Curses Are Often Blessings

A man owned a farm with his wife and teenage son.

Shortly before picking season, his son hurt his back playing sports, thus not being able to pick the crops.

A friend said to the man, “isn’t it terrible that your son hurt his back and cannot pick the crops?”

“Perhaps” replied the farmer.

During picking season, the farmer had to hire someone to replace his son working the fields.

The friend said “isn’t it terrible that you have to spend all this money to get the crops picked?”

“Perhaps”

Shortly after crop season, the farmer lost his farm and had to move into a rented house.

“Isn’t it terrible that you lost your farm and had to move?”

“Perhaps”

Then, the farmer’s wife let him for another man.

“Isn’t it terrible that your wife let you?”

“Perhaps”

Next, his son lost his hand when it got caught in the machinery at the mill where he worked.

“Isn’t it terrible that your son lost his hand?”

“Perhaps”

Lastly the man was diagnosed with a terminal illness which would certainly kill him.

“Isn’t it terrible that you have this illness and are going to die?”

“Perhaps”

Finally, the friend asked the farmer, “how each time there is bad news, you simply respond by saying ‘perhaps’?”

The farmer got quiet for a second and replied:

“When my son hurt his back, I went and hired someone to work the fields. One day, there was a terrible accident in which the man was killed. Because of the bad news of my son’s hurt back, he is alive today.

After his family sued me, the courts took my farm since I had no insurance. We moved into town and the following spring a tornado hit the old farmhouse, thus killing everyone. Because of the bad news of losing my farm, my family is alive today.

Then, my wife left me for another man. After I got over the grieving, I met and fell in love with a younger woman. After we were married, she blessed me with a daughter. Because of the bad news of my wife leaving, I have a child I would have otherwise not had.

Then my son lost his hand at the mill. At that time, all his friends were called up to the war. Of course, my son could not serve his country, much to his disappointment. However, the bus that was carrying his friends was involved in a horrible crash, killing all on board. Because of the bad news of him losing his hand, my son is alive today.

And now, I am faced with the bad news of having an illness that will kill me. However, all through my life, what appeared to be bad news was actually a fantastic blessing. After time, I realized that each event was actually God helping me. Because of that, I have no reason to believe that this is any different. Is the fact that I have a disease that will kill me bad news? Perhaps. Only time will tell.
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Moment By Moment

I wise teacher of mine many years ago told me that life is nothing more than a series of moments and it is what we do with each of them that determines the quality of it. This brings up the question "what are you doing to make the most of this moment". At any given time, we can to focus on those activities which move our lives forward. The successful take control of their mindset in this way.

James Allen in his groundbreaking book As A Man Thinketh (available for free in the sidebar) alluded to the power of controlling our thoughts. He believed that success was determined by our thoughts. Since that time, many others followed the same concept. Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill is another such publication. Each moment is an opportunity to focus our attention on those details which really matter.

Tiger Woods has an outlook that really makes him a champion. His quest for the most wins of all time starts in his head. A few years ago this was exemplified in an interview. Woods stated that he goes into each golf tournament looking to win. Compare this with the guys who seek to "play well". Woods set the bar higher in his mind.

Jack Nicklaus, another golfing great, identified the power of the moment when he described his pre-shot routine. Nicklaus visualized the shot that was ahead of him turning out exactly how he wanted it. Notice he referred to the one he was about to hit. The putt that he made (or missed) on the last hole is irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was the shot before him.

What are you doing right now? Obviously, reading this article is helping you to understand this concept. However, what are you going to do when you are done with this? How are you going to apply this into your life? Too many try to live days, weeks, or years at a time. When one is doing this, he or she is missing the present. That person is skipping moments by looking ahead.

It is time to develop the mindset of a champion. Focus on those activities which are right in front of you. Planning is a wonderful tool. However, we cannot always be future focused. Tiger Woods is moving to the all time record by winning one tournament at a time. To do that, he hits one shot at a time. Concentrating on each moment will move us toward our goals. Begin to apply this in your life today.
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Add Passion To Your Life!

In my last post, I wrote about the passion that Ted Nugent has. His approach to life is something to learn from even if one is not a fan of his music nor his choices. It is something that everyone needs to implement in their life.

I often hear about people trying to learn to be passionate. Passion is not something that we learn; I believe it is inherent in all of us. However, it is something that most need to rediscover. It seems that life batters people so that they forget what they truly love. The need to be "responsible" overshadows what drives people. Society has a way of molding our behavior to model what it thinks is proper. For example, how many of you heard that "you need to get your feet on the ground" or "you can't make a living at that". These are indications that someone molded your choices to their liking.

It is time to rediscover what you are passionate about. Adding passion to your life will make waking up each day easier. It ignites the spirit beyond any motivational program. Passion is the force which enables us to spend long hours performing at tasks we love. This is the single factor that allows us to produce the results we desire.

