For example, a vegetarian, under no circumstances, will ever eat meat. There is no, “well, everyone else is having a burger, so just this once, I will too.”

That’s not how it works.

Not when a vegetarian has a strong personal philosophy that they never, ever, ever eat meat.

And that strong personal philosophy guides them to guilt-free behavior that is congruent with their goals.

I’ve also taught my fat loss clients to develop their own personal philosophy – essentially a set of rules that dictate decisions, and I’ve also created my own rules that determine how I live my life so that I reduce guilt, stress, and wasted emotional energy.

Now the purpose of this email is not to say that my personal philosophies are wrong or right.

Instead, they are simply here to encourage you to adopt your own rules for the sake of living a better, more productive stress free life. 
You may have your own rules in your head, but I encourage you to put them in writing. And you can adopt a set of rules for every aspect of your life, from health to financial to family and business.

These are the 12 rules I live by.

1. I go to bed and get up at the same time 7 days per week (9pm and 5am.) I do not deviate from this schedule unless it is due to an important (and this word is not used lightly) work or social function.  I stick to a diet of whole, natural foods, avoid caffeine after 1pm, and avoid alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime.
2. I write for at least 60 minutes first thing every morning.
3. I do not check email before 9am.
4. I do not talk on the phone unless it is a schedule interview or conference call.
5. I create a to-do list at the end of every workday and I follow that to-do list starting first thing the next morning. I also perform my daily readings at the end of every workday, and I write in a gratitude journal. I am thankful everyday for identifying my mission and what I wanted to do with my life at such a young age.
6. I do not engage in confrontations with anyone, in-person or online. This is a waste of time and energy. If I have caused harm, I apologize and fix the situation. However, if someone simply doesn’t like something I have done or something that I do or disagrees with me, that is fine, but I’m not going to get into an argument about it. For any confrontation-like situation, I simply take a deep breath, relax, breathe out, and re-focus my efforts back on my work and goals.
7. I am guided by these two phrases:

   a) “Nothing matters.” – By this, I mean that arguing on the internet changes nothing…I can only work towards the major, massive goals that I have set for my life…that I have a vision of helping others, and there is no time to let petty arguments stand in the way.

   b) “It will all be over soon.” – This servers me in both good times and in bad.

   In hard times, such as bad days, troubled times, or intense physical effort or discomfort, I know that it will all be over soon. A small amount of suffering now will be forgotten later when I will enjoy the rewards of my work. And in good times, I will remember that life is short, and I must make things count now, and no matter how good things are going I must never let myself become soft and lazy,because I have too much to accomplish in such a short time.


8. Everything that happens to me – good and bad – is my personal responsibility. I blame no one but myself. These are the choices I’ve made – this is the life I’m living. I will accept the consequences of my actions.
9. I will not stop until I have helped 1 Million men and women transformed their lives – physically, financially, or emotionally.
10. I will not be the person I don’t want to be. I will not be petty, jealous, or envious, or give in to any other of those lazy emotions. I will not gossip or speak badly of others, no matter who I am with or what environment I am in. I will not be negative when it is easier to be positive. I will not hurt others when it is possible to help. I will know the temptations, situations and environments in life that I must avoid, and I will, in fact, avoid them, even if it means loosening relationships with others who “live” in those environments. It’s my life and that matters more than what other people think of me.
11. “I will always keep the child within me alive.” – Frank McKinney. I will laugh everyday. That’s not hard when you have the friends – and dog – that I have. And if they don’t make me laugh, there’s plenty of comedy on Netflix.
12. “I will write with honesty and feeling.” – Ted Nicholas. I’ve long since giving up caring about how others choose to judge me. What matters more than other’s opinions is the number of people that I can help by sharing advice and encouragement in my writing. The most powerful songs are written by songwriters who bare their souls. So screw it, let’s do it. Let’s put it all out there. I’m not going to help as many people as I could if I keep the “real info” to myself. I also understand now, better than ever, that sometimes you have to “write to repel” in order to strongly attract the readers you desire.

So that’s it. These 12 rules allow me to live my life with less guilt, more energy, and more productivity than if I did not have these personal philosophies outlined.

Now I know there will be two types of reactions to this content. First, some will dismiss it – and dismiss me.

But to those people, remember the point of the list is not for you to sit there and think, “Oh, what a total weirdo. I never want to hang around with this guy.”

Instead, the point of the list, the idea, the article is to simply stimulate your thinking.

And that’s the 2nd type of reaction you can have to this article.

This is the reaction of the people who I’m interested in – the people who will realize what’s holding them back is not a lack of knowledge (because the knowledge is out there and freely available), but instead, it is decision making.

Listen, I know that every week you make decisions that leave you full of guilt and remorse, but on the other hand you also make decisions that you know are correct – even though they are difficult to make.

Wouldn’t you be better off if you made MORE correct decisions with less effort?

Of course, and that is where you rules to live by, your personal philosophies, come into play.

With this post, I’ve given you a model so that you can create your own personal philosophies that will allow you to make the correct decision and fewer decisions that leave you with remorse.

As a result of making more correct decisions, you’ll move closer to your goals and suffer less frustration. Life will be simpler once you start adhering to your own personal philosophies – and not worrying about what others think.

I’d like to hear your personal philosophies and life rules. Just add your thoughts to the comments section below.

With honesty and feeling,

Craig Ballantyne
Editor
Early to Rise

“The surest way to accomplish your business goals is making service to others your primary goal. The key to success is adding value to other’s lives.” – Kekich Credo #87

This is a goodbye message. After writing hundreds of essays in Early to Rise and more than a dozen books since 1999, I’ve decided to retire the Michael Masterson brand.

