to say that we’ve been able to attract people who care about things that matter who want to make a difference.

And when you add the thousands of resources we have available to the networking capability we offer, it’s easy to see why you will benefit from being a member.

We like Facebook. It’s great. But your involvement in SuccessNet can be PROFOUND.

And THAT’S why I think SuccessNet beats Facebook.

Join SuccessNet for free here . . .

And get a boatload of freebies, discounts on SuccessNet and Nightingale Conant products, be able to create your own groups WITHIN SuccessNet and receive ongoing insights and recommendations to help you excel. Click here to join for free . . .

View and LIKE our Facebook page here . .  .

That’s why choosing and committing to a goal is not something to be done lightly. You are trading your most valuable resources (time, energy, money) for it. And it’s worth choosing wisely.

So how do we choose one goal over another? Which ones should be our top goals? And which should take a back seat–or be tabled for another time?

Here are some questions to help you sort out your priorities when it comes to goal setting.

1. Desire. How much do you want this? What will you feel like when this goal is achieved? Begin with the end in mind and rate your level of desire.

2. Value Contribution. Who is going to benefit from the achievement of this goal? What will you become in the process? How many others could be positively impacted?

3. Believability. How confident are you in reaching this goal? If you can’t believe it, you probably won’t do much to make it happen. Courage is doubt plus commitment, but you have to have sufficient belief–or be willing to acquire it.

4. Time Commitment. If it’s one of your top goals, you should be taking some action toward its accomplishment every week–preferably every day. What do you think you will have to do each week to get your goal?

5. Wow Factor. How would the accomplishment of this goal rank on your Wow Scale? Is it exciting? Does it pass the sparkle test?

6. Other Goals. How compatible is this with your other goals? Are there any conflicts with other important objectives? And if so, how will they or could they be resolved? Is this goal part of a bigger goal or one that stands on its own?

7. TASK. Is this goal a good use of your Talents, Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge? What TASKs will you need to develop or improve upon?

8. Compatibility. Does this goal fit with your core values? Does it violate or run contrary to what you believe?  If you would like to learn how to discover your core values, you can take our most popular course. Click here to find out more . . .

9. Speed to Market. How quickly can this goal be achieved? Is it worth taking that time to achieve it? Could another goal be achieved faster and easier?

10. Financial Risk. What are the monetary risks? What’s the best-case and worst-case scenarios? And can you live with them?

11. Other Risks. What other risks are involved? Emotional? Relationships? Physical? Reputation? There are always risks and they should all be evaluated. Not to consider them is foolhardy. The risks should be worth the attempt.

12. Assistance. Who can help with the accomplishment of this goal? It’s rare that you have to go it alone. And there is usually more help than you might think.

13. The Challenge. Would you be challenged in a good way in going for this goal? If it’s too easy, you won’t be challenged enough to maintain your commitment. And if you are overwhelmed by it, you may never even get started.

I’m sure you’ll think of even more questions, but these should give you a good start.

You want to . . .

• earn more money
• be more fulfilled in what you do
• be more effective and productive
• be inspired
• feel supported
• be reminded of the things that work
• have encapsulated, trusted wisdom they can use
• be kept abreast of new things that help you succeed

And we do our best to provide you with what you want.

Yes, we promote events, products, services and tools—many for no cost. And in the few instances that there is a fee involved, we always try to find the best deal/discount/bonus structure.

And we make sure to test-drive them before any recommendation goes out to you.

We’ve bound and dog-eared the latest report we’ve recommended: “20 Ways to Make $100 a Day Online”.

And we are adding our SuccessNet Guarantee to this product, even though we didn’t create it. If you don’t think it was worth what you paid, we will refund your investment with no hassle.

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I see it as my first real introduction into the PRINCIPLES of success—the fundamentals of the science of achievement and personal development.

But when I was 18 I didn’t read it to become a better person. I read it because I wanted to get rich. And THINKING and growing rich sounded like a very interesting concept to this young entrepreneur.

It was through reading it I realized that in order for things to get better financially, I had to get better. In order for things to change, I had to change.

Think and Grow Rich has been worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to me.

And I think my experience with it is a classic case of selling what people want (I wanted to get rich) and giving people what they need (the tools, concepts and principles of personal development).

