Our NEWEST Blog comes from one Ed Samulski of Michigan
If you looked up the word “Procrastination” in the dictionary you would see my smiling face.
Yes, I have procrastinated all of my life. I would play small and stay inside my comfort zone, all of my life. I would brake out once in a while but then just before the great gain was in hand, something would “come up” and I would end up quitting. I thought it was fine, I was good where I ended up and I would tell myself ‘it wasn’t meant to be’. So this is how it went all of my life...truth is, I was comfortably miserable.
It’s not like I have never achieved anything at all, among many things I am a successful engineer, but deep down I knew I had fallen short of my FULL potential…and that is an empty feeling.
I started taking personal growth classes about 8 years ago with my girlfriend at the time; who is now my lovely wife. I only started taking the courses because she was, I had no drive to change, I was just supporting her as a good friend and partner. I did learn and take nugget from each course, but would fall back into my comfort zone of just getting by.
Then I bought the book “Catch Fire; How to Ignite your own Economy”. I thought this was a great book. It even had a free on-line program for me to take. Of course I procrastinated to sign up for the first class that was offered...but when I stepped forward and registered; WOW my comfort zone stretched and has not been the same size ever since. I signed up for the Bachelors and am currently in the Masters Program of The Catch Fire University.
I have realized that procrastination is another word and manifestation in my life for fear. Fear of success, fear of failure, fear of moving forward. I suppose I always new that but could not or would not admit it to myself.
Now with the help of CFU faculty, class & mentoring I now choose to move past that little voice of fear in my head urging me to quit or procrastinate! I am now choosing to BE the leader I was born to be, spreading my wings and my comfort zone along the way… because change is in the air!
Thanks to Doug, Melanie, Brad and the rest of the faculty at CFU!
Ed Samulski, Macomb, Mi
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Experiencing A Rich Life!
This weeks Blog was written by one of our current Students: Kylee Ferguson Haining
Why do we want to be financially free? Good Question!
One of the most important questions that Catch Fire University asked me to think about and define for myself was NOT just WHY but “What do I really want to experience from Financial Freedom?”
I have had a set of updated written goals since I was eighteen years old. On that list are all the places I wanted to travel, and things I wanted to have. Many of them achieved many yet to come… I have traveled to many places, but it wasn’t until recently that I figured out WHY I wanted to travel... I became clear as to what I was really looking for in the experience.
You see I like to be present and enjoy the beauty of the world and have fun with my family. The Catch Fire University allowed me to get clear on this and many more things on my goal statement.
This last November we were in Disneyland. One day on the Park's grounds, in the early afternoon, I watched several parents yell at their children... at what is supposed to be the happiest place on earth. My guess is they weren’t clear in their mind about why they were there and what they were wanting to experience.
Financial Freedom like Disneyland it is a destination but if you haven’t figured out what you want to experience you can miss it or get there and still find yourself unhappy.
Now that I know that it is the “experience” I am seeking, opportunities present themselves all the time for me to feel FREE. I can walk around the park with my husband on Sunday afternoon. Sit and enjoy the wind in the trees in our back yard. Double park my car on Canada Day and watch the fireworks with my daughter.
This clarity has allowed me to catch myself and get back to enjoying life in the present moment instead of playing “the someday game” with myself. So even on my journey to Financial Freedom I can still experience a more rich and fulfilling life!
Thanks Catch Fire University!
Why do we want to be financially free? Good Question!
One of the most important questions that Catch Fire University asked me to think about and define for myself was NOT just WHY but “What do I really want to experience from Financial Freedom?”
I have had a set of updated written goals since I was eighteen years old. On that list are all the places I wanted to travel, and things I wanted to have. Many of them achieved many yet to come… I have traveled to many places, but it wasn’t until recently that I figured out WHY I wanted to travel... I became clear as to what I was really looking for in the experience.
You see I like to be present and enjoy the beauty of the world and have fun with my family. The Catch Fire University allowed me to get clear on this and many more things on my goal statement.
This last November we were in Disneyland. One day on the Park's grounds, in the early afternoon, I watched several parents yell at their children... at what is supposed to be the happiest place on earth. My guess is they weren’t clear in their mind about why they were there and what they were wanting to experience.
Financial Freedom like Disneyland it is a destination but if you haven’t figured out what you want to experience you can miss it or get there and still find yourself unhappy.
Now that I know that it is the “experience” I am seeking, opportunities present themselves all the time for me to feel FREE. I can walk around the park with my husband on Sunday afternoon. Sit and enjoy the wind in the trees in our back yard. Double park my car on Canada Day and watch the fireworks with my daughter.
This clarity has allowed me to catch myself and get back to enjoying life in the present moment instead of playing “the someday game” with myself. So even on my journey to Financial Freedom I can still experience a more rich and fulfilling life!
Thanks Catch Fire University!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Financial "REACTOR" to Financial CREATOR!
Today's Blog is from one of our Current Student Melissa Lundgren
In 2010 I was feeling financially trapped, worn out, hopeless, and like a failure- all because of (my perception) of ‘THE’ economy. My belief was that if ‘THE ‘ economy and ‘THE’ housing market would just get better-then my financial life would immediately improve, hence all the other areas of my life would get better too.
I let my thoughts and beliefs about ‘THE' Economy steal my peace by relying on circumstances outside of myself to determine how I felt inside-
I was being a 'reactor' instead of being a creator... choosing to be a victim of my circumstance instead of changing my circumstances! I am finding that the latter is a much more powerful place to live!
Through experiencing and participating in Catch Fire University’s free Associates Course - I have learned that there is no ‘out there’ and that my relationship and history with money begins inside me- and, that financial peace is first an inside job. This was a huge break through for me. What a relief! This was good news!
The CFU course helped and supported me in a safe environment to look at and walk through my fears, emotions, and behaviors around money- I have been able to shift how I do things now. I can take responsibility for my actions, no more blaming here! I can be accountable for my money. I used to avoid dealing with money and now I am facing it head on with the support of CFU and it's amazing team. I now know that I create my results and this is TRUE in ANY economy.
Thank you CFU for helping me to shift my experience and perception from ‘THE’ economy to ‘MY’ economy. This is a big game changer for me.
And if I can do it- you can too! So be sure to download the Free E-book Catch Fire-How To Ignite Your Own Economy and register for the FREE online CFU Associates Degree course.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
FEAR of Sucess...really? Why?
Today's Blog comes from one of our current Students, Helen McCormick
Have you ever sat and watched children play on a playground? If you haven’t, next time you have the opportunity, take it! There is so much for us adults to learn from those small tikes.
As I sat in observation the other day at the park, there were children laughing and playing and for the most part the moms and dads were watching. But some were playing on the swings and slide. That would be me.
There were a few exceptions. One parent yelling at a child “DON’T DO. THAT YOUR ARE GOING TO FALL” “ DON’T TOUCH THE DOG IT WILL BITE. “ DON’T DON’T, DON’T…” Then that child falls off the slide, he cries, he is hurt and says “I am NEVER going on that slide again.” All of this is now stores in the child’s mind and a new FEAR sets in.
FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real.
Speaking from my own experience, I think most people have FEAR of something. What I found to be true is it that FEAR is the anticipation of pain from past experience, or rejection. And FEAR can stop us if we let it.
FEAR showed up in many forms for me, from emotional stress to sickness, insecurities, and being shy just to name a few.
Sounds sort of weird doesn’t it… getting sick because of FEAR!? Well for me it was a way to stay SAFE and not take the action. But the real question was safe from what?
Through Catch Fire University I GOT IT! Through this INCREDIBLE program I’ve had a number of BREAKTHROUGHS and a new amazing awareness. I am making changes in my life. And through the support of Catch Fire’s Master Coach Brad Freeman we uncover my FEAR! The fear of Success!
The NEXT question posed to me by Brad is “What is attached to success?”
At the moment I do not have a clue… but by implementing the faculty, team and tools provided through Catch Fire University Pandora’s Box was opened yesterday. WHOOHOO! Oh my gosh! Thank you CFU!
You see previous to my current, wonderful husband I had been married before. My ex was not the supportive type. When we married I was timid, shy and an insecure individual. As I grew and he did not, I became very successful in Corporate America. I earned double his income. This was not acceptable to him and we grew further and further apart, until it was decided a divorce. Through the Divorce I lost what I thought was my life, my identity. Subconsciously, a lot of pain and suffering was attached to my ‘successes; which subconsciously I saw as the root cause to my divorce. I didn’t want another divorce so I have been sabotaging my current efforts for success and financial freedom, what a realization!
I am so blessed to have Melanie, Doug, Brad and Catch Fire University. I can let go and move forward. I would like to share the affirmation I put on my bathroom mirror a few weeks ago.
‘I move beyond old limitations and NOW allow myself to express freely and creatively”
Now the physically healing can and will begin.
Thank you Catch Fire, Doug, Melanie and Brad!
Have you ever sat and watched children play on a playground? If you haven’t, next time you have the opportunity, take it! There is so much for us adults to learn from those small tikes.
As I sat in observation the other day at the park, there were children laughing and playing and for the most part the moms and dads were watching. But some were playing on the swings and slide. That would be me.
There were a few exceptions. One parent yelling at a child “DON’T DO. THAT YOUR ARE GOING TO FALL” “ DON’T TOUCH THE DOG IT WILL BITE. “ DON’T DON’T, DON’T…” Then that child falls off the slide, he cries, he is hurt and says “I am NEVER going on that slide again.” All of this is now stores in the child’s mind and a new FEAR sets in.
FEAR: False Evidence Appearing Real.
Speaking from my own experience, I think most people have FEAR of something. What I found to be true is it that FEAR is the anticipation of pain from past experience, or rejection. And FEAR can stop us if we let it.
FEAR showed up in many forms for me, from emotional stress to sickness, insecurities, and being shy just to name a few.
Sounds sort of weird doesn’t it… getting sick because of FEAR!? Well for me it was a way to stay SAFE and not take the action. But the real question was safe from what?
Through Catch Fire University I GOT IT! Through this INCREDIBLE program I’ve had a number of BREAKTHROUGHS and a new amazing awareness. I am making changes in my life. And through the support of Catch Fire’s Master Coach Brad Freeman we uncover my FEAR! The fear of Success!
The NEXT question posed to me by Brad is “What is attached to success?”
At the moment I do not have a clue… but by implementing the faculty, team and tools provided through Catch Fire University Pandora’s Box was opened yesterday. WHOOHOO! Oh my gosh! Thank you CFU!
You see previous to my current, wonderful husband I had been married before. My ex was not the supportive type. When we married I was timid, shy and an insecure individual. As I grew and he did not, I became very successful in Corporate America. I earned double his income. This was not acceptable to him and we grew further and further apart, until it was decided a divorce. Through the Divorce I lost what I thought was my life, my identity. Subconsciously, a lot of pain and suffering was attached to my ‘successes; which subconsciously I saw as the root cause to my divorce. I didn’t want another divorce so I have been sabotaging my current efforts for success and financial freedom, what a realization!
