Pick up the biography of any person whose legacy has withstood the tests of time, and you will find that their lives were sagas of hard work. Those with the dedication and faith to take the time and effort to unleash the genius within them are a precious few, and this is what differentiates legends from the rest.

Winston Churchill is one such luminary who displays all of the above traits.

Winston Churchill, Zero to Hero Story

Winston Churchill was born to Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome (daughter of American millionaire Leonard Jerome) in 1874. As a child, Winston was provided with all material comforts, but was deprived of parental affection.

With both parents swept up in worldly affairs, thanks to their prestigious societal, Churchill had only his nanny to turn to. Mrs. Elizabeth Anne Everest also doubled as Churchill’s playmate and confidant, besides supervising him as his nanny.

Winston was sent off to boarding school at the age of seven. He performed poorly in academics during the early years of his schooling life, and faced the wrath of his tutors and parents.

His father, it has been recorded, repeatedly berated Churchill by stating that he would grow up to be a failure. The young boy did not enjoy a genial relationship with his parents – neither parent visited him at school, despite his letters to his mother begging her to do so.

As a child Churchill displayed great memory power, once demonstrated when he won an award for reciting old poetry that ran into 1,200 lines. It was during the later years of his education life at Harrow School that he first began to display signs of excellence. He was his school’s fencing champion, and began to improve at academics.

He then proceeded to study politics, first from a philosophical point of view, trying to define natural justice and natural right, and then from a contemporary point of view, scrutinizing the political conditions faced by countries across the world.

As a youngster, though his father wanted him to join the infantry, Churchill joined the cavalry. The grade requirements were low enough to let him through and, it did not require him to learn math, a subject he hated with passion.

Thereon began Churchill’s slow climb to being the man that created history.

Churchill was a multi-faceted man – he was a war correspondent, a war leader, a politician and a painter.

His fling with literature began with him signing up as a war correspondent to add additional income to his meager income as a soldier early on. “The Story of the Malakand Field Force”, “The River War”, 4 volumes of accounts of World War 1 and 6 volumes of studies of World War 2 establish Churchill’s prowess as a war correspondent. Savrola is his only fictional work, and he is better known for his war correspondence volumes and for his biography on his father, titled Lord Randolph Churchill.

History of English Speaking Peoples, The Unrelenting Struggle, The Dawn of Liberation and Victory are the other works he is known for. Winston Churchill was conferred with the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953.

Churchill was also an avid painter who painted more than 500 canvases during his lifetime.

Churchill was also a genius in politics. It has been reported that Churchill was the only Parliamentarian who could truly hold the attention of his fellow members, and he was the only one who enjoyed a full house audience. He did jump from Conservatives to Libertarians and then back to Conservatives, but his changes were because his ideals were being compromised.

Lessons from Churchill’s Story

One characteristic of Winston Churchill that one can learn from is his knowledge of the self.

True leaders are those who allow their inner selves to guide them, not public opinion. One needs to sort out his or her priorities for themselves, and understand what it is that they stand or fight for. It is one’s inner convictions that truly matter, as they are what motivate one’s efforts. Personal goals must be set by the self, not by popular opinion.

Churchill did not allow discouraging remarks by his teachers and parents to hinder his efforts to progress, and neither did he allow his speech impediments to make him overly self-conscious. “My impediment is no hindrance,” he proudly declared when he could finally deliver flawless speeches that held everyone’s attention and motivate audiences.

Another characteristic of Winston Churchill that one can learn from is the acceptance of setbacks. Churchill was relieved of his Admiral position when he failed his duties, but rebounded when he sounded warning bells about the growing danger posed by Hitler, and progressed to be among the finest war leaders the world ever saw.

One who reads through any of the 50+ books penned about Churchill will realize that the lives of legends are not strings of successes.

The select few whose footprints remain on the sands of time are those who did not allow failure to dissuade them, and got up to continue with their work every time life dealt blows to them.

There is rarely a shortcut to true success, and the path to the same is paved by perseverance.

For many people, the idea of competing in an Ironman triathlon is (initially at least) impossible. An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile marathon run. It’s considered the most challenging single day event in the world.

True, some Ironman triathletes are professionals, but many are not. They are normal people with normal lives who decided to make their vision a reality.

I have recently met one of these “normal” guys at a conference. His name is Eric Teplitz and I was delighted when he agreed to be interviewed and share his thoughtful insights here.

1. Hi Eric, tell us a bit about yourself and your Ironman dream that you fulfilled.

I am just a regular guy who became enthralled with the challenge of completing an Ironman and eventually achieved this goal.

2. Do you consider yourself to be physically predisposed to be an endurance athlete? What were your athletic capabilities before?

Now that I have completed an iron-distance triathlon, you could say that I was “physically predisposed” to do so. But it’s sort of a “chicken and egg” question since you cannot really know for sure what you are capable of doing until you’ve actually done it.

Would anyone who knew me during the first, say, 25 years of my life guess that I would someday even attempt an event like the Ironman? I highly doubt it.

I know I certainly never would have! As for previous athletic abilities, I was always in decent shape, and blessed with a really good metabolism, but I was never particularly drawn to athletics growing up – nor did I show any real promise for any sports in particular, endurance or otherwise.

3. What was the spark that inspired you to become an Ironman? What ultimately led you to the decision to make a lifestyle change? How did you get introduced to the sport of Ironman triathlons?

For me, it was a very gradual and progressive process. When I was living in Pennsylvania in the late ‘90s I knew a guy who happened to be a triathlete who told me a little bit about his crazy escapades. I expressed a certain amount of curiosity, so he gave me a sheet that outlined a twelve-week training program for a “short course” triathlon. I never did anything with it, other than file it away somewhere.

Fast forward several years to 2003: I was now living in L.A., and I had bought a mountain bike and was really enjoying riding it to the beach and using it to commute to work. I thought back to that sheet and managed to dig it up out of an old storage box. I took a close look at it and thought, “You know, this seems doable…” so I signed up for the Malibu Triathlon few months later in September.

The distances of that race were a .5-mile (ocean) swim, an 18-mile bike, and a 4-mile run. I had never attempted anything like it before. In fact, I had never entered a race of any kind before. For me, the most intimidating part by far was the ocean swim, as I was woefully underprepared for it on race day, but I did manage to get through it. I remember being thrilled once I could see the shoreline after rounding the final buoy and realizing I was going to live!

The completion of that race was a big personal victory for me. But, glorious as it was, I never imagined at that point how far I would end up going with my interest in the sport of triathlon.

A friend of a friend had completed a marathon earlier that year, and I remember thinking not long after finishing my race that, as awesome as the triathlon experience was, you’d have to be out of your mind to do a marathon.

Running 26 miles just sounded like pure punishment to me. Why would anyone in his right mind willingly subject himself to that? A month later, I started training for the LA Marathon! And it just progressed from there.

I got hooked, and intrigued by the possibilities of what else I might be able to do. I thought for sure that the most I would ever even consider doing in terms of triathlon distances would be the half-Ironman (now commonly known as the “70.3”) distance, but once I completed one of those, I thought to myself: “Well, if I were ever going to consider signing up for a full Ironman, it would seem like now would be the time to do it, having just done all of this training and built up all of this momentum!” So that’s how I ended up signing up for my first Ironman race.

4. Once you knew what your dream was how long did it take you to actualize it, and what was your first step?

It took me three tries and over four years from the time I signed up for my first Ironman race ‘til I actually finished one. My first step was just immersing myself in the goal.

Remember I was building upon my training and completion of the Ironman 70.3 California race in 2007, so I wasn’t starting from scratch.

It did involve a higher level of commitment and an even greater absorption in the goal. I read everything I could get my hands on about Ironman training, finally upgraded to a road bike (I had been using my $300 mountain bike all of this time, including at the 70.3 race), and spent a lot of time thinking about the Ironman in addition to training for it.

5. Tell us a bit about what the training involves? Also, Can you give us a typical schedule of a week’s training for you?

I had to go dig out my training log and notes to answer this one. I did not follow any one training plan to the letter. I studied a number of plans, philosophies, and approaches (mostly by reading books on the subject) and took what I liked from each and incorporated them into my own training regimen.

I trained specifically for endurance, not for speed, as my goal was simply to complete the distances in the allotted time (and to do so without needing any medical attention). So my plan involved reaching endurance benchmarks by certain dates more than following a strict daily routine. I was disciplined, but flexible and self-directed in my approach.

