SwiftlySorted

THE FIVE LAWS OF GOLD

2009-08-01T17:18:49+01:00

I came upon the following article, published in Investing Strategy on 30 July 2009 and was amazed by how relevant each point is for us today, even in our high-tech driven society. Have a read and see what you think? I think you'll find it interesting!

"What can these ancient laws teach us about investing today?

"A bag heavy with gold or a clay tablet carved with words of wisdom; if thou hadst thy choice, which wouldst thou choose?"

According to George S. Clason, author of 1926's seminal money book The Richest Man in Babylon, 29 out of 29 Babylonians would choose gold.

We can't offer you a lump of clay -- only a flickering screen of text -- so Clason's fanciful Babylonian words of wisdom might now be even less well-received. Clason was making up stories about Babylonians

for US suburbanites in the years before the Great Depression, so are his five laws of gold even relevant in our online, instant access world?

Absolutely they are!

Just as Arkad, son of Nomasir, learns in The Richest Man that gold is nothing without wisdom (Arkad fritters away his inheritance before earning it back managing slaves -- nobody said these were the '5 politically correct laws of gold'), so Clason's guidelines hold true today, whether you consider them 100 or 5,000 years old.

Let's reconsider them in the hard light of 2009.

Pay thyself first

1. Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantities to any many who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.

Nobody ever got rich living from one wage slip to the next. Saving a portion of your income is the first step to prosperity in later life.

Clason's one-tenth target is a good ballpark figure, but you will need to put aside much more if you've left it until your 40s or even 50s to begin saving for retirement. Most people ignore pensions until it's too late, and we're all living longer. As a result, many people face a big drop in their living standards on retirement.

Start saving your gold today! If you can invest a further 10% of your income after pension payments, you've got a great chance to grow a very healthy nest egg.

Speculate to accumulate

2. Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks of the field.

Money hidden under the mattress doesn't grow, it just stops you getting a good night sleep. To see your savings multiply, you need to put it into investments with healthy prospects for growth -- and usually paying a regular income.

Cash savings are fine to start with, though rates are currently low. But for long-term savings, dripping excess money into the stock market via an index fund and reinvesting the dividends offers the best chance of impressive returns.

Ironically, gold itself doesn't pay an income and is essentially a bet on the future price of gold. But Clason uses gold to mean money, of course.

Read, research and seek advice (carefully!)

3. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advise of men wise in its handling.

This is the rule at odds with Motley Fool thinking. It should be as Clason describes, but too often the 'wise men' of the financial services industry have been far cleverer at making money out of you rather than for you.

There was good news recently, however, with the FSA announcing it is to ban financial advisors being paid by commission. Instead they will charge flat fees.

Advisors and fund managers can still be incompetent and expensive, however, as many pension holders can attest. Nobody cares about your finances as much as you do, so read up all you can to talk to 'the Wise' about your money on an equal footing.

Don't be a mug punter

4. Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.

We hardly need reminding of the truth of this law right now.

From banks and hedge funds buying murky mortgage-backed securities to novice buy-to-letters snapping up over-priced shoeboxes in Spain against a backdrop of TV property porn, we've just lived through one of the most witless transfers of capital in human history.

Incredibly the credit and property bubble came only a few years after the dotcom boom, when people who wouldn't know a start-up business plan from a printer manual raised and invested billions on the back of absurdly naive financial projections.

And now with the poor performance of shares and property recently, we're seeing more and more interest in exotic and alternative investments.

Re-read the fourth law! If you're going to buy stamps, ostriches, paintings or a case of fine wine, you should really know as much as the seller to avoid your alternative investment being just a new way to lose money.

Don't be greedy

5. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.

High street lenders promising investment bank earnings to shareholders. Wealthy investors content to take Bernie Madoff's double-digit returns per year with no questions asked. Private investors spreadbetting the oil price as it approached $150.

None of it suggests we're any more sensible in the 21st Century than Clason's young Babylonian Arkad, who loses most of his inheritance betting on a surefire racehorse from Ninevah.

Outsized returns for little skill or effort only ever come in three ways -- luck, taking on bigger risks, or indulging in skullduggery. Some things will never change."

WHAT DO YOU THINK? I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS . . .

Multi-Millionaire Property Experts Raise Money For The Big Issue! Join them for just £25!

2009-03-13T18:22:48+00:00

I've been away for a while working at www.swiftcopywriting.com so it's great to be back to invite you to a terrific opportunity to massively expand your learning while helping those less fortunate who are trying to help themselves. You'll be listening to and mingling with multi-millionaire leading edge property experts who will be sharing their knowledge either helping you on to the property ladder or elevating your portfolio to the next level. I call that a WIN/WIN situation!