I am so blessed to have Melanie, Doug, Brad and Catch Fire University. I can let go and move forward. I would like to share the affirmation I put on my bathroom mirror a few weeks ago.
‘I move beyond old limitations and NOW allow myself to express freely and creatively”
Now the physically healing can and will begin.
Thank you Catch Fire, Doug, Melanie and Brad!
Super Tired to Super Balanced
Today's Blog comes from one of our current students JANE EUELL!
Doug Nelson’s Catch Fire; How to Ignite Your Own Economy book was priceless! Not only was it was easy to read, but full of practical, useful advice. It made me wonder why we aren’t taught these concepts early in life; it sure would eliminate a lot of unnecessary suffering!!!!
While still reading the book, I signed up for Catch Fire University’s Associates class. I didn’t want to waste any more time. My experience was transformational, changing the way I think. I now get more out of my life because I put more into it. I truly see now how “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” It’s not just a quote anymore!
I couldn’t imagine passing up the opportunity to learn more through the Bachelors and Masters programs. I learned how I can achieve amazing results when I put my mind to something. And, even more dynamic results are achieved with the synergistic power of a team. In life, I leaned we need to choose our “team” wisely.
One of the most valuable lessons among many that I learned was utilizing my resources! Before Catch Fire University, I would always agree to do everything for everyone and spread myself too thin. This ultimately meant not leaving any time for my own goals. The pressure I put on myself to be Superwoman created a lot of unnecessary struggle in my life! I have since learned to schedule the important as well as the urgent. To think before automatically saying “yes” and that I can call on the abundant resources which are always at my fingertips to help me overcome challenges. It took the CFU experience to point this out and show me a way to break that pattern.
Even Superwoman needs assistance from time to time. What a relief to experience more balance in my life! Now I am using this, as well as many other valuable CFU lessons, to design the life I was born to live.
Thanks Doug, Melanie and the Catch Fire University!
Doug Nelson’s Catch Fire; How to Ignite Your Own Economy book was priceless! Not only was it was easy to read, but full of practical, useful advice. It made me wonder why we aren’t taught these concepts early in life; it sure would eliminate a lot of unnecessary suffering!!!!
While still reading the book, I signed up for Catch Fire University’s Associates class. I didn’t want to waste any more time. My experience was transformational, changing the way I think. I now get more out of my life because I put more into it. I truly see now how “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” It’s not just a quote anymore!
I couldn’t imagine passing up the opportunity to learn more through the Bachelors and Masters programs. I learned how I can achieve amazing results when I put my mind to something. And, even more dynamic results are achieved with the synergistic power of a team. In life, I leaned we need to choose our “team” wisely.
One of the most valuable lessons among many that I learned was utilizing my resources! Before Catch Fire University, I would always agree to do everything for everyone and spread myself too thin. This ultimately meant not leaving any time for my own goals. The pressure I put on myself to be Superwoman created a lot of unnecessary struggle in my life! I have since learned to schedule the important as well as the urgent. To think before automatically saying “yes” and that I can call on the abundant resources which are always at my fingertips to help me overcome challenges. It took the CFU experience to point this out and show me a way to break that pattern.
Even Superwoman needs assistance from time to time. What a relief to experience more balance in my life! Now I am using this, as well as many other valuable CFU lessons, to design the life I was born to live.
Thanks Doug, Melanie and the Catch Fire University!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Seminar Junkie to Super Woman!
Hello Catch Fire Fans!
Great News, some of our Catch Fire University students will be featured here on our Blog to talk about some of the most valuable lessons they have learned in their journey at CFU and how it has moved them forward in life.
We are ALL the same, our stories inspire, so here is our first, enjoy!
Shehana Torcellini; current CFU STUDENT
When it came to money, investments and finances I would put my head in the sand and hope it would all go away. I didn't want to take financial RESPONSIBILITY for my actions or lack of action. My husband wanted me to attend some retirement courses through his work place but I didn't even want to talk about it. The word "budget" wasn't in my vocabulary because I wanted immediate gratification. I liked spending!
When I heard Doug Nelson talk about the book that he was going to write on financial freedom I knew that I wanted to read it. I was finally ready to take financial responsibility. To my shock and amazement, when I read the word "budget" in the book I didn't slam the book closed. In the past I would have never finished reading it but I loved this book; it was REAL. In the book there is a 30 day financial tracking exercise and this process really woke me up to my spending habits and how it was costing me so much more than money.
My husband and I have been taking financial, spiritual and personal development courses for over 36 years and we have spent at least $200,000 in the process. We even refinanced our house so we could attend all of the seminars and courses that we wanted to. In all honesty, I can say that we never took full, whole-hearted ACTION, which is the KEY ingredient to financial freedom. The Catch Fire Associates Degree Program has you work on your "inner world" (your subconscious) and look at why and where you sabotage yourself and quit in life.
I have my own healing business, but I had always HATED SALES & MARKETING, so that ought to tell you how successful I wasn't. I knew I was great at what I did, but what good did that do if I didn't market myself? It wasn't until we took the Catch Fire University Associates Degree Program, that my husband and I started taking some serious action in our lives. I went onto take the Bachelors and the Masters program. I am now doing what I love and that is teaching spiritual awakening, spontaneous healing and creating miracles.
I broke through my fear of sales and marketing because of the processes that I learned through Catch Fire University.
In closing, I was a seminar junky. I know what's it's like to be sitting in a seminar or workshop, wishing and hoping for a better life, all motivated and pumped up, just to go home and drop the ball.
I want to save you your precious time and money! This is IT folks, this is the WAY! I can't be ANY CLEARER. If you're serious about your financial future and you really want a better life, download the FREE E -BOOK AND SIGN UP FOR THE CATCH FIRE ASSOCIATES DEGREE ONLINE PROGRAM.
You can gain financial freedom and you have NOTHING to LOSE but your DEBT.
Great News, some of our Catch Fire University students will be featured here on our Blog to talk about some of the most valuable lessons they have learned in their journey at CFU and how it has moved them forward in life.
We are ALL the same, our stories inspire, so here is our first, enjoy!
Shehana Torcellini; current CFU STUDENT
When it came to money, investments and finances I would put my head in the sand and hope it would all go away. I didn't want to take financial RESPONSIBILITY for my actions or lack of action. My husband wanted me to attend some retirement courses through his work place but I didn't even want to talk about it. The word "budget" wasn't in my vocabulary because I wanted immediate gratification. I liked spending!
When I heard Doug Nelson talk about the book that he was going to write on financial freedom I knew that I wanted to read it. I was finally ready to take financial responsibility. To my shock and amazement, when I read the word "budget" in the book I didn't slam the book closed. In the past I would have never finished reading it but I loved this book; it was REAL. In the book there is a 30 day financial tracking exercise and this process really woke me up to my spending habits and how it was costing me so much more than money.
My husband and I have been taking financial, spiritual and personal development courses for over 36 years and we have spent at least $200,000 in the process. We even refinanced our house so we could attend all of the seminars and courses that we wanted to. In all honesty, I can say that we never took full, whole-hearted ACTION, which is the KEY ingredient to financial freedom. The Catch Fire Associates Degree Program has you work on your "inner world" (your subconscious) and look at why and where you sabotage yourself and quit in life.
I have my own healing business, but I had always HATED SALES & MARKETING, so that ought to tell you how successful I wasn't. I knew I was great at what I did, but what good did that do if I didn't market myself? It wasn't until we took the Catch Fire University Associates Degree Program, that my husband and I started taking some serious action in our lives. I went onto take the Bachelors and the Masters program. I am now doing what I love and that is teaching spiritual awakening, spontaneous healing and creating miracles.
I broke through my fear of sales and marketing because of the processes that I learned through Catch Fire University.
In closing, I was a seminar junky. I know what's it's like to be sitting in a seminar or workshop, wishing and hoping for a better life, all motivated and pumped up, just to go home and drop the ball.
I want to save you your precious time and money! This is IT folks, this is the WAY! I can't be ANY CLEARER. If you're serious about your financial future and you really want a better life, download the FREE E -BOOK AND SIGN UP FOR THE CATCH FIRE ASSOCIATES DEGREE ONLINE PROGRAM.
You can gain financial freedom and you have NOTHING to LOSE but your DEBT.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
STEP 4 to Lasting Change: Get Activated!
Hello Everyone,
Step 4 to LASTING change is the crucial step from taking an idea, a goal or a wish from the INTANGIBLE world into the TANGIBLE world!
The first three steps are all about getting your MIND and attitude ON TRACK so when you do this last step it creates a powerful reaction in the universe and amazing things happen! Many people will struggle and tread water by doing ONLY step 4. Never underestimate the power of doing these steps completely and in the order outlined!
Step FOUR: GET ACTIVATED!
In other words take ACTION!!! This is about IMPLEMENTING the steps necessary or required to REACH your goals and dreams!
You figured out WHAT & WHY you want what you want now it is a matter of GOING AFTER IT! An ACTION Plan is KEY to success! It is why Banks often won’t give out Business Loans without a CLEAR business plan showing the WHAT, the WHY, the WHEN and the HOW.
Don’t forget however that Step 4 is 1 part planning, 4 parts ACTION.
WHAT is the vehicle, the method or plan for your financial freedom? Do you have one?
There are a few things in this world that create financial success, here is a list;
BUSINESS/FRANCHISING
INVESTING
REAL ESTATE
…which one are you taking action in or on and what is your next step?
Some of you may be overwhelmed or have been burnt in the past by going for one of the above. There are A LOT of “opportunities” out there and well sometimes it is difficult to know which ones are a “good” one and which one’s are a “bad” idea…
Here is some good news for you... Let me SAVE you some TIME, MONEY and HURT…
Next week’s Blog we will begin a NEW series;
A series on Doug and I’s PERSONAL Business/Investing Criteria.
If an “opportunity” be it investing, franchising or business, doesn’t FIT all 5 Criteria it doesn’t meet our standards to move forward on! Anytime we have strayed from these criteria we have LOST MONEY! There are 5 Criteria and I will go over 1 each week!
See you soon!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
STEP 3 to Lasting Change; Get EDUCATED!
A quick Review…This is the 3rd part in a 4 part series covering the steps to lasting change. The order is more important than you may realize, so if you haven’t read the first two, be sure to do so!
These steps can also be used in ANY other area of your life!
STEP 3: Get EDUCATED
Now this seems like a pretty common sense step yes? You would be surprised!
Aside from the 12 years we took in school, and any additional we took in college, university or trade school, people can be quite resistant to education. Why you ask?
Because immediately following education…is CHANGE. Once we know something we cannot UN-KNOW it…and if we learn something NEW we have two choices…live in denial and guilt or CHANGE. Those two prospects are not appealing to people (on a sub-conscious level) so they CLING to what they already “know” and their long held beliefs so they can stay the same… comfortably miserable… It is human Nature to resist change; it comes from the most primitive part of our brain.
Remember the brain is NOT in charge of your HAPPINESS your heart is!
