Adding a few new items to my list

While I have these Todos top of mind I thought I'd add them to my list of things -

• Take a self-made millionaire out to dinner - this was a recommendation from a speaker I heard recently as the best way to learn how to succeed. It seems impossible I know, but I'm gonna find a way to make it happen! I think this idea came from the Millionaire Mind book - one of my favorites!
  

• Get featured in Success magazine - this is by far my favorite magazine. It's full of great motivational and business content from some of the most amazing people on the planet. Last week it featured Joel Osteen and this week Alicia Keys! I know, who'd have thought. And now...get this, every issue includes a free audio CD full of interviews of the featured people and classic business and personal development gurus! This thing is a goldmine..so it would be the ultimate achievement to be featured in it! 

Ok, more on both of these later.

Best regards, my friends.

Pablo

Book 9 - "Soar With Your Strengths"

Hi again, it's been a while since I've posted. If you're wondering, "Did he fall off the wagon?" "Has he given up already on his weekly book challenge?!" Not a chance my friends. Regardless of my self-imposed busy life I'm dedicated to finishing what I start. And in truth, that is what this is about.

Sure, I want to learn, expand my horizons, deepen my knowledge - but somewhere down the line in my life I realized that being truthful to me was the best therapy for my soul, and the best remedy for my ailments that continue to grow as I age - namely regret. I'd spent my whole life making promises to others and myself that I had all the intentions of keeping but for some reason, life (and I) kept getting in the way. Funny thing is, the cure to that is very simple and Shakespeare put it well, "Above all things, to thine own self be true".

Somewhere down the line that clicked and it's changing my life as we speak.

The most recent book I read spoke to this idea, the concept of being true to yourself, in particular your inherent strengths - and how focusing on those strengths rather than your weaknesses is the true path to a better career and life.

In Soar With Your Strengths, the author did years of research and found that successful people from Gandhi to Jordan to Trump, to every Olympic athlete you've ever admired, for that matter, have all had one secret to success so obvious that people often miss it - sure, they were passionate and positive and persistent; but moreso they were true to their talent, and focused more than anything on developing their skills and natural talents toward a single and lofty end.

This contradicts the notion that we should focus on developing our weakness - something our society often does.
For example, think of the child that gets A's in art, literature and writing, but D's in math and science. Most parents and teachers would say the student needs to work harder at bringing those poor grades up.
The author says no. Focusing on a clear weakness in the scientific and left-brain topics seems logical since we need those skills in life, to some extent, but in tipping the scales toward bringing up those weak subjects the student takes focus away from the subjects their naturally talented in - topics that probably bring them much more joy and satisfaction since they do well in them. Funny how this all makes sense and yet we push back with the common belief that everyone needs a "balanced" education.

Now don't get me wrong, the author doesn't say to bail entirely on your weakness- his idea is to "manage" your weaknesses, but build on your strengths.
Build on what your good at and passionate about, but manage the math class weakness so you at least pass the class, but reinforce the artistic side (in our student example).

But how do you "manage" your weaknesses? A good way to do it is to use your strengths to manage them and make them more fulfilling. For example, if your an artistic person bad at math, use art to learn math. Think of math visually, use patterns, create math visual maps, use colors when doing assignments, watch math tutorials online, or on video - anything to engage your visual and creative side. Leveraging your strengths to manage your weaknesses keeps your focus on your strengths in a way. I thought this was such a great idea...I can't believe I'd never thought of it!

This hit home for me because I have a daughter who is very right-brain talented. Even at 5yrs old she was painting, drawing, and composing stories far above her classmates - she has a natural talent that I would say could become masterful if channeled properly. Luckily she is still good at math and science, I think because she's very visual about them. My other daughter has highly developed social skills, also something that could lead to a very rewarding and happy life if developed in a positive way.

So how did this book help me? If you think of it in terms of how the world is shifting into a knowledge-based and global economy, this idea of focusing on your talents becomes increasingly important. Developing your strengths gives you a competitive edge like no other. Think of all the hundreds of people in a field of work you have a passion for - and think of what a star you'd be by being one of the few in it that have true talent and passion for it, unlike others who are just there for a paycheck!

Ok, I'm ranting now...I'd better slow it down. :-)

But the short of it (after this long blog post, that is...lol) is that you should get on Amazon, right now, and get a copy of this book. They have copies for $0.01 (yes, a penny!) If taken to heart it could seriously change your life for the better.

Or at the least, get out a piece of paper and try this - write down everything you think you're good at; this includes:

• Tasks that others thought tedious but you found easy
• Topics in school you just "got" while others struggled with
• Skills others have complimented you on, whether it be drawing, writing letters, creating that spreadsheet, cleaning the house, working with kids, speaking in public, dancing, teaching, running a team, etc...whatever others suggested you were good at
• Hobbies you've kept up throughout the years
• and the eternal question, if money were no object, what would you do with your time?
  