The reason is simple: I’ve written down in great detail and repeatedly everything I know about entrepreneurship, marketing and advertising copy.

Effective today, I will write no more new essays, editorials or books on these matters.

I’ve been thinking about doing this for several years now but I stayed on at ETR because I believed it needed a unifying voice and I wasn’t able to find anyone who I trusted to hand the baton to.

But now I have. And I’m very excited about ETR’s future.

I have just concluded a deal with two young men I’ve known for several years. They are two of the brightest and most accomplished entrepreneurs I know. They have started several very successful multimillion-dollar businesses. And their knowledge of Internet marketing is greater than mine.

Most importantly they share the same values I have about business. I trust them to continue to give you great value for your patronage. And to bring you great new marketing and business-building ideas so you can continue to build your business.

The new publisher of ETR is Matt Smith. Although only 36 years old, he’s already started 8 businesses.  I first met Matt in Buenos Aires, Argentina where, at the time, he was living with his wife and two very young children.

I was shocked when I learned that Matt financed his unusual lifestyle through two passive web businesses that generated more than $10,000 profit each and every day while Matt studied philosophy and focused on meeting interesting people while traveling the world.

Matt is no longer based out of Argentina, but his entrepreneurial lifestyle can still be described as unorthodox as you’ll discover for yourself.

Porter Stansberry, one of the most successful businessmen I’ve ever worked with, calls Matt “a true marketing genius.” Rumor has it that Porter paid Matt $50,000 for a single day of consulting and felt that the value he got from him was cheap at that price.

The new editor of ETR is Craig Ballantyne. You may recognize his name, as he was a contributing essayist to ETR a few years ago. Craig’s resume as an entrepreneur is equal to Matt’s.

Craig began writing for Men’s Health magazine in 2000 at the age of 25. Since then his health, wellness, and inspirational articles have been published in over a dozen magazines, from Maxim to Prevention.

In addition, Craig has built a 7-figure business selling fitness information products, and has recently created his own fitness certification with the goal of helping 1 million men and women transform their bodies and lives by 2020.

But Craig is not just committed to helping you with your health and wellness. Since 2007 Craig has been building a second component to his business where he teaches small business owners how to make money online.

In fact, he writes a daily email dedicated to this topic and coaches dozens of clients around the world to get more traffic to their websites so they can make more sales.

Craig has an incredible passion for teaching and sharing every little tip from his own business and healthy lifestyle that will show you how to be more productive, how to have more energy, and how to live well.

In addition to his business knowledge and experience Craig will be bringing ETR a very valuable skill. He is one of the best young writers I know. He has the ability to explain complicated ideas in the simplest terms.

With Craig at the helm, ETR will improve considerably. You will see that very soon. You will be excited to read ETR every morning, knowing you’ll be getting useful, clear-cut advice you can put to use right away.

I asked Matt and Craig for a preview of what to expect in the first few weeks of the new and improved ETR. Take a look at this list:

• How to Take Control of Your Time to Be More Productive While Living a Full Life
• Your Complete $100,000 in 12 Months Online Business Plan
• The Single Most Important Document You Need to Create For Your Business & Life
• Our #1 Internet Marketing Tips
• The 10 Steps to Getting Started with a New Business Fast
• Simple Solutions to Extremely Fast Product Creation and Marketing
• The Single Most Important Thing Ever Invented in Your Business
• How to Overcome Your Fear of Failure
• 3 Simple Ways to Get More Traffic to Your Website to Build Your List
• How to Apply the Rockefeller Habits to Your Business Today
• Why You Need a Director of WOW in Your Business
• The 5% Solution to Productivity and Time Management Problems
• Why the Best Business Advice Can Come From the Least Likely Purpose
• The Tough Question that NO ONE Else is Willing to Ask You
• How to Be More Creative When You Have No Time
• The 9 Proven Steps to a 6-Figure Product Launch

One more thing. Although I will not be writing any new books or essays, I have completed three books on entrepreneurship, living “rich,” and wealth building that have not yet been published. I’m very proud of these books. I believe you will find them valuable.

I’ve given Matt and Craig the rights to sell these. As they come on line you will be notified about them in future issues of ETR. (By the way, my share of the profits from these books will be directed to my community development project in Nicaragua.)

These are:

1. A Chicken’s Guide to Entrepreneurship: How to Start a Million Dollar Home Business Without Quitting Your Day Job
2. The Rich Mind: How to Live Like a Multimillionaire on a Working Person’s Income
3. My Special Theory of Wealth: The Essential Truth about How Fortunes are Created

In addition, I’ve given Matt and Craig publishing rights to about a thousand pages of marketing and business notes that I have made over the years working with some of America’s most successful internet marketing companies.

I’ve told them that they can make them available to you if they find them useful. Again, my share of the profits from these will go to my charity in Nicaragua.

Well, that’s the story. I want to tell you how much I have appreciated the opportunity to express my ideas on business and marketing to so many hundreds of thousands of people. And I want to thank all of you who have written me personally to thank me for my advice. I have kept every letter and will treasure them in the future.

And now I want to introduce you to Craig Ballantyne, the new publisher of ETR, and turn it over to him.

Michael Masterson

_______________________

Hi, this is Craig Ballantyne, and I’m excited to be here with you today as we begin the next chapter of Early to Rise.

I’ve been an avid reader of ETR since 2003, and a fan of the practical and inspirational advice ETR delivered each day. I knew as soon as I subscribed that I’d found “home”. And I hope you’ll come to feel the same way.