Very few people are willing to get Educated in money, the economy, financial matters; even FEWER will actually implement what they did learn if they got that far. And even fewer still will Master what they learn. So there should be no WONDERING WHY “the Rich” only make up 5% of the population. It is FAIR as FAIR can be folks. You cannot complain if you have not gotten Educated, you DEFINITELY cannot complain if you haven’t IMPLEMENTED the Education you HAVE gotten… and if you attempted it…well all I can say is this… MASTERY comes from repeated failure and determination! How many airplane failures do you think it took the Wright Brothers before they got it RIGHT!!!???
The KEY to getting EDUCATED is to IMPLEMENT what you learn!
The SECRET to Lasting Change is to MASTER what you implement!
“If getting rich was EASY…everyone would be rich” T.Harv Eker
Doug and I always say, “If Books worked everyone would be RICH, SKINNY & HAPPY!”
That is why we have created CATCH FIRE UNIVERSITY; an online curriculum to assist people in IMPLEMENTING what they learn. It is based on the Catch Fire book and if you purchase the book today you will receive a FREE gift, the FIRST degree in the University absolutely FREE, it is a $995 VALUE!!
The Associates Degree is about creating the FOUNDATION of Financial Freedom, without this foundation you could achieve wealth or strike it rich, but it won’t last unless you have the basics in place!
So the Million Dollar Question is this… Which type of person are you? Are you going to do what’s hard, so life can be easy…or are you going to cling to what is easy so life remains hard…?
Take the next step!
These steps can also be used in ANY other area of your life!
STEP 3: Get EDUCATED
Now this seems like a pretty common sense step yes? You would be surprised!
Aside from the 12 years we took in school, and any additional we took in college, university or trade school, people can be quite resistant to education. Why you ask?
Because immediately following education…is CHANGE. Once we know something we cannot UN-KNOW it…and if we learn something NEW we have two choices…live in denial and guilt or CHANGE. Those two prospects are not appealing to people (on a sub-conscious level) so they CLING to what they already “know” and their long held beliefs so they can stay the same… comfortably miserable… It is human Nature to resist change; it comes from the most primitive part of our brain.
Remember the brain is NOT in charge of your HAPPINESS your heart is!
Very few people are willing to get Educated in money, the economy, financial matters; even FEWER will actually implement what they did learn if they got that far. And even fewer still will Master what they learn. So there should be no WONDERING WHY “the Rich” only make up 5% of the population. It is FAIR as FAIR can be folks. You cannot complain if you have not gotten Educated, you DEFINITELY cannot complain if you haven’t IMPLEMENTED the Education you HAVE gotten… and if you attempted it…well all I can say is this… MASTERY comes from repeated failure and determination! How many airplane failures do you think it took the Wright Brothers before they got it RIGHT!!!???
The KEY to getting EDUCATED is to IMPLEMENT what you learn!
The SECRET to Lasting Change is to MASTER what you implement!
“If getting rich was EASY…everyone would be rich” T.Harv Eker
Doug and I always say, “If Books worked everyone would be RICH, SKINNY & HAPPY!”
That is why we have created CATCH FIRE UNIVERSITY; an online curriculum to assist people in IMPLEMENTING what they learn. It is based on the Catch Fire book and if you purchase the book today you will receive a FREE gift, the FIRST degree in the University absolutely FREE, it is a $995 VALUE!!
The Associates Degree is about creating the FOUNDATION of Financial Freedom, without this foundation you could achieve wealth or strike it rich, but it won’t last unless you have the basics in place!
So the Million Dollar Question is this… Which type of person are you? Are you going to do what’s hard, so life can be easy…or are you going to cling to what is easy so life remains hard…?
Take the next step!
Monday, October 18, 2010
PART 2 of 4: Step Two: Get MOTIVATED!
In Chapter 9 of our book Catch Fire; How to Ignite Your Own Economy we cover the 4 steps to creating LASTING change in your Financial Life! These steps can apply to ANY goal you have in any part of your life as well!
GET MOTIVATED
“Those who restrain Desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained “ -William Blake
As Doug and I were recently sitting on the private patio of our sea villa in Pangkor Laut Resort in Malaysia I said I felt blessed and grateful. He said why?
I didn’t hesitate;
“Most people never get to live the life they dream about.” To that he replied, “There are reasons for that”
…Yes that is true…but my thoughts went to WHY? What are those reasons…? Why is it people don’t live out what is in their heart?
Part 1 of this series covers one of main reasons... If you have read it, you know WHY... people never get Irritated enough to make necessary CHANGES in their lives.
Wealth & Freedom cannot come about without CHANGE, it is impossible.
The OTHER reason that many people do not create the Financial Freedom they want is because they do not let themselves feel the DESIRE of what they want or even allow themselves to enjoy the current luxuries of life. Life is full of amazing moments, places, foods, people and experiences. They also don't create a PLAN to get there.
If you don't know where you are going you will get NOWHERE...
STEP TWO to LASTING change is about GETTING MOTIVATED, the OPPOSITE of step one in that you are harnessing the positive power of your hearts visions, desires and dreams vs. harnessing the power of the Pain of where you are not. It is a FAR more powerful step AFTER you have felt the Pain of the "stick".
Take a moment, grab a pen & paper and answer these questions…
What do you desire?
What do you long for?
Crave?
Hope for?
If you had 6 figures of ongoing/residual income coming in, what would you have in your life, you currently don’t have?
What would you do, who would you be?
Do you let yourself feel the joy of the possibilities that your life has?
Once you know what you want for your life, now it is time to put it into a tangible and realistic TARGET statement.
In our book Catch Fire: How To Ignite Your Own Economy we have a couple chapters dedicated to helping you create some Targets as well as some real “How To’s and What to do’s” to help you create the FOUNDATION of your Financial Freedom.
Far too much to fit in a Blog!
"The only difference between your dreams and making them a reality is a plan of action and sticking to it". Melanie Nelson
GET MOTIVATED
“Those who restrain Desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained “ -William Blake
As Doug and I were recently sitting on the private patio of our sea villa in Pangkor Laut Resort in Malaysia I said I felt blessed and grateful. He said why?
I didn’t hesitate;
“Most people never get to live the life they dream about.” To that he replied, “There are reasons for that”
…Yes that is true…but my thoughts went to WHY? What are those reasons…? Why is it people don’t live out what is in their heart?
Part 1 of this series covers one of main reasons... If you have read it, you know WHY... people never get Irritated enough to make necessary CHANGES in their lives.
Wealth & Freedom cannot come about without CHANGE, it is impossible.
The OTHER reason that many people do not create the Financial Freedom they want is because they do not let themselves feel the DESIRE of what they want or even allow themselves to enjoy the current luxuries of life. Life is full of amazing moments, places, foods, people and experiences. They also don't create a PLAN to get there.
If you don't know where you are going you will get NOWHERE...
STEP TWO to LASTING change is about GETTING MOTIVATED, the OPPOSITE of step one in that you are harnessing the positive power of your hearts visions, desires and dreams vs. harnessing the power of the Pain of where you are not. It is a FAR more powerful step AFTER you have felt the Pain of the "stick".
Take a moment, grab a pen & paper and answer these questions…
What do you desire?
What do you long for?
Crave?
Hope for?
If you had 6 figures of ongoing/residual income coming in, what would you have in your life, you currently don’t have?
What would you do, who would you be?
Do you let yourself feel the joy of the possibilities that your life has?
Once you know what you want for your life, now it is time to put it into a tangible and realistic TARGET statement.
In our book Catch Fire: How To Ignite Your Own Economy we have a couple chapters dedicated to helping you create some Targets as well as some real “How To’s and What to do’s” to help you create the FOUNDATION of your Financial Freedom.
Far too much to fit in a Blog!
"The only difference between your dreams and making them a reality is a plan of action and sticking to it". Melanie Nelson
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
STEP 1 to LASTING Change - Part 1 of 4
In celebration of our book Catch Fire: How to Ignite your Own Economy being finished and delivered I will do a 4 part Blog briefly covering each of the ‘steps to change’ that you find in Chapter 9 of the book.
If you have not yet purchased your own COPY of the book do so now at www.catchfirebook.com For a LIMITED time you will get an autographed copy if you buy the SOFT COVER!
Part 1; Irritation: Popping Pills
STEP ONE; Get IRRITATED!
North America isn’t just addicted to their prescriptions. They take all kinds of other pills you cannot see but rather hear. They sound like…
Excuses, Rationalizations and Justifications.
These are pain pills people take so not to feel the pain or irritation of their current situation. Its how the mind keeps you “comfortable” with where you are at rather then think of and take action towards where you could be.
EXAMPLES of Excuses: "I don’t have enough time, money or support. I am too old, young, fat, stupid, I need a _____ for that and I don’t have it etc… "
EXAMPLES of Rationalizations: "When the kids get older… when my spouse…I am not a ‘morning person’, I could never do that, it’s just not my personality, I’ll start in the fall... it’s just bad timing, etc…"
EXAMPLES of Justifications: "We really do have so much to be grateful for, I am happy where I am at, we are fine, It’s really not that important to me, I guess it’s not meant to be, My life is just so complicated right now, I have so much on my plate, All you need is love etc…"
Any of these sound familiar?? So which of these are your fall back position when things are tough or when you are faced with an opportunity to change your life?
Again the mind uses these to numb the pain of NOT having what it is you truly desire. Your heart has ideas and dreams, and they were put there for a reason. Each one of us has something special to do in this life! You HAD dreams and goals…where are they now? You buried them alive with your pain pills!
The truth is most people live comfortably miserable. They pop these pills all day long in every conversation they have with their friends, family and co-workers to ensure they don’t feel the disappointment, shame, anger or pain of their perceived failure. Since everyone around you is typically doing the same thing it makes it FAR easier to just keep doing it. This creates a RUT many never get out of.
Now I am not saying not to be grateful for what you have, just don’t use it as justification for not living your full purpose.
The more time and money you have the larger the impact you can have in your life and the lives of others. Marianne Williams said it best when she said; “Playing small does not serve you or the world”
The fact is most people will NOT take consistent lasting action towards their goals until they have hit what I call their “bottom line”. Everyone has one, but most never hit it for all the pain pills they are popping, literally and metaphorically.
The MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION is: when is it going to get tough enough for you to say to your self; “This is IT!! I am done living this way!”?
When it does happen, people shift in an instant and their lives will forever be changed. Many people have this after a near death experience. An accident, a heart attack etc… I am thankful that was not my bottom line. My story isn’t that exciting, but it was painful enough for me to make the necessary changes to get out!
Impatient to create your freedom? For a week, a month or whatever you can stand STOP taking the pain pills and actually FEEL the pain of your situation. Allow yourself to get REALLY IRRITATED with your reality! Is it the reality of living paycheck to paycheck? Escalating debt, kids college fund dwindled away to pay bills? A medical emergency sucks you dry, a job loss, not being able to fulfill your hearts desires and dreams? Whatever it is about your current situation you don’t like get to the point where you CANNOT STAND it ANYMORE! Then see what happens!
"When I clearly see where I should be and what I lack, and feel the pain of not being there, I merit the gift of my next level and growth". - Michael Berg
If you have not yet purchased your own COPY of the book do so now at www.catchfirebook.com For a LIMITED time you will get an autographed copy if you buy the SOFT COVER!