Shocking as this may sound, the training involved mostly a lot of swimming, biking, and running! And resting and recovering, let’s not forget that.

As for a “typical” week, because I was training for endurance, I generally tried to do one long swim and one long bike ride each week, and long runs even less frequently than that because it takes longer to recover from those. Looking back at my training log I can see that I accumulated over 200 hours of training time in the seven months leading up to the race that I successfully finished (Vineman, on 7/30/11).

200 hours sounds like a lot, and it is, but not by Ironman training standards; it really only averages out to about 7 hours/week for the duration of those seven months. To get a little more specific to the weeks leading up to the race, I can see that in the seven weeks just before my four week taper (the peak of my training), I averaged 10.5 hours of workout time per week, with the maximum number of hours in one week being 15.75 (five weeks before the race).

That at least gives you some idea of the physical aspect of my training. Note that those are hours spent actually working out, and do not include things like planning and preparing for workouts, commuting to workouts, stretching after workouts, trips to the bike shop, and reading, note-taking, and generally obsessing about all things Ironman!

There’s a huge mental component to training as well, but the physical and mental aspects are definitely intertwined. Figuring out how to give yourself enough (and the right kinds) of nutrition over the duration of a long workout is also a big part of the overall equation, and for me involved mostly experimentation.

Each individual race (and in some cases, individual workouts) also has its own logistics that need to be understood and planned for. And then there are the issues related to clothing and gear, and the financial cost of everything. So it’s a pretty big undertaking all in all.

6. Did you enjoy your training? What didn’t you like?

I did enjoy my training. It’s incredible to experience your body adapt to this kind of conditioning and to do things you may have previously thought were not even possible for you.

Ironman training can be addictive but in a positive way. There is the feeling of making continuous progress toward a significant goal, which is very motivating. You experience an increase in your fitness level (obviously), collect a series of accomplishments along the way, which builds self-esteem, gain experience with pushing past discomfort to achieve something that’s important to you, and inevitably learn a lot about both the sport and yourself. Plus, swimming, biking, and running can all be very enjoyable activities in and of themselves. Endorphins are wonderful things!

I also very much prefer the variety of doing workouts in all three of these disciplines rather than just one of them. You tend to naturally eat better during training, too, in response to your body’s craving for certain nutrients, and because you want to perform at your best. All of these things are very positive.

As for what I didn’t like? Maybe my memory is selective in hindsight, but nothing stands out as being particularly negative. Are workouts sometimes hard? Yes, but you at least have the feeling of accomplishment at the end. Do you have to make certain sacrifices in order to train? Sure, but I didn’t feel resentful about this because I chose to do it and the goal, for whatever reason, excited me.

I was also very fortunate to not suffer any injuries during training. This was due in part to being as smart and careful as I knew how to be, but there’s always an element of luck in there too, for which I am grateful.

7. How did your body respond to the training?

Wonderfully! I had experienced this process before in training for other races. I’ll never forget my experience training for my first marathon. I followed a training program very diligently for that race, and was amazed at how my body gradually adapted to each incremental challenge as long as I kept my focus on the current workout – or the next one, if I was between workouts – and not on the seemingly impossible ones further on down the line (there’s a lesson in there somewhere!).

I think it’s also very important to listen to your body. I keep learning this over and over again with every race that I train for, and I’d like to think that I have gotten at least a little better at it with experience. You have to respect when your body sends you a message such as “I need rest!” and give it what it asks for.

If you do this, if you honor your body, if you really appreciate the amazing things it can do and give it the respect it deserves, it will likely come through for you when you need it to. This means you have to be flexible enough during the course of your training to allow for unplanned rest days and other modifications to your training plan.

One of the trickiest aspects of endurance training is knowing when to keep pushing yourself versus when you need to back off. This is something that your body will teach you, ultimately. You’ve got to listen to your body above all else if you want to get the best results from it.

8. How did you juggle your full time job, your social life, and your training when you prepared for the Ironman? How did you manage your time?

I think what happens is, you get better at managing your time when you have a compelling goal driving you – such as training for an Ironman – as compared to when you don’t. At least, that’s how it was for me. I was more motivated and serious about planning my free time in such a way as to fit in the training I wanted, or felt I needed to do.

I was not working full-time when I trained for my first Ironman race, but I did work full-time throughout all of my training for the other two, including Vineman, the one that I finished. Looking back, what I find interesting is that I put in pretty close to the same amount of hours of training when I was working full-time as when I wasn’t. That surprises me, actually!

9. What was the one constant motivation that kept you on track in your training? What gave you the courage to go after your biggest dream?

You know, that’s hard to answer. It’s kind of an intangible thing, but it has something to do with really caring about the goal – becoming fascinated and even obsessed with it. I can’t explain why I cared so much about finishing an Ironman, of all things. I’m sure there are a number of reasons.

I have said before that I am the most and least motivated person I’ve ever met. When I really care about something, I seem to have a deep well of motivation and resourcefulness upon which I can draw. But understanding exactly why it is that something captures my imagination so intensely is not always easy for me to explain or even fully understand.

10. What was the greatest challenge you faced training for the Ironman?

I would have to say that the greatest challenge for me was being able to cover the race distances quickly enough. There are cut-off times for each of the three disciplines (and sometimes within them, as well, depending on the race).

As I mentioned earlier, I spent the bulk of my training efforts on building endurance, but the reality is if you don’t make a particular time cut-off, you’re out of the race right then and there. So in each race I did, I had a battle with the clock. But it did keep things exciting!

You can read the following entries on my blog in which I describe this in much greater detail: “The Most Athletic Day of My Life” (Ironman Arizona), “An Exercise in Courage” (Ironman St. George), and “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Tri, Tri Again!” (Vineman).

11. Can you describe any diet changes that were necessary to perform at this higher level?

I was far from fanatical about monitoring my diet during training. That said, I have been a vegetarian for several years now and eat a pretty healthy diet overall.

I do have a bit of a sweet tooth, but one of the wonderful things about Ironman training is that you burn so many calories that you can justify almost anything you eat!

As I mentioned earlier, though, your body tends to crave certain foods during training and I found that, even without having to be strict about eating “healthy” all of the time, the habits of regular exercise and healthy eating tend to reinforce one another.

12. If you were to do it all over again, would you do anything differently?

Nothing major comes to mind. In part, this is probably because I am not a super-competitive athlete, other than with myself. I strive to improve my own performance, but I’m not motivated much by competing with other athletes the way some people are. I do this kind of thing to test, and stretch, my own limits.

13. What was your strategy in managing pain during difficult segments of the race?

This is an interesting question, and I’m not sure I have a definite answer for it. I have noticed, through training for and participating in a number of different races, that there is a huge mental component to getting through an endurance event.

When you train, you train not only your body but also your mind. In addition to the physical fitness you’ve built and can draw upon in a race, you also build a storehouse of mental fortitude. If you have trained with any degree of seriousness, then you have inevitably accumulated some mental strategies for getting yourself through, and I think these are highly individual and personal – they really amount to whatever works for you.

So, in a race you are drawing from all similar experiences you have created for yourself during the course of your training (including any other races you may have done)., but because it is a race and not just a training session, there are other factors at play.

Most people will take a race more seriously than a training workout. There’s more on the line! There is also a unique environment of some 2,000 people around you giving everything they’ve got, and you can draw from their energy, encouraging comments, and inspiring examples, as well. Not to mention the support of the volunteers and spectators! So, one of the main challenges in an endurance event like the Ironman is keeping your morale up, especially when things don’t go as you planned or hoped they would.

My only real strategy was to keep going, and I did whatever I could in any particular moment to motivate myself to do just that. The race reports on my blog provide more specifics about this.

14. What did your Ironman experience teach you? Did you apply any lessons learnt to your day-to-day life?

First and foremost: you can accomplish way more than you think you can.

The whole process of training for an Ironman involves bridging the gap between what your perceived limits are and what you actually can do. There are plenty of other lessons, too, but that’s the big one.

Have I applied that big lesson to other aspects of my life? I’m still working on that, honestly! But here’s some more food for thought: I mentioned earlier that I averaged around seven hours of training per week for seven months for the Vineman race that I completed. This, on average, comes out to just an hour a day. Now granted, if you were to train for literally an hour a day every day for seven months, it probably would not serve you in good stead for an event like the Ironman, where the whole point is to build up the endurance needed to complete it.