Two years after subscribing I became a contributing writer to ETR, and I dreamed of the day when I’d be able to make an even greater contribution. In fact, in 2006 I told my first business coach that I wanted to “have a business just like ETR”, and so here we are over 5 years later, and my goal has been achieved.

In each edition of the new ETR, you’ll receive a practical, inspirational message that will not only give you a blueprint on how to implement proven business building advice, but also essential time and energy management strategies to help you get more work done in less time.

After all, ETR is not only about business. It’s about designing and living a richer, fuller life. What we like to call, “A Life Well Lived”.

Matt and I are passionate about sharing the message on the virtues of taking action and being self-reliant. And as I said earlier, it’s long been my dream to be involved with ETR, and to help at least 1 million men and women transform their lives by 2020.

We hope that you’ll be one of these people.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne
Editor
Early to Rise

“It is really not how much you can get out of life that matters; it is how much you can put into it that counts. What will you contribute to life today?” – Bill Phillips

It goes without saying that some people are more naturally creative than others, but the same can be said of any human trait. A person with a high IQ might breeze through school with a “B” average, but a person with an average IQ can become an “A” student if he’s willing to invest enough time and effort in his studies.

The same is true of athletes. There are great athletes in every major sport who never rise above mediocrity, while guys like Larry Bird (slow and no jumping ability) and Emmett Smith (small and not particularly fast) became legends.

And so it is with creativity. What it gets down to is paying the price. If you want to become more creative, you have to be willing to put forth the effort necessary to do those things that lead to increased creativity.

One of the most encouraging facts about the brain that researchers have discovered is that intelligence is not a prerequisite to creativity. IQ tests focus on convergent thinking, which views a problem as having only one solution. There is no creativity involved in this process. To be creative, you have to think divergently, which entails considering many solutions. And that, in turn, requires you to disregard conventional wisdom and consider far-ranging possibilities.

Studies have demonstrated that the left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for convergent thinking, while the right hemisphere is the home of divergent thinking. Thus, a person with severe left-brain damage can still be creative.

Anyone who has ever watched young children at play knows that they tend to be very creative. However, their creativity soon becomes suppressed by a school system that values conformity and specific answers to specific questions.

Further conformity is demanded, or at least encouraged, on job applications and in the workplace. The cerebral risk-taker who dares to go against conventional wisdom does so at his own peril. If his unconventional idea is adopted and proves to be a winner, he may very well be on his way to the presidency of the company. But if he’s wrong, he may be looking for a new job.

Knowledge is another factor that is critical to creative thinking, in at least two ways. First, because the left brain is the cerebral filing cabinet for specific knowledge, it keeps the creative right brain from running wild. We’ve all known people who can come up with an idea a minute, but most of their ideas either fail or never get off the ground. Usually, it’s a result of their lacking enough specific knowledge in their left brain to silence their creative right brain and tell it to move on to the next idea.

Second, and even more important, if your left brain is overflowing with knowledge, your right brain has access to the material it needs to be creative. Good ideas and concepts are only as good as the knowledge upon which they are based.

What comes into play here is the Schlock Blocker, which states: For every hour spent watching schlock TV, the left brain is deprived of an hour’s worth of valuable knowledge that could be gained by reading a serious book.

But it gets even trickier. There is convincing evidence that too much specialized knowledge can actually inhibit creativity. Viktor Frankl alluded to this problem when he described an expert as a person who no longer sees the forest of truth for the trees of facts.

When it comes to the arts, in particular, too much knowledge can be detrimental to creativity. Researchers have discovered that people who experience severe left-brain damage become less inhibited and more creative in such skills as drawing and painting.

This is because the left brain organizes our social skills and tends to repress “eccentricity” and nonconformity. There is a strong suspicion that Vincent van Gogh’s wackiness was a result of left-hemisphere brain damage, which in turn gave him the freedom to be totally uninhibited in his right-brain artwork.

Today, Hollywood is overflowing with artistically creative people who talk as though they’ve had left-brain lobotomies. If one gives them the benefit of the doubt and assumes they are well-meaning, one is also forced to conclude that their clueless babbling on such topics as politics, world peace, and the environment stems from a lack of knowledge. But this lack of knowledge does not get in the way of their artistic creativity.

Finally, it is much easier to be creative when you’re not under pressure. That’s why it’s a good idea to get away from your office periodically and relax. Some of my best ideas have come to me while cruising at 35,000 feet – no telephone, no e-mails, no projects piling up all around me. Vacations, ball games, attending conferences, and just going for long walks all serve the same purpose.

Above all, develop the habit of grabbing hold of random, creative thoughts and quickly getting them down on paper. Nothing frustrates me more than realizing that a great idea I came up with yesterday is gone because I was so certain I’d remember it that I didn’t take the time to write it down.

To discourage this lazy habit, I keep pads and pens everywhere – throughout the house, in my car, and next to my bed. Be rigidly self-disciplined when it comes to writing down your ideas, especially those that are the most extreme or that you’re positive you’ll remember.

It’s also a good idea to always be ready to put your DVR into action, because you never know when some great tidbit is going to make its way in between the standard schlock programming and appear on your television screen – provided you watch the right channels, of course.

Lastly, and most important, I believe that creativity flows from action. Action stimulates your brain cells and gets your creative juices flowing. What happens when you take action is that the atoms in your brain increase the speed of their vibrations, which causes your “mental paradigm” to expand. And when that occurs, you begin to see new ideas, new concepts, and new possibilities that you may not have previously considered.