Have you ever noticed how many people cannot wait for retirement? This tells me that these people spend a vast percentage of their day doing something they do not really like. Those who are passionate about what they do have no need to retire. They continue on long after others departed.

Today, I watched some college football on television. The first game had Penn State led by Joe Paterno. After that, Florida State coached by Bobby Bowden came on. What is interesting is that they two coaches are battling for most wins of all time. This is a testament to their longevity in the game. Paterno is over 80 while Bowden is in his 70s. They are still working more than a decade after most retire. Why? Because coaching college football is what they love to do. It is their passion.

Can you think of others who never retired because they followed their passion? George Burns performed at 100 years old. Sean Connery is still starring in films. Charles Schultz kept creating Charlie Brown even though he was financially set. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus still play golf competitively. These type of people happily "work" until they die. Most hope they do not die until they can quit working.

Passion is what makes the difference. It is time to rediscover that within yourself.

Here are a few things that you can do which might help you uncover this:

1. Think about all that drove you as a child. What were your dreams? How did you like to spend your time? These answers will provide insight into what is at your core.

2. Close your eyes and envision how you would spend your day if money was not an issue. What profession would you be employed in? How would your time be spent each day? Often, we get so caught up with earning a living that we forget to create a life for ourselves.

3. Leaving talent aside, what would you truly love to do. Imagine that you are capable of anything. This will help to remove the limitations of the mind.

Begin to play with the ideas that stimulate you. There are many different ways to tap into this passion. Even if making a career out of something is not possible, perhaps you could volunteer in that field. Participating in something as a recreation is just as fulfilling as getting paid for it. What is important is to spend your time doing things that you love. It is the way to instantly spice up your life.
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Nugent's Passion

Last night I caught Ted Nugent on Glenn Beck's television program last night. Watching the episode really got my mind turning. To me, I was witnessing someone who had that one thing that everyone needs: passion. You could see it oozing out of every pore of his body.

You might not like Nugent's music. His politics might be opposition to yours. You might detest his lifestyle choice of being a hunter and the killer of animals. However, you have to admire the zest for life this man carries with him each day. Passion is the one thing that makes it all fun. Too many trudge through life just trying to make it.

Passion is that one quality which will keep you going. It is the thing that causes you to jump out of bed in the morning instead of rolling out to face another dreary day. Basically, it is loving this gift called life. Making the most out of everyday is what our journey here is all about. Far too many miss this concept. They make all the other things more important only to look back and see they missed a whole lot.

What truly inspires you? This is a question that everyone needs to answer. People who live with passion achieve tremendous things. They have the drive to persevere when things get tough. Each moment is lived to the fullest. The polar opposite of that is someone who drags themselves to work looking forward to the next holiday. They take no joy in anything that happens in their life. It becomes an endless cycle.

Passion is the game changer. It is the one quality that makes things instantly better. People instantly have a different outlook when they find something they are passionate about. Time loses all perspective with the hours flying by. It is as if that person is continually "in the zone".

I will give you an example. There are certain topics which I absolutely love writing about. At the same time, there are those which are a total drag. When I am writing about something that I am passionate about, I can write 10,000 words in a few hours. However, get me involved with those subjects that have little interest and 500 words can be an all day affair. The passion that I have makes the difference.

How much passion is presently in your life? Take a look at this idea and be honest with yourself. If you find that each day is unexciting and a repeat of the previous, perhaps it is time to add some into your day. Picture how Nugent approaches life. Put that zest into everything that you do. You will see immediate results.
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Guaranteed Failure

Many talk about what it takes to be a success. It is true that success leaves clues for one to follow. Failure does the same thing. If we study the qualities of those who fail, there is a pattern which develops. Here are three things you which will guarantee you never achieve anything that you want.

1. Fail to manage your time.

This is the one commodity that we are all equal in. The difference is in how we choose to spend it. Some prefer to exchange the time for money (working for a paycheck). Others like to waste this commodity sitting in front of the television like a mindless robot. Finally, many show up at work looking for something to do instead of proactively managing their assignments. The use of a list makes us much more effective at using our time to the utmost.

2. Fail to manage your money.

Obviously, this is a path to the poorhouse. Credit card debt is reaching an all-time high. We are about to witness the largest credit card defaults in history. Too many people live beyond their means with no clue how to manage their money. I wrote "Your Easiest Million" as a way to assist people with the basic understanding of money management. Money properly saved and invested will multiply. Unfortunately, so will debt.

3. Fail to manage your emotions.

Too often people make decisions based upon emotions. We do not think clearly when we are in an emotionally charged state. Business negotiators know this all too well. They are trained to remain calm regardless of what transpires. Trial attorneys do the same thing. Emotions cause us to react rather than respond. "Knee jerk" reactions lead to bad decisions. The heart is a wonderful thing for romance. However, wearing it on your sleeve will negatively affect your life.