Part 1; Irritation: Popping Pills
STEP ONE; Get IRRITATED!
North America isn’t just addicted to their prescriptions. They take all kinds of other pills you cannot see but rather hear. They sound like…
Excuses, Rationalizations and Justifications.
These are pain pills people take so not to feel the pain or irritation of their current situation. Its how the mind keeps you “comfortable” with where you are at rather then think of and take action towards where you could be.
EXAMPLES of Excuses: "I don’t have enough time, money or support. I am too old, young, fat, stupid, I need a _____ for that and I don’t have it etc… "
EXAMPLES of Rationalizations: "When the kids get older… when my spouse…I am not a ‘morning person’, I could never do that, it’s just not my personality, I’ll start in the fall... it’s just bad timing, etc…"
EXAMPLES of Justifications: "We really do have so much to be grateful for, I am happy where I am at, we are fine, It’s really not that important to me, I guess it’s not meant to be, My life is just so complicated right now, I have so much on my plate, All you need is love etc…"
Any of these sound familiar?? So which of these are your fall back position when things are tough or when you are faced with an opportunity to change your life?
Again the mind uses these to numb the pain of NOT having what it is you truly desire. Your heart has ideas and dreams, and they were put there for a reason. Each one of us has something special to do in this life! You HAD dreams and goals…where are they now? You buried them alive with your pain pills!
The truth is most people live comfortably miserable. They pop these pills all day long in every conversation they have with their friends, family and co-workers to ensure they don’t feel the disappointment, shame, anger or pain of their perceived failure. Since everyone around you is typically doing the same thing it makes it FAR easier to just keep doing it. This creates a RUT many never get out of.
Now I am not saying not to be grateful for what you have, just don’t use it as justification for not living your full purpose.
The more time and money you have the larger the impact you can have in your life and the lives of others. Marianne Williams said it best when she said; “Playing small does not serve you or the world”
The fact is most people will NOT take consistent lasting action towards their goals until they have hit what I call their “bottom line”. Everyone has one, but most never hit it for all the pain pills they are popping, literally and metaphorically.
The MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION is: when is it going to get tough enough for you to say to your self; “This is IT!! I am done living this way!”?
When it does happen, people shift in an instant and their lives will forever be changed. Many people have this after a near death experience. An accident, a heart attack etc… I am thankful that was not my bottom line. My story isn’t that exciting, but it was painful enough for me to make the necessary changes to get out!
Impatient to create your freedom? For a week, a month or whatever you can stand STOP taking the pain pills and actually FEEL the pain of your situation. Allow yourself to get REALLY IRRITATED with your reality! Is it the reality of living paycheck to paycheck? Escalating debt, kids college fund dwindled away to pay bills? A medical emergency sucks you dry, a job loss, not being able to fulfill your hearts desires and dreams? Whatever it is about your current situation you don’t like get to the point where you CANNOT STAND it ANYMORE! Then see what happens!
"When I clearly see where I should be and what I lack, and feel the pain of not being there, I merit the gift of my next level and growth". - Michael Berg
Monday, October 4, 2010
Playgrounds and Playmates
A little exercise for you… grab a piece of paper and pen… go ahead… I will wait!
Now List the 5 people you spend the most TIME with...
Now along side their name put their estimated annual income... Yes you know it, or at least have a fairly good idea…These are the top 5 people you give your time and energy to so don’t pretend you don’t have a REALLY good idea what they make.
Now ADD all of the Incomes together for a Grand Total...
Now divide it by 5. This will give you the AVERAGE...
Take a moment and really do this…I’ll wait…
OK, so what is it?
Does this number look familiar? It should!
Statistics show that your income will be the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with! Surprising? Shouldn't be, it's natural law.
Now if you have burning desire to better your financial situation you may need to look at expanding your playgrounds and playmates. Unless those folks are like minded and looking to broaden their horizons and create Financial freedom as well…then count yourself lucky…however if they are NOT, they may be holding you back unintentionally. There is NO judgment here; it is merely a matter of what is MOST important to you.
So what is most important to you? Staying the same, clinging to what you know and what is comfortable or venturing out to unknown territory and making some new friends. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying dump your friends I am merely saying go and make some NEW ones! Build a new network of people with similar goals or even better, people that have DONE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO! Folks the BEST way to reach your financial goals is to hang out with people who have what you want and ask them what THEY did! Then do the SAME!
Some Sound Advice: It is VITALLY important that you ARE BEING someone that a successful person would WANT to spend time with.
The VAST majority of people that Doug and I know that are INCREDIBLY wealthy are SELF MADE. Now that does not mean they did not have support, mentors or instruction. But their common attitude was; “I am going to do this no matter what. I am going to create my own destiny and nothing will stop me”. This type of attitude and more importantly the corresponding action attracts the right people to you. You won’t need to find them, THEY will find YOU!
BACK TO YOUR PLAYGROUND:
Unfortunately the peeps in your current playground like you the way you are because it is familiar but inevitably when you begin to grow and change you WILL hit some resistance from them. Although they mean well, they simply want to “keep you” where you are at. When you truly commit to creating more success in your life you will not have to force building a new playground, it happens almost naturally. If you are reading this blog you have a larger purpose. The world is waiting for you. You have bigger fish to fry, people to help, lives to change and a mark to make!
Get to it!
Now List the 5 people you spend the most TIME with...
Now along side their name put their estimated annual income... Yes you know it, or at least have a fairly good idea…These are the top 5 people you give your time and energy to so don’t pretend you don’t have a REALLY good idea what they make.
Now ADD all of the Incomes together for a Grand Total...
Now divide it by 5. This will give you the AVERAGE...
Take a moment and really do this…I’ll wait…
OK, so what is it?
Does this number look familiar? It should!
Statistics show that your income will be the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with! Surprising? Shouldn't be, it's natural law.
Now if you have burning desire to better your financial situation you may need to look at expanding your playgrounds and playmates. Unless those folks are like minded and looking to broaden their horizons and create Financial freedom as well…then count yourself lucky…however if they are NOT, they may be holding you back unintentionally. There is NO judgment here; it is merely a matter of what is MOST important to you.
So what is most important to you? Staying the same, clinging to what you know and what is comfortable or venturing out to unknown territory and making some new friends. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying dump your friends I am merely saying go and make some NEW ones! Build a new network of people with similar goals or even better, people that have DONE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO! Folks the BEST way to reach your financial goals is to hang out with people who have what you want and ask them what THEY did! Then do the SAME!
Some Sound Advice: It is VITALLY important that you ARE BEING someone that a successful person would WANT to spend time with.
The VAST majority of people that Doug and I know that are INCREDIBLY wealthy are SELF MADE. Now that does not mean they did not have support, mentors or instruction. But their common attitude was; “I am going to do this no matter what. I am going to create my own destiny and nothing will stop me”. This type of attitude and more importantly the corresponding action attracts the right people to you. You won’t need to find them, THEY will find YOU!
BACK TO YOUR PLAYGROUND:
Unfortunately the peeps in your current playground like you the way you are because it is familiar but inevitably when you begin to grow and change you WILL hit some resistance from them. Although they mean well, they simply want to “keep you” where you are at. When you truly commit to creating more success in your life you will not have to force building a new playground, it happens almost naturally. If you are reading this blog you have a larger purpose. The world is waiting for you. You have bigger fish to fry, people to help, lives to change and a mark to make!
Get to it!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Who are you listening to??
Greetings everyone!
A recent post I saw on Facebook has inspired today's Blog… This recent post reminded me of a rule I live by that has served me VERY well and has been a BIG part of why I have been so successful.
My RULE: “I do not take advice from those that are not qualified to give it”.
Let me explain…Everyone has opinions, opinions are great and fine and we are all entitled to share our opinions…it’s a free world!
When it comes to advice that will affect my life, I only seek out or listen to advice from those that walk the talk and have experience in their field; a PROVEN track record if you will. I only take health advice from those that are healthier than me; I only take business or marketing advice from those more successful than me. What often surprises me is how LITTLE Doug and I are asked “how did you do it?” How do you get to live the lifestyle you live?”
Maybe I am surprised because I was and am the person who is always asking those questions. When I was beginning my journey to Financial Freedom I purposely went out to educate and get advice from people that had what I wanted.
I remember very clearly the first multi-millionaire I ever met. His name was Roger. Roger was down to earth, sincere and consistent. He became an unknowing mentor of mine. Every week I saw Roger, I loved asking him what he was up to and what he thought of current events, business and investing. I basically studied him. He didn’t know it but Roger helped me more than he can even know.
For several years after I invested my time and money in educating myself in business, marketing and finances. And no, not from Professors at a University with a job earning them a $60-90,000/yr income, but from those who had made millions through business, marketing and financial planning.
Another simple example; when I lived in Dallas I was looking for a local Chiropractor I could start seeing regularly. I found one close by so I booked an appointment. One look at the doctor you could see he was extremely unhealthy. I canceled my appointment and walked out. How can I expect someone to give me health advice that does not follow their own?? To me it is a matter of INTEGRITY!
Unfortunately most people take money advice from their broke family and friends. Most people take life advice from those who are comfortably miserable and most take health advice from the 30 sec commercial about the newest fat burning pill promising amazing results.
SO THE MILLION DOLLAR question is… who are you listening to? Who or what are you following? Who is giving you advice? What type of education are you getting? Is it REALLY heading you in the direction of your goals?
Dougism: “You WILL BE EDUCATED…the question is by whom?”
On the other side of the coin…If you are looking to create your own financial freedom by pronouncing yourself to be some sort of expert and want to be taken seriously you better have the qualifications to do so. In upcoming Blog I will talk about the ONE crucial thing YOUR NEED in order to do just this successfully.
Personally, qualifications doesn’t necessarily mean a degree or piece of paper to me, I am more concerned in the TANGIBLE results someone has created consistently. The only way to be a genuine success is to first help yourself, change YOUR LIFE, and THEN teach others to do what you have done! There is also the refreshing concept of just being honest and asking people to join you on the JOURNEY to creating your desired results!
Till next time!
A recent post I saw on Facebook has inspired today's Blog… This recent post reminded me of a rule I live by that has served me VERY well and has been a BIG part of why I have been so successful.
My RULE: “I do not take advice from those that are not qualified to give it”.
Let me explain…Everyone has opinions, opinions are great and fine and we are all entitled to share our opinions…it’s a free world!
When it comes to advice that will affect my life, I only seek out or listen to advice from those that walk the talk and have experience in their field; a PROVEN track record if you will. I only take health advice from those that are healthier than me; I only take business or marketing advice from those more successful than me. What often surprises me is how LITTLE Doug and I are asked “how did you do it?” How do you get to live the lifestyle you live?”
Maybe I am surprised because I was and am the person who is always asking those questions. When I was beginning my journey to Financial Freedom I purposely went out to educate and get advice from people that had what I wanted.
I remember very clearly the first multi-millionaire I ever met. His name was Roger. Roger was down to earth, sincere and consistent. He became an unknowing mentor of mine. Every week I saw Roger, I loved asking him what he was up to and what he thought of current events, business and investing. I basically studied him. He didn’t know it but Roger helped me more than he can even know.