The ever abundant entrepreneurs Judith Morgan and Nicola Cairncross of The Money Gym have arranged this spectacular Property Extravaganza to raise £4,500 for The Big Issue. A donation of just £25 will save your seat. Bring a friend and have free access to The Money Gym Silver for three months! Be there on Saturday, 21st March!

Here's your chance to get up close and personal with experts who can tell you how to bag yourself a luxurious place in St Lucia and other Caribbean paradise islands for an initial fee of just £1,000 and, while you have your purse out, why not learn how to buy a home for £1 from Rick Otton? Heavens, you couldn't buy a latte for that!

Bask in the positive atmosphere, meet like-minded people and share in the fantastic opportunities the speakers will present . . . perhaps even win one of the fantastic prizes . . . and I personally will hand you a goody bag!

Hey, don't take my word for it, read what the incredible organiser, Judith Morgan, is offering to bring you for just £25. If you don't feel you've had a great day, Judith will personally donate £25 to The Big Issue and return your money.

Please take a moment and click the link below NOW! You'll be so glad you did!

http://judithmorgan.com/2009/03/11/money-gym-property-investors-hope-to-raise-4500-for-the-big-issue

GoToMyPC - Capability and freedom without complexity!

2008-07-31T18:06:48+01:00

Personal recommendation is always the best endorsement and, wow, must say I am absolutely sold on the benefits of GoToMyPc! The beauty of this facility is that, not only can I access my PC (which is the nerve centre of my business) from anywhere in the world, I can now invite guests on to my site. How cool is that?

Today, I had some technical issues and I was able to invite an engineer to access my PC remotely and my difficulty was resolved within minutes. No call out fees, no inconvenience. Terrific - that's my kind of solution!

GoToMyPc is installed in minutes using easy-to-follow prompts and there's a free 30-day trial, so you've nothing to lose! Have a go yourself and see what an excellent resource this is. Individuals or small business are equally well served, just sign up in the relevant box. Go on, I dare you! Managing your business and emails from your chosen holiday location just became a reality . . .

ARE YOU READY TO UNLOCK THE EARNING POTENTIAL OF YOUR BUSINESS?

2008-06-17T22:24:47+01:00

How good would it feel if everything in your day was enjoyable, moved you closer to your goals and enriched your business? We've got the solution! Invest in your future, use our business development tools and allow our highly recommended experts to take your business to the next level. They're waiting to help you. Or, if you're looking for a business to set yourself financially free, look no further!

Rick's Rent to Own Secrets Revealed

2008-06-16T15:06:55+01:00

With the property boom now behind us, did you know that the UK property market is now ideal cash flow investing? The only problem until now was that there has been hardly any practical guide on how to apply these techniques in the UK.

International Real Estate Strategist Rick Otton has just released an amazing step-by-step system on Rent To Own using lease options. Jam-packed full of working examples and practical scripts, forms, tips and guidelines the Rent2Own Pack is the first of its kind ever released in the UK! Everything you need to get started on your first lease option property investment using a Buy to Let mortgage is explained simply and easily!

For more information, visit Rick's Rent To Own site now.

Or if you like, take a listen to his short audio message here:

2008-04-01T14:29:00+01:00

Posting about business and personal development books.

'OUTSOURCING' is the new 'SELF-CAN-MANAGE'!

2008-02-02T14:20:40+00:00

Don't know whether it's the New Year or perhaps a New Moon but it's certainly happenin'...

The veil has lifted from the communal eye and, finally, outsourcing is 'in'! And, know what? We each deserve to spend our time doing the tasks at which we excel and, most importantly, ENJOY! As the New Moons come and go, time seems to speed by more quickly. (Remember how, as a child, it seemed like ten years between birthdays or Christmas celebrations?) Heavens, we're into February already!

Are you happy with your achievements so far in 2008? Honestly? I bet there's a little mental list forming, right now, of all the things you hoped to have completed by the 31st January! Right? And I'll also wager that most items on the 'remain undone' list are things you don't enjoy? Right again!

So, what are you waiting for? Find someone who DOES enjoy those 'awful' tasks! They're out there, just waiting to hear from you! Lighten your mental load, use all that 'worrying time' to move your business (or Life!) forward and help the economic merry-go-round spin a little faster! As the ad says, "...because you're worth it"!