If you want success in life, reverse the habits of the failure. Take control of your time, money, and emotions. It is the path of the successful.
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Creating Opportunities

The media keeps telling us that we are in a historic time right now. There is a great deal of uncertainty with the global economy. Many are worried about how bad things will really get. Today, the latest unemployment numbers for the week came out and they were up substantially. This is after the Senate approved a landmark "bailout" package last evening. Obviously, this creates an tremendous amount of pessimism.

I read an article earlier which mentioned that we are heading into a recession. It seems the official barometer of two consecutive quarters of negative growth will be reached. I am so glad the government finally caught up with what most already knew. My travels enables me to talk with many small business owners. These people were experiencing the effects of the economic downturn for the last 12-15 months. If you want to find out the facts, go to those who are on the front lines of the action.

How bad will this get? There is no way for anyone to determine that. However, with every downturn comes opportunities. People who are willing to look at the situation as "half full" will fare much better than those who take the "half empty" approach. This I can guarantee. My presumption is that most people will throw a "pity party" as opposed of plunging forward with something that could make a difference in their lives.

Let us use the stock market as an example. The last few months have seen it hammered. This is the worst stretch that I can remember in terms of sustained volatility. In particular, the industrial stocks were devastated. Many of these lost 50%-60% in the last 12 months. However, there will be a lot of wonderful opportunities in this sector in the next few months. If the bottom was not reached, it cannot be far. Most of these companies are now on sale. That means it is a good time to pick them up.

One of the shrewdest investors is Warren Buffet. The last two weeks saw him go on a huge buying spree. If memory serves me correctly, he dropped about $15 billion in that time. Why would the richest man in the world do this? The reason is because he is trained to see an opportunity when it is presented. While many others were worrying about the market crashing, he was analyzing the underlying value of the companies. This is how he could see what others missed.

There is a saying about "keeping your head while everyone else loses theirs". This is how we create opportunities when others see chaos. What can you do that will change your situation? Losing a job is a terrible thing for people to go through. However, it also opens up so many possibilities; starting a business, going back to school, or making a career change. The point is that we need to have the proper mindset to create the opportunities that lead to success. Instead of dwelling on all that is wrong, begin to look for all the possibilities you are faced with. With each downturn, there are tremendous opportunities.
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5 Things To Change Your Life In The Next 90 Days

Today is October 1st. There are three months left in the year. Before we know it, people will be making their New Year's Resolutions for 2009. Unfortunately, we all know how those can turn out. Most fail at them before the end of January. Thus, the time to start developing the momentum to change your life is now.

Here are 5 things you can do in the next 3 months which will change your life.

1. Lose 10 lbs.

This is a number that most people can hit. It requires dropping 3 pounds per month for the rest of the year. Changing your diet while adding some exercise will accomplish this feat. Will 10 lbs make a difference for many people? Not necessarily. However, developing the habits will carry forward into 2009. In addition, most found that they lost more than 10 pounds in the first 90 days.

2. Read 3 books.

That equates to one book a month. Choose subjects that can enrich your life. A book such as Your Easiest Million offers many ideas on how to set yourself on the path to an improved financial life. Knowledge is an invaluable tool if it is applied. However, it first must be acquired. Reading is a terrific way to expand our knowledge base. It is one of the most beneficial habits to have.

3. Create goals for the next 3 years.

This can take some time. A life without a plan is apt to spin out of control. The chances of arriving at a destination are increased if you know what that destination is. Sadly, people spend more time planning a vacation than they do their lives. It is time to create a set of goals for yourself and a plan for achieving them. This is how you will lead a fulfilled life.

4. Take a weekend for yourself.

We are all overwhelmed with life. The era we live in is one of hustle and bustle. That is not going to change. Most people have gone the entire year without taking some time for themselves. Taking a weekend away will recharge the batteries. This need not be something expensive. The key is to leave all work, chores, and responsibilities. Go camping, rent a cabin, or an inexpensive motel in your hometown. Just relax for a full 48 hours.

5. Start saving and investing.

The recent financial crisis shows us what happens when we over extend ourselves. Start setting a few dollars a week away. Developing the habit is invaluable for your future financial success. I discuss in Your Easiest Million paying yourself for some of the chores that you do for free. For example, each night that you prepare dinner, pay yourself a dollar. This will put $30 a month into your savings. I would suggest that you read some books (suggestion #2) on investing to become familiar with the world of investing. It is important to have your money make money.

Doing these 5 things will help you develop momentum going into next year. It is crucial to create the habits now. Whatever you desire in the coming year will be more likely to be achieved if you can do it automatically. The next 90 days is the time to lay the foundation.
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