For several years after I invested my time and money in educating myself in business, marketing and finances. And no, not from Professors at a University with a job earning them a $60-90,000/yr income, but from those who had made millions through business, marketing and financial planning.
Another simple example; when I lived in Dallas I was looking for a local Chiropractor I could start seeing regularly. I found one close by so I booked an appointment. One look at the doctor you could see he was extremely unhealthy. I canceled my appointment and walked out. How can I expect someone to give me health advice that does not follow their own?? To me it is a matter of INTEGRITY!
Unfortunately most people take money advice from their broke family and friends. Most people take life advice from those who are comfortably miserable and most take health advice from the 30 sec commercial about the newest fat burning pill promising amazing results.
SO THE MILLION DOLLAR question is… who are you listening to? Who or what are you following? Who is giving you advice? What type of education are you getting? Is it REALLY heading you in the direction of your goals?
Dougism: “You WILL BE EDUCATED…the question is by whom?”
On the other side of the coin…If you are looking to create your own financial freedom by pronouncing yourself to be some sort of expert and want to be taken seriously you better have the qualifications to do so. In upcoming Blog I will talk about the ONE crucial thing YOUR NEED in order to do just this successfully.
Personally, qualifications doesn’t necessarily mean a degree or piece of paper to me, I am more concerned in the TANGIBLE results someone has created consistently. The only way to be a genuine success is to first help yourself, change YOUR LIFE, and THEN teach others to do what you have done! There is also the refreshing concept of just being honest and asking people to join you on the JOURNEY to creating your desired results!
Till next time!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
PASSION or PURPOSE?
How many of you have heard people say that “you can make millions doing what you love”…
”follow your heart and it will all work out”…
Sounds great…but Doug and I are contrarians when it comes to this populous belief.
We call BS on this one! We are known for being REALISTS. There are a couple reasons for this and hear us out...
1. For most people doing what they LOVE does not monetize well, Both from a business standpoint and from a spiritual standpoint. Let me explain; often it is best that what you love to do stays an ‘Advocation’ versus a Vocation. Meaning that what we want to GIVE to this world doesn’t often translate into a solid profitable business plan, and to force it to be so just creates struggle. And if it can be a viable business, how many of you have started a business or a job you love and after a few years you begin to dread it then eventually hate it? It happened to me and it sucks! Our philosophy is get the ‘Money thing’ out of the way, go out and create Financial Freedom and THEN go give your gift to the world for FREE because you can now FUND it yourself!
2. The truth is not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. Not everyone has the skills or traits to take a start up idea and end up one day in Forbes magazine. There are only a handful of people in the world that have done this. Oprah, Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, JR Ridinger, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates are a few of the few. If this is the case, as it was for me, the BEST thing to do to create your freedom is to tap into and leverage an existing and PROVEN system! No need to re-invent the wheel! You can still be crazy successful if your not the next Steve Jobs.
3. The ways in which to create wealth and freedom aren’t always FUN or give you warm fuzzies! They are just systems; Investing systems, business systems etc… Some of you would go through a two year root canal if it meant you would be Financially Free for the rest of your life….BUT many of you quit at the first bump in the road and say things like…”oh, guess it wasn’t meant to be”, or “it’s not my passion”, “it’s not a fit (anymore)”, “I am going to AB and C instead”.
I used to say these types of things about Real Estate. To me Real Estate was the most boring thing to research let alone there were SO many details to buying and selling a home. It just seemed like I couldn’t get excited about it. What I learned when I finally bought my first positive cash flow property is that I got real excited about the Passive Income coming in each month.
It is in our experience that the journey to Financial Freedom means doing things you perceive NOW to be boring, not your personality type, not your skill set or not your “passion”. I will actually go as far as to guarantee it!
Most are unwilling to do things they find boring, uncomfortable. The list of excuses people use goes on and on. As someone who helps people reach Financial Freedom I have heard the best and worst excuses and stories around why people QUIT their journey towards freedom. Then they go back to doing what they were doing with some sort of twist hoping for new results. My heart goes out to them.
But, this is EXACTLY what we are talking about when we say;
“The world is not separated by ‘HAVES and HAVE NOT’s’ but rather ‘WILL and WILL NOT’s’”...And you have probably heard Doug and I say that before...It is a common theme in what we teach because it is the most fundamental difference between successful people and unsuccessful people.
So no matter what you think you don’t like or is not part of your passion…aka technology, talking to people, internet, sales, real estate, etc… remember this…“Successful people are simply WILLING to do what most choose not to do”
Do what you NEED to do versus what you WANT to do is a practice in discipline! One that will help you achieve your dreams and even make you very wealthy!
So... how about making your PURPOSE doing what you need to do to create your freedom!
Then make your PASSION or MISSION in life as something your can GIVE to the world for free so it stays a choice and something you love!
What do you say?
”follow your heart and it will all work out”…
Sounds great…but Doug and I are contrarians when it comes to this populous belief.
We call BS on this one! We are known for being REALISTS. There are a couple reasons for this and hear us out...
1. For most people doing what they LOVE does not monetize well, Both from a business standpoint and from a spiritual standpoint. Let me explain; often it is best that what you love to do stays an ‘Advocation’ versus a Vocation. Meaning that what we want to GIVE to this world doesn’t often translate into a solid profitable business plan, and to force it to be so just creates struggle. And if it can be a viable business, how many of you have started a business or a job you love and after a few years you begin to dread it then eventually hate it? It happened to me and it sucks! Our philosophy is get the ‘Money thing’ out of the way, go out and create Financial Freedom and THEN go give your gift to the world for FREE because you can now FUND it yourself!
2. The truth is not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. Not everyone has the skills or traits to take a start up idea and end up one day in Forbes magazine. There are only a handful of people in the world that have done this. Oprah, Donald Trump, Warren Buffet, JR Ridinger, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates are a few of the few. If this is the case, as it was for me, the BEST thing to do to create your freedom is to tap into and leverage an existing and PROVEN system! No need to re-invent the wheel! You can still be crazy successful if your not the next Steve Jobs.
3. The ways in which to create wealth and freedom aren’t always FUN or give you warm fuzzies! They are just systems; Investing systems, business systems etc… Some of you would go through a two year root canal if it meant you would be Financially Free for the rest of your life….BUT many of you quit at the first bump in the road and say things like…”oh, guess it wasn’t meant to be”, or “it’s not my passion”, “it’s not a fit (anymore)”, “I am going to AB and C instead”.
I used to say these types of things about Real Estate. To me Real Estate was the most boring thing to research let alone there were SO many details to buying and selling a home. It just seemed like I couldn’t get excited about it. What I learned when I finally bought my first positive cash flow property is that I got real excited about the Passive Income coming in each month.
It is in our experience that the journey to Financial Freedom means doing things you perceive NOW to be boring, not your personality type, not your skill set or not your “passion”. I will actually go as far as to guarantee it!
Most are unwilling to do things they find boring, uncomfortable. The list of excuses people use goes on and on. As someone who helps people reach Financial Freedom I have heard the best and worst excuses and stories around why people QUIT their journey towards freedom. Then they go back to doing what they were doing with some sort of twist hoping for new results. My heart goes out to them.
But, this is EXACTLY what we are talking about when we say;
“The world is not separated by ‘HAVES and HAVE NOT’s’ but rather ‘WILL and WILL NOT’s’”...And you have probably heard Doug and I say that before...It is a common theme in what we teach because it is the most fundamental difference between successful people and unsuccessful people.
So no matter what you think you don’t like or is not part of your passion…aka technology, talking to people, internet, sales, real estate, etc… remember this…“Successful people are simply WILLING to do what most choose not to do”
Do what you NEED to do versus what you WANT to do is a practice in discipline! One that will help you achieve your dreams and even make you very wealthy!
So... how about making your PURPOSE doing what you need to do to create your freedom!
Then make your PASSION or MISSION in life as something your can GIVE to the world for free so it stays a choice and something you love!
What do you say?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
It's NOT ABOUT the Money!!
Many people have negative associations, beliefs and emotions wrapped around money. Today we are going to examine that and how it plays a role in your current financial picture. First I have to thank Mr. T. Harv Eker for these teachings because if it weren’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am today!
Hearing statement growing up like: “Rich people are greedy”, “We can’t afford it”, “It is more spiritually acceptable to be poor”, “money doesn’t grow on trees”, is part of the reason many people feel negatively about money.
Did your parents fight over money? Was it bad form to even TALK about money? Was money a form of CONTROL in your household? Was their jealousy and when it came to rich people? All of these can also create negative associations with money.
Did you have a particular experience where money was involved that had an impact on you? Maybe someone stole money from you? Maybe you lost all your money…or whatever the circumstance did it cause you pain?
So why is this important? What you saw, heard and felt growing up about money has an impact on your current & future financial life. Negative beliefs about money can prevent people from making or keeping money. If you are looking to create Financial Freedom, stability and comfort, detaching from those negative beliefs and emotions is key if you want to move forward financially.
Remembering money is simply a tool, helps to put it in perspective. Money simply has replaced the old bartering system of trading your goat for three bags of Flour. It is the current system of giving and getting what you want and need! Taking the negative emotion out of it is essential if you want to move forward.
IT'S NOT YOU; IT'S ME!
Ever heard this one….”Money Changes people”…let me be CRYSTAL CLEAR…
Money DOES NOT CHANGE PEOPLE!!!!
It merely brings out more of who they are. So if you are generous and kind, you will be MORE generous and kind. If you are a jerk, you will be more of a jerk.
Money cannot change you and proof of this is Lottery Winners.
Let's be honest here; the majority of folks that buy Lottery Tickets are on a different socio-economic level that those that don’t. Many of them have meager salaries or jobs or none at all and are usually in debt. Beliefs, habits and circumstances have created that. Statistics show that Lottery winners are 5 x more likely to file for Bankruptcy! Why, because they have NOT changed, they still have the same habits and beliefs around money they did when they didn’t have any. If you cannot handle money, you won’t KEEP it let alone GROW it!!
It’s YOU, not the money.
Examine your beliefs, emotions and habits around money before blaming the money for your lack of relationship with it.
It is an inanimate object YOU bring the baggage!
Just like people, money does not like to hang around where it is not respected or wanted. If you have negative emotions or beliefs around money than you will NEVER have more money in your life.
Often people believe the Pursuit of money is impure or wrong. But anyone who has made a lot of money knows it’s NOT about the money, it is what money CAN DO for you; it is a tool to get us what we want out of life. Why is getting what you want out of life wrong? Why is struggle and hardship so appealing to you?
What do you want out of your life? What can permanent ongoing income DO for you? Give you Time!! Time to do what? Spend with Family? Help a worthy cause? Travel the world?
Freedom was my big thing. The freedom to do what I want when I want, but first I had to have the discipline to do the mundane, ordinary and necessary consistently in order to have that freedom. I had to MAKE time to do the things that would eventually land me where I wanted to be.