But it does kind of beg the question: what might you be able to accomplish if you devoted a mere hour a day (either literally, or on average) over a period of time with a singule focus in mind? That question, especially if answered with some creativity, imagination, courage, and ambition, has the potential to change your life.

15. Do you recommend any books, products or websites that helped you along the way?

Yes, my number one recommendation would be the book IRONSTRUCK…The Ironman Triathlon Journey by Ray Fauteux. Other books that I found helpful during my Ironman training were Be Iron Fit by Don Fink, and Going Long by Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn.

16. What would be one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring endurance athlete? What is your message to someone who’s about to embark on his dream?

If doing an endurance event is something that interests you, go for it! You don’t have to start with an Ironman, try something that would be a stretch for you, whatever that may be.

Start wherever you are, and enjoy the journey. Another book I highly recommend, by the way, is the one I used to train for my first marathon: it’s called The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer, by David Whitsett, Forrest Dolgener, and Tanjala Cole.

It takes what is potentially a totally intimidating endeavor – training for your first marathon – and helps to make it truly accessible. It certainly did for me.

17. Do you continue to do triathlons? What’s next for you as an endurance athlete? What are your fitness goals for the New Year?

I just completed the Rose Bowl Half Marathon a couple of weeks ago (my 6th race at that distance). At the moment, I am not signed up for any other races.

As for my fitness goals right now, I would like to establish an exercise routine that is completely independent of training for any races. In other words, I’d like to see if I can stay motivated to exercise for its own sake and rewards – to keep it a regular part of my life, but a smaller part so that I can give more attention to other things.

Will I end up doing other endurance events in the future? I’ve certainly learned by now to never say never! One thing that interests me to some extent is doing a double century (200-mile bike ride), as I’ve never done one. But I have no plans for this right now. Time will tell if my interest in this persists and proves compelling.

18. What’s next for you in life?

The biggest challenge in my life for quite some time has been trying to figure out a way to make a living that really suits me – something that I find enjoyable, fulfilling, and in which I can feel really good about investing myself; something that allows me to realize my most positive and creative potential, and that makes a positive difference in the lives of others, as well. Stay tuned!

Thanks Eric

Pele did not have the world handed over to him on a silver platter, he worked his way sweat and blood to the upper echelons of sports persons.

What is it that had the young man get back onto his feet every time he was tackled to the ground?
What inspired him to take no notice of buffeted bones in his body, and return to the soccer field at the earliest?

The answer to the questions posed is something that you must experience to believe. When your work is not just work but the element that defines you, and when you derive satisfaction that is greater than any pain that can be inflicted on you, nothing else matters, and you plough on.

Pele Zero to hero Story

Pele was born Edson Arantes Do Nascimento on 3 October 1940. His father was a soccer player who was forced to retire from the game when he fractured his leg.

Young Pele grew up in poverty, and used to polish shoes to help contribute to the family income. The boy showed great interest for, and talent in, soccer and was playing for a local minor league club when he got his first break.

The 11-year-old Pele caught the eye of Waldemar de Brito, a premier player of the nation. Brito is said to have presented Pele to skeptical directors at Santos, boldly stating that Pele would be the greatest soccer player in the world. Whether or not he truly believed in his passionate statement at the time he made it remains immaterial.

Pele proved himself to Santos when, at the age of 16, he scored a goal in his very first mainstream match, which was against Corinthians FC.

The world began to sit up and pay attention when a 17-year-old Pele scored a whopping 6 goals during the 1958 World Cup, thereby leading the Brazil National Team to victory. Brazil won its first World Cup that year.

With word of his brilliant performances spreading like wildfire, and a wide range of sports clubs showing unmasked interest in having Pele play for them, Brazil declared its star soccer player a national treasure, thereby barring Pele from playing for any non-Brazilian club or corporation.

Pele was a vision when on the field, with his agile 5 ft. 8 inches frame swiftly running across the arena, his deft feet expertly dribbling the ball. Besides being hailed for his extraordinary command on the ball and powerful kicks, Pele also commanded admiration for his powerful head shots.

In 1962, Pele was unable to play alongside his team during World Cup as he sustained severe injuries during the first match of the tournament. However, in 1970, Pele led his team to win what would be the 3rd World Cup for his nation.

His goal was precious in more ways than one – not only was it Brazil’s 100th World Cup goal, but it was also a goal that was close to Pele’s heart as he had scored it with his head. Pele’s dad was adept at headshots, and is reported to have made 5 headshot goals in a single match, and the move was special for Pele.

Pele’s score board is stunning. In all, the master soccer player has scored 1,280 goals, and is second only to Arthur Friedenreich, another Brazilian soccer player with 1,329 goals in his kitty. Pele’s average worked out to one goal at every international game. 92 hat tricks and 97 international goals are the statistics that place his at the top of his game, with his statistics being the highest ever.

After he retired, Pele returned to active soccer for a short span of 2 years to promote soccer in North America. He played in the North American Soccer League to attract the interest of millions of Americans towards the “beautiful game” of soccer.

He played an exhibition game between Cosmos and Santos, playing for the former during the first half, and for the latter team during the second half. He used his popularity to spread the message of love and peace among the followers of the game, and had crowds chanting “Love! Love! Love!” during the exhibition match.

Pele invested a lot of time and effort to advance the popularity of soccer. He penned autobiographies, and even starred in various documentary and semi-documentary films that focused on soccer, or on his life as a soccer player.

Towards the end of his soccer career, Pele also went to display his acting skills, and he is also a musician. His other talents, too, were invested to promote soccer and goodwill among populations.

Lessons from Pele’s story

All that a person who thumbs down Pele’s biography will see are a series of success stories, with glorious inputs from the player himself, sports commentators and ecstatic audiences highlighting the legend’s prowess on the field.

Few care to recount the instances when Pele suffered grievous wounds during a game and quit the field in tears, only to return better than before for the next match. Here is the sportsmanship that propelled the player to be the man he is.

The world of soccer would still be waiting for its king if Pele was an ordinary player who was on the field for merely fame or money, rather than true passion for the sport.

One lesson that can be learnt from Pele’s story therefore, is that the key to success is to indulge in that which your heart lay.

Another lesson is that a successful man is not the one who does not meet failure, but the one who accepts failure as a part of his learning process and moves on.
An adult who is trying to attain a set goal must be like a toddler learning to walk – not afraid of falling down, and getting up every time he falls down to try and walk again, one step at a time.

My hand is up. It happened to me in the past and I’ve seen it happen to many others too.

When we set a big goal, we’re often too quick to pursue it, not considering the already overloaded schedule we routinely have, the sacrifices we might have to make, and the elements that already work well in our lives.

Often, we just need to pause for a while, re-affirm our commitment, adjust our routines and lay some groundwork to carry us forward into our journey.

I’m currently at this stage and I felt compelled to share my thoughts and findings here.

Identifying Your Options

Deciding on a yearly goal is not always easy, especially when there are several directions to go in, that all feel important.

I usually brainstorm on paper and force myself to generate a certain number of ideas. If I’m stuck, I use a few questions to get me thinking. I find myself a quiet place with minimal distractions and each time I get an idea, I jot it down.

This usually works without fail.

Here are some questions that helped me to get started (More questions can be found within my free eBook, “Design Your Dream Year“):

    - What are the biggest, most exciting dreams I want to manifest into my life?
    - What is my ultimate destination? What is the vision I have for my life?
    - What am I passionate about? What am I most excited in life?
    - If anything was possible, what is the first change I would start to make?
    - What area of my life can be upgraded and would make the biggest difference?
    - For my life to be perfect, what would have to change?
    - What do I really, really want…?

Evaluating Your Options

My second step, which is often the hardest one to make, is evaluating which option may provide the most optimal path for the year. Some people use a long drawn-out analysis process to make a decision, but I find it too tedious. I prefer to rely on my gut instinct and trust my intuition to guide me.

What I usually do, is simply think about which one of the items on my list would radically transform my life and give me the most benefits. I then write down the deepest reasons I can fathom why I want to bring this into reality.

If I don’t feel aligned with that reason, I keep revisiting until I feel a strong emotional resonance with it.

After going through this process this year, I decided that my primary goal would be to grow and diversify my financial wealth. A few people might mistakenly identify wealth with money but my intentions are far different from just making more money.

Clarifying Your Goal

Clarifying your yearly goal is fundamental to maintain motivation and to make sure your goal has enough emotional appeal to strike your inner desire.