The Swift quill has been flying over the paper as new commissions have come in, thick and fast, since the New Year. Great stuff! I'm doing what I enjoy and (overcoming that innate British modesty!), I'm good at! There, I've said it! Meanwhile, my clients relax into the personally rewarding lanes of their business model! Now that's what I call WIN/WIN!

Think I'll go and write something! That's my idea of a good time . . .

Is writing a problem for you?

2007-09-27T22:10:48+01:00

"The future lies before you like a sheet of driven snow, be careful how you tread it, for every step will show". And it will, you know!

In today's high-speed business arena, do you visually grab your customer within 11 seconds? That's all you have to make that initial impression. Did you know that? Worrying isn't it?

Words, just words, but so powerful visually and emotionally. Are your footprints in the snow encouraging your target market to follow? Or are you trampled under foot, your valiant efforts unnoticed?

So many people freeze when they see that blank sheet of paper, or screen, in front of them. Are you one of them? That's OK. Sales letters, teleclass transcriptions, personal profiles for MySpace and

Facebook may present terrifying challenges to some. But, relax, ever thought of outsourcing? Freeing your time to do what you are passionate about? Building your core business without worrying about writing; does that seem a dream to you?

Relax, your burden is my passion! Outsourcing turns your chore into my pleasure AND you'll have great big footprints in the snow leading clients right to your door!

Outsourcing, Delegating and Pumpkins!

2007-06-20T19:53:45+01:00

Came across a great proverb the other day...

One cannot manage too many affairs: like pumpkins in the water, one pops up while you try to hold down the other. Chinese Proverb

How many pumpkins are you single handedly trying to float? Could any of them be managed by someone else? If delegating or outsourcing is something you struggle with, you might want to get your copy of my complimentary report - 10 Simple Steps to Working Smarter Not Harder. This 5 page report also includes a Delegation Success Worksheet which is designed to help you work out which of your pumpkins(!) are 'outsource-able', what the fears and risks of doing so might be and what options to manage those you can put in place with your VA.

To get your copy now, simply pop your email address in the box at the top right of this page and we will send you the download instructions.

“Make Time For Success!” teaches vital success skills

2007-06-19T22:15:58+01:00

If there's one thing that my entrepreneurial friends and clients universally admire or are envious of, it's those people who get an amazing amount accomplished in their business and still seem to have more time than them for fun with family or friends! So when I came across Mind Tools’ ebook/course 'Make Time For Success!', I have to admit to getting pretty excited! Let me explain...

'Make Time For Success!' is a 142-page ebook/course that "cuts right to the chase of what it takes to transform yourself into a truly effective business person who knows how to make time, energy, and others work for him or her."

The content is unique because it includes 6 very special techniques that highly successful people use to get more done in less time. I’ve yet to see these techniques presented elsewhere in such a concise way. And if you’ve ever wondered what your next 10 years will hold for you - maybe wished you had a realistic, 'do-able' plan - then 'Make Time For Success!' may well be your ticket to the successful future you want.

This excellent course also enables you to:

Greatly reduce stress in your daily life
See and focus on the big picture rather than flitting from one task to another
Be able to determine which tasks to delegate and which to handle yourself

What specific skills does this course teach you? Here are just a few topics:

How to Manage Time Effectively
How To Make Time For Your Real Priorities
The Insider Secrets Of Planning And Scheduling
Powerful Ways To Cut The Clutter
Trusted Telephone Techniques
How To Deal With People Who Interrupt Your Day
The Best Ways To Delegate
How To Define Tasks In Ways That Will Get Things Done
The Power Of Money To Leverage Your Path To Success
How To Set Realistic Life Goals

Compared to many other business and leadership books, I found 'Make Time For Success!' to be very user-friendly. None of it was overly complex, and I came away from it very impressed. Anyone can use this resource to become more effective and successful. It offers useful and accessible tools that you can learn quickly and begin implementing immediately.

The concept is simple really... as you become more effective at managing time, effort, energy and others, you will get more done. When you get more done, you will become very successful and you’ll have more time at your disposal. And once you start going through the exercises, you should start feeling your stress level drop because you can fit everything into your day and still have time to spend having fun!

So in summing up, this course is exceptional value. Success seminars run into the hundreds of pounds, whereas this ebook costs only $37, which works out to about 50p for each of the 39 critical skills it teaches! What's more, at the moment, Mind Tools is offering their special Stress Management Masterclass guide FREE for those who agree to evaluate 'Make Time For Success!'. But perhaps the best part is that you can try this course out at no risk, as they run one of those 'no questions asked' 3-month, 100% money-back guarantees. How good is that?!

Of course, you will make your own decision, but I recommend you order 'Make Time For Success!' today. Click here to find out more.