Gaming the System

I've been attempting to follow the Rich Idiot's guide since May of this year - well - it did get me started on this blog, and stumbled upon this related web-site: The Rich Idiot Game. An interesting concept to say the least. The game takes tasks - or to-do items - from the Rich Idiot book and puts them in game form. You complete the tasks and earn points for doing so, such as: write a mission statement (100 points), contact a financial planner (500 points).

Alas they started - as of October - charging $14.95/month to play the game. Boo-hoo. Why does everything cost $14.95/month on the web, anyway?

I can't really recommend joining unless you want to try it out for yourself - buyer beware. They still have a few kinks to work out. For the clever of us; maybe we can design our own games.

Lesson learned: If you make your tasks a game, it's not so bad (maybe you can reward yourself).

Bonus lesson learned: You don't have to make tremedious strides towards your goal everyday, just do one or two little things.

Anarchy

Alright, so I'm bit of an anarchist. Even though this site is suppose to give you motivational tips and tricks that I've come across along the way, I have a secret site despair.com. You all are familiar with the inspirational posters found on company walls from Successories Inc. like "Teamwork - Together we can reach the heights of excellence and perform the extraordinary." (r). Well this site couldn't be more opposite. My new favorite is "Blogging: Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few."

Yet in all these anti-inspirational themes there are grains of truth which are worth pondering on.

Lesson learned: Sometimes looking at the opposite of what you want to achieve, can make you think deeper than just focusing on the positive.

On Telekinesis and Self-Help ?!

So my son wanted to go to Barnes & Noble to get a book on telekinesis - of course I'm thinking huh? But recalling my own youth and the belief I could move objects with my mind; vis-à-vis the old television show "My Favorite Martian." I decided why not.

I guess this is the teenager's version of Santa Claus, or the Tooth Fairy. After a couple of weeks of reading - he comes back and asks me if I believe in it, in telekinesis. As I was sitting their thinking, I saw a glass of water way over in the kitchen. I say to him "You see that glass of water" - I could tell he was getting excited now. I boldly stated, "I can make it come to me without leaving the couch". So, I called my other son, and asked him to get me the glass. I turned to the older one and said, see I had the glass come to me without getting up, just using my mind and my mouth.

After relentless objections and protest such as I wasn't allow to "open my mouth", the glass had to "float in the air", I could only "use my mind." I relented - kids make irresistible debaters.

Life lesson learned: Whether you believe it or not; self-help is kind of a telekinesis: using your mind and only your mind to bring changes to life, whether you directly participate in them or get others to help you.

On Financial Planning...

Financial Planner

I - as in my wife and I - recently had a visit from a financial planner. You know, it's one of those things you should have done - married or not - about 20 years ago kinda like exercising. We sat down, discussed goals - fortunately I had been thinking about them quite a bit lately, which is why I wanted a planner. We talked about how to finance those goals, he worked some magic and 'voila!'. Funny, I don't have more money than when I started, but I feel like I do. I guess that's the main point.

There are three things I learned from the experience:

• He doesn't print money - he can only tell you how to allocate the money you have.
• He doesn't finance goals - he can only recommend the one's you can afford now.
• If you want to achieve your financial goals - you're going to have to make the wealth.

Actually in retrospect it was a good meeting, and "whack on the side of the head". I would highly recommend it.

Life lessoned learned: "You can't print money; you can only allocate what you have. If you want more - earn it" (same could apply to most any goal)

If anyone is in the Southern California area - let me know, I'll give you his name. Sadly, I don't get any kick-backs, but I did promise him referrals every chance I get.

If we do not change direction...

Quote of the Week

~ If we do not change direction, we are liable to end up where we are headed ~ John Whitmore "Coaching for Performance"

Climb the RI Ladder: Step 2, part 1

It’s never too late for a second beginning

Let me start this blog category again…

I have to give credit where credit is due. I started this blog because of one book: the Rich Idiots book. The book contained one three letter word that stood out: A-C-T. Funny one of the blog’s I’m following had listed rules for career changers: and that idea was: 1. Take Action. As a rule when ever I see the same idea from two sources I tend to secure it as a fact of nature - at leas in my mind.

I’m still not sure why this book is sticking with me. As you read this blog I’ve been following the self-help community for awhile. Maybe it’s me - the author just hit me at the right time. By the way, I discovered this book by accident while waiting in Barnes and Noble for my kid to pick a book on of all things levitation. Karma, I guess.

A contradiction

I gave some advice – I was solicited - to another blogger on how to make their web-site better. They were mixing topics, and I told them split it out. Now here I am. As mentioned I started this blog to following the book. But I’ve also include self-help nuggets along the way, that seem to have permeated my thoughts. Oh well, carry on.

Cigar chomping Scrooge McDuck.

Not all people who want to better themselves – by better I mean to obtain more money - are cigar chomping Scrooge McDucks. This blog is more of a humorous adventure in – do any of these books help – or are they a money making scheme for the authors.