It makes it easier to know when you’ve reached your goal and when it’s time to stop. Without clear goals, you can wander aimlessly and most likely end up losing interest or becoming distracted.

By “clarifying your goal” I mean asking yourself a few basic questions about your new direction. Such as:

    - What exactly do you want to accomplish?
    - What are the biggest rewards from pursing your goal?
    - What is at stake if you don’t achieve it?
    - Would working toward your goal bring you satisfaction?
    - How important is it for you to achieve your goal?

You’ve probably heard the acronym “SMART goal” before. (SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time based). I usually use this approach when I set smaller goals later in the process, but I find it too rigid and uninspiring at this point.

I find that this method puts the concept of goal setting and dream attainment in a linear framework that works only on the left side of the brain.

As an alternative, I clarify my chosen goal by being specific about what the goal means to me and by considering the major rewards along the journey. When goals are both extremely significant and rewarding, they create a greater impact on our minds and provide a long lasting source of energy.

A more “Right Brain” tool that can be effectively used for identifying rewards (and obstacles) is drawing a consequence map diagram. You start with your goal as a center node and draw it in the middle. You then brainstorm different kinds of consequences and draw them in subsequent nodes. That’s pretty much it.

I personally find Consequence Mapping extremely useful for big decisions that contain a lot of uncertainty.

Below is an example of a consequence map for my decision to participate in an Ironman triathlon race.

The result of this year’s consequence mapping is to focus on creation and diversification of wealth in 2012.

A diversified and sustainable source of wealth means more options, which ultimately lead to greater freedom and independence. The ability to fly across the world whenever I want, visit the people I love, go on exciting adventures, help people in third world countries and hire assistance when I need it, has a strong appeal to both me and my partner.

My focus in the next 12 months will be to build and grow assets. To be more specific, I intend to further my financial and entrepreneurial skills, contribute more value within my business, experiment with new financial instruments, and strengthen new and existing business relationships.

If you’re also considering a financial goal this year, I highly encourage you to think beyond money and strive to build assets instead. Money is only an idea, a number on a computer screen, something that can lose its value over night.

A better focus would be on assets such as your skills, knowledge base, start-up business, and investments.

Laying the groundwork

Once you’ve made a decision on which goal to pursue, your first instinct may be to tackle your goal right away.
This can work well with smaller and lower risk goals, but large goals by their very nature, often need some more groundwork.

    - How much time or resources you have available for your goal?
    - Would you need to acquire new skills or knowledge?
    - How would you find motivation and discipline when you most need it?
    - Do you have the right people or support group around you to succeed?

This year I allocated a whole month to laying the groundwork needed for my goal.

I went on an information diet to amp up my productivity and focus. I unsubscribed from all my daily emails, Facebook groups and mailing lists (I now only follow those who contribute directly to my journey), and I gave up on some freelance work to free up even more time.

On the technical side, I acquired a second dedicated server for the sites with the highest traffic to allow further growth. I redesigned and restructured vital sites and eliminated those that were not geared for growth.

Perhaps most importantly, I improved the operational side of the business by empowering a few freelancers who work on routine projects for me.

To “sharpen my saw” in the goal attainment arena, I flew to Las Vegas and participated in a 3 days workshop by Steve Pavlina. Beside some new skills and techniques I acquired, the workshop was an excellent opportunity to meet new people and refresh my energy.

At Pavlina’s workshop I also made plans for forming Mastermind groups with people who share the exact same purpose. As a group, we’ll share ideas, best practices and action plans on a regular basis. The group will hold me accountable to my specific monthly projects.

Whatever groundwork you need to make, whether it’s within yourself or with others, I highly recommend you take the time and do the work.

Planning Your Goal

While working in the corporate world I’ve noticed how frequently top managers focus on the immediate task in front of them, rather than plan ahead. They mistakenly regarded being busy as being effective.

My belief is that your commitment to your goal is represented in your planning. More specifically, it is represented in your well-intentioned schedule and your newly planned action steps.

The most effective way I know to tackle a big goal is to break it down into more manageable steps. Smaller projects are less scary and when you see that you are taking small steps forward, you will tend to stay motivated.

Setting intermediate goals will also help you mark your progress along the trail. Achieving these benchmark goals means you’ll have frequent victories and build your momentum with each one you complete.

A goal to start making money online, for example, can be broken into several sub goals such as building a blog, create an information product, increase your following, build an affiliate network, etc.

Each sub goal can be broken down further into action steps. Building a new blog, for example, can be divided into a number of action steps such as structuring your initial content, creating screen layouts, building a sitemap, register a Feedburner account, etc.

One important thing that I also recommend in my ebook is to try focusing on one project at a time. Most goal methods do not work because we try to change everything all at once. It’s indeed tempting, but in my experience that translates into mediocre outcomes. When you try to take on many goals at once, you simply spread your energy and focus thin.

So, with that in mind, I decided to focus my energy on creating and promoting a quality information product in an area of high demand and a topic for which I have relative expertise.

I will dedicate the next month for this project. Future wealth creation projects will vary and include topics such as building and marketing an iPhone App or experimenting with FX market investments. For now, the focus is on the online arena.

Supporting Your Goal

One step that is almost always ignored and yet has a tremendous impact on whether or not you’ll achieve your goal, is forming supporting habits.

You can harness your willpower each time you start a task, but if you do it too often, you’ll eventually burn out and revert back to the same behavioral patterns.

Not surprisingly, it has been reported that 95 percent of people who try to lose weight on a diet regain it. Self control is a limited resource and needs to be treated as such.

This is where habits come in.

Habits help us to continue working on our goals even when we are not motivated. They allow us to transition through our day on autopilot and conserve our limited energy.

By harnessing the more primitive part of the brain in which habits are formed, you’ll have the opportunity to make lasting changes.

This year, in order to decide what supporting habits I want to adopt, I reviewed past goals and examined what worked well. In addition, I also examined missed goals and figured what habits didn’t work quite right for me.

Based on my findings I decided to commit to five habits, and in addition I decided that I will abide by them for the next 365 days straight.

    1. 365 days of running – At least 2KM a day, (I’m on day 30, so far so good)
    2. Non stop outsource – When completed work is received, new work will be immediately outsourced.
    3. Wealth creation work on daily basis – At least 1 hour a day.
    4. Daily personal development & wealth creation education – Audio, Video or Text.
    5. One motivational thoughts a day – Published when internet access is available.

I’ve started the last habit on the list a bit late (I’m on day 17), but in order to make it more fun and to reenergize my creative juices on regular basis, I decided to commit myself for 1000 days.

If you’re interested in forming habits this year, take a look at the last step in my e-book, and decide what works best for you.

For better or for worse, we are creatures of habits. Take advantage of it.

Taking action

None of the information in this post really matters without you taking action. In future, I might share some thoughts about ways to take action but in the mean time I encourage you to:

    1. Choose a goal that you aim to achieve within 30 days.
    2. Determine how you will know that you’ve achieved your goal.
    3. Brainstorm what resources you’ll need to achieve it.

Feel free to share your action plan with me to build accountability. You can post to the comment section of this Blog post or simply contact me directly. I read and answer to every enquiry coming my way.

Final words

We often expect too much too soon and then get discouraged when results don’t come right away. Commitment does not mean rushing toward your goal, but rather, taking ample time to figure out a plan, build supporting rituals and lay the groundwork that is so needed in order to achieve your goal.

Live out the dream
Tal

He was not exactly sure how he’s going to make enough money to support him on his new journey but, nonetheless, he took the plunge and dove in.

Today, his thought-provoking blog is broadly read and attracts regular readers from every part of the plant. He makes money online, doing what he loves, while exploring the world, fulltime.

I first met Niall a few years ago in las Vegas at a personal development workshop. The passion and energy that came out of his voice grabbed my attention almost immediately. We became fast friends and he has continued to inspire me ever since.

Niall kindly agreed to share his story and insights here. I highly recommend reading this if you feel that your time has come to take the plunge and start following your dreams.

Enjoy…

1. Tell us a bit about yourself. What was the biggest dream that you went after?

I’m 29 years old, from Ireland. I run a blog called Disrupting the Rabblement that’s all about thinking for yourself, living your dreams, and pissing off zombies.

The big dream I’m going after is the freedom to follow my passions full-time. A manifestation of that is a trip around the world without flying that I embarked on last September. I expect it will take four years to complete. I’m supporting myself mostly via freelance web design, working from my laptop from wherever I happen to be.