Once you've identified these skills or talents, think about their common thread, whether it be artistic, analytic, or just helping others somehow. This common thread is your talent, your higher purpose and what you should focus on in life - it's what you should be doing and developing. Developing that strength to its highest level would be the best thing you can do.

O.k., going too far again. But I hope you got something from my rants and this book, I know I did.

Very soon I will post again on two other books I've recently read. Both very different but interesting in their own respects.

Stay tuned my friends....

Pablo

TASK #23 Complete the 7-day Mental Diet (4th try!!)

This is my fourth attempt and I'm sure it'll be my last, cause I'm gonna make it happen!
The challenge is to think positive and to fight off bad-talk, gossip, making fun of people, and pretty much all negativity from around and within me. I got an idea from "The 4-Hour Work Week" guru Tim Ferriss to wear a reminder, so I'm gonna try that.

If you're interested in learning more, check out the book 7-day Mental Diet by Emmet Fox

This attempt is dedicate to my friend Tiffany.

Wish me luck!

P

So far these are the most popular challenges I've done...

Can't believe I started my 101 list less than 3 years ago. I've done a lot but these seem like the ones everyone was most interested in.

• The Polar Bear Plunge
• My upcoming Marathon
• Getting my Tattoo
• My Get-Rich Plan
• Setting a Guinness Record
• My Leap of Faith (Bungee Jump)
• One of my favorites

Book 7 - "Flipping the Switch"

Have you ever felt like the naysaying and whining you hear from friends, family, and coworkers was bringing you down? Or even the negative talk you hear in your own head?! You know, that voice that says "why me?" and "what's wrong with people?" and "when are they gonna do something about this?"

lol - we all have these thoughts, so don't feel bad.

What if you could learn a small, simple change in the way you think that could transform your world, from one that sees limits to one that embraces every opportunity that comes your way...

The QBQ by John Miller taught me how it worked. and it's pretty simple, actually!

It's the questions we ask ourselves! Look back at those questions above like "Why me?" now think about how that question makes you feel - yup, powerless. It doesn't get you anywhere. But what if we "flipped" it? What if we trained ourselves to ask better questions? Miller gives examples in this book that show how that's exactly what successful and happier people do - they learn to flip negatives into positive, and from that create empowering opportunities. Ok, sounds flaky and hokey, I know; but man, it works!

So how does 'it' work? Miller shares 5 key things we can do to unleash the power of this simple change in thinking.

1. Learning - developing a learning mentality gives us an edge above those that would rather transfer blame to others for their situation. It's a step toward taking ownership, by flipping questions like "who's going to train me?" into "what can I do to develop the skills I need to succeed?"
   
2. Ownership - Flipping "when are they gonna fix things around here?" to "what can I do to help improve things and contribute to the solution?" This approach turns blaming into taking personal ownership of how you can impact things.
   
3. Creativity - questions like "when will we get the tools, money, support to do our jobs?" can be flipped to "what can I do now, with the tools I have to reach my goals?" Many of us hide behind perceived outside limits, when in truth there is always something we can do from where we are. We just need to be creative!
   
4. Service - Changing "what is wrong with these customers?" to "what can I do to make the customer experience better?" When you think about it "Organizations don't serve, people do" - all the customer sees is their interaction with you, and it's that point of contact that matters most. You know that; you're a customer every day...you know what it feels like to be treated poorly or like a number? Imagine how your service and life would change if you instead asked, "how can I make this customer feel special?"
   
5. Trust - building trust in all your relationships is crucial. Trust builders include
   
1. Being Truthful - keeping your word, and walking your talk
2. Being Upfront - talk directly to people you have issues with. Don't talk to others about the person, be direct.
3. Coaching - from a leaders perspective, stop asking "what's wrong with my staff, why don't they do what I ask?" to "how can I develop my people and be a better coach to them?"
4. Transferring authority - delegate and empower so your employees or even children know that you believe in their ability to make decisions
5. Supporting their dreams - trust breaks down when you try to impress your dreams on others. It's better to let them follow their dreams and support them - especially those that build on their strengths
6. Showing you care - putting others needs before your own shows you have their best interests in mind

Ok, I'm getting way to deep into this. lol. But the gist is that this book was very powerful. Not as much as the first book, "the QBQ" but certainly worth an afternoon to learn the simple truth that asking the right questions of yourself and others can make all the difference in the world and take you from feeling like a victim of circumstance to being the creator of your own better and brighter future.

Next I read "No BS Wealth Attraction for Entrepreneurs" - i know, sounds gimmicky and it was somewhat. But I had it out from the library and had to return it in a few days, haha, so took the time to read it. But I learned some amazing lessons from it, some real nuggets of wisdom, so tune in!