My worthy cause you ask? Children, Animals, the Planet and YOU.
Yes, YOU!
More specifically helping YOU get where you want to be financially so you can have the time to do the things you were meant to do here on this planet!
This blog is just one of the many ways our Catch Fire U project does this! I hope you are enjoying it but more importantly getting something out of it that you can apply to your life that will create change for you!
Till next time!
Hearing statement growing up like: “Rich people are greedy”, “We can’t afford it”, “It is more spiritually acceptable to be poor”, “money doesn’t grow on trees”, is part of the reason many people feel negatively about money.
Did your parents fight over money? Was it bad form to even TALK about money? Was money a form of CONTROL in your household? Was their jealousy and when it came to rich people? All of these can also create negative associations with money.
Did you have a particular experience where money was involved that had an impact on you? Maybe someone stole money from you? Maybe you lost all your money…or whatever the circumstance did it cause you pain?
So why is this important? What you saw, heard and felt growing up about money has an impact on your current & future financial life. Negative beliefs about money can prevent people from making or keeping money. If you are looking to create Financial Freedom, stability and comfort, detaching from those negative beliefs and emotions is key if you want to move forward financially.
Remembering money is simply a tool, helps to put it in perspective. Money simply has replaced the old bartering system of trading your goat for three bags of Flour. It is the current system of giving and getting what you want and need! Taking the negative emotion out of it is essential if you want to move forward.
IT'S NOT YOU; IT'S ME!
Ever heard this one….”Money Changes people”…let me be CRYSTAL CLEAR…
Money DOES NOT CHANGE PEOPLE!!!!
It merely brings out more of who they are. So if you are generous and kind, you will be MORE generous and kind. If you are a jerk, you will be more of a jerk.
Money cannot change you and proof of this is Lottery Winners.
Let's be honest here; the majority of folks that buy Lottery Tickets are on a different socio-economic level that those that don’t. Many of them have meager salaries or jobs or none at all and are usually in debt. Beliefs, habits and circumstances have created that. Statistics show that Lottery winners are 5 x more likely to file for Bankruptcy! Why, because they have NOT changed, they still have the same habits and beliefs around money they did when they didn’t have any. If you cannot handle money, you won’t KEEP it let alone GROW it!!
It’s YOU, not the money.
Examine your beliefs, emotions and habits around money before blaming the money for your lack of relationship with it.
It is an inanimate object YOU bring the baggage!
Just like people, money does not like to hang around where it is not respected or wanted. If you have negative emotions or beliefs around money than you will NEVER have more money in your life.
Often people believe the Pursuit of money is impure or wrong. But anyone who has made a lot of money knows it’s NOT about the money, it is what money CAN DO for you; it is a tool to get us what we want out of life. Why is getting what you want out of life wrong? Why is struggle and hardship so appealing to you?
What do you want out of your life? What can permanent ongoing income DO for you? Give you Time!! Time to do what? Spend with Family? Help a worthy cause? Travel the world?
Freedom was my big thing. The freedom to do what I want when I want, but first I had to have the discipline to do the mundane, ordinary and necessary consistently in order to have that freedom. I had to MAKE time to do the things that would eventually land me where I wanted to be.
My worthy cause you ask? Children, Animals, the Planet and YOU.
Yes, YOU!
More specifically helping YOU get where you want to be financially so you can have the time to do the things you were meant to do here on this planet!
This blog is just one of the many ways our Catch Fire U project does this! I hope you are enjoying it but more importantly getting something out of it that you can apply to your life that will create change for you!
Till next time!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Part 4: Your BIGGEST obstacle is...
Today’s post is the FINAL Installment of the 4 part series on the Common Obstacles you will encounter on your journey to Financial Freedom!
Drum roll please…
YOU are your biggest obstacle.
There is NOTHING, no circumstances, no tragedy; no story that someone else does not share that has “made it”. There are no EXCUSES, they were taken away when someone who had the same excuses overcame them and achieved their goal.
You MUST overcome your ego, your un-supportive beliefs, your fears, your excuses, and stories if you are ever to achieve true lasting freedom.
The physical obstacles of time, money and life’s circumstances are just an opportunity for you to become more tenacious, more diligent, more dedicated, more passionate, more determined, more of the person that deserves wealth and freedom.
Yup I said ‘deserves’!
When your child does not do their chores, do they deserve their allowance?
When you do not do your job at work do you deserve that job?
When you do not treat your partner with love and respect do you deserve that relationship?
The same goes for financial Freedom!
You can WANT it till the cows come home and spoon runs away with the fork, but that doesn’t mean you deserve it.
What are DOING about it!??
Don’t misunderstand me; each one of us is born and dies WORTHY of all we want in life! The question is who are you being to allow you to experience that worthiness?
Mastering YOURSELF is one of the greatest journey’s our spirits can embark on.
Here are some great ‘Mastery questions’ from a GOAL SETTING exercise I created and have included them here FOR FREE!
When working towards your freedom, obstacles are sure to come up. Asking yourself THESE questions will help you look inside and overcome them more quickly!
• Does this goal/intention support the person I want to become?
• What am I teaching people about me?
• What’s MOST important in this moment?
• What is the outcome/feeling/result I would like to create right now?
• What kind of a person do I desire to be?
• How do I want my children to see me?
• Do I need to be RIGHT about this?
• Am I willing let this hurt/pain go?
• What is the most integral thing to do here?
• If I were normal, I may quit right now, but I’m not, so what’s my NEXT step?
• Who do I know that could support me?
• Is there something I don’t know?
• Am I being open and coachable?
• What can I learn from this?
• How can I LEAD myself in or out of this situation?
• Am I coming from FEAR (mind) on this? If so, what is the opposite reaction?
Life is the only game that is completely lob-sided…you are the player, opponent, referee and fan! You are worthy of winning the game! You deserve to win when you overcome your inner opponent and referee!
So post these on your wall, to remind you that YOU are the captain of your ship and the CEO of your life!
The BUCK stops with YOU!
Today I will not criticize, condemn or complain.
Every decision I make is a choice between a grievance and a miracle.
I am responsible for what I see.
I choose the feelings I experience.
I set the goals that I will achieve,
And everything that seems to happen to me,
I ask for and receive as I have asked.
… A Course in Miracles
Drum roll please…
YOU are your biggest obstacle.
There is NOTHING, no circumstances, no tragedy; no story that someone else does not share that has “made it”. There are no EXCUSES, they were taken away when someone who had the same excuses overcame them and achieved their goal.
You MUST overcome your ego, your un-supportive beliefs, your fears, your excuses, and stories if you are ever to achieve true lasting freedom.
The physical obstacles of time, money and life’s circumstances are just an opportunity for you to become more tenacious, more diligent, more dedicated, more passionate, more determined, more of the person that deserves wealth and freedom.
Yup I said ‘deserves’!
When your child does not do their chores, do they deserve their allowance?
When you do not do your job at work do you deserve that job?
When you do not treat your partner with love and respect do you deserve that relationship?
The same goes for financial Freedom!
You can WANT it till the cows come home and spoon runs away with the fork, but that doesn’t mean you deserve it.
What are DOING about it!??
Don’t misunderstand me; each one of us is born and dies WORTHY of all we want in life! The question is who are you being to allow you to experience that worthiness?
Mastering YOURSELF is one of the greatest journey’s our spirits can embark on.
Here are some great ‘Mastery questions’ from a GOAL SETTING exercise I created and have included them here FOR FREE!
When working towards your freedom, obstacles are sure to come up. Asking yourself THESE questions will help you look inside and overcome them more quickly!
• Does this goal/intention support the person I want to become?
• What am I teaching people about me?
• What’s MOST important in this moment?
• What is the outcome/feeling/result I would like to create right now?
• What kind of a person do I desire to be?
• How do I want my children to see me?
• Do I need to be RIGHT about this?
• Am I willing let this hurt/pain go?
• What is the most integral thing to do here?
• If I were normal, I may quit right now, but I’m not, so what’s my NEXT step?
• Who do I know that could support me?
• Is there something I don’t know?
• Am I being open and coachable?
• What can I learn from this?
• How can I LEAD myself in or out of this situation?
• Am I coming from FEAR (mind) on this? If so, what is the opposite reaction?
Life is the only game that is completely lob-sided…you are the player, opponent, referee and fan! You are worthy of winning the game! You deserve to win when you overcome your inner opponent and referee!
So post these on your wall, to remind you that YOU are the captain of your ship and the CEO of your life!
The BUCK stops with YOU!
Today I will not criticize, condemn or complain.
Every decision I make is a choice between a grievance and a miracle.
I am responsible for what I see.
I choose the feelings I experience.
I set the goals that I will achieve,
And everything that seems to happen to me,
I ask for and receive as I have asked.
… A Course in Miracles
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
FREE Catch Fire Book winners and the ACTUAL Forward!
CONGRATULATIONS to those who "guessed" correctly on Facebook Last Night you have WON a FREE Catch Fire Book!
We asked if you could guess who the author of our FORWARD was...we gave a couple hints...and these awesome folks either know their Financial Authors well or did a lot of google searching ;-)
Andrea Carbine, Angella Mckinley Trout, Jake Howell, Shelia Smith, Jan Henrikson, Sarah Vondrak, Chad Williams, Patrick Tsang, Veronica Buna, Max Beer, Javid Mursalov, Purdeep Randhawa, Nicholas Cocchiarella, and Brandon Martin!
An Incredible man, with a great story, a lot of expertise and a NY times Best Selling Author of "Killing Sacred Cows"
Garrett B Gunderson
is the Author of our Forward...
Here it is for you to read!
I am sooo reluctant to ever do an endorsement (especially a forward) as it is rare to have people think clearly and have a full premise without contradictions or holes in their philosophy or teachings. It is also essential for me to read anything I support. Well, I am a bit embarrassed that I have kept this book from you due to the delays on my part because I procrastinated, that is until I was inspired by Doug’s story.
See, there are people out there that dream of an easy life, if they could only have financial freedom… on the other hand there are those that realize that freedom allows them to give more and have a greater positive impact in the world. This is what happens when money is put in its proper place, behind purpose. What I mean by the previous statement is money becomes as asset rather than a liability. It is only when money isn’t the primary reason or excuse for people doing or not doing something that real power and freedom can come about. This is who Doug is, what he represents and what he will teach you in this book which is why I am honored to write this forward.
If you wake up worried about money or in a financial prison, chapter 7 will be of huge significance for you. It may be hard to hear, but easier to do something about it and deal with the reality. I love that Doug has nailed it when it comes to what really has to happen to get out of (and stay out of) debt. He talks about the root of debt and unless you know this, debt will always be in your life. You will learn not to borrow to consume, to eliminate all things that move you backwards, and only borrow to invest when you have certainty (otherwise it is gambling). Although I have different strategies around debt and debt management, Doug and I agree that most miss the root of what causes debt and that is why it is never resolved. There are plenty of books merely about sacrificing, saving and deferring your life to the future, but Doug is wise in knowing that it isn’t merely about defense, it is about offense as well.
Doug gives great council of living within your means and the great news about you investing in this book is it gives you an opportunity to catch fire and increase your means. You will learn that it is about the investor not just the investment.