2. How did you get started & What ultimately led you to the decision to make a lifestyle change?

I was working a 9-to-5 web design job in New Orleans, which actually was the realization of another dream of mine. I had wanted to live and work in the US for years, mostly because I was obsessed with NBA basketball, and in particular the New Orleans Hornets, my favorite team. In 2007 I finally found an employer who would sponsor my visa long-term, and so I made the move. Before too long I had media access to all the games and had some of my sports writing featured on ESPN.com. I was all up in that basketball dream of mine

However, I had been gradually getting more interested in personal development, and had started writing about that as well. I found that to be much more fulfilling than writing about ten guys chasing a ball around a wooden floor, and I realized I could help a lot of people in a more meaningful way if I pushed it further.

At the same time, I was starting to see the downside of having a 9-to-5 job. I longed to travel but my day job didn’t afford me many opportunities to do so. One day it just became very obvious to me that I needed to leave my old dream behind and leap towards something bigger and better. Once I had that realization, there was no turning back.

3. Once you knew what your dream was how long did it take you to actualize it and what was your first step?

I still don’t think I’m there quite yet, but I’m confident that I’m headed in the right direction. I started on my current path back in May of 2010, six months before I quit my day job. So I’m coming up on two years since that initial decision. Just recently have I started to cover my expenses with my freelance web design, but I’m still spending more hours in front of the computer than I’d ultimately like. Once U get down to between 30 and 40 hours per week, I’ll be pretty content.

4. What would be a typical day for you? How do you maintain your work life balance?

A typical day, when I’m not on the move, usually involves 4 to 8 hours of work. I never really take a day off, and I’m fine with that. I enjoy the work I do and the vast majority of the time I’m working with really cool people, many of whom I consider friends.

Also, work for me is a broad term. I might be designing a website, doing some coding, answering emails, responding to comments, crafting a blog post, chatting on Skype, masterminding, doing the social media thing, editing a video, or any number of other things. Being self-employed, I’m never really off the clock, but then it doesn’t feel like the grind of my old 9-to-5 work either. I get to choose what I work on and when. If I really don’t feel like working on a Wednesday afternoon, I don’t have to.

I would like to make some more time though for getting out and about and exploring some of these great places I find myself in as I travel.

5. What does your lifestyle look like today? Describe how you afford to live your current lifestyle?

I’ve just gotten to the point where I’m earning more than I spend each month. For about a year before that, I was living partially off the €10k of savings I’d built up before quitting 9-to-5.

I don’t spend a lot of money, only about €1k per month. I don’t get much enjoyment from buying stuff, so most of my money goes towards food, shelter, travel, investing in my business, and whatever cool experiences I want to have. I actually detail everything I earn and spend in monthly finance reports that I post on my blog, so other folks can see how I’m making the transition.

So far, I’ve been mostly staying with friends and at hostels when traveling. I like to rent apartments when I know I’ll be staying in one spot for a few months. I go to bars quite regularly to hang out and meet people, but I don’t drink alcohol so that never costs much.

6. How do you manage your time? What are your top recommendations when it comes to managing your time efficiently?

It’s all about priorities. Know what your biggest goals are and question whether each task helps you move closer to those goals or not. I often have to be pretty ruthless and let projects slide, or tell people I can’t help them out. There just isn’t enough time to do everything I want to do and still have a life away from my laptop.

I have a few more tips for working effectively here.

7. What was the biggest challenge you have faced on your journey?

I think the biggest challenge was accepting that everything wasn’t going to fall into place as fast as I wanted it to. I had seen other folks quit their jobs and become successful online entrepreneurs before the season changed. I assumed I’d be able to do the same thing, but of course those overnight success stories get heard precisely because they’re exceptional.

8. What were your initial struggles along the journey? When was your turning point?

My turning point was when I gave up looking for a shortcut. I’d been trying to avoid doing freelance web design work for six months, because it wasn’t passive income. I wanted passive income. I still believe it’s possible to generate that, but it would have been smarter for me to generate regular old active income first, make sure I could rely on that, and then start experimenting with other things.

9. What were some of the main tipping points or “A-ha!” moments? How did they come about?

One a-ha moment came courtesy of Danielle LaPorte at the World Domination Summit, when she said, “So many people starting out in self-employment have the misguided assumption that they should only be doing work that they love.”

Another came from one of Ramit Sethi’s podcasts, when he talked about how you need to figure out active income before concerning yourself with passive income.

10. What is the best lesson you’ve learnt on your journey?

That everything will be okay. As long as you keep working and experimenting, you can’t really fail.

11. What is happiness to you?

Happiness to me is when I hear that something I wrote or shared made a significant positive difference in someone else’s life. Happiness to me is also when I don’t let my own fears and insecurities stop me from doing what I really want to do. Both of those things make me feel really alive.

12. Were there any pivotal mistakes that taught you a lesson?

One of the big lessons I learned last year was regarding empathy. Two posts I wrote on the blog really upset some friends of mine, and I didn’t foresee their reactions at all. I later realized I’d been projecting my own beliefs and values onto them. I’d never really stopped and considered how it might be from their point of view.

13. What gave you the courage to go after your biggest dream?

I think it’s more perspective than courage. I just realized that the pain of never trying would be greater than the pain of doing it and falling flat. I also took inspiration from other folks I found online doing similar things, people like Everett Bogue and Colin Wright. I figured they had nothing I didn’t have or couldn’t learn.

Oh, and I also had the experience of having already lived a big dream of mine. Since I’d done it once before, I was confident that I could do it again.

14. If you were to do it all over again what, if anything, would you do differently?

I definitely would have given up on passive income earlier, or perhaps never even started it at all. If I had started doing freelance web design work right out of the gate, I’d be a lot smarter as regards business by now, and that combined with a more favorable financial position (since I would have started covering my expenses much earlier) would mean that I’d now have a much better chance of figuring out such things as passive income. As it stands, I’m probably about six months away from having another crack at that sort of thing.

15. How did you cultivate your confidence and how important is it to have confidence in what you do?

It’s like a muscle. The more you push yourself out there, the stronger it becomes. I didn’t have much confidence when I was younger and avoided taking risks. At 22 years old I found myself working a dead-end job and realized I need to make some drastic changes or stay stuck in a fear-filled life. So I wen to work in the USA for a year. Going over there on my own pushed me way out of my comfort zone, and I was forced to sink or swim. I started to develop real confidence and come out of my shell. Ever since then, I’ve just been gradually pushing myself further and further, and my confidence has grown with every step.

As for the importance of confidence… it can be huge. It’s so much easier to handle a situation when you’re feeling confident. That said, I feel too many people see confidence as this thing you magically develop which then enables you to do the things you really want in life. But that’s not how it works. Usually the confidence only comes after you do something. So you have to make yourself take action even when you’re terrified. Do that enough times and you’ll develop real confidence.

16. How can people diminish their fears and biases to enable them to live their dreams?

The more you face your fears, the better you learn to handle them. So practice is one thing. Another is to surround yourself with courageous people. Environment is powerful. If you can’t find many courageous people in your area, find them online or in books.

Lastly, know your why. Why do you want to live this dream? What does it mean to you? What’s at stake? Always keep your end goal in mind. When fear pops up, you should be able to remind yourself easily why it’s worth facing and overcoming.

17. What is your message to someone who’s about to embark on his dream?

It’ll probably be harder than you think, and it will probably take longer than you expect. But it will also probably be more rewarding than you can imagine. Also, at the risk of sounding very cliche: don’t focus so much on the destination that you neglect to savor the journey.

18. Have you found any shortcuts to success?

Humility, which I still don’t consider myself to have in spades. If you can be very honest with yourself, acknowledge your own shortcomings, ask smart people for help and do what they advise, you’re likely to get there faster.

19. How do you seek to inspire others?

I try to live my life without letting fear get in my way, and then I write about my experiences. My readers seem to get a kick out of that. I’m also big on questioning things. I hope I can convince a few people to think more for themselves and not simply accept the status quo.

20. What does “living your dreams” mean to you?

It means doing whatever you’d do if you had all the time and money in the world, and you didn’t care what other people think of you.

21. Do you recommend any books, products or websites that helped you along the way?

Steve Pavlina has had a big positive influence on me, probably more than anyone else. and Tim Ferriss are also excellent. A couple of books I read a decade or so ago that really got me started on my personal development journey were Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers, and The The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey.