That’s why you can’t afford to wait until you become motivated to take action. Instead, you have to employ your free will and force yourself to take action. And when you do, motivation is almost sure to follow. In other words, don’t make the mistake of waiting for something to happen; make it happen!

Remember, to be successful in business, the three most important areas you have to focus on are strategizing, innovating, and marketing. And since all three require creative thinking, it’s imperative to your success that you constantly hone this remarkable human trait.

[Ed. Note: If you're ready for a treasure chest of proven ideas, strategies, and techniques that are guaranteed to dramatically improve your dealmaking skills - and, in the process, increase your income many times over - you won't want to miss Robert Ringer's bestselling audio series, A Dealmaker's Dream.

Robert Ringer is a New York Times #1 bestselling author and host of the highly acclaimed Liberty Education Interview Series, which features interviews with top political, economic, and social leaders. His recently released work, Restoring the American Dream: The Defining Voice in the Movement for Liberty, is a clarion call to liberty-loving citizens to take back the country. Ringer has appeared on numerous national talk shows and has been the subject of feature articles in such major publications as Time, People, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's, and The New York Times. To sign up for his e-letter, A Voice of Sanity in an Insane World, visit www.robertringer.com.]

“Thank you again!”

Michael, I’ve just read your article about How to Have Friends and it expressed my feelings so well I almost could have written it myself. I call people who constantly worry about whether their relationships are “equal” scorekeepers. They are often too busy worrying about things being equal to get anything done. Thank you again! I appreciate being on your e-mail list so much!

Pat C.

To me the answer is obvious in that bikers and entrepreneurs are a similarly bold lot. We’re independent, strong willed, adventurous, and intolerant of fences. We go for it by harnessing our passion in order to excel.

Both biking and entrepreneurship have inherent risk attached to them. But riding a motorcycle scared is a fast ticket to the hospital – and you darn sure can’t run a company scared. Those who know this, the champions, get that it’s not about overcoming fear. Instead, it’s about understanding and embracing reasonable and controllable risk.

As an entrepreneur, it is not a question of if you’re going to face hard times and challenges, it’s a question of when. This article is about how to prepare yourself for the inevitable – five ways to tap into your “inner biker” that will get you through whatever obstacles come your way.

1. Yield

When faced with a business problem, our first inclination is to push harder… to fight back. In my experience, that’s the wrong reaction. The first thing you have to do is fully understand why you’re in that position.

You need to find a way to clear your head of the background noise, including all the advice coming at you from well-intentioned friends and colleagues. You have to take the time to get off the merry-go-round that is business. That may mean finding a quiet place to just sit and think. It may mean hiking, riding a bike or a motorcycle, going boating, or gardening. Whatever works for you.

It is easy to blame a problem on a recent decision. But use this time to dig deeper. Was the problem based on a bad decision made earlier? Did you take your eye off your company’s core values? Did you move away from what got you passionate about your business in the first place?

2. Focus

Once you have figured out the source of your problem, it’s time to get back in the game. And you must have total focus. You are either all in or you’re not. There is no half-steppin’ in business.

You must focus on more than just your business goals. You must focus on what you want out of life. Reason being that, in the beginning, your main business goal is simply to survive, often pushing your life goals aside. Over time, you grow and prosper, and your life and business come together to form one long road trip with many exits along the way.

The key is to figure out which exits are the right ones for you to take in order to achieve success. Don’t make the mistake of chasing one opportunity after another, simply because they look good. Just because you have a clear and open road doesn’t mean it’s the right one.

3. Sweat the Small Stuff

Any businessperson can tell you where they are today, and most can paint a rosy picture of where they want to be. But only the winners can also describe the in-between.

When you’re on a motorcycle, that’s the part of the ride that fills your senses with sights and smells. BUT it is also extremely dangerous if you fail to pay attention to where you’re going. Getting to your destination safely depends on your ability to watch out for the potholes between here and there.

In business, it’s also about watching out for little things that can get in your way. Successful entrepreneurs know that when navigating the in-between, there should be few if any “Aha!” moments. They take the time to map out their road to success. And they pay particular attention to the small stuff, the little things they deal with on a day-to-day basis.

4. Plan Ahead

Entrepreneurs hate to plan. We’ve all been through at least one 2- or 3-day strategic planning session that produced a “detailed plan” – only to have it end up on the shelf in a month or two.

But we have to do it. And the process doesn’t have to be painful. It doesn’t have to take days or weeks. And it doesn’t have to result in a huge binder of information sitting there collecting dust.

Instead of trying to plan for months or even years down the road, you need to focus on your immediate strategy – The Tactical Plan. Begin by setting a one-year goal for your company. Then identify the day-to-day, week-to-week, and monthly tactics to get you there.

5. Sharpen Your Skills

In business, you are here but need to be there. And in order to get there, your business has to grow. The only way that this will happen is for you – and your employees – to grow along with it.

There are many ways to promote advanced business skills throughout your company. Consider the fundamental areas of:

• Professional Development

• Mentors

• Workshops/Seminars

Remember that achieving excellence in anything requires passion – and passion can thrive only in an environment where things are accomplished. When you’ve figured out what it is that drives you, everything else will begin to fall into place. Any and all obstacles you face along the way will be merely learning opportunities on your way to your goal.

Just keep the rubber side down… and enjoy the ride.