Brass Tacks

Ok let’s get down to brass tacks.

The Judgment

In the Rich Idiots book the author lists 4 main paths to wealth all dealing with assets: Cash, Stocks, Real Estate, and owning a Business. There may be more assets Art collections, Acting Abilities, etc. I will ignore them for now.

Alright given these four I was left with conundrum: how to judge how I’m doing. What I came up with was a scale from 50 to 0 – for each asset with 0 being the best.

I will talk more about this scale later on but for now here’s the score

Cash (48)
Stocks (23)
Real Estate (23)
Business (0)
Over All (27)


to be continued…

Quote of the Week: "The only difference..."

~The only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions ~ Ellen Glasgow

A call to action if ever I heard one.

Spotlight: Denis Waitley

Denis Waitley

There are those who inspire athletes, there are those who inspire business leaders, there are those who inspire us in politics, then there are those who just inspire us. Denis Waitley is one such person.

He is perhaps the foremost motivational speaker I have ever heard. I'm sure he didn't invent audio books - or in his case audio cassettes - but he is the best practitioner of the art. His series of Being the Best, the Psychology of Winning, and the Seeds of Greatness - all of which can be found at his web site Your Success Store - are the best examples of his craft.

There are several components to self-help, self-motivation, and self-improvement. You have "What to do" books, "Why to do it" books, and "Where to do it" books. But the most fundamental component is the "Wanting to do it" books. And Denis Waitley succeeds at this like no other. After listening to his tapes I dare you to feel like you can't succeed at anything.

Note: As of lately he's been on the Board of Directors with a company, USANA, that deals with healthcare products, weight loss products, and supplements. This company is currently under investigation. Also Denis Waitley himself has come under scrutiny for resume padding. I'll keep you posted. This will be a good topic for later "What to do when your Hero's Aren't so Heroic?"

Quote of the Week: "Hope for the best..."

~ Hope for the best, plan for the worst, expect the unexpected ~ Denis Waitley

To me this quote demonstrates the entire range of the human experience. Being given to spiritual feelings and our realization we don't control events we hope -pray - for good fortune; however, we as rational beings use our knowledge and intelligence to try and affect outcomes, that's the planning part of us. And to show us that the universe is truely in-charge, things are never as we hope or plan for. -BM

Is Change Possible?

Yes, of course, or I wouldn’t have started this blog – or I would have given up long ago. The trick then becomes: How to change? What to change? And why change?

I recently read an interesting blog with the same issue - although in a slightly different forum – dealing with Career Change by Mark McClure. Please read his entry: Your Career Is Your Own and You Form it?

He started me thinking on the purpose of this blog, and finally giving an intro into why I’m writing it, if not to explain to others, then certainly to clarify my own thoughts.

I believe change is possible but at a high price – a very high price. You have to BELIEVE change is possible. Why is this high price, because you have to believe – I mean really believe – that you are where you are because you want to be there.

Being on topic of current events - I recently heard John McCain’s acceptance speech talking about his time in confinement where he was “broken” by his captors. A very poignant point – and to some extent and not making light of the situation – you must literally “break” yourself of long held notions of “what” you think - you are, or “who” you think you are before any change can take place.

I’m not saying things don’t happen to people: jobs get lost, friends move away or die, fires destroy property, but I am saying you can be the best at what you do, or want to do.

There is book which I will go into later called “Body for Life” by Bill Phillips. It’s a manually on how to become physically fit. There is one line in the book that I must share. To paraphrase the author: You may not become a world class body builder, but everybody has a “best” body.

Consequently, you may not become the wealthiest person, but everyone has a best wealth, you might not become CEO, but you have a best position, you may not {well you get the message}

-BM

Quote of the Week: "What you get by achieving your goals..."

~ What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. ~ Zig Ziglar

Climb the RI* Ladder: Step 1

Start a Rich Idiot Savings Account

As you know from previous posts - I’ve been following the Rich Idiot’s guide. I want to give it some time maybe 1-2 years to see if following a guide really works.

There are over 30 ideas in the book - I will pick and write about a few of them. The ideas I present aren’t in any order, rather how fast I can implement them.

So with that comes suggestion #1: Start a RI (“Rich Idiots”) savings account.

There are two main ideas behind starting a special savings account: 1st it’s a place to collect monies earned by bargaining, secondly this account is a place to have what Robert Shemin calls the “cash-on-hand” feeling.

The author recommends starting an account at a brand new bank – in order to in order to start a new business relationship. Well, since I deal over 5 banks, I felt I have enough relationships, and I wanted something convenient.

So I started at an “old”bank. Funny, even though I’m in computers I was amazed how simple it is to open an account online. It only took $2 - from a debit card – and whiz bank I had an account.

The idea is to put money in this account from
Saving a dollar a day
Bonuses and raises
Money saved by asking for – sweating for – discounts
Any other little cash saved along the way.