I don’t think there’s any substitute though for getting out there and facing your own fears, and experimenting regularly. For most people, the problem isn’t a lack of information, but a lack of action.

22. What people or media inspire your inner entrepreneur and why?

I like Chris Guillebeau’s approach to marketing. He doesn’t want everybody to buy his products because he understands that not everybody needs them. As such, he’s always very clear about who stands to benefit from what he’s created and why. I like how Tim Ferriss measures and optimizes pretty much everything, not just in business. I like how Raam Dev defines his enough, and vows to donate everything he earns beyond that to charity.

23. What resources or tools did you find most helpful when you were getting
started?

Nothing in particular comes to mind. There wasn’t an online course or a particular piece of software that made a huge difference for me.

24. What are your top values that and how they influence your journey?

I believe personal values can and should change over time, as we come to know more about the world and ourselves. But for right now, freedom and truth are my two primary values. Pretty much everything I’m doing — self-employment, world travel, asking hard questions — is in line with those value, or at least helping me get to a place where I’m living more in line with them.

25. What’s next for you?

I’d like to get to a point with my business where I feel like it’s taking care of me, rather than the other way around. I feel that will give me more freedom to enjoy my travels and help people in ways I’m currently unable to. So I’ll be working towards that ideal for the foreseeable future, while living in India and Southeast Asia.

26. Where do you see yourself in five years?

I have no idea. Three years ago I wanted nothing more out of life than to watch and write about basketball, have a secure 9-to-5 job, get drunk every weekend, and hook up with random American girls. If you had asked me then where I thought I’d be today, my prediction would have been way off.

So I try to refrain from projecting too far into the future. I’ll just keep trying to follow my passions, learn and grow as much as I can, and accept wherever that path leads.

27. One last question that personally interests me, why do you use videos on your blog? Do you find them effective?

I started recording videos along with every article as a way to bridge the gap between my writing and speaking voices. Some readers who knew me offline said they couldn’t recognize me in my writing, and that was unsettling. I didn’t want to be one guy on the Internet and another guy away from it.

Readers have told me they feel they know me better since I started recording the videos. I’m no longer some faceless blogger. I’m right there in full color with every post, walking my talk. When I attended the World Domination Summit last June, several people I’d never met commented that they felt like the knew me already because of my videos. Another video blogger I spoke with reported hearing the same from his audience. So putting yourself out there on video apparently helps foster a deeper connection. You can’t really fake it on video, and people appreciate that.

Thank you
—

Niall Doherty is a full time vagabond and blogger at Disrupting the Rabblement, a vibrant community for those who want to reach their full potential. Follow Naill on Twitter.

Entrepreneurs are but leaders with visions and missions. To lead a company is to lead ideas and to lead a complex network of people and their set of aspirations. Business schools and self help books are available galore that promise to enlighten you with the theoretical knowledge about being an entrepreneur, and to enable you to be the leader that a company would need to evolve. Bill Gates, on the other hand, is a man whose practices were largely against what is typically advised by any book.

This goes on to show that theoretical knowledge can only provide so much help in helping you understand the strings of running a business or any other institution, and it is your own views that are the true guide.

Bill Gates is a multi-faceted man who not only created history and delivered to the world, along with Paul Allen, the product that has revolutionarised the field of personal computers – Microsoft, besides stunning the world with his philanthropic work. His life bespeaks self confidence and the ability to spot an opportunity a mile away.

Bill Gates Story

William Henry Bill Gates III was born on 28 October 1955 in Seattle, and is of English, German and Scotch-Irish descent. His father was a prominent lawyer and his parents wished for their son to be one, too. However, when a young Bill approached them with a proposal to launch a software company of his own, they acknowledged his passion and supported him.

Bill’s first encounter with computer programs occurred when he was in the 8th grade and was introduced to working on General Electric (GE) computer, maintained by Computer Centre Corporation (CCC). He began developing BASIC at that young age.
He worked himself into trouble by exploiting bugs in the operating systems of the GE computers in schools to obtain free computer time. Bill and Paul Allen were among the 4 boys who were banned from using the system for exploiting the OS bugs. Bill was far from discouraged – at the end of the ban he offered to spot OS bugs for CCC in exchange for free computer time.

During his schooling life, Bill was also approached to write programs to meet various ends like payroll programs for commercial companies, and his own school asked him to write a program to distribute students in different classes. Bill, ever so cheeky, tweaked with his own program to place himself in a class wherein girls were the majority.

Gates went on to enroll himself at Harvard, and during his sophomore formulated an algorithm for pancake sorting to solve combinatronics problems, and his program was the fastest version for more than 3 decades, with the solution replacing it in speed being a mere 1% faster.

Gates and Allen maintained close contact with each other, and in 1975 when MITS Altair 8800 was launched, they spotted an opportunity. The duo contacted MITS to inform them they had developed a BASIC interpreter for Altair 8800 to gauge the interest of MITS and when they did get a return call from the company, they developed the program within a couple of weeks and approached the company. And with this started the mainstream work of the gentlemen.

Gates had taken leave from Harvard to work with MITS, and having tasted success that convinced him that he was quite the right guy for the job, he never returned to Harvard. In 1976, Microsoft, the brand that would soon be synonymous with operating system, was born and registered.

Bill wrote codes during the initial phase of the career and for the first five years, he is known to have read through every line of coding Microsoft ever sold. Later, he concentrated on developing product strategy, boldly expanding the range of products offered by Microsoft.

He was the archetypal hells-on-wheels boss, grilling his staff till they convinced him that a proposed product truly served the long-term interests of the company. He demanded dedication from all his employees, and strongly voiced out dissent against those who procrastinated.

In 2006, Gates slowly transitioned from full-time to part-time work at Microsoft and launched the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Inspired by the philanthropic work of Andrew Carnegie and John Rockefeller, Bill and Melinda pledged that they would distribute 95% of their wealth as charity. And this saying something as Bill was the world’s richest man from 1195 to 2007, and once more in 2009. He was dethroned once again in 2010, with the dot-com burst and his charitable work contributing to the drop in wealth.

Lessons Learnt

Gates may not be the chief with the best interpersonal skills, but he did have a passion that commanded respect. His business strategies have been accused of being unfair and engendering monopoly, but the man stood his ground and defended himself and his decisions in the face of such accusations.

Also, Bill Gates is a man who nourished his own interests and commercial success was inevitable for him because of his dedication to his work. Had he placed a third party’s aspirations or suggestions above his own passion, the world would have lost out on a great visionary.

Another attribute of Bill Gates that one must learn from is his generosity, and insistence on true charity. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest charitable trust that functions transparently. The foundation has already donated more than $26 billion and has reached out to a wide range of needy populations, in developed, under-developed and developing nations.

What is note-worthy about Bill’s strategy is that he insists that the recipients of his donations record developed, and is known to have retracted help in the event that the recipient fails to develop effective strategies to alleviate the issue at hand.

One must learn to insist on excellence in order to succeed in reaching a set goal.

Both my partner and I feel an incredible sense of gratitude for the past year, A year full of travel and adventure.

After years of independent traveling, 2011 was a year of sharing the experience with a partner. Since the beginning of our trip this January, we traveled together for roughly 10 months, that’s around 300 days within the sight, sound, (and smell) of each other.

We traveled around Australia and went to Asia, Europe and America. Kyle studied Ayurveda in India, while I trained Muay Thai in Thailand. We splurged in Singapore with old friends, surfed Sri Lanka with new ones, and romantically celebrated the tastes of Italy with each other. More than anything, we cherished unforgettable moments with family in Israel and now in the States.

One of the best aspects of traveling with a partner is the ability to create memories and share experiences together. It is also a great way to bond and bring the relationship even closer. The below video is dedicated to my partner, Kyle, who has supported me throughout this year and all other aspects of our life together.

2011 was also a year of becoming a slightly better writer. It was my main intention last year and I feel that it was achieved. Blog posts such as “The Art Of Sensual Living” and “Reaching Flow” are more fully developed and better capture the interest of the reader.

I have not written as many posts as I had originally hoped, but instead managed to use some extra willpower and write my first e-book, “Design Your Dream Year”, which I published a few weeks ago.

Writing is still a slow process for me but I’ve made peace with that and hope for more improvements as I continue to write in the coming year.

Which brings me to 2012.

As in previous years, I use the holiday season to choose a primary focus for the upcoming year. This practice allows me to immerse myself within the chosen area of focus and spur more growth as a result of it.