[Ed. Note: To learn more about Dwain and his detailed plan on answering "THE QUESTION," "THE TACTICAL PLAN," and other steps in building your business - follow him at www.DwainDeVille.com , www.BikersGuidetoBusiness.com, BusinessBiker@Twitter, or see his videos at YouTube.com. Dwain is a business coach to top CEOs, and is the accomplished author of The Biker's Guide to Business (available through Amazon.com or your local book retailer).]

“I appreciate you sharing”

Hi Michael, I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your article, How to Have Lots of Good Friends. It came at a good time for me, as I recently made the decision to let go of the “friendships” of takers… I also appreciate you sharing how your work to support others pays off one way or another.

Elisa B.

I wore those words the way a proud war veteran wears his medals. But the truth is, those “medals” were a millstone around my neck and were slowing me down. My perfectionism was a time-wasting, money-losing goal killer that probably doubled the time it took me to be successful.

My “Aha!” moment came 10 years ago. A client had hired me to take charge of negotiating a three-year, $10,000,000 contract with a healthcare provider. It took four months, eight meetings with principals, 12 revisions of the contract, endless phone calls, and hundreds of documents and data reviews.

It was perfect and everyone was satisfied. All parties involved signed the contract. I was exhausted yet excited and thrilled that the ordeal was over… and would not begin again for another three years.

But a mere 60 days after signing the contract, the service provider notified my client that they were exercising the “out clause” – two sentences (signed off on by our attorneys) that allowed them to cancel. Turns out there were a few important details that hadn’t been covered.

Unbelievable as it was, we had to re-negotiate.

I was again asked to take charge. This time, I informed everyone involved that we would have only one meeting for resolution. They were to come prepared to compromise and to make a decision. They did, and a new contract was quickly written and signed.

That’s when I realized that this is the way I should have handled the negotiation from the beginning. I should have aimed for “good” and then aimed for “better” once we were sure we had the essence of the contract on paper. It would have been far more productive than wasting everyone’s time with my need to perfect every little detail.

Is perfectionism keeping you from accomplishing your goals?

Have you ever said something like:

“This report has to be perfect before I turn it in.”

Or…

“My presentation has to be perfect before I meet with the client.”

Problem is, perfection is impossible. And continuously striving for it can stall you – keep you from making progress on your goals and benefiting from the results.

Sometimes, the very thought that you aren’t doing something “perfectly” can stop you in your tracks and stomp on your motivation.

Don’t fall into that trap.

If, for example, you have to get a winning sales letter in the mail to achieve one of your business goals, take a shot at writing it. Aim for “good” – and get it about 80% of the way there. Then test it. Once you have the test results, you will be able to aim for “better,” because you will have more information to work with.

The 80% rule should be applied to every goal you set for yourself.

Let’s say you have been slaving away at a project. You’ve been putting in long hours, and wearing yourself out. As a result, you are beginning to neglect your other job responsibilities – and even your health.

It’s time to put the 80% rule to work.

Say to yourself, “Have I achieved 80% of what I was aiming for with this project? If not, I will continue to work on it. If so, I will move forward.”

Now this doesn’t mean that you don’t pour 100% of your energy and attention into your goals. It just means that you stop trying to make every detail perfect.

It took me 25 years to learn the 80% rule. Do not wait that long to take advantage of this time-saving, money-making, and goal-achieving insider secret. Had I implemented the 80% rule much earlier, my success would have come much faster and easier. (I also would have had a lot more time to spend with my family.)

If, like me, you are a perfectionist by nature, it won’t be easy to keep your perfectionism at bay. It will take constant effort. But it will be well worth it.

That’s why, for the past 10 years, this has been my rule: 80% means good to go! As Michael Masterson always says, “Ready, Fire, Aim.”

[Ed. Note: You can change your life and accomplish all your goals with simple strategies like Bob's 80% rule. For dozens more ways to turn your dreams into reality - plus tons of goal-setting tools and motivation to get going - sign up for Bob Cox's "The Billionaire in You" program. Learn more here.]

“I love this article.”

I absolutely agree with you with respect to this article on friendships. It is a great article and so true. With age comes experience and with age comes the beauty of knowing that you value friends and accept them for whatever they are. I love this article.

P.P.

Then I called a politician I had worked with. I asked him if he had any advice. I still remember his words: “Are you financially independent?”

When I told him that I was a long way from financial independence, he said that if I ran for office in my thirties (successfully), I would never be financially independent. I would have a much lower income than I could earn in the private sector. And I would probably worry about money all my life.

That slammed the brakes on my political ambitions. I folded my campaign and went back to work as a business consultant and real estate developer. Eventually, I became a professional speaker.

It has been said, “A butterfly flapping its wings in Peru can start a change in the weather that leads to a typhoon in China.” The application of this idea is that even a casual meeting with an acquaintance can have major long-term effects.

At every stage of your life, there will be someone giving you insights and guidance that can point you in a better direction. At the same time, you can be the person giving insights and guidance that will help others.

How many times has your direction changed because you interacted with another person? Sometimes an observation from someone with more experience can change your destiny.

The Secret has been a bestseller for years. According to the book, “If you visualize and think positive thoughts, you will attract all good things into your life.”

Unfortunately, this idea is misleading. Of course, it is important to think positive thoughts. But that is not enough. You must also take continuous action in the direction of your goals, overcoming resistance, adversity, and temporary failures.

Success is not based on the Law of Attraction. It is based on the Law of Probabilities. This law says that there is a probability that everything can happen. And that you can influence those probabilities by doing more of the things that are likely to lead to your success.

Interacting with others is one of those things.

The salesperson who sees more prospects is going to make more sales than the one who stays in the office and shuffles business cards. The professional who networks with other professionals is going to dramatically increase the probability that he will meet the right person, at the right time, with the right insight or guidance that will lead to a career breakthrough.