Doug has nailed it when it comes to what you can do about the economy. He will not only illustrate the concept that destroys wealth but he dismantles it. If you are chasing net worth, this will revolutionize your life.
Also, before you put another dollar in a bank or an investment, you have to read about the issues surrounding our banks and banking system. Doug articulates how the major problem of protecting our money with our money, and the concept of imaginary money.
Every single American has to see what is shown when it comes to the amount of tax we pay. See this book won’t skirt the issue to make people feel warm and fuzzy, you will learn some things that are very difficult to see, how banking actually works, what inflation is and the possible ramifications…….good news is you learn about the most important economy for YOU.
So how did we get in this mess? Why are there so many numb people? Why don’t more people get it? The secret is in the following pages. This book isn’t just pointing out the problems either (although it shows you behind the curtain); it has a major focus on what to do. It gives you questions to ask of yourself and gives you ways to apply this to your life and discover what you can do. Hell, the Essential Skills section is worth the investment in this book alone.
Oh yeah, huge bonus for anyone in a relationship, Dino Watt gives you the essentials to give you the real riches in life.
So what I can tell you is that everyone has a Soul Purpose, but not everyone is living it. You have one, will you live yours? Read this book and the odds are now in your favor.
Garrett B Gunderson, New York Times Bestselling Author of Killing Sacred Cows
We asked if you could guess who the author of our FORWARD was...we gave a couple hints...and these awesome folks either know their Financial Authors well or did a lot of google searching ;-)
Andrea Carbine, Angella Mckinley Trout, Jake Howell, Shelia Smith, Jan Henrikson, Sarah Vondrak, Chad Williams, Patrick Tsang, Veronica Buna, Max Beer, Javid Mursalov, Purdeep Randhawa, Nicholas Cocchiarella, and Brandon Martin!
An Incredible man, with a great story, a lot of expertise and a NY times Best Selling Author of "Killing Sacred Cows"
Garrett B Gunderson
is the Author of our Forward...
Here it is for you to read!
I am sooo reluctant to ever do an endorsement (especially a forward) as it is rare to have people think clearly and have a full premise without contradictions or holes in their philosophy or teachings. It is also essential for me to read anything I support. Well, I am a bit embarrassed that I have kept this book from you due to the delays on my part because I procrastinated, that is until I was inspired by Doug’s story.
See, there are people out there that dream of an easy life, if they could only have financial freedom… on the other hand there are those that realize that freedom allows them to give more and have a greater positive impact in the world. This is what happens when money is put in its proper place, behind purpose. What I mean by the previous statement is money becomes as asset rather than a liability. It is only when money isn’t the primary reason or excuse for people doing or not doing something that real power and freedom can come about. This is who Doug is, what he represents and what he will teach you in this book which is why I am honored to write this forward.
If you wake up worried about money or in a financial prison, chapter 7 will be of huge significance for you. It may be hard to hear, but easier to do something about it and deal with the reality. I love that Doug has nailed it when it comes to what really has to happen to get out of (and stay out of) debt. He talks about the root of debt and unless you know this, debt will always be in your life. You will learn not to borrow to consume, to eliminate all things that move you backwards, and only borrow to invest when you have certainty (otherwise it is gambling). Although I have different strategies around debt and debt management, Doug and I agree that most miss the root of what causes debt and that is why it is never resolved. There are plenty of books merely about sacrificing, saving and deferring your life to the future, but Doug is wise in knowing that it isn’t merely about defense, it is about offense as well.
Doug gives great council of living within your means and the great news about you investing in this book is it gives you an opportunity to catch fire and increase your means. You will learn that it is about the investor not just the investment.
Doug has nailed it when it comes to what you can do about the economy. He will not only illustrate the concept that destroys wealth but he dismantles it. If you are chasing net worth, this will revolutionize your life.
Also, before you put another dollar in a bank or an investment, you have to read about the issues surrounding our banks and banking system. Doug articulates how the major problem of protecting our money with our money, and the concept of imaginary money.
Every single American has to see what is shown when it comes to the amount of tax we pay. See this book won’t skirt the issue to make people feel warm and fuzzy, you will learn some things that are very difficult to see, how banking actually works, what inflation is and the possible ramifications…….good news is you learn about the most important economy for YOU.
So how did we get in this mess? Why are there so many numb people? Why don’t more people get it? The secret is in the following pages. This book isn’t just pointing out the problems either (although it shows you behind the curtain); it has a major focus on what to do. It gives you questions to ask of yourself and gives you ways to apply this to your life and discover what you can do. Hell, the Essential Skills section is worth the investment in this book alone.
Oh yeah, huge bonus for anyone in a relationship, Dino Watt gives you the essentials to give you the real riches in life.
So what I can tell you is that everyone has a Soul Purpose, but not everyone is living it. You have one, will you live yours? Read this book and the odds are now in your favor.
Garrett B Gunderson, New York Times Bestselling Author of Killing Sacred Cows
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Part Three: Working....HARD!
PART THREE of the four part series that is exposing the common obstacles that come up while on the journey to Financial Freedom. Here is a summary if you have not yet read the blog and just joining us. My suggestion, go back a read them, I keep it pretty short and to the point! It’s worth it!
First Obstacle: You will have people try to take your dreams away. People will unfortunately and I think in some misplaced effort to protect you stomp all over your efforts, ideas and try to talk you out of what you are doing.
Second Obstacle: You will make some bad deals, meaning you will loose some money. It is inevitable. Swallow the bitter with the sweet, it is an unavoidable obstacle, but one you always learn A LOT from!
Third Obstacle: I believe that many of us have misconstrued that when we work for Passive, Ongoing or Permanent Income that it should be easy, or easier than what we are currently doing. Let me clear this up…
I worked HARDER for my freedom than I ever did at my traditional business or any job I ever had.
Freedom isn’t free.
Many choose the constant trod of daily prison over a short term “work your ASS off” for a few years to achieve freedom.
I have noticed that over the generations we as North Americans have become lazy. We forget what it took our ancestors to build the foundation of what we have today.
Many of you will have to work for your freedom when you are NOT working your 9 – 5 or your current business…WHICH MEANS that the time you USUALLY took to watch TV, play on the internet, help the kids, or take a nap will now have to be re-prioritized. . Meaning what you now feel is important may need to be moved down the list.
First thing you must do: Create NEW ground rules for the ‘after work’ time. If you have a family; a discussion with them on how things are going to look for the next few years while you work towards goal A, B and C. Be sure to ask them for support with stuff around the house etc...Communication is EVERYTHING!
Freedom will demand that you become more organized, diligent and productive with your time.
“Your Financial Freedom depends on what you do in your SPARE time”
-Dougism
And by “spare time”, we mean ANY time that is not spent putting a roof over your head and food on the table.
Many of you currently watch far too much TV, give it up! Many of you play Farmville on FB, not anymore! Many of you volunteer your time. If your goal is to be able to volunteer ALL your time, you may need to cut back a little now, so you can achieve that dream.
This means you will be working VERY, VERY hard. Most are unwilling to give up their small comforts now to have it all later. Statistics prove that! That is Short Term thinking! In order to acheive Freedom you must thing Long term...(another topic I will cover, it's the one that CHANGED MY LIFE!)
It also means you will have to learn how to do NEW things, make mistakes and be willing to do things you may not entirely enjoy in your "spare time" (this is another topic I will cover in another Blog)
Are you up to it?
The reward is greater than you can even imagine.
First Obstacle: You will have people try to take your dreams away. People will unfortunately and I think in some misplaced effort to protect you stomp all over your efforts, ideas and try to talk you out of what you are doing.
Second Obstacle: You will make some bad deals, meaning you will loose some money. It is inevitable. Swallow the bitter with the sweet, it is an unavoidable obstacle, but one you always learn A LOT from!
Third Obstacle: I believe that many of us have misconstrued that when we work for Passive, Ongoing or Permanent Income that it should be easy, or easier than what we are currently doing. Let me clear this up…
I worked HARDER for my freedom than I ever did at my traditional business or any job I ever had.
Freedom isn’t free.
Many choose the constant trod of daily prison over a short term “work your ASS off” for a few years to achieve freedom.
I have noticed that over the generations we as North Americans have become lazy. We forget what it took our ancestors to build the foundation of what we have today.
Many of you will have to work for your freedom when you are NOT working your 9 – 5 or your current business…WHICH MEANS that the time you USUALLY took to watch TV, play on the internet, help the kids, or take a nap will now have to be re-prioritized. . Meaning what you now feel is important may need to be moved down the list.
First thing you must do: Create NEW ground rules for the ‘after work’ time. If you have a family; a discussion with them on how things are going to look for the next few years while you work towards goal A, B and C. Be sure to ask them for support with stuff around the house etc...Communication is EVERYTHING!
Freedom will demand that you become more organized, diligent and productive with your time.
“Your Financial Freedom depends on what you do in your SPARE time”
-Dougism
And by “spare time”, we mean ANY time that is not spent putting a roof over your head and food on the table.
Many of you currently watch far too much TV, give it up! Many of you play Farmville on FB, not anymore! Many of you volunteer your time. If your goal is to be able to volunteer ALL your time, you may need to cut back a little now, so you can achieve that dream.
This means you will be working VERY, VERY hard. Most are unwilling to give up their small comforts now to have it all later. Statistics prove that! That is Short Term thinking! In order to acheive Freedom you must thing Long term...(another topic I will cover, it's the one that CHANGED MY LIFE!)
It also means you will have to learn how to do NEW things, make mistakes and be willing to do things you may not entirely enjoy in your "spare time" (this is another topic I will cover in another Blog)
Are you up to it?
The reward is greater than you can even imagine.
Monday, August 2, 2010
PART TWO: You win some..you LOSE some...
Again; this series is about making you aware of some of the common obstacles that arise on the journey to financial freedom. Unfortunately ‘warning you’ doesn’t make the journey any easier; however, I have learned that everyone needs to make and overcome their own ‘struggle’.
Obstacles are the best and sometimes only way to grow into the person you need to be in order to have wealth and freedom. So why tell you about them…? I too often see people QUIT in their journey due to obstacles so many others have chosen to overcome. I tell you in hopes that when you come across these obstacles in your own journey you don’t get discouraged and quit, so one day you can look back and go yes, that was necessary for my growth and move on!
So obstacle number TWO: Yes you will loose money on some deals gone bad.
It could be an investment or something that some friend told you about and you got sucked into the excitement of big $$$. Dollar signs in your eyes can cloud your vision and better judgment. Always ask those that are more experienced than you about deals or investments or opportunities that come your way. I did, it helped me evade a few money loosing situations. But not all…
In the beginning of my journey to Financial Independence… in my early twenties… when I was OPEN to any and all opportunities that came my way… I invested in a scam at the time I thought was a great opportunity. I invested $1500 dollars. Not a lot, but it was my savings at the time, all for the promise of four grande coming back. Sound good right!? Nope, I lost it all.