I pondered long and hard and decided that my 2012 primary focus would be a financial one. To be more specific, my intention is to grow and diversify our financial wealth.

There are two main reasons for this. First, our future dream of creating a home and starting a family, while maintaining our financial freedom, require a substantial infusion of new resources. Second, the impact of the financial and economic crisis cannot be under-estimated or ignored.

Since the recent meltdown of the global financial system, central banks around the world continue to print trillions out of thin air, leaving the system in an extremely fragile state.

Economic busts and booms have been around for centuries. Most people, who take very little interest in learning about the complexity of the financial system, suffer when the economy tanks, while others benefit from it no matter if the economy goes up or down.

If you use money like everyone else on this planet, I encourage you to take interest in understanding what money is and how its manipulated by the system. Your quality of life is literally dependent on it.

I will be following the format described in “Design Your Dream Year” eBook to achieve my big goal for 2012 and will keep you posted on further discoveries on the financial realm.

So, with this in mind, I wish you the best in your own quest.

Live out the dream!

Tal

New Year’s Eve. Once again you’re about to make your annual set of New Year’s resolutions. You haven’t achieved last year’s but “what the heck” you say to yourself as you’re about to commit to another set of resolutions in the name of tradition.

If this sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. Most people think about their goals and dreams too casually, eventually forgetting about them before the end of January.

You see, one of the reasons New Year’s resolutions fall through is that most people don’t take the time to make a winning game plan for achieving their dreams. In fact, people spend more time planning their birthday party than designing their future.

In order to achieve big goals, we need more than wishful thinking and sincere commitment to make it happen. We need a solid and proven process that will support us along the way.

After years of experimentation with different types of goal setting processes, I’ve come up with a simple 4 step system which enabled me to achieve all my major dreams in the last decade or so.

Using this system, I obtained financial freedom from excessive debt in less than a year, I completed an Ironman Triathlon and kicked my smoking habit in 6 months. I built a house for a family in need with no building experience and no funds, and I travelled around the world without the need to ever go back looking for a job. Needless to say, I am a big believer in this process.

Originally, I was going to share it as a blog post, but instead, and due to its length, I decided to put everything into a free eBook that shares the title of this post.

To get instant access and download “Design Your Dream Year” for free, enter your email address in the box below and you’ll be emailed download instructions. I will also provide you with other valuable content from time to time.

Some of benefits you can expect from using my 4 step process include:

- Identify and pursue your biggest, most audacious dream.
- Break a long-term goal up into manageable pieces with benchmarks.
- Focus your energies where you can achieve the most.
- Create a plan that’s simple, yet ensures results.
- Adopt supportive habits that actually stick.
- Measure your progress along the way, week-by-week.

Most importantly, you’ll learn a system for achievement that you will use for the rest of your life.

So, If you are truly serious about making your dreams come true this year, take action and download the eBook.

Yours,
Tal

P.S. If you’re already subscribed to this site, simply enter your email address again and you’ll be immediately directed to the ebook download page. (Don’t worry, you won’t be subscribed twice.)

P.P.S Some feedback I received recently: “My blog is inspired by Tal Gur and his Free E-book “DESIGN YOUR DREAM YEAR” which I read on 1st Jan. I owe this man for he brought me back on track. I had kinda given up on my ability to stick to goals.”

Money. We all use it. We all care about it. We all think about it.

The lack of money in our life can spark a range of emotions, from fear to frustration, to worry. We worry whether we have enough of it, or whether we spend too much of it. When the job market is poor, for example, or when the stock market crashes, we often get mad and blame the economy, or the government, or both.

What we hardly ever do about money, however, is ask ourselves where it comes from and who controls it.

Most people, if they consider it at all, think that money is created by the government; a myth, one of many, that will be addressed in this post.

For something so prominent in our life, like money, it is important that we don’t blindly follow our beliefs, but instead study and understand them.

Only 3 years ago, the whole financial system nearly collapsed. A previous colleague of mine lost half of his retirement savings during the height of the global financial crisis. He was a decent, hard-working man who, like many others, believed that hoarding money in a pension savings account will secure his financial future.

While the financial system seems to have stabilized since then, don’t be fooled. It is still on the verge of collapse and a second global financial crisis is likely to happen.

If you care about your financial future at all and want to dispel many of the myths around money, read on.

A Myth called Money

It would seem only natural that money is created by governments, but in reality, and contrary to the widespread assumption, money is created by banks.

In the United States for example, The Federal Reserve, which has the sole power to print the US Dollar, is privately owned bank with private shareholders who run it purely for private profit. Put differently, The Federal Reserve is not federal (nor does it hold reserves). In fact, it is as federal as Federal Express.

The story is not much different elsewhere in the world. The English, German, nor the French government owns any stock in the central bank of its country. Same as in the US, they are all privately held corporations.

Now, I know reading about central banks can bore you into a coma, but you really should give it a try. When you begin to understand how it all works, it will change your beliefs about money forever.

So here we go.

The illusion of paper money

The first point to note is that money is simply an idea. We live in an era where all paper currencies have no redemption or metallic value.

That has not always been the case. Up until 1971, paper currencies were backed by a percentage of their country’s gold reserve, but that has changed with Nixon’s decision to abandon the gold standard.

This historic decision meant that banks could now print money from thin air without the worry of having to back it with gold. And without any backing, the real value of your paper money is nothing but its purchasing power; something which can be dramatically changed in a short span of time.

Now, when a government needs money, it has to borrow it from their central banks, with interest of course. So, the government issues a bond, which is merely a promise to pay in the future, and gives it to the central bank. The bank, in return, creates the money from thin air and puts it into circulation.

In other words, all money is created out of debt. This means that if all outstanding debt was to be repaid today, there would not be even one dollar in circulation.

Where’s the problem, you ask?

The problem and the inevitable consequence of all of this is bankruptcy.

Let me explain.

As interest is charged on all loans made by the central bank and as the money needed to pay back this interest does not exist in the money supply outright, the system creates an infinite debt growth.

To put it simply, if all debt was to be repaid today, not only would there not be even one dollar left in circulation, we would also stay with huge amount of debt that is literally impossible to pay, for the money to pay it back does not exist.

The other inevitable consequence of all of this is inflation.

In order to cover the interest charges and keep the system going, an everlasting increase of the money supply is needed. And when new money gets put into circulation, thus diluting the existing base of money, the general level of prices rises.

So, what’s the big deal?

The more debt is created, the more expensive life becomes, the more people are ready to do anything for a job, and hence they become cheaper commodities for corporations.

If you’re anything like the 99% of us on this planet exchanging freedom for money, you can identify with the above. It seems that everyone these days has debt of some sort.

Students in the US, for example, have to put themselves into a hole of debt in order to get their diploma. On average, medical students graduate with a debt load of more than US$100,000. No wonder health care costs in the US have skyrocketed and that Around 50 million people lack health insurance.

In fact, our entire society embraced debt, whether it is through overpriced home mortgages or credit card purchases, as a way to maintain our overspent lifestyle.

OK, But my personal situation is different, you say

Some of you who read this might be out of the debt cycle and even hold a large savings account, but unfortunately, you are still on the same boat. Nowadays, not only the average “Joe” is in mounds of debt, but also his country.

The economy of the US, for instance, long the world’s dominant creditor, now the world’s biggest debtor, is fighting a losing battle against trade imbalances that are growing daily. The current US national debt is a staggering US$15 trillion and if you include unfunded liabilities such as Social Security, pension funds and Medicare, the real national debt exceeds US$50 trillion.

In Europe the picture is not different. Countries like Greece, Portugal and most recently, Italy are having major financial troubles and facing the virtual sell-off of their country.

But the government says the economy is fine.

The ones we entrust to solve the problem, are the very same individuals who assured us the economy was OK in 2007, when the US real estate bubble burst and triggered a global credit crunch.

Perhaps it might be better to simply admit that most politicians just want to secure their re-election and therefore go with the easy fix of printing money instead of the painful choice of raising taxes.

In fact, and as there is no limit to the amount of money that central banks can create, governments around the world continue to inject massive amounts of money – in other words, taking further debt – to rescue their collapsing economies.

A natural question arises as to who is going to fund this extra loan.

You guessed it right – You, the devoted consumer and taxpayer.

This is done quite silently and over time via inflation. Since the amount of money in circulation increases, the money you earn or save looses part of its value. You can simply think of it as another form of tax.