It’s something we’ve been doing for almost 15 years here at SuccessNet. We do our best to sell people what they want and what they’re looking for, and also give them what they need–and may NOT be looking for.

What about you? Do you sell to people’s wants and deliver that well–and also give them what they need? I highly suggest it. I know it will generate more business for you. It’s fun, too.

And if you’d like to have more of everything YOU want, I suggest our Success Fundamentals package. It’s a bundle of our most popular products and is loaded with wants AND needs.

I have a different view.

When I pay our bills, I’m thinking that I’m paying for value received. My electric bill may be higher than I would like it to be, but I’m grateful for the light, the air conditioning and all the other things those kWhs do for us.

The lawn service, our water bill, hosting services and all the rest are things we have CHOSEN. So why should I have any resentment when paying for them?

In addition, I spent a good part of my life not having enough money to pay all the bills when they came due. Now that I can pay bills on time, I am certainly grateful and appreciative of having the means to do so.

Once again, our attitude toward what we do is even more important than how we do them.

Next time you pay an invoice, think about the value you have received instead of being resentful for having to pay it. Be grateful for the exchange–and for being able to afford it.

If you don’t feel you are getting the value you think you should, then change or discontinue the service. But if you did receive the service, paying for it should be a natural and enjoyable part of the equation.

When you simply don’t have enough income to pay your expenses, there are ways to solve that problem. And being resentful about the bills is not one of them.

If you want to make more money, provide more value. If you want to make a LOT of money, then figure out a way to create a LOT of value.

We KNOW reducing debt is important. We WANT to do it for ourselves, our families and for future generations. We even SET goals to achieve debt reduction. And yet, we often make little or no progress.

12 Steps to Becoming Debt Free is a brief report that gives you the reasons and the tools you need to finally make it happen. In a quick, clear format, you’ll learn tried-and-true strategies to help you achieve your goal of reducing—and eliminating—your debt.

We KNOW reducing debt is important. We WANT to do it for ourselves, our families and for future generations. We even SET goals to achieve debt reduction. And yet, we often make little or no progress.

12 Steps to Becoming Debt Free is a brief report that gives you the reasons and the tools you need to finally make it happen. In a quick, clear format, you’ll learn tried-and-true strategies to help you achieve your goal of reducing—and eliminating—your debt.

If you would like a copy of 12 Steps to Becoming Debt Free at no cost, just use the coupon code “12debt” when you check out. Got to this page to find out more and to get yours for free.

Their identity is very much tied up in what they do.

Other small business owners compartmentalize really well—maybe too well. They make a big distinction between personal life and business life.

For me, there’s no real difference between personal life and work life—it’s ALL life.

That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be some distinctions around the time you spend, but trying to be one way in one part of your life and another way in another part of your life seems disingenuous to me.

And as the great Nido Quebein quips, “Be who you is. Because if you ain’t who you is, then you is who you ain’t.”

I suggest that you are not your business. Your business or your career does not define who you are. But to a large extent, your business and your career IS you.

What you say, what you do—or don’t do—reflects on your company. Who you are being, both at work and outside of work, is a representation of your business.

Who you are being touches every other aspect of your life.

So be yourself. There’s nobody else anywhere nearly as well qualified.

And freedom is my number one core value.

Most, but not all, are willing to fight and even die for the freedoms we hold so dearly.

But what about our own personal freedom? In the free world, people have basic freedoms, but only a very small percentage are financially free. Instead they are enslaved to debt, a job or even a business.

Even in this land of opportunity, I see far too many who do not have and do not seem willing to fight for their financial independence. Yet stories abound of people who have come from nothing and gone on to achieve great success. So it is possible—even probable—if you follow the principles of success.

But why are they in such a minority? There may be minimum wage laws, but there are no laws to prohibit one from earning as much as they would like–at least not yet.

Does it seem too hard?

It seems to me that working hard, often for someone else, for 40 years is a lot harder than really going for it and claiming your complete independence.

Some people have told me that to be financially independent they would need AT LEAST a million-dollar portfolio. I know others who think 5 to 7 million is what they would need to retire.

I believe you can find your freedom for much less.

There are many people who earn 2 and 3 times what we earn, but don’t have half the freedom and flexibility we have. They work hard and long, have nice toys, but VERY LITTLE time to enjoy their life and their families. That’s not freedom.