Pablo

Book 6 - Secrets of "The Wealthy Barber"

Finished book 6 of my 2009 book reading challenge.

If you don't know it yet, my goal behind this challenge was to finish the year with some new expertise and knowledge I can use to improve my life and the lives of my family and friends. This is why I've focused my reading primarily on nonfiction topics such as personal development and finance. With that in mind, my friend's recommendation of "The Wealthy Barber" fit right in. For those of you recommending fiction and classics, I will read some of those too, so please keep the suggestions coming.

So...what did I learn from this read? Surprisingly a lot.
I'll admit I've heard all these suggestions before but reading them in an entertaining, narrative style just brought them home that much more. For those of you saying, "dude, what the hell are you talking about? Get to the point!" haha...thanks for your patience.

Here are the highlights:

• The Ten-Percent Solution: “Wealth beyond your wildest dreams is possible if you follow the golden rule: Invest ten percent of all you make for long-term growth.” This is huge my friends, so don't blow it off. It's been touted by dozens of personal finance books because it's true. We all suck at saving money and investing it. So best to make it automatic (as Bach suggested in the Automatic Millionaire) and have your HR person set up a direct deposit of 10% of your income into an investment account. Something safe and simple like a balanced mutual fund yielding 8-15%. Do this today. You won't even miss it and it'll make you rich.
  
• Wills, Life Insurance, and Responsibility: Find a lawyer and get a simple will drafted for a couple hundred dollars. Don't let the govt tie up your assets and tax the crap out of your estate. Also, basic term life insurance is a must. It's cheap and will replace your income for your loved ones if you handle it right. Ultimately, your goal is to gather enough wealth so you're self-insured, but until then, put this in place.
• Planning for Retirement: Social Security will be minimal and won't support you. Get a tax-deferred IRA going. Take advantage of employee matching asap. today, today, today, because every day counts with compound interest. This will be tied up til retirement so it's separate from your 10% in step one.
  
• Home, Sweet Home: Save a down payment and buy an affordable home as soon as you can. It's the best forced-savings investment out there. But until you save the down, rent. Nothing wrong with renting if you invest what you would have spent on a house, either.
  
• Savving Savvy: Here’s a surprise: Chilton believes budgets are optional. He stresses saving through frugality. “A two-dollar raise [in wages] often translates into only a one-dollar increase in disposable income, the same increase that would result from saving a single dollar.” If you can save $200 when buying a computer, the net effect is the same as receiving a $400 bonus in pay.
• Insights into Investment and Income Tax: The book’s discussion of taxes is run-of-the-mill, though I do love his advice about spending a windfall: “There’s simply no better alternative for the average American than to pay off his or her non-tax-deductible debt.” If you get a windfall, pay off your credit cards!
• Graduation: Chilton believes a six-month emergency fund is excessive. He recommends keeping about $3,000 set aside. He also spends some time discussing college savings. And he mentions something worth noting that I've heard from Dave Ramsey and others - “Your biggest asset, by far, is your earning power.”

All in all the simple steps outlined in this book are a sure fire way to make wealth and security almost automatic. At the least, direct deposit 10% into long term investments and invest in a retirement account. Insurance, paying off debt, and being frugal play a big part too, but all of these buck human nature (bad habits) so just do the best you can.

Ok, next on my list is a book my dad suggested I read. I asked him what biographies I might consider reading and without missing a beat he said "The Biography of Malcolm X is a good place to start." So, in honor of black history month I'm gonna try tackling this 500+ page monster and see what it has to offer.

Wish me luck!!

TASK #52: Book 5 done! Wanna be a creative genius?

Finished book 5 of my book-a-week challenge - "How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci."

All I can say is, wow! DaVinci was so prolific and diverse, it just blows my mind. Author, musician, scientist, painter, anatomist, sculpter, war-strategist, and fore-thinker of dozens of techiniques, practices, and methodologies. He even started one of my practices - Mindmapping - which I use quite a bit for brainstorming and project planning.

There was just so much to cover in the book the author did all he could to think of 7 key strategies he could teach us to become as creative as DaVinci. He really did make me believe that given the commitment to these methods and practices that I could approach it. What were they? Wait, even better, here's a mindmap of them!

I don't have time to expound on these concepts but I would highly recommend you read this book if you want to launch your creative and innovative skills into a whole new level.

So what's next for my reading adventure? I have tons of books to choose from now, but people are starting to notice my affinity for business/finance books and my friend Linda recommended "The Wealthy Barber". I ran into it at the library and thought to read the intro, just to see. Well, I got hooked and kept reading! So far I'm over 80pgs in and find it is probably the most entertaining financial planning book I've ever come across. It does really cover the basics, similar to Bach's "Automatic Millionaire", but the narative is much more entertaining.

Should be done with this one soon and on to something work related, most likely. But keep the recommendations coming - I still have 46 books to finish! Wish me luck!