There are four asset categories I will be tracking in the coming months – according to the book. I will list this asset along with a rating: ~ to 10. With ~ being not recorded yet to 10.

I’m going to rate my Savings Account (i.e. cash asset) a 1/2. Not zero because I started it, but a 9 year old probably has more money saved it a piggy bank then I do at the moment.

Box score –

Four Assets
Cash ½
Stocks ~
Real Estate ~
Business ~

*RI = Rich Idiot

Success Tip: Toastmasters

You've heard about them, you may know people who are members. But have you ever really considered Toastmasters?

I was invited to attend Toastmasters about 10 or 11 years ago, but I didn't take up my co-worker's invitation. I thought - quite silly now - that Toastmasters was a group of cigar smoking, older gentlemen, like you use to see on Dean Martin's variety roast shows. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Toastmasters is made up of ordinary people - like your co-workers, or friends in what one has called a "laboratory of speech giving". In fact, my particular club is hosted by the Boy scouts of Glendale called - the Prepared Speakers.

I would urge you to look for clubs in your area and examine them - each club is made up of local people based on a theme - some are dinner clubs, some are affiliated with a particularly company, some are general in nature.

It's a good place to meet people, and practice speaking skills in a friendly, and unfettered atmosphere.

Are you a member? Do you have experience? Or if you have joined one recently I'd like to hear from you?

BM-

Quote of the Week: "No one ever succeeds alone" - Robert Shemin

This week's quote comes from the book pictured on the left How Come That Idiot's Rich and I'm Not.

We have this notion in America of the Lone Ranger/Batman type - you know - someone who takes on the world alone. But in reality, all successful people need help. We need advisors, coaches, lenders, customers, and clients. True we ourselves have to do the work, but our "team" that we put together - makes it all worth while. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can reach our goals.

What does this quote mean to you? How can you apply it in your life?

.

Spotlight: Harry Lorayne

Memory expert, magician, and self help guru - he's done it all...

I'd like to introduce you to my first self-help guru - Harry Lorayne. You may have heard of him on the Johnny Carson show, or inconjuntion with the famous basketball player Jerry Lucas.

I'm not sure how I came across the first book I read of his - about 30 years ago and counting, but it was an eye opener: The Memory Book. I learned how to memorize a list of 20-30 items by reading it only once, how to memorize a deck of cards (actually I only got to about 37 in a row), and how to memorize everyone you meet only once. It's a simple but affective system he's developed.

It taught me that we have - with the proper instruction - the ability to actually improve. Improve in anything weight, mind etc. It's a presumption of most self-help books that one can actually change. This book actually demonstrates that point (I'll save this idea for a later blog).

He also wrote a book called: Secrets of Mind Power originally written in the 50's or 60s. It was one of the first self-help books on the market. Although he would be what Stephan Covey ("Seven Habits of Highly Effective People") calls a practitioner of the Personality Ethic. That is by changing your personality you can be come successful. Yet there's something infectious regarding his writing

I recently looked him up on-line - and it's refreshing to see he actually has his own web-site (http://www.harrylorayne.com/) and still going strong. He's actually something of a celebrity judging by the endorsements.

He's written many, many books on memory, magic, math skills, and the like. If you would more information or any list of his out-of-print books email at the above address.

Take a look at him, try out a few products and leave a comment I'd like to know what you think...

BM-

Book Review: How Come THAT Idiot's Rich and I'm Not

A book by Robert Shemin – 2008 Crown Publishers

I’ve had the advantage or disadvantage of reading other reviews for this book – and not a pretty lot in the bunch. I on the other hand enjoyed this book. But, I’m partial to self-help books that belong to the what I call ‘Tongue in Cheek Books,’ books that talk straight or seemingly talk straight.

This book aptly enough is about getting rich. His premise basically is: get off your duff, and just do something – a little bit everyday.

True anyone with a pen, brain, and a piece of paper could have put these principles into words – anyone could have – but the Author “DID”.

The book is divided into 3-parts: Part I – Forget what everyone told you, this is how it’s actually done; Part II – Think about how you fit into the picture; and Part III – Things the author thinks is important to own to be wealthy and why.

The book is easy to read, easy to understand, easy to follow. If you’re looking for a thesis on wealth building this isn’t it; if you’re looking for a starter book, and a book that kicks you into action, this is it.

I personally have been following this book since May 25th of this year and so far I’ve had no hiccups. Look for upcoming blogs on my progress with this book

Of course in all build wealth books: assets – especially derived examples – always seem to go up, never down. Hmmm?

Have a copy of the book? What do you think...

BM-

If you would like a signed copy of this book from the Climb the Ladder Team, please send an email to the address above at teamclimbtheladder@gmail.com –or– save yourself some money and order direct from Amazon: How Come THAT Idiot’s Rich and I’m Not.