Networking is one of the surest ways to improve your chances of meeting the right people.

How do you network? Go to industry events. Join a local entrepreneurs’ group. Attend continuing education workshops in your field. Interview successful people. However you network, you’ll meet people who can help you succeed… faster than you could do it on your own.

[Ed. Note: Go here to read Brian Tracy's FREE special report, "Discovering Your Talents."

In this report, success expert, coach, and bestselling author Brian Tracy reveals the exact strategy he uses to produce more income, more leisure time, and more fulfillment and enjoyment in his life.

Whatever you're doing today, it's nowhere near what you're really capable of. So download Brian's free special report NOW to unleash your FULL potential!]

“You did it again!”

You did it again! You knocked it out of the park… as usual. I look forward to ETR every day. I have a PMA degree, (Positive Mental Attitude), and ETR is an oasis in a desert of negative daily input. Thank you so much, and keep on keepin’ on!

Dan B.

The outcome of my entire day is determined by that very first hour. When it goes well (and it almost always does), I have more energy all day long. I’m more productive. And, frankly, I am a lot more pleasant to be around.

All due to my simple morning workout.

Monday through Friday, I’m waiting for the gym doors to open at 4:55 a.m. And I am not alone. I wait outside with my fellow “regulars.” We exchange pleasantries and chat about major news items. But when the doors open at 5:00 a.m., we can be mid-sentence and the conversation stops. We all focus on our fitness goals.

At least that’s how it goes 99 out of 100 times. But once in a while, “stuff happens.”

A few weeks ago, I was up with Delaine (my 4-year-old) at 1:00 a.m. because her tummy hurt. I knew my morning workout was in jeopardy. As I crawled into bed at 1:30, I nudged my husband and said, “I can’t believe I have to get up in three hours.”

Don’t do it,” he said. “Get some sleep.”

I responded with, “My day will be shot if I don’t get my workout in!”

In need of sleep himself, he suggested that I set the alarm for 6:30. That would get me to the gym before 7:00 and in the office by 9:00. That, I could live with.

But here’s the funny part. Walking into the same gym at 7:00 a.m. was like walking into a foreign country! The music was loud. The cafe was open and crowded. People were standing by the stairs and by the weights and by the exercise equipment, talking and laughing.

I was a little taken aback. But I decided to just go with it. After all, in business I am constantly reminded how important change is to overall success.

So after an abbreviated version of my weight training, I headed to the third floor to find my favorite elliptical machine waiting for me.

Soon I was in my zone, drowning everything else out. It was just Bono and me, and he was telling me it was a beautiful day.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a woman approaching. She was smiling at me. I knew she was going to try to engage me in conversation.

I had to think fast to preserve the only “alone” time in my entire day.

But before I could come up with something that didn’t sound crazy or mean, she was standing right in front of me. Against my better judgment, I put Bono on pause and took off my headphones.

“Liz” started off by complimenting me. She said I looked like I owned the machine, because I made it look so easy. Then she told me she had joined the gym recently, a few months after giving birth to her first child.

She said she was embarrassed by the size of her thighs, but most of the machines intimidated her. All she’d been doing were modest workouts on the treadmill.

Having been a new mom not once but three times, I understand how it feels to want to lose the extra weight after giving birth. So I decided to turn Bono off and help her get started on the elliptical.

Within minutes, Liz was doing fine on the machine, and we were having a pleasant conversation.

She told me that before having the baby she was a marketing director with a large advertising agency in Miami. She loved marketing. But she said that, with a newborn, there was no way she could handle the long commute and demands of the job. And though her attorney husband had a good income, she knew that, with the new addition to the family, her salary would be sorely missed.

And then Liz said the magic words that were music to my ears.

She wanted to start an online business!

Liz had already enlisted a friend to help build her site. But she felt like the site was going in the wrong direction, and that it was too complicated.

Well, of course I jumped right in with advice. Here’s what I told her:

Building the Website That’s Right for Your Business

There are basically three marketing reasons to have a website. So before you start building yours, make sure you understand which one is best for your business:

1. To provide information about a product or company in order to establish a presence on the Web

2. To stimulate sales through direct marketing

3. To develop a list of prospective buyers

Each of these reasons is valid. Each dictates a different sort of website.

• The Information Site

  A site built to provide information about a product or company – and, thus, add to its credibility – must be comprehensive, beneficial, and easy to navigate. It should be rich in useful free content: articles, photos, videos, news, and advice.

• The Direct-Response-Driven Site

  A website built for marketing purposes must have all the important elements of a direct-response promotion. That includes a strongly defined look and message, free content, and a call to action. The call to action could be in the form of an offer or a subscription sign-up box. It’s best to have two sign-up opportunities on EVERY page – one in the upper right hand corner and one centered at the bottom. The site should also be constructed to gain high rankings on search engines like Google.

• The List-Building Site

  A website built to develop a list of prospective buyers must be engaging, interactive, and constantly changing – with a prominent, easy-to-fill-in e-mail sign-up box. It should also offer a free bonus, such as an e-report or e-book, in exchange for signing up. A good example is expert info publisher/copywriter Bob Bly’s list-building site Bly.com.

Each of these websites is different. Each requires different copy, graphics, and technology. But all of them should have plenty of free, useful content. And all should load quickly and be accessible to people with older computers and slower Internet connections.

After I explained all of this to Liz, she said she was happy she’d had the courage to talk to me. She said she was going to go home and call her Web designer immediately.