It was discouraging. But I was uneducated and rearing to go. Innocent mistake, but I did not let it stop me. I got EDUCATED. I invested my time and money into really LEARNING the “in’s and out’s” of money & investing so I could make wise decisions. It is imperative to make solid decisions based in FACT not emotion.
I will share our PERSONAL business & investing criteria in an upcoming BLOG...stay tuned for that!
Now when an investment goes south or a deal falls through it is typically 10 – 100x that much, but the ones that DO work out FAR out shadow the losses.
A great real life example of this is the gentleman who is now a Venture Capitalist. He gives money to those he thinks have a great idea that may pan out. MANY of his deals don’t work out…but when they DO….BOY oh BOY, do they ever work out! A few years back some boys came to him with the idea of this thing called GOOGLE, it impressed him. He took a calculated risk, knowing it MAY or MAY NOT work out.
It was his expertise and experience that made him able to become a venture capitalist, it taught him you will win some and lose some, but when you WIN, wow, you will win BIG! GOOGLE is just one of the many examples in his life that more than worked out any losses he has incurred.
I believe that more often than not people experience this particular obstacle in the beginning of their journey. Mainly because there is an excitement and impatience to getting where we want to go and achieve the dreams we hold in our heart. The paradigm shift that occurs when you realize you CAN actually achieve your dreams creates an emotional frenzy! It’s good, except that when
“Emotions go UP….Intelligence goes DOWN”.
That causes a lot of people to take others up on the “magic bullet” or Quick Money” or “Easy money fast” schemes or investments. And ANYONE who has created LASTING freedom for themselves KNOWS that it is a long term plan and sometimes slower than we would like. There is no magic bullet to the Lasting freedom Doug and I teach about.
Many people get sucked into jobs that pay a LARGE commission, I stock this up to the very same principal. Short term gratification may be BIG on big ticket items, but you still don’t have your freedom. There is always the next sale that must be made in order to maintain your lifestyle.
As long as you are diligent, seek counsel from those more experienced and actually listen you can minimize your losses! Never let loosing money scar you, bitter you or victimize you. It’s not the money’s responsibility, it’s YOURS!
Obstacles are the best and sometimes only way to grow into the person you need to be in order to have wealth and freedom. So why tell you about them…? I too often see people QUIT in their journey due to obstacles so many others have chosen to overcome. I tell you in hopes that when you come across these obstacles in your own journey you don’t get discouraged and quit, so one day you can look back and go yes, that was necessary for my growth and move on!
So obstacle number TWO: Yes you will loose money on some deals gone bad.
It could be an investment or something that some friend told you about and you got sucked into the excitement of big $$$. Dollar signs in your eyes can cloud your vision and better judgment. Always ask those that are more experienced than you about deals or investments or opportunities that come your way. I did, it helped me evade a few money loosing situations. But not all…
In the beginning of my journey to Financial Independence… in my early twenties… when I was OPEN to any and all opportunities that came my way… I invested in a scam at the time I thought was a great opportunity. I invested $1500 dollars. Not a lot, but it was my savings at the time, all for the promise of four grande coming back. Sound good right!? Nope, I lost it all.
It was discouraging. But I was uneducated and rearing to go. Innocent mistake, but I did not let it stop me. I got EDUCATED. I invested my time and money into really LEARNING the “in’s and out’s” of money & investing so I could make wise decisions. It is imperative to make solid decisions based in FACT not emotion.
I will share our PERSONAL business & investing criteria in an upcoming BLOG...stay tuned for that!
Now when an investment goes south or a deal falls through it is typically 10 – 100x that much, but the ones that DO work out FAR out shadow the losses.
A great real life example of this is the gentleman who is now a Venture Capitalist. He gives money to those he thinks have a great idea that may pan out. MANY of his deals don’t work out…but when they DO….BOY oh BOY, do they ever work out! A few years back some boys came to him with the idea of this thing called GOOGLE, it impressed him. He took a calculated risk, knowing it MAY or MAY NOT work out.
It was his expertise and experience that made him able to become a venture capitalist, it taught him you will win some and lose some, but when you WIN, wow, you will win BIG! GOOGLE is just one of the many examples in his life that more than worked out any losses he has incurred.
I believe that more often than not people experience this particular obstacle in the beginning of their journey. Mainly because there is an excitement and impatience to getting where we want to go and achieve the dreams we hold in our heart. The paradigm shift that occurs when you realize you CAN actually achieve your dreams creates an emotional frenzy! It’s good, except that when
“Emotions go UP….Intelligence goes DOWN”.
That causes a lot of people to take others up on the “magic bullet” or Quick Money” or “Easy money fast” schemes or investments. And ANYONE who has created LASTING freedom for themselves KNOWS that it is a long term plan and sometimes slower than we would like. There is no magic bullet to the Lasting freedom Doug and I teach about.
Many people get sucked into jobs that pay a LARGE commission, I stock this up to the very same principal. Short term gratification may be BIG on big ticket items, but you still don’t have your freedom. There is always the next sale that must be made in order to maintain your lifestyle.
As long as you are diligent, seek counsel from those more experienced and actually listen you can minimize your losses! Never let loosing money scar you, bitter you or victimize you. It’s not the money’s responsibility, it’s YOURS!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
A message of Truth!
I am not a big fan of the "community" of Hollywood. Frankly I think the VAST majority of the "Stars" have a negative effect on the trends of our Nation. Body Image, lifestyle choices such as drugs and drinking, etc... Many of them are childlike and have no sense of their responsibility.
ONE STAR however doesn't fit this bill. He is different, you see it in his movies and the message he shares in each interview. And he is one star I would like to meet one day!
The message in this video is what the Team at Catch Fire University attempt to package up everyday.
We wish is was a simple to feed you this pill and you would instantly have the PASSION, COMMITMENT, COURAGE, FOCUS and willingness to MASTER yourselves, your dreams and your life so you could be UNREALISTIC too!
Take the time to WATCH AND LISTEN to this VIDEO...it's WORTH it, so MANY nuggets in here. A message of Gratitude to "themindguru" who put this clip together:
WILL SMITH WISDOM
ONE STAR however doesn't fit this bill. He is different, you see it in his movies and the message he shares in each interview. And he is one star I would like to meet one day!
The message in this video is what the Team at Catch Fire University attempt to package up everyday.
We wish is was a simple to feed you this pill and you would instantly have the PASSION, COMMITMENT, COURAGE, FOCUS and willingness to MASTER yourselves, your dreams and your life so you could be UNREALISTIC too!
Take the time to WATCH AND LISTEN to this VIDEO...it's WORTH it, so MANY nuggets in here. A message of Gratitude to "themindguru" who put this clip together:
WILL SMITH WISDOM
Monday, July 26, 2010
FOUR PART SERIES: Part 1 - you will encounter critics
I think many people have a misconception that when they actually begin on the road to financial freedom that it will be paved with roses, daisy’s and rows of personal cheerleaders. I know I had that idea when I first started to do things differently. It seems every seminar, book etc…outlines what I was to do and who to be to become free, happy and wealthy but almost none outlined or prepared me for the obstacles I had to overcome.
This blog post will be the first in a Series of FOUR outlining common obstacles you can expect and be mentally prepared for as you work towards your Financial Freedom! Even if you read this four part series you will not be exempt from having to overcome these, it just means you will know they are coming and hopefully they won’t slow you down as much!!
The Beginning!
See if this sounds familiar; when the concept of being a millionaire and being free to do what I wanted when I wanted FIRST entered my mind as a remote possibility for my life I was so excited I was bursting at the seams! I didn’t know HOW I was going to do it, but I just knew I was going to make it happen. I was 19 at the time, but I had just put myself on the road of good things to happen, I could feel it! I was so thrilled with my new plans that I was telling EVERYONE!
# 1 OBSTACLE: People will ‘poo poo’ your dreams
Back to the new utopia that had just been planted as a budding seed in my mind. When I was prancing home on my cloud 9, I stopped into my place of work and told my boss my new plans and he right away stomped all over my precious new dreams. I was stunned for a moment that he was not on the same page as me being as he owned his own business and was striving for the wealth I spoke of, but nonetheless I moved on.
I remember my brother telling me once; “why don’t you get a real job, or go back to school”.
Again great advice if you want to be normal, but counter intuitive to the success I wanted to create.
Most people in my life did not understand my goals or dreams and as for REAL genuine support I had to find that elsewhere. It seems odd that is how it is, but I rarely ever come across people who have unconditional, cheerleader support from their closest family and friends. You are truly blessed if that is what you have! If you don’t, finding that elsewhere is what you MUST do!
Critics don’t just show up at the beginning of your journey, they will pop up, and probably when you are most vulnerable.
Here is the good news...if you DON'T have any critics, it's because you are NOT DOING ANYTHING!! Critics show up when you move outside of your and their comfort zone. Leaders will ALWAYS have the MOST critics, it is a sign you are on the RIGHT path!!
Stay strong, ask for support and forge ahead!
The idea of true wealth and freedom had been planted in my mind and was taking root, I was on my journey. I was open and willing to do what was necessary to get there…maybe a little too open…uh oh…next obstacle…coming soon…
This blog post will be the first in a Series of FOUR outlining common obstacles you can expect and be mentally prepared for as you work towards your Financial Freedom! Even if you read this four part series you will not be exempt from having to overcome these, it just means you will know they are coming and hopefully they won’t slow you down as much!!
The Beginning!
See if this sounds familiar; when the concept of being a millionaire and being free to do what I wanted when I wanted FIRST entered my mind as a remote possibility for my life I was so excited I was bursting at the seams! I didn’t know HOW I was going to do it, but I just knew I was going to make it happen. I was 19 at the time, but I had just put myself on the road of good things to happen, I could feel it! I was so thrilled with my new plans that I was telling EVERYONE!
# 1 OBSTACLE: People will ‘poo poo’ your dreams
Back to the new utopia that had just been planted as a budding seed in my mind. When I was prancing home on my cloud 9, I stopped into my place of work and told my boss my new plans and he right away stomped all over my precious new dreams. I was stunned for a moment that he was not on the same page as me being as he owned his own business and was striving for the wealth I spoke of, but nonetheless I moved on.
I remember my brother telling me once; “why don’t you get a real job, or go back to school”.
Again great advice if you want to be normal, but counter intuitive to the success I wanted to create.
Most people in my life did not understand my goals or dreams and as for REAL genuine support I had to find that elsewhere. It seems odd that is how it is, but I rarely ever come across people who have unconditional, cheerleader support from their closest family and friends. You are truly blessed if that is what you have! If you don’t, finding that elsewhere is what you MUST do!
Critics don’t just show up at the beginning of your journey, they will pop up, and probably when you are most vulnerable.
Here is the good news...if you DON'T have any critics, it's because you are NOT DOING ANYTHING!! Critics show up when you move outside of your and their comfort zone. Leaders will ALWAYS have the MOST critics, it is a sign you are on the RIGHT path!!
Stay strong, ask for support and forge ahead!
The idea of true wealth and freedom had been planted in my mind and was taking root, I was on my journey. I was open and willing to do what was necessary to get there…maybe a little too open…uh oh…next obstacle…coming soon…
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