Real freedom isn’t just in how much you make, it’s in how much you keep, and more importantly, how much time you get to enjoy your life. I see time as being the new gold of the 21st century.

Because of choices we have made, we are fortunate to do work we love from a beautiful home with flexible hours, earn a good living and make a difference in peoples lives every day. For us, THAT’S freedom.

I urge you to think carefully about what your freedom means to you. What would it be like to live your life on your terms?

It makes no sense to me to have the basic freedoms we enjoy and not go all the way and create a life with complete freedom. By adding value, living an authentic life and creating a lifestyle of your own making you can live free.

Isn’t that worth fighting for?

Get clear on what you really want. Concentrate on your priorities and consistently take action toward your day of freedom.

We’d like to help you celebrate that.

Set some milestones along the way. And enjoy the ride.

Editor’s Note: Our Diamond Club Members are dedicated to creating their financial freedom by carefully choosing their goals and getting the support they need and consistently achieving them. Go to SuccessNet Diamonds to find out more . . .

An alarm clock.

I didn’t even recognize it at first. But it’s one that gets louder the longer it goes off and the strange but annoying sound was unavoidable.

My wife, Dawn, had set it the night before so we could leave the house in time to get to Orlando for the Extreme Business Makeovers Conference. And since I don’t know how to set it, I also didn’t know how to shut it off.

Turns out neither did Dawn–at least in the dark. She ended up unplugging it.

You see, one of the benefits of having designed the life we live is having the freedom to sleep until we’re finished sleeping. At least 360 days a year or so.

Don’t get me wrong, we usually do get up early. It’s one of my most productive times for reading and writing. But we rarely have anything scheduled before 9 AM, so we are spared the rude awakenings of the electronic rooster.

Freedom is my number one core value. And I am grateful to wake up with the woman of my dreams, in a beautiful home in a nearly tropical paradise and do work I love doing.

I wish that for you, too. And I know that no matter what your current situation is, you can create your own freedom as well.

I know because I came from very difficult circumstances, had many failures and was disillusioned and discouraged often. But I never gave up. I continued to study the fundamentals of success.

I worked hard at getting clear, staying focused and taking consistent action.

I encourage you to do the same.

And if you’d like to take advantage of a very special package we’ve put together ON the Fundamentals of Success (at a substantial discount), I encourage you to grab one now.

Was he sincere?

I really don’t know. I usually have a pretty good sense of when someone is being genuine and sincere. But in watching Tiger make his statements, I wasn’t sure. It was certainly well written. He seemed to say all the right things. I think he wanted to be sincere. And maybe he was—and is.

But Bill Clinton looked sincere when he denied having sex with Monica Lewinsky. And John Edwards looked convincing when he claimed his love child really WASN’T his child. And we wanted to believe Richard Nixon when he said, “I’m not a crook.”

But as we found out later, they were lies.

We’ve all been lied to at one time or another. And no matter how good our “bull detector” is, sometimes we believe someone because we are convinced that what they’re saying is the truth, and it’s not.

In the world of so-called success gurus and business leaders, there are many who claim to have all the answers. But I see far more hype than substance. When someone works so hard to get me to believe them, I wonder why and I begin to doubt them. And it certainly muddies the water for those who are committed to honesty and integrity in business.

Ultimately, Tiger Woods will be judged by how congruent his actions are with the words he spoke at his press conference. But right now we have only his words.

Don’t get me wrong, I think words are important. What someone says or writes has weight, for sure. But if there’s incongruity, if they don’t walk their talk, if they can’t stand and deliver, their words not only ring hollow, they betray and deceive.

I think Edgar Guest summed it up quite well in his poem, “Sermons We See”.

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day,
I’d rather one should walk with me than merely show the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.
I can soon learn how to do it if you’ll let me see it done.
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true;
But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give,
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

I think most people will forgive Tiger for his dalliances. But if he isn’t sincere in his apology and his future actions betray his words, I think people will be far less forgiving.

For most of us, Tiger Woods’ confession and apology has little effect upon us. But our own words and whether or not those words are congruent with our actions has everything to do with us. Our reputations are built—and stand or fall—on what we say and what we do.

The most memorable thing I ever heard Ross Perot say when he was running for president was, “Talk is cheap. Words are plentiful. Deeds are precious.”