And as governments have interest in having this hyperinflation underreported ( to avoid public spotlight and due to the fact that most government programs are indexed to inflation), what you get is an engineered CPI (The official “consumer price index” that measures inflation) in order to represent a percentage that the public can find acceptable.

In the US, the Federal Reserve took an even bolder step to hide inflation data, by ceasing to publish the total numbers of the aggregate money supply (M3) since 2006.

You start to get the picture. If you rely on the government for your financial future, then you make a choice to accept the risk of potential monetary collapse and a lowered standard of living.

OK, OK, I get it. What can I do then?

The first essential step is to be aware that money is simply an idea backed by the collective faith of all us. As Adam Smith, the father of modern economics, once wrote: “All money is a matter of belief.” We’ve been conditioned from early age to think of money as the ultimate form of value but in itself, money does not hold very much of it. It only assumes its value during an actual exchange, something that is continuously re-evaluated in global markets.

It is time to stop pursuing money for its own sake and give up on working in environments where the singular goal is monetary gain. I had this mindset for years and it didn’t serve me very well.

I was 22 when I decided to study computer science for my Bachelor’s Degree. I did not make this choice because of my passion to the subject but mainly due to the fact that, at the time, computer science graduates earned the highest salaries in the market. In other words, I pursued money as an objective. I did it for the sake of money and nothing else.

I did complete my degree, but 3 years of dispassionate and monotonous study made me realize that I am following the wrong path in life. After exchanging my freedom for a steady pay check as a Software Project manager for a year and feeling unhappiness in every cell of my body I was finally convinced. It was time to make a dramatic shift.

So, what is the ultimate answer to finacnial security?

Instead of chasing money, strive to pursue wealth.

Although the two words are sometimes used interchangeably, they are different in meaning. Wealth is anything of real intrinsic value. It doesn’t have to be only physical instruments that hold monetary value like gold and land but also intangible assets such as skills, experiences, ideas, knowledge, wisdom, creativity, health and relationships. In fact, most of what I refer to as wealth is not reflected in the statistics by which economists normally evaluate performance.

The truth is, someone with very little money can be extremely wealthy. By holding a few of the intangible assets I described above, even a man who “loses it all” can flourish in his self made environment. In such a scenario, true friends will come to help and new ideas will permeate through naturally.

If you on the other hand, rely on your saving account to get you through rough times, you owe yourself the risk of high inflation and perhaps hyperinflation. It has happened many times throughout history in almost every nation around the globe, including countries like Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, Israel, Russia, Zimbabwe, and even twice in the US. You might well recall the expression “not worth a continental” which was the currency used before the introduction of dollar. History has a funny way of repeating itself.

I am not by any stretch a savvy investor, and I won’t go in length here about specific investment vehicles, but I strongly encourage you to explore building real assets portfolios. Assets that grow in value over time and, as a result, can produce long-term financial security. In my case, for example, It’s an online business asset that provided me ongoing financial freedom, enjoyment, satisfaction and in addition allows me to make a living while traveling around the world.

More than anything, I am a firm believer that the most valuable investment you can make is an investing in yourself – your human capital. It’s the stock of experience, knowledge, and skills you built throughout the years. It’s the personal connections and relationships you’ve developed. And perhaps most importantly, it’s the strength of personality and character – your internal qualities – that will give you the ability to generate income in any economy and any circumstance.

Final words

Countries, like people, have to live within their means or face the consequences of being indebted to a fraudulent economic system. We have been conditioned into supporting and maintaining this system for years. The government wants us to go back to the malls and use our credit for excessive consumption, but buying more stuff we don’t really need, with money we don’t really have was what got us into this predicament in the first place.

We’ve consumed so much yet we are devoid of what we really need. Now is the time to replace our current paradigm of money and, above all, instead invest in what truly matters.

To your Wealth,

Tal Gur

P.S If you find this valuable please share with anyone you know.

It’s also a detailed story about an egoistic and complex man who sought complete control of his environment. Despite all of the financial and artistic successes Jobs has had in his life, Isaacson paints a picture of an arrogant man who is quick to argue and demand his way.

If you ignore, however, the (fair) criticism of his controversial behavior, a truly remarkable and inspiring personality is revealed. Gifted with hypnotizing charisma, Jobs possessed unlimited vision and extraordinary passion for his work.

Steve Jobs rose above personal struggles to become one of the world’s most successful innovators and businessmen. In many ways, his career has become a model and inspiration to young entrepreneurs.

When you read Steve Job’s story you will find that Jobs success did not occur in a linear trajectory. Rather, he struggled and succeeded only to struggle and succeed again.
As you read his story you will be motivated to think about your own journey. Job’s biography will help you realize that you too can achieve your goals by overcoming your struggles even when they seem to repeat themselves.

Jobs Zero-to-Hero Story

Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco in 1955 and adopted at birth by a couple named Paul and Clara Jobs. When asked about his parents, Jobs has always enthusiastically responded that Paul and Clara were his real parents.

Luckily, both of Steve’s adopted parents were focused on the role of education and the difference it can make in their young son’s life. Steve’s mother Clara was an accountant and she taught Steve how to read before he even started Kindergarten. Paul Jobs, a machinist for a company that made lasers, taught his son electronics and how to work with his hands. He did little things that encouraged his son to be inquisitive and to always embrace learning. For instance, one day, Paul Jobs cleared off a section of his workbench and gave it to the young Steve. At that workbench, Steve was encouraged to take apart and reassemble devices to learn how they work.

Jobs frequented after-school lectures at the Hewlett-Packard Company in California. Later, along with Steve Wozniak (Apple’s co-founder), Jobs was hired there as a Summer employee. Following high school graduation, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon and dropped out after only one semester. Steve continued attending classes at Reed, while sleeping on the floor at friends’ houses, returning Coke bottles for food money, getting weekly free meals at the local Hare Krishna temple, and getting into drugs (Steve called his LCD drug experience one of the most enlightening experiences of his life).

Founding Apple

Jobs and Steve Wozniak met in 1971, when a mutual friend introduced 21 year-old Wozniak to 16 year-old Jobs. In 1976, when Jobs was only twenty-one, they invented the first Apple computer and founded Apple computer in Job’s parents garage.

While Jobs was a persuasive and charismatic director for Apple, he was getting into power struggles frequently. In 1985, he was fired from his role as head of the Macintosh division by Apple’s board of directors, and five months later, Jobs left the company.

In a speech Jobs gave at Stanford University, he said being fired from Apple was the best thing that could have happened to him; “The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life”

Founding NeXT & Pixar

After leaving Apple, Jobs founded NeXT Computer, which produced sophisticated workstations. Jobs tried to market NeXT products to the financial and academic community, highlighting its innovative new technologies. After a few years, after having sold only 50,000 machines, NeXT transitioned fully to software development. In 1996, NeXT, the company that Jobs had started with 7 million dollar was sold to Apple for 429 million in order to integrate its technologies into Apple’s operating system.

A year after leaving Apple, in 1986, Jobs bought The Graphics Group which was later renamed Pixar for the price of 10 million dollar. After years of unprofitability it contracted with Disney to produce a number of computer-animated films that Disney would co-finance and distribute. Their first movie was Toy Story, which became an instant summer blockbuster, followed by ten more pitch-perfect gems such as Finding Nemo and A Bug’s Life. In 2006, Disney had agreed to purchase Pixar in an all-stock transaction worth 7.4 billion dollars. Jobs became The Walt Disney Company’s largest single shareholder owning seven percent of the company’s stock.

Returning to Apple

In 1997, a year after Apple’s merger with NeXT, Jobs was hired back as an interim CEO and the company started to branch out, introducing the iPod portable music player, iTunes digital music software, the iTunes Store, the Iphone mobile device and the IPAD tablet. Today, Apple is worth more than Intel And Microsoft combined, with a market value of around 300 billion dollars.

In August 2011, Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple and a few months later, he died of cancer after 8 years fighting the illness.

Last Words

For all of Steve Jobs faults, one cannot help but admire his life of dedication to his goals. In spite of great personal difficulties, Jobs achieved a level of business success that is truly rare. Jobs was able to make his dream a reality because he never stopped believing. He never gave up even when it seemed like the goal was unreachable . His goal was more than making money; he was deeply committed his vision of creating “insanely great” products. For me, Jobs Zero to Hero story is a perfect example of how vision and perseverance make dreams come true.

Live your Dreams!