I have to admit that Liz was not the only one who learned something that morning. I walked away with a few valuable lessons myself. For one thing, this experience reconfirmed that change is good. By getting to the gym at a different time, I not only made a new business contact but a new friend as well. Plus, it reminded me not to judge a book by its cover. When I saw Liz approaching that morning, I assumed I was in for some inane small talk. But it turned out she is a smart, well spoken, and interesting person who has added something to my life.

[Ed. Note: MaryEllen Tribby, ETR's former publisher and CEO, followed her lifelong dream and started a new company, Working Moms Only, to help women balance work and family life. Keep an eye out for her columns in ETR on the challenges facing working moms, on marketing, business building, and more. And check out the Working Moms Only website and sign up for MaryEllen's free e-letter here.]

“I always enjoy reading your articles.”

I always enjoy reading your articles. Very insightful and meaningful. Many of the topics and ideas I have been using in my life.

Thanks!

Geary S.

Anyway, the reason I am bringing this up is that I want to know what you are doing today toward reinventing your career.

I know, you have family commitments… work commitments… people tugging at you. And sometimes you think you don’t have enough time to work on your personal goals.

But you know what? It’s not true. It’s just a matter of making better use of your time.

First off, you have to be clear about what you really want. Are you thinking of venturing out into a completely new career? Or are you thinking of reinventing yourself at your present job and getting more out of what you do?

Once you know what you want to accomplish, you can determine the actions you need to take to make it happen. Nothing will happen unless you take ACTION. But, of course, you have to prioritize those actions. What has to be done immediately… tomorrow… the day after?

Today, for instance, I have to finish work for a client and then work on promotional materials for my new book. The weather is gorgeous. And I’d love to go to the beach. But nnnnnnnnnnnnnno. I will NOT. Going to the beach is not a priority. Getting the work done is.

Prioritizing allows you to get the biggest ROI from your time and resources. In marketing, for example, if I do X and it does not bring me Y or Z (leads or income), I have to change X.

The same applies to your reinvention. If an action you take doesn’t pay off the way you expect it to, you have to redirect your efforts to get the results you want.

Whether you are reinventing yourself into a brand-new career or at your present job, the main thing to keep in mind is that you are in charge of your own time and resources. If your reinvention isn’t working, you have to re-examine your priorities.

Yes, you will have to make sacrifices in order to move forward with your reinvention. Reinvention takes time. There are steps you have to take. You will have to retool, repackage yourself, and perhaps learn new skills. But if you take small steps each day, you will not get overwhelmed. And you will soon see measurable results.

[Ed. Note: Peter "The Reinvention Guy" Fogel has worked on many TV shows, including Married With Children, Hope and Faith, and Whoopi. He transitioned from a successful stand-up comic to an in-demand freelance advertising copywriter/problem solver. He's the author of the critically acclaimed books If Not Now... Then When?, Stories and Strategies of People Over 40 Who Have Successfully Reinvented Themselves, and the just-released Reboot Your Career: 27 Ways to Reinvent Yourself in the Workplace... If You Still Have a Job! Go here for more information.]

“I love this article”

I absolutely agree with you with respect to this article on friendships. It is a great article and so true. With age comes experience and with age comes the beauty of knowing that you value friends and accept them for whatever they are. I love this article.

P.P.

The morning of the exam, Paul took a seat in the front row of the big auditorium where the class was held. Over 100 students were in the class with him. On a table at the front was a row of 10 stuffed birds, each one with a sack covering its body so that only the legs were visible.

The professor announced, “For this test, which counts for 80% of your final grade, I want you to identify each bird up here by its legs, and then discuss its species, natural habitat, and mating patterns. You may begin.”

Paul stared at the birds. All the legs looked the same to him. After spending half the exam period in growing frustration as he tried to determine which bird was which, he picked up his exam and threw it on the professor’s desk.

“This is ridiculous!” he shouted. “I studied the textbook and my notes all night, and now you’re asking me to name these birds by looking at their legs? Forget it!”

The professor picked up the exam booklet and saw that it was blank. “What’s your name, young man?”

With that, Paul yanked one leg of his pants up. “Why don’t you tell me?”

Paul’s response probably didn’t earn him a passing grade, although I must admit, I admire his creativity!

“Creativity is a great motivator because it makes people interested in what they are doing. Creativity gives hope that there can be a worthwhile idea,” said English psychologist Edward de Bono. “Creativity gives the possibility of some sort of achievement to everyone. Creativity makes life more interesting.”

Everyone is born with the ability to be creative, but some people seem to lose it as they grow older, whereas others are better at accessing their creativity throughout their lives. Studies show that there is no correlation between IQ and creativity.

Here’s how to regain or retain your creative spark:

Be aware of what’s going on around you. A scientist needs to analyze all available facts and every bit of research. Stay on top of current business trends. Learn from other people’s ideas and mistakes.

Explore. Examine all of your options and alternatives, no matter how far-fetched they may seem at first. Don’t rule anything out as you look for solutions and new approaches.

Be courageous. You’ve got to be fearless and not worry about what others may think. Don’t try to be like everyone else. Take your own approach, whatever you’re doing. Prepare to accept some criticism but don’t take it personally.

Rely on your instincts. As you assimilate the information around you and assess the possibilities, factor in your instincts to come up with creative solutions. As legendary film director Frank Capra said, “A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.”

Assess your options. Sort your ideas into categories, and rank them. Try combining ideas, and eliminate any that don’t fit what you’re looking for.