Oh, sign up to follow me on my blog - it's nice to know I've got people rooting for me. :)

TASK #52: Finished book four of my book-a-week challenge

Wanna know how to become an "Automatic Millionaire"?
Yeah, me too - which is why I chose this as my fourth book in my reading challenge.

After seeing my retirement investments lose thousands over the last quarter I had to read something to get myself in a money mindset and figure out what to do. I'd read a little of this David Bach book before but never really read through it thoroughly.
It was an easy read and well worth the couple of days it took. So what did I learn?

Here are the highlights:
- Pay yourself first - okay, this doesn't sound like much but think about it for a minute. We pay our taxes, credit card debts, the schools, the gas station, the car companies, etc...We pay everyone first until our checks are gone and then we still have bills after that. We're not gonna be here forever and do we really wanna look back at 30, 40, 50 years of work and have nothing to show for it? So the book recommends to take one hour of pay per day and put into a retirement fund, either through your work to get any matching they offer, or directly into an IRA or Roth investment account.

- Find your latte factor - I know what you're saying, "I don't have anything left to pay myself first!" hm...really. Bach argues we have it, but we spend it on Lattes, cigarettes, mcdonalds, tabloid magazines, and dozens of other nice-to-haves but not necessary items - many of which cause other problems, addictions, obesity, etc. So if you think you can't put one-hours pay a day away, be real with yourself. Find your latte factor, cut the fat, and make it happen.

- Learn how to invest just enough to get 7-10% interest - ok, I see people running for the hills but seriously, his or 100 other books are out there to help you figure out how to invest your 401K, so pick one up, get educated, and make it happen.

- Establish an emergency fund - an emergency fund is about 3 months of expenses put aside for real emergencies, like the car or the furnace going out on you - or losing a job or your apt. The point is, it's not for non-essentials; for example buying a flat screen because it's on sale and "oh my god, this is a once in a lifetime deal!"...um. no. With this, I actually followed the DaveRamsey baby steps, which were, 1. get current on bills 2. save a mini-emergency fund of 1000 2. sort and pay debts smallest to largest 3. save a full 3-6 months emergency fund 4. pay off the house/invest

- MAKE IT ALL AUTOMATIC - this is really the bottom line of the book. All the above recommendations have been made by many, but we just don't do it! Why? laziness, excuses, procrastination, lack of self control; so how do we fix this?
Lets consider how the govt does it - Years ago the govt got taxes paid at the end of the year, but guess what - people didn't pay! Even after threatening people prison time, people still didn't have the self-control and discipline to not spend it and put the money aside for taxes. So what did they do? They started taking the money out before it got to us; out of our checks! They made it automatic.
So Bach says - do the same thing they did, don't trust yourself to save at the end of the month, make it automatic in the beginning. Set up direct deposits at your work, right from your check to your bills, emergency fund, retirement account, and even to pay off your home 7-10 years early! it's actually very easy to do and it does work.

Other recommendations from Bach:
- Cut up your credit cards and get out of debt using the debt snowball method - see my other post on this.
- Auto-tithe to your charity of choice. The rich do it and it really does pay back dividends. Givers get more than you know.
- Apply what you've learned and Take Action! You know 95% of the people that read this won't do it! I mean any of it...they'll make excuses or stop because they don't know what to do next, or a hundred other reasons. It's pretty sad but true. How can you not be one of those sad many that will look back in regret when it's too late? Just try it...go to your HR dept, ask them how to change your direct deposits, and try it. At the least take advantage of whatever matching or free money your company pays in for you. if you're self employed use the self-employment roth through your local bank.

What did I do? I'm doing it!
I payed off my credit card debt with the extra cash I had in savings.
I made all my billpays automatic through my banks online payment program.
I changed my house payments to add additional cash toward the principal.
I adjusted my retirement account to stave off any more losses while still taking advantage of the upcoming upswing....oh, it's coming.
I cut up my extra credit cards so I don't use them. I kept one for emergencies, that's it.
I pay cash for everything and if I don't have the cash, too bad, I don't get it.
And I'm looking for a second investment property to balance my portfolio.

It was actually all pretty easy to do. I'm reading more on the Portfolio Management topic because this wasn't very helpful with that but it didn't provide some good websites to look into.

Ok, if you have any questions about this, shoot them over in the comments or via email. I'd be happy to help.

As for my next book, it is "How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci." So far, fascinating stuff though a little self-helpy. Did you know he was an artist, scientist, musician, chef, linguist, war-strategist, architect....and the list goes on! Also, he invented tons of things like the helicopter and parachute, and was the forethinker for many disciplines like....ok, wait, giving too much away too soon. Catch my next post to learn more. :)

I have about 100 pages to go but I'm gonna try to get em done by tomorrow. Then what? Not sure yet, but my stack of potentials is growing weekly!