Be realistic. Step back and evaluate how your idea or solution is likely to play out in the real world. Look at the upside, but consider the downside as well. Not all great ideas will work, but they may lead to other solutions.

Stick with it. You need to be persistent if you want to achieve anything significant. A novel takes a long time to write; a successful business may take years to build. Keep a detailed picture of the intended result in your mind to help you stay focused and move forward.

Be patient. You can’t hurry creativity, so take time to ponder your ideas. Sit back and take time to think things over. That’s usually how the best ideas bloom.

Evaluate the results. At the end of the process, ask yourself: Has my vision been realized? Learn from what works and what fails so you can move on to your next project.

Creativity isn’t just a process. It’s a value. If you value success, get creative!

Mackay’s Moral: It only takes a little spark to ignite a great fire.

[Ed. Note: Harvey Mackay has written five New York Times bestselling books, two of them considered to be among the top 15 inspirational business books of all time - Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive and Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt. His latest book is Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You. Harvey has been named one of the top five speakers in the world by Toastmasters International. He is also chairman of the $100 million MackayMitchell Envelope Company, a business he started in 1960. This article was reprinted with permission from Harvey's nationally syndicated column.]

“I appreciate you sharing.”

Hi Michael, I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your essay, How to Have Lots of Good Friends. It came at a good time for me, as I made the decision to let go of the “friendships” of exclusively takers… I appreciate you sharing how your work to support others pays off one way or another.

Elisa B.

The marketer has created his first product, along with a landing page on which to sell it.

Now, how does he drive traffic to that landing page to generate clicks and sales?

The most effective method is to send an e-mail marketing message advertising the product to your opt-in e-list.

But if you’re like most beginning Internet marketers, you have either no list or a list so small that no significant sales will result from e-mailing to it.

The only way for you to access large, responsive e-lists is to do joint ventures with the big Internet marketers who own those lists.

Unfortunately, the successful Internet marketers with the big, profitable e-lists (a) don’t know who you are and (b) are bombarded by people asking them to promote products every day.

Therefore, they have little or no inclination to promote yours.

So what are the do’s and don’ts of asking medium-size (like me) and big Internet marketers (like Early to Rise) to joint venture with you?

To begin with, never send your product unsolicited, without getting permission first – especially a physical product like a book or DVD set.

The recipients have neither the time nor the interest to read your book or watch your DVD, and your expensive materials will go straight into the trash.

And don’t ask the big Internet marketers to look at your e-book and offer advice and suggestions.

That is presumptuous and potentially insulting. My clients pay me hundreds or thousands of dollars for my critiques and editing. So why I should interrupt my paying work to review your e-book for free?

That said, here’s a 5-step process that can lead to success in establishing joint ventures with other Internet marketers, even those much bigger than you.

1. If there is any connection between you and the marketer, even a tenuous one, mention it in your first communication with them.

The connection could be as solid as having a common friend or colleague, or as negligible as you being a fan of their work.

One online marketer I know got a major guru to endorse his e-book because they live in the same city and swim in the same lake.

2. Briefly describe the product for which you are proposing a joint venture.

Give its title and a one-paragraph summary of the contents, purpose, and intended audience.

3. Explain why you think your product would appeal to the marketer’s list, and also how it offers them unique content they cannot get elsewhere.

For instance, an aspiring Internet entrepreneur put together a guide on how to write copy and suggested I offer it to my list. He was shocked when I turned him down. Why did I do it? Because I ALREADY have several of my own products that cover the same territory. Since I’d have to split the profits with him in a joint venture, why wouldn’t I just sell my own products and keep all the money?

More recently, I was offered the opportunity to joint venture on an e-book about how copywriters and graphic designers can work together. It’s a topic with great appeal to my list, and I don’t cover it in any of my own products. This combination makes it ideal for a joint venture.

4. Make sure the price of your product is high enough that it allows the marketer to make a profit when he promotes it to his list.

I have been approached by marketers about doing joint ventures on small special reports that cost seven dollars. I tell them there is not enough money per sale in it to pay off for me.

5. Offer a generous commission.

For most information products – e-books, audio CD albums, DVDs, multimedia programs – I give as well as get a 50% commission on each sale. Anything less than 50% is usually not enough to interest me.

There are exceptions. On high-priced items, such as seminars and conferences, a 25% commission is sufficient compensation. One colleague, CM, asked me to present his $5,000 bootcamp to my list and offered $1,000 commission on each sale. I was more than happy to oblige.

Some Internet marketers add extra compensation for joint venture partners – prizes for the partners who generate the most sales for a product. This is typically offered for product launches.

I would never promote a product I don’t like to my list just to win a prize, even if it is substantial. (And the prizes can be anything from an iPod up to an automobile!) But if I would promote the product to my list anyway, I certainly don’t mind getting a modest prize. (I won an iPod a few months ago and gave it to my son.)

[Ed. Note: Setting up successful and effective joint ventures should be a priority in your Internet business. But there is plenty of other stuff to learn and take care of: search engine optimization, copywriting, landing pages, e-mail list building, social media... you'll learn it all in Bob's Internet Cash Generator program. Find out more about it here.

Bob Bly is a freelance copywriter and the author of more than 70 books. To subscribe to his free e-zine, The Direct Response Letter, and claim your free gift worth $116, click here now.]

“Thank You Again”

Michael, I’ve just read your article about How to Have Friends and it expressed my feelings so well I almost could have written it myself. I call people who constantly worry about whether their relationships are “equal” scorekeepers. They are often too busy worrying about things being equal to get anything done. Thank you again! I appreciate being on your e-mail list so much!